Ezzy release details of their new Lion flat water sail –

“At Ezzy, we make two dedicated flat water sails, the Lion and Cheetah. The performance goals are the same for both–power, speed, and control—but each sail achieves them using different shaping methods. 

We don’t believe in taking a race sail, de-tuning it, and calling it a freerace sail. The Lion is designed from scratch. David Ezzy draws on his more than 30 years of designing and testing cambered sails to get just the right mix of power, speed and control in the Lion. The Lion has two cambers (one below the boom and one above), which means that the shape in the sail is produced mechanically by the camber’s connecting the batten with the mast. This produces a wing-like profile that generates a lot of stable power. The Lion features our unique roller cam that rotates effortlessly and dependably. Each Lion comes with enough extra cams to fit any mast produced in the past 25 years, from SDM to RDM. The cams are easy to swap in and out. And the cam system is so simple that it rigs just as easy as a no-cam sail. You’re not going to find a cambered sail other than the Lion, that is as powerful, yet easy to sail. 

Why use x-ply in both the Cheetah and Lion? David Ezzy wants to make sails that last forever. David Ezzy developed Dyneema X-ply that weighs the same as monofilm but has more than double the UV strength and lasts years longer. You might also notice that the Lion and Cheetah’s don’t have cut-ins above the clew. David says a leech cut-in kills the low-end and stability of a sail. The more the lower leech moves, the more unstable the sail is. He wants an increasing tension from the head to the clew. Cutting the leech disturbs this important tension progresson.

For 2017, the Cheetah and the Lion both feature a new luff sleeve construction that gets them planing sooner and feeling more responsive. Also new is the scrim luff panel on both the Lion and Cheetah that makes the sails more forgiving and easier to handle, especially in gusty winds.

Every Cheetah and Lion is rigged in our factory and calibrated so that they can be precisely downhauled and outhauled for perfect tuning in seconds with our calibrated rigging system. We test and test, refining every small aspect of the sail to create that effortless windsurfing freedom.

Lion or Cheetah, which is right for you?

Pure speed: Lion

Speed and handling: Cheetah”

www.ezzy.com

UK distributors – www.seaspritesports.com

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Formerly part of the Soviet Union, Estonia in Northern Europe is a little known country for windsurfing, even less so for wavesailing. On its western shores however lies the island of Hiiumaa, home to Ristna beach, considered one of the Baltic Sea’s premier surf spots and one of the most beautiful beaches in Estonia. Invited by local lensman Jaanus Ree, Jules Denel ventures into the unknown to discover a warm welcome in the Baltic waves.

Words  Jules Denel 

//  Photos  Jaanus Ree

Originally published within the May 2017 edition.

ESTONIA
I’m on a journey to a country where 80% of my friends are ignorant to the fact that Estonia even has an ocean. This is the kind of trip I love! I have no idea what I am going to discover there. Estonia is not the kind of country where windsurfers like myself normally travel to. I know from my past experiences that when you go on a last minute trip, you more often than not end up meeting great people and having an adventure to remember. I had met Jaanus by chance during a winter travel trip to South Africa. I adore his photography and the emotions that come out from his work! This seemed the perfect opportunity to fulfil the promise we made to work together on a new trip as soon as the opportunity would arise.

On arrival in Estonia I took the time to visit the capital, the old city of Tallinn. This is said to be the best-preserved medieval city in northern Europe. It is a superb place to explore; there is awesome architecture with lots of traces of the former Soviet presence, which I was interested to discover. Estonia regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and borders Latvia, Russia and of course the Baltic Sea. The country is one of the least densely populated in Europe with a mere population of 1.3 million, largely due to the fact over half of the land is covered with forests.

TOP SECRET
The secret project turns out to be the test of a new Nikon lens, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR and I am obviously excited but start to understand that it will be an intense and demanding two days. The pressure is on! One hour ferry ride later, we arrive on the island of Ristna and hit the road that leads to the spot. We eventually arrive at a kind of surfing camp, similar to those popular in the south of France in the summer. There is a small beach bar, some cottages and people hanging around a campfire. We spend the evening with some awesome music, drink some beers and talk to some pretty girls. Jaanus tells me that twenty years ago, no civilians could have access to this part of the island since it was a Soviet military base. I find it incredible that the spirit of windsurfing can flourish anywhere where there are wind and waves. I feel windsurfing will remain immortal as long as there is men and women with access to water.

DAWN PATROL
On the second day we were up at 4am so I could catch the wind and Jaanus capture the beautiful morning light. The conditions were perfect with 2.5m waves and 35 knot side shore winds. The session was magic but I knew that the day wasn’t finished! I grabbed a quick nap to recover for the second session at noon. By now there were lots of other windsurfers, all welcoming me with a great kindness! Personally, I love to share these moments with guys who I have met for the first time but bond quickly with; as windsurfers we all have the same deep passion for our sport!

By the end of the day I have sailed four sessions with over six hours on the water and Jaanus didn’t stop ‘machine-gunning’ with the new lens! We finished the day with Ristna offering us an amazing sunset, which made us all even happier with the results of the project so far. I felt privileged to have shared this long intense day emotionally and physically with the crew. In the evening we hang out in the small bar of the camp and reminisce over the incredible sessions until 1am. Jaanus and the Nikon staff seem happy with the results but Jaanus still wants more and tells me just as we are going to sleep that tomorrow we will back on the water at sunrise…ouch!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
By the time we are finished the next day I am completely exhausted and sleep the whole journey back to Tallinn. My plane is due to return the following day at 7am so I know I won’t be able to score too much sleep! I was just about to go to bed when Tony Mottus, a local freestyler from the world tour calls me and tells me that I cannot leave Tallinn without having one evening on the town! Of course I ended up partying through the night and just made it home for Jaanus to pick me up at 5am to bring me directly to the airport! This trip was short, but so intense and complete, I loved it! My motto is, ‘We only have one life…Live it!’

JAANUS REE
When I shoot windsurfing, I am trying to capture the feeling it gives me while I am doing it myself. I am not a windsurf photographer. I love the sport as I’m a long time windsurfer and I love to shoot it, but the main areas where I work are other sports like WRC rallying. Nikon offered me the chance to test the lens and somehow it felt that windsurfing might be a good sport to demonstrate its characteristics. At the same time, Jules and I had been looking for a long time the opportunity to collaborate somehow. We only had a small window of two or three days to do that and the only place with a good enough forecast in Europe was my home spot, Ristna. It was great to have Jules over, sailing with all the local crew. Ristna is our best spot but mostly windsurfing in Estonia is slalom sailing and near the cities; hopefully these photos show just how good our wavesailing can be though!

FACT BOX

Best time of year to visit – Ristna is at its best in autumn, when the low pressure systems start to reach the Baltic Sea. Most of the epic days happen between September to November.

Best wind and wave directions – The conditions get perfect with S-SSW, then it’s pure port tack, down the line action! Ristna is located on the end of a peninsula, so there is a spot for almost every wind direction (port tack and starboard tack).

What equipment to bring – Bring everything! During autumn you can score a glassy surf session on day one and be maxed out on a 3.7 the next day. Most good days are 3.7- 4.7 weather!

What wetsuits required – In September you can use a 3/2 or a 4/3 as the water is still quite warm (at least for Northerners!) From October a 5/3 or warmer is the wetsuit to go for!

Where to stay – There is quite a lot of places to stay at Ristna, but be sure to book it or at least, make sure they are open! The tourists are usually gone by autumn and some of the places close down early for the winter. If it’s sill warm when you come, then camping is also an option, you can sleep just metres from the sea.
For options, check out – www.hobekala.ee | www.dagen.ee | www.pihlatalu.ee

Useful information – Ristna is located on an island so you need to use the ferry to get there! The locals are really friendly and it would be wise to contact them before you go and check out their websites below.
www.hiiusurf.eu | www.surfikool.ee | www.teamvosa.ee
Answered by Kristjan Kiisk from www.surfikool.ee

“ I feel windsurfing will remain immortal as long as there is men and women with access to water.  ”

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Perfecting the trend in shorter/wider/thinner freeride boards, the Hover Titan 120 offers extremely early planing and great all-around freeride performance with minimal effort.
Suitable for all levels, this board is effortless for beginners, yet performance-oriented for the veteran windsurfer. Fast and fun in all conditions, you can step onto this foilboard and instantly feel comfortable! The relatively long, flat rocker makes the transition from non-planing to planing, getting into footstraps and planing through lulls nearly seamless. The rocker and compact outline also make the Hover Titan 120 less sensitive to “fore and aft trim” than other boards—giving them a very wide “sweet spot.” This makes going upwind and jibing at both low and high speeds extremely easy. A slight kick in rocker in the last few inches of the tail also gives this board great top speed when compared to “the competition”.
Truly versatile, the Hover Titan 120 can be ridden as a true windsurf board—using the powerbox fin—or connect to your windsurf foil.

Learn more: naishsails.com/product/hover-titan-120/

Via Naish International

The post 2018 NAISH HOVER TITAN 120 – WINDSURF/FOILING appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Program: WORLDWIDE WAVE
The new WAVE CULT V7 is the board that everyone should have, which suits all kind of conditions and allows you to feel covered in any session in both home spot and travel outings. We focused more and more on this goal to provide a tool that can perform the best in both on-shore and side-shore conditions in every wave size.

We have worked on details and introduced dedicated and important innovations to the outline and definitely having an eye-catching shape.

Compared to the previous V6, we decided to add 2 boards to the line (the 68lts and 114lts) to meet everyone’s needs. The new WAVE CULT V7 have been further shortened concentrating more volume in the central part and combined with a reduced kick; the outline comes out with a completely re-thought pintail with winger and soft diamond nose.

Available with new fins and with 5 slotboxes for both thruster and quad set ups, with exception of the 104 lts and 114 lts which are only for a thruster fin use.

All this gives to the WAVE CULTS V7 superb planing capabilities and ease in all transitions but, at the same time very powerful turns to perfectly meet even side and offshore conditions such as those in Cape Town and Ho’okipa.

We are proud to introduce you our six new shapes that make the Wave Cult V7 line up; 68, 74, 82, 92, 104 and 114 lts.

TECHNOLOGY
LTD: Semi custom / C-Ply biaxial carbon fiber deck with hexagonal stitching & glass bottom
WOOD: Single shot / wood clear deck & glass / wood bottom

Read more: robertoriccidesigns.com/year-22/windsurf/boards/wave-cult-ltd-wood-v7/

The post WAVE CULT LTD V7 LTD/WOOD appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Introducing the Gaastra / Tabou official 2018 brand movie.

Via GA Windsurfing (Gaastra)

The post GA SAILS – 2018 OFFICIAL BRAND MOVIE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

WINDSURF MAGAZINE #370 OCTOBER ON SALE NOW

The October 2017 Issue of the world’s only monthly English-language windsurfing magazine is out now!

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Subscribe or buy your copy here in either 

Digital or 

Print versions!

Top Guns – Philip Köster’s Comeback, Moreno Twins Interview, No Rules Slalom, Improve Your Tacking With Peter Hart, Lena Erdil, Swedish Waves, British Columbia, Flat Water Forwards, Homage To Maui, Tahiti Trip, Table Top How To, Louis Morris, Rrd Compact Wave Rig Lowdown

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BIG JUICY READS

ROAD TO RECOVERY  
Philip Köster has made a scintillating return to competitive wavesailing after injury. We learn more about the highs and lows of his road to recovery.

MAUI NŌ KA ‘OI
Hawaiians have a saying, Maui nō ka ‘oi – Maui is the best – John Carter and a selection of pros pay homage to the island.

FEMALE FORCE
Are men and women treated the same in professional windsurfing? Lena Erdil starts the debate and we give the PWA & IFCA the right to reply.

VARBERG
Swedish wavesailing is centred on the town of Varberg. Markus Rydberg gives us a guide to his home spot and the Swedish wave scene.

CANADA BY FOIL
Kevin Pritchard first found love for Canada snowboarding but felt compelled to return with his new love – windfoiling. Kevin shares his experience from the journey.

SWOT ANALYSIS
No one knows the Moreno twins better than….the Moreno twins! So who better to identify each other’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?

TAHITI TRIP
Journalist / photographer Julian Schlosser leads an all French mission to Tahiti to score the legendary Teahupo’o in the company of Gallic charger Jules Denel.

NO RULES
At the 2017 PWA slalom event at Fuerteventura, two sailors were badly injured. The pros debate the ‘no rules’ nature of modern professional slalom racing.

TEKKERS

PETER HART – TACKING – JUST WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
It’s such a straightforward manoeuvre as a beginner but then grows horns as you take it onto smaller boards. Peter Hart sorts the issues out.

MOVE ON UP WITH JEM HALL – FLAT WATER FORWARD
Jem breaks down the impressive but achievable flat water forward loop.

TABLE TOP HOW TO
Want to know how to do a table top – 2 x PWA World Champion Marcilio Browne tells us how.

BOARDSHORTS

LATEST & GREATEST
Even the great Stephen Hawking could not have predicted the universe would conspire to bring you this windsurfing news in such a time defying form.

WINTER WETSUIT GUIDE
Looking for some fresh neoprene to keep warm this winter? RRD, Neil Pryde and ION give us information on their latest offerings.

LOWDOWN – RRD COMPACT WAVE RIG
John Skye is on a mission to make windsurfing rigs more compact and easier to travel with. Read the lowdown on his latest developments.

PARALLEL UNIVERSES – THE RACE AND THE WAVE
Champion racer and wavesailor, Louis Morris, give an insight into his two passions – raceboarding and wavesailing.

RYA KNOWLEDGE WINDSURFING WHATEVER YOUR AGE
Age is no barrier to windsurfing – the RYA explains why.

CANARY SUMMER
Irish youth sailor, Finn Mellon, swapped his school-books for the sun and wind of the Canary Islands, he tells tale of his travels.

SITTIN’ ON THE DUNNY

EDITORIAL
TOP GUNS – The editor discusses windsurfing’s ‘Top Guns’ and why they may lie closer to home than you think!

AFFAIRS OF THE HART – DAVE LAZARUS WHITE
Harty tells of the latest and most challenging chapter in the incredible life of an incredible bloke.

Get your 

Print

The post OCTOBER 2017 ISSUE ON SALE NOW appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

SUPER SPORT – Powerful and seriously fast, these boards make you fly over the water. They are aimed at sporty, advanced riders who have the ability to unleash the full potential of their acceleration and speed. These riders will also enjoy the racy carving jibe talent of the boards. These are the fastest Super Sport boards ever and will blow your mind and your friends off the water.

Riders: Malte Reuscher GER-7777, Nico Prien GER-7, Steven van Broeckhoven B-72 and Sebastian Kornum DEN-24

More details: http://jp-australia.com/2017/products…

Via jpaustraliacom

The post JP 2018 SUPERSPORT appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Max Rowe was diagnosed having a tumor in his abdomen. Shortly after he had to go through major surgery followed by a long rehabilitation. Showing a strong fighting spirit Max is now fully recovered and is back on the water stronger than ever. Here is his story.

Film / Edit by Miles Taylor / Protography.

Rider: Max Rowe

The post MAX ROWE – THE COMEBACK STORY appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

The official 2018 product video for the Gaastra Cosmic freeride sail.

Via GA Windsurfing (Gaastra)

The post GA SAILS – 2018 COSMIC appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

After comepting in the PWA in Tenerife and then in the ISA World Stand Up Paddle Championships, and a week before heading to California for the world’s biggest SUP event, PPG, Arthur shredded the West / South West winds at his home of WISSANT.

The post ARTHUR ARUTKIN WISSANT SEPTEMBER 2017 appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

This Top 100 Wave Tips video is about how to improve your Forward Loops. It shows how to slide your BACK HAND WAY BACK in the air, or as you take off. This gets you more height and then gives you the leverage to rotate sweetly!
These clips were filmed in Ho’okipa on Maui on the RRD Wave Cults and Ezzy Taka 3’s.
#top100tips are courtesy of #jemhallcoaching.
Get my wave coaching live and direct on one of my clinics in Psc, Baja, Mexico; Moulay, Morocco; Brandon bay, Ireland; Mauritius and Jeri, Brazil.

The post JEM HALL FORWARD LOOP TIPS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

How to set up your footstrap to prevent injuries and get the most performance of your wave board –  wave world champion Victor Fernandez, Head of Fanatic Wave gear R&D Klaas Voget and professional windsurfer Adam Lewis tell us how in the third episode of a series of instructional videos by TWS (http://www.tws-windsurf.com). Camera & editing: Bartek Jankowski (http://www.bj-productions.com).

The post FOOTSTRAP TUNING FOR WAVES BY TWS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Rad, rough and rocking – Jack Shead drops his end of term video from Vass – “The end of the Summer season in Vassiliki is just about here. A little personal edit from the last weeks of season.”

The post END OF SEASON VASSILIKI appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

When high winds forced the Bournemouth air show to delay proceedings, JC mustered a crew of south coast based sailors to ‘save’ the day and keep the crowds entertained with their very own jumping exhibition at Branksome Chine beach. With no autographs to sign afterwards or queues to meet his pilots, squadron leader Carter gives us his debrief on the flight plan and the high flyers divulge how they balance windsurfing in their lives.

Words & Photos John Carter.

Originally published within the May ’17 edition

TAIR RAID
With the Bournemouth air show scheduled for a windy weekend, the proposition of a battle between windsurfers and the Red Arrows seemed the sort of plan I needed to motivate my Motley Crew! After laying down the challenge, my set of elite highly trained pilots were selected – Köster, Fernandez, Traversa …were all unavailable, but with the promise of free ice creams, Timo Mullen, Jamie Hancock and Jack Hunt were conscripted. I even managed to secure a rare appearance of James Cox away from his much loved home waters of Southbourne! Come D-day and an unpredictable rascal of a low pressure system had wrapped up into an extremely tight set of isobars, so much so that the Red Arrows and the whole air show had to delay all displays for the peak of the wind during the mid-afternoon. Being the strict squadron leader that I am, no such excuses were allowed for my crew as I had brand new Canons ready to shoot anyone in my firing line! Violent winds sweeping across the Bournemouth beaches had all of my ace aviators digging for their smallest sails. While the boys were rigging, I was pleasantly surprised how many hardy locals had come out to play survival in the storm. This area is without doubt one of the strongholds for windsurfing in the UK, illustrated by three windsurfing shops – FC Watersports, H20 Sports and Poole Harbour Watersports servicing the fraternity. With the tourists on hand frustrated by the lack of action taking place in the skies, it was time for my Motley Crew to oblige. Forty knot winds and head high ramps were ample enough to provide stunts galore and to be fair, although not offering quite the same spectacular synchronization as the best pilots on the planet can provide, at least our boys were out there flying the flag!

BATTLESHIPS
With no red, white and blue smoke trails of the Arrows to work with as a photographic backdrop, I was searching for a new target. Fortunately the Royal Navy duly obliged by parking HMS Monmouth a mile or so offshore instead. This type 23 frigate known as the ‘Black Duke’ was originally built to deal with the Soviet submarine threat, but in the 20 years since the fall of communism they have proven their versatility by dealing with missions all over the world. The ship has served its country by assisting in anti-piracy missions off of Somalia, served time in the Gulf and circumnavigated the globe on duty in 2007. Recently fitted with type 997 medium range radar and the Seawolf missile system, this ship is certainly not one to be messed with. Here to help the Bournemouth air show be a flying success, the Royal Navy were putting on combat demonstrations for the 700,000 members of the public on hand to watch. But even the high winds and rough seas seemed too much for the Royal Navy when after an hour or so the Monmouth pulled up anchor and headed to calmer waters further offshore.

WATER SESSION
With all of my potential photographic backdrop options now out the window, my only option was to swim out and try and score some shots looking back towards the affluent beachfront houses and stunning cliffs of the Bournemouth coastline. The wind had slightly gone off the boil, but our pilots were still well powered on 3.6m – 4m sails and the Motley Crew air show continued in spectacular style. The action ensued for another few hours until the clouds set in and the wind swung slightly offshore to WSW, which ended any chances for big air on the inside. That was our cue to head to Kimmeridge for the late session and trust our luck, we heard the Red Arrows had turned up for an early evening session just after we had left; a lucky escape for us!

THE SQUAD
More than just a bunch of wind powered stunt pilots, my squad balance their aerial pursuits around day jobs and all the other areas of everyday life just like any avid windsurfer. In the interests of freedom of information, I asked them to explain their normally confidential backgrounds and how they manage to get their precious training and water time in the UK.

JAMIE HANCOCK
After breaking my leg and missing out on the PWA circuit, I have enjoyed trips in search of fun days sailing instead of waiting for the next heat. It means I get to spend some more time in the UK and chase down those epic days. I’ve been working for GA / Tabou on all their video and social media content and ended up selling my car to buy some decent drone equipment, for which I have just passed my PFAW drone operating license. So now I’m super happy travelling about, windsurfing and getting to focus on projects that inspire others. I haven’t written off competitions altogether, but since I started as a pro windsurfer the world has changed and to be a pro windsurfer isn’t solely reliant on competition results and conventional media exposure any more. You can now create your own media and put it out there on the Internet way more easily. So for now that’s my focus and I love it. Bring on the best of British conditions! Days like these at Branksome remind me why I love UK sailing so much!

TIMO MULLEN
I guess most people in the windsurfing world know me as Timo the Northern Irish Pro Windsurfer, but I also have another side to my life that basically keeps the whole windsurfing lifestyle dream rolling!! Might shock a lot of people to know this, but I have always had a full time job alongside my life as a Pro Windsurfer. Does that still make me a Pro Windsurfer??? When I left school I realised quite quickly that there seemed to be two ways to become a professional windsurfer, raw talent or shedloads of money to become talented. I guess I did have that element of raw talent, but lacked the financial backing to channel it!!

That was when I realised that if I were to have any chance of realising my dreams, I would have to find a career that could balance both my financial needs and also my windsurfing needs. At university I studied Maritime Law for three years, coming out with a high honours degree. Law was my passion, but a career in London was not, so I started working in the Action Sports industry with first Gul Wetsuits, then Simmer Style and lastly Animal, who I have worked for in sales for the last 21 years!! My job is pretty hectic, but what it does give me is flexibility. I am able to set my own hours, so if it is windy I can hopefully manage to snag a few hours at the beach at the best tide times and peak swell and wind. A lot of people call it the “Timo effect”, where I miraculously turn up at the beach just as it gets good, that isn’t luck, that is a lot of careful time management and research. Like anyone who runs there own business, time is money, so the last thing I need to be doing is hanging around a beach when the conditions are not firing!

Animal is an extremely successful company and that success has its rewards, which is to live in a beautiful part of the UK and be able to afford to travel freely abroad and also hunt out the hidden windsurfing gems in the UK and Ireland. Animal is based in Poole, so that is why I base myself from there. We have epic reefs within 25 minutes from my house and some fun beach breaks like Branksome Chine just 5 minutes away! I think having a fun break close by to where you live, even if it isn’t Ho’okipa, is the key to keeping sane as a working / Pro windsurfer, it keeps you tuned up and extra motivated for the really good days! This was a classic Branksome Chine day, cranking SW wind means super fun cross shore sailing. Best tide is high on the drop or low on the push can work too.

A few years ago I took over the running of the South West of the UK for Animal, so I spend a lot of my time now in Cornwall. We have a house overlooking Gwithian main break, so that makes the work / windsurf balance a lot easier; however windsurfing in the winter on your own from 0700-0900 in the morning before work is a motivational workout on its own!! My wife and family and sponsors are all fully behind what I do, they know windsurfing makes me happy, and a happy dad/husband makes for a more fun and generous Timo. The nice exotic windsurfing locations a couple of times a year is the icing on the cake for them I’m sure!! I think Anti -Social media like Facebook etc. makes out that everyone around you is having this amazing life, the stuff people never talk about is the rubbish bits of life. I’m also guilty of this, people only ever see the Timo ‘good life’, they don’t see the copious amounts of skunkings I have when I missed the wind by 15 minutes or had to pick the kids up from school. Normal life happens to us all at some point, I just try my best to make our version of ‘normal’ as much fun as possible.

JAMES COX   
The love of windsurfing is firmly ingrained in me. It has always been a source of excitement, adventure, freedom and new experiences. So much so that my working life has very much been built around windsurfing, favouring flexible work over income security. To this end I set up a website development business over 10 years ago and then started up the Bigsalty Weather service, something else very close to my heart. My wife, being an author, is similarly flexible with her work meaning that we try and spend as much time at the beach as possible. Now with a two year old in tow and another baby in the family, the challenge to windsurf freely has once again increased but with every challenge is a solution and so far I feel like barely any sacrifices have been made. I’m constantly learning, trying new moves and getting the buzz. Dreaming about a new location on the perfect day. Or the same location shared with friends. Long may this continue.

JACK HUNT
I learnt to windsurf on the little lagoons out from the Osbourne View pub in Hill Head. I remember the first time I planed on my passed down Bic Astro Rock and I was hooked from pretty much that point on. Throughout my life I’ve always tried to keep my vocation fluid enough to allow time off to go sailing. Being a self-employed Aircraft Technician has let me do that.  I’ve managed some periods of high intensity work followed by weeks or months off to go sailing somewhere, just for the shear hell of it. I did my apprenticeship and worked on and off for over a decade on the south coast fixing the Royal Navy and the Army’s Lynx helicopters. It wasn’t unusual for me to disappear for lengthy lunch breaks returning with inconspicuously wet hair whenever the Wittering’s was firing. My type of work is dying down in the south of England for the moment. Over the years I’ve been spending an increasing amount of time in New Zealand. Mostly getting washed up on their reefs and testing boards with my sponsor James at Carbon Art. I’m now in the process of moving there with my girlfriend. So who knows what the future will bring. I know one thing for certain, there is definitely going to be more swimming and snapped masts! ”

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tonikatalan@gmail.com releases a video of flat water freestyle in the south of France from pros and punters – expect everything from body drags to the latest moves – the best thing about windsurfing is that we can all share the same water and the same mount of fun no matter our level !

The post FREESTYLE DAY IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Prolific windsurfing video blogger James Mazzanti takes us onboard for another session in his home waters of SF bay and showing how good the windsurfing is and looking good on his Fanatic!

The post WINDSURF WHEN THE WORLD DOESN”T WANT YOU TO RUN appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

There are few greater strengths in life than the powers of a mother. Challenging and rewarding, one of the ‘greatest jobs on earth’ is a balancing act for any woman. We gathered four famous windsurfing mothers to reflect on their pregnancies, adapting to the physiological and lifestyle changes of making a new human and how windsurfing fits into motherhood.

Words  Dr. Katie McAnena, Nayra Alonso, Dr. Eva Oude Ophuis and Anne-Marie Reichman.  // 

Photos  John Carter, Finn Mullen, Tam Mullen, Eric Rutjes, Jan Peter Popta, Mikael Linder/In To Fire & Water, Ruben Grimon.

Originally published within the May ’17 edition

UNCHARTED WATERS by Katie McAnena
I remember sitting on the hill at Ho’okipa Beach Park on Maui with my friend Sam Bittner a few years back. I’m not sure why, but something dawned on me, something rather profound, I said “Sam, think about it, when we get pregnant some day we won’t be able to windsurf for 9 whole months!”, to which she replied, “Flip, never mind the no windsurfing part, we can’t drink beer for 9 months either!”. Shock horror!  Then, years later, as nature has her ways, I was met with my newest chapter of uncharted waters – there was a baby on the way and I had 9 whole months to figure my life out, prepare for the total unknown, and grow a brand new, unique human being. Easy!

INFORMATION
In panic mode as to how to still obtain my precious water time I did what any sensible pregnant woman does to find instant advice and answers from the most trustworthy of sources….. Dr. Google.  I typed in “pregnancy surfing” and was met with a juxtaposition of advice from conflicting (and most likely non-reliable) sources.  I suppose it’s only fair at this stage to point out that I am in fact a medical doctor myself, which technically should make me all-knowing and well versed on all things Obstetrically related, obviously. But alas when the shoe is on the other foot there are no amount of degrees or qualifications that will make you come up with sound, impartial advice. You’re just another woman, pregnant for the first time, lost in a sea of Wikipedia and ‘What to expect’ websites. So I decided to troll through the information and cherry pick the bits I liked, the bits that made sense and the bits which came from the most reliable sources I could find.

YOUR LIMITS
From everything I gathered I came to some reasonable conclusions; first and foremost, the key rule to go by in pregnancy is this; do what it is you have been doing before, within reason. I’ll elaborate, if you used to walk at a decent pace for a decent distance every day before you became pregnant then don’t stop. If you used to run before you became pregnant, then don’t stop. If you used to windsurf, surf or SUP before you became pregnant, then don’t stop.
Pregnancy is a new physiological state. With it comes massive hormonal and physical changes which need to be respected and appreciated. However, pregnancy is not an illness. You are not infirm. You do not need to go into confinement. It is a natural chrysalis that has been in existence for as long as we have.

CHANGES
When you become pregnant your body changes in substantial ways, which have a definite bearing on performance and physicality. For example your cardiac output increases by 30-50%, your heart rate increases by 15% and your vascular resistance decreases by 20%, which lowers your blood pressure significantly. You can’t take these changes lightly and along with the hormonal nuances which increase your soft tissue laxity, it is imperative that you function within your limits.

DON’T PUSH
This is the next most vital point that I picked up along the way. Function within your limits and don’t try any new sport or activity for the first time. This is of paramount importance! Pregnancy is not the time to push yourself. Do not do it. One of the best pieces of advice I came across online was from a professional triathlete. She said one day in her first trimester she was so exhausted with that bone-deep fatigue that only an expectant mother knows that she couldn’t get out of bed. She was due to train that afternoon and she had this inner turmoil, do I push through the tiredness and train or do I succumb to it. And the answer is always, SUCCUMB to it!! It seems counter intuitive to an athlete to not force themselves to train to levels of exhaustion and beyond. Coaches, when you’re not pregnant, will tell you to break through the pain and the tiredness, to train on, and that becomes ingrained into your sub consciousness. But absolutely do NOT apply that mentality to exercise when you’re pregnant. You are tired for a reason, you are building a human. Give yourself a break and accept that the energy you would have expended in your training session is now being applied to forming the architecture of a human being. That is in itself a pretty
hard-core workout!

IT’S COMPLICATED
It obviously goes without saying that for many woman pregnancies are complicated. I myself had hyperemesis gravidarum (basically non-stop puking for 7 weeks) at the beginning and had to be hospitalised. Other woman experience bleeding, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. and these conditions need to be taken seriously and of course in those circumstances you need to strictly tailor your activities based on what your medical professional advises. Again these are certainly not circumstances to be pushing yourself or trying something new for the first time. But for the most part, what I have learned is to listen to your body, take every day as it comes, enjoy the changes and challenges and try to normalise the situation as best you can. You are still you at the end of the day!

WATER TIME
So what did I do about my precious water time? Well I ruled out high wind windsurfing from the very beginning. That was a personal choice. Having a tight “harness” around my waist and putting myself in a position where I was moving at up to 30 km/hr. with the propensity to fall hard and crash onto my equipment was a risk I didn’t want to take. Albeit a very personal one and I’m sure many woman have windsurfed pregnant before. Surfing a regular short board and longboard in the prone position was something I felt comfortable to do up until about 14 weeks. When prone surfing became too uncomfortable, I could rely on my favourite watercraft – my trusty SUPs. Again, because it was an exercise my body was well honed and tuned to performing it never felt like I was putting any strain on my physique. Gliding on the water and getting in for a swim is what kept me sane for 9 months. Catching small waves and that feeling of weightlessness must be akin to what my little baby felt as she cruised the amniotic seas of my womb. It just felt so natural. I made a point to never get overheated or too cold, both of which put undue strain on the foetus and also to never get my heart rate up to the point where I was overly breathless. All very salient points of advice I picked up from medical professionals along the way. I continued to grow and by the time my little lady was one week overdue I was thankfully still able to take to the water and cruise along on a serene stretch of Donegal water thanks to the extra girth of my husband’s wetsuit and his awesome 9’8” Starboard SUP (my wetsuit had long been tossed into the “way too small pile” along with my neat 7’4” Starboard pro SUP!).

MUM TIME
I am now facing the next stage of this life challenge, being a Mum! My idealistic plan to get back on the water within hours of delivery was side-lined to a few slow weeks of recovery from an emergency caesarean section but I applied my mantra of listening to my body and let the healing take its course. I may have windsurfed and surfed in some of the world’s most demanding environments but already I know that being a Mum is going to be the most testing yet rewarding wave of my life.

“ Pregnancy is not an illness. You are not infirm. You do not need to go into confinement. ”

HAPPY TIMES by Nayra Alonso
I loved my years of windsurfing as a pro. I am very thankful and very proud of all I did. But one day I just felt I was done with it. I didn’t feel motivated anymore and to be honest, I needed a change. To me, becoming a mum has been the best decision I ever made. But this is a very personal opinion, and I know some women who feel they have been done with the deal.
Don’t think motherhood is going to fill you up with joy 24/7, it is tough and sometimes you just want to quit. But to me, it is well worth it and even if it sounds like a cliché, I have never felt this happy and this kind of love ever in my life.

GO WITH IT
In my first pregnancy I windsurfed until I was about 12-13 weeks and in the second one I think until I was about 14-16 weeks, I can’t remember very well. But my main rule was just to go with my feelings. If I felt safe and felt like I really wanted to sail or surf, I would do it, and when I suddenly changed my mind and felt I should step off the boards, I stopped. And it felt great. To be honest I think that having a break from sailing and surfing did me good, it cleared my perspective of it, and I knew windsurfing and surfing would always be there later for me.

RETURNING
I also thought I would be back on the water in no time after giving birth, I thought I would be eager to go sailing and surfing. I was actually counting the weeks I would need to recover to be ready to hit the water. But, when it came to it, first I didn’t feel like I was ready until at least 4 months after, and second, I didn’t really want to either, I was just too in love with my babies to leave them for a second! It sounds weird, but it is how I felt. And I think it was Mother Nature just telling me what to do, what was right for ME. Surfing and sailing would be there when I was ready.  And again, my main rule was: do what you feel like and follow your instinct; it is the best way to do the right thing
for YOU.  When I finally got on the water, it just felt right. I needed a bit of fitness but to be honest it felt like I had been sailing the day before. And it felt magical. Each woman is different, each pregnancy is different, each birth is different and each baby is different. So take it as it comes and do what you feel at anytime is what I would recommend.

MOTHERHOOD
Motherhood has given me an amazing state of mind towards windsurfing. Before I would be so hungry for sailing all day long that I would get really frustrated the days I could not go. Now, windsurfing is a plus in life. I am a lot calmer for it and therefore I do enjoy it a lot more. I don’t get so frustrated by the days I cannot go if I have nobody to look after the kids. It annoys me a bit for sure! But not in the way it used to make me angry.
And I love the windsurfing life we have now and the windsurfing family we have become. When we go to the beach as a family and we take turns to go on the water, it makes me happy about the life choices we have made.

FAMILY TIME
Here are a few tips for family windsurfing; I would say first of all definitely get a van. Rule number one is to make the kids happy and comfortable. If they are happy and entertained your life will be a million times easier. I don’t mean to spoil them with all they want, what I mean is that make sure they have space to play, toys, food, drinks, etc.…in case it is too windy to go outside and play. If they are grumpy you will have a shit day even if the sailing is sick. Plan your day well in advance, so you can go in no hurry. With kids, you can’t do anything in a hurry, that is a recipe for disaster.

FAMILY SPOTS.
We have taken the kids to go sailing to South Africa, Maui, Fuerteventura and Tenerife. South Africa is pretty good, but in my experience and opinion, most of the times it is too windy at the beach for little kids / babies and the sun is way too strong too. Maui is pretty good, and apart from the long flights I think it would be my first choice to travel somewhere apart from the Canaries. Because actually I think the Canary Islands are a superb place for family windsurfing holidays. It is a really family orientated place and you can always find sheltered beaches within a few minutes drive to take the kids to after your sailing sessions.

“ Becoming a mum has been the best decision I ever made. I have never felt this happy and this kind of love ever in my life. ”

DOCTOR’S ORDERS by Eva Oude Ophuis
Two years ago I was in Bonaire working as a doctor in the local hospital. Of course I was working in Bonaire to windsurf outside of my job as much as possible. Although Bonaire has no waves it was perfect because it’s a small island and everything is close by, so with the small amount of free time I had, I could still spend some time on its beautiful waters. A perfect combination of work and play, planned for at least half of the year. Then, after two months, I went for a short visit back home to Holland, to quickly apply for an internship as a G.P. (General Practitioner). Once I was back working in Bonaire, I didn’t feel so well. Actually I had the typical pregnancy signs – growing boobs, nauseous. A colleague took a pregnancy test for me, even with those signs I didn’t expect to see a positive test. It was still a big surprise, but more than welcome after the shock had settled down!

SPIN OUT
A lot of uncertainty and questions went through my mind…. can my boyfriend and I take care of a baby? Will I be a good mum? Will I continue to work in Bonaire? My head was spinning around like crazy. The next day I went to hospital to double check with a gynaecologist if I was really pregnant. Well there was no doubt, five weeks pregnant. I went to the water and had my best freestyle session so far. Such a weird feeling that I was sliding and turning on  the water with a little living thing inside my belly. But I also had questions like, will it be bad if I crash? What if I crash on my boom? Are there certain moves I shouldn’t do? Like Katie I checked Mr Google to see if I could get any answers and there was nothing really. But at this point there were also other important health issues going on through my mind because Bonaire was one of the Zika areas, but with only 1-2 cases so far. Nobody could advise me what to do, even the gynaecologist did not know how bad it was and if it would really cause microcephaly for the baby (small head including brain deformities). My uncle, who is a gynaecologist back in Holland, told me in no uncertain terms, “If you want to have a healthy baby, come back as soon as possible, you’ll never forgive yourself if something happens.” This was my best decision ever, because many people in Bonaire have Zika at present. I took the first flight back home. Now my life was not any more about travelling, windsurfing and working. There was a little human growing inside me who I had to take care of. So tiny, but it already changed my life so much!

SICK
The first 12 weeks I felt sick, I couldn’t do and eat anything because I was throwing up all the time (I had hyperemesis gravidarum like Katie) and I was weak. I could not even think about windsurfing because even walking without stopping multiple times to puke was impossible, let alone a good night of sleep. A terrible time! After eleven weeks it was getting a bit better and I started to think of windsurfing again and I went back to Google and asked my midwife, but there was no clear answers about windsurfing and pregnancy.

WINDSURF TIME
Around twelve weeks pregnant we went on a short holiday (5 days) to France. I did prefer wave sailing but unfortunately there was no wind and waves in Europe around this time. I remember thinking, ‘Oh maybe it’s better anyway, I will possibly just cruise back and forth…..’ I still felt a bit weak and had nauseous moments, but yeahhh windsurfing was possible! Half hour sessions were the maximum though. After a windsurf session or long walk I had back / pelvic pain and walked like a grandma, but it was all worth it. Cruising back and forth was not my thing though; I am way too playful on the water!  I went for spocks and shakas. It was a special feeling to jump with a baby inside me, double trouble fun. It made me enjoy my sessions even more! The move I did not feel comfortable with though was the forward on flat water. I did one, but I got such a slap on the landing that it was also the last one I would try pregnant. I thought it would not be so nice for my little baby, she would probably not enjoy it.

BABY WAVES
Back home in the Netherlands it was windy! Finally wave conditions again! I remember being so happy but at the same time wondering how I would go in the waves. I thought at least I could do some wave riding. I was fourteen weeks pregnant and had a nice little bump already. I was growing quickly, no doubt about that. At my favourite spot, Wijk aan Zee, I was happy to see all my friends as well and show my little bump. The first perfect ramp I saw I went for a back loop or should I say tandem back loop? I land my back loops pretty consistently, but this day I was on fire, 100% success. Back loops felt safe for me, but push loops didn’t because I was scared to crash on the boom. A friend told my boyfriend, ‘If it was my girlfriend I would not let her windsurf anymore.’ My boyfriend told him she probably knows best herself, I agree! Back on the beach, many people had an opinion about me windsurfing. Positive ones like, ‘Cool, you are still windsurfing’, but also ‘Maybe it’s time to stop windsurfing’ or ‘I think it’s irresponsible to back loop when you are pregnant’. I talked and thought about it a lot. Of course I know I am responsible for a new human being, but I had the feeling I felt I knew what was right for me. Doing back loops for me felt safe. If this would have been a new move for me and if I still would make bad crashes, of course I wouldn’t do it.

LAST SESSION
At fifteen weeks pregnant I went windsurfing for my last session. My harness was giving me too much pressure on my abdomen and it took three days to recover after a session with back pain, pain in the abdomen and just general tiredness in my whole body. I knew it would be my last time windsurfing while pregnant and it was. I thought about going to windsurf on a lake, just cruising, but I knew myself I would get the temptation to jump around. I felt it was getting dangerous for the foetus with the weak body I had and it felt good to stop for me. SUP in the waves, I could still do to around 27 weeks and again I got so many nice, but also negative comments in the water. I didn’t care, they were some of my best sup sessions ever and an experience I will never forget.

ADVICE
So if someone asked me for advice on how many weeks into your pregnancy you can windsurf, I couldn’t really give a clear answer, except for experience it yourself. Just try and see how it goes. Maybe you will be one of the lucky mothers and feel great during pregnancy and will be windsurfing even after twenty weeks. Or it does not feel good at all in the first place and then just don’t go. People around you will all have an opinion about it, but don’t let them ruin your session or guide you on what to do. You are the only one who can feel what it’s like. And in the end, even if you don’t windsurf at all, it’s all worth it! Being a mum is the best feeling of my life!

“ It was a special feeling to jump with a baby inside me. ”

GOOD ENERGY by Anne-Marie Reichman
At every stage of motherhood, I firmly believe it is important to keep doing the things that make you be you and keep you a happy mama and partner. My ocean sports are ‘those things’ for me; windsurfing being my favourite, even though I don’t get to go too often these days. Thankfully I also have a few “land outlets” I love. However, the ocean seems to win when I choose freely. The ocean and the water is a big part of who I am, having windsurfed since I was 11 years old and a full time professional for over 11 years. During pregnancy and being a mum the ocean is my ‘rock’ in a time of changes in body and mind. You give so much being a mama of a newborn and it is so healing and refreshing to get energy back. The ocean energizes me. It is easier for me to be happy, stoked, strong, sane and confident with a water fix. I am super happy that our baby Jayden experienced all this ‘goodness’ in my tummy already. Babies ‘get’ things already, way before their birth. This fluid bundle of positivity could not have gone unnoticed to him. Now approaching the beach and hearing the waves, he is always happy or falls asleep listening to the waves.

BE HONEST
I stopped windsurfing after I found out I was pregnant. It was during the Aloha Classic in 2015 at Ho’okipa Maui, that Jayden was conceived. I finished in 8th place in the PWA event that year. The Aloha Classic is my favourite event on tour and I’ve been part of it since 1998. To conceive then and there, in my favourite place, Maui, was super special! In windsurfing my attitude is ‘all or nothing’. And thus, I let it be. I just could not ‘see’ me doing it in my mind or see me enjoying myself, having to be careful. I did enjoy doing some Wind-SUP being 5 months pregnant during the Starboard photo shoot. I just loved feeling the wind energy take you on the water and remember that ‘first stoke’ when I learned how to windsurf. Surfing and Stand Up Paddling was easier to keep doing where I live in California. Surfing was enjoyable up until 7 months for me. My Husband Eric and I even made “The Pregg”, a 8’0” maternity surfboard with belly concave! SUP in waves on flat water was the bomb and my ‘saving grace’. Up until a week before giving birth, I caught a few sanity waves and cruised my SUP race board on flat water. It was only possible with my hubbie’s help though to carry my board up the beach.

DIFFERENT RHYTHM
My pre-pregnancy attitude was to go for it, not caring about crashing or completing a move. During my pregnancy I chose safety by listening to my intuition. My goal shifted from wanting to improve my skills to just enjoyment of the ocean. Rather, gracefully letting things happen, enjoying my skills and knowledge instead of making it happen; admiring sea life and sharing it all with my baby. At this stage of being a mum (Jayden is now almost 8 months) sessions don’t come as often or spontaneous as when they used to. And I know that will come back later. When I get to go I try not to put too much pressure on ‘how I do’ because without expectations I can enjoy it more and the ‘flow’ seems to be better then anyways.

COMMON SENSE
The (sup and surf) sessions I had were less and shorter than usual. I would listen very well to my body, energy levels, state of mind and ‘gut’ feeling. I have pulled out of SUP events and cancelled sessions when conditions would seem too much to take on. Catching waves was either ‘Yay’ or ‘Nay’. “She who hesitates is lost” is a saying I train, compete and enjoy my water time with. Injuries happen more often when you hesitate. Go with the flow is the only way.

OPINIONS
Opinions are like assholes, everyone has got one! People were very opinionated towards this ‘expecting mermaid!’ I received a lot of their fear and disapproval. In response I asked them to give me faith and trust. Sure, the fearful advice came from a kind heart wanting the best for me. Still, it was super annoying at times. You can trust that you know deep down inside what is good for you.

BABY = CREATIVITY
Baby Jayden motivates me and makes me more creative than before I was a mum. When I have a few minutes now, I take advantage of switching my brain from mommy to Anne-Marie mode. When the ocean isn’t an option, I choose from jogging, swimming, writing, event organizing, cycling, walking the stroller, napping, doing some yoga, breath exercises or doing art or teaching a SUP lesson. Nothing hardcore; they are mainly sanity sessions. One amazing land outlet is golf! I shot my best 9 ever after whilst recovering from a caesarean! Being a mum is more restrictive in when I can do what I want. I am on a journey to just accept that’s how it goes instead of wanting it too much.
It is more fun that way for Jayden, Eric and I. Last time I was on Maui, Jayden was 5 months old. We barely slept; my body was exhausted breastfeeding and guiding Jayden through all the new climates and time zones. Figuring out what he could handle and what was too much. There was no energy left over to ‘hold a boom’ that trip. I barely caught a wave on a surf or SUP board. And it was ok! I could sit in my wetsuit with my son and Eric in a tide pool at Ho’okipa and it was the coolest thing ever!

BRIGHT FUTURE
Next week we’re headed to Maui again and now I NEED to windsurf for my job. Now we’re talking! The Starboard 2018 product photo shoot is happening and I am on the dream team. Can’t wait to reconnect with the team, introduce Jayden to them and do some ‘pole boarding’. Amanda Beenen and I are also now teammates for Hot Sails Maui. We really want to celebrate that having a session together and pondering collaborative windsurfing articles.
Jayden is a little older. He is taking the bottle now and we are starting to sleep a bit better. I am jogging a few times a week and log 19 lbs. around every day. I would say I am ready to windsurf my heart out. I also can’t wait to put a windsurf sail on a board and float around with Jayden whenever that day will be. He has been on the board with me since he was 3 weeks old. We will be on the water, floating with the wind in nature, our favourite place to be.
I am also lucky and grateful with my hubby Eric Totah who has a hard time staying away from the ocean just like myself. He surfed professionally and he knows what windsurfing and ‘getting my dome soaked’ means to me!

“  My goal shifted from wanting to improve my skills to just enjoyment of the ocean. ”

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Aerial drone video of windsurfing action at Ho’okipa Maui, Hawaii on 9/8/17.

Aerial Video Maui captures some epic windsurfing action with a drone at Ho’okipa Maui, Hawaii. Professional windsurfers include Robby Swift, Levi Siver, Keith Teboul and Jake Schettewi. Aerial Video Maui uses a DJI Phantom 4Pro drone shooting in 4k!

Via Aerial Video Maui

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