Austrian freestyle pro Max Matissek always wanted to visit Iceland and windsurf amongst the icebergs. To make his dream a reality would not be easy though; a test of patience and an ironic twist to the tale, read on as Max tells us more about his mission.
There’s something about Iceland, perhaps the remoteness of this island in the North Atlantic seas, that has long stirred a lust to go there and explore. So when my buddy Max Baier and I were offered a trip there to photo shoot for Chiemsee, I didn’t need to think twice. This was my chance, and I wasn’t going to miss it. Immediately I got down to research using my father’s nature books, timeless treasures, saturating my senses. I was on the hunt for those scenic spots that Iceland is famous for. It wasn’t hard. I came across countless pictures of stunning glacier lakes and lagoons that merged with the sea and icebergs just floating around – definitely not a view I get to enjoy every day. There was one particular spot that caught my eye, a lagoon lying at the feet of Jökulsárlón glacier. Immediately I knew that’s where I was going to have the sailing experience of a lifetime. I could just picture myself planing amongst the half-submerged ice cliffs and the electric blue waters. It was time to pack.
LOGISTICS
We all know windsurfing travel can be quite a hassle. Deciding what equipment I’d need was kind of a wild guess since I didn’t know what conditions to expect. What I knew was that I wanted to be mobile, so I packed my 4.8 Idol and 93 Skate, because that combo always works, and naturally enough, my warmest wetsuit!
Getting there was a piece of cake, no issues with customs, which is always a bonus. We arrived at Reykjavik way after midnight and it was pitch dark. In late summer, ‘night time’ only lasts about three hours a day, but we had already decided that wouldn’t be an issue. The long hours between dawn breaking and nightfall meant we could make the most of the 5 days we’d be there. The countdown had started!
Denne historien er fra Issue 384 - April 2019-utgaven av Windsurf.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 384 - April 2019-utgaven av Windsurf.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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!
