Nearly 100 surfing and bodyboarding enthusiasts from Morocco and abroad flocked on Saturday and Sunday to catch the waves at Imouran beach for the Agadir Open, a high-level edition favoured by a mild climate, the beauty and quality of the site, and above all by the impeccable organisation of a young local association that is slowly carving its path among the pros of board sports.

The competition, which is in its second edition, is initiated by the Imouran Surf Association under the aegis of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Surf and Bodyboard, with supervision from qualified federal judges.

Elite and amateur competitors from, among others, Russia, France, Scandinavian countries, and Germany, as well as numerous enthusiasts from various Moroccan clubs, were present, as was the swell, which is coveted everywhere by these young people constantly in search of thrills.

It must be said that the date chosen corresponds to a period of high foreign tourist influx on the beaches of the premier national seaside resort.

It is also situated, according to the organisers, in the middle of the surf season in Morocco and coincides with the end of a stage of the world championship organised in Las Palmas.

"The Agadir Open is an opportunity to promote bodyboarding and surfing to a wide audience, particularly among young people," maintains Mohamed Wahbi, Secretary General of the Imouran Surf Association, in a statement to the MAP.

Pioneering surf destination

In the heart of the future Taghazout resort, the Imouran site, 14 km from Agadir, is one of the many surf spots on the seafront of the premier national seaside resort, which stretches over nearly 100 km of beach.

With its mild and sunny climate for almost 300 days, Agadir has become a pioneering surf region in Morocco.

Throughout the year, this site and many others, such as Tamri, Imessouane, Anchor Point, Devil's Rock, Banana Beach, Sidi R'bat, or Tifnit, recognised for their quality and diversity, attract surf enthusiasts from different corners of the world who come to ride the best waves of all types and for all levels.

"This spot, known worldwide by surfers, offers an ideal setting. Bodyboarding and surfing competitions have already been organised there," recalls Mohamed Wahbi, citing the Eurojunior 2008, the TOP 16 Morocco, or even the national championship.

The Imouran Association, which today counts more than 140 members, is one of the rare clubs in Morocco to be equipped with "solid and modern structures," he assures.

The Association's premises were built in 2006 "thanks to royal solicitude, just as the club benefited at its beginnings from a grant from the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH)," recalls this banker with a passion for surfing with pride.

And the results were not long in coming. The association counts numerous champions in different disciplines, such as the brothers Iddouch Brahim and Yassine, respectively champion of Morocco in 2009 and one of the Top 16 at the national level, Ramzy Boukhiam, junior champion of Morocco and 8th in the world junior rankings, or even Othmane Choufani, member of the national team and professional within the Ripcurl Europe team.

Besides its sporting vocation, this association also plays an undeniable social role in the region. Most of the members are young people, generally underprivileged, originating from Imouran and the neighbouring localities of Tamraght, Aourir, and Taghazout.

Thanks to the training provided within the club, most have been able to secure jobs as instructors within the numerous surf schools that have sprung up in recent years.

For the Imouran Surf Association, the challenge is now to anchor the Agadir Open sustainably in the European and world calendar. For this, it would be necessary to consolidate the notoriety acquired after hosting the European circuit during the 2007 and 2008 seasons and, above all, to increase the budget and the prize money to reach the minimum required by the European federation.