A once in a lifetime trip to Western Australia is top of the bucket list for most wavesailors around the world. Normally a trip to W.A. involves meticulous planning, flights booked months in advance and a detailed plan to take in all the best spots over at least a month to 3-month period. So how many people would think about travelling to Western Australia on a forecast for a 3-day mission? We know of only one - Severne team rider Timo Mullen; buckle up as Timo tells his tale.
HOME AND AWAY
Last year I made the decision to stay at home over the winter months and tough it out while all my fellow Pro windsurfers made the trip to South Africa and Western Australia. I had made the same decision the previous year and absolutely scored it, probably sailing 3-4 times a week in epic conditions. Unfortunately this year my gamble did not work out so well, with the U.K. and Ireland suffering from possibly the worst winter for windsurfing that I can remember!
I had just returned to England after spending Christmas and New Year in Ireland with my family. As I walked in through the door of my house in England my phone ‘beeped’! It was a message from Ben Severne, founder of Severne Sails, “Timo, the forecast looks epic for WA, we have our photo shoot starting tomorrow, we need you to come out!” Most people would immediately write this idea off as completely stupid and they’d be right! I don’t mind dropping everything to travel hundreds of miles to score an epic session but even for me the idea of travelling half way around the world for a few days windsurfing seemed a bit much.
DECISION TIME
I guess like most ‘Pro’ windsurfers nowadays I mix up my windsurfing job with a ‘real’ job; so last-minute trips also have to balance and fit in with my 9-5 job, wife and 2 kids! This makes the offer from Ben Severne even more complicated. I only had 5 days available before I had to be back in the UK for my work, meaning that my actual time in Australia would amount to only 3 days, bonkers but still possible. The massive problem was that the only flight available left in 11 hours; the time was now 23:00 and my wife had gone to bed, so I had to make my decision without consulting the boss!
Denne historien er fra Issue 371 - November December 2017-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.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 371 - November December 2017-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!
