Manera is known for creating some of the most iconic kite content ever seen. Each year, they carefully select a few of their top team riders to explore a unique location and document it on film and photo. Join the Manera crew as they journey through Cornisa Cantábrica!

The north coast of Spain is a special place, with lush, green forests and sharp, rocky cliffs battered by the wind and waves of the Atlantic ocean. Sometimes referred to as Green Spain - or España Verde, the locals regularly call it Cornisa Cantábrica. The region stretches from the southwest border of France all the way to the west coast, where Spain and Portugal meet. The coastline is nothing short of incredible, making it the perfect setting for the annual Manera trip.

It comes as a surprise every year. Around April or May, there is a chance that an email might arrive in your inbox with the subject line reading 'MANERA TRIP'. To be one of the lucky few to receive this letter feels like a kid waking up on Christmas Day; You know instantly that you will be discovering a new and exciting location with a dream team of athletes!

Some of the previous Manera adventures have taken the French-based but internationally represented team all around the world. We've been to remote, faraway locations like Kamtchatka, Iceland, and British Columbia, with many more one-of-a-kind destinations yet to explore. Nowadays, however, the world - or the parts of the world available to us - is much smaller. With the pandemic, everything is planned at the last minute, and we are constantly aware that we are one swab away from a cancelled trip.

This time, we knew a road trip would be the safest best, starting at the F-One and Manera home bases in Montpellier. Paul Serin and Mallory de la Villemarqué arrived from Tarifa, Hendrick Lopes and Maxime Chabloz from Switzerland, and pro surfer Roberto d'Amico from Rome. In France, the group was complete with Marcela Witt, our trusty photographer Matt Georges, and videographer Olivier Sautet of Petole Films. 

Once our team had assembled in Montpellier, we wasted no time in packing our gear into three vans and setting off for ten days on the open road. We crossed the border into Spain and followed the northern coastline through Cantabria, Asturias, and Galicia, going as far as Cesantes, just before the border to Portugal. The long term forecast looked weak, so we had a bit of pressure to score some wind in the early part of the trip. We were at the whim of the wind, following wherever it would take us! 

Luck played a massive role on this mission. Even though we checked the forecast every day, sometimes the magic would happen for no reason; You can't predict it! Hendrick had some local contacts that he reached out to that helped us be in the right place at the right time. Nothing beats local knowledge when it comes to the workings of Mother Nature. We spent days along the curving roads, exploring every nook and cranny, looking for those golden moments when the shape of the bay and the wind would line up just right.

The first session of the trip was in Farrol. After almost two days of driving from Montpellier, we were more than ready to hit the water. We arrived at a beautiful bay with 20 knots of side shore wind and kickers. It was the perfect conditions for boosting, on a twin tip and on the surfboard. The wind had something special in it; Every jump felt like floating, and we stayed on the water until sunset, enjoying every golden moment.

Between sessions, we had the chance to explore small villages all along the north coast. Galicia has a strong history with beautiful landscapes and delicious local foods. In the villages, every restaurant their own speciality, its version of Tortilla de Patatas. Tortilla is like an omelette or a quiche with potatoes and other things like onions, ham, cheese, or whatever they can find. Every village has their own flavour, but this region definitely has the best ones on earth!

We learned a lot from the friendly locals but were especially impressed by the food and drink! They showed us their style of BBQ and even some local rituals. At one moment, it was a bit strange standing in a circle with Galicians wearing strange outfits, similar to monks robes. I think we were all a bit hesitant when they poured alcohol in cups, set it on fire, and handed it to us to drink. It was weird and scary at the same time, but the drink tasted pretty good!

We clocked 3567 km and enjoyed every moment! Well, except when we almost lost Paul and Mallory. They were driving at the back of the pack and stopped to refuel in an area with no cell phone service. They were gone for long enough that we were really starting to worry. When they finally turned up, they told us that they were alone in the middle of nowhere and the van wouldn't start, for no reason at all! Finally, they remembered the rental guy had warned that the van sometimes goes into safety mode, which you can reset by locking all the doors and trying to start it again. Good thing they had remembered; We couldn't have finished the trip without them!

One of the best sessions on the trip was at sunset on a beach where we had set up camp, looking forward to spending the day and the night next to the rugged ocean. We all got out on the water together and were able to interpret the ocean in our own way; Foiling, kiting, or surfing. The spot was next to a massive cliff with wind blowing side offshore and four-foot sets. It was super gusty, which made it a challenge, but one we faced together!

You could see the water change upwind, a clear sign that a massive gust was on its way, and you could prepare for it by contracting your core and preparing for the impact. While we could have broken our backs from the insane wind, it was also pretty funny. Wherever you would look, were boards and kiters were flying through the air, rarely together! While you're busy laughing at the sight, the wind would go from 5 to 30 knots, and you'd be the one flying through the air while everyone else laughed!

We had so much fun every day on the water; Nobody took it too seriously, even if you didn't land crazy tricks. There was even a session where only Mallory and Marcela were on the water together, alone in the bay, and they still, somehow, managed to tangle with each other! Another hilarious moment that we'll never let them live down!

As much as this was a work trip, and we're here to shoot new products, we all know what we need to do. Every session, we set out with a different wetsuit or harness, and we ticked off our list of all the shots we needed. When it comes down to it, we are a group of athletes using the best gear we could possibly ask for, sharing sessions with people with the same passion for water sport. Everything else comes easy! 

More than anything, it's just a bunch of friends driving around Galicia looking to score a session. We all know each other so well now; Even with Marcela and Robby joining for the first time, they fit in right away. Robby has so much happiness and joie de vivre; It was incredible. Every night after dinner, we'd laugh until it hurt at the jokes and stories he told us. He was the quintessential crazy Italian guy, but he sure knows how to live life to his fullest!

On the last Manera road trip, we went in RVs and camper vans. This time, we only had tents. So each night, we would set up camp somewhere, in a field, along the roadside, or on an isolated beach. Every night, we'd gather around the campfire with a few beers, some BBQ, and tell stories. Naturally, a Manera trip is rich in tradition, and one that has developed over the years is playing "Never Have I Ever". Even after all these years, we still somehow manage to surprise each other with the answers! And before you ask, I'm definitely not sharing!!

These getaways are a unique opportunity to enjoy the simple things in life, something we often forget to do these days. Being out in the wild and beautiful wilderness in Cornisa Cantábrica is an adventure we won't soon forget!

 

By Paul Serin

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