And when it comes down to it, lakes provide the best surface for sports on the crest of a wave, like wakeboarding and wakesurfing, which may well look similar but are not the same thing. Wakeboarding is a type of water skiing on a board on which, thanks to the traction of the boat and a special course, you can pull off spectacular tricks; this is what makes it one of the disciplines in the famous X Games and one of the most popular summer sports among snowboarders. Wakesurfing is closer to real surfing because you surf the continuous wave of the wake from a boat (not the one dragging you along). With the wind on your skin, the water spraying on your face and the calm expanse of the lake...how could you not feel free on this fresh, clear and crystalline water?
The lake comes alive with white sails on the horizon, sailors hoist the mainsail and windsurfers take their boards out onto the water to show that surfing can be fun far away from the sea and its waves. Here on Lake Maggiore we know what we’re doing: Mistral, who first developed the concept of a board with a sail, making windsurfing an international sport, is a Swiss brand.
Even better if it’s in a stunning landscape like the shores of Lake Maggiore, in the peace and quiet of the Tenero area up to the Bolle di Magadino, the delta nature reserve at the mouths of the Ticino and Verzasca rivers, which is one of the nine Swiss floodplain rivers considered of national importance by the Swiss Academy of Sciences. And once you’ve banished all those pressing thoughts with sport, why not take a break and visit the Bolle, home to a range of incredibly beautiful flora and fauna?
Sometimes relaxation doesn’t take much: a world of bright colours, a longboard and a paddle.
Did you know?
The Hawaiians are thought to have been the first to use this form of surfing as early as the 18th century, but SUP as we know it came about to meet a very different need: surfers used to use the technique to get much closer to the action to photograph their friends.
Music – it really doesn’t matter if it’s coming from your phone, built-in speakers or your friend who brought his guitar – fills the air with magic. The water is cool, the company perfect, the weather stunning and everything feels like summer. If this scene almost seems too idyllic, try renting a pedalo, always the craziest (in a positive sense!) way of getting around on summer afternoons.
Even without these accolades, Ascona-Locarno has plenty of lidos and beaches where you can have fun, sunbathe and enjoy the cool water. Why fly off to an exotic destination when you can sunbathe just around the corner, against the backdrop of a lake surrounded by mountains? Or sample the adrenaline of waterslides, such as the Looping (the first in Switzerland!) at the Locarno Lido? Or taste Mexican specialities between dips at the Lido San Nazzaro? The lido is also an ideal spot for enjoying an aperitif at sunset after an intense day of water sports with friends!
According to the experts, rafting, canoeing, kayaking and canyoning are a unique experience in the turquoise waters of our rivers. If you feel like taking a swim away from the city in the magical setting of the valleys, try our three river sports tips.
Allora, quale sarà l’attività che ti farà innamorare dell’estate nella nostra regione? Condividi la tua esperienza con noi sui social con #myasconalocarno e #myasconalocarnoACTIVE, e ricordati che l’estate nella regione di Ascona-Locarno non è solo bagni e sport: togli il costume e abbraccia il ricco programma dei maggiori eventi della stagione: Moon&Stars, Locarno Festival e tutti gli eventi che non vuoi perderti ti aspettano!
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