Even the sandy beaches of Los Cristianos have a rival when it comes to attracting competitive swimmers to the Tenerife municipality of Arona. There’s hardly a week goes by when an international swimming club doesn’t immerse itself in the eight lane, 50 metre Olympic sized pool at the Complejo Deportivo Jesus Dominguez Grillo in Avenida Chayofita. I caught up with some old friends from the Aards, and Banbridge Swimming Clubs from Northern Ireland, and found many newer, and older converts to the outdoor sports centre.

Team managers Michael Angus, and Fiona Cleland were two of the four coaches with a party of 30 male and female swimmers aged between 13 and 18 years old. “It’s half term so a good chance to get them together for some intensive warm weather training” explained Michael, a long term holiday visitor to Los Cristianos as well as an annual coaching swallow. “We have 230 swimmers just at Aards club, we have long term links with Banbridge and many of the swimmers know each other so there´s a good competitive but friendly edge to training.”

Fiona outlined the schedule for the week long visit. “We have two pool sessions a day, one early morning after a light breakfast, and one late afternoon. Fitness and technique are worked on but we like to have a different focus each session. Paradise Park hotel is our base, a short walk up and down the hill each work out, which helps to limber everyone up. It´s a comfortable base for us and they look after us well.” It isn´t just work, the swimmers had a few beach fun excercise sessions, and visited Siam Park water kingdom to enjoy some adventure rides. There are always targets to aim for as Michael outlined. “Next up are the Ulster short course, and Irish short course championships, the girls have the Ladies Junior championships ahead, and there around four or five swimmers who have realistic hopes of making the 2020 Tokyo Olympic squads.” It might seem a logistical nightmare to bring a large party of youngsters to Tenerife but Michael isn´t phased. “We fly in and out of Belfast International airport, we have a block of seats together, and everyone looks after their own kit.” Pointing to the distinctive orange, and lime green kit bags Michael chuckles. “The colour scheme makes it easier to pick out everyone as we spread through the airports.”

On the training camps, there are often other groups using some of the other lanes so they soon make new friends. Fiona pointed out a Swedish mother and her daughter who was over to sharpen up her own competitive skills. “We got chatting and invited her to join in our routines, its all good practice for mixing in international events.” There was a strong Northern Ireland influence as a separate Ulster Schools party (in blue) were also over with a break that overlapped the Aards and Banbridge schedule. They had an even longer history of Tenerife swimming as teacher Heather Henderson explained. “Ulster Schools used to pop over to train in Puerto de la Cruz 22 years ago, before moving down south a little later. We are slightly different to the other party, we have 25 swimmers, they have to qualify for the trip through school galas. During the week here we will put in 13 sessions of two hours each as we prepare for the All Ulster championships which include three areas in the south of Ireland as well. Our long term base has always ben the Bitacora Hotel on the edge of Playa de Las Americas, they always make us welcome and it’s a short walk from the pool.”

I have visited several other UK swimming clubs in Los Cristianos over the years, such as Southport, Camden, and Swansea, they all impressed with their dedication, good humour, and devotion to their chosen sport. Arona makes a big commitment to youth sport in the municipality, through football, athletics, and swimming and welcomes overseas parties to hire the facilities and enjoy the delightful weather. Commercial use of facilities at off peak times helps to balance the books, and it´s a pretty impressive way to show off the charms of Tenerife. A major refurb is on the way for the swimming complex but in the meantime it is of course open to the public, check out their Facebook page. You might not become a future medal winner but if it makes you as healthy and happy as the dedicated overseas visitors, that´s a golden reward in itself.