Nika Paddle Surf Camps 2024: SUP surf, race and hang loose with Leonard Nika

In today’s convenience-driven experience culture, the plug-and-play approach seems to be a winning formula for organised travel. When it comes to extreme watersports and often limited time, adventurers are looking to simply fly in and start the activities from the get go without worrying about the gear and logistics.

TotalSUP caught up with Leonard Nika, pro SUP surfer, multiple SUP Champion, Coach and Founder of Nika Paddle-Surf Camp, a dedicated destination successfully hosting SUP surfing retreats and SUP race training camps in the iconic Peniche, Portugal. Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect at the upcoming retreats. We’re already packed!

Hi Leonard, welcome to TotalSUP and massive congratulations on your amazing season! Let’s dive right into what’s brewing now and the exciting pipeline of paddle surf camps and SUP racing retreats. Could you tell us more about it: How did you come up with the idea?

Hi and thanks for this interview. I’ve been organising SUP camps because I want to share my passion for stand-up paddling with others. I want to pass onto others what the sport has taught me.

My project of hosting SUP camps has started in parallel with all the SUP racing competitions that I’ve been doing. I was planning the camps for the off season, for at least one week per month.

And that has worked out. I’ve kept believing in the project and have kept pushing and now we’re in the 6th year running them under the Nika Paddle-Surf Camp brand.

How did you identify a gap in the market?

While travelling around the globe for competitions I was able to see that there was not many SUP camps where you can practice stand-up paddle surfing or racing focused on improvement training and on the experience of accessing the right equipment where you can.

Everything started in 2015, when we kicked off with two SUP camps per year, with each of them running from Sunday to Sunday so a full week mixed with different activities such as SUP surfing, racing, mountain biking (MTB), climbing and hiking.

In 2018, we hosted five SUP camps a year an then I was officially doing this almost full time. In 2019 we completed 18 SUP camps and already in mid 2019 we were overbooked for 2020. Well later with the COVID19 pandemic we had to cancel almost all of them and postpone other doing only few just in Summer. All our plans changed during 2020 and 2021 where we were blocked until the end of 2021 and we somehow survived the 2022 season which the hardest year ever with no income and a lot of expenses to deal with. Fortunately we completed ten SUP camps. And then we started all over again in 2023 with a new concept and a new place, and everything started rolling. I’m happy to keep doing what I love, surfing, coaching and meeting new people from all over the world.

The venue – you have a great surf house for the participants… Could you tell us more about it?

The Tiki Surf House is our main collaborator and is located in the best area in Ferrel, only 200 metres from Baleal Sul Beach, so a two minute walk from the ocean and sand dunes. It’s a very quiet and a peaceful place. The villa has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with views of the ocean and Berlenga Island from the top floor.

The house fits up to ten people, it’s ideal for two families or a big group of friends. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, TV, free high-speed WiFi. Our spacious terrace comes with  jacuzzi and BBQ and is perfect for Sunsets with beers and dinners.

We also collaborate with a local community for other lodging where we can offer different options for our guests to enjoy their journey here in Peniche with comfort in mind.

What’s the most exciting part for you as a professional athlete in running these camps and retreats?

The most exciting part for me running these camps is that I can share my passion for stand-up paddling with the others and showing what this amazing sport has to offer in combination with the best place on the planet to practice. In Peniche you can enjoy nature as part of it. You start creating natural habits and build self-trust by practicing this sport in different environments such as paddling out in the ocean, surfing the waves, exploring lakes and lagoons. My true satisfaction comes from when my students achieve their goals.

At whom are your camps and retreats aimed? Can anyone attend?

The paddle surf and race camps are aimed at everyone who has a bit of experience with stand-up paddling from basic to advanced level. Let’s say from minimum of one week paddling to experts that have been paddling for many years.

Participants are now looking for plug-and-play scenarios when you just fly in and pretty much start SUP surfing or racing from the get go without worrying about the gear and logistics. How do your retreats work?

Yes, our main goal is for our guests to not worry about anything. At our full week retreat we offer the airport transfer, lodging, HQ equipment (board, paddle, leash, wetsuit, helmet), transport to surf spots and food in the local restaurants or at the house. You can also choose to bring your own gear and do a short stay instead of the week long one.

What can participants expect from your camps?

To have the best experience of their life, make new friends, learn new manoeuvres and new techniques. And practice surfing everyday for one week in different spots!

The surf conditions can get pretty gnarly real fast, do you have other local spots that can serve as a plan B to run your activities?

With the twenty-year surfing experience, we have learnt that to surf nice waves and to have fun you must be in the right place at the right time because weathers conditions in the sea or ocean can change pretty quickly. We monitor the swell conditions one week earlier and we do a detailed programme based on tides, waves, swell and wind so each of this factors can be previously studied and decisions can be made where to surf to be safe, have fun and learn.

The March camps coincide with the World Surf League (WSL) Championships held in Peniche. How will you align your camp and retreat activities with the event?

The March camps are prepared to enjoy SUP surfing with the best wave conditions during this period while get inspired by major surfer performing in the World Surf League held in Peniche so many events are organized especially for this week with many other social activities.

If you could describe your retreats in 3 words…

Learn fast, fun is guaranteed!

Thank you for your time Leonard and have an epic time!

Upcoming SUP Camp Dates:

• March 3-10 SUP SURF (WSL)
  March 10-17 SUP SURF(WSL)
• April 7-14 SUP SURF
• May 5-12 SUP RACE
  May 19-26 SUP SURF

To find out more about the Nika Paddle-Surf Camps and retreats, visit nikapaddlesurfcamp.com 

Follow Nika Paddle Surf Camp on Facebook, Instagram  and YouTube

Follow Leonard Nika on Facebook and Instagram and visit Leonard’s Leonard Nika

*Images courtesy of Leonard Nika