Hondarribia’s rowing tradition is very old. As early as 1891, two Hondarribia boats took the leading places in a regatta held in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The first time a boat from Fuenterrabía competed in the La Concha regatta was in 1920. The Ama Guadalupekoa finished a respectable fourth out of five, less than a minute behind the winner, Pasajes de San Juan.
The following year it competed again, with seven participants. The Ondarrabitarra finished sixth. In 1922 it improved by one position among the same number of boats. After several years of absence, in 1925 it challenged Orio in the regatta of honor and lost by 17 seconds. In 1926 it returned to La Concha with two boats: the Virgen del Mar placed third and the Ondarrabitarra fourth out of seven. In 1927 it finished third out of six, and in 1928, again among six boats, it contested the final with San Pedro. However, the crew from Pasajes, aboard the Ama Guadalupekoa, won the flag.
It did not compete again until 1932, when it took part in the regatta of honor and finished second among four boats. The same occurred the following year. In 1934 and 1935, two crews competed—sea and land—and on both occasions the “land” crew finished second in the regatta of honor.
The truly brilliant period for Fuenterrabía began thereafter, winning the flag in 1941, 1943, 1947 and 1948. In 1947 and 1948, Bernardo Elduayen captained the boat and once again led the green colors to victory at La Concha. In 1949, again at La Concha, it finished fourth. Discouragement spread within the club and no crew competed the following year.
In 1951 it finished second behind Orio. In 1952 it did not participate; in 1953 it placed third behind Orio and Pasajes de San Juan; it did not compete in 1954 or 1955; in 1956 it was fourth among five participants; from 1957 to 1961 it was absent from competitions; in 1962 it finished fifth out of six; in 1963, third out of three; in 1964, second behind Orio out of six; in 1965, winner at La Concha and winner against Pedreña in the so-called “Cantabrian Challenge”; in 1966, winner at La Concha, second in Bilbao behind Pedreña, and winner of the open-sea regatta from Pasajes to San Sebastián; in 1967, first at La Concha and first in Bilbao; in 1968, continued victories in San Sebastián and Bilbao; in 1969, after four years of success, a decline in physical form led to a fifth place in San Sebastián and third in Bilbao; in 1970, disqualified at La Concha and sixth in Bilbao (ref. Aguirre Franco, Basque Popular Games and Sports, EGIPV).
In recent years, the Hondarribi Club, with its Ama Guadalupekoa boat, has achieved numerous successes. In 1980 it won the Biscay Grand Prix, five second places and two third places. The coach was Fermín Altuna and the club president, who in 1981 began preparations for a new and suitable boathouse, was Miguel Bernedo Ansótegui. The club had a squad of 80 rowers, the oldest being Jon Querejeta Bera. Average age in 1981: 25.6 years.
In 1893 the city’s famous fronton was built outside the walls, renowned above all for being considered the longest in the world at 87.85 meters, with six long tiers shaded by abundant trees. There are also football and tennis belonging to the Real Unión Club of Irún, the Kerizpe fronton built in 1932, and a modern municipal fronton.