CATEGORIES

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!

EDITORIAL - RESET

Finn hits the salt water reset button.

MARK OF A CHAMPION

‘Mark of a champion’ is a new series we’re running with some of windsurfing’s brightest stars, to find out the traits they think have helped them reach the top. And who better to kick offthe series with than Sarah-Quita Offringa. Born in Aruba, the exceptionally talented sailor has an amazing 17 world titles and no doubt many more to come. She gives us an insight into her world.

DELPHINE COUSIN QUESTEL

28-year-old French sailor Delphine Cousin Questel secured the 2019 PWA women’s slalom world title in Noumea, New Caledonia at the final event of the season. Despite starting with results below her normal expectations, Delphine managed to fight back and finish the event in 2nd overall to clinch her 4th slalom world title. John Carter finds out more about Delphine’s success story.

BOUJ NEWS

Moroccan sensation Boujmaa Guilloul has a new sponsor - sponsor – Goya Windsurfing! We caught up with him to hear more about the move, his new-found passion for foiling and how he ended up ‘stuck’ on Maui for the last 6 months!

VISION

‘Where there is no vision, there is no hope.’

THE IQFOIL STORY

In November 2019 the World Sailing Council approved the iQFoil as the equipment for windsurfing events at the 2024 Olympic games in France, replacing the RS:X, which was the chosen Olympic equipment since Beijing in 2008. It was a massive coup for Starboard and Severne and the result of years of hard work, innovation and dedication from the team behind the scenes. John Carter caught up with some of the key players to learn more about the process of winning the bid and designing the gear, and we also learn about how you can get a hold of the kit in the UK and get racing on it!

TACK … EVERY TIME.

It’s simple enough on day one and painfully elusive as you take it onto smaller boards and into pressurised situations. Here in the first part of a two-part examination, Harty reveals the right methods to nailing your tacks.

Marcilio Browne

Touted by many as the best wave sailor at Ho’okipa, Marcilio ‘Brawzinho’ Browne narrowly missed out on his second wave sailing title when events did not go his way at the 2019 Aloha Classic. But with a new baby in his life and an epic winter season to look forward to, Brawzinho didn’t waste time dwelling on the past and rode his way into the new decade with some of most insane airs and hits ever witnessed at Jaws. With a car rental business also keeping him busy, as well as wave sailing clinics with his Goya teammate Levi Siver, John Carter sat down with the 30-year-old Brazilian to hear how he is living his best life!

LATEST AND GREATEST

For all the latest and greatest in windsurfing head over to our facebook page and like it! facebook.com/windsurfmagazine

IN SEARCH OF SILVER LININGS

Harty tells a horrendous tale with comic overtones that he hopes may inspire us to cope better with the current situation.

PHILIPPE BRU

Philippe Bru is the man who has put long distance windsurf racing on the map and most certainly has a vision for our sport, he gives us an insight into his life and his legendary DéfiWind events.

FREEZE FRAMES

Balz Müller is known for taking foiling to new levels; here he tells us of his latest escapade in the Swiss Alps - foiling high altitude waters in freezing low temperatures!

CHASING FREEDOM

Whilst daily life is changing by the minute, the kit for the latest test managed to arrive in time for the test team to get out on the water before the lockdown. On the menu this month is no-cam freeride contenders … and here is the test team’s findings.

BIG WAVE HUNTING

Galicia’s wild Atlantic shores proved the perfect hunting ground for Thomas Traversa, Julien Taboulet and photographer Pierre Bouras as they chased a winter storm to some remote big wave spots. The fearless French crew recount their mission.

2020 VISION

We asked leading figures in the windsurf industry to give their thoughts on the next decade, covering everything from cost, competition, accessibility and most importantly, their vision for the next 10 years. Candid, controversial and unplugged – here are their informed opinions about our sport’s future!

The Black Pearl

When one of the most spectacular yachts in the world parks up at your local windsurfing spot, then it really would be rude not to go check it out, especially when it’s blowing 30 knots! Scotty Stallman, Kevin Greenslade and Si Pettifer blasted out into Weymouth harbour to check out the incredible “Black Pearl”, while Andy Stallman captured the action from a R.I.B. Read on for more about the yacht and what the Weymouth slalom posse made of it!

2020 Mediterranean Travel Guide

The Mediterranean offers fantastic windsurfing just a few hours from the UK; with clear waters, constant winds and a variety of spots to suit all levels and tastes. Noted not only for its excellent conditions, there is also the chance to experience that enviable Mediterranean lifestyle from a wide range of accommodation options. We help you with the choice over the coming pages by calling in the help of expert windsurf travel agents Sportif Travel and Planet Windsurf Holidays, who give us their recommendations for the region, while a selection of operators give us micro guides to their local spots.

TURKISH DELIGHTS

Éric de Cruz takes a road trip in Turkey in the company of his son Esteban and PWA slalom sailor Benjamin ‘Babou’ Augé. Éric tells us why Turkey’s freeride windsurfing delights need to be sampled!

MOV ON UP - BETTER WATERSTARTS

This month we look at how to get your waterstarts ‘up and away’ in a more efficient manner. In this piece we will look at how and where to be in the ‘sweet spot’ prior to launch and thereby in the best position possible for success. Throughout my coaching I see many people this is so very relevant for, from improvers right up to wave sailors. I am assuming you can already clear the rig, in most directions, so we will not be covering this now, but fear not we will look at it in a future piece.

KNEE-MONIA

A painful joint doesn’t necessarily spell the end …