The Portuguese coastal cities of Peniche, Viana do Castelo, Aveiro, Nazaré, Costa da Caparica, Vila do Bispo and Sintra will have High Performance Surfing Centers (Centro de Alto Rendimento de Surf) in a total expected investment of 5.000.000 euros.

Laurentino Dias, the Portuguese secretary of state for Youth and Sports, has laid the first stone for this ambitious project, in Peniche.

The seven High Performance Surfing Centers will be available and open to all surfers, kitesurfers, windsurfers, bodyboarders and kayaksurfers.

They will be fully equipped with a surfcamp, renewable energy systems, formation and conference rooms, gyms, leisure areas, green fields, medical centers and bedrooms.

«Sports like surfing are gaining momentum and respect. This is an unprecedented investment for the wave sports in Portugal», Laurentino Dias said.

The High Performance Surfing Centers will be mainly located in the South of Portugal, except for the Viana do Castelo unit.

Matosinhos, one of the best northern city surfing spots, is out of the planned High Performance Surfing Centers announced by the Portuguese government.

The seven surfing centers will be open to the waveriders between 2010 an 2011.

source: surfertoday