Windsurfing Now 02.1

02.1 

2016 GEAR GUIDE / MEET MR. HO’OKIPA 

GREAT LAKE CHARGERS

THE T-7 HARNESS 

FLORIAN JUNG 

HO’OKIPA, MAUI, HAWAII 

PHOTO ACTION: ERIK AEDER 

PHOTO OTHERS: DAVE WHITE & PIERRE BOURAS 

HARNESSES. 

GEAR BAGS. 

ACCESSORIES.

DAKINE.COM

OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

4 · SPRING 2016

FORECAST 

T H E 

B I G G E R 

T H E 

BETTER 

as with the 2014 aloha classic, I waited until the last minute to 

see what the forecast would bring to the event. As it turned 

out, once again the Aloha was blessed with an awesome 

forecast, so I entered last-minute and was given a wildcard. 

The bigger the surf the better I normally ride, and the first 

several days of the contest were “going off.” A lot of guys 

never even made it through the channel for their heats, 

and the Ho’okipa rocks have a hefty appetite for gear. 

I had an absolute blast. And until the losers’ round 

later in the week, where the surf had subsided to more 

“normal levels,” I did pretty well. All in all, it’s a crazy 

amount of fun to be out there at Ho’okipa riding 

with all my friends, many of whom are substantially 

less than half my age at this point. —Robby Naish 

Robby Naish kills it at the 2015 Aloha Classic. 

Si Crowther/AWT photo 

5

OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

6 · SPRING 2016

FORECAST 

INSPIRING 

O L Y M P I C 

DREAMS 

one-design windsurfing, such as the RS:X class, creates 

an even playing field for focus-driven goals. 

Growing up racing one-design equipment as a 

young teenager, my personal goal was to be the 

best Olympic-class windsurfer in the world. By 

windsurfing with others on the same equipment, 

while pushing one another to go faster and race 

smarter, one can strive towards the possibility of 

winning a local regatta, a world championship or 

even an Olympic medal. These possibilities bring 

excitement to a young generation that views 

windsurfing not only as the best sport in the 

world, but as an opportunity to reach their goals. 

As a young windsurfer myself, I am constantly 

motivated by those with more experience than 

me. This motivation gives me the inclination to 

inspire those younger than I am. As a 16-yearold, 

I wanted nothing more than to eventually 

live out my aspiring goals, and it is important to 

me to help others do so as well. With one-design 

windsurfing and my dedication, I can be inspired 

while inspiring others. —Max Robinson, CAN-11 

Max Robinson catches air on Day Two of the Miami 

RS:X Midwinter Regatta. Osvaldo Zamora photo 

7

OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

8 · SPRING 2016

FORECAST 

1,000 

L I T E R S 

O F 

P U R E 

FUN 

welcome to the party barge! This new multi-sport inflatable 

board from Progressive Boards is a huge addition to the 

windsurfing marketplace—and not just in terms of its massive 

size (it has the floatation of four beginner boards and 

is 14 feet long by 42 inches wide). It can be sailed either solo 

or as a tandem, with plenty of room to bring a friend or two 

along for the ride if you really want to get the party started. 

Plus, it performs in all conditions from super light air to 

full planing wind. It’s also the perfect family SUP, as it will 

literally support the entire family all at once. If kayaking is 

one of your passions, then simply add the seats and you are 

ready to go. Don’t even let me get started on the fishing options. 

So many choices, so little time. progressivesports.com 

See more about the Party Barge at 

bit.ly/1Lx27kt 

Charles Dasher/ProgressiveSports.com photo 

9

OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

42 

Mr. Ho’okipa 

After back-to-back Aloha Classic wins, we think it’s time to give 

Morgan Noireaux the proper respect he deserves. 

46 

Lake Chargers 

Levi Siver shares the story of his frigid storm-chasing trip to Lake 

Superior with Philip Köster and Marcilio “Brawzinho” Browne. 

52 

WindSUP’ing the American Southwest 

This is what happens when a European couple travels to cowboy 

country for a unique windsurfing adventure. 

58 

Gallery 

Impressive photos from North America and beyond. 

Pascal Hardy rides the new 2016 Sailworks Gyro. Jimmie Hepp/Sailworks photo 

10 · SPRING 2016

11

OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

4 Forecast 

14 Launch 

16 On the Cover 

18 Letters 

20 Sessions: Denmark 

24 In the Wind 

26 Inspiration: Take a Clinic 

28 Swag: Bondic 

30 Wellness: A Neutral Spine 

32 Story Time: Silenced in the Wind 

34 Moments: Aloha Classic 

36 Innovation: Starboard AirPlane 

38 How To: Upwind 360 

66 2016 Gear Guide: Trends 

74 Equipped: Freeride Sails 

80 Regions 

12 · SPRING 2016

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OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

LAUNCH 

LET ME SPEND YOUR MONEY 

it’s time to get real. You had to know that 

eventually the topic of money would 

come up, so let’s get into it. You work 

hard for the money you earn, but as 

your friendly neighborhood windsurfing 

magazine, I’m here to remind 

you that you can’t take it with you. 

So what are your options? Invest? 

For sure… in today’s windsurfing gear, 

as it will guarantee putting a smile on 

your face every time you hit the water. 

Put it into a nest egg for your kids? 

Definitely… if that little tweety-bird 

bed is a kids’ camp or set of beginner 

gear that will get the entire family 

ripping around the local pond this 

summer. As you can see, I’m obviously 

an incredible, yet slightly biased, 

financial advisor, so let’s look at all 

the ways this issue of Windsurfing Now 

will help you spend your money. 

The 2016 Gear Guide: what better 

place to start than by dropping some 

dineros on the latest and greatest toys? 

The hottest trend in windsurfing today 

is inflatable boards, like the Starboard 

AirPlane (Innovation, p. 36). But the 

board that has me the most excited 

of all is the Progressive Boards Party 

Barge (Forecast, p. 8). It’s 1,000 liters in 

volume and can be sailed as a tandem. 

Let’s get this party started! Regardless 

of the style of sailor you are, this 

issue will give you ideas on what your 

next purchase should be (2016 Gear 

Guide, p. 66), and we even help freeride 

sailors pick a winning sail (Equipped, 

p. 74) to perfectly match their riding. 

Maybe you bought all-new gear 

last season and figure you are done 

spending money on windsurfing? You 

couldn’t be more wrong. You work 

hard and deserve a vacation to somewhere 

like Denmark (Sessions, p. 20), 

Yosemite National Park (“WindSUP’ing 

the American Southwest”, p. 52), Wisconsin 

(“Lake Chargers”, p. 46 and Regions, 

p. 82) or Baja (Regions, p. 81). Or 

maybe use that vacation to get better at 

a windsurfing with lessons or a clinic 

(Inspiration, p. 28). But be sure to take 

along all your issues of Windsurfing 

Now to put all the great instructional 

articles to good use (How To, p. 38). 

Good news! We are not done yet, 

as there’s even more great windsurfing-related 

stuff to sink your savings 

into. As you read this, the brand-new 

Pacific Northwest Mystery series novel 

from Kate Dyer-Seeley, Silenced in the 

Surf, will be just hitting the shelves. 

It’s based around windsurfing in the 

Gorge, and we’ve got an exclusive 

excerpt in this issue (Story Time, p. 32). 

Also, from now on, no windsurfing tool 

bag will be complete without a Bondic 

repair pen (Swag, p. 26). It allows you 

to repair board and fin dings in just 

seconds, along with having many other 

household uses. Or maybe you should 

sign up for some physical training and 

learn more stretches, like the ones 

outlined by Ingrid Larouche (Wellness, 

p. 30), or an AWT contest to feed your 

competitive urges (Moments, p. 34). 

I have to admit that spending your 

money has been fun. But all jokes 

aside, if you want your local shop to 

survive and thrive, then start developing 

a relationship with them so 

that when you are ready to make your 

next windsurfing purchase, it will be 

properly spent. And I’d like to give a 

personal thanks to all the supporters 

of Windsurfing Now, from the subscribers 

to the advertisers: without 

all of you, we wouldn’t be able to get 

this publication off the ground and 

running. Thank you! —Pete DeKay, 

pete@windsurfingnowmag.com 

A bazillion dollars worth of gear in 

Lancelin, Australia. John Carter photo 

14 · SPRING 2016

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Gyro rider Pascal Hardy > photo: Jimmie Hepp 

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OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

ON THE COVER VOLUME 2 / ISSUE 1 

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief 

Pete DeKay 

pete@windsurfingnowmag.com 

Advertising Director 

Rick Bruner 

rickbruner@gorge.net 

Art Director 

Joe Andrus 

joeandrusdesign.com 

Associate Art Director 

Jeff Middleton 

VictoryDesignCo.com 

Rider: Franz Orsi 

Photographer: Vania Marques 

INFLATING 

WINDSURFING 

Copy Editor Kate Rutledge 

Web Design Russ Faurot 

Gear Editor Derek Rijff 

Social Media Director Kaeley Dawson 

Instructional Editor Andy Brandt 

Contributing Illustrator Jerry King, Spennie Thompson 

Contributing Writers Samantha Campbell, Dayanidhi Das, 

Kate Dyer-Seeley, Andree Gauthier, Ben Herdrich, Ingrid Larouche, 

Vania Marques, Philip Muller, Robby Naish, Franz Orsi, Kevin Pritchard, 

Matt Pritchard, Axel Reese, Max Robinson, Levi Siver, Phil Soltysiak 

Windsurfing is doing OK. 

Not great, but it’s not dying 

either. In most places across 

North America, it’s been 

holding its own; while in 

a few areas it’s dropped 

substantially, it’s actually 

grown in others. I assume 

a lot of this has to do with 

whether or not there is a 

local shop or club present in 

the particular area. Having 

a shop that’s psyched on 

windsurfing or an active 

club will lead to a bustling 

boardhead community. 

So where do we see 

growth when it comes to action 

sports? Duh, it’s standup 

paddleboarding (SUP) 

of course! They are everywhere 

and share many similarities 

(and brand names) 

with windsurfing. They are 

huge boards and capable of 

providing a fun experience 

in all conditions. Sounds 

like windsurfing—at least 

16 · SPRING 2016 

if you’re not a wind snob. 

And here’s where we come 

to this issue’s cover. 

Windsurfing was at its 

peak when it wasn’t totally 

focused on planing. Cruising 

on a big board in light 

air is something everyone 

can do, and the thought of 

doing it Yosemite National 

Park—as Franz Orsi does 

on the cover—amongst 

all the breathtaking views 

is downright motivating 

(read “WindSUP’ing the 

American Southwest”, p. 

52). Lately, the biggest trend 

in SUP has been towards 

easy-to-transport inflatable 

boards, and now it’s 

spilling over into windsurfing. 

Let’s hope that 

this popularity in pumping 

up boards can lead to an 

inflation in the number of 

windsurfers as well. —Pete 

DeKay, Windsurfing Now 

publisher/editor-in-chief 

Contributing Photographers Pierre Bouras, Michael Bula, 

John Carter, Si Crowther, Charles Dasher, Mark Harpur, Jimmie Hepp, 

Jorge Leal, Sofie Louca, Markus Marschall, Paul Michaelides, Franz Orsi, 

Kevin Pritchard, Axel Reese, Nana Seadi, Markus Seidel, Ryan Taylor, 

Mark Wengler, Osvaldo Zamora 

Windsurfing Now Magazine is an independent publication 

published four times per year (Early Spring, Spring, Summer, Fall) 

by In the Wind Media Ltd. 

137 Nile St., Stratford, ON, N5A 4E1 Canada 

Phone: (519) 878-2321 

E-mail: info@windsurfingnowmag.com 

Website: windsurfingnowmag.com 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

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© Copyright Windsurfing Now Magazine 2016. 

All rights reserved. 

Reproduction of any materials published in 

Windsurfing Now Magazine is expressly forbidden without 

the written consent of the publisher. 

Printed in Canada 

Disclaimer: The athletes and activities described and illustrated herein 

are performed by trained athletes and could result in serious bodily injury, 

including disability or death. Do not attempt them without proper 

supervision, training and safety equipment. In the Wind Media Ltd. 

and the publisher are not responsible for injuries sustained by readers or 

failure of equipment depicted or illustrated herein.

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OFF THE TOP 

ISS. 2.1 

LETTERS 

READER FEEDBACK 

How Poetic 

I’m the treasurer for the New Jersey Windsurf and Watersport Association, and 

have really enjoyed the first two issues of Windsurfing Now. I assume that you 

are not soliciting articles, etcetera, but I thought I’d pass along a poem I composed 

about my passion for windsurfing, for your consideration. It appeared in 

our newsletter, but of course, that bar’s a lot lower than it is for your magazine. 

Anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks! 

Thanksgiving (A Windsurfer’s Prayer) 

Give thanks for the sails 

My surrogate wings 

Alive with the wind 

Truly magical things 

Give thanks for the sun 

Engine of the sky 

Give birth to the wind 

Make my wings fly 

Give thanks for the wind 

And its loud raucous song 

May the gusts be few 

And the thermals be strong 

WRITE 

AND RECEIVE 

Subscribers of Windsurfing 

Now who send us an email 

and have it published on 

our Letters page will receive 

a free issue added onto their 

subscription. So get on it and 

send us a comment, critique, 

idea, photo or completely 

unrelated story about windsurfing 

and you’ll receive the 

magazine for even longer. 

Give thanks for the board 

Dancing with my feet 

Wind, waves and chance 

All call the beat 

Give thanks for the sea 

Rising to meet me 

Give thanks for the fear 

Which will never defeat me 

Give thanks for my friends 

Both here and gone 

May our day’s last sail 

Be sweet and be long 

—Bill DeStefano, New Jersey 

Thanks for the great poem! And I am definitely looking for articles, photos 

and any other creative content for the magazine. Windsurfing Now is all 

about what’s going on in this great sport all across North America. To achieve 

this, I need submissions from anyone and everyone. Please help spread the 

word and get in touch with me at pete@windsurfingnowmag.com. —ed. 

18 · SPRING 2016

Doing It Right 

I like your mag a lot and gave it a plug 

to my windsurfing buddies on Facebook. 

I hope you can keep it going. 

From Andy Brandt’s article [How To, p. 

40], I figured out what I’ve been doing 

wrong when attempting helicopter 

tacks all these years; I was pushing in 

the middle of the sail instead of the 

trailing edge to get the tack through 

the wind… duhhh. 

I’d love to see some tips on Formula 

board sailing, as that interests 

me now. I used to look down on 

light air sailing, until I bought a 

Formula board with a 10.8-meter 

sail. It’s a hell of a workout and gets 

very scary very fast when the wind 

gets too strong for it, but light-air 

planing is an addictive feeling. — 

Andy Magruder, Portsmouth, RI 

We are definitely looking to expand Windsurfing 

Now’s How To section in future 

issues. We’ll have the best professional 

instruction from across North America 

teaching you how to do all the things 

you didn’t know you had to do. —ed. 

- 

Viewing the World 

I had been looking for a replacement 

for the former Windsurfing Magazine, 

which I’d subscribed to for over 30 

years. When I found Windsurfing Now, 

based in North America, I was very 

happy. I quickly signed up for twoyear 

subscription without looking at 

a copy, because I want to support it. 

My first copy was the 2016 Photo 

Annual (Issue 01.2) and I liked the 

content. Wherever I travel close to any 

windy spot with water, I always check 

if anyone windsurfs there (even if I 

won’t have a chance to windsurf there). 

Your two-page photo highlights [World 

View, p. 48] of many obscure places are 

really educational, especially the North 

American spots. It’s like I’ve checked 

out a dozen windsurfing spots in the 

world without leaving my home. I’d 

like to see more of this. In terms of an 

area of improvement, I concur with the 

other feedback letters that the font size 

is too small. Thank you, and I applaud 

your endeavor! —Patrick, Pennsylvania 

We’ve increased the font size for this 

issue, so I hope it makes a difference. 

And we're hoping to provide many more 

short “snapshot”-style articles in the 

future, as they are great to look at and 

really show off what’s going on in the 

world of windsurfing. —ed. 

- 

Gearing Up 

Great work with the magazine! I hope 

it helps the sport grow. As someone 

who recently started windsurfing, 

one thing that would be super helpful 

is some kind of comprehensive gear 

guide showing new and used gear and 

all the different types, like beginner, 

intermediate, advanced, etcetera. I 

know it would be a ton of work, but 

one of the obstacles I’ve faced with 

this sport is the trouble finding gear 

information outside of the online 

forums. It’s especially difficult for 

beginners looking to upgrade from 

their first board/sail and for starting 

to build a quiver. —Adam, via email 

Hopefully you’ll enjoy this issue, as it 

has a bunch of gear-related articles. 

Another great resource to turn to for 

gear info is your local shop. And by local 

shop I mean any shop that you develop a 

trusting relationship with. Many North 

American windsurfers don’t have a store 

located nearby, but all windsurfing shops 

can be contacted by phone or email. 

Reach out and touch one today! —ed. 

- 

Conceptually Speaking 

The sport is filled with people, past 

and present, with knowledge that 

can benefit the average windsurfer, 

like Keith Teboul, Jason Diffin, Jimmy 

Lewis, Lee Brittain, etcetera. So I’m 

wondering about the possibility of a 

series of articles or short write-ups 

where these knowledgeable individuals 

describe the windsurfing concepts they 

apply in their work, and how it affects 

the average windsurfer on the water 

and in their buying decisions—a look 

at concepts in board shaping or sail design 

and how they translate into what 

we experience on the water. This could 

guide us in what we buy, with the aim 

of helping us make informed decisions 

around what is affecting our windsurfing 

experience. For example, in looking 

at buying a new board, it seems there’s 

a dizzying array of possibilities to take 

into account that need to be matched 

with local sailing conditions. So, 

perhaps providing knowledge on board 

theory (volume, outline, rocker, construction, 

fins) could help the average 

reader. Thanks. —Mike, Toronto, Ont. 

This is a great idea that we will definitely 

pursue with the designers you mentioned 

(and others). Be sure to read this issue’s 

Equipped [p. 74] by our Gear Editor, Derek 

Rijff, on the specific details of freeride 

sail design and what each aspect means 

to the individual windsurfer. —ed. 

19

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

20 · SPRING 2016

SESSIONS 

WORDS BY KEVIN PRITCHARD 

PHOTOS BY MARK WENGLER 

DENMARK 

IN DECEMBER 

with the season wrapping up 

and my commitments for 

the year ending, I notice the 

forecast models lighting up 

with an epic storm hitting 

the northern Danish coast. 

One problem: it’s December 

and that means it will be very 

cold. A little naive, I decide 

to book the trip. “Sure, it will 

be cold, but I’m a man and I 

can handle the cold,” I tell myself. 

Oh, you little Maui boy… 

if you only knew the truth. 

Above: A little colder than Maui. 

Left: Denmark has waves! 

I book my flight, which departs in a mere eight hours, and 

I’m stoked to be going to one of my favorite places in Europe. 

I head down to Ho’okipa to ride a few last-minute waves before 

my trip. The waves are big and the wind is strong. In the 

back of my mind I doubt my decision to leave the paradise of 

Maui. But with that reasoning, I would never leave Maui. 

Reality hits as soon I land in Aalborg, Denmark. Reality 

is a 50-knot gust of frozen rain in my face. And even at 

12:30 p.m. the sun is nearly set. What did I get myself into? 

They call this region “Cold Hawaii,” but at this moment I 

only see cold, definitely not Hawaii. On the way to the beach, 

rain flies sideways against the car. Even with the heater on 

full blast the cold hits my bones. My courage dwindles towards 

fear as I ask myself, “I have to windsurf in this?” 

At the beach, the local windsurfers are just finishing a 

session. It all looks miserably cold to me. But when I look 

closer, I see that the stoke warms their faces. This is the same 

stoke that drives me every day I get on the water. Except, 

unlike me, these guys are hardcore. Without a doubt, windsurfing 

on the North Sea in December for fun is hardcore. 

21

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

SESSIONS 

There’s a group of guys in northern 

Denmark who live for the wintertime 

wind and swell. And believe it or not, 

they actually enjoy windsurfing in 

the cold. Lars Petersen is one of these 

longtime locals. I know him from 

back in my PWA Tour days, and we 

are reuniting on this trip. He eats, 

breathes and sleeps Danish windsurfing. 

He greets me with a smile and a 

very cold handshake. I’d arrived too 

late to score a session. I feel lucky, 

like I’ve just dodged a bullet by not 

having to go out. But I hope this 

storm will last for a few more days. 

The house shakes all night long. 

The next day starts with an 8:30 a.m. 

cup of coffee with Lars in the dark, 

as the sun doesn’t rise for another 

hour. Full of coffee and some Danish 

pastries, I’m fired up for windsurfing. 

At the beach, the ocean is empty 

of people but full of waves and wind. 

Mast-high swells pump through and a 

side-offshore wind blows the white off 

the waves into the air. I rig and dress 

in my 6 mm wetsuit, booties, gloves 

and hoodie. As I put my board in the 

water I think, “This isn’t so bad, I’m 

actually warm.” But once sailing, the 

cold rain pelts my face, and with the 

thick rubber gloves my hands can’t 

grip the boom. My forearms swell. 

Soon I lose my balance and find myself 

swimming in the cold, dark North 

Sea. I’m not in Maui anymore! “Relax, 

breathe, get back on the board and get 

past the waves,” I tell myself. Ho’okipa 

has a channel where no waves break 

that we use to get to the outside. Cold 

Hawaii shows me no channel… just 

walls of whitewater. I have yet to see 

a resemblance to my paradise home. 

Soon I lose my balance and find myself swimming 

in the cold, dark North Sea. I’m not in Maui anymore! 

I make it to the outside and my arms 

are throbbing as if I had just sailed for 

three hours without a harness. I turn 

and jibe onto a massive wave, and 

I can’t believe how foreign my gear 

feels. I’ve rigged everything the same 

as I did the day before on Maui, but 

the stiffness of the extra rubber I’m 

wearing makes every action different. 

I charge down the line of that first 

wave, dropping in, and I suddenly 

remember the reason I love windsurfing. 

The same gusty offshore winds 

that made getting out so difficult are 

now glassing off the wave, smoothing 

it into perfect butter. Down the 

line I charge, getting five turns and 

a finishing aerial. This one wave 

takes all the hurt out of my body. I 

start to feel my arms again and I get 

comfortable in the wetsuit. Lars and 

I trade off waves until the sun sets. 

The next day I see the sun for the 

first time on this trip. The northern latitude 

sun in winter is nothing like the 

Hawaiian sun I know. When not hiding 

behind clouds, this Danish sun sits low, 

moving across the horizon without 

ever going overhead. For photography, 

this means perfect golden light 

all day long. What beauty! But most 

impressive of all is the local people’s 

kindness and readiness to share their 

home with a lonely tourist like me. 

When the sun goes back into hiding 

behind clouds the next day, the bright 

smiles of the people illuminate the 

land for me. I’m surprised by the 

openness of the locals, who share their 

secret sailing spot with me when the 

wind comes up for just 45 minutes. 

That would never happen in “Hot 

Hawaii.” I feel more aloha in this spot 

of Denmark than at home in Hawaii. 

The next few days bring unreal 

sailing conditions. The sun shines 

sometimes and the air stays brisk. I 

gradually meet my inner Viking as the 

gloves come off and I save the hoodie 

for when I’m swimming. As I get to 

know the area better, I can see the 

origin of the name Cold Hawaii: lots 

of waves, beautiful landscapes and 

seascapes, and a serene rawness not 

found in many places on the planet. 

Top: Pritchard finds his groove despite the cold. 

Left: Lars Petersen and Kevin Pritchard. 

22 · SPRING 2016

photo: Jimmie Hepp, rider: Graham Ezzy, location: Peahi (Jaws) 

EZZYSKINNY 

Our Mast Credo: 

• Must be strong. 

• Must be light. 

• Must feel smooth and comfortable on the water. 

• Each length is distinguished by color. 

• Constant curve bend that fits almost every sail in the world. 

• Mix and Match: tops and bottoms from every length are 

interchangeable with each other and sold separately. 

• All tops and bottoms we’ve ever made are interchangeable. 

• 2 Options: Hookipa Mast (91% carbon), Legacy XT (60% 

carbon), both are interchangeable with each other. 

ezzy.com 

23

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

IN THE WIND 

ILLUSTRATION 

BY JERRY KING 

The Banana River Resort is hosting 

a clinic by pro freestyler Arrianne 

Aukes, running April 14-17. Aukes is 

an amazing and inspiring windsurfer, 

and will provide coaching to all skill 

levels and abilities. She may compete 

in freestyle, but she is an experienced 

instructor across all windsurfing 

disciplines. Email bananariverresort@gmail.com 

for more info. 

NEWS AND RESULTS 

NEWS: Not that Rob Warwick went 

anywhere from an on-the-water side 

of things, but he’s back earning his 

living from windsurfing and making 

masts at NoLimitz based in White 

Salmon, WA. He is taking over from 

Ryan Kolberg, who is moving on 

to pursue his musical endeavors… 

hope to catch a show somewhere 

in the Gorge soon. Both of these 

guys are living their dreams! 

The US Slalom National Racing 

Tour this year took riders to Maui, 

Hood River, Cabrillo Beach and 

Miami, and have crowned Tammy 

Bockius (Maui, HI) and Jesper Vesterstroem 

(New York, NY) as overall 

National Slalom Champions for the 

2015 season. Congrats to both for 

such a great year. Look for this year’s 

tour stops to include Corpus Christi 

(May 11 to 14), Rio Vista (June 17 to 19), 

Hood River (June 24 to 26), Maui (July 

30) and Miami (November 11 to 13). 

Two new faces have joined the 

board of US Windsurfing, as they 

welcome Sam Bittner (Maui) and 

Greg Mejlaender (Seattle, WA). Both 

are coming onboard as Regional 

Directors, with Bittner looking after 

the Pacific Region and Mejlaender 

in charge of Northwest Region. 

We’re sure both will do a great job. 

EVENTS: There’s a new kids’ camp 

starting in the San Francisco Bay Area 

called the Sherman Island Windsurfing 

Camp (SIWSC). It’s been 

formed to, “give the chance for kids to 

be kids on a magical island and windsurf 

all day with no parents or judgement.” 

SIWSC is a weekly (Sunday evening 

to Friday afternoon) camp where 

these young aspiring windsurfers will 

be looked after, fed and also taught 

by qualified windsurfing instructors. 

The first session begins on June 19. For 

more info, go to siwsc.wordpress.com. 

There’s no better place for Spring 

windsurfing on the East Coast than 

Cape Hatteras, NC, so make your 

plans to attend all the OBX-wind. 

com activities happening the week 

of April 16 to 23. This week-long 

event offers parties, gear demos, 

a GPS speed-sailing challenge, a 

long-distance race, instructional 

clinics and a huge raffle. Book your 

Hatteras vacation house today for an 

action-packed week of windsurfing. 

RESULTS: The Miami RS:X Midwinters 

saw all types of conditions for a 

true test of the competitors’ abilities. 

The top North Americans were Ignacio 

Berenguer (MEX-11) who finished 

third, just ahead of Pedro Pascual 

(USA-11) in fourth and Jean-Sebastien 

Fugère (CAN-51) in fifth. The top two 

finishers were Sebastian Wang-Hansen 

(NOR-7) and Daniel Flores (VEN-1). 

In racing from Baja, the La Ventana 

Windfest ran from January 20 to 23 and 

showcased windsurfing in both slalom 

and a massive downwind race. The slalom 

crown was taken by Jose Cabrera 

ahead of Moises Monteverde and Tyson 

Poor, while the windsurfing downwinder 

was won by Arnie Hettman. 

SPONSORSHIPS: Gorge sailor and 

professional SUP standout Fiona 

Wylde is back on Sailworks sails. 

She is fresh off a second-place finish 

at the Maui Aloha Classic, and we’re 

sure she’ll be ripping apart waves on 

some AWT and PWA stops this year. 

The big news from Naish International 

is the signing of wave ripper 

Bernd Roediger. Here’s another rider 

that excels in both windsurfing and 

SUP, and we’re sure he’ll be a huge 

asset to their young team of riders. 

A young competitor who has cut 

his teeth on the AWT is Tom Juban, 

and he’s signed on with team Quatro/Goya. 

Yes, we expect a lot out of 

AWT tour champ Camille Juban’s 

younger brother, and we’re excited 

to see how he does this year. 

A few signings of note from PWA 

riders include Klaas Voget joining 

North Sails, Eleazar Alonzo moving 

to Starboard/Severne and Arrianne 

Aukes now riding for Fanatic/North. 

24 · SPRING 2016

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Riders victor fernandez, maxi gertenbach 

Photo john carter 

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25

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

INSPIRATION 

WORDS BY PETE DEKAY 

PHOTO QUATRO/FISHBOWLDIARIES 

LESSONS VS. CLINICS 

for lesson two (I know you will, because 

you’ll be hooked). Note: if you book a lesson 

for a more complicated skill, like a planing 

jibe or Vulcan, you’ll likely learn about 

the entire move but will only have time to 

focus on the important initial stages in the 

lesson. But you’ll be back for lesson two. 

the easiest and fastest way to 

become a better windsurfer 

is to sign up for some form 

of instruction. No matter 

what your ability level, there 

are lessons or clinics available 

that will help you improve 

your skills. But signing 

up is not all you need to 

do, as it doesn’t guarantee 

you’ll actually learn anything. 

Here are some tips on 

how to get the most out of 

a lesson, depending on the 

type of class you take. 

Learn to wavesail with Levi Siver in 

Punta San Carlos this August. 

Lessons vs. Clinics: There are plenty of 

great options available when looking for 

windsurfing instruction. Lessons are sold 

in blocks of time, where you usually learn 

one specific skill in either a private or group 

setting. This could be anything from a beginner 

lesson that can get some students up 

and sailing back-and-forth in only a matter 

of hours, to a Forward Loop class, where 

you’ll find your money is well-spent getting 

you past your initial fears of this move. 

For our purposes here, we define a clinic 

as a longer set time of instruction, anywhere 

from a day to possibly a week, where you’ll 

learn a bunch of skills to improve your 

windsurfing ability level. A beginner clinic 

will get the participants up and sailing, 

along with beachstarting, and maybe even 

using the harness. The equivalent clinic 

for our aspiring Forward Looper will also 

likely get into trying Vulcans or trick jibes, 

depending on what the class wants. 

Take a Lesson: If you really want to focus 

on one specific skill or cleaning up a specific 

bad habit or problem with a move, then an 

individual lesson may be your best option, 

especially if you don’t have the time to book 

off for an entire clinic. I’d suggest taking 

the initial lesson and then practicing on the 

water at least a few times before going back 

Take a Clinic: Since clinics (or camps) are 

longer, you’ll cover a lot more topics. An 

important idea to note here is that you’ll 

actually learn things you didn’t even know you 

needed to learn. I’ve seen motivated beginners 

come to a clinic to learn the basics of 

sailing, and in only three days accomplish 

sailing back-and-forth with confidence, 

beachstarting, harness use and even 

experience planing (so you know they are 

hooked!). I’ve also seen students come to a 

clinic wanting to learn how to do a planing 

jibe, but no wind shows up. How did 

we turn those frowns upside down? They 

learned all they needed to know about the 

planing jibe through lecture and dryland 

practice, and then became truly stoked 

learning how to tack, pivot jibe, Helicopter 

Tack, board-upside-down waterstart, 

and many more light-air tricks and skills 

they didn’t even know would make them 

much better light- and high-wind sailors. 

If you want to get your kids into windsurfing, 

then ask them if they’d like to take 

a kids’ camp. A kid doesn’t want to hang 

around with only an adult instructor in a 

private lesson, but a kids’ summer camp 

sailing with his or her peers under the 

guidance of an instructor is a ton of fun. 

How to Make the Most of a Clinic: If 

you let it happen, it’s easy to get lost in the 

group… so don’t. During the classes, don’t 

be afraid to ask questions. Remember, 

there’s no such thing as a dumb question. 

Also, it may seem nerdy, but take notes 

during the on-land lessons, as you’ll be covering 

a ton of info. Once you hit the water, 

don’t just go freesailing; sail around your 

coach and stop frequently to discuss with 

them how you’re doing. You are in control 

of your windsurfing destiny, so make sure 

you get the most from your instructor. 

26 · SPRING 2016

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

SWAG 

WORDS AND PHOTOS 

BY PHIL SOLTYSIAK 

STUFF 

WE LIKE 

— 

BONDIC 

There comes a time in every windsurfer’s 

life when you have to fix something, 

whether it be an emergency 

board repair on an epic windy day or 

fixing a chipped fin. I have the answer 

for you. It’s a new multi-use repair 

product called Bondic, and it will get 

you back on the water in no time. 

Bondic is not a glue. It’s a liquid plastic 

that only hardens when you need 

it to, by using the included UV LED 

light. And it hardens in as little as four 

seconds. You can build, fix, fill and, of 

course, bond anything in just seconds. 

Hit your fin on a rock? Rebuild the 

chipped section with Bondic, sand it 

down to the original fin shape, wetsand 

it and it’s smooth as new. Dinged 

your board? Seal it in seconds with 

waterproof Bondic. Does your board 

have a more serious crack? Sand 

around the repair, wet it with Bondic, 

place a sheet of fiberglass on the 

sanded area, tape it down with clear 

tape, and when everything is set up 

the way you like it, harden it with the 

UV LED light. After a little paint you’ll 

have a professional-looking strong 

board repair, done in just minutes. 

Bondic will dry clear and is hassle- 

and mess-free due to its smart 

pen applicator tool, which arrives in 

a cool-looking case for easy storage. 

Once your pen tool runs out, simply replace 

the cartridge with a new one and 

you’ll be good to go. Also, the folks at 

Bondic are listening to what windsurfers 

like myself and others have been 

asking for, and will be selling a specific 

Bondic Board Repair Kit, which will include 

the Bondic pen tool, a spreading 

stick, sandpaper and fiberglass cloth. 

notaglue.com 

Steps 1-2. 

Steps 3-5. 

Steps 6. 

Steps 7-8. 

Step-by-Step: 

Bondic Board Repair 

- 

Here’s how easy it is to repair a 

crack in you board with Bondic: 

1. Sand the damaged area 

with rough sandpaper (100 grit). 

Make sure it’s clean and dry 

before proceeding. 

2. Prepare a piece of 

fiberglass (4oz) the size of 

the desired repair. 

3. Open your Bondic applicator 

and apply a thin layer, 

spreading it evenly over the 

desired repair area. 

4. Lay the fiberglass on the 

wetted area, making sure it’s 

completely soaked through. 

5. Tape the area flat 

with clear tape. 

6. Using the LED UV light, 

cure the desired repair area 

until it is dry to the touch. 

7. Sand off the tape. 

8. For a more aesthetic finish, 

wet-sand the area and paint. 

28 · SPRING 2016

IN THE LAB: 

TRUCKS TO 

TENDONS 

in 2015, tracker trucks was inducted 

into the skateboarding hall of fame. 

What does this have to do with windsurfing? 

We check in with the man 

who started Tracker, Dave Dominy, 

and how they’re responsible for the 

universal joint in the mast base you 

likely use today. 

When I first got into windsurfing 

in 1981, I owned Tracker Trucks, 

a skateboard company. I started 

Tracker with the idea of making 

the first wide trucks. The wheels 

had over four inches between 

them and all other trucks at the 

time were less than two inches. 

The Tracker Trucks were also 

heavy-duty and their turning was 

just unreal. For years, all I did 

was surf, skate and make trucks… 

but then I got into windsurfing 

and everything changed. 

It was a surfing buddy who introduced 

me to windsurfing. He had 

been doing it for years, and on the 

way to my first lesson he told me of 

the need for a strong universal joint. 

At that time, universal joints were 

Windsurfer brand mechanical steel 

or rubber hourglass motor mounts. 

I was having a blast learning to 

conquer the eight to 12 knots of Mission 

Bay, San Diego when a friend 

from Maui showed me a video of 

sailors riding waves at Ho’okipa. 

I was inspired to get to work. 

In my Tracker workshop, I had 

all kinds of materials to experiment 

with from the skateboard parts. 

I happened to have some urethane 

rod, the kind of urethane that 

skateboard wheels are made of. 

I designed some end caps nearly 

identical to the designs today. 

Streamlined Euro Pin base. Z Mlika photo 

Not only did my design enable me 

to use this high-grade urethane, 

it was a simple and allowed the 

urethane to be easily inspected 

and changed if necessary. I had 

two full-size pickup trucks at the 

time, so I connected them with a 

prototype tendon joint and was 

able to pull one truck around my 

parking lot. From then on, all the 

testing has been done on the water. 

It’s my customers along the way 

who coined the name “tendon,” but 

another nickname for it that came 

and went was “Barbie doll leg.” 

The first parts I made were under 

the brand name Tracker, and soon 

after my stoke on windsurfing 

led me to sell my skateboard 

company and start Streamlined. 

—Dave Dominy, Streamlined owner 

Dave Dominy. 

Luckybeanz.com photo 

29

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

WELLNESS 

FINDING A NEUTRAL SPINE 

if you windsurf every day, or even just occasionally, 

it is common to experience soreness 

and even pain. We asked pro windsurfer 

Ingrid Larouche, who has over 15 years 

of experience as a physical therapist, and 

Samantha Campbell, ATC, CSCS, LMT, owner 

of Deep Relief Athletic Training Center 

on Maui, to give us input on stretching and 

exercises specific to windsurfing injuries. 

Windsurfers tend to have tight hips 

and a stiff back from being in the 

harness and footstraps. One focus in 

rehab is working on finding a “neutral 

spine” to counteract the tendency 

towards rounded shoulders and a 

tucked pelvis. Here’s a set of exercises 

for the lower spine that will help you 

feel better and avoid future injuries. 

The Good Morning stretch. 

Ingrid Larouche stays healthy using her own advice. Carter/pwaworldtour.com photo 

Foam roller hip flexor stretch. 

Glute bridges. 

+ good mornings: This stretches 

tight hamstrings and helps to restore 

a neutral spine. Stand with feet 

shoulder-width apart and knees soft. 

Maintain shoulders back and down 

away from your ears. Arch lower back 

slightly and pull abs into spine as you 

bend forward from the hips, keeping 

shoulders and back straight. Tilt your 

tailbone up towards the ceiling until 

you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. 

Only go as low as you can without 

losing back arch. Squeeze glutes to 

return to standing. Repeat 10 times. 

+ foam roller hip flexor 

stretch: With the help of a foam 

roller, this stretch stabilizes lumbar 

spine and decreases pull on the pelvis 

and back from tight hip flexors. Lay 

on your back with knees bent, 

then bridge up and place foam roller 

under pelvis. Pull abs in, bring one 

knee to your chest and hold against 

body with your arms. Reach the other 

leg out straight, relaxing leg onto the 

floor or in the air. Hold for 30 seconds, 

looking to feel stretch in the front of 

the hip. Pull abs in, bring both knees 

to chest, then switch legs. 

+ glute bridges: A stretch that restores 

neutral spine, activates transverse 

abdominis for spinal stabilization, and 

activates gluteus medius and maximus 

to aid hip extension. Lay flat on back 

with knees bent and feet on the floor. 

Tilt pelvis so that there is a little space 

under your lower back (enough to fit 

your hand under). Keeping this space, 

pull ribs to floor and squeeze belly button 

towards the spine. Keeping feet glued to 

the floor, pull heels towards your butt, 

engage your glutes and lift your hips off 

the ground until you have a straight line 

from shoulders to knees. Keeping neutral 

spine, lower down slowly, making sure 

your tailbone touches the ground first. 

Repeat 10 times. 

30 · SPRING 2016

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QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

STORY TIME 

A MUST-READ: 

SILENCED 

IN THE SURF 

Windsurfing Now is excited to bring you an excerpt 

from Pacific Northwest Mystery series author Kate 

Dyer-Seeley’s March 29th release, Silenced in the Surf. 

covering a windsurfing competition 

should have been a breeze 

for reporter Meg Reed, but 

with a killer in the curl, she’s headed 

for rough waters. Hood River in the 

Columbia River Gorge is the windsurfing 

capital of the world, and Meg is 

stoked to cover the King of the Hook 

event for Portland’s Northwest Extreme 

magazine. Before the competition 

gets under way, Meg has a chance to 

try some windsurfing on her own. 

Hood River, Oregon… Somewhere in 

the middle of the Columbia River 

The swells were relentless. Crashing 

one after the other and overwhelming 

the board. I almost laughed. How 

ironic, Meg. The one sport I actually 

thought I could hold my own in, and 

now I was holding on for dear life. 

I scanned the river for any sign of my 

instructor or the rest of my windsurfing 

group. The water and sky blended 

together in the dull predawn light. 

“Help!” I shouted into the wind. A 

whitecap broke in front of me, sending 

spray down my lungs. I coughed 

and grabbed the board tighter. No 

one was going to hear me over the 

sound of the wind and raging river. 

The current had carried me away 

from the group so fast, I couldn’t 

get my bearings. Somewhere in the 

middle of the Columbia River, Meg. 

And not where you want to be. 

I forced my mind back to the instructor’s 

directions. I knew I had to 

maneuver the board so that the sail 

was downwind. The question was how? 

I paddled as hard as I could 

against the current, trying to reposition 

the mast. It sunk beneath 

the waves. My instructor’s words 

rang in my head, “Remember, if you 

have to drop the boom—and try not 

to because you’ll get exhausted if 

you have to keep picking it up—always 

drop it in front of you.” 

I hadn’t planned on dropping it at 

all. In fact, I had been quite pleased 

with my ability to hold the “safety 

position,” as he called it. Basically 

that meant balancing on the board 

while holding onto the mast with 

both hands and letting it swing. 

The problem was it swung in the 

high wind and quickly swept me 

far from the safety of the shore. 

32 · SPRING 2016

After paddling with all the force I 

could muster, I decided I had to give 

it one more shot. I climbed onto my 

knees. The board rocked on the waves. 

You can do this, Meg. I let out a sigh 

and carefully made my way to my feet. 

The freestyle windsurfers I’d been 

watching earlier made balancing on a 

board look easy. Trust me, it wasn’t. 

My feet clenched the grainy 

board. I extended my hands, trying 

to keep my center of gravity 

as low as possible. The muscles in 

my thighs quaked in response. 

Hang on, Meg. 

I bent toward the sail, focusing on 

my instructor’s advice to keep my 

body and back as upright as possible. 

I grabbed the sail. Then, like 

pulling a rope, I reached hand over 

hand, trying to free the heavy sail 

from the water. It wouldn’t budge. I 

took in a powerful breath and tried 

to picture what Gam would say. 

“Find your inner strength, Margaret, 

and call on your guides for help.” 

It was worth a shot, right? I 

took a deep breath, and yelled, 

“A little help, please!” 

It worked. The sail slowly emerged 

from the water. I got it about a 

foot high, when another gust of 

wind hit, sending me and the sail 

back into the ice-cold water. 

My heart rate lurched in response 

to the shock of the water. Swim, Meg. 

I commanded my arms forward and 

kicked with all my might. The water 

was frigid. Every muscle in my body 

twitched with cold and stress as I 

climbed onto the board. I had to find 

a way to paddle back to the other 

side or I would drift downriver. 

The sun began to rise overhead, 

casting a sepia glow on the dusty hills. 

I suddenly realized that drifting down 

the river was the least of my worries. 

Land was looming on my left. The 

waves were carrying me straight into 

the shoreline of the opposite side 

of the river. In a matter of minutes I 

would be smashed into the rocks. 

That’s when I spotted a body 

dragging along the shore. 

The waves were carrying me straight into 

the shoreline of the opposite side of the river. 

In a matter of minutes I would be smashed into the rocks. 

Has Dale Cook ever found a body in the Columbia River? Harpur/luckybeanz.com photo 

From SILENCED IN THE SURF by Kate Dyer-Seeley. Copyright © 2016. 

All rights reserved. Reprinted by arrangement with Kensington Publishing Corp. www.kensingtonbooks.com. 

33

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

MOMENTS 

Boujmaa Guilloul rigs. 

Antoine Martin. Crowther photo 

NOVENOVE MAUI 

ALOHA CLASSIC 

whenever the awt and pwa team up for an event, good things happen. The 2015 

NoveNove Maui Aloha Classic had ideal conditions across all classes. From 

mast-and-a-half-high waves and light wind for the pros, to solid filled in 

conditions for the amateurs… everyone scored! Congrats to Sam Bittner 

and everyone else involved for putting on an insanely great event. 

Sarah Hauser. 

Opening ceremony. 

34 · SPRING 2016

PHOTOS BY 

JOHN CARTER/PWAWORLDTOUR.COM 

Closing party. 

Junior champ Jake Schettewi. Crowther photo 

Masters winner Sean Aiken. Crowther photo 

Vickey Abbott and Sam Bittner. 

Winner Morgan Noireaux watches runner-up Kauli Seadi. 

35

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

INNOVATION 

CREATIVE 

INFLATIONS: 

STARBOARD’S TIESDA YOU 

INTRODUCES THE AIRPLANE 

one of the most exciting new board lines to hit the windsurfing marketplace for 2016 is the Starboard 

AirPlane. We’ve seen inflatable entry-level boards grow in popularity over the past few years, and 

now the AirPlanes move this technology further forward into the realm of the planing windsurfer. 

Let’s find out if designer Tiesda You can convince us if this concept will really “blow up” in 2016. 

How important are inflatable 

boards in the market for Starboard 

in 2016? The AirPlane is a board 

that could help us break new ground. 

We have high-performance boards, 

we have durable boards at a good 

value, and now with inflatables, we 

have fun, friendly gear too. I hope the 

invention of the AirPlane becomes 

an important milestone in the evolution 

of windsurfing equipment, 

helping windsurfing reach a new 

audience with different expectations. 

As a designer, did the idea of 

entering a whole new challenge 

with inflatables excite you? Definitely. 

Inflatables aren’t a new idea, 

so what was really exciting was to 

combine new ingredients and new 

inventions in such a way that an old 

dream could come true: drop-stitch 

technology, our FAST box system 

that allows deep fins to be fitted, 

the Rail Edge technology extruded 

from our special 3D rubber formula. 

These were the critical inventions 

that made possible the development 

of the new AirPlane lineup. 

So why choose to develop these 

inflatable boards? It wasn’t a conscious 

choice, we just wanted to have 

a bit of fun. Many companies are 

looking to add rail edges on inflatable 

boards, with hard molded parts, 

with EVA and what have you—the 

idea is nothing new. We simply tried 

something a bit different and it 

worked well… really, really well. The 

AirPlanes exceeded our own expectations, 

particularly the AirPlane 255. 

Question: can you explain what 

Rail Edge Technology is? Rail Edge 

is the key invention that allowed 

us to make inflatable boards plane 

up and release from the water. We 

use a special rubber compound that 

needs to meet a pretty difficult set of 

criteria. It needs to be hard so that 

the water releases properly, but it 

needs to be soft and bendy to allow 

the board to roll up. Not only that, 

it also needs to bend following the 

curve of the board’s shape and be 

compatible with the glue used to 

bond with the material of the board. 

How do you approach the shapes 

compared to a traditional hard 

board? A lot of the basics are the 

same. For example: we’d define the 

outline along similar principles. 

You just need to be careful of footstrap 

positions and the flat deck; 

you want the feet to be closer to 

the naturally rounded part of the 

rail. The rocker line needs a special 

36 · SPRING 2016

Planing on an inflatable windsurfer 

is blowing up! Starboard/Carter photo 

"WE SIMPLY TRIED SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT 

AND IT WORKED WELL… REALLY, REALLY WELL." 

approach because of the flex in the 

board. The designs need to allow 

for larger tolerances, whether it’s 

manufacturing tolerances or ease 

of use. You’re basically aiming for a 

plug-and-play approach from start to 

finish. That’s refreshingly different to 

how you would design a hard board, 

where expectations have become 

extremely technical over the years. 

How much fun is it to sail compared 

to a regular board? It is seriously fast 

and fun. When you mention an inflatable 

windsurfer, people invariably 

think of a low-performance toy. But 

try an AirPlane 255 and you’ll quickly 

see how far Inflatable technology has 

come. We’ve clocked 27 knots on a 

6.5-meter sail on a regular day in Maui. 

And we are just at the beginning. 

What are the possibilities with 

the performance of an inflatable 

windsurfer? We can go really 

far. We’ve started working on very 

high-performance models, smaller 

sizes, lighter high-tech constructions 

and much more. Inflatable windsurfing 

boards are going to get very 

high-performance very soon. It’s 

definitely a fun time to be a designer. 

37

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

HOW TO 

WORDS BY ANDY BRANDT 

PHOTOS BY MARCUS SEIDEL 

A NEW LOOK AT THE 

CARVING UPWIND 360 

Although not the easiest carving trick, the planing Upwind 360 can be one of your most 

consistent. I have changed the way I teach it over the last year or so, and it’s now almost 

possible to plane through the entire move (or at least carry forward momentum). 

A New Idea: This technique has been 

adapted from skatesailing, where 

your sail is only a motor (as long as 

all four wheels are on the ground), 

and all of the turning is done by 

carving the board. When planing on 

the water, we can turn similarly by 

carving the board and not steering 

with the sail for the first half of the 

move. Most of us have no problem 

maintaining board speed carving 

past downwind, yet why is it so hard 

to carve to past straight upwind and 

still maintain forward momentum? 

Imagine you’re planing at full 

speed and suddenly the sail disappears, 

so now you are just surfing 

the board on flat water. What would 

you do to carve upwind without the 

sail? I think you could manage more 

speed all the way up and through the 

wind’s eye. So basically, we are going 

to carve upwind with the sail already 

forward and sheeted-out and stand 

over the board as if we were surfing 

during the carve and sail movement. 

The Move: Look for a smooth spot 

on the water and sail parallel to the 

chop to enter the move with maximum 

speed. Keep your hands in a 

normal sailing position and unhook. 

Sheet-out and weight your heels 

(mostly the front one). Keep your head 

in over the board, legs straight, and 

hips slightly forward of your head 

and feet. Having straight legs allows 

you to apply more heel pressure (as 

we’ll look at later with a land drill). 

Smoothly carve the board upwind, 

simultaneously adjusting your sail, 

keeping it luffed to the apparent wind. 

Start moving the sail forward and 

to leeward as you carve past the eye 

of the wind. With practice, you can 

carve well past straight upwind. 

Slice your luffed sail to windward 

and slide your back hand toward the 

clew. Backwind the sail gently for just 

a second to make sure the board is 

pointed in the new direction. If you are 

still planing, remain on your heels (it’s 

possible to do the whole move on your 

heels, but unlikely when first learning). 

Once the board has stopped planing, 

roll your weight onto your toes, 

submerging the new windward rail. 

The second half of the move is a 

backwinded pivot jibe. From now on 

you’re going to steer by changing the 

waterline. Sheet-out the sail completely 

by lifting the clew and pushing 

down on the mast hand. Shift your 

weight to your back foot and sink the 

board’s tail. Remember, the higher 

the nose, the better she goes! As the 

board pivots downwind, keep your 

sail in the same position relative to 

the wind—do not let the sail follow the 

board. Your body will twist to the back 

until the board is straight downwind. 

Once straight downwind, pull in 

hard on the mast hand and either 

release the back hand completely 

or slide it forward on the boom. Put 

weight on your heels and turn your 

head forward to help bring the sail 

and board through the spin. Now 

shift your weight back to the front 

foot to prevent a second spin. Congratulations, 

you’ve just completed 

your first carving Upwind 360. 

Land Drills 

Heels Exercise: Stand up, 

bend your knees and try 

to balance on your heels. 

Next, try weighting your 

heels again but with your 

knees locked straight. You’ll 

find that you get better 

heel pressure and balance 

with straight knees. For the 

carving Upwind 360, if your 

sail is truly sheeted-out in 

the entry, you will naturally 

carve in this piked posture. 

Twist Exercise: Draw a line 

in the sand that’s parallel to 

the wind. Pretend the line 

is a wall and put your palms 

on it to resemble backwinding 

a sail. Now move your 

feet to 90 degrees from 

you hands so you are now 

pretty twisted up. Do not 

move your hands from the 

line/wall, and rotate your 

feet to 180 degrees from 

your hands. This big body 

twist is the key to being 

consistent in the carving 

Upwind 360. We separate 

our body into two halves; if 

the lower body turns with 

the board until downwind, 

and the upper body keeps 

the sail parallel to the 

wind, we are in business. 

38 · SPRING 2016

39

QUICK HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

HOW TO 

WORDS BY MATT PRITCHARD 

PHOTO BY 1MOREPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 

WAVESAILING CAN BE FOR EVERYONE 

Matt Pritchard says, “Wavesailing is for everyone!” 

you’ve seen the pictures, watched the 

videos, and are either inspired or scared 

when you see the hot shot pros hitting 

the lip at Ho’okipa. Yes, I remember my 

first time on the beach at Ho’okipa with 

my mouth wide open, scared to death 

at what the guys were doing out there. 

However, times have changed. And with 

practice and understanding the waves, 

I’m still out there having a blast… and I 

want to inspire you to give it a try as well. 

Real world wavesailing is something 

we can all aspire to, no matter 

where we live and what the conditions 

are. Granted, it is not easy to practice 

wavesailing on an 8.5-meter and 

145-liter freeride board, but you can 

practice other moves that will help 

you when the wind and waves pick up. 

Can you tack? If not, get to it. Practice 

tacking on the big board, getting the 

movements embedded into your head 

so that when you do get on a smaller 

board, you are able to make it happen. 

How about your non-planing jibes? 

Snap jibes, sink jibes or whatever you 

want to call it, this is a key move for 

wavesailing (I’m sure you’ve heard of 

the infamous chicken jibe that can 

save you from getting bashed by a 

wave). All these moves can be learned 

on your big sails and boards in very 

light winds, and will later help you 

succeed in higher winds and waves. 

Examining the conditions you sail 

in might have you frustrated when 

thinking about wavesailing. I remember 

sailing in the Gorge, an aspiring 

wavesailor at 14 years old, and all I 

wanted to do was find waves. I was 

getting bummed out until I shifted my 

mindset and decided, wait a minute, 

I’m just going to pretend I’m in the 

waves and work on my moves. This is 

when the “Gorge Boys” collaboratively 

invented the Shuv-It, Wymanroo and 

Ponch—moves that were normally 

done in the waves but transferred 

over to flatwater applications. 

I have seen a lot of students come to 

Maui in their quest to learn how to ride 

waves. Often we spend time working 

on the basics and safety before going 

straight into the fire. Use your time on 

the local lake, river or mud puddle to 

get the basics down and you’ll be one 

step ahead. The trend today is towards 

riding bigger waveboards, something 

that will open more doors and get 

you more time in the waves in lighter 

winds. So don’t snob out in the light 

air, instead, get out there and master 

your basic balance skills and a whole 

new world will open up for you. 

I hope this intro article will inspire 

you, as there is a lot more to come 

on skills that will get you into the 

waves—no matter where you sail. 

40 · SPRING 2016

41

MR. 

HO’OKIPA 

THE STORY OF 

MORGAN NOIREAUX 

WORDS BY REEMEDIA / AXEL REESE 

PHOTOS BY JOHN CARTER / PWAWORLDTOUR.COM 

Two Aloha Classic wins for Noireaux. Reemedia photo 

Former world champion windsurfer Josh 

Stone yells, “Hey, why did Morgan not take 

that wave? It would have been ideal. It had 

a good size and wouldn’t have closed out! 

I don’t understand.” 

We are in the final heat of the 2015 Aloha 

Classic double elimination at Ho’okipa Beach 

Park on Maui. Morgan Noireaux has to defend his 

first place in the single elimination against the 

legendary Kauli Seadi. And here is Morgan on that 

very set wave, but he simply flicks off the back, leaving 

Josh Stone in total disbelief. Likewise, other 

Ho’okipa locals like Sean Ordonez and Robby 

Swift cannot believe their eyes. “That can’t be for 

real,” comes from another corner of the beach. 

The wave simply looked too perfect to just let it 

go; all of the other participants of this Aloha Classic 

would have been stoked to get a chance to ride 

that beauty. But Morgan Noireaux decides to just 

let it go past unridden and head back out instead. 

Due to very light winds, the race director has 

decided to run 35-minute heats and score the best 

two waves. Morgan succeeds in getting an even 

better wave and wins the prestigious trophy of this 

PWA Wave World Cup event. Having claimed victory 

already last year, he writes history, as nobody 

before him has won this event twice in a row. 

42 · SPRING 2016

Smack! 

43

Bottom turning. 

Off the top. 

44 · SPRING 2016

MR. 

HO’OKIPA 

It all comes down to the ability of this 21-year-old 

to read the sets at Ho’okipa and make 

the best of the conditions. Perhaps nobody else 

spends as much time in the water as Noireaux. 

He’s always out here catching waves no matter 

what the wind conditions are or whether the 

waves are small or maxing out. Two days after the 

event, at dusk, we stand at Ho’okipa as Morgan 

only just comes back in from the water. His JP 

teammate, Antoine Martin, puts it in a nutshell: 

“I don’t think anybody else spends as much time 

here in the water as Morgan. Ho’okipa is ‘his 

spot’ and he knows it like the back of his hand. 

He understands every set and every wave.” 

Ever since he turned 12, he’s almost solely 

been sailing at Ho’okipa. His mother, both back 

then and still today, is as surf-mad as her son 

and would take him straight from school to 

Ho’okipa during his teenage years. She’d drop 

him there and usually continue on farther to 

Spreckelsville to go windsurfing herself. 

Morgan is basically out at Ho’okipa whenever 

there are waves, no matter what their quality. 

And on days without wind, “I paddle out on 

my surfboard,” Morgan assures us. His foundation 

is based on his observation skills and 

natural feel for the waves. “For two years, all 

I’ve ridden is the JP Radical Quad Thruster 83. I 

haven’t changed anything from 2014 to 2015.” 

Let’s turn back the clock. At the tender 

diaper age of one month, Morgan came with 

his family from France to Maui. By age three, 

he was already whirling down his first waves 

at Ho’okipa on a boogie board. At four, he was 

allowed to surf the world-famous spot for the 

first time. His mom frequently took him along 

after school to Sprecks, where they’d spend 

their afternoons windsurfing together. 

“HO’OKIPA IS 

‘MORGAN’S SPOT’ 

AND HE KNOWS 

IT LIKE THE BACK 

OF HIS HAND. 

HE UNDERSTANDS 

EVERY SET AND 

EVERY WAVE.” 

Concentrating before a heat. 

At 10 years old, Morgan windsurfed at Ho’okipa 

for the first time and fought for points in his 

age group at the Aloha Classic alongside Connor 

Baxter and Zane Schweitzer. And ever since he 

turned 12, Ho’okipa has basically become the 

only spot he’ll go out at—probably only Robby 

Naish, Levi Siver and Kai Katchadourian have 

more experience at Ho’okipa. He puts in around 

200 days per year windsurfing at Ho’okipa, plus 

all the days surfing there, as well. Of course, at 

Ho’okipa Morgan’s all smiles. It’s only a five-minute 

drive from his family home to “his” spot. 

We wonder if there’s ever another spot on the 

menu for Morgan. On days when he’s feeling 

really exhausted, he sometimes heads to Spreckelsville 

or Camp One (where his sail sponsor 

Jeff Henderson of Hot Sails Maui lives) for jumping. 

But in the same breath, Morgan clarifies, 

“Those days at Sprecks or Camp One are really 

rare.” He’s been traveling to North American 

mainland spots like Pistol River, Cape Hatteras 

and Baja since 2010, when he was 16 years 

old, as part of the American Windsurf Tour. 

This past summer he competed at the PWA 

World Cup stops in Gran Canaria and Tenerife 

with mediocre success. He’s hoping to 

continue hitting those events in addition to 

attending the Wave World Cup in France. His 

French roots are calling. But how about going 

to the PWA wave event in Sylt? Morgan 

replies, “No, no thanks. I don’t even want to 

think about competing in that onshore wind.” 

Want to hear more from Mr. Ho’okipa, 

Morgan Noireaux? Check out a complete 

question-and-answer from Reemedia/Axel 

Reese at windsurfingnowmag.com. 

45

Snow squall sailing with Levi Siver. 

46 · SPRING 2016

LAKE 

CHARGERS 

Levi Siver and Friends 

Invade Lake Superior 

WORDS BY LEVI SIVER 

PHOTOS BY RYAN TAYLOR/ 

RED BULL CONTENT POOL 

when the fall season comes to the great 

lakes, something unique happens: 

the chance to ride freshwater waves. Of course, that’s 

if you’re willing to bear the freezing conditions. I could 

already feel the cold when Red Bull approached me 

with the idea of coming to Lake Superior in the late 

fall. Words like “snowstorm” and “gale force winds” 

stuck in my head for quite a while. I knew the trip 

would be cold but amazing. When I learned I wasn’t 

going to face it alone and Philip Köster and Marcilio 

“Brawzinho” Browne were also onboard, I felt relieved. 

Our local guide, David Troup, who carefully watched 

the weather and studied this vast body of water, had 

made the call that our storm would hit on November 

10th. That day just happens to be the 40th anniversary 

of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking. Strange 

and eerie as it was, we weren’t going to look back. 

The previous weeks spent in boardshorts at the 

Aloha Classic have given us no time to acclimate 

to the cold. We are in for punishment. Arriving 

in Green Bay, Wisconsin and fresh off the plane 

with two of my favorite windsurfing pals, we are 

ready to shred something… just not sure what. 

47

On the road. 

We see a local surfer 

coming into the water 

without a wetsuit on. 

I had no idea a human 

could endure such a thing. 

We load up the car and hit the road. 

The final 20 minutes of the drive is 

through the woods on a secluded 

road that we later learn is actually the 

driveway to our “mansion.” Nestled 

on the rocky Lake Superior shoreline 

is the biggest log cabin ever known 

to man. The outside is like something 

from a Wes Anderson movie, 

but what’s on the inside is even more 

bizarre: 26,000 square feet and 23 

rooms of taxidermy. It’s hard to find a 

wall without an animal staring back at 

you. Trust me, the late night bathroom 

breaks are a little creepy. And forget 

going downstairs to the kitchen for 

the late night snack. I choose one of 

23 rooms and fall asleep watching the 

snowflakes collect on my window. 

The next morning, we wake up to 

a very pissed-off lake. I can’t even 

imagine this place in the summer filled 

with college kids swimming, because in 

November it’s a very different sight to 

see. Tree branches are snapping in the 

wind and snow is flying everywhere. 

The last time I felt this bone-chilling 

wind was the northerlies in Ireland. 

You can tell by our faces that we want 

to go straight back inside our mansion 

and drink hot cocoa. Luckily, this is 

when a certain kind of crazy comes 

over the group, a crazy feeling you 

get when an opportunity can lead 

to an unforgettable experience. 

Thank goodness for Troup, our local 

guide, because we have no idea what 

direction to head towards. The forest 

is so thick that half the lake isn’t even 

visible. I start wondering if we’re on a 

wild goose chase. I have a feeling that 

the best spot would have a Venturi 

effect. And sure enough, we find a 

panoramic bay with rocky islands in 

the foreground. It’s so rad. The camera 

crew drools at the artistic potential. 

Here’s something we were doing just 

hours ago in tropical Hawaii, and now 

we’re walking our gear down a snowy 

launch. This is where the humor of 

the situation hits me. Covered from 

head to toe in neoprene with just our 

faces showing, we look more like seals 

carrying windsurfing gear. Laughing at 

Brawzinho and Philip somehow makes 

my situation feel more bearable. 

48 · SPRING 2016

Levi Siver relaxes in the air. 

Siver getting ready. 

Philip Köster carving. 

49

Brawzinho goes big. 

A beautiful day for windsurfing. Three champions. 

50 · SPRING 2016

Siver and Brawzinho having fun in the cold. 

From the water we notice cars 

pulling off the road to see this strange 

sight: three sails cutting across the bay 

riding waves and jumping in the most 

unlikely windsurfing location I’ve ever 

been to. We’ve all heard the stories of 

epic days on the Great Lakes, but like 

most things, you need to see it for yourself. 

Of course, epic is something that 

is relative to each person. Riding waves 

in the middle of nowhere with friends 

in the snow is a strange kind of epic. 

I especially enjoy sailing with Philip 

and Brawzinho. Their adaptability to 

put on a performance in these frigid 

conditions impresses me. Squinting my 

eyes to see through the snow to watch 

Philip or Brawzinho rotate through 

Double Loops is awesome. The cool 

thing about windsurfing with this kind 

of talent is that wherever you go people 

are going to trip out. At this point we 

have a car park full of spectators. 

The water feels like ice cubes. 

When you fall in, each wave that hits 

you actually hurts. I think our water 

cinematographer, Jace Panebianco, has 

it the worst. The poor guy is floating 

around out here for an inhumane 

amount of time. We last four sessions 

of 20 minutes with car heater 

breaks in-between. Then the exposure 

starts to catch up with the group. Our 

hands are freezing because we cut 

out the palms of our gloves to be able 

to feel the boom. Troup forewarned 

us that if we start mumbling our 

words or falling in on simple things 

like jibes, then it’s time to come in. 

Coming back to the beach we feel 

pretty proud of ourselves… that is 

until we see a local surfer coming into 

the water without a wetsuit on. I had 

no idea a human could endure such a 

thing. I want to ask the guy if his name 

is William Wallace. I’ll never forget 

Brawzinho’s face; he was born close 

to the equator in Brazil, and he looks 

at this surfer like he just saw ghost. 

Finishing off the trip in the hot tub 

at the mansion is the cherry on top. 

The hot tub is carved out of the sea wall 

overlooking the massive lake. Watching 

the sun set into the bay, I feel so 

much gratitude. It’s cool how removing 

the comfort zone creates a bond with 

your friends like no other. Brawzinho 

is my close friend, but I haven’t spent a 

lot of time with Philip before now. It’s 

refreshing to learn how down-to-earth 

and humble he really is. I relate a lot 

to these two guys. Beneath the success 

they’ve enjoyed, at heart they’re 

just two kids who love windsurfing. 

There’s always the sound of silence 

after a good windsurfing adventure. 

No one needs to say anything—words 

won’t add or subtract from it. It’s an 

experience that we live for. I can’t be 

sure, but I figure we’re all thinking 

the same thing: how lucky we are and 

what the next adventure will be. 

51

Incredible views on Lake Powell. 

52 · SPRING 2016

WINDSUP’ I N G 

THE 

AMERICAN 

SOUTHWEST 

Beautiful Tenaya Lake. 

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY FRANZ ORSI AND VANIA MARQUES 

“So, tell me, how’s America been 

treating you guys?” barks the guy hanging 

on the bar next to me. I turn to see 

a man in his sixties, his face full of wrinkles, 

a flashy ’80s T-shirt and a large 

cowboy hat that doesn’t initially let me 

see his eyes. He’s looking at me, now 

smiling, waiting for my response. “Well. 

Very well!” I promptly reply. “Everyone 

is very friendly and helpful here,” adds 

Vania, my girlfriend. I turn around for 

a moment to survey the whole scene, 

perhaps to count the differences 

between us and the rest of the patrons 

of this bar lost in Arizona’s desert. 

Everyone else in the bar is clearly a 

cowboy. The boots, the hats, the faces 

leave no doubt about who’s local and 

who’s not. Somehow we’ve ended up 

in a true rodeo in a tiny little town in 

the deep Southwestern USA. Certainly 

this is the most genuine place we’ve 

visited so far on our American road trip. 

The scene must look funny from the 

outside: here we are, a young European 

couple—surfers, travellers, Millennials—totally 

out of place in the middle 

of a rodeo night held in front of a family-run 

restaurant somewhere in Arizona. 

I feel a bit embarrassed by my surfer 

look in this cowboy place, I must admit. 

But let’s get back to our most urgent 

issue, the question this guy is asking: 

How’s American been treating me? 

I’ve given him an answer, but there’s 

more that I don’t tell the cowboy. 

The American Southwest is a mysterious 

place. It does not resemble 

in any way the image we Europeans 

have inherited from the movies, the 

television, the Internet or any other 

pop culture source. In fact, during 

this whole trip I’ve been wondering 

about what America really is and 

whether the image spread all over 

the globe fits to its narrative. 

53


THE 

AMERICAN 

SOUTHWEST 

Top left: Getting the shot in Yosemite. 

Top right: Camping. 

Bottom: Rigging up at Tenaya Lake. 

Opposite: Cruising on my windSUP. 

We’ve started our windSUP road trip 

by driving straight to the iconic Yosemite 

National Park, home to some of the 

most famous climbing spots on Earth, 

like El Capitan and the Half Dome. 

Yosemite is considered a wilderness 

sanctuary, so people from all around 

the world flock here every summer to 

experience the majesty of the dramatic 

landscape first-hand. As we arrive in 

the Yosemite Valley, we realize that 

every single campground is full. We 

have no other option than to move on 

and look for another place to camp. 

We decide to make the long drive up 

a winding dirt road to the High Sierras. 

We arrive at a campground where 

two very nice guys offer to share their 

space with us. Being in such an isolated 

place offers a night sky view that is 

well worth our while. The complete 

darkness unveils a starred sky you 

definitely don’t get to see every night. 

In our rush to find a place to sleep, 

we didn’t realize we’re already at an 

altitude of 9,000 feet—and what that 

means for the nighttime temperature. 

It’s very cold and we don’t have the appropriate 

camping gear for these temperatures. 

To add to the discomfort, we 

hear that a bear opened a car to steal 

food a few nights earlier. So despite 

everything we have being safely locked 

away in the campground’s anti-bear 

box, we are still a little concerned. 

We obviously aren’t getting much 

sleep, so very early in the morning 

we strike off to Tenaya Lake. It’s a 

gorgeous day and we find ourselves 

in a paradisiacal landscape. Tenaya 

Lake is considered the most beautiful 

of all of Yosemite’s lakes. It’s a mile 

long and bordered on three sides by 

granite peaks and domes. The lake 

was created by the Tenaya Glacier, 

IT WAS LIKE A FORM OF 

MEDITATION, SAILING SOLO AROUND 

TENAYA LAKE IN THE HEART OF 

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. 

which flowed out of the vast Tuolumne 

Ice Sheet and down into 

the Yosemite Valley. It’s a long way 

from the Yosemite Valley and not as 

crowded as other water attractions, 

like Yosemite Falls or Bridalveil Falls, 

but it’s definitely worth the trip— 

especially if you have a windSUP. 

Even before any campers have 

stepped out of their tents, I’ve rigged 

my sail, pumped up my inflatable 

board and I’m on the water. I feel 

privileged for having a windSUP 

with me. The light breeze is perfect 

for my purpose: cruising around 

the lake and taking advantage of 

the stunning views all by myself. 

It’s like a form of meditation, sailing 

solo around Tenaya Lake in the 

heart of Yosemite National Park. 

It’s a nice spot to go sailing, but 

don’t expect to have the place to yourself, 

something we discover a little 

later in the morning when several 

families and nature lovers descend on 

the sunny shores. My perfect session 

might have been interrupted, but I’ve 

already experienced the magic this 

place can offer. No problem, we’re 

ready to move to our next destination. 

In fact, we’re eager to do more 

windSUP on Mono Lake later today. 

Mono Lake is a large, shallow, saline 

lake in Mono County, CA. The 

lack of an outlet causes high levels 

of salt to accumulate in the lake and 

form amazing tower-like sculptures. 

It’s a reality check to find out this 

desert lake is slowly disappearing 

due to climate change and the severe 

drought California has been experiencing 

in the last few years. We learn 

it has an unusually productive ecosystem 

based on brine shrimp and 

provides a critical nesting habitat for 

two million migratory birds. We also 

learn, unfortunately, that most parts 

are closed to any water activities. 

54 · SPRING 2016

55

56 · SPRING 2016

Top: Let’s not repeat the mistakes of Bodie. 

Bottom: WindSUP’ing in the heart of Yosemite. 

Opposite: Ghost Town, USA. 


THE 

AMERICAN 

SOUTHWEST 

Next on our trip is Bodie, a ghost 

town near the California-Arizona 

border frozen in time in a “state of 

arrested decay.” Bodie is an original 

gold mining town from the late 1800s. 

It started with 20 miners and grew to 

an estimated 10,000 people by 1880. 

It was bustling with families, miners, 

merchants, gunfighters, robbers, prostitutes 

and people from every country. 

At one time, there were reported to 

be 65 saloons in Bodie, but as gold became 

scarce, fights and murder started 

booming. It was hell on Earth. There’s 

even a story about a little girl whose 

family was moving from San Francisco 

to Bodie, who wrote in her diary, 

“Goodbye, God, I’m going to Bodie.” 

When the mining profits dropped, 

the town was abruptly abandoned. 

You can still see all kinds of personal 

and lifestyle items that were left in 

their original spots. Visiting such a 

creepy place is interesting, and shows 

us how quickly a community can 

collapse when the natural resources 

that sustain its economy are exhausted. 

This town’s sudden collapse 

should serve as a reminder for us all. 

We then head east into Arizona. 

It’s at this point in our story where we 

stumble upon a roadside rodeo and 

meet our aforementioned cowboy 

friend. We are lucky to see the traditional 

cowboy way of life first-hand 

and how they handle wild horses 

and cows. Their gestures and bravery 

make us think about those early days 

when America was still a largely rural 

country and people had to rely on 

themselves for almost everything. 

Europe passed this point in history 

much earlier, and by comparison it’s 

still a fresh change for the U.S. Somehow 

America differs from Europe in 

its relationship with the wilderness, a 

point Vania and I discuss a lot during 

the trip. As Europeans, we are really 

impressed by the scale and degree of 

intactness most American landscapes 

display. This is rare in Europe. We now 

understand the reason behind the 

motto, “Keep the country country.” And 

we agree with it. America is a beautiful 

country—better keep it country. 

In the next days, we grab at the 

chance to explore the windsurfing potential 

of many lakes and basins around 

Arizona and Utah, starting with the 

magnificent Lake Powell, which proves 

to deliver beautiful windSUP conditions 

almost every day. Surely windsurfing 

is not confined to the coastal regions 

around the USA, which is even more 

true for windSUP. Its versatility and the 

fact that you can use it for paddling, too, 

makes it a really great option for exploring 

the freshwater basins of the States. 

From a personal perspective, I’ve 

come away from this adventure with 

a more clear idea of what I admire 

about America and its culture. It’s a 

country full of wonderful landscapes, 

countless interesting places to visit, 

and talented people who are able 

to showcase this beauty with their 

work; the vast majority of the athletes 

and photographers who’ve 

influenced my work are American. 

Nevertheless, I return to Europe 

with the notion that I don’t have to 

stick to their canons, to their habits, 

or to the established trends. Sometimes 

you have to set yourself aside 

to find your own way, to raise your 

own original voice. No true art has 

ever grown out of imitation. That’s 

what I learned from my experience 

in America. Sometimes it’s better to 

find your own path, the less-travelled 

one, and take a windSUP board with 

you—that way you’ll always have fun. 

57

GALLERY 

ISS. 2.1 

G A L L E R Y 

The first windsurfer to ride Portugal’s Nazaré: Jason Polakow. 

Jorge Leal/Red Bull Content Pool photo 

58 · SPRING 2016

59

GALLERY 

ISS. 2.1 

Fabiano Brasil blasts in Rio Vista, CA. Markus Marschall photo 

60 · SPRING 2016

Flo Jung bottom-turns in Mauritius. 

Pierre Bouras/Liquid Eye photo 

61

GALLERY 

ISS. 2.1 

Kauli Seadi goes off 

the lip at Teahupoo. 

Nana Seadi photo 

62 · SPRING 2016

63

GALLERY 

ISS. 2.1 

Casey Treichler’s sunset session at 

Sherkston, Ont. NiagaraMike photo 

64 · SPRING 2016

65

trend, /trend/, noun 

A general direction in 

which something 

is developing or changing. 

2016 

Words 

by 

Derek Rijff 

GEAR TRENDS 

By definition, a trend has staying power. It can begin out of nowhere, 

but generally spreads and evolves over time. This is definitely the case 

when it comes to windsurfing gear development. Let’s look at what’s 

happening in 2016 in regards to what’s new and exciting, and how 

the trends that have begun over the past few years are evolving. 

Top trend for 2016… more fun on the water! Carter/Starboard photo 

66 · SPRING 2016

ENTRY 

LEVEL 

TRENDS: Easier transport and 

multi-sport capability 

BOARDS: One of the biggest hurdles 

of getting into windsurfing may have 

finally been overcome. Yes, as an avid 

windsurfer you’ve got your van or 

trailer that makes gear transport easy, 

but for the uninitiated, getting a big 

beginner board to the beach is not as 

easy as it could be. Thanks to standup 

paddleboarding having the same 

problem and consumers looking to 

inflatables as the solution, so too can 

windsurfers. Just throw one of these 

inflatable windsurfers or windSUPs 

into the trunk of your car and inflate 

it at the beach with your 12-volt air 

compressor. By the time you’re rigged 

and ready, your board will be all blown 

up and ready to go. 

SAILS: Over the past couple of years 

many entry-level windsurfing rig 

packages have become easier to 

transport and faster to rig. Just make 

sure the shop shows you all the tricks 

needed to get it all put together 

properly and you’ll be ready to go… 

faster than ever. 

Trending toward inflatable multisport boards 

like the Fanatic Viper Air, Naish Crossover Air, 

Starboard WindSUP and Progressive Boards Party Barge. 

NOTEWORTHY: Pure Windsurfing 

The trend in beginner gear may be toward inflatable multisport 

options, but this doesn’t mean that these are the best choice for 

everyone. Anyone looking for a more dedicated windsurfing 

experience may be better off with a pure windsurfing design. Last 

year’s release of the Kona Hula is one such design that stands out. 

It was developed by Tinho Dornellas, a US Sailing Master Instructor 

trainer and owner of Calema Windsurfing, and has proven to be an 

ideal board to get anyone hooked on windsurfing. 

Kona Hula. 

67

Riders looking for max power and speed should check out a two-cam sail, 

like the Aerotech Rapid Fire, Ezzy Lion, Naish X2 and North S_type. 

FREERIDE 

TRENDS: Thinner wide boards 

and sails for everyone 

BOARDS: We’ve seen the thinner, 

wider freeride board quickly become 

the norm for most riders getting a 

new light-air board. The fun-filled 

ride with great carving is easier and 

more enjoyable than on traditional 

boards, making them a dramatic 

improvement. The thin, wide boards 

have not helped us go faster though. 

As a result, we’re now seeing a clear 

separation in most brands’ lineups 

having advanced racier freeride boards 

that focus on speed, to go along with 

these thinner “fun” shapes. 

SAILS: Want to go fast? Want more 

maneuverability? Want a sail that 

you can actually afford? There are a 

lot of sails that get lumped into the 

freeride or crossover segment, and it 

makes for a varied choice. It’s not too 

hard to find the right one though; all 

you have to do is focus on the trait 

you’re most interested in and you’ll 

still end up with a bit of everything 

else. Look at more battens or cams 

for speed, less battens and no-cams 

for maneuverability, and a lot of clear 

monofilm for a better price. 

Freeride boards are becoming thinner for 

better carving ability, as seen with the Fanatic Gecko, 

Starboard Futura, Naish Titan and Exocet X-Move. 

Severne Unit. 

TECHNOLOGY: The Single-Cam Returns 

A long time ago the single-cam sail was a staple design in 

windsurfing. These were rigs made for bump-and-jump 

maneuvering and crossing over between flatwater and waves. 

However, with the rapid improvement of no-cam freeride rigs 

and increased stability of the pure wavesails the one-cam went 

the way of the dodo bird… until now. The Severne Unit marks the 

return of the single-cam for freestyle-wave sailors. The cam is 

there to keep the power low in the sail and help in waterstarting. 

Will the Unit last and inspire others to follow? Only time will tell. 

68 · SPRING 2016

Freestyle sails, like the Goya Bounce, North Idol and Severne Freek, 

are leaders when it comes to highwind gear development. 

FREESTYLE 

TRENDS: Easier riding boards and 

super progressive sail designs 

BOARDS: Freestyle tricks are not 

getting any easier or less complicated, 

but at least the boards designed to do 

these tricks seem be getting easier 

to ride. The evolution of shrinking 

lengths and thicker tails is ongoing, 

yet while these boards can do the 

unthinkable, they seem to also be 

gaining a bit more of a “normal” 

feel to them. We’ve always felt that 

freestyle boards are a good choice 

for recreational riders, and the latest 

models are reinforcing that opinion. 

SAILS: This is one of the most evolving 

areas in sail design right now, as 

designers try to keep up with the need 

for today’s intricate, awe-inspiring 

moves. The focus is on getting the 

rider higher in the air and rotating as 

quickly as possible. Being light in the 

hands with a high forward pull and a 

tighter leech seems to be the answer, 

putting torque into your hands with a 

throttle that’s easy to tap into. Perhaps 

more so than any other type of sail, 

there’s noticeable differences from 

brand to brand, and we’re excited to see 

where it all ends up. Odds are it’s these 

latest advancements that are going to 

trickle down to the freeride and powerwavesails 

in the near future. 

FREESTYLE 

WAVE 

TRENDS: Thinner, wider shapes 

and thruster options 

Many freestyle-wave boards now come with an optional thruster fin setup for greater versatility, like the 

Exocet X-Wave, Fanatic Freewave, Goya One, Naish Global, Quatro Tetra and Starboard Kode FreeWave. 

BOARDS: Being the do-it-all category, 

freestyle-waveboard shapes borrow 

design ideas from every type of board 

out there. As freeride boards get 

thinner and wider, so do the freestylewaves. 

As waveboards incorporate 

more fins, we find them available in 

many freestyle-waves as well. None 

of this may be groundbreaking, but 

it makes the boards in this popular 

segment easier to ride and more 

versatile than ever. 

69

Exciting new outlines like the Fanatic Stubby, Starboard Reactor 

and Quatro Pyramid, while the Goya Custom is available at 116-liters. 

WAVE 

TRENDS: Bigger sizes, 

new shape outlines and 

choice of batten number 

BOARDS: The wave guys seem to be 

getting all the new toys lately, and now 

in even bigger sizes to make things 

easier and get you on the water sooner. 

While the multi-fin revolution has 

firmly taken over and is now just being 

refined, the big news is dramatically 

different outlines being tried out. 

With incredibly short lengths and 

corresponding wide/square noses and 

tails, they offer a different ride and feel 

than most waveboards. This design 

has been established by surfers over 

the last few years, and it seems to favor 

those making the most of marginal 

conditions or those more comfortable 

turning off the back foot. As these 

are characteristics that recreational 

riders tend to also be looking for, we’re 

wondering if this will be the next thing 

that makes its way into the freestylewave 

designs. 

SAILS: With the relatively recent 

addition of three-batten sails to the 

already-established four-batten 

designs, there has been plenty of 

innovation and refinement going on 

in the world of high-end wavesails. 

For the most part, the go-to all-around 

wavesail is going to have four battens, 

while the three-batten model is the 

one dedicated to ideal conditions 

and pushing the limits of the sport. 

However, the three-batten designs 

are coming on strong, and in a very 

short amount of time their refinement 

and broader appeal has shown to be 

nothing short of remarkable. Also, to 

keep up with the new higher volume 

boards many wavesail lines are 

growing in size as well. 

How many battens do you want? The Aerotech Charge, North Hero, Sailworks Gyro and 

Naish Force Four have four, while the Ezzy Taka2, Goya Fringe and Severne S-3 have three. 

POWER-WAVESAILS: The power-wave may seem like the forgotten 

sail, as it still has four or five battens and doesn’t really look much 

different than previous models. But fear not, brands know that this 

is the go-to highwind choice for most recreational sailors in bumpand-jump 

sailing conditions. It’s getting all the updates from what is 

known to give the three-batten sails stability and make freestyle sails 

lighter. Jump on a new rig and you’ll be shocked at the lighter feel and 

refined sensitivity to gusts and lulls over older designs. 

70 · SPRING 2016

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LATE HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

EQUIPPED 

WORDS BY 

DEREK RIJFF 

2016 

NO-CAM 

FREERIDE 

SAILS: 

PICKING 

A WINNER 

in response to writing equipment reviews 

over the last 10-plus years, it has been 

said more than once that we should 

“make it easier for readers to pick the 

winning piece of gear from the test.” 

Well, with a new title on the cover of 

this magazine, we thought, what better 

time to write an equipment review in 

a new way? A way that, hopefully, will 

finally help you pick the winner. 

Our goal is guaranteed to be a 

success, since there really isn’t any 

bad windsurfing gear made these 

days; there’s simply gear that is 

better suited for each individual 

rider’s particular needs. The trick is 

matching your needs with the right 

gear and avoiding the mismatches. 

Gollito Estredo enjoys some freeriding. Carter/Fanatic photo 

With equipment now being so 

well-refined, every manufacturer 

is well-versed in how subtle design 

changes affect the feel of a sail. The 

differences from brand to brand are 

in how each designer assembles their 

gear for a target user. While we all 

want a sail that’s fast, powerful, easy to 

use and built like a tank, the reality is 

that whenever you add performance 

in one area there will be a sacrifice in 

another. Everyone is playing with the 

same level of talent these days, and 

everyone knows the rules, so finding 

the best piece of equipment for you 

is about finding the brand that views 

your needs as their exact target. 

In this review, we look at the 

current no-cam freeride offerings 

in the 6.5-meter range, as this is 

one of the most popular sizes and 

styles of sails. All but the smallest 

windsurfers out there will need a 6.5 

in their quiver, and it’s this freeride 

genre that covers the performance 

most of us are looking for. Yet, while 

these are all freeride sails, there 

are definite differences. Some are 

focused on being lightweight and 

offering more user-friendliness, 

while others are very performanceoriented 

and require more effort 

both on and off the water. And, of 

course, some are in-between. 

So, before we go any further, 

the first thing we need to do is ask 

ourselves, “What am I looking for 

in a freeride sail?” Or, better yet, 

“What do I need from my sail to 

make the most of my day at the 

beach?” And while we’re assessing 

our ability, why not also give 

ourselves a quick assessment of 

how heavy and tall we are. If you’re 

like me, that last one will send 

you to the fridge to grab a beer, 

and while I’m doing that I might 

distract myself with a walk to the 

garage to remind myself what the 

specs are of my mast(s) and boom(s). 

74 · SPRING 2016

We’ve got the groundwork covered, so now it’s 

time for the fun part: picking a winner. Check out our 

chart that provides all the relevant information you’ll 

need to find your sail, with each column describing 

a certain sail specification. We just need to teach you 

how the info in each column is relevant to you. 

Will It Fit? 

Before talking about performance 

traits, we can probably whittle down 

your choices simply by looking for a 

sail that will work with your current 

mast and boom. For these 6.5’s, most 

rig on 430-centimeter masts, but 

there are a couple on 460’s as well. 

If you’ve got a 430, then you’re also 

going to want to look at the “SDM vs. 

RDM” column to pare things down 

one step further. These acronyms 

stand for Standard Diameter Mast 

(SDM) and Reduced Diameter Mast 

(RDM), and while all of these sails 

will work very well on either one, 

by going with the preferred option, 

you know you’re getting exactly 

the performance and feel that the 

manufacturer wants. It should also 

be mentioned here that, especially 

in the case of RDM masts, even if the 

length is correct there are differences 

in mast bends and it’s possible that 

your mast may not work (even if it 

seems like it should). A knowledgeable 

shop will be able to help you navigate 

this potentially confusing issue. 

Odds are your boom will fit at least 

a few, if not all, of these sails lengthwise, 

but you also should factor in the 

boom’s width to match up the right 

sail. If you have a narrower boom, 

or if you’re going to end up near the 

maximum extension to fit one of 

these sails, you may find that you’re 

going to be limited in how bagged 

out (with negative outhaul) you can 

set the sail. If this is the case, you’ll 

want to make sure you look at flatter 

sails with minimal seam shaping. A 

wider boom can handle noticeable 

and abundant seam shaping, so you 

can look at one of these options since 

you’ll get a bigger range of outhaul 

adjustment for some extra wind range. 

North E_Type 

Pick a Winner! 

Looking at these next factors, 

we’re hopefully going to help you 

understand the difference in feel of 

various sails. Each column will give 

you a separate piece of a puzzle that, 

once put together, should help you 

find the sail that will have exactly the 

performance focus you’re looking for. 

Some of these extrapolations may 

seem too simplistic, but after years 

and years of sail testing, time and 

time again we’ve found that these 

simple commonalities really work. 

Yes, every now and then there’s an 

outlier should you look at just one 

piece of information, but when you’ve 

completely put together the puzzle 

for each sail using all the info, that 

odd-fitting piece doesn’t end up 

being too noticeable. We also realize 

that sail designers could blow up 

our found commonalities with some 

simple tweaks to their designs… yet 

we’ve found this doesn’t happen, as 

these simple generalities are just not 

worth working around, so they keep 

holding true. After all, why fight 

something if you don’t have to? 

BATTENS BODY 

MATERIAL 

LUFF 

CURVE 

SEAM 

SHAPING 

CLEW 

HEIGHT 

SAIL LUFF BOOM MAST SDM VS. RDM 

(PREFERRED) 

Aerotech Freespeed 6.5 465 180 460 SDM LOW MINIMAL MINIMAL 7 X-PLY 

Ezzy Cheetah 6.5 454-456 188-196 430 RDM MEDIUM ABUNDANT MEDIUM 6 SCRIM AND X-PLY 

Goya Mark 6.6 450 195 430 RDM MEDIUM ABUNDANT ABUNDANT 6 SCRIM AND MONOFILM 

Naish Noa 6.4 446 176 430 SDM 

BELOW 

MEDIUM 

NOTICEABLE ABUNDANT 7 

DACRON SCRIM 

AND MONOFILM 

North E-Type 6.6 462 196 460 SDM MEDIUM MINIMAL MINIMAL 6 MONOFILM 

Sailworks Retro 6.5 466 186-191 460 SDM 

ABUNDANT ABUNDANT 7 X-PLY 

MEDIUM TO 

HIGH 

MINIMAL MEDIUM 6 X-PLY 

BELOW 

MEDIUM 

Severne Gator 6.5 452 186 430 SDM 

75

LATE HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

EQUIPPED 

Ezzy Cheetah 

Goya Mark 

Luff Length: This is a corner piece 

of the puzzle for each sail, and it’s a 

big part of what separates them. With 

downhaul tension, all sails can be 

tuned to move the pull up or down. 

But if you look at a mid-range for 

tuning, it’s clear that some pull is from 

higher in the sail than others. Like 

most things in sail design, neither high 

nor low is better; it’s about figuring 

out which you personally prefer 

and then finding the sail to match. 

Without trying a sail, how can you 

tell which will have a higher or lower 

pull? Odds are if you look for a sail 

with a longer luff sleeve, it’s going to 

have a higher pull, while the shorter 

luff length offers a lower draft. 

HIGHER DRAFT 

• Wider boards with double footstraps 

• Better balance for taller sailors 

• Power-hungry riders 

• Seat harness users 

• Greatest speed potential 

LOWER DRAFT 

• Single rear footstrap 

• Shorter/lighter riders 

• Riders looking for a lighter feel 

• Waist harness users 

• More ease of use 

Aerotech Freespeed 

Severne Gator 

Boom Length: The sail’s boom 

length provides another key piece of 

information to choosing the right sail. 

Even though one of the latest trends 

is for a freeride sail to be rigged on 

shorter booms through the use of a 

reduced or cutaway clew, boom length 

will give us a sense of whether the draft 

is placed forward or back. In other 

words, will your harness lines end up 

closer to the mast or farther back. Just 

as there are trade-offs for different 

draft heights, the same is true for the 

draft position being forward or back. 

However, once again we find that the 

longer the boom the farther back the 

draft will be set, and if it’s shorter, the 

draft will be placed farther forward. 

FORWARD DRAFT 

• Lighter riders 

• Less effort to sheet-in 

• Efficient riders wanting 

more control 

• Lighter feel at speed 

BACK DRAFT 

• Bigger/stronger riders 

• More powerful feel 

• Easier access to power 

• Direct connection to 

power in gusts/lulls 

Mast Length: We’ve already talked 

about the mast length in finding a 

sail to fit our rig parts, but we can 

also look at it as a performance 

feature. It probably makes for the 

smallest piece of a sail’s puzzle, 

but a 460-centimeter mast will be 

stiffer and possibly a better choice 

for bigger/heavier riders than a 

sail that rigs on a 430-centimeter 

mast. However, anyone looking 

for a sail to be more reactive may 

prefer the shorter luff length. 

SDM vs. RDM: Fat (SDM) and 

skinny (RDM) masts also have 

subtle differences that can be felt 

performance-wise, but once again 

should be evaluated as a smaller piece 

of the puzzle. The difference is that 

SDM masts tend to fill more of the 

luff sleeve, making the leading edge 

of the sail a bit stiffer. This provides 

slightly greater stability at speed and 

a little more top-end wind range. 

The sail rigged with the RDM will 

have a softer feel and offer slightly 

better sail-handling characteristics. 

Clew Height: This is another small 

detail to most riders, however, it 

can actually be a deal breaker if 

you happen to be either really tall 

or short. Tall sailors should look for 

a higher clew for a more balanced 

feel that will keep the board’s 

nose from diving downward. 

Shorter riders will prefer a lower 

clew height that will make the 

sail easier for them to sheet-in. 

76 · SPRING 2016

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77 

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LATE HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

EQUIPPED 

Naish Noa 

Seam Shaping: This is another 

corner piece characteristic to 

our puzzle. To see the seam 

shaping in a sail, look at it 

while fully rigged and lying 

on the beach with no wind in 

it. Sails with minimal seam 

shaping sit almost perfectly flat 

with only a bit of shape in the 

bottom batten. Abundant seam 

shaping shows up as a deep 

pocket that fades out higher 

up in the sail. Of course, some 

sails will sit somewhere inbetween 

with just a noticeable 

amount of seam shaping. 

Luff Curve: If you lay two sails 

on top of each other you can get 

an idea of which one has more 

luff curve, but the easier way 

is to compare what it was like 

to rig each sail. Assuming the 

masts are similar, the sail that 

takes more effort to downhaul 

is going to be the one with 

more abundant luff curve. 

Sailworks Retro 

MINIMAL SEAM SHAPING 

• Easy rotation 

• Smooth power delivery 

• Lighter feel 

• Quicker de-power in transitions 

• Suits smaller or more efficient riders 

ABUNDANT SEAM SHAPING 

• Locked-in shape for stability 

• Quicker power delivery 

• Bigger wind range 

• Bigger tuning range 

• Suits riders looking for powerful feel 

MINIMAL LUFF CURVE 

• Easy to downhaul 

• Tuning sensitive to small changes 

in downhaul tension 

• Quicker to power up and accelerate 

• Quicker to de-power in transitions 

ABUNDANT LUFF CURVE 

• Easier to tune with more tension needed 

• Stiffer and more stable at speed 

• Bigger wind range with top-end stability 

• Bigger tuning range 

Number of Battens: The trend these 

days is to have fewer battens, but there’s 

no denying the fact that with more 

battens there is the potential to make a 

stiffer and more stable sail. Your choice in 

these freeride sails is either six or seven 

battens. Generally speaking, sails with 

fewer battens tend to be lighter and have 

a softer rotation for easier transitions, 

while more battens leads to a stiffer sail 

for more speed and a better wind range. 

Sail Body Material: In this last column 

we are looking at the materials used 

in building the body of the sail. This 

will give you three more little tidbits 

of information to possibly sway your 

choice. The benefits of Monofilm is it is 

light, stiff and cheap. While Scrim is also 

light, it offers better durability with a 

softer feel and is more expensive. X-ply 

is always a great choice, as it provides 

excellent durability with decent stiffness 

at a more middle-of-the-road price. 

So Who Won? 

So what does it all mean? If you’re a 

speedster and decide the Sailworks 

Retro, Naish Noa and Goya Mark look 

good, with lots of stability from design 

features, including plenty of battens, 

seam shaping and luff curve, you’re off 

to a great start in picking your winner. 

Smaller riders, or those focused on a 

lighter, more maneuverable feel, should 

look at the North E-Type as their starting 

point, with less luff curve and seam 

shaping than the other sails. For those 

wanting it all and looking for a balance 

between speed and maneuverability, 

the remaining Aerotech Freespeed, 

Ezzy Cheetah and Severne Gator 

will all fit the bill. To differentiate this 

last large group, it’s going to come 

down to the small details, like which 

one fits the rigging you already have 

and which sails have the luff length 

and clew height to fit your height and 

weight, as well as your personal style. 

Do you have a gear question 

you'd like answered? Email it to 

us at info@windsurfingnowmag. 

com and maybe it will become the 

subject of the next Equipped. 

78 · SPRING 2016

KITE SUP SAIL 

CAPE HATTERAS 

Lessons, Rentals, Retail 

Avon, NC (252) 995 - 5000 

www.oceanairsports.com

LATE HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

REGIONS 

FLORIDA 

HARD KNOCKS AT THE MIAMI 

RS:X MIDWINTER REGATTA 

PHOTOS BY OSVALDO ZAMORA 

my rs:x midwinter’s story is not a success story. And rightfully so, since my most 

recent RS:X event was a Calema Midwinters in 2012, and before that, the 2009 

Miami OCR. I hadn’t been on the board much and didn’t have my gear dialed at 

all, but where I lacked in literally every other area I made up for in optimism. 

For me, this event had some moments of genius and some of first-rate stupidity. 

On Day One, the average 

wind speed was 4.5 knots 

and my heart was jacked 

to 180 for what felt like the 

end of time. Basically, it 

was a 20-minute pump-athon. 

It still hurts to think 

about. Especially considering 

we did three races 

back-to-back-to-back. 

What I really want to tell 

you about is Day Two of 

the event, which brought 

gusty wind lines from the 

southwest. This churned 

up the often calm and clear 

Biscayne Bay into a pool 

of swirling energy that 

manifested into three-foot 

steep waves parading down 

at five-second intervals. 

It was a washing machine 

on spin cycle. The RC boat 

clocked gusts up to 38 knots, 

which kept half the fleet 

onshore. On the way out to 

the racecourse, I watched 

Pedro Pascual (USA-11) take 

a huge shot sailing downwind 

that knocked his front 

foot out of the strap. He 

oversheeted his sail trying to 

stay up, launching him into 

a board-less Forward Loop. 

Later, onshore, he justified 

not letting go, because at 

the time he thought it to 

be the safer way to crash. 

A great start. 

OK, Day Two. Race two. 

The breeze calmed down 

to, like, a solid 25 knots. My 

heart rate had also dropped 

considerably, especially after 

spending two minutes trying 

to waterstart after getting 

T-boned on the line by Mexican 

sailor Ignacio “Nacho” 

Berenguer (MEX-11). Dude, 

I was on star-freaking-board. 

Come on! With a good start, 

I led the fleet to the right 

side of the course, which I 

felt good about because the 

water was flatter, making 

it easier to hold the board 

down and drive the blade 

through the waves. I got 

around the top mark and 

made it downwind, stomping 

hard in the chicken 

strap to keep the nose up 

Philip Muller is back in action. 

as I skipped over the top of 

each wave. Through the gate 

at the course bottom, I sent 

it to the right side again. 

I looked back to the three 

boards behind me—Daniel 

Flores (VEN-1), Sebastian 

Wang-Hansen (NOR-7) and 

my new best friend, Nacho— 

who all tacked midway up 

the beat. I kept grinding to 

the right, looked back again, 

and the other guys had 

stopped. They were all luffing 

after crossing through 

the starting line. One lap? 

Why would the race be only 

one lap? It happened in 

the blink of an eye… I went 

from first to last place. 

I finished my second 

lap and chalked it up to a 

“practice race.” It was just 

the precursor to the Sailing 

World Cup Miami the 

following week. The RC 

awarded me with a verbal 

“Energizer Bunny” award at 

the bar later that day. Lesson 

learned: check the course 

board before the start. 

My hat’s off to the race 

management crew for 

running races. It turns out 

we were the only fleet (out 

of 49er, FX, Nacra, i420s) to 

race that day. I have to say, 

it’s the most memorable 

session I’ve had in a while. 

—Philip Muller, USA 3 

Thanks to everyone involved 

in supporting the 

Miami RS:X Midwinters, 

including the Coconut Grove 

Sailing Club, Miami Yacht 

Club and US Sailing. 

80 · SPRING 2016

traveling alone can be daunting, 

especially as a female windsurfer. 

But when done right, 

it can be as fun as traveling 

with a group of friends and 

open up your world to many 

new experiences. Plus, it’s 

always better than staying 

at home and not getting to 

go windsurfing. If you find 

yourself in this situation, 

I recommend looking into 

an organized group trip, 

as I did last fall. 

BAJA: TRAVELING ALONE… 

SAILING WITH NEW FRIENDS 

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ANDREE GAUTHIER 

I had the opportunity to 

visit La Ventana in Baja, 

Mexico by joining a trip 

organized by Makani Fins, 

who were promoting a 

special deal at Pro Windsurf 

La Ventana. Our small group 

consisted of windsurfers 

from Ontario, Quebec, California 

and Wyoming; what 

a diverse and interesting 

bunch of new friends. The 

center’s owner/operator, Wyatt 

Miller, sent information 

on where to fly into, how 

to get to the windsurfing 

center and what we needed 

to bring. Upon our arrival, 

the hospitality provided by 

both Wyatt and fellow pro 

Tyson Poor made me feel 

at home. It didn’t feel like I 

was traveling alone at all. 

Pro Windsurfing La Ventana 

is a two-hour drive from 

San Jose del Cabo in Southern 

Baja. Wyatt arranged for 

a shuttle to transport each 

Sailing eight out of 12 days. 

member of our group to and 

from the airport. I am the 

first to arrive, and Wyatt 

gives me the royal tour of the 

town and grounds. La Ventana 

is not a commercially 

developed tourist town. We 

eat at the local restaurants 

and drink the water with no 

ill effects. For accommodation, 

we have a choice of a 

private or shared room— 

it all depends on what 

arrangements you want. 

On Tuesday and Saturday 

the juice and donut truck 

comes by, while on Thurday 

Traveling alone but finding friends. 

there is a local farmers’ 

market. Most mornings I 

attend a yoga class. This is a 

place where you’ll never be 

bored or lack things to do, 

whether it’s windy or not. 

La Ventana is a windsurfer’s 

heaven on the Sea 

of Cortez. The season runs 

from November to March, 

with very consistent wind 

starting around 11 a.m., 

building through the afternoon 

and not dying down 

until around 5 p.m. I windsurf 

eight out of the 12 days 

using sails from 3.7 m to 5.4 

m, and boards ranging from 

70 to 103 liters. The wind 

and water is just so nice. The 

waves are wind-driven, and 

this is great for my learning. 

The conditions are not as 

intimidating as in Maui. I 

am able to learn so much 

more with the help of my 

new group of friends. We 

all sit down for dinners, or 

afterwards on the roof of 

the house to watch the stars 

and discuss our jibes, jumps 

and waveriding struggles. 

We take this opportunity 

to get great tips from our 

pros—Wyatt and Tyson. 

On the few no-wind days 

we find plenty to do, from 

snorkeling to touring the 

desert as a group on ATVs. 

It is so much fun. Part of 

the group goes fishing and 

catches a marlin—what a 

wonderful meal we enjoy 

that evening. Another group 

hires a boat to go scuba 

diving with sea lions. 

I’m planning to return to 

Pro Windsurf La Ventana 

next November for this 

annual trip with Makani 

Fins. But now that I’ve 

shared my story with all 

my friends at home, I have 

a strange feeling that I 

won’t be traveling alone. 

For information on next year’s 

trip, go to makanifins.com/ 

pages/laventana2016. 

81

LATE HITS 

ISS. 2.1 

REGIONS 

An epic event on Lake Winnebago. 

WISCONSIN: YEAR-ROUND 

SAILING ON LAKE WINNEBAGO 

WORDS BY BEN HERDRICH 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIND POWER SURF SHOP 

living in the northern latitudes 

of the northern hemisphere, 

you are blessed with season 

changes, which can be 

quite extreme. For avid 

windsurfers and sailors, 

these changes do not stop 

the “die-hard” watermen of 

Wisconsin; we thrive and 

excel with these changes. 

Lake Winnebago is a large 

inland lake, 30 miles by 10 

miles with an average depth 

of only 12 feet, which translates 

to massive waves and 

fun sailing conditions. The 

lake generates exceptional 

wind due to the vast open 

area it occupies, as well as 

the strong weather currents 

generated over Canada that 

move south. As late fall 

approaches, sailors don’t 

pack up and go into hibernation 

for the winter. Instead, 

they get ready for the winter 

sailing season and look 

forward to the frozen sheet 

of ice that appears on the 

surface of Lake Winnebago. 

The windsurfers at the 

Wind Power Surf Shop are 

the core of these die-hard 

sailors. Not only does the 

team at Wind Power run and 

organize races throughout 

the year, they also teach 

windsurfing lessons all year 

round and have customers 

travel from far away to sail 

on “nature’s little sailing 

secret,” the mighty Lake 

Winnebago. As Wind Power 

owner and lifelong windsurfer 

Kevin Gratton has 

explained countless times, 

“What is learned from windsurfing 

on the ice will make 

your water windsurfing that 

much better, for countless 

reasons, such as sailing at 

higher speeds, experiencing 

greater apparent winds, and 

learning to properly tune 

your sails and rigs for those 

higher speeds, ultimately 

achieving greater aerodynamics.” 

The added stability 

of the ice allows one to easily 

learn how to hook in the harness, 

get into the footstraps 

and even learn waterstarts. 

And, yes, helmets are a 

must, but added padding is 

recommended, similar to 

what hockey players wear. 

In regards to the “peak” 

times of the year for sailing, 

it is common to have 

short-boarding weather 

for the majority of early 

to mid-spring and mid- to 

late fall. During the winter 

season, sailors can expect 

strong westerly and 

northerly winds, with ice 

thickness ranging from six 

Ice racing. 

to 30 inches. Sailors will 

set up their “iceboards” 

and achieve speeds up to, 

and even over, 55 mph. 

Simply put, Wisconsin 

sailors thrive in the 

changing sailing seasons. 

They develop the skills 

that enhance their ability 

to achieve and advance at 

all levels. To learn more 

about the windsurfing 

scene in Wisconsin, give 

the guys and gals at the 

Wind Power Surf Shop a 

call, or stop by in person 

to see what it’s all about. 

82 · SPRING 2016

84 · SPRING 2016

Windsurfing Now 02.1

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