You can’t mention windsurfing in the Mediterranean without talking about Turkey! It’s a country blessed with great conditions but is much more than that. We decided to take advantage of the regular north wind that sweeps the Turkish coast from July to August to discover this destination that is undergoing profound transformations.
Modern Turkey came out of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s rule in 1923. His portrait is everywhere, the identity references to the creation of this new nation are present in every city and on every promontory; it’s impossible to look into the distance in Turkey without seeing a Turkish flag!
English is quite widely spoken and the favourable exchange rate of European currencies ensures a comfortable stay. Driving in Turkey is the same as much of Europe, except for a friendly but frequent use of car horns! Turkish Airlines is the best way to travel, with affordable rates from many European capitals and a “friendly” policy with oversized luggage, handy for our 100 kg quiver! We brought slalom/freeride equipment and 2 wave boards, as well as a complete set of freeride foil kit in case the wind was capricious! We opted for a 10-day trip as we wanted to discover Turkey from east to west, from the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea.
ISTANBUL
We took the option of arriving in Istanbul, the historic capital. A compulsory passage for anyone who wants to stop in Turkey, Istanbul, (formerly called Byzance, then Constantinople), is a megacity of 15 million inhabitants and the meeting point of Europe and Asia. It is an exceptional cultural melting pot. We travel along the Bosporus Strait for about 30 kilometres until we were unable to resist the temptation to sail on it, despite it being prohibited. With a 12 knot breeze, Babou sailed between the two shores and we got some beautiful images.
KILYOS
This story is from the Issue 394 - April 2020 edition of Windsurf.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 394 - April 2020 edition of Windsurf.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!
