A little history of Surfing Life Club…
In 2004, João Diogo established, on the beach of Matosinhos, the Surfing Life Club, in a safe place on the beach, next to the Atlantic Ocean.
Providing a unique program in the north of Portugal, combining sport, entertainment and fun, it runs regular classes every day of the year with fixed instructors, surf shops with technical advice, surf safaris, surf camps, classes in schools and colleges, events with companies and social projects with weekly support.
We have schools in Porto and Maceda, for different levels of evolution, providing not only the introduction to surfing, but also more advanced classes with professional surf teachers.
Starting at the beginning…
1994 – Aterro Beach, Leça da Palmeira, Porto – JD created the first surf school in Porto, with his friends Silvério Canto Moniz and Henrique Marinho Leite. Mike Davis boards colored the beach with some dedicated enthusiasts and students. “Today I am proud to still go out to sea with some students, to share the good moments provided by surfing” JD.
1995 – MOBILE SCHOOL – After a trip around the world, in which João Diogo surfed in some of the most influential surf spots (Australia and Hawaii), JD created the first mobile surf school in Portugal. “First I went to the beaches of Espinho, where I did two days of classes. Then I went to Matosinhos for two more days, with the support of the Youth Institute. Finally, another two days in Moledo do Minho: my van was my house, with only a dozen boards and wetsuits” JD.
1995 – 2004 – JD trained several athletes, such as the national champion João Guedes and also big names in Portugal, such as Peste, Pumas, Sofia Valente and others.
2004-2007 – In order to encourage sporting habits in a dignified way, we have created a place with better conditions. We can receive daily information about participants on the Internet, and we also have more information magazines, a library, a shop with equipment specialists and technical support. We have facilities such as water, different types of planks and suits, theoretical structure among others.
2005 – New wave of surf in Australia and creation of “Surf Educa”. Start of the project with special education students with mental disabilities, in partnership with APPACDM.
2008 – We signed a contract with Sumol and became a Sumol Surf School, the only one in the north.
2009 – Opening of the new facilities on Matosinhos beach. Now we have more comfort, offering our students locker rooms, hot baths, classrooms, facilities to watch videos of classes, presentations, repair workshops and birthday parties.