Directly at the mouth of the Rio Mino is a beautiful and sometimes almost unknown spot. A headland separates a bay from the rough Atlantic here. This creates an ideal learning area for wingsurfers on the inside, as the bay is enclosed on three sides and the water is correspondingly smooth.
Austrian Stefan Schafgassner opened a pure wingfoil school here in 2022 with a Portuguese partner. "The wind yield for wingsailing is enormous, between May and August it is around 80 per cent. In the morning, there is often a moderate easterly wind from the river valley, which arrives onshore at our station. And of course the Nortada also ventilates this section of the coast extremely reliably. This northerly wind usually sets in at around 11.00 a.m. and increases to up to 25 knots by early afternoon," says Schafgassner, describing the typical wind conditions. The only thing you should keep an eye on here is the tidal current, and you should definitely get a sailing briefing. A lifeboat is also available at the centre in case of an emergency.
Moledo: Wings in the wave in the north of Portugal
On the other side of the headland, excursions into the Atlantic wave are also possible, for which Mainpeak also offers special courses: "On the Atlantic side," says Schafgassner, "we have two different waves: A gentle, round wave breaks to windward, it's suitable for taking your first wave rides. The wave breaks into deep water, so you can slowly feel your way towards the breaking part - this spot is perfect for our training. You can also practise jumps here. The second surfable wave breaks to leeward, the sandbank is shallower there and the wave is more powerful. You should already have wave experience here," says Schafgassner, explaining the spot. If you are interested in wave courses, you should be able to turn and cross safely and be past the beginner stage with large-volume boards.
The wave spot at Praia do Camarido is within walking distance of the main peak station. Keyword "within walking distance": the distances to possible accommodation are also short in Moledo. A campsite ("Parque de Campismo") is located directly at the spot, hotels and holiday accommodation can also be found. Even if the wind yield in summer probably leaves little time for an alternative programme: Porto, which is well worth a visit, is only around 50 minutes away. but there are also numerous alternatives locally, such as MTB or SUP tours or the archaeological sites on the other bank of the river. Now in its third season, Schafgassner has expanded its range to include mountain bikes.
Material for wingfoil beginners and wave cracks
Since he started running the centre in Portgual, Stefan has noticed a slight change in guests: "In the first two years, we had almost exclusively beginners. The typical customer was 50 plus, had previous experience in windsurfing (60%) or kitesurfing (40%) and wanted to try out the new sport with me." It is important to him that his students are able to continue practising independently after the basic course. The biggest problem for many wingfoil students is a stable flight: "In my experience, most of them switch from the longboard to the foilboard too early. They still lack control and understanding of the wing. When I first take foil students on a longboard at the start of the course, they are usually disappointed. After the first session, however, they are amazed at how much they have learnt. I'm convinced that the key to stable flight lies in wing control!"
The key to stable flight lies in wing control!"
For beginners to wingfoiling, Mainpeak has 2000 front wings and boards with 125 to 140 litres in its range. For wave wings on the Atlantic, 100-litre front wings and boards around 80 litres are available, says Schafgassner. "We are seeing a very steep learning curve with our customers. We have retrofitted two 50-litre boards for this year. These will mainly be used on the wave side. I can't wait to see when the boards hit the water for the first time!"
Further information also HERE on the Mainpeak website.
