A week with our JOTS competition winner!

Back in late 2016, we ran a competition with our friend Ben, creator of the new surf app Johnny on the Spot, with the top prize being a week's stay with us at Azrac Surf!

​Our winner, Emily, and her husband, Paul, scored a one week stay with us in September, and we recently caught up with Emily to find out what made her trip to Azrac Surf so memorable...

Competition winners - Paul and Emily

​How did it feel to win the competition?

Total disbelief at first, I mean who wins an actual holiday?! Not only that, I didn't even realise I had entered the competition. I genuinely feel very lucky, I doubt I'll win anything this good again! I want to say a huge thank you to Johnny on the Spot and Azrac Surf for giving me this fantastic opportunity. 

What was your favourite part of the experience?

I really enjoyed the cultural experience. This was my first time not just to Morocco but also Africa! I enjoyed the authenticity of staying in Tamraght, whilst it's popular with surf tourism, it still retains its local charm and ensured a more authentic experience of Morocco. When I travel I like to immerse myself in the local culture and experience the world. Visting the Souk in Aourir was a real bonus, I have never seen so much fresh produce in one place! It really was an assault on the senses, so many colours, tastes and smells! Many of the stallholders gave you opportunity to try before you buy! Lastly I have to give a mention to the cats and dogs. I was not expecting to see so many cats in Morocco, as the owner of 2 cats I felt well at home. My holiday photos consist mostly of the food and cats, I did joke about making a Cats of Tamraght calendar... watch this space! ​

The local souk in Auorir Village

What did you enjoy most about this part of Morocco?

I really enjoyed the rural feel of Tamraght. When you tell people you have been to Morocco they expect that you have been to Marrakech, I guess this a typical holiday destination for most when visiting Morocco. I also expect that given its popularity that it is very geared towards tourism. However, Tamraght is a small village that gets good waves so attracts a handful of surfers and as such is still free from the grip of commercialism. For an outdoor lover it really is the perfect location, with ocean and mountains! Because the surf was good we didn't get the chance to explore the mountains, however it gives us the perfect excuse to come back!​

How were the waves?

The conditions throughout the week were pretty clean, although the waves could have been a little bigger but I cannot complain! It sure beat my local break of Cromer in Norfolk (England)! The waves did provide the ideal conditions for a beginner/intermediate surfer, although my paddle strength isn't all that so I struggled at times to catch waves when the conditions were smaller. It was nice not having too much of a battle to paddle out beyond the breaking waves, this meant I could catch plenty of rides! 

Daily routines in Morocco

Emily surfing the local break at Devil's Rock

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​How would you summarise your stay at Azrac?

In a nutshell - awesome! Every aspect of our trip was excellent! Morad and Sophie are very welcoming hosts, they ensured we got the most out of our time in Morocco. The food was a particular highlight for us, all fresh, local and expertly prepared by the wonderful Fatima, we never went hungry! It was great to surf in such a small group, it added to the personal feel of the experience and meant we all got plenty of coaching and feedback to help us improve.​

Big thanks to Johnny on the Spot for making this week possible - and thanks for visiting Emily and Paul! We hope to see you again soon!
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Johnny on the Spot is now available in the IOS App Store and Google Play Store. 

Stay tuned for more competitions coming soon!