Windsports like Windsurfing, Landsailing and Parpapente Are Popular in Argentina

Posted by Karin-Marijke Vis Apr 3, 2009

After more than a year of travelling in Argentina, I conclude one thing: if you want to enjoy Argentina, you have to like wind. Wind and Argentina are intertwined – one does not exist without the other. With the exception of the capital of Buenos Aires, where tall buildings form a protection against the wind from the Río del Plata, as well as the province of Córdoba, which seems to be greener and less windy than all other places, Argentina is controlled by wind. Wind ànd dust, that is.

It can drive people crazy, including me. We may be sitting outside on a balmy night, with a nice view of a colourful sunset, ready to take our first bite, and a dust devil has just decided to add an extra condiment to our pressure cooker meal: sand. It cleans the stomach, or so it is said, but I could do without.

Windsurfing in San Juan

The last few weeks I have discovered another aspect of wind in Argentina: windsports – and not surprisingly, there are quite a few of these in Argentina practised on high, international levels.

In San Juan we put our camping chairs by a lake called "Cuesta del Viento", or "Slope of Wind", in the province of San Juan. The name didn't make sense: the lake was quiet and peaceful, parents encouraged their children to set out in kayaks while they themselves cooled their feet in the water. Only after lunch did we discover the true meaning of the name: the wind increased by the minute and suddenly the lake was full of windsurfers. Where had they come from? The surfers told us this was a daily happening: after lunch the lake was theirs, and each day they practised their skills in the fierce gusts of the Zonda Wind. The spectacle of colourful sails on the crystal blue lake outlined against the Andes Mountains on the horizon was mesmerizing.

Landsailing in San Juan

Nearby is another famous wind sport location: Barreal. In the middle of a sort of scrubby desert-like landscape, people practise landsailing. The scenery was incredible indeed: suddenly an open, flat stretch of sand lies in front of us, with again the Andes Mountains as a backdrop. The location gave the name of our adventure, "LandCruising", a new dimension; the plain was so flat we could have roller skated on it. The hot air created mirages in front of us, as if we could drive into an endless ocean at any moment – it gave driving a feeling of magic. The sun was scorching though; December appeared not to be the right month for this sport, since the wind is only fierce during the afternoon – as is the sun. Guess we have to come back for that another time.

Paragliding in La Cumbre, Córdoba

Now we are in paragliding-paradise. In March we witnessed the final weekend of the national paragliding championship of Argentina. It was held in La Cumbre, west of the Sierras Chicas of Córdoba province. I had never seen this windsport practised by so many people before. Forty of fifty colourful paragliders sailed against the bright blue sky – it was extraordinary. While I leave windsurfing to others – I have no feeling for it – and landsailing has to wait for another season, I am seriously contemplating taking a paragliding flight. Not alone, of course, there is something called a "tandem-flight", where an instructor takes you on a flight. Just have to find the courage, though. But we'll hang around in the region for a while, so who knows.