We have talked about boards, oars, rider, safety and many other issues related to Paddle Surf in Dénia. Today I want to interview one of the people who make SUP and rowing sports a reality in our city: Gabriel Martinez, director of Marina de Denia.
QUESTION. Gabriel, Marina de Dénia has a sports spirit. Where is it born?
ANSWER. Marina de Denia has a marked sporting spirit and especially with rowing sports, because my beginnings in the sea were with a canoe, competing in K2 and we understand the importance of supporting the sport and awakening new hobbies, especially related to the sea, this is the best way to learn to enjoy it, respect it and take care of it.
P. Marina de Dénia is known as a port for anchorage and services, as well as for its gastronomic, leisure and cultural offer. But he also maintains an intense sporting activity of SUP, canoe and llaüt. What makes our city an unbeatable spot for practicing these sports?
R. Dénia is a maritime city with a number of facilities at sea that allow water sports to be carried out with many more facilities than in most places.
Q. Currently, and given the special circumstances that we live in, individual sports and open spaces are a good choice, even so, water sports have not quite taken off in our area. Why do you think that is due? What could be done to make the sea and sport more present in our city?
R. For many decades this city has made a great effort to promote sun and beach tourism in the first place, secondly, they have made a great commitment to local gastronomy. We believe that now is the time for the blue economy and in this economy an important part is made up of nautical sports. Therefore, these sports will have relevance in our city from the moment we begin to properly promote our facilities to practice them and the goodness of our waters that make it possible to safely practice them almost all year round.
P. Many people limit their activity at sea to the summer months, however, the sea is open 365 days a year. How do you think we can de-seasonalize nautical activity?
R. Do not confuse what is the activity of nautical tourism with the sports section or nautical activities, they are two worlds that must be treated separately, although the scenario is common. Regarding water sports, which is the question you ask me, I think we have a good example in the dissemination campaigns that the winter seasons do with the white weeks, in my opinion we should do something similar with the blue weeks .
Q. In addition to various clubs and athletes, Marina de Dénia is the base of the Coast Guard Service of the Cabo de San Antonio Marine Reserve. What does having a marine reserve contribute to our city?
R. Marina de Denia as one of the three patrons that support the reserve, has a great interest in that it means a lot for this city and in fact it should be so and for that purpose we admit the patronage, the reality is quite different, the reserve contributes well Little and all the tourist attractions that should generate significant returns for Denia, are in a frank state of abandonment as long as the administration does not know how to put the batteries and allow activities such as diving, snorkeling, underwater photography, etc., to be practiced in it in an easy and safe way, everything will remain the same under the framework of indolence.
Q. Thank you for your time. I take the opportunity to sincerely thank you for the support received throughout all these years, thanks to you and Marina de Dénia I can train continuously throughout the year, enjoy a spectacular infrastructure, a privileged environment and some perfect conditions. It is a dream come true. Thank you very much.
Text: Surf Club Dénia
