![\"Spain\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764240725_106_1000.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhile much of Europe trains under grey skies and winter rain, elite athletes look southward in search of light, stability, and calm. In the Canary Islands, they find it all<\/p>\n
The Spanish rugby sevens team, runners-up in last season\u2019s World Cup, have also discovered why this Atlantic archipelago has become one of Europe\u2019s most coveted training destinations.<\/p>\n
In November, when half of Europe\u2019s fields are frozen over, the temperature in the Canary Islands hovers around 22 degrees Celsius, daylight lasts more than ten hours, and the Atlantic air maintains a constant temperature. For teams fine-tuning their training ahead of the HSBC SVNS 2026 in Dubai, that kind of reliability is pure gold.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s rugby sevens team during their training camp on La Palma, Canary Islands. Photograph: Turismo Islas Canarias<\/p>\n
A meticulous plan<\/p>\n
When Paco Hern\u00e1ndez, Spain\u2019s head coach, designed the pre-season plan, the list of requirements was precise: warm weather, stable conditions, first-class facilities, and an environment where the team could concentrate without any distractions. The answer was a four-hour flight from London: La Palma, an island where volcanic landscapes come together with ideal training conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe climate here is very similar to Dubai, just a bit milder,\u201d explains Hern\u00e1ndez. \u201cIt helps us adapt better to what we\u2019ll encounter at the start of the Series. What\u2019s more, La Palma is a very peaceful island: training, resting, and eating well are the keys to good performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
For two weeks, the Leones sevens alternate between training sessions in the sun, strength training in the gym, and active recovery in the laurel forests and on the black sand beaches. It\u2019s scientifically planned. \u201cIn many countries where we compete, we have to modify the plan because of the weather or the facilities,\u201d explains physical trainer Manu Garc\u00eda Sillero. \u201cHere, we can complete 100% of the programme.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why location matters<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s leap from missing out on the Olympic Games to reaching the World Cup final in Los Angeles has become part of modern history in rugby sevens. But staying among the elites demands more than just talent when competing against rivals such as Argentina, France, Great Britain, South Africa, Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand: it requires meticulous preparation, the right environment, and emotional management. That is why these types of training grounds, far from the cold and in controlled environments, have become a strategic tool. \u201cTraining in a place like this keeps the players happy, and when they\u2019re happy, they perform better,\u201d summarises Garc\u00eda Sillero.<\/p>\n
For a team that constantly travels between extreme climates, finding a base with continuity and consistent conditions is an advantage. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing like it in Europe,\u201d assures Captain Juan Ramos. \u201cHere, we have everything we need to make it to Dubai in the best possible condition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sun, science, and recovery<\/p>\n
Beyond the climate, there is something about the Canary Islands that athletes particularly hold dear: the quality of their recovery. \u201cThe competition is extremely tough, both physically and mentally,\u201d comments Jeremy Trevithick, a player of British descent. \u201cTraining in an environment where everything flows, where your body and mind can rest, is a huge advantage. Everything is close by here, everything works, and that keeps stress down.\u201d<\/p>\n
The balance between effort and rest is part of the plan. The La Palma Training Camp facilities are integrated into a natural environment that promotes regeneration: trails through humid forests, black sand beaches, and a relaxed pace that makes it easy to concentrate.<\/p>\n
Beyond the sun and excellent facilities, this choice is also backed by science. Natural light regulates circadian rhythms, improves rest, and optimises vitamin D production. Atmospheric stability reduces physiological stress, and the landscape provides a mental health component that is difficult to replicate in a conventional sports centre.<\/p>\n
That is why the archipelago has established itself as a leading destination for Europeans who seek high-performance training. Cyclists, boat racers, track and field specialists, triathletes, and swimmers already know this well. Now, rugby sevens players have also discovered it.<\/p>\n
![\"Members](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764240725_792_1000.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Members of Spain\u2019s rugby sevens team explore La Palma\u2019s natural landscapes in the Canary Islands during a break from training. Photograph: Turismo Islas Canarias<\/p>\n
First stop: Dubai<\/p>\n
On 29 November, Spain will make its debut in the HSBC SVNS 2026 against Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. They will arrive with the confidence of those who have worked tirelessly under the Atlantic sun and with their heads clear.<\/p>\n
In elite sport, success rarely begins in the first match; it usually starts much earlier, on the training grounds. And there is no other place in Europe like the Canary Islands, a natural laboratory where science, light, and sporting performance all come together.<\/p>\n
![\"Cuerpo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1764240725_529_1000.jpg\")
<\/p>\n