PRELUDE
Picture this… we’re at Makkum Beach in the Netherlands, a spot located on the north of the Ijsselmeer (a huge lake). It’s blowing a solid 25 knots, it’s sunny… well… ish, there are 150 people out on the water from absolute beginners, to the best riders in the world, it’s a beautiful sight! In fact, it’s a sight I’ve seen many times all over the world - consisting of windsurfers and… ahem… wingers. However, this day was different from any I’d ever experienced before in windsurfing… why? Because 95% of the people on the water were women!
BREAKING THE MOULD
So, how did we get here? Because let's be honest, in my 18-years-of windsurfing, I've never had a situation where there were this many people on the water - especially when there were more women than men, it's normally the complete opposite particularly when the conditions are, shall we say, more challenging.
Well, it's actually the third year in a row that the Dutch windsurfing shop, Surfcenter, have partnered with Surf n Sail Makkum, and Funsport Makkum, to host Ladies Day. However, the last two years have been hot and sunny, which is great, but ultimately, also windless affairs, which is obviously not so great. So rather than windsurfing they were forced to resort to yoga, paddleboarding and beginner windsurfing lessons with advanced clinics being resigned to the beach. Don't get me wrong, it's still an amazing day celebrating women who are involved in windsurfing, however, all participants agreed that this year the event reached another level, thanks to that all important ingredient... yep you guessed it... the wind!
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 436 - August 2024 من Windsurf.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة Issue 436 - August 2024 من Windsurf.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!
