5 Water Sports

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Water Sports

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5 popular water sports you can practice

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1 Surf

Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer, uses a board to ride on the face of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. The term surfing usually refers to the act of riding a wave using a board, regardless of the stance.

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Nazaré is known about its huge waves. It was there that, in 2011, Garret McNamara surfed a tremendous 78 feet wave and became the protagonist of a Guiness world record.

Portugal is a popular surfing destination for surfers inside and outside Europe. The best surfing spots in Portugal are: Figueira da Foz, Nazaré, Peniche, Ericeira, Cascais and Aljezur.

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2 Swimming

It is an individual or team racing sport that takes place in pools or open water. It is one of the most popular Olympic sports, with varied distance events in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley.

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Evidence of recreational swimming in prehistoric times has been found, with the earliest evidence dating to Stone Age paintings from around 10,000 years ago. Written references date from 2000 BC, with some of the earliest references to swimming including the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Bible, Beowulf, the Quran and others.

Portugal has a Swimming Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Natação), which actively promotes the practice of swimming in Portugal, in its various aspects and disciplines, through various sporting events and supports school sports and Olympic athletes, being also solely responsible for the homologation of records and the maintenance of national rankings.

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3 Canoeing & Kayak

Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Canoe and Kayak races at the Olympic Games are held as slalom events and flat water sprints. There are single, double and four boats. Sprint events have been contested since Montreal 1936, while slalom events were added in 1972.

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In Portugal, it is a school sports modality. The best rivers to practice canoeing & Kayak are Minho, Lima, Cávado, Douro and Tejo. (Photo: kayak - Cávado river)

Emanuel Silva and Fernando Pimenta are great portuguese canoe sprinters. Together, they became the first Portuguese sprint paddlers to win a medal at the Olympic Games.

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4 Stand Up Padle

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According to the Outdoor Foundation's 2013 Outdoor Participation Report, stand up paddle boarding was listed as the most popular outdoor activity among first-time participants. Its surfing heritage coupled with its various disciplines make the sport attractive and accessible to everyone, regardless of ability (Photo: SUP - Ria de Aveiro)

It is a water sport born from surfing with modern roots in Hawaii. Stand up paddle boarders stand on boards that are floating on the water, and use a paddle to propel themselves through the water. Variations include flat water paddling, racing, surfing, whitewater SUP, yoga, and fishing.

Five great places in Portugal to discover in SUP: Lagos caves, Arrábida Natural Park, Óbidos lagoon, Santa Luzia Dam and Ermal Dam. (Photo: Lagos Caves)

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5 Underwater Diving

Underwater diving is the practice of descending below the water's surface to interact with the environment. Recreational diving (sometimes called sport diving or subaquatics) is a popular leisure activity.

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Considered a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2011, the Berlengas archipelago is undoubtedly one of the best places for diving in Portugal. It is one of the best ways to explore Through diving you can observe the immense biodiversity of the Berlengas and visit all the caves and even the most secret corners of the archipelago.

Portugal is the best destination in the world, according to the WTA - World Travel Awards. Diving in Portugal means diving in the Atlantic Ocean and discovering an underwater environment, the bottom of the sea, rocks, flora, subaquatic species, utterly different from what you get on other destinations. The most beautiful diving sites in Portugal are Berlenga Nature Reserve, Sesimbra, Algarve (Aljezur, Sagres, Ria Formosa) and Madeira island. Click here to see the best divins sites in Portugal