Surfing
Surfing
Venture to a historic corner of Europe as our Made In series turns Basque
Our hugely successful Made In series is back and this time we're heading to the land of surf, cider and jai alai; the Basque Country.
Growing up in Plentzia in the Basque Country, young Natxo González was as mad about football as he was about surfing. Thankfully for Natxo and his army of fans, his mother Alazne Iglesias got sick of making team lunches and gently nudged Natxo towards the ocean.
A dozen years later and a true favourite son of the Atlantic, the Basque charger couldn't agree more with the statement that "mothers always know best."
Natxo Gonzalez enjoys a peak moment in the Basque Country
© Mitxel Produkzioak
Local hellman Aritza Saratxaga stands tall at the base of a Basque bomb
© Joseba Larri
The first ever Spaniard on the CT, Aritz Aranburu, shows how he got there
© Joseba Larri
Eukeni Masa hits the brakes and enjoys a beautiful Basque barrel
© Mitxel Produkzioak
So what exactly is the Basque Country? Straddling the border of France and Spain at the base of the Pyrenees, on the Atlantic's Bay of Biscay, the Basque Country takes a little from each nation yet is a proudly unique corner of the world, with a language unlike any other, and an incredible local cuisine all of its own. While Bilbao is the major city, San Sebastian is a fixture on the backpacker trail, and as of 25 years ago the Basque Country is now on every surfer's bucket list as well.
One of the jewels in the Basque crown – Meñakoz – in full cry
© Mitxel Produkzioak
A rare sighting of Basque explorer Kepa Acero getting shacked on home soil
© Gorka Ezkurdia
Natxo Gonzalez grabs his rail and slides into home base
© Joseba Larri
David Zuku drives through the heart of a majestic Mundaka freight train
© Jon Aspuru
Mundaka is the best known wave in the region, Europe's finest pointbreak a thunderous left that barrels for hundreds of metres along a shallow sandbar, these days amongst a crowd of hundreds. Don't let that put you off the region however, as there is every type of wave around each and every corner, from bone dry reef slabs to playful beachies, and all rivermouths and points in between.
In the debut episode of the new series as well as meeting Natxo we're introduced to Aritz Aranburu, the first Basque surfer to make the WSL's Championship Tour, and Kepa Acero, a legendary surf adventurer who has helped showcase the Basque charm and spirit in surfing's furthest flung corners for almost two-decades now. They give us a glimpse at the mindset that allows these seafaring people to take their surfing to the highest level, despite it being a relatively modern arrival on the local sporting scene.
Don't just take our word for it though, hit go in the player above and dive into Made In The Basque Country's first episode, then start thinking about your next big surf adventure. Enjoy.
