Los Alcazares welcomed around 180 watersports athletes from several countries as the 27th edition of Surfari Mar Menor brought three days of windsurfing and sailing action to the Costa Calida over the weekend of October 9 to 11.

Surfari Mar Menor welcomes national and international athletes

The annual competition attracted national and international participants from Spain, Portugal, Finland and the Dominican Republic, turning the Mar Menor into an international showcase for watersports. This year’s edition also introduced a new venue and additional varieties of sports.

New venue brings races closer to spectators

For the first time, Surfari Mar Menor took place at Playa Náutica de Las Salinas, a recently inaugurated watersports area in Los Alcazares. The new location brought competitors, organisers and spectators together in one setting, with dedicated spaces for equipment preparation, race information and the presentation of trophies.

The venue also allowed races to take place close to the shoreline, giving residents and visitors a better view of the colourful sails crossing the lagoon. Organisers hoped this would make the competition more accessible to people who wanted to watch the action without taking part themselves.

Windsurfing, wingfoiling and Formula Kite take centre stage

Windsurfing remained the central focus of the event, but this year’s programme expanded to include wingfoiling, a wind-powered sport where you stand on a hydrofoil board while holding a wing to glide above the water, and Formula Kite, a high-speed Olympic sailing sport where athletes on hydrofoil boards are pulled by ram-air kites. The latter, which made its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games, also featured the Spanish Formula Kitesurf Cup.

These additional sports brought different ways of harnessing the wind to the competition, showcasing the range of watersports possible on Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon.

International competition boosts the Costa Calida’s watersports appeal

The event’s international participation further underlined the lagoon’s appeal as a destination for sailing and wind-powered sports. The Mar Menor’s relatively consistent sailing conditions are another major attraction, allowing participants to enjoy watersports while giving spectators a chance to watch the thrilling races from the shore.

The competition concluded on Sunday, October 11. Andalusian competitors secured seven podium finishes across five categories, while Canarian sailor Isidro Enríquez won the overall Windsurfer title by just one point.

With its new venue, expanded programme and international participation, the 27th Surfari Mar Menor re-established Los Alcazares’ reputation as a top destination for watersports, thrilling races, and an active supporting community on the Costa Calida.

A long-time Costa del Sol expat has warned that Spain’s drive for development is coming at the expense of the people who already live there, with older residents facing growing problems with traffic, housing costs and access to everyday services.

Steve Marshall, who moved to Spain with his family almost 30 years ago, says the promise of a better quality of life was a major reason for making the move. However, he believes the balance between development and residents’ needs has changed dramatically.

“When our family moved to Spain almost 30 years ago it was for a better quality of life,” Steve said. “There was a balance between achieving that goal and the need for development and growth.” He now fears that balance has been lost, with building projects taking priority over the infrastructure needed to support growing communities.

Steve Marshall questions the cost of development

“It appears that the authorities are hell-bent at building on every available piece of land with no obvious thought given to the necessary infrastructure,” he said. Steve believes new homes and other developments must be matched by investment in the services residents need to live safely and comfortably.

“By infrastructure I include such things as roads, parking facilities, water, sewage treatment, hospitals, doctors, nurses and police who are just part of the core infrastructure that should go with development,” he said.

He argues that the effects are already being felt in everyday life, particularly by older people who may find it more difficult to negotiate crowded streets or cope with heavier traffic. “Navigating building sites that spill out onto pavements is difficult and dangerous,” Steve said. “The massive increase in traffic makes it equally demanding for older residents.”

For people who depend on their cars because public transport is unavailable locally, he believes the situation is particularly worrying. “For those who want to use their car (because there is no local bus service) they now do so with unacceptable risk,” he said.

Older residents face rising housing costs

Steve accepts that development has an important role to play in Spain’s economy, creating jobs and bringing new opportunities. His objection is to growth that fails to take account of the people already living in an area. “There will always be the need for development,” he said. “It brings with it job creation and ‘progress’ but it should not be at the expense of a quality of life that we are all entitled to.”

He also believes local authorities have a responsibility to put the needs of their communities at the centre of planning decisions. “The role of the authorities is to serve their community,” he said. “That cornerstone of democracy does not appear to be at the forefront of their thinking these days.”

Housing affordability is another major concern for Steve, particularly for older residents living on fixed incomes. “As home prices rise so does the cost of renting,” he said. He claims that monthly rental payments can now exceed the pensions of some older residents who have built their lives in Spain. He also points to what he describes as excessively high deposits, which can make finding a new home even more difficult. “For some of our older neighbours they are faced with the previously unthinkable option of returning to the UK as owning/renting becomes unaffordable in Spain,” he said.

Steve calls for town halls to listen

Steve believes town halls and planning departments need to consider the impact of proposed developments on existing residents, rather than concentrating solely on construction and economic growth. He says he raised his concerns with his local Foreign Residents Department and was invited to put them in writing to the Planning Department. However, he says he was given a caveat that the department was under “no obligation to respond”.

For Steve, that experience raises a wider question about how much influence established residents have over decisions that directly affect their lives. His message is not that Spain should stop developing, but that growth should bring improvements for the people who already call the country home. As he put it: “It should not be at the expense of a quality of life that we are all entitled to.”

A Roman association from San Pedro del Pinatar took part in a major parade in Lorca on Saturday, October 10, joining groups from across Spain for a celebration of the country’s historical heritage and traditions.

San Pedro del Pinatar joins national Roman parade

The Tercio Romano Hermenegildo Fresneda Pujol represented the coastal municipality at the grand parade of Roman groups, organised as part of the third National Congress of Roman Groups and Associations. The gathering brought together eight groups from different parts of Spain, highlighting the cultural significance of these organisations and their role in preserving historical traditions.

Eight groups celebrate Spain’s Roman traditions

The parade formed part of the wider gathering, which celebrates the history, cultural heritage and traditions represented by Roman associations throughout Spain. These groups play an important role in bringing historical periods to life through traditional costumes, public processions and participation in local cultural events.

Preserving historical heritage across generations

For San Pedro del Pinatar, the occasion was an opportunity to showcase its own Roman association alongside other organisations from different parts of Spain and strengthen connections between communities that share an interest in historical reenactment and cultural preservation.

The participation also highlighted the importance of maintaining traditions that are passed down through generations and continue to form part of Spain’s cultural identity.

Local representatives support cultural connection

The participation of eight Roman groups from different parts of Spain demonstrated the widespread interest in historical associations and their contribution to cultural life. Through their public appearances and participation in national gatherings, these organisations help keep historical traditions alive while encouraging communities to learn more about their heritage.

For San Pedro del Pinatar, the parade offered another opportunity to represent the charm and history of the municipality outside of its local boundaries, as well as celebrate the people who dedicate their time to preserving its cultural traditions.

The event also reinforced the value of cooperation between towns and associations in keeping Spain’s diverse historical customs alive for future generations to enjoy and practice.