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Boating-sailing

Windsurf

Aussie Rules!

Malcom Bonzer is a ‘true blue Aussie’ and guest ‘fake news’ reporter this issue on a very alternative type of windsurfing contest. Crass, crude and definitely not P.C., read on as Malcom tells us more with his tongue firmly bolted to his cheek.

6 min |

Issue 367 - July 2017

Windsurf

Highs And Lows

Multiple world champion Kevin Pritchard has been competing for over two decades. Far from retiring, he is still on the podium and winning against sailors half his age. A seasoned professional, he has encountered the full range of emotions, good and bad, an athlete faces in their career. He shares with us some of his personal highs and lows of windsurfing competition and the experiences that have shaped him.

6 min |

Issue 367 - July 2017

Windsurf

The Power Of Choice

For such a sport that is so dependent on nature, windsurfing so far has done very little to look at the environmental cost of the production of its equipment. Starboard wants to change that and is leading the charge through reduction of plastics in its packaging and use of environmentally friendly materials where possible. Recent Starboard signing, Flo Jung, tells us about their latest venture to produce an eco-friendly board using Balsa and discusses the challenges of meeting windsurfing’s obligation for more sustainable choices.

4 min |

Issue 367 - July 2017

Windsurf

Staghunt

When Chris ‘Muzza’ Murray has his stag do, you just know there is going to be a story worth telling! George Shillito tells the tale and provides us with some inspiration for alternative stags and WindSUP adventures.

9 min |

Issue 367 - July 2017

Windsurf

Rising Appeal

When we conducted our review on WindSUPs last year, we didn’t anticipate the amount of interest it would whip up. This year windsurfing foils will try to come in and steal the limelight, yet we’re still hedging our bets for the WindSUP to win out in the popularity stakes. So why the grip of attention - what is the appeal? We sent our test team in to investigate the developments on the market for 2017.

4 min |

Issue 367 - July 2017

Windsurf

Weymouth Speed Week 2017

The stars aligned for Weymouth Speed week 2017. With Hurricane Ophelia and Storm Brian on the horizon, the event’s forecast had more purple than a Prince tribute concert. But would these strong winds be enough to break the existing event harbour records? With all the improvements in windsurfing equipment would the windsurfers smash it or would the kitesurfers have their time in the history books? It was back in 2008 that the event had such an amazing forecast and the big Swede, Anders Bringdal, and the UK’s Zara Davis set the men’s and women’s event harbour records of 38.38 knots and 32.44 knots respectively. Pete Davis reports on how the action went down.

8 min |

Issue 372 - January February 2018

Windsurf

Truly Classic

The 2017 Tiree Wave Classic boasted one of the largest entries in recent years and a host of international sailors. Most importantly it was windy, very windy! We hear from some of those involved in all the action on and off the water and why this year’s event was one to remember.

10+ min |

Issue 372 - January February 2018

Windsurf

What's In A Name?

There are several examples in life where the name or brand of an object becomes so synonymous with its function, that it actually becomes adopted as the very description of its intended use. The obvious example is of ‘Hoover’ being used instead of vacuum cleaner; Sellotape for clear adhesive tape … or one that we come into contact on a regular basis as windsurfers - Velcro. There are also instances when the design, purpose or requirement of an object changes over time,rendering it (or its name) nonsensical. Coca Cola is an example we have all heard of - formulated and founded by a Confederate Colonel, John Pemberton, in the late nineteenth century. He was wounded in the American Civil War and had become addicted to morphine so started on a quest to find a substitute for the problematic drug. Originally called French Wine Coca, when he came up against prohibition legislation in 1886 he renamed his medicinal concoction Coca Cola after its two main ingredients - Cocaine (the coca leaf) and the Kola nut for caffeine. The original amount of cocaine in the mix was not insignificant and was of course removed from the ingredients in 1903 … and yet the name lives on.

4 min |

Issue 372 - January February 2018

Windsurf

Stylin

Do you have a style? Do you want one … or a better one? Do you care? It’s a bit abstract but Peter Hart, abetted by some names you may well recognize, contends that by focusing on a waveriding style, you can improve both technique and the overall experience.

8 min |

Issue 372 - January February 2018

Windsurf

Windsurfing For All

Windsurfing with disabilities is challenging, but the barriers are being broken down with new programs and developments, the RYA tell us more.

4 min |

Issue 372 - January February 2018

Windsurf

Triple Crown

When three World Champions – Traversa, Fernandez and Angulo, are sailing at the one spot, you just know there has to be a story. The three legends share their tales of how they all answered the call of the wind to end up in Portugal and score some sweet sessions south of Lisbon and the renowned Guincho beach.

10 min |

Issue 371 - November December 2017

Windsurf

Competition Goals

GOALS Earlier this year we featured Elise Gire’s fast track progress to windsurfing, from beginner to short boarder in 50 days. Elise’s next goal was to enter a wavesailing contest and true to her word, she did! From conquering nerves to finishing in the top 5, Elise tells us about the experience of her first event.

6 min |

Issue 371 - November December 2017

Windsurf

The Charge Of The Lightweights

As much as our test team have a real love and passion for wave sailing, it is eminently apparent that the devotion is identical amongst the brands on review here.

4 min |

Issue 371 - November December 2017

Windsurf

The Happy Hipster

 What level of impairment does it take to stop us challenging the upper levels of windsurfing? Two new hips? Apparently not.

5 min |

Issue 371 - November December 2017

Windsurf

Foil Gybing

There’s a reason the pages of this magazine have been long populated by carve gybing articles. It’s the benchmark move of our sport, a measure of how far our technique has progressed if we can blast into the beach and leave again with almost no perceptible drop in speed. So there is no surprise that with the advent of foiling the goal posts haven’t moved that far, just a little higher up. However this time we’re not alone, whether you’re a kiter, moth sailor or Ben Ainsle’s America’s Cup team, the new measure of success for any form of wind foiling is can you gybe without touching down.

3 min |

Issue 387 - August 2018

Windsurf

Summer Solace

Whilst the UK is enjoying a warmer, more stable period than most of our European cousins, we felt it a good time to ask our test team to investigate the windSUP options of 2018. After all, they’re likely to be the most appropriate option for summer adventures to the seaside if the June heatwave continues. And now that we’ve put the test in print, sod’s law is we’ve probably cursed the country for increasingly windy, unsettled conditions.… you can thank us when you see us at the beach!

10+ min |

Issue 387 - August 2018

Windsurf

Firing Range

‘Broad Bench’ in Kimmeridge Bay is one of the south coast of England’s wave sailing gems, but extremely rare to catch, not least because access to it is controlled by the Ministry of Defence! When the elements do combine though, waves rifle down this point with sniper like consistency. With a huge storm firing up the southwest approaches, a green light was given to mount an attack on the ‘Bench’! John Carter assembled a troop of sailors last autumn to launch an assault on the iconic wave and following declassification of the files, now brings us an account of the mildly daring raid!

10+ min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

Mast Matters

Slalom racers are obsessive about every part of their equipment setup, so when it comes to masts, what are the secrets of the pros? We lift the lid on the mysterious world of slalom masts as the pros reveal what lengths they go to in finding, testing and preserving their very best ones!

10+ min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

Late Call

Pe’ahi / Jaws on Maui had a slow start in 2018 for wave sailing, but a late season swell in spring gave a skilled group of sailors a shot at its respected waves. The grateful crew who scored give us a rundown of the session.

10+ min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

Aquaventures

My neighbour’s trampoline is clearly sick of being the nail, not the hammer, and has just vaulted 2 fences and back-flipped into a shed.

3 min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

Be Like Water

Kuba Gasiewski is a skilled all-round waterman, originally from Poland, but now based in Mauritius, where he is the chief windsurfing instructor at ION CLUB in Le Morne. Kuba rips on any kind of board, from windsurfer to surfboard, kiteboard to SUP, but what he is quickly building a reputation for is challenging the conventions of learning how to windsurf. We’ve featured before his innovative methods for teaching windsurfing to children, but now Kuba has turned his attention to the very basics of windsurfing instruction, which he argues haven’t changed in line with the breakthrough design changes of modern boards and sails. He advocates a more fluid approach to learning and our stance, encouraging us to embrace Bruce Lee’s saying, “Become like water”, arguing that windsurfing is easy if the correct method of instruction is used. Read on as Kuba opens the debate on the methods of teaching windsurfing in the modern age.

10 min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

Corsica

Only a few hours from mainland France by boat, the Mediterranean island of Corsica lives up to its name as the “Isle of Beauty”. It offers a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, from public campsites to 5 star hotels and perfect conditions for slalom and freeride windsurfing. This year, PWA slalom sailor Benjamin ‘Babou’ Augé took 3 young sailors, Julien Mangel (15), Antoine Tavan (14) and Esteban de Cruz (13) on a trip to the island to explore its southern shores and offer them some coaching at the same time. Eric de Cruz tells us more.

7 min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

Wave Sailing The Sticking Points

Fresh from a season of wildly windy wave courses around Atlantic shores, Harty has much advice for all standards of wave sailor on how to overcome the classic stumbling blocks.

10+ min |

Issue 381 - November/December 2018

Windsurf

BWA Contest Quivers

From cross-off to dead onshore, competing on the British Wavesailing Association tour can take in all the conditions a UK wave sailor can expect to face on home shores. The pros have to be equipped for all conditions and all weathers; so how do they plan, choose and tune their quivers - John Carter investigates.

10+ min |