The Academy
Dear Athlete,
At Scirocco TF we do not believe in randomness, therefore we thank you for taking the decision of visiting our web page.
We hope you feel well and ready to start another spectacular phase of your athletic life, full of great opportunities to excel in training, and competition as well as outside the track.
We are looking forward to opening the doors of our academy to you.
A brighter future is about to start.
What is Scirocco TF?
Scirocco TF is a Track & Field Academy based in Motril, Southern Spain.
This part of the Iberian peninsula known as the Tropical Coast offers an exceptional microclimate for sports training with appropriate temperatures all year round.
In the last five years, Scirocco TF (previously VIGO Strength Sprint Hurdles) helped more than 50 athletes achieve their best performances. 100+ Personal Bests have been run by the athletes part of the team, ranging from local to Olympic level.
The Facilities
Aerial view of Scirocco TF headquarters, Motril.
Estadio Municipal de Atletismo ‘Emilio Hidalgo Pérez’
Our headquarters at Estadio Municipal de Atletismo ‘Emilio Hidalgo Pérez’ en Motril offer a Mondo Sportflex Super X 720 400m track with 8 lanes almost solely for our use.
Besides that, we count on a well-equipped gym reserved for us, a highly qualified physiotherapist with a modern ultra-sound machine with very athlete-friendly prices, access to the beach and sea for recovery, and a daily dose of sunshine and warmth.
- 8 lanes 400m ring;
- Double straight;
- 2 sandpits;
- 1 throwing cage;
- 3 throwing platforms;
- 3 shotput platforms;
- High Jump;
- Pole Vault.
Cam. del Cerro del Toro,
18600 Motril, Granada – SPAIN
Find it on Google Maps
CAR SIERRA NEVADA
Close to the Scirocco TF facilities in the city of Motril, is the city of Granada and Sierra Nevada.
Scirocco TF collaborates with researchers from the University of Granada, members of the Instituto Mixto Universitario Deporte y Salud (iMUDS), the multidisciplinary research team HUMAN Lab, the Andalusian Center for Sports Medicine (CAMD), and the infrastructure of the Center for High-Performance Sierra Nevada (CAR-SN).
The iMUDS, the CAMD and the CAR-SN have excellently equipped infrastructures to support high-performance and high-level athletes.
Train high, live low.
The effects of training at high altitude in the Sierra Nevada, combined with the average altitude of the city of Granada, and at sea level in Motril, offer proven physiological advantages.
The Coaches
Alessandro Vigo
Team Director
Alessandro Vigo (1985) is an Italian Strength and Conditioning Professional specializing in Metabolic Assessment and Performance Analysis with more than a decade of experience in professional Track and Field Coaching.
His academic background gave him confidence in actual coaching thanks to a solid knowledge in the field of Physiology, Biomechanics, and Sport Psychology that has been finally put into practice in his job experiences. The testing laboratories where he has been working made him confident in the metabolic assessment of elite-level athletes.
Jani Ratia
Head Coach
Jani Ratia (1974) is a Finnish Track and Field professional coach specialized in Sprints, Hurdles, and Horizontal Jumps. His coaching resume lists world record holders and several international-level athletes. He had the privilege to learn from and be mentored by the highest level of professionals in the fields of coaching, sports research, and sports therapy.
Besides his official academic background, Jani has had the privilege to learn from and be mentored by the highest level of professionals in the fields of coaching, sports research, and sports therapy. Together they have nurtured Jani’s ever-growing spirit of exploration and innovation.
Available Technology
Use of Freelap technology at Scirocco TF headquarters, Motril.
At Scirocco TF we make the best use of technology without losing the main purpose of our programs, efficiency. In our headquarters you can count on all of the following pieces of equipment:
Metabolic training and testing:
- LactateScout+ (up to 20 lactate samples).
Neuromuscular system training and testing:
- Wireless photocells,
- Race analyzer (useful distance up to 80m),
- Infrared mat (useful distance up to 100m),
- 2x high-speed camera,
- Freelap Timing System,
- Machine with an electric motor for assisted training.
Neuromuscular system training and testing:
- Infrared grid (useful distance up to 100m),
- Linear encoder,
- Push 2.0,
- Beast Sensor.
Special and general physical preparation training:
- LILA Exogen,
- 2x Resistance machine (usable distance up to 60-70m),
- HandyGym,
- Compex 8.0.
iMUDS and HUMAN Lab
Our iMUDS and HUMAN Lab collaborators have advanced technological equipment for the assessment of biomechanical indicators. Among others:
- Advanced photogrammetry for 3D motion capture,
- Portable inertial systems for 3D mockups,
- Force platforms,
- Pressure platforms,
- Intelligent insoles,
- Electromyography,
- 3D scanners,
- Photoelectric barriers,
- GNSS and LPS advanced geolocation technologies,
- VR simulation technologies /RA,
- Specialized physical condition profiles (power meters, advanced dynamometers, isokinetic machine),
- Advanced ergometers (high-performance treadmill, self-propelled treadmill, ski simulator),
- Advanced physiological assessment (fixed and portable gas analysis, lactate, oximeters advanced NIRS, IR thermography, heart rate variability, sensorized clothing),
- Monitoring of healthy biomedical indicators,
- Support in advanced nutritional control.
Medical Support and Research
Enrique Aranda performing ultrasound-guided needling.
LH PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC
LH Physiotherapy Clinic director Enrique Aranda López is Scirocco TF head therapist. Thanks to his dual degree in Physiotherapy and Physical Activity and Sports Sciences from the European University of Madrid, he provides a highly sport-oriented view of therapy.
Enrique Aranda
Physiotherapist
He’s an expert in Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Trigger Points and holds a master’s degree in Physiotherapy and Sports Rehabilitation from the Camilo José Cela University of Madrid.
Regularly offered treatments include:
- Dry Needing
- Percutaneous neuromodulation
- Percutaneous Electrolysis Therapy
- Osteopathy
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound
- Shockwave treatment
- Recover
- Trauma physiotherapy
- Orthopedic Manual/Manipulative therapy
- Kinesio or neuromuscular taping
The collaboration with UGR, iMUDS, and CAMD
Scirocco TF collaborates with researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), members of the Instituto Mixto Universitario Deporte y Salud (iMUDS), and medical staff from the Andalusian Center for Sports Medicine (CAMD).
The group supports and advises Scirocco TF on the assessment of biomechanical indicators, specialized physical condition profiles, advanced physiological assessment, monitoring of healthy biomedical indicators, support in advanced nutritional control, etc. This multidisciplinary team from the UGR is led by the UGR professor, Víctor Manuel Soto Hermoso.
Studies and Sport
The solution to combine sport and personal growth
For those athletes who wish to make their sports life compatible with their academic life, we have the support of the autonomous community of Andalusia and the University of Granada.
Andalusia has a support program (called CEEDA) so that young athletes can make their sporting life compatible with studies in high school, college, and university.
The University of Granada also offers support to high-performance and high-level athletes. The national and international prestige of the University of Granada allows athletes to combine their sports life with obtaining a university degree from a world-renowned university.
Weather and Surroundings
Discovering the Andalusian lifestyle.
living 320 sunny days a year
Scirocco TF is based in the city of Motril, along the Tropical Coast of Spain.
The Tropical Coast, located between the Costa del Sol and the Costa de Almería, occupies a privileged strip that has the best conditions to live excellent training environment. Its Mediterranean location, and its proximity to North Africa and the Sierra Nevada, with the highest altitudes on the Peninsula, protect this coastline from the cold north winds.
The Tropical name is due to its exceptional climatic conditions. The average temperature in winter is around 18ºC, while in summer it does not exceed 25ºC. In this land, the sun shines practically all year round, warming it generously in winter, while the cool sea breeze softens the high temperatures of summer.
The city of Motril
Motril is the largest town in the province after Granada. Its monuments include the Iglesia Mayor de la Encarnación and the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza, built on the former pleasure palace of Queen Aixa, mother of Boabdil, the last monarch of the Nasrid dynasty.
Getting to Motril
Motril has some fabulous beaches and being a fairly large town has a great infrastructure also catering for tourism. Motril is within easy reach of both Almeria Airport on the Costa Almeria and Malaga International Airport on the Costa del Sol.
Motril also has a pretty marina and port which offers ferry connections to Melilla which is a Spanish enclave in North Africa and makes for a great experience. Although Melilla is Spanish the Moroccan influence is very much in evidence.
Playa de la Rijana, Motril.
Beaches
The main town of Motril is situated a few kilometers inland away from the coast and the beaches. Motril has a great selection of beaches including Cantarrijan, El Muerto, La Joya, Granada Beach, Playa de la Rijana, Playa de Poniente, Las Azucenas Beach, Torrenueva Beach, La Chucha Beach, La Carchuna Beach, Calahonda Beach.
