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.

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.

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.

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.

Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of northern China, bordering both the Republic of Mongolia and Russia. Far from the coast, it isn’t the first place in the world you think of for windsurfing, but intrepid Norwegian windsurfer Miriam Rasmussen travelled there to compete in a race and explore the sailing around the city of Wuhai, located on the Yellow River between the Gobi and Ordos deserts. Read on as Miriam gives us an insight into the area, its windsurfing and how China is embracing our sport.

Check Yourself

Carole Fowler raises awareness of prostate cancer an important male health issue that caused the death of her late husband.

Gateway To Gaming

When we last tested crossover boards of this size a couple of years ago, the first few designs influenced by the compact concept (initially seen in wave boards) were beginning to come through. Today, more than half the lineup on test here has a connection to the ‘short and parallel’ concept, but are they becoming commonplace for the right reason? In other words, do the new designs definitively offer performance benefits or is change happening purely for change’s sake? We sent our test team in to find out

JP FREESTYLE WAVE 103

WEB WWW.JP-AUSTRALIA.COM PRICE PRO £1999 FWS £1649

QUATRO POWER PRO 105

WEB WWW.QUATROWINDSURFING.COM PRICE £1949

TABOU 3S PLUS 106

WEB WWW.TABOU-BOARDS.COM PRICE CED £1759 LTD £1999

SIMMER HELIX 105

WEB WWW.SIMMERSTYLE.COM PRICE £1899

STAR BOARD KODE FREEWAVE 103 FLAX BALSA

WEB WWW.STAR-BOARD-WINDSURFING.COM PRICE CARBON REFLEX £2459 FLAX BALSA £1679

Sword Wars

The quest for the legendary Tiree sword attracted 86 like-minded windsurfers to this remote Scottish island for the 32nd Tiree Wave Classic. 50-70 knot winds greeted those that arrived early, whilst also playing havoc with the ferry timetable for those due to arrive on the opening day. With extra ferries organized and everyone in place, a second storm loomed and duly delivered with competition taking place from dawn until dusk at the Maze on Tuesday. Our senior highlands reporter, wee Willie-John McCarter, put on his best wellies, kilt and tartan and flew to the Hebrides to snap some bonnie shots and find out what the various locals and Sassenachs present thought of this year’s event.

Super Kai

It’s not that Kai Lenny needs no introduction, it’s where do you start. Universally accepted as the greatest all-round surf sport athlete on the planet right now, his talent transcends normal human performance. He holds multiple world champion SUP titles, has won a professional big wave surfing contest and is a former kitesurfing wave world vice-champion, not to mention the unofficial king of surf foiling. But windsurfing was what started Kai’s watersports career and to this day he still remains true to his roots and, as anybody who has seen him sail, is still able to give the best in the world more than a run for their money. Gifted, smart and articulate, Kai is a sponsor’s dream and has a list of blue-chip companies who support his class act. John Carter sits down with the affable Hawaiian to learn more about the secrets behind his skills and success.

Footloose: Gybing Footwork

This month we look at footwork in the gybe. It is not as complex as you think and specific actions will make you light on your feet and put precision into your gybes. Get this phase right and the nirvana of either your first gybe exit, or even a planing gybe exit, is so much closer! The best news is you can really practice the footwork at slower speeds in light winds and on bigger boards.

The New Dimensions Of Joyride

Fast freeride, freerace or blasting boards - call them what you will, the idea is to go as fast as possible, as easily as possible, no matter what the sea state. It is all about gaining maximum straight-line return for minimal rider input, flattering the rider and leave them buzzing from their session. Freerace was the natural progression when the freeride phenomenon took hold, bridging the gap between the passive freeride (read a propensity for ‘dullness’ in the eyes of experienced riders) and the downright terrifying in a slalom board.

Life In Older Dogs

Encouraging news for those of advancing years – you may not be past your peak.

Mauritius Attitude Challenge 2018

The Mauritius Attitude Challenge (MAC) is an event inspired by the fun and party atmosphere of Défi Wind but with a Mauritian twist of turquoise water, trade winds and coral reef! The 2018 competition took place in mid July and was blessed with great conditions and a win for a team of British sailors! We hear from the organizer and a selection of competitors on what made it such a great event to be a part of.

The X Factor

A perfect four firsts from four races gave Antoine Albeau a decisive slalom victory at the 2018 PWA Fuerteventura Grand Slam. Antoine’s track record in Sotavento’s choppy waters is phenomenal, winning eleven out of the last twelve years, a unique record from the twenty-four-time world champion! John Carter went round the pits to ask his rivals and the big man himself what gives him the edge over his peers at this legendary location!

Onshore Speed

Unless you’re blessed with consistent down the line conditions, for most of us wave sailing is about generating speed in less than ideal wind and surf. For the men and women of the PWA it’s no different when they have to compete in light and onshore conditions and this year’s PWA Wave World Cup event in El Medano, Tenerife was a prime example. John Carter went beachside in El Medano to ask the pros their tips for generating speed in typical ‘real world’ conditions, while Finn Mullen speaks to the designers of JP boards and Goya sails for their insight into the design parameters for speed generation.

2018 Waist Harness Buyer's Guide

If you feel like upgrading your waist harness for something fresh for 2018, then check out our buyer’s guide with some of the latest product from the brands and some expert advice from German ripper Klaas Voget.

Black Sea Tales

We last caught up with Jono Dunnett on his round Europe windsurf adventure as he landed in Istanbul. Here he picks up the story as he continues his epic voyage, venturing further into the Black Sea along Turkey’s coastline and into Georgia. Read on as Jono reflects on his journey.

Flight's Primary Ignition

The parameters suggested to the brands for our inaugural wind foil sail test were left incredibly broad and open, for one simple reason. We wanted them to decide which product to put forward, and in doing so provide some understanding of their design direction. A sort of litmus paper test to gauge whether there was a consensus amongst the largest sail lofts.

A Rising Influence

The birth and subsequent growth of stand-up-paddling brought about a positive and much needed injection of interest into watersports in general. One of the key drivers was that it was easy to understand, and more importantly easy to access, bringing the sport into the mainstream. Simply grab a board and paddle, and away you go! And with the first boards that hit the market being long and wide, the early-adopting windsurfing brands quickly realised there was an opportunity for some crossover between the two sports. So not long after the dawn of SUP production came the emergence of the windsurfing-SUP board – a.k.a. windSUP.

Waves Anyone? Entry-Level Wave Sailing

Peter Hart has been leading courses into swells for a few decades. Backed by comments and reflections from clients who’ve taken on the challenge, he describes the true nature of the game. Here’s a clue – it’s not all about the wind but about preparation and revisiting the most basic skills.

A Swell Sou'Easter

Southeast winds and south coast swell prove the perfect ingredients to fire up Dorset’s finest wave, Kimmeridge, for some rare port tack down the line action. On scene to score it with the lucky locals were Timo Mullen, Andy Chambers and Paul Hunt. They tell us just why it was a day to remember.

Progression

““Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw.

TEAM15

The RYA tell us more about their Team15 programme for young windsurfers.

Freerace Sails Test

There is nothing quite like going flat out on a windsurfing board. It is very likely to be the reason most of you reading this were drawn to the sport in the first place. In the sport’s brief history, if you took a snapshot from any activity-focussed beach with a variety of watersports going on, it would always be the windsurfer that would grab the attention and limelight. Your eyes (and the cameras) naturally follow whatever is moving the fastest!

Wave Board Tuning

I have previously highlighted how one of the ‘greyer’ areas of our sport is kit tuning. So as we welcome spring, I examine how to get the very best out of our wave boards, explaining what we can change to extract better performance across a range of conditions and levels. You can also refer back to previous pieces on tuning Freemoves and FSW’s for reflection and comparison.