The Ericeira World Surfing Reserve is a world-class surf zone encompassing approximately 8 km of coastline. It contains a high density of outstanding surf breaks as know “the 7 wonderfuls“, including iconic breaks such as Ribeira d’Ilhas and Coxos, among others.

 

The coastline of Ericeira is dominated by rocky cliffs, and these are what give the area its character, along with its famous beaches located in small bays. The ancient population of Ericeira was inhabited by an ethnic group called ‘Jagoz’, different from the neighboring villages because this group lived almost exclusively from the sea. Ericeira was visited by members of the royal family, monarchist and republican aristocrats, that built their vacation homes, and were regarded as the first sunbathers of this village.

 

Surfing first came to the beaches of Ericeira in the mid-1970s, and has since become the focal point for Portuguese surfing. ASP World Tour professional surfer Tiago Pires was born and raised in Ericeira, and a number of surfing-related businesses have sprouted up in the area to support the influx of both local and visiting surfers.

 

The diversity of waves in the area, along with their various degrees of difficulty, enables good surfing conditions for all levels of surfers, from beginners to professionals. Also, Ericeira is home to numerous surf schools, in addition to regional and international surf competitions. Ribeira d’Ilhas currently hosts the Quiksilver Pro Portugal each year, an ASP men’s prime professional contest.

 

 

________________________________________________________________

In a rousing day of events including a sunrise paddle out and a special fisherman blessing at world-famous Ribeira d’Ilhas, Ericeira, Portugal was dedicated as the second World Surfing Reserve. The special designation establishes and celebrates the unique value of the Ericeira surf zone, and aims to enhance efforts to maintain the pristine nature of the area for future generations.

The Ericeira area of Portugal is a treasure for Portuguese and international surfers alike. The dedicated Ericeira surf zone consists of 4 km (2.5 miles) of coastline, containing seven quality surf breaks, including Pedra Branca, Reef, Ribeira d’Ilhas, Cave, Crazy Left, Coxos and São Lourenço.“I fell in love with this area when I first came here in the 1980s,” said Will Henry, founder of Save The Waves Coalition. “This is a magical place, and this designation provides a great conservation tool to better protect it.”

“Ericeira is very special because there are so many great breaks in a very small area,” said Portuguese world tour surfer Tiago Pires, who spoke at the dedication. “On the better days you have waves as good as anywhere in the world. My hope is this reserve results in not just words, but environmental action.”

Portugal has a rich history of ocean exploration as well as a strong fishing culture. The early morning paddle out ceremony by about a hundred surfers was followed by a passionate blessing, performed in colorful freestyle rhyme by well-respected local fisherman Henrique Gramanha. He stated it was local fisherman who were the first surfers in the area, riding their boats on the waves when they came in from fishing.

The Ericeira World Surfing Reserve was officially endorsed by Portuguese president Aníbal Cavaco Silva, as well as acknowledged in the Portuguese National Assembly, recognizing the importance of surf and tourism to Portugal. This is the first formal recognition of the value of the surfing coastline by the national government. Local groups that collaborated on the reserve include the Municipality of Mafra, Association of the Friends of Coxos Bay, Ericeira Surf Club (ESC), and Salvem o Surf, as well as many other organizations and individuals.

 

__________________________________________________________________

About World Surfing Reserves
World Surfing Reserves (WSR) proactively identifies, designates, and preserves outstanding waves, surf zones and their surrounding environments, around the world. WSR is an initiative launched by Save The Waves Coalition in 2009 in conjunction with National Surfing Reserves – Australia, and through additional partnerships with the International Surfing Association (ISA) and Stanford University’s Center for Responsible Travel (CREST).

__________________________________________________________________
For more information:
www.worldsurfingreserves.org <http://www.worldsurfingreserves.org>

__________________________________________________________________
Contact:
Portugal Contact: Jorge Cardoso, Local Stewardship Council, Ericeira World Surfing Reserve: +351 916 285 170 • jorgefcardoso@gmail.com