Groseko Indarra The Surf Club
Our Club – History
The name Groseko Indarra came about on a summer afternoon (probably no waves that day) when a few legendary surfers were sitting on the old wall in Gros wondering what to do with a sea as still as glass. They thought they might start a club or an organization of some type. In the group were Juanpe (Sansinenea), Rene and a few assorted others. Juanpe suggested that the name should be something that reflected the intensity of the “Pico de Gros” peak waves and the strength of the Basque people. His grandfather had fought in the Spanish Civil War with the “Eusko Indarra” battalion, so he came up with the name “Groseko Indarra”. ESKERRIK ASKO – THANK YOU!!!!!
The name was officially established some time later with the organization of the first local championship, called “Groseko Indarra,” which was organized by Gabi Lasa “Gabilan,” Iñigo Iraola “Ambi,” and Alfonso Azketa “Txontxo.” These names won’t mean anything to most of you, but these surfers have written many pages in the history of surfing in San Sebastián.
Later, in the year 2000, the club was officially founded by Jesús Jiménez, Carlos Marichalar, Julen Larrañaga, and Haritz Mendiluze. The aim was to have a club open to everyone, to create a gathering place for people passionate about promoting surfing. Over the years, the club grew in number of members and expanded the range of services it offered. A beachfront location was secured so that surfers would have a place to change and store their equipment, a surf school was established, and international-level competitions began to be organized. One generation led to another and in 2013 a group of young surfers – Jon Mikel Zubeldia, Edgar de Pedro and Lander Irazabalbeitia – took over and continued working to make the club what it is today. That same year, we began managing the beach bar, which offers such a special spot in Donostia. In 2015, the facilities were expanded, and the surf school became a local benchmark in Donostia. Jon Mikel Zubeldia served as president for an entire decade, during which the club carried out countless activities and shaped a solid project.
In 2023, a new team took over the management of the club: Eneko Aizpuru (president), Ethan Egiguren (vice president), Regina Jaca (secretary), Ion Paul Martikorena (head of the beach bar), and Arkaitz Bardaji (board member). Our priority is to promote surfing and provide decent facilities for surfers — but not just in any way. We feel deeply rooted in Basque society and share the concerns and challenges of the community around us. Therefore, we are committed to promoting a kind of surfing that embraces progressive values (the Basque language, gender equality, participation, inclusion, solidarity, care, and respect for nature…) and the collaboration with all the stakeholders and individuals who promote surfing and these values. We do not want our club to focus exclusively on meeting the needs of its members; the facilities of Groseko Indarra are at the service of any popular initiative that joins our project, and anyone who comes with that purpose will find our doors wide open. These are the core pillars of our project, and we intend to promote it with determination.
In terms of sports, the club’s history has undoubtedly been successful in competitions and it has counted among its members many great surfers and bodyboarders: Laine Fernández, Nora Álvarez, Joserra Martínez, Marta Huércanos, Norman Landa, June del Campo, Julen Larrañaga, Iñigo Ganzarain, Maddi Aizpurua, Lander Irazabalbeitia, Xabier Ayestaran, Iñaki Gorospe, Beñat Elosua, Ibon Gurrutxaga, Eneko Merino, Borja Gainzarain, Joseba Mercader, and Ethan and Julen Egiguren…
Over all these years, we have continued to grow, and today we have around 300 members. All of this takes place on Zurriola Beach, right on the sand, at the Sagüés corner. What a luxury!
“TOGETHER WE’LL MAKE THE CLUB GROW”
Become a member
Nowadays, there is high demand to become a member of the club and enjoy our facilities. For this reason, the number of members is limited, and there is a waiting list to join the club. However, due to strong demand, this list is closed for the time being.
Facilities
We’re located in Sagües, next to the ramp down to La Zurriola beach, right on the sand. Just grab your board and head to the water. We enjoy modern facilities, renovated in 2025. We have everything necessary to meet the needs of our members and clients.
