Gran Canaria Pro 2024: The Ultimate December SUP Race and Adventure

The Gran Canaria Pro is back! Taking place in the stunning southwest of Gran Canaria on 7th of December, this open international SUP event welcomes paddlers of all levels to race in one of the best SUP destinations in the world. With warm December temperatures averaging 26°C and courses tailored for both experienced competitors and novices, it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy high-quality racing and vibrant community vibes. I spoke with Edu Díaz, the event’s host and founder of SecondReef SUP. A lifelong waterman from Las Palmas, Edu competed professionally for over a decade, traveling the world. His expertise and love for the ocean have made SecondReef one of the most renowned SUP centers in Spain and beyond. Now, as a coach, instructor, and event organizer, Edu is dedicated to sharing his passion and creating unforgettable experiences for young SUP talents.

The Gran Canaria Pro has always been a major highlight in the SUP calendar. What happened this year that led to its cancellation?

It’s true that the Gran Canaria Pro started as a Beach Race event in summer and a Long Distance event in winter. For 2024, we wanted to organize a much larger event in June with a completely new format, including a night race and three full days of competition. But, unfortunately, it all remained just a project. The main reason for the cancellation, just two weeks after we had announced it, was the sudden decision of our main sponsor to exclude the event from their 2024 agenda. This came despite an agreement being finalized in December 2023. Understandably, the Gran Canaria Pro 2024 project relied heavily on their financial support, so without it, the event’s budget became unviable.

Despite the cancellation of the main event, you’re still organizing a smaller, open event without prize money. What motivates you to keep going, and what do you hope to achieve with this scaled-down but high-quality version?

After the cancellation of the planned June event, I really lost the motivation to organize anything. But being surrounded every day by my team, especially kids aged 12 to 15 who give their all in every training session, inspired me to bring back the Gran Canaria Pro. I’m doing it mainly for them, for my son Noah, for the love of the sport, and to enjoy the best of SUP on race day. Ultimately, it’s not about whether the event is bigger or smaller or whether there’s prize money. Here in the Canary Islands, we have so much potential—not just because of our athletes, but also because of our climate and beaches. These make organizing an event of this magnitude possible. Seeing the kids motivated, excited, and eager to compete while their families cheer them on and enjoy the great atmosphere we create every year at Anfi del Mar gives me every reason to keep going.

The Gran Canaria Pro was part of the EuroTour and has attracted some of the world’s best athletes. How do you plan to maintain its prestige without prize money?

As I mentioned, the Canary Islands are blessed with incredible beaches, the best climate, and world-class courses for both Long Distance and Beach Races.
Each year, professional athletes understandably focus on events with prize money because they face high expenses throughout the season. However, not every event has to be about the elite competitors. The Gran Canaria Pro is also for kids, amateurs, and anyone passionate about SUP. On December 7th at Anfi del Mar, we’ll enjoy an amazing SUP race in an average temperature of 26 degrees, with a fantastic atmosphere and participants from all over. It’s worth noting that in 2023, the Gran Canaria Pro was ranked in the TOP 5 international SUP events by TotalSUP—not because of prize money, but because of the overall quality of the event.

The SUP racing scene in the Canary Islands has undergone a lot of changes. How would you describe its current state, and who are the athletes we should watch out for?

In the Canary Islands, surfing and bodyboarding dominate water sports since we have waves every day. SUP racing hasn’t seen the same boom as in Mediterranean schools. A few years ago, we had six SUP race clubs spread across the islands; now we’re down to three. Still, between the clubs and the Canary Federation, we managed to create a stable tour, though today it only consists of two events. Despite these challenges, we’ve never lost the drive to keep investing in the sport. Since 2009, we’ve run SecondReef, one of Spain’s first SUP centers.

We offer introductory courses, introduce kids as young as 7 to competition, and train our team of young athletes five to six times a week. As long as we have sponsors and athletes in the Canary Islands, we’ll continue organizing the Gran Canaria Pro. When it comes to athletes, I’d highlight the current world sprint champion, Alba Frey, who is only just beginning and already has an impressive record. By 2025, I believe we’ll see the very best from her. In Fuerteventura, we’ve always had athletes like Jaran Rodriguez, who has worked daily in SUP since the sport began here. Even though he’s in the Master category, he can still surprise us in a Beach Race. At my center this year, we have two Spanish champions: Daniela Cazorla, who is 13 years old, and my son Noah Díaz, 12, who are both becoming better prepared every day for the 2025 season. Our other athlete, Elisa López, who is 15, finished third in Spain this year. She’s very disciplined and committed, and if she stays focused, she’ll continue to be one of the best.

Your SUP school has played a big role in developing young talent. Could you share some success stories or notable achievements?

Since starting our SUP race team in 2015, I’ve seen so many kids come through, achieving great results before life — school, work— took them elsewhere. The current team has been training with me since they were little, and the progress they’ve made over the past four years is incredible. With top-notch boards and paddles, they’ve become Spanish champions in categories like U12 and U14, and we even have a third-place finish in U16. Watching them grow and excel is incredibly rewarding.

Your 12-year-old son, Noah, is emerging as a promising SUP talent. Can you tell us about his career so far and your aspirations for his future in this sport?

Noah practically has gills—he’s been in the sea since he was tiny. I remember when he was just two years old, helping me pump up a board that was bigger than he was. He’s been on a board since he was a toddler, especially during our summer camps or when I was teaching courses and taking clients on trips. Once he learned to swim, he gained confidence and decided to start SUP training more seriously.

He joined his first race at age 6 and hasn’t stopped since. Now, he’s part of our SUP race team and is the Spanish champion in Long Distance, Sprints, and Beach Race for the U12 category in 2024. During the pre-season or in his free time, waves are his priority—both for him and the rest of the team. He loves surfing and paddleboarding and always wants to improve. For his future, I just hope he stays passionate about the sport and that the sea continues to give him incredible moments and experiences.

The event is open to international participants. What can attendees expect in terms of competition, community participation, and the overall experience?

This year’s event features tailored distances for all categories: Elite and U18 (13.5 km), U16, U14, and Open (4.4 km), Sub12 and Amateur (2.2 km), and U10 (700 m). As I mentioned earlier, December offers an average temperature of 26 degrees here in the Canary Islands, and the event takes place in Mogán, one of the warmest municipalities on the island. The long-distance section is set in a spectacular bay, which also happens to be our regular training ground. If I were an international rider, I wouldn’t hesitate to take a few days off to come with friends or family, enjoy the Gran Canaria Pro, and share the experience with local riders. There are countless things to do during a stay on the island, making it a perfect blend of sport and leisure.

Reflecting on past editions of the Gran Canaria Pro, what lessons have you learned, and how are they influencing your approach to organizing future events?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that securing a good sponsor becomes more difficult every year. The number of events and disciplines keeps increasing, which means more competition for sponsorships. Here on the island, we have many schools, promoters, and disciplines like surfing, bodyboarding, windsurfing, and now wingfoil. All of these projects are presented to potential sponsors at the end of the year. The challenging part is knocking on doors, presenting your project, and convincing them to support you financially.

The Canary Islands offer unique conditions for SUP racing, especially in Gran Canaria. What makes this location such an ideal setting for an international SUP event, and how does it enhance the competitors’ experience?

The Gran Canaria Pro takes place at Anfi del Mar, located in the southwest of the island. This area is typically well-protected from the trade winds, which makes it ideal for long-distance racing in December. That said, the weather here is unpredictable during events. In previous editions, we’ve seen everything—from choppy seas to completely glassy conditions. In 2023, the main race had sections with crosswinds, downwinds, and upwinds, creating a highly technical course. It was a true test of skill, where only the most prepared and experienced athletes thrived. This variability adds a layer of excitement to the competition.

For the December race specifically, what features of the event or location do you think will excite both experienced and novice racers?

We’ve carefully designed courses to suit all categories, ensuring that everyone can compete while enjoying the race. For advanced racers, there are more buoy turns and beach portages, offering a real challenge. For younger participants, we’ve set up a circuit with three buoys inside the beach, so their families can watch and cheer them on from up close. As always, we’ll finish the event with team races on BIG SUP boards and live music, a tradition that has become a highlight of the Anfi del Mar race.

Note: We offer board rentals and airport transfers for all participants to make the logistics as easy as possible!

For more information:

TotalSUP event page

Facebook page

Website

For airport transfers, accommodations, and any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the organization at info@secondreef.es

Photos by the courtesy of: Secondreef