Start Right!
Club Vass believe anyone can windsurf and everybody should, but it’s best to give yourself the best possible chance – they tell us more..
The Right Place
If you were custom designing the ideal spot to learn to windsurf, you’d probably end up with somewhere like Vassiliki. A horseshoe bay with flat, warm water with a gentle onshore breeze throughout the summer provides the perfect setting. It’s very safe which helps build confidence and Club Vass provide a very comprehensive rescue service just in case.
Don’t Blame Your Tools
Just make sure you’re using the right ones! Often people’s idea of windsurfing is based on perceptions from the 80’s or 90’s, when equipment was heavy, unstable and hard to learn on. Progress has been kind; kit is now extremely light so the rig is easier to handle and boards are now far more stable. It means you’ll very quickly master the basics and start to get what all the fuss is about. Club Vass continually invest in a huge choice of the best kit (including specialised kids’ kit), virtually all brand new every year to give you the best possible start.
Top Tuition Team
Many who’ve been to Club Vass will vouch that their instructors are amongst the best in the world. All are highly (RYA) qualified and have a wealth of experience that ensures you learn as efficiently and enjoyably as possible. Because of its reputation within the sport and long- standing association with instructor trainers Flying Fish (based at the club) Club Vass picks only the best for its team. They often stay for many seasons, which says a lot about the welcoming and addictive atmosphere of the place. Throughout the summer the team get together on a regular basis to share knowledge, which improves how they teach and how you learn.
Group Therapy
Safety in numbers can be a great help when you’re starting something new. With group lessons there’s a sense of all being in the same boat, which helps everyone feel motivated and supported. Positive peer pressure can also encourage you to spend more time on the water, which is essential to making progress. You can join in as little or as much as you like, above all it’s your holiday. But most find group tuition to be a great way to meet like-minded people and have a lot of fun. It’s often the most cost effective form of tuition; at Club Vass it’s included in the UK Pack holiday price as well as unlimited kit rental to enable you to practise at your leisure.
For those who prefer, private one-to-one coaching is also available as well as specialist ladies’ clinics (Diva Weeks). And Club Vass are leading the way for the kids, with Kids’ Clubs as an introduction and ProKids for those who really take to it.
Start Right Special
Make the most of this great deal for June: £100 off the UK Pack price per person on all 1-week June departures (&th June not available ! It’s the perfect time to visit Vassiliki and the ideal time to start windsurfing…
Prasonisi in Rhodes is noted for its unspoilt beauty, great winds and both flat water and onshore wave conditions. Nicolas Jones and Jem Hall give us the lowdown on this special Greek spot.
WordsNicolas Jones & Jem Hall // PhotosNicolas Jones
When you think of Rhodes, images of ancient Greece may well be conjured up – the Colossus statue astride the harbour of Rhodes or perhaps the madness and mayhem of Faliraki. Or maybe it’s a more tranquil scene, a white washed villa fringed by Mediterranean pine overlooking the beautiful azure waters of the Aegean perhaps. But Rhodes is also home to some perfect windsurfing conditions. What is a perfect windsurfing spot though? After all, perfection means different things to different people. Some may wish for warm water; some for flat water, others for waves; some for medium and stable winds, others for strong winds; some for peace and tranquillity, others for great food and convivial company; some prefer their own board while others wish for a range of kit to try out. Well, Prasonisi ticks all of these perfection boxes. And that’s before we even talk about wind stats. But we are getting ahead of ourselves – where are we? Prasonisi is a tiny settlement, not even a village, on the southern tip of Rhodes, as far from the madding crowds as you can get on this island.
LOCATION LOCATION Flying in to Rhodes airport you look down at an ancient and famous town that is surrounded by a hinterland of villas and pools that stretch along the coast interspersed with large hotel complexes. Prasonisi is located at the southern tip of the island, in every way the complete opposite to the north end of the island. From the airport it’s an hour and twenty minutes drive and once you escape the purpose built resorts that litter the northern half of the island the road leaves the coast and passes through typically Mediterranean countryside of olive trees and small fields bordered by stone walls. The odd white-washed farmhouse dots the scene. The occasional luxury hotel development on the coast can be seen off in the distance, but otherwise it is just a scene of pastoral tranquillity, a scene that has barely changed since time immemorial. Finally a sign indicates a left turn onto the small road to Prasonisi. It winds up over a hill, and then the road sweeps down and to the right and there below you is Prasonisi – a wide stretch of sandy beach that narrows before meeting the island upon which stands a lonely lighthouse – the sentry at this southernmost tip of the island. The wind blows from the right, so to the right of the beach is the wave beach that works best when the strong wind has been blowing a couple of days to really build the swell. To the left is the flat water beach – the cross-offshore direction means that even in strong winds the water is flat. Set back from the beach is a small cluster of buildings that comprise the two tavernas and their associated rooms. That’s all there is to Prasonisi – beach, wind and bed, it’s that simple.
“That’s all there is to Prasonisi – beach, wind and bed, it’s that simple.”
HISTORY
Prasonisi was discovered to be a great windsurfing spot by a group of Slovenians in the early 90s. There was nothing there, just the beach and the wind. They came to enjoy the wave sailing and camped on the beach; legend has it that they enjoyed letting it all hang out when sailing! It must have been quite a shock to the local goat herders and fishermen, who were the only other visitors to Prasonisi at that time. Word soon spread and the Polish began bringing groups each week with all the kit in a van. Christof Kirschner was the first to open a rental centre on the beach in 1999.
There was a kantina (snack bar) on the beach, which grew in size year after year and eventually the first taverna was built, that was quickly followed by the Lighthouse taverna that is still there to this day. Prasonisi now consists of two tavernas, with some attached rooms and two small supermarkets, and that is pretty much it. All the land around is owned by the military and so effectively Prasonisi cannot expand any further out and local planning means that development is limited to two storeys, so Prasonisi has hardly changed in the past 15 years. What this also means is that there are a limited number of beds in Prasonisi and so this also keeps a lid on the numbers of people on the water – meaning plenty of space for you to enjoy.
WIND The arrangement of the hills on one side and the island on the other side creates a natural wind tunnel, a Venturi effect, so the wind is accelerated as it passes from the wave beach, across the sand and then out into the bay, that is the flat water side. This Venturi effect can boost the wind by 1 force i.e. a force 4 wind becomes a force 5. The cross-off shore wind direction combined with flat water makes this the perfect spot to improve and boost your windsurfing skills.
This Venturi effect contributes to wind stats that are second to none. From June to September 75% of days are over force 4, that’s 16 knots plus. Typically it is windy in the morning, or builds through the morning until a slight hiatus at 2 p.m. Perfect timing to allow you to take a break to enjoy a delicious Mediterranean lunch at the Lighthouse taverna or perhaps a light salad or gyros ( a Greek pita type dish) at the kantina that is situated on the beach next to the ProCenter. Then in the afternoon it kicks in again. And often there is the bonus ‘golden hour’ sessions at the end of the day. From 5 p.m. onwards the angle of the sun makes for some gorgeous light and with fewer people on the water you have the place to yourself – it really is a sweet session in Prasonisi. And this typical wind profile is the reason that Jem Hall, amongst other coaches, loves Prasonisi. He’ll tell you later about it in his own words, but basically he can intersperse a few light wind sessions (practising tacks, gybes, or some light wind freestyle with a more forgiving setup of larger volume board and small sail) with the windy sessions.
PROCENTER And the ProCenter Prasonisi can support you in whatever your windsurfing ambitions may be. There is a huge range of JP boards and Neil Pryde sails available for every taste – so you can channel your inner Amado Vrieswijk on a JP Freestyle board or set some speed records to challenge Antoine Albeau on the slalom Super Sport range. And for those that love blasting around and flying into a carve gybe then the Magic Ride freemove board is the one for you. All available in a range of volumes to suit. To match this extensive range of boards are every sail in the Neil Pryde range, from the Fly to the Speedster. And should the wind drop, well perhaps it’s time to give foiling a go on a Neil Pryde Foil Pro. Check out www.prasonisi.com to see the full range.
NO STRESS But put all of that to one side for a moment. The quality of Prasonisi life that is most prized by those that visit is the opportunity to unwind and de-stress. Life is so simple here, there are no distractions, no noisy crowds. One’s life is reduced to one point of focus – the wind. At breakfast you look out across the empty beach to the water and watch the flags fluttering on the Baywatch style lifeguard towers, giving promise of the joys to come. Then stroll to the centre where you choose your weapons of choice before heading out into the wide bay to enjoy all that nature offers here – beautiful warm azure waters and plentiful wind. Lunch is a choice between the kantina on the beach for a quick snack and drink with fellow windsurfers or return to the Lighthouse taverna and choose between fresh salads, fresh grilled fish, octopus or a mezze to share with friends. Mezze is like Spanish tapas, where you combine plates (typically to share) to make your meal – for example humus and pitta bread; gigantes (butter beans in sauce); a Greek salad; tzatziki (cucumber and yoghurt dip) and melintzanosalata (smoked aubergine dip). You also have the classic Greek dishes of chicken gyros, moussaka and kleftiko. The Lighthouse is family run, with three generations involved, who are all super friendly and welcoming. Certainly I feel like I am coming home each year that I return and so do many others.
So in the afternoon once again return to ride the winds until it’s time to share a well earned cold drink with friends at the Kantina, feeling the buzz of a great day on the water, perhaps relishing a new move conquered or just enjoying the warm glow of friends’ accomplishments. What joy it is to sit there looking out across the flat empty bay as the sun sits low in the sky, enjoying the warm air blowing across you, bringing back to mind the memory of riding that wind to your own personal windsurfing glory. A million miles from the stresses and strains of busy and hectic lives back home. This alone is worth the visit to Prasonisi.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Prasonisi is situated at the southernmost tip of the island of Rhodes, the part of the island least affected by the effects of mass tourism. Whilst the beach may attract day trippers, in the evenings you have the place to yourself to enjoy the tranquillity. Prasonisi is not a ‘touristy’ spot.
But should you wish a change of vibe then in the vicinity there are plenty of charming Greek villages with traditional tavernas serving delicious Greek food. The setting is typically picture postcard – in the square of the village, or next to the church or chapel, perhaps under a large spreading tree or under vines trained across a pergola. And 45 minutes drive away is the beautiful white washed village of Lindos, the ancient capital of Rhodes. It boasts a stunning acropolis perched atop a cliff top, overlooking the cove opposite Lindos. Enjoy dinner under the stars in a rooftop restaurant and cocktails in one of the many bars.
THE PERFECT TONIC Rhodes is a beautiful Greek island set in the Aegean Sea with a huge amount to offer all visitors. And for the keen windsurfer, Prasonisi is an absolute diamond of a spot, boasting great wind and a fantastic range of new kit to play with at the Procenter Christof Kirschner. In contrast to the daytime thrill of great sailing, the evenings offer peace and tranquillity. All in all a windsurfing visit to Prasonisi is the perfect tonic for those seeking fun in the sun and escape from busy lives.
JEM HALL ON PRASONISI “Reliable Rhodes” is the name I have penned for this island and this now comes with the addendum, “Perfect Prasonisi.” Over 17 years of clinics it has delivered around 4-5 days per week of planing winds, with some weeks 7 out of 7. The wind system there and geography of the land gives you good wind and two water states – onshore waves and flat water. I love this place so much, from the fab food to the friendly people and fantastic coaching conditions. It holds a special place in my heart as I have ‘built’ so many of my clients there! You will be well looked after by the Lighthouse Taverna sisters and Gildi, and also at the ProCenter by Martin, Petra and her team. This piece already well covers how the place has evolved and just some of its magic, and so I will just give you a few tips on how to get the best out of the place in and out of the water.
CONDITIONS My favourite sessions are when my rippers join me on the flat water downwind from the main crowd as we race each other, do chop hops, try forwards and fly into full power gybes. Less often but still such fun are the onshore wave beach sessions where we work on wave strategies, backside riding and just trying to send it high in our jumps. Whatever your level you will improve your fundamentals here from early planing to going faster and then flying upwind. It is hands down one of the best places to learn to carve gybe, duck gybe and carving 360. This is due to the fact that the cross off wind gives you a perfect fast line in flat water to lighten the sail and fly into your carves.
“A windsurfing visit to Prasonisi is the perfect tonic for those seeking fun in the sun and escape from busy lives.”
A tip is to sail a bit further out and downwind to get cleaner water and wind. Also it is easier to keep upwind if you really look to point higher on starboard tack, i.e. heading out to sea, you can then free off on the way in. All this wind and flat water also really helps improve tacks too, and this is a very important move! Do not ‘over-sail’, it will be good wind and often. People can get caught out and miss the fab morning sessions around 9:30 till 11:00 and also the sunset power hours from 17:00 to 19:00. At lunchtime the wind often takes a break so you can too. Tune your sail to get the best out of it and play with the outhaul a lot. You get your own dedicated board here so get the straps in the right place and bring a few change up or down fins. For example, if you are on a Magic Ride 103 then the stock 36 cm is fab for medium wind but the board lights up in stronger winds with a 30 cm or smaller fin in it, or the freewaves are fab on the wave beach but can work better with a smaller centre fin. You also get your own dedicated rental boom so you can place your preferred fixed length lines on this and feel so so comfy. If the wind is light take out a beginner board and a small sail and work on your skills, this is fun and time well spent and the wind is very constant so it can be very rewarding. Take a lycra and hat for the sunny days and on the windier days some neoprene is well advised, a long leg suit if you feel the cold or just like protection, otherwise a shortie or long sleeved neoprene top is what I and a lot of my students use. On my coaching clinics the main skills learnt are the fundamentals previously mentioned, carve gybes and other carving moves, tacks and also some of the aerial stunts. I mainly use 5.8 and 6.5 sails but can be pinned down on a 5.0 too; 5.0 to 6.2 is the most usedsail size but there can be very windy days too.Most booked boards are the 103 / 112 JP Magic Rides and 94/103 FSW boards.
On the wave beach conditions are cross-onshore and the waves bend to give starboard jumping on one corner (near the taverna) and the top corner has some port jumping (near the rocks / island), but the main bias is for starboard jumping. Waves are normally head high and best when windy, needing at least 4 hours to push up the wind swell. Frequency of wave days is around 1-2 days a week on average, more frequent in high season (mid July to mid September ) when the Meltemi winds are strongest and most stable. On the wave beach I suggest using bigger boards than normal to punch out and get more action.
FSW boards work great and the sections on the wave beach for backside hits and some frontside hits are way better than you can imagine.
LIFESTYLE TIPS It is warm so bring cotton shorts, short sleeved shirts and light t-shirts for the evening. When it chills down you may need a hoodie. Learn some Greek, like Kalimera (good morning) as it gets you in the zone and is appreciated.
Eat lunch at the Lighthouse taverna or grab a salad / burger at the kantina truck on the beach next to the centre, this place is also fab for sundowners / après surf beers. You have to order a big range of Greek mezze starters at either lunch or dinner, including calamari, dolmades, big beans (gigantes), Greek salad and saganaki cheese, to name just a few. Try the Octopus as a main too! Take your Euros with you as there are no ATMs in Prasonisi, but the taverna and supermarkets take credit cards. Go for some beach walks / jogs in the early morning to refresh your aching bodies and take in all that is happening.
Take a night out in Lindos and eat at the Olympia restaurant, followed by some drinks in Antika bar, or the Arches nightclub (busy after midnight) and if you want to really charge then go to the Amphitheatre open air nightclub. The best tip ever is go there and enjoy a very unique place. Check jemhall.com for details of my upcoming clinics, but be warned the Prasonisi clinics can sell out up to 2 years in advance.
‘Making that perfect tack is pretty high up on most windsurfers ‘to learn’ list (no matter how many years you have been sailing). Follow Sam’s brilliant tips and see how you get on: With our front hand grab the mast pretty low to create more space When going to the other side move the sail across into the space you leave behind’
OneBubble.Earth – https://onebubble.earth We treat our planet as if it has no limits. If you think this is worthy of pointing out, then please share! If you do not usually share content, then your act is all the more significant.
How do you keep the momentum going, keep active and keep improving your windsurfing over the winter months? RYA Chief Instructor, Amanda Van Santen, offers some advice.
WordsAmanda Van Santen //PhotosPaul Wyeth/RYA
Get the right gear There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. With colder weather you need to ensure you have the right personal equipment. Do your research and use the expertise in windsurfing shops to invest in a good wetsuit, gloves, hood and boots – ensuring they fit well too.
Upskill Winter is the ideal time to get some coaching or try something new as conditions are perfect for short, focussed sessions, so concentrate on a couple of key things you want to work on and achieve. If you’re keen to learn something new, wind foiling provides a great alternative, helping to enhance your core windsurfing technique, as well as widening the wind range you’re able to get out on the water in.
Warmer climes If a UK winter is really not for you, why not take the opportunity to treat yourself to a dedicated windsurfing holiday overseas? Enjoy time afloat in the warm sunshine, improve your skills and benefit from great coaching. And with more than 2,500 RYA recognised training centres all over the world – including winter hotspots Kenya, Bermuda and Mauritius – you’re spoilt for choice.
Winter reading There’s plenty of opportunity to increase knowledge through some winter reading; the RYA Windsurfing handbooks are all packed with top tips and advice for all abilities. With everything from buying kit, to technique and scenario-lead coaching, you’ll be raring to get back out on the water with your newfound knowledge.
Keep active Most importantly, keep yourself active. Staying fit and healthy will help your windsurfing in general and keep your body ready to get back out there – especially if you decide to take a winter break.
Opportunities The RYA’s network of affiliated clubs and training centres offer great opportunities to keep windsurfing throughout the winter months. Queen Mary’s Sailing Club (QMSC), Ashford and The Official Test Centre (OTC), Weymouth and Portland tell us about their winter windsurfing activity.
QMSC QMSC is situated on a large reservoir near London. The friendly and active club and training centre is open all year round, and with winter wetsuits and warm showers available, there’s no excuses! Assistant Manager and Principal, Paul Adams, says “By keeping going through the winter months, your windsurfing will keep improving and you won’t have to refresh when spring comes along. We have coaching available for all levels and our ‘Select Members’ get a winter training programme which includes clinics on specific intermediate and advanced modules and can be tailored to all conditions. If you’re looking to improve and get out in stronger winds, then winter is the best time. If it’s not windy, just try and keep active. Lots of aerobic exercise like running or swimming is good, or get out there with a small rig in light winds and try some freestyle – this will improve both rig and board control.”
OTC It’s a similar story on the southwest coast. Situated within the grounds of the Olympic Sailing venue at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the OTC cater for every ability, from grassroots, to wind foiling, to pro clinics and coaching all year round. Director, Tris Best, says “We’re really lucky to have such fantastic facilities, and try to organise regular events to keep people active and out on the water over the winter period. It’s all about community, it keeps everyone safe but there’s also that added camaraderie and encouragement that comes from having other people to windsurf with. The best advice I can offer is to gear up so you’re ready for the colder weather. Our climate is fairly temperate compared to other parts of the world, but that doesn’t mean the chilblains won’t set in when those cold winds come through. The level of kit available today is seriously impressive and wetsuits are now more flexible and warmer than ever before. Without a doubt, the best part of windsurfing in the winter is the .wind! You can use the same board and rig, but bear in mind with low pressures coming through, the conditions can change very quickly. Get a good forecast, make sure you stay safe by going out with other people and keep an eye on what’s happening throughout the day.”
Sportif Travel have these new clinics for 2020 – 2021 on sale now. Book before 29th February 2020 and get £100 OFF the Peter Hart Brazil windsurf masterclass in January 2021. For some early spring sailing, Simon Winkley has a few last minute places available to Lanzarote from 16-23 March 2020. Or head to the Alacati in Turkey for summer flat water slalom or general skills training with Simon’s second clinic from 30 June to 07 July 2020. For all round combi conditions, Jem Hall has last few places on the Jem Hall clinic to Mauritius, with 2021 clinics almost fully reserved.
Peter Hart Masterclass Windsurf Clinic – Jericoacoara, Brazil
Date: 08-18 January 2021
Newly announced for 2021, join Peter Hart for his Brazil Clinic in Jericoacoara for 9 days for an entry level wave sailing Masterclass plus general skills. “January offers near perfect wave-sailing conditions and the whole place noticeably less crowded and laid-back”, says Peter. More >
EARLY BOOKING OFFER – £100 OFF PER PERSON IF BOOKED BY 29 FEB!
Simon Winkley Windsurf Clinic – Lanzarote, Canary islands
Date: 16-23 March 2020
The Simon Winkley Pro Coaching windsurfing clinic returns to Lanzarote for a spring tune up from 16-23 March. Suitable for adventurous Intermediates to advanced windsurfers, itcovers everything from beach and water starts, tacks, gybes and more advanced skills with choice of flat water, slalom to small waves outside the bay. Based in lively Costa Teguise, you can enjoy sociable group dinners with non-clinic friends and partners welcome. LAST FEW PLACES ! More >
Simon Winkley Windsurf Clinic – Alacati, Turkey Date: 30 June – 07 July 2020
The clinic group in 2019 had awesome wind conditions and Simon returns to this former PWA venue from 30 June to 07 July 2020. One of the very best flat water, freeride spots, Alacati bay offers a huge sailing area, ideal for Improvers to Intermediates looking to develop their technique over a week. In between sessions on the water, you can relax at the centre’s sociable bar-restaurant or chill out area . The group head out in the evenings for group meals and enjoy the atmosphere of old Alacati town, with its cobbled streets and market stalls. Non clinic or partners and friends are welcome to join the trip. LIMITED SPACES! More >
Jem Hall Performance Boost Windsurf Clinic – Le Morne, Mauritius
Date: 19 – 31 August 2020
Join Jem for a 7 or 10 day trip, windsurfing in the outstanding flat water and wave location of Le Morne in Mauritius. The clinic level is for intermediate to advanced windsurfers. The group stay at the 4* All inclusive luxury hotel on the spot with onsite windsurf centre, by the stunning beach with launch straight to the flat water lagoon and direct access to the different offshore reefs, for those looking for small to awesome waves. Non-windsurfing friends and partners welcome. LAST 3 SPACES! More >
Extended stays available on request. See videos of previous clinics on the Sportif website.
To book contact Sportif Travel.
Telephone +44 (0)1273 844919.
Charles ‘Charliboy’ Vandemeulebroucke is an expat French windsurfer who has made Tahiti his home and lives for big days at the island’s infamous break – Teahupo’o. He tells us about the highlight session of this year’s season.
WordsCharles ‘Charliboy’ Vandemeulebroucke// PhotosPauline Le Meur & Charles ‘Charliboy’ Vandemeulebroucke
So far 2019 has been a really good season for waves in Tahiti. For 4 months in the prime season there was many big and clean swells. There is not many options with these kind of swells, as only a couple of breaks can handle that size with tow-in surfing sessions for those that want to chase the biggest waves! The wind has been not too bad with a good synchronicity with the peak of the swells. Not a lot of windsurfing sessions, but most of the time unforgettable days – quality not quantity.
Usually May and June are great and July and August a bit stormy, but there was not too much of that this year. September started out super well with an out of control big windsurfing session on the first week. I’ve had some memorable moments this year like an unsuccessful mission out at sea with Kevin Pritchard, the biggest wipeout of my life and many other good days with friends, but the highlight was a crazy day in August, that day I will never forget!
MASSIVE I was hungry for a massive Teahupo’o day and during the second week of August the forecast really picked up. Thursday was set to be huge with a very west swell and stormy winds and then Friday more fun, with the swell going down a bit. I work as physiotherapist and osteopath and I have my own business; I had a lunch break on Thursday just long enough to go to ‘Chopes’ (a.k.a Teahupo’o). Going for a big windsurf session at Teahupo’o during your lunch break is a nerve-racking experience and to stand any chance of success, everything wouldhave to be perfectly prepared.
SETUP So on Wednesday night, after a long day of work, I rigged my magic 4.7 Goya Fringe in the garden and checked my special big wave custom board by master shaper Keith Teboul, the perfect combo to tackle big Teahupo’o.
The board is a 2019 82 litre quad custom Quatro in ‘Ultralight Pro’ construction with personal graphics that I love. Its size is 7’6” / 228.6 cm long and 56.6 cm wide. Keith has evolved the bottom shape and rails to get extra control and speed during carves and it’s insanely fast and versatile, a perfect blend of rocker and outline shape for me at 82 kgs. I love this board! My height is 1.75 metres, but the distance from my front to back strap is super wide for control. I don’t have the precise dimensions of the shape; if you really want to know that level of detail you’ll have to hack Keith’s computer! I normally use a MFC K300 quad set with 9 cm side fins and 13 cm main fins for hollow waves, but if it gets bigger and faster like Jaws I sometimes go with the MFC QS RV1 set. For sails I use the Goya Fringe, a 3 batten wave sail, it’s light, neutral and stable and works super good in down the line conditions with the 90% Goya 400 mast. I’m lucky to have the famous skinny diameter Goya carbon wave boom and pair it with 28’’ harness lines spaced close together; allowing me to play with the sail whilst still being hooked in. I used to use 30’’ lines years ago, but I quickly realized I was destroying my hands; it seems that my arms are not that long, even with the boom at shoulder high! That is my perfect setup for big and fast waves; it takes time to find out all these different settings as big wave riding by it’s infrequent nature doesn’t give you a lot of training or tuning time! For more all-round conditions and contests I also use a custom thruster board with 4-batten Goya Banzai sails in 5.0, 4.5 and 4.0 sizes.
BIG THURSDAY Big Thursday lived up to its name! The waves were thundering in and I could already hear them from my office. But I was stuck in work until 12 and then when I eventually got free at 1 p.m. I got stuck in traffic from roadworks. It wasn’t the ideal start and left me little time to go to my house, get my gear and jet ski, go windsurfing and still make it back to work in time after my lunch break.
Stressed and tired I opted to play it safe and rather than sail decided it was a day for watching not riding. A tough decision on what to me was the biggest ‘easily sailable’ day I’ve seen at Teahupo’o. But when things aren’t going the right way, it’s better to listen to the message being sent! It was the kind of session where you needed time to get ready and rest, watch the waves and be able to acclimatize. Teahupo’o is not a place where you want to be disrespectful! It was a good call, the wind was gusty and sets around 25 feet, not a day for a warm up! Even so, I went back to work with a deep sense of frustration and disappointment.
FUN FRIDAY Come Friday I was working like planned when my friend and windsurfing mate Gael Vaast sent me a text at 9 a.m. – “Swell is great, west and powerful, and wind is here already. Kauli just got the most insane barrels of his life! – just go!” (Kauli Vaast is Gael’s son, a young pro surfer who won this year’s trials event for the pro surfing contest at Teahupo’o!)
Immediately I switched off everything– A.C., phone, patients and brain and drove back home straight away. I parked the car, grabbed my gear and jumped on the jet ski for the 5 minute trip to the break; 45 minutes after receiving the text message I was in the channel with professional big wave surfer and Red Bull athlete Lucas ‘Chumbo’ Chianca who was training at Teahupo’o for the trials event of the pro surfing contest.
SHOWTIME
The waves were between 2.5 and 3.0 metres with a couple of bigger sets. There was a lot of west to the swell angle, which makes the bowl hollower and gives it its famous hollow and gnarly shape. The sky was crystal clear and the wind holding steady at a perfect 17 knots side-offshore – it was showtime!
I anchored the ski to the buoy in the channel and realized I’d forgotten my floatation. I have 2 different kinds of floatation – a CO2 inflatable vest and a foam impact suit. Inflatable devices are meaningless in Teahupo’o as you wouldn’t even have time to pull the trigger; you just want to float and be protected as much as possible … dead or alive! So I built my own floatation device made of a shorty wetsuit filled with foam from 2 sailing school life vests – it feels bulletproof, ha ha !! Unfortunately I would have none of them today as I had been hurrying too much! Lucas and I had a 3 hour session on our own, watching and screaming at each other’s waves. Lucas got about 30 barrels and I had some really intense and committed rides that day. It was crazy it was just us two out considering the crowds normally around at that time of the year, I guess the pro surfers were taking some rest before the heats of the pro contest at the weekend.
I came back home slowly, arriving a bit before sunset and ended up falling asleep in the garden beside my equipment – redemption day done!
“ The waves were thundering in and I could already hear them from my office.”
VERDICT A fantastic freewave all-rounder, whose ease of use and practicality belie its potency when pushed. A one board solution with masses of range – its broad suggested sail size range is not an exaggeration!
THE LOWDOWN The 3S Plus range was introduced last year as a complete range of new-school compact crossover designs sitting alongside the more established ‘3S Classic’ designs of previous seasons. Whilst the three Classic boards championed the merits of the single fin setup, the four boards in the Plus range all came supplied with thruster fins, aimed squarely at the freewave sector. There is no change to thelineup for 2020, apart from a new blue and orange colour scheme and the introduction of Carbon Innegra Flex (CIF) as the brand’s premium construction option. Looking at the 96 in more detail, its outline is full and rounded, with width retained in the tail and shoulders to extend the length of its parallel mid-section. There is plenty of rocker flat in the board, before the nose rises quickly for a bit of kick at the end. The tail of the board is quite the feature though, with pronounced wingers feeding distinctly tapered rails in the swallow tail. This thinning of the tail would result in a significant reduction in volume and float, were it not for a mound mushrooming up through the centre of the board, around the central finbox and under the back deckpad. Supplied with MFC thruster fins, four Velcro straps and soft, thick dual density deckpads, like the Da Bomb tested last month. The 3S+ benefits from six front strap options in the inboard position, to account for differing wave riding stances and styles.
BRAND CLAIM “We experimented a bit with the new 3S+ and came up with a great mix of a modern tail and a more classic nose that allows both fun on the straights and in manoeuvres.” Fabien Vollenweider.
PERFORMANCE We tested the 3S+ 106 last year and summed its review up by saying it was, at last, the board that was missing in the Tabou range. If anything, this 96 litre version of the 3S+ simply goes on to cement that belief we have. It has a very calm user-friendly and passive character when you first step on, but ask more of it and it simply delivers. Feeling stable and voluminous underfoot at rest, it can carry weight easily, its wide shoulders and tail providing the ease and stability to mask over any clumsy footwork. It has genuine inboard and outboard strap positions, which combined with a fin change can dramatically alter the nature of this board. Set with inboard straps and the MFC thruster fins supplied, the 3S+ responds willingly as a gust arrives and it’s turned off the wind, accelerating smoothly. As with the Da Bomb tested last month, the Tabou deck pads and straps are some of the softest around, offering great comfort, but similarly need to be adjusted correctly, otherwise they can feel sloppy, reducing the sense of security and feel available. Naturally fast and efficient, the 3S+ is large yet dependable at all times, cranking upwind and being easy to manoeuvre around a break or through transitions. The part that really surprised us with the 96 was its performance in the waves however. Unwaveringly well-mannered to the point of being quite understated, when you drop it down a face and ask it to turn, you can’t help but be taken aback by the fantastic amount of grip available through its rails and drive through its fins. Push hard on the next ride and it rewards your input with interest. Keeping its speed through the turn, we did find the tail’s width noticeable on the cut-back, requiring more time to set the rail and more energy to really execute expressively … but such is the ease and energy of the bottom turn, that asking to do it again is no hardship. Changing the straps to outboard positions and fixing an efficient 30 cm fin in place, the 3S+ becomes a blasting advocate, capable of flying on its fin whilst
furthering its top speed.
VITAL STATS Volume (Quoted): 96L Length: 229 cm Width: 61 cm 1ft off: 40.9 cm Bottom shape: Rounded vee in the nose, to double with slight vee to the front straps, where the vee increases, becoming flat vee in the tail. Weight (‘Naked’): 6.95 kg Fins: MFC TF/FW_200 G10 (Power) + 2 x MFC TF 11 RTM (Slot) Sail Size: 4.2-6.6m Sizes Available: 86,96, 106,116.
REDEFINING EXPECTATIONS
95L CROSSOVER BOARD TEST 2020
Test Editor Tris Best // Second Testers Joe North, Dan Hallam & Alex Green.
Photos
Tris Best //
Test location Rhosneigr, Overcombe, Ringstead & Kimmeridge.
In windsurfing, the hunt for versatility in performance is nothing new. Ever since the excitement and freedom of short board windsurfing (or funboarding as it used to be known) took hold, the desire to find a board for all conditions has become an eternal quest. There have been some notable exponents along the way, and as new disciplines emerge, new directions in design have crystallised. There is of course always the risk that, in asking too much during the design brief stage, a product becomes the master of its own demise, fulfilling the undesirable motif of “Jack”, being ‘okay’ in all trades yet a master of none. It’s a place that will ultimately only lead to an end destination of mediocrity and historical obscurity.
This test was originally published in the January 2020 issue.
For 2020 the crossover category is as well contested as ever, with some fantastic boards available in this year’s lineup. The one notable omission is the JP Freestyle Wave – a board line with category-defining heritage. Unfortunately it just wasn’t available in time for this test, but watch out for the catch up test in the near future. In years past we’ve written at length during this test intro about the crossover classification. Are these boards in actual fact all freewave designs? Is freestyle-wave still possible, or it is a misnomer in today’s accepted design statutes? Without extending this intro out into a lengthy narrative, we thought the best way to open was to define some categories. So here goes:
Freeride: The largest discipline and ultimately the most important for the sport’s longevity. The most important attributes of freeride design are very simple – ease of use, forgiving nature and most of all fun, demanding little technical input from the rider.
Wave: Arguably the most iconic discipline, making it where most want to get to! In general, the more curvature in a board’s outline and rocker-line, and softness in its rails, the stronger its turning credentials, but to the detriment of its early planing, speed and straight line stability.
Freestyle:New-school stunts and tricks done on any water state from flat water to waves. Popping the board clear of the water to execute a freestyle transition is very different to jumping for height in the discipline below.
Bump and Jump: A term used for a long, long time in the sport. There are not many better feelings in the sport than getting long floaty air-time. Speed and control are the key ingredients for achieving height when the ramps are asking to be hit!
Freewave: Insert the word ‘free’ to depict an easier, more user-friendly personality. A freewave board has a definite wave sailing bias, yet has the early planing and speed to mix it up in sub-standard wave riding conditions.
Blasting: Load the board with a big sail, lock it down and push all its power into the board. Extending upon a board’s freeride aptitude, if it is to prove a coastal blasting stalwart, it needs genuine outboard strap positions and the ability to house a more upright fin as a minimum.
In the reports for each board we will outline their attributes and where they fit in relation to these disciplines. The key ingredient to all of it though is you – your sailing style and ambition. Where are you in your windsurfing career? Where do you intend to use the board and what conditions are you likely to encounter? Answer these questions honestly and you’ll have a clearer picture on which board here is a match for you when you start to delve in.
FINDINGS With developments progressing in board design, one of the most marked evolutions occurring in the wave market is the migration for most onto larger boards. Multi-fin setups have allowed bigger boards to still perform on the wave face, meaning you can make your life easier by having more volume under your feet to cope with invariably gusty or fickle conditions. The modern big wave board can plane earlier, feel looser and also be incredibly forgiving and easy to use compared to older designs. If this is so, then why not simply go down the large wave board route? For many, it’s a valid question… and if they’re solely interested in wave sailing, the large wave board makes a very strong case.
So what’s the argument for considering a crossover contender? Well, the first point to make is that many of these crossover boards perform superbly on a wave face. So much so that you’d be forgiven for repeatedly checking to make doubly certain you didn’t click into your dedicated wave machine by accident! There are some limitations there, but read the individual reports to find out more. As a generalisation, crossover boards tend to have less rocker, so plane more readily and reach faster speeds. All bar one of them here sport central Powerboxes, giving them the extra versatility of being able to take a larger more powerful fin for extra drive and straight-line security. (The Starboard is the only one using a US central box … yet covers all bases by supplying the larger central fin as standard!) And all of the crossover boards offer inboard and outboard strap positions, giving rise to the option of experimenting with setup to cater for varying conditions. So if your local spot isn’t blessed with regular clean waves to ride, or steady planing wind strengths, it might be worth considering one of these crossover platforms, making that vanilla session more fun and memorable.
SUMMARY We start with the standout high wind freeride contender – the RRD Freestyle Wave – it is just so easy and user-friendly that you can’t help but enjoy the ride. Effortless to sail, it is super comfortable, yet surprised us with its wave riding potential thanks to its unique tail shape. At the other end of the scale is the Simmer Quantum – a stunning all-round wave board, which is nonetheless accessible and accommodating for the inexperienced or sub-standard wave days. Not far behind are the freewave archetypes – the Quatro Power and Goya One. Both exude obvious wave heritage in their performance, the Quatro super smooth and fluid, the Goya wonderfully crisp and responsive. Both have get up and go, and offer more drive than a typical wave board, but when asked to carve up a face they showed just how potent a modern crossover board can be. That leaves the all-rounders in the group. The Fanatic and Severne both take design influences from their respective brand’s development down the compact wave board route. Both position the rider right at the back of the board, providing a direct connection with the fins. The Freewave from Fanatic is assured and confident in nature, with its more drawn out plan shape, whereas Severne’s Dyno is fast, compact and captivating to ride. The 3S+ is a great addition to the Tabou lineup, with a smooth and unassuming riding style, only to come alive when you demand more from it. And finally there’s the Kode from Starboard – a large rider’s wave board, or powerful coastal blaster. Whatever you ask of it, it willingly obliges. And when you consider it is supplied with two quality G10 fin sets, it certainly offers real value for money.
Prasonisi in Rhodes is noted for its unspoilt beauty, great winds and both flat water and onshore wave conditions. Nicolas Jones and Jem Hall give us the lowdown on this special Greek spot.
WordsNicolas Jones & Jem Hall // PhotosNicolas Jones
When you think of Rhodes, images of ancient Greece may well be conjured up – the Colossus statue astride the harbour of Rhodes or perhaps the madness and mayhem of Faliraki. Or maybe it’s a more tranquil scene, a white washed villa fringed by Mediterranean pine overlooking the beautiful azure waters of the Aegean perhaps. But Rhodes is also home to some perfect windsurfing conditions. What is a perfect windsurfing spot though? After all, perfection means different things to different people. Some may wish for warm water; some for flat water, others for waves; some for medium and stable winds, others for strong winds; some for peace and tranquillity, others for great food and convivial company; some prefer their own board while others wish for a range of kit to try out. Well, Prasonisi ticks all of these perfection boxes. And that’s before we even talk about wind stats. But we are getting ahead of ourselves – where are we? Prasonisi is a tiny settlement, not even a village, on the southern tip of Rhodes, as far from the madding crowds as you can get on this island.
LOCATION LOCATION Flying in to Rhodes airport you look down at an ancient and famous town that is surrounded by a hinterland of villas and pools that stretch along the coast interspersed with large hotel complexes. Prasonisi is located at the southern tip of the island, in every way the complete opposite to the north end of the island. From the airport it’s an hour and twenty minutes drive and once you escape the purpose built resorts that litter the northern half of the island the road leaves the coast and passes through typically Mediterranean countryside of olive trees and small fields bordered by stone walls. The odd white-washed farmhouse dots the scene. The occasional luxury hotel development on the coast can be seen off in the distance, but otherwise it is just a scene of pastoral tranquillity, a scene that has barely changed since time immemorial. Finally a sign indicates a left turn onto the small road to Prasonisi. It winds up over a hill, and then the road sweeps down and to the right and there below you is Prasonisi – a wide stretch of sandy beach that narrows before meeting the island upon which stands a lonely lighthouse – the sentry at this southernmost tip of the island. The wind blows from the right, so to the right of the beach is the wave beach that works best when the strong wind has been blowing a couple of days to really build the swell. To the left is the flat water beach – the cross-offshore direction means that even in strong winds the water is flat. Set back from the beach is a small cluster of buildings that comprise the two tavernas and their associated rooms. That’s all there is to Prasonisi – beach, wind and bed, it’s that simple.
“That’s all there is to Prasonisi – beach, wind and bed, it’s that simple.”
HISTORY
Christof Kirschner was the first to open a rental centre on the beach in 1999. There was a kantina (snack bar) on the beach, which grew in size year after year and eventually the first taverna was built, that was quickly followed by the Lighthouse taverna that is still there to this day. Prasonisi now consists of two tavernas, with some attached rooms and two small supermarkets, and that is pretty much it. All the land around is owned by the military and so effectively Prasonisi cannot expand any further out and local planning means that development is limited to two storeys, so Prasonisi has hardly changed in the past 15 years. What this also means is that there are a limited number of beds in Prasonisi and so this also keeps a lid on the numbers of people on the water – meaning plenty of space for you to enjoy.
WIND The arrangement of the hills on one side and the island on the other side creates a natural wind tunnel, a Venturi effect, so the wind is accelerated as it passes from the wave beach, across the sand and then out into the bay, that is the flat water side. This Venturi effect can boost the wind by 1 force i.e. a force 4 wind becomes a force 5. The cross-off shore wind direction combined with flat water makes this the perfect spot to improve and boost your windsurfing skills.
This Venturi effect contributes to wind stats that are second to none. From June to September 75% of days are over force 4, that’s 16 knots plus. Typically it is windy in the morning, or builds through the morning until a slight hiatus at 2 p.m. Perfect timing to allow you to take a break to enjoy a delicious Mediterranean lunch at the Lighthouse taverna or perhaps a light salad or gyros ( a Greek pita type dish) at the kantina that is situated on the beach next to the ProCenter. Then in the afternoon it kicks in again. And often there is the bonus ‘golden hour’ sessions at the end of the day. From 5 p.m. onwards the angle of the sun makes for some gorgeous light and with fewer people on the water you have the place to yourself – it really is a sweet session in Prasonisi. And this typical wind profile is the reason that Jem Hall, amongst other coaches, loves Prasonisi. He’ll tell you later about it in his own words, but basically he can intersperse a few light wind sessions (practising tacks, gybes, or some light wind freestyle with a more forgiving setup of larger volume board and small sail) with the windy sessions.
PROCENTER And the ProCenter Prasonisi can support you in whatever your windsurfing ambitions may be. There is a huge range of JP boards and Neil Pryde sails available for every taste – so you can channel your inner Amado Vrieswijk on a JP Freestyle board or set some speed records to challenge Antoine Albeau on the slalom Super Sport range. And for those that love blasting around and flying into a carve gybe then the Magic Ride freemove board is the one for you. All available in a range of volumes to suit. To match this extensive range of boards are every sail in the Neil Pryde range, from the Fly to the Speedster. And should the wind drop, well perhaps it’s time to give foiling a go on a Neil Pryde Foil Pro. Check out www.prasonisi.com to see the full range.
NO STRESS But put all of that to one side for a moment. The quality of Prasonisi life that is most prized by those that visit is the opportunity to unwind and de-stress. Life is so simple here, there are no distractions, no noisy crowds. One’s life is reduced to one point of focus – the wind. At breakfast you look out across the empty beach to the water and watch the flags fluttering on the Baywatch style lifeguard towers, giving promise of the joys to come. Then stroll to the centre where you choose your weapons of choice before heading out into the wide bay to enjoy all that nature offers here – beautiful warm azure waters and plentiful wind. Lunch is a choice between the kantina on the beach for a quick snack and drink with fellow windsurfers or return to the Lighthouse taverna and choose between fresh salads, fresh grilled fish, octopus or a mezze to share with friends. Mezze is like Spanish tapas, where you combine plates (typically to share) to make your meal – for example humus and pitta bread; gigantes (butter beans in sauce); a Greek salad; tzatziki (cucumber and yoghurt dip) and melintzanosalata (smoked aubergine dip). You also have the classic Greek dishes of chicken gyros, moussaka and kleftiko. The Lighthouse is family run, with three generations involved, who are all super friendly and welcoming. Certainly I feel like I am coming home each year that I return and so do many others.
So in the afternoon once again return to ride the winds until it’s time to share a well earned cold drink with friends at the Kantina, feeling the buzz of a great day on the water, perhaps relishing a new move conquered or just enjoying the warm glow of friends’ accomplishments. What joy it is to sit there looking out across the flat empty bay as the sun sits low in the sky, enjoying the warm air blowing across you, bringing back to mind the memory of riding that wind to your own personal windsurfing glory. A million miles from the stresses and strains of busy and hectic lives back home. This alone is worth the visit to Prasonisi.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS Prasonisi is situated at the southernmost tip of the island of Rhodes, the part of the island least affected by the effects of mass tourism. Whilst the beach may attract day trippers, in the evenings you have the place to yourself to enjoy the tranquillity. Prasonisi is not a ‘touristy’ spot.
But should you wish a change of vibe then in the vicinity there are plenty of charming Greek villages with traditional tavernas serving delicious Greek food. The setting is typically picture postcard – in the square of the village, or next to the church or chapel, perhaps under a large spreading tree or under vines trained across a pergola. And 45 minutes drive away is the beautiful white washed village of Lindos, the ancient capital of Rhodes. It boasts a stunning acropolis perched atop a cliff top, overlooking the cove opposite Lindos. Enjoy dinner under the stars in a rooftop restaurant and cocktails in one of the many bars.
THE PERFECT TONIC Rhodes is a beautiful Greek island set in the Aegean Sea with a huge amount to offer all visitors. And for the keen windsurfer, Prasonisi is an absolute diamond of a spot, boasting great wind and a fantastic range of new kit to play with at the Procenter Christof Kirschner. In contrast to the daytime thrill of great sailing, the evenings offer peace and tranquillity. All in all a windsurfing visit to Prasonisi is the perfect tonic for those seeking fun in the sun and escape from busy lives.
JEM HALL ON PRASONISI “Reliable Rhodes” is the name I have penned for this island and this now comes with the addendum, “Perfect Prasonisi.” Over 17 years of clinics it has delivered around 4-5 days per week of planing winds, with some weeks 7 out of 7. The wind system there and geography of the land gives you good wind and two water states – onshore waves and flat water. I love this place so much, from the fab food to the friendly people and fantastic coaching conditions. It holds a special place in my heart as I have ‘built’ so many of my clients there! You will be well looked after by the Lighthouse Taverna sisters and Gildi, and also at the ProCenter by Martin, Petra and her team. This piece already well covers how the place has evolved and just some of its magic, and so I will just give you a few tips on how to get the best out of the place in and out of the water.
CONDITIONS My favourite sessions are when my rippers join me on the flat water downwind from the main crowd as we race each other, do chop hops, try forwards and fly into full power gybes. Less often but still such fun are the onshore wave beach sessions where we work on wave strategies, backside riding and just trying to send it high in our jumps. Whatever your level you will improve your fundamentals here from early planing to going faster and then flying upwind. It is hands down one of the best places to learn to carve gybe, duck gybe and carving 360. This is due to the fact that the cross off wind gives you a perfect fast line in flat water to lighten the sail and fly into your carves.
“A windsurfing visit to Prasonisi is the perfect tonic for those seeking fun in the sun and escape from busy lives.”
A tip is to sail a bit further out and downwind to get cleaner water and wind. Also it is easier to keep upwind if you really look to point higher on starboard tack, i.e. heading out to sea, you can then free off on the way in. All this wind and flat water also really helps improve tacks too, and this is a very important move! Do not ‘over-sail’, it will be good wind and often. People can get caught out and miss the fab morning sessions around 9:30 till 11:00 and also the sunset power hours from 17:00 to 19:00. At lunchtime the wind often takes a break so you can too. Tune your sail to get the best out of it and play with the outhaul a lot. You get your own dedicated board here so get the straps in the right place and bring a few change up or down fins. For example, if you are on a Magic Ride 103 then the stock 36 cm is fab for medium wind but the board lights up in stronger winds with a 30 cm or smaller fin in it, or the freewaves are fab on the wave beach but can work better with a smaller centre fin. You also get your own dedicated rental boom so you can place your preferred fixed length lines on this and feel so so comfy. If the wind is light take out a beginner board and a small sail and work on your skills, this is fun and time well spent and the wind is very constant so it can be very rewarding. Take a lycra and hat for the sunny days and on the windier days some neoprene is well advised, a long leg suit if you feel the cold or just like protection, otherwise a shortie or long sleeved neoprene top is what I and a lot of my students use. On my coaching clinics the main skills learnt are the fundamentals previously mentioned, carve gybes and other carving moves, tacks and also some of the aerial stunts. I mainly use 5.8 and 6.5 sails but can be pinned down on a 5.0 too; 5.0 to 6.2 is the most usedsail size but there can be very windy days too.Most booked boards are the 103 / 112 JP Magic Rides and 94/103 FSW boards.
On the wave beach conditions are cross-onshore and the waves bend to give starboard jumping on one corner (near the taverna) and the top corner has some port jumping (near the rocks / island), but the main bias is for starboard jumping. Waves are normally head high and best when windy, needing at least 4 hours to push up the wind swell. Frequency of wave days is around 1-2 days a week on average, more frequent in high season (mid July to mid September ) when the Meltemi winds are strongest and most stable. On the wave beach I suggest using bigger boards than normal to punch out and get more action.
FSW boards work great and the sections on the wave beach for backside hits and some frontside hits are way better than you can imagine.
LIFESTYLE TIPS It is warm so bring cotton shorts, short sleeved shirts and light t-shirts for the evening. When it chills down you may need a hoodie. Learn some Greek, like Kalimera (good morning) as it gets you in the zone and is appreciated.
Eat lunch at the Lighthouse taverna or grab a salad / burger at the kantina truck on the beach next to the centre, this place is also fab for sundowners / après surf beers. You have to order a big range of Greek mezze starters at either lunch or dinner, including calamari, dolmades, big beans (gigantes), Greek salad and saganaki cheese, to name just a few. Try the Octopus as a main too! Take your Euros with you as there are no ATMs in Prasonisi, but the taverna and supermarkets take credit cards. Go for some beach walks / jogs in the early morning to refresh your aching bodies and take in all that is happening.
Take a night out in Lindos and eat at the Olympia restaurant, followed by some drinks in Antika bar, or the Arches nightclub (busy after midnight) and if you want to really charge then go to the Amphitheatre open air nightclub. The best tip ever is go there and enjoy a very unique place. Check jemhall.com for details of my upcoming clinics, but be warned the Prasonisi clinics can sell out up to 2 years in advance.
If you are thinking of foiling, watch this video for some inspiration as Jesper Orth and the Slingshot windsurf crew from Perth, Western Australia chart their progress from painful crashes to riding wind swell like you have never seen ridden before – a must watch and definitely looks like a whole truck load of freeride fun!
‘Over the Years Boards have become shorter, hence the way we get into our footstraps has also changed. So Sam’s coaching Tips this week: Remember first out, then back. Interested in getting one of these wider shorter new school boards under your feet? ‘
How you approach windsurfing is often a reflection of personality.The driven strive endlessly for the next level. The fastidious tweak, polish and keep diaries. The stressed use it as a healthy conduit for their obsessions. One very (on the surface) mild mannered guy I know, develops aqua Tourettes at the slightest mishap. You’ve never heard such a profane, and yet poetic, stream. Gurgling away in mid waterstart, he swears like the French – starting mild and then linking ever more abusive phrases into a shatteringly foul crescendo. He says his wife doesn’t like swearing – but he finds it strangely soothing, so windsurfing allows him to indulge in his eccentric hobby away from the house. He claims he’s not really angry; he just likes to get it out and thought the noise of the wind and waves would cover itup – but apparently not.
More recently someone said what he especially treasures is the sense of permanence and familiarity offered by his sailing spot. He says that hourly we are bombarded by such relentlessly catastrophic news (because bad news sells) that you’re made to wonder if there’ll be a world by the end of the week – no wonder people’s anxiety levels are through the roof.So whenever he gets back, light or strong wind, he goes straight to his local spot, gets out there, looks around – and when he sees everything is as it was when he left it, he breathes the fresh air and say: “no – it’s OK, it’s all a load of bollocks. The things that matter haven’t changed. Everything is fine!” I absolutely get that. I have my own touchstones at home and abroad. I enjoy travelling to familiar sailing spots. It’s like reconnecting with an old friend. A year away from Mauritius, I’ll sail out to the Manawa reef and immediately recognise the wave and its cheeky foibles – how it walls up gradually to look much meaner than it really is, how it peels slowly – but then how just as you’re about to enter the channel and congratulate yourself on a heroic ride, it spits out and swipes at you like a vengeful cat. I’d hate that to change.
But for me, the best place to gain some perspective and reset anxiety levels is Donegal. The secret of Donegal windsurfing has been leaking out gradually over the years, but this year was made public by the Red Bull Storm Chase event. The images of Jaeger Stone and the band wiping hail stones from their eyes and launching 40 foot into grey, pounding breakers weren’t exactly the ones the local tourist board would have chosen – but most understood that it’s not always like that.
To say it’s the place which time forgot is a bit patronising. There’s a thriving, vibrant rural community. But apart from a scattering of new bungalows on the hillsides, in the 30 years I’ve been going there, it has remained gloriously unravaged by ‘progress’ –saved by its geography, remoteness and caring locals. Cresting the hill that overlooks the beach ofMagheroarty, the vista of the half moon beach, grassy dunes and lagoon behind, is so stunning that you can’t quite believe what you’re seeing.Like a stunning masterpiece, why would anyone want to damage it?
Photo. Harty turned eco warrior.
Sick Oysters When you hear that your favourite sailing spot is likely to be ruined by developers, your first thought is a hotel complex, a marina or yachtsmen’s elite apartments. It would takeyou a long time to come up with herpes as a likely cause. It appears that the French oyster population has been ravaged by herpes. Oysters may be just salty snot to me and you – but they’re such a crucial part of the French culture and diet (as well as a cure for failing libidos) that they need an alternative source – and it appears that parts of the Donegal coast are perfect for the job. Hence a proposal has been submitted to turn Ballyness Bay, the beautiful high tide lagoon behind Magheroarty beach, into a massive oyster farm. It appears also that the process of granting licences was well under way before locals got wind of it. But they’re a relaxed bunch and surely wouldn’t mind? Well the will of the people was under-estimated. The ‘Save Ballyness Bay’ pressure group is made of hundreds of outraged locals who rightly claim the beauty of their locale is key to their mental health and heritage. The county’s major income comes from tourism and it’s beautiful North Atlantic coast. Oh yes – and then there’s the windsurfing. In some places our sport is suffered (a lot of vans parking badly and blocking the view) but here it is wholly embraced. The Loch Altan Hotel, from where I run my clinics, has seen a huge upturn in off season occupancy which naturally filters down to pubs and shops.
So before I know it I’ve been warmly kidnapped to help spearhead the movement and get local media coverage. The feeling with such eco movements is that the powers that be nod their heads in false agreement and sympathy, claim that they will take the concerns into consideration but in the knowledge that the deed is done with no doubt some interested parties making a tidy buck. But we misjudge the power of sport at our peril.
The Power of sport Some 15 years ago in Gran Canaria there was a proposal to extend a harbour which would effectively ruin the waves at Mosca Point, one of the best waves on the east coast. It was thanks to demonstrations by surfers and windsurfers, led by Bjorn Dunkerbeck and the Moreno twins, that the project was abandoned.
It transpired the extension wasn’t really necessary and that some people were just going to benefit from a juicy EU grant. There’s progress and progress and sometimes we have to accept that certain concerns trump the needs of the adventurous windsurfer. The massive wind farms around such places as Tarifa and England’s east coast suck up some of our much needed energy, but if they reduce the global carbon content then hopefully windsurfers will support them gladly and just rig 0.5 m2 bigger. If the proposed oyster farms (the equivalent of 70 football pitches) in Ballyness Bay, one of the most beautiful freeride training spots in the world, were to be the financial saviour of a desperate local community, then you might have some sympathy. But they will create just 4 local jobs. Windsurfers of the world unite! (If you want to get involved with donations or the online petition – checkout–www.saveballynessbay.com).Peter Hart – 8th October 2019
Main Photo. Harty’s Masterclassees signing the ‘Save Ballyness’ petition.
Known as Ulster’s inland sea, Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland, Finn Mullen tells more about its history and windsurfing.
Words Finn Mullen//PhotosBilly Mullen, Tam Mullen
Next time Northern Ireland is on the news, and a map flashes up on screen, have a look at the large body of water in the middle, that’s Lough Neagh! Whilst little known, it is actually the largest lake in the British Isles. In terms of famous windsurfing lakes, it’s bigger than Lake Garda and whilst the winds are certainly not as consistent as Garda, a good day can whip up streaks of wind blown waves across the lake for multiple rides and jumps in one run. Think of freshwater windsurfing and most people imagine a small lake with a few ducks and non-planing conditions, but a lake on the scale of Lough Neagh has its advantages, no tide, no current and unobstructed wind across its long, flat and slightly higher than sea level shores!
SIZE In terms of numbers, Lough Neagh, or as locals call it simply, ‘The Lough’, is 30.5 km on its longest length (SW-NE), has a maximum width of 12.1 km (W-E), a length of shoreline approximately 125 km and measures over 300 square km’s. It contains over 800 billion gallons of water, but with an average depth of only nine metres and maximum depth of 34 metres, it is relatively shallow, certainly compared to Loch Ness in Scotland at 230 metres deep. The shallow waters do mean lots of bumps for windsurfing though, even if there are no deep dwelling monsters!
ORIGINS Lough Neagh does have plenty of myths and legends, the most famous being that the Lough was created when the giant Finn MacCool was chasing a Scottish giant across Ulster when he picked up a large piece of ground and hurled it at the giant. It overshot and fell into the Irish Sea forming the Isle of Man, while the massive crater left behind filled with water and formed Lough Neagh. The other two main myths tell of wells overflowing which flood the lands and some tales tell of a drowned city beneath its waters! The more boring scientific version is the lough was formed in the early Tertiary period, approximately 65 million years ago, when a fault line occurred and an area of land sunk, thus forming a basin that filled with water and created Lough Neagh.
GEOGRAPHY Approximately 20 miles west of Belfast, the almost rectangular shape of Lough Neagh dominates mid-Ulster and five of Northern Ireland’s six counties border onto the lough. The lough’s vast size is fed by 6 rivers, including Northern Ireland’s largest, the Bann, which also flows out of the lough to the Atlantic at Portstewart on the north coast. Such an abundant source of water is used to supply 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water, and also as an outfall for treated sewage, quite a disconcerting loop!
The lough itself used to be much bigger, but damage to surrounding lands from flooding events caused its levels to be lowered 4 times, the first in 1846 and the last in 1959, and the water levels are now managed by large flood gates at Toome on its north shore. Around the lough you can still see in some parts its old banks set back from the shore.
HISTORY It is thought Lough Neagh first became inhabited around 9000 years ago, with some archaeologists believing it was where some of the very first settlers in Ireland lived, attracted by an abundant supply of fish and hunting grounds surrounding it. Today evidence of its history can still be seen in the form of ancient sites and ruins such as the Ardboe Cross, which is over 1000 years old. More modern history of the lough can be seen in Antrim where the remains of a torpedo testing facility from the Second World War are just offshore. During the war there were no fewer than seven military air bases around the lough, with the United States Air Force even basing flying boats on its shores.
NATURE
Lough Neagh has a wide variety of habitats and as such supports an abundance of nature and parts of it are deemed “Areas of Special Scientific Interest”. The area carries bird populations of international importance and has one of the largest eel fisheries in western Europe. Lough Neagh eels whilst having little domestic market, have a lucrative export market, where they are considered a delicacy in Holland and Germany for example. The eels have a remarkable journey to the lough, spawning in the Sargasso Sea in the Caribbean before making their way to the lough via its entrance to the Atlantic down the lower River Bann. Oxford Island Nature Reserve on the southern shore of the lough is home to a series of nature trails and bird hides as well as an information centre, the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, which is conveniently located beside the windsurfing launch site.
CULTURE “The lough will claim a victim every year.
It has virtue that hardens wood to stone.
There is a town sunk beneath its water.
It is the scar left by the Isle of Man.”
Seamus Heaney – A Lough Neagh Sequence.
Nobel winning poet Seamus Heaney grew up close to the shores of Lough Neagh and much of his work captures the rural life surrounding the lough and in 1969 he produced a collection of poems, “A Lough Neagh Sequence”, dedicated to the Lough Neagh eel fishermen and their catch.
In more recent times, Toome at the north end of the lough was used as a setting in Game of Thrones and portrayed as the “Smoking Sea”, at a part of the lough’s shore where the trees twist strangely in errie G.O.T. fashion!
SAILING
Although the lough has a vast shoreline, much of it is privately owned with little access, thus windsurfing mostly takes place at the well developed sites of Oxford Island on the south shore, Antrim on the northeast shore and Ballyronan on the northwest shore. Each of these locations has amenities on site including camping and nearby shops, albeit no windsurfing shops so bring your own spares! Antrim and Oxford Island being closest to large population centres have the greatest number of active windsurfers, though this is normally single figures even on a good day, so no need to worry about crowds!
The best conditions at each of these spots are onshore winds for waves and cross -shore for blasting and bump and jump. When the wind is up on the lough, you are dealing with conditions best suited to wave or freestyle wave boards, with a board that is fast and easy to control, a job well suited to modern multi-fin designs. One point to note is that all round the lough is relatively shallow close to shore. Most major shallows are marked in the normal way, but it’s worth getting a local to point out the clear areas if possible. When surf is breaking the shallows to be avoided become more obvious with small, closely spaced dumping waves on them, as opposed to the more gentle breakers of the deeper areas. Freshwater obviously has less buoyancy than the sea so in general you would use a slightly larger board to compensate, but with no current or rips to hinder planing, there is some benefits too. In lighter winds the lough offers idyllic flat water blasting, though don’t get too carried away with all that space on offer as it is easy to end up a long way from shore and the rule of less buoyancy with freshwater applies equally to humans as to boards, as anyone who has had to swim in Lough Neagh will attest to the challenges. Heaney’s haunting words are not without reason and if you do get into trouble then help is available via Lough Neagh Rescue, an independent lifeboat service and charity who have three lifeboat stations across the Lough at Oxford Island, Antrim and Ardboe on the mid-west shore and can be tasked via HM Coastguard in the normal manner by calling 999.
The vast natural importance and rich history of Lough Neagh could fill many pages and I have only provided a very brief summary here. Like many spots on our shores, it is not a glamorous tropical location, but sailing in such a tranquil place has its own reward, not least for its quiet countryside surroundings, far reaching mountain views and its unique place as the king of the lakes by size in the UK and Ireland! !
Sea Change: The Pros Highs, Lows And Goals, Cornish Storm, Ross Williams Interview, Tested: 2020 6.0 Crossover All-Round Sails, Peter Hart’s Advice For The Aging Windsurfer, Turkish Freeride Trip, How-To Improve Your Waterstart, Caterina Stenta, Weymouth Blasting, Mediterranean Travel Guide.
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Cover: Robby Swift airs out in Maui. Photo Jérôme Houyvet.
BIG JUICY READS
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MAKING A CHANGE Top PWA racer Ross Williams tells John Carter about the changes he’s making for 2020 and why he’ll be spending more time in the UK.
TURKISH DELIGHTS Éric de Cruz takes a road trip in Turkey with his son Esteban and Benjamin Augé, telling us its freeride delights need to be sampled!
A RAINY DAY(S) STORY JC spins a tale of dedication and frustration as he heads back and forwards to Cornwall chasing a brace of epic forecasts and storm Brendan.
I-662 Caterina Stenta, I-662, is not only a top PWA wave sailor, but also a vice-world champion in SUP racing and has a PhD! She tells us more about her life.
THE BLACK PEARL Scotty Stallman, Kevin Greenslade and Si Pettifer headed out at Weymouth harbour to check out the incredible “Black Pearl” superyacht; they recount their mission.
GEAR SHED
ON TEST: 2020 6.0M CROSSOVER SAILS.
The test team look at a selection of 2020 6.0 all-rounder sail designs in UK waters. These include;
Duotone Super Session 5.6, Ezzy Wave 5.8, GA Sails Hybrid 6.0, Goya Nexus 5.9, Gun Torro 6.0, Loftsails Purelip 5.7, NeilPryde Atlas 5.8, Point-7 Spy 5.9, RRD Compact Fire 5.7, Severne Gator 5.7, Simmer Enduro 5.9.
TEKKERS
PETER HART MASTERCLASS – FITTER FOR LONGER Peter Hart calls on the knowledge of two eminent medical professionals to establish what the maturing ‘windy’ should be doing to deal with worn joints and decaying muscles.
MOVE ON UP WITH JEM HALL – BETTER WATERSTARTS This month Jem looks at how to get your waterstarts ‘up and away’ in a more efficient manner.
BOARDSHORTS
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Don’t waste time looking for the world’s finest and most up to date collection of windsurfing press releases – they’re all here!
2020 MEDITERRANEAN TRAVEL GUIDE
Sportif Travel and Planet Windsurf Holidays give us their recommendations for the region, while a selection of operators give us micro guides to their local spots.
Photo Jérôme Houyvet.
SITTIN’ ON THE DUNNY
EDITORIAL – SEA CHANGE
Windsurfing is experiencing some profound changes, but none as worrying as the changes in our oceans says the Ed.
AFFAIRS OF THE HART – KNEE-MONIA
Harty explains why a painful knee joint doesn’t necessarily spell the end of windsurfing.
With a dense population of 10.5 million and a relatively small coastline, Belgium is famous for brussel sprouts, over 1100 types of beer, praline chocolate, waffles, inventing french fries and three PWA freestyle world champions – Steven Van Broeckhoven, Dieter Van Der Eyken and more recently Yentel Caers, who just won the title at the Sylt world cup event in October 2019. Ever keen to get the scoop, JC tracked a tired but ecstatic Yentel down the morning after his maiden title win to find out a few secrets behind this amazing Belgium freestyle success story.
Words &PhotosJohn Carter
JC: The freestyle finals in Sylt must have been an emotional rollercoaster of a day where you had to win four heats straight to win the world title?
YC: Yeah I didn’t start so well in the single elimination as we all know, I messed up and was a bit too stressed. I think there was too much pressure to win this world title, blah, blah, blah! Every rider was pushing really hard. So I messed up. For the double I felt really like a bit of the hope was gone for the world title, I mean, there was still a chance, but it was a slim one. So I really tried to focus and do it heat by heat and put thoughts of the world title to the back of my mind. I just wanted to do well again in the event and sail solid. The first heat went better, which made me more motivated and helped get me more in a flow. I just had to keep doing the same three more times. I started to be dialled into the conditions. It was a really long day also with waiting in the morning, then we did some heats, then the wind dropped and we were all day in the wetsuits. But I had fun the whole day and when I won against Antoine Albert this was just amazing. Since childhood these were my dreams! I cannot describe it really! As a kid I dreamed of this you know, even to be competing with the best of the world and then this year I already won the European freestyle title in Lanzarote. I thought this is like the highest thing I will get ever and now in the same year I managed to win the world title as well. It’s amazing! In the top 10 of the PWA right now in freestyle, anyone could be world champion. They all have the same level and some guys shine in some conditions and others in different conditions. I had not the best results, but I was really consistent over the year, with a 2nd, 4th and 6th, so this helped secure me the world title and I’m super stoked about it.
JC: How was that last heat for the title? YC: The heat against Antoine Albert, was for me, kind of like sailing a final for the world title, as that’s basically what it was. I felt really motivated; I’d won already against Taty Frans, Sam Esteve and Giovanni Passani and they are all really talented sailors at a similar level as Albert and myself. So I knew it was possible! I just had to keep going the way I was sailing. I knew my starboard tack is much better than my port tack, but Antoine is sick at jumping on port! I really focussed on scoring very high points on my starboard tack to make up for what I would lose on port tack. I gave it everything on the water. When I won, I couldn’t really believe it. Even now the day after, people are coming and giving me congratulations as world champion, but it hasn’t really settled in yet. It’s like something really crazy to me. Something you’ve trained for the whole year and your whole life and suddenly in one moment you achieve it but you can hardly believe it. I had so much adrenaline in my body. It was just an amazing moment.When I knew I had the world title I had to sail against Gollito just for the event ranking and this heat I kind of messed up because I was not thinking about the heat anymore because I had been so focussed on all the other heats. I had received the title news and I was not thinking about the heat and competing so much. I was doing some moves but kind of forgetting that I was in a heat. But anyway Gollito was sailing amazing as he does in Sylt and I also want to say congratulations to Amado who has been amazing this season. Steven also, it’s really good to see him back on the podium. He is one of my best friends. I always travel with him. He helped me to get where I am now a lot, so it was cool to share the podium with him as well.
JC: So what is your background before becoming world champion? YC: I am 24 and come from Belgium! My family windsurf. My dad sails and my brother and my sister windsurf too. We were not brought up on the coast ironically, we grew up in the middle of the country but we always went to the coast at the weekends. We had a camper van and we went mainly to Holland and then our holidays were always in the south of France when I was younger. So I just windsurfed in holidays and at weekends mostly when I was a kid. And then from there you know it was like a passion that grew further. I finished school and then I told my parents, okay, now I am just going to windsurf and compete on the world tour. And they were like, okay, you can try! I finished school where I studied metalwork, so I had a good diploma. It’s not like I just skipped school. I have a backup, I can be a metalworker. Windsurfing is really fun, but like we all know, it is not forever. I am going with the flow now and enjoying the moment.
JC: What does windsurfing mean to you? YC: I don’t know. It’s always been there for me like, since I grew up. It is a part of my life and a strong part of the bond in our family. Seeing my dad, my brother and sister windsurfing as a small kid made me want to do it. I was playing on the board and in the water when I was tiny. I have some amazing pictures of me standing on the boom when my dad was windsurfing. It’s just a huge part of my life. You learn a lot from the guys here on tour. It is a life school, travel wise and in competition. From the young to really experienced guys, everyone is really, really friendly. The windsurfing on tour in freestyle is just a group of friends. When you compete against each other it is hard, but then once you’re off the water, it’s just like all friends and about having fun together. You learn a lot from each other.
JC: So is that the best day of your career yesterday? YC: For now yes, but I have to keep looking forward. This is the best year that I have ever had and I will remember it forever, but now I have had a taste of success I obviously want some more!
JC: What’s it like to be part of the Point-7 team? YC: I joined Point-7 three years ago. They are not just a sponsor, it’s more like being part of a real team. And also being a bit smaller brand you have really personal contact with the people behind the brand which is really nice. We work well together. They helped me a lot to develop the gear and have the best sails to compete on. And it’s just nice you know, it’s like friends working together which works out great for me.
JC: Where do you train mostly? YC: My girlfriend is from Lake Como in Italy. So often I am there, it is nice, you know, because I can be with my girlfriend and I can windsurf. Aside from that I have been mainly just travelling around Europe with my van going between the South of France, Tarifa and Italy, as well as just following the wind. I grew up with van life and now I have my own. My brother and sister both have vans too, so it is a family thing.
JC: What is so special about freestyle? YC: I don’t know, freestyle is just free, you can do whatever you like on the water. I really enjoy extreme sports. And for me, freestyle is an extreme sport. It is nice, you know, just doing tricks and having fun. I like to do wave sailing as well, but I didn’t grow up by the sea or anything, so I mainly windsurf on flat water. Now I have started wave sailing quite a bit. Before I was always sailing on lakes, and I didn’t really have the chance for wave sailing. In the future I would like to compete in waves like Amado and Gollito!
JC: How long does it take to learn tricks like the shifty? YC: It can takes years and years! The shifty is hard to learn, it’s a mind game. In the end though I learned pretty quick after Balz started trying them. It was when we were younger and I was there when Balz was trying them for the first time, so I had the first crashes as well. Two years after that, the first proper one was landed by Steven. It is all in the mind this move and you have to really get over it.
For me personally, learning tricks has been quite a journey. When I started freestyling we were a group of friends and we were all the same age. We sailed together at Brouwersdam in Holland and they were learning much faster than me. I got stuck on the spock; that move did not work out for me. So I was really, really slow with learning; it took me over two years to learn the spock! Finally I learnt how in the beginning of a summer when I was 14, then by the end of that summer I could do all the sliding moves. The spock for me was a barrier that I couldn’t get over, but then once I understood how I was off and learning like crazy. I think it’s really important for younger people to learn the basics before trying to learn the harder moves. I see a lot of young riders trying konos and kulos, they maybe land them but they will never get further to doing kulo spocks because they don’t know the basics for a good spock. Everything comes back to the basic moves and even the biggest power moves in the end need the basics as the feeling and the rotations are all connected to the basics.
JC: Are you quite competitive? YC: I like competitions, it pushes yourself and pushes others. I find events fun and I seem to find my best level in competitions. I think I don’t stress too much, so I keep a level head under pressure. Competitions give me more motivation and this year without doubt has been my best in terms of performance with a European and world title which has been amazing.
JC: I have seen you doing backflips on the beach in Fuerteventura, did you do gymnastics at school? YC: I never did gymnastics but I did a lot of different sports and when I was younger when we were on the beach and we had nothing to do we would play in the dunes, doing flips and all this kind of stuff. I like to do different sports – I skate, do BMX, surf and just stay busy with everything that is connected with freestyle. Anything making rotations helps with body feeling and muscle memory for freestyle, so I think different sports help.
JC: Do you treat your free sailing as a training session every time you go out? YC: I am just doing the moves you know and having fun, but it’s a kind of training as well. I don’t really often do heat sailing. Sometimes I do it in my mind when I am on the water. I just want to land all my moves quickly after each other. For sure when you sail together with all the top guys you really push each other. One does like a really sick move and the next guy feels that they have to do better and this is the best way of training, just pushing each other and having fun.
JC: So how do you guys stay injury free? YC: Injuries are something that happens. You need a bit of luck, to stay flexible and to sail with big footstraps, so in case you twist your feet can turn around in the strap and not break your ankle or anything. I think that’s a good tip for everyone to make your footstraps as loose as you can. People think you will fly out of them, but it’s not true, you just fly out when you need to get out.
JC: Have you got any special ways you set up your equipment? YC: A good trim is always important for sails. But every brand is different. I personally trim my sail and I never change it. If the conditions get more wind or light wind, I always keep the trim exactly the same. If I am sailing the sail underpowered or overpowered it’s always the same trim because I would rather change to another sail than mess with my trim. That system works well for me.
JC: What about your boards? YC: I have been one year on i-99 boards, so it has been a pretty good start, I’m really happy with them. We didn’t have so much time to do a lot of testing because I came late to the brand and we had to register the board. The board was already really good, Youp has been sailing and testing so he knows what works well; i-99 are also a bit smaller brand so you have a really personal contact with the team. If there is something I need, I can just call them up and you don’t have to worry about sending big emails.
JC: Any tips for up and coming freestylers out there? YC: Never give up and just enjoy your sailing. Learn the basic moves first, that is really important. Just have fun with your friends on the water and don’t give up, just keep trying. If something doesn’t work, try a different move and come back later on to it so you don’t get frustrated. Some people learn moves really fast, but it took me two years to master the spock! So everything is possible, you just have to believe in it and keep having fun.
JC: What was your worst experience with windsurfing? YC: I think it was two years ago when I got injured in Fuerteventura during the heat. That’s like the worst thing that can happen to a sportsman. An injury means suddenly not going windsurfing and just being stuck at home doing nothing. It’s like torture. I made it to the podium that time, but I couldn’t fight back for second or first, I was done!
JC: Have you got any sailors that have inspired you? Steven Van Broeckhoven is one of my best friends, I’ve known him since I was a kid. Also guys like Tonky Frans who is not on the tour sadly, he is one of the guys who inspired me a lot. Gollito too is amazing, I was looking up to him when I was learning freestyle. Now, 10 years later, he’s still one of the top guys and has nine world titles, so he has had an incredible career.
JC: How is the atmosphere between the riders on tour? YC: It’s a great atmosphere, everyone is friends, it’s just like on the water during the heat is a bit of a fight and then you come on the beach and shake hands. Afterwards, even if you lose you go party together and have fun. Everyone is happy for the other sailor if he wins as well. All the sailors were stoked for me that I won the title even though they wanted it as well. Gollito, Amado and Youp were all happy for me.
JC: What about your ambitions now you have won the title? YC: The title was for sure my ambition, but you know, when you have one you want more. So I just want to keep doing what I do, have fun on the water, compete and try to get the title multiple times. Because the level is so high, to even be on the podium in the years ahead will be amazing. At least I have one title under my belt. That’s the thing you know, this title, they can never take that away from me. I have it for my lifetime and the memories I have will stay with me forever.
JC: Do you think this title will change your life, will the money and the big sponsors start rolling in? YC: No, I don’t think so. It’s really cool to have the world title. It’s what I dreamt of and hopefully something will come from it, but the title will not change me or much of my lifestyle. I just want to keep doing the same things, have fun and keep living in the moment.
JC: Do you have a favourite place to compete at? YC: Fuerteventura, I love Fuerteventura. Some riders find it too tricky, but then Sylt for most people is even worse. Germany is the toughest event on tour with all the variables, but I like the conditions because it’s always a challenge and it is not that easy. Bonaire is really nice as well. I like flat water but I like flat water when it’s strong wind like in the south of France where Sam Esteve is living. Bonaire is a really cool place. I love to train there but if I could choose a spot to compete in, it would be Fuerteventura as it is a bit harder conditions with some jump moves, combinations and all the double power moves.
JC: In Sylt they were competing waves and then switched into freestyle and it seemed a better show. YC: Yeah because with onshore winds for the wave guys, it was really hard to jump. In freestyle, we also do all the jump moves, but then we add bobs and crazy little freestyle rotations. I mean, I think the wave guys were also doing a really good show. But in freestyle things were happening faster, so it’s easier to watch. For each rider we had at least six moves in eight minutes. In waves it was taking a bit longer in the bolt onshore winds. So for them it was really tricky and for the public it was hard to understand as riders were just waiting outside for a wave.
JC: How is the Belgian windsurf scene? YC: Yeah we have three world titles now. Steve Van Broeckhoven was first in 2011, then Dieter Van Der Eyken in 2015 and now me in 2019, so it’s really cool and really good. But windsurfing in Belgium is not so big, we have windsurfers but as we have a really small coastline and not many lakes, there is not so many windsurfers and it is a pretty small scene. We all come from like the middle of the country. Steven and Dieter’s family homes are not by the sea and me neither, so every time we go to the sea we have to drive like one and a half hours. Whatever the wind we always go out after all the effort to go there. We just want to windsurf so we go. If you live at the sea I think sometimes you get complacent. So motivation wise I think that has helped us.
JC: What’s your programme until next season? YC: Now I will start planning my winter trips. I would like to go back to Brazil, to a spot close to ‘Jeri’. It’s a similar spot but not so busy. Then after that I will try to do South Africa so I can train freestyle and waves as I want to get more into wave sailing as well. I do both PWA and EFPT tours so it gets kind of busy in the summer. After Bonaire it was pretty busy, like every month with one or two events. The PWA only has three events this year which is not enough for me so I did the EFPT as well. I did seven or eight events in 2019, which was a nice amount, I would like to have like eight PWA events ideally.
JC: Do you do any other work or are you just a professional windsurfer? YC: I am just a professional windsurfer right now, there is just enough to live on! After I finished school I was still living at home. I am never there, but still kind of based at home, so I don’t have much costs. So the lifestyle I have now doesn’t cost me so much. I just have my van which I travel around with and I pay the insurance and the gas and that is it! It’s a simple life but I do what I love!
“The level is so high, to even be on the podium in the years ahead will be amazing.”
