Windsurf and Moth on Lake Garda: a paradise for enthusiasts

Lake Gar­da is one of the most pop­u­lar des­ti­na­tions for wind­surfers, thanks to its weath­er con­di­tions and breath­tak­ing scenery. In this arti­cle we tell you every­thing you need to know about how to enjoy doing wind­surf on lake Gar­da.

The lake’s winds

Lake Gar­da is famous for its reg­u­lar and intense winds, which blow in dif­fer­ent direc­tions depend­ing on the time of day and sea­son. The main ones are:

• The Pelèr, which blows from north to south in the ear­ly morn­ing, with a strength of up to 25 knots. It is the ide­al wind for expe­ri­enced surfers and those who love high waves.
• The Ora, which blows from south to north in the after­noon, with a strength of between 10 and 20 knots. It is the per­fect wind for begin­ners and those look­ing for a qui­eter, more relax­ing surf­ing expe­ri­ence.
• The Balinot, which blows from north to south in bad weath­er, with a strength that can exceed 30 knots. It is a very rare and unpre­dictable wind that cre­ates extreme con­di­tions for the most dar­ing surfers.

Windsurf on Lake Garda: Lake spots

Lake Gar­da offers numer­ous wind­surf­ing spots, suit­able for all lev­els and needs. Among the most famous are:

• Tor­bole, on the Trenti­no shore, is con­sid­ered a wind­surfer­’s par­adise, thanks to its posi­tion exposed to the winds and its large beach with schools, rentals and ser­vices. Here you can find the best con­di­tions for the Pelèr and the Ora, and enjoy spec­tac­u­lar views of the sur­round­ing moun­tains.
• Riva del Gar­da, also on the Trenti­no shore, is anoth­er pop­u­lar spot for surfers, espe­cial­ly for its har­bour where var­i­ous schools and rentals can be found. Here you can surf with the Ora in the after­noon, or with the Pelèr in the morn­ing if you start from the Sab­bioni beach.
• Mal­ce­sine, on the Veronese shore, is an ide­al spot for begin­ners and those seek­ing qui­eter sail­ing. Here you can take the cable car to Monte bal­do, from where you can admire the view of the lake from above. Here you can surf with the Ora in the after­noon, start­ing from the Val di Sog­no beach or the Cam­pag­no­la beach.
• Tig­nale, on the Bres­cia shore, is a less crowd­ed but equal­ly beau­ti­ful spot, where you can surf with the Pelèr in the morn­ing or with the Ora in the after­noon. Here you can start from the Por­to Tig­nale beach or the Cam­pi­one beach.

How to organise your holiday

There are sev­er­al options for wind­surf­ing on Lake Gar­da, depend­ing on your bud­get and pref­er­ences. You can choose between:

• Lessons: if you want to learn or improve your wind­surf­ing tech­nique, you can book lessons at one of the many schools on the lake. Prices vary depend­ing on the dura­tion and lev­el of the activ­i­ty, but on aver­age you spend between 60 and 120 euros for a 2 or 3‑hour les­son.
• Rental: If you already have some expe­ri­ence and want to surf inde­pen­dent­ly, you can rent a board and sail at one of the many surf cen­tres on the lake. The prices depend on the type and qual­i­ty of the equip­ment, but on aver­age you spend between 20 and 40 euros for an hour’s rental.
• Organ­ised hol­i­day: if you want to enjoy a wind­surf­ing hol­i­day, with no wor­ries and the chance to meet oth­er enthu­si­asts, you can choose hol­i­day pack­ages organ­ised by spe­cialised agen­cies. These pack­ages include accom­mo­da­tion, trans­port, lessons, hire and addi­tion­al activ­i­ties. Prices vary depend­ing on the dura­tion and the ser­vices includ­ed, but on aver­age you spend between 300 and 600 euros for a week.
• Lake Gar­da has plen­ty of facil­i­ties ready to pro­vide the best spas and well­ness cen­tres, should you need to relax or regen­er­ate your strength at the end of the day.

The moth: windsurfing that flies

If you are look­ing for an extra chal­lenge in the world of wind­surf­ing, you could try the moth, a board equipped with a foil that allows it to rise above the water and reach incred­i­ble speeds. The moth is a very tech­ni­cal and demand­ing sport that requires bal­ance, coor­di­na­tion and respon­sive­ness. To prac­tice it, ide­al wind and water con­di­tions are need­ed, which can be found in cer­tain spots on Lake Gar­da.

Among the best spots for moth are:

• Mal­ce­sine, where you can find the Fraglia Vela Mal­ce­sine, a club that organ­is­es moth cours­es, rentals and regat­tas. Here you can sail the Pelèr in the morn­ing or the Ora in the after­noon, start­ing from the har­bour or the adja­cent beach.
• Tor­bole, where you can find Radikal.it, a shop spe­cial­is­ing in wind­surf­ing, sup, kite and surf­ing. Here you can rent moth mate­r­i­al and get advice from expe­ri­enced staff. Here you can surf with the Pelèr in the morn­ing or the Ora in the after­noon, start­ing from the beach at Tor­bole or the beach at Lido Blu.
• Cam­pi­one, where you will find the Urban Cen­ter, a sports cen­tre offer­ing cours­es and rentals of wind­surf­ing, sup, kite and surf. Here you can try moths in an area pro­tect­ed from wind and waves, ide­al for begin­ners. Here you can sail the Pelèr in the morn­ing or the Ora in the after­noon, start­ing from Cam­pi­one beach.

Moth is a fas­ci­nat­ing and fun sport that will make you expe­ri­ence unique sen­sa­tions. If you want to try fly­ing on Lake Gar­da, do not miss the oppor­tu­ni­ty to try your hand at this dis­ci­pline!

Lake Gar­da is not only a moth spot, but also a venue for impor­tant inter­na­tion­al events ded­i­cat­ed to this class. Among the most recent and pres­ti­gious, we can men­tion:

• The 2021 Moth World Cham­pi­onship was organ­ised by Fraglia Vela Mal­ce­sine from 2 to 7 Sep­tem­ber, with the par­tic­i­pa­tion of over 150 ath­letes from 24 nations and 4 con­ti­nents. The title was won by Aus­tralian Tom Slings­by, who con­firmed his dom­i­nance after his 2019 suc­cess in Aus­tralia.
• The Ital­ian Moth Cham­pi­onship 2021, organ­ised by Cir­co­lo Vela Tor­bole from 18 to 20 June, with the par­tic­i­pa­tion of over 70 ath­letes from all over Italy and some for­eign guests. The title was won by Ital­ian Francesco Bruni, helms­man of Luna Rossa and Moth World Cham­pi­on in 2017.
• The Moth Nation­al Cham­pi­onship 2022 was organ­ised by the uni­vela Cham­pi­on from 17 to 19 June, with the par­tic­i­pa­tion of numer­ous Ital­ian and for­eign ath­letes. The title is yet to be award­ed, but an enthralling chal­lenge between the best moth spe­cial­ists is expect­ed.

These events demon­strate the great inter­est and pas­sion that Lake Gar­da arous­es among moth prac­ti­tion­ers, who find ide­al con­di­tions here to express their poten­tial to the full.

Conclusions

Wind­surf­ing on Lake Gar­da is a unique and unfor­get­table expe­ri­ence that allows you to enjoy the beau­ty of the land­scape and the adren­a­line rush of the sport. Whether you are a begin­ner or an expert, you are sure to find the right spot and con­di­tions for you. All you have to do is book your hol­i­day and get ready to ride the waves!!!