Being a professional sports person or a serious amateur requires levels of dedication, discipline and sheer, unadulterated, hard work that few other professions share. Putting your life on hold when you’re training for events while timings, diet and workouts take over the daily routine can be hard work for friends and family too as they try to work their lives around your strict schedules.

At Sands Beach Active we understand the disciplines involved in sports training, but we also feel that shouldn’t mean you have to give up your creature comforts. Being an athlete isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for life, and if you’re going to spend most of your life either maintaining fitness levels, in training or competing, why shouldn’t it be in comfortable and beautiful surroundings?

Imagine a place where you can concentrate on your training with a fully equipped gym, tennis courts and professional sports physiotherapist on site, and then return to the comfort of your accommodation where privacy, space, a powerful hot shower and beautiful surroundings await you. A place where the family can enjoy leisure sports activities like Stand Up Paddle, canoeing, windsurfing and trial dives within barefoot reach of their villa or apartment.

Imagine a place where it never freezes, or snows, or hails; where the default setting all year round is sunshine and blue skies and where the terrain and conditions are perfectly suited to cycling, running, swimming, basketball, surfing, sailing, windsurfing, hang gliding, kite boarding, golf, diving and hiking.

Imagine all of that and take a look at Sands Beach Active – we’ve got it all.

In the blustery breeze and warm sunshine of a Lanzarote spring Saturday, urged on by crowds of spectators and supporters, athletes of all ages and abilities took to the coastline, sea and roads of the family resort to swim, cycle and run their way to the finishing line of the fourth annual Spring Duathlon. Proving once again that this event is one of the most important showcases for Lanzarote’s superb sports landscape, athletes were generous in their praise of the Sands Beach Resort organisation of the event and pledged their participation in the 2013 event.

On hand to offer their congratulations to winners and participants and to award prizes and trophies were Pedro San Ginés, the President of the Island Cabildo (Government) who combined his duties as President with his own participation in the event, notching up a very respectable finishing time of 1:39:57. Accompanying Señor Ginés in his podium duties was Migdalia Machín, Councillor for Sports at the Cabildo; Echedey Eugenio, Councillor for Sports at the Costa Teguise Local Authority; our own  Juan Carlos Albuixech, Director at Sands Beach Resort and Andrés Medina, President of the Costa Teguise Triathlon Club.

In the veteran male 1 category, the winner was Leon Victor Tejera with a time of 1: 13: 22. Joining Leon on the podium in second place was Bienvenido Rodriguez (CD Costa Teguise) with a time of 1: 14: 25 and in third place Francisco Godoy Fernandez with a time of 1: 14: 44.

In the veteran male 2 category, the winner was Juan Hernández (Costa Teguise CD) who notched up a time of 1: 21: 26. He was accompanied on the podium by Theourus Wilhelmus, with a time of 1: 21: 35 and third place Dirk Buschmann with a time of 1: 25: 02. The winner of the category veteran male 3 was Peter Loughran of the Club Deportivo Triathlon Triyaiza with a time of 1: 33: 15.

For the women, Sandra Robson of the CD Costa de Teguise took centre podium in first place in the veteran female 1 category with an impressive time of 1: 29: 28. Second place went to our good friend Julie Cliffe-Jones of Team Trail Haría  with a time of 1: 51: 23 – well done, Julie! In the veteran female 2 category, the winner was Deborah Jones (CD Costa Teguise) with a time of 1: 22: 54 and second place on the podium went to Sharon Loughran  with a time of 1: 40: 19 and third place to Sue Fugle who completed in 2: 03: 38.

Sands Beach Resort would like to add our congratulations once again to all the winners of the IV Costa Teguise Spring Duathlon, to all the participants and to the wonderful support given by spectators on the day, all of which ensured the ongoing success of our Spring Duathlon. Special mention goes to the TriWWW teams of Elvis Díaz and Isabelle Janssens, and Israel Coronado and Andrew Martin. We very much look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Xavier Queral romped home to win the Costa Teguise Spring Duathlon in a tape breaking time of 1:04:59. Runner up to the top podium spot was Aitor Navarro from Club Ciclista Tegala who notched up an overall time of 1: 06: 58. Completing the victory line up were third place Fernando Toribio of Trident Tinajo Club with an overall time of 1:07:26, just half a minute behind Aitor, and Antonio Perdomo, also of Trident Tinajo, who came in fourth with a time of 1:08:20. The first woman to break the tape, in a time of 1:19:52 was Katrine Trolle who had only registered that morning, a troublesome leg holding back her entry until she was sure she was fit enough. Well done, Katrin, clearly the leg held up well.

It was a bright and breezy start in Costa Teguise as staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to prepare for the IV Annual Spring Duathlon, transforming the front entrance of Sands Beach Resort into a portal to pain and victory for the 115 participants in the race.

Supporters were out in force, waving their flags, taking advantage of the bouncy castle and browsing the TriWWW stall while all around them athletes prepared their cycles for the change over and readied themselves to hit the tarmac when starter’s orders arrived.

The event began with a 5 kilometre run followed by a 20 kilometre cycle and ending with a 2.5 kilometre run. Lanzarote provided her trademark wind strength which made conditions tough for the athletes. But the sun shone for much of the day and everyone was out to enjoy themselves, athletes, participants and organisers alike.

When we finally managed to oust Buddy from the top spot on the podium – that dog will do anything for attention – Cabildo President Pedro San Ginés, having participated and completed the race himself with an impressive time of 1:39:57, was able to present the prizes and the rather fetching Spring Duathlon trophies and Sands Beach Active Spring Duathlon T shirts. Señor Ginés was very generous in his praise of Sands Beach Active for the excellent organisation of the event which proved once again that it is one of the most important showcases for Lanzarote’s spectacular sporting landscape.

Here at Sands Beach Resort we would like to extend our thanks to all the athletes who participated in the Spring Duathlon and to all the supporters who made the day so special. Our thanks also go to our VIP guests who lent their support and congratulations to the podium winners: Cabildo President Pedro San Ginés, Councillor for Sports at the Cabildo Migdalia Machín; Councillor for Sports at the Costa Teguise Local Authority Echedey Eugenio and Andrés Medina, President of the Costa Teguise Triathlon Club.

Very special thanks got to Maria, Jonatan and Andreas for all the hard work they put into making this a event such a great success.

Our Director, Juan Carlos Albuixech, and all the staff here at Sands Beach Resort look forward to seeing you all again next year for the V Costa Teguise Spring Duathlon in 2013.

There’s one way to remove the need for high factor sun cream slapped all over an athlete’s skin to protect from the Lanzarote sun, and that’s to stage your marathon after dark. With the moonlight on the water and the night stars to keep you company, this unique event is perfect for night owl runners.

Originally staged exclusively for police and firemen who still have a category to themselves in the groupings, this year the Night Marathon Lanzarote is being opened up for anyone over 12 years to join in and is a vehicle for promoting culture and sport. Taking place in the holiday resort of Playa Blanca on 7th April 2012, spectators will enjoy all the excitement of the race followed by a party and music to keep the tempo buzzing until 4am.

The only event of its kind on the island, registration costs €5 for juniors and €15 for everyone else, is limited to 200 participants and is open now. Junior athletes (12 yrs to 17yrs) will race over 5 kilometres while the adults will complete either 10.5 or 21 kilometres. As well as the police and firemen, there are separate categories for emergency workers and for veterans (over 40 years). The race circuit will be along the sea front of Playa Blanca, beginning at Avenida Papagaya.

You can find out more about the Night Marathon Lanzarote at the official website.

For those of us not actually burning calories at a frightening rate by participating, there was a nip in the air for the early start beneath blue skies and sunshine as athletes took to the water at Playa Jablillo Bajo for the first leg of the Tri122 triathlon event on Saturday 17th March 2012.

A single circuit of 1km got swimmers into their stride before they emerged onto the sand for a stamina sapping run on dry land before back into the water for the second and final swim lap. With the salt water still fresh on limbs, bikes were gathered and pushed to the start line for the cycle leg which took athletes on a 100km circuit including the sweat-inducing climb to Subida a Tabayesco. Then it was back to Costa Teguise for the final run over two laps and 20km before Lanzarote’s men and women of iron crossed the finishing line amidst tumultuous applause.

The athletes clocking up the fastest time to complete all three disciplines, an astonishing 15 minutes ahead of their nearest rivals, were German team mates Timo Bracht and Reichel Horst from 21Run.com Triathlon Team in an overall time of 4:45:46. Third, with an overall time of 5:01:27 was Dane, Nick Staggenborg. Victory for the women went to local Tamar González from Titanes Triathlon Club in an overall time of 5:49:53.

Seven times Ironman winner, Timo Bracht is no stranger to the winner’s podium and his times of 28:40 swim, 2:56:13 cycle and 1:19:11 run are hard to beat, but that won’t stop the incredible athletes who travel to Lanzarote to participate in its triathlons from trying.

Congratulations to everyone who participated and thanks to all the volunteers and spectators who made the Tri122 another exciting Lanzarote sports event. You can enjoy more images of the event on the Sands Beach Resort Flickr stream.

Next up on the triathlon calendar is the Lavatrail on 31st March and then the Teguise Spring Duathlon on 14th April. Sands Beach Resort will be there to lend our support and to enjoy the events. Why don’t you join us?

Full results

Spring is officially just around the corner and that can only mean one thing…the Costa Teguise Spring Duathlon is now taking registrations for entries and with places limited to 200 participants, you’ll need to get your running shoes on.

The IV Teguise Spring Duathlon which is being organised by Sands Beach Resort will take place on 14th April 2012 and registration ends on 10th April 2012. The event has become a classic springtime event in Costa Teguise with athletes beginning the test from Sands Beach Resort with a 5 kilometre run, followed by a 20 kilometres cycle ride through the Teguise landscape and ending with a further 2.5 kilometre run to break the tape at Sands Beach Resort. Trophies will be awarded to the first three athletes or teams over the line in each category.

The Circuit

The initial 5 km run will be two laps of a circuit beginning from Avenida Islas Canarias, heading up along Avenida de Las Palmeras in the Los Ancones district before turning down towards the beach and to Sands Beach Resort where the cycle section will begin. The 20km cycle ride will take the old road up towards Teseguite before cutting off towards Tahiche and returning  to Sands Beach resort for the final lap of the running circuit.

Entry fees for the Teguise Spring Duathlon are €15 for federated athletes, €20 for non-federated and €25 for teams. Registration is with www.fecantri.org

This year’s Lavatrail involves four testing categories – Ultramarathon, Mediomarathon, Marathon and Starter, opening Lanzarote’s countryside up to runners of all levels.

The ultimate Lavatrail course is the Ultramarathon covering 83.5 kilometres in length and an accumulated ascent of 2793 metres. This is the race for marathon titans with an end to end tour of Lanzarote that crosses lava fields, sandy beaches and pumice strewn paths. The Ultramarathon starts from Playa de la Garrita at 2am on the morning of Saturday of 31st March ending approximately eight and a half hours later when the triumphant victor crosses the finishing line in Playa Blanca.

For those on the next rung down on the superhuman ladder, the Marathon covers 41 kilometres and ascends 1953 metres through mountainous terrain and lava and jablé fields. The Marathon starts at 8am on 31st March.

Although covering less of a distance, the Mediomarathon at 27 kilometres in length and a climb of 805 metres is still a serious test of stamina and fitness. The Mediomarathon starts at 9.30am.

The final category, the Starter, covers 13 kilometres and a climb of 690 metres. It’s no stroll in the park but it’s an excellent for a strenuous work out whilst soaking up the best of Lanzarote’s beautiful countryside. The Starter race fires off at 11am.

Inscriptions are currently being taken for all categories with the closing date for registering for Lavatrail 2012 being 17th March. Anyone interested in taking part in one of the most popular events of the running calender on Lanzarote can find out more and register here (in Spanish only).

The top three runners in each event will receive a trophy plus there will be a cash prize of €300 to the winner of the Ultramarathon and €150 to the winner of the Marathon.
But the truth is, with a unique event like Lanzarote’s Lavatrail 2012, everyone who takes part is a winner.

Falling somewhere in between the rigours of an Enduroman Olympic triathlon and the Herculean test of Lanzarote Ironman, the Tri122 triathlon, which is due to be staged in Costa Teguise, on the 17th March 2012, is not for the faint hearted. Covering 2km in the water, 100km on wheels and 20km of running, the Tri122 is a good training workout for Ironman athletes and a tough competition in its own right for any triathlete.

TheTri122 is staged in the pretty, family resort of Costa Teguise where wind surfers, cyclists, runners and swimmers join ranks of holidaymakers to take advantage of Lanzarote’s year round temperate climate and unique landscape to combine sporting endeavours with relaxation.

The swim section takes place off the beach of El Jablillo Bajo and consists of two laps, each of 1km duration, with an exit from the water to sand in between the two laps, just to add an extra bit of muscle draining to the proceedings. With wet suits shed and salt still on the lips, athletes will set off on the cycle section which will take them on a 100km circuit taking in Arrieta, Punto Mujeres, Orzola, Subida a Tabayesco (an 11km and 8-10% gradient climb), Los Valles, Teguise, Tahíche and back to Costa Teguise. The circuit includes a climb of some 618 metres in total and some of Lanzarote’s most spectacular scenery.

Dismounting on wobbly legs, the final run takes place over three laps, each approximately 3.3 km, along the seafront of Costa Teguise to the finish line where another incredible Lanzarote sporting event will end on a podium for the super fit few.

Last chance to participate
Registration for Tri122 is limited to 300 triathletes and will close at midnight on 4th March 2012 so if you haven’t already done so, apply online without delay. Registration fee for individuals is €125 plus €10 for a day’s licence for those who don’t hold one. For teams of up to three persons, registration is €190 in total with the €10 daily license fee applying to each individual team member. Athletes will be categorised into male and female and by age: 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and over.

Organized training sessions for the event are being held over the next two weekends with cyclists meeting on Sunday 4th and Sunday 11th March and swimmers meeting on Saturday 10th March to get some test course familiarity under their belts before the big day.

The Tri122 takes place over the full day of 17th March 2012 beginning at 9am on Playa El Jablillo and everyone’s welcome to come along and lend their support to athletes on this tough test of mental and physical stamina. With Sands Beach Resort in easy strolling distance, it’s the perfect place to base yourself, whether competing, supporting the athlete in your family or simply being a spectator on the day.

In this first Sands Beach Active Tournament, hosts Sands Beach Grubati team faced matches against seven teams of 14 and 15yr olds from Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Those teams who had travelled to Lanzarote for the tournament were made welcome at Sands Beach Resort for the duration of the competition.

It didn’t take long for the Gran Canaria team to assert their domination in the tournament, winning all their games with comfortable leads and sailing home with an impressive overall score of 89 to take the tournament title. Runners up were RC Náutico of Tenerife with 54 points.

Having a strong commitment to the encouragement and development of young sports talent, Sands Beach Active places a high priority on supporting events such as this and on providing the perfect base for athletes and sports people to use for their training and competition needs.

Everyone at Sands Beach looks forward to the 2013 tournament when Sands Beach Grubati will be looking to improve on their performance and close the gap between themselves and the Gran Canaria hot shots.

The second of the three tournaments, the VII César Manrique Junior Tournament will be held from 23rd to 26th February and the third and final tournament, VIII Teguise Mini Basket, will be held from 15th to 19th March 2012. All the tournaments will be staged at the Teguise Sports Hall.

The recent visit by Fernando Alonso and his Ferrari team mates showed exactly how ideal Lanzarote is as a training destination for athletes from a fantastically diverse range of sports.

Taking a break from being behind the wheel, Fernando and friends took advantage of Lanzarote’s sporting facilities, incredible terrain and perfect winter climate to boost their fitness levels with some cycling, running, football, basketball, swimming, kayaking and tennis.

They could have added diving, windsurfing, kite-boarding, surfing, hiking, golf… the list goes on.

But, I hear you say, it’s okay for people like Fernando Alonso who can easily afford to take advantage of the delights of training in a sub-tropical climate on a paradise island. What about those poor athletes struggling to make ends meet?

For anyone who happens to fall into that category we’ve got some very good news. Sands Beach Resort in partnership with Tenerife Magazine are offering a competition prize of a week’s half board holiday for two people at our beautiful resort in Costa Teguise.

As well as a fully equipped gym and health and wellness centre, there’s access to tennis, windsurfing, snorkelling and scuba diving. Papagaya Bike in the resort itself has all the best gear for setting off along rugged coastal dirt tracks that start a few yards from Sands Beach Resort’s idyllic beach front location.

When the training’s done, there are pools galore to choose from, including the dream scene of the seawater lagoon.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of a holiday at Sands Beach Resort and the opportunity to train where some of the most famous athletes in the world work out is to answer a simple question in Tenerife Magazine. Click this link for a fabulous opportunity to discover what the world’s top athletes already know – in terms of a location that delivers big time when it comes to a mix of fitness and fun, Lanzarote is hard to beat.