MARIA ANDRES: LIFE ON THE ROADMARIA ANDRES: LIFE ON THE ROADFor Maria Andres, windsurfing is the sport that has shaped her entire existence. Rarely tied to one place and never short on curiosity to explore, Maria has spent most of her life following wind, waves and experiencing cultures across the globe. From camping in remote coastlines to working at wave events on the world wave tour, her journey is driven by a deep connection to the ocean and an unshakable desire to experience places and cultures beyond their conditions.Life on the roadits a way of life for Maria. A life lived between cultures, swells and seasons, where home is wherever her harness hangs and the next session is never far away. We caught up with Maria to talk about travelling without a base, chasing waves instead of routines and why the pull adventure and exploration keep her on the move!WINDSURF: How long have you been living the lifestyle of travelling and being on the road and how did you get into it all?MARIA ANDRES: Yeah, since I got my driving license, I have been travelling and windsurfing. At the beginning maybe it was just a few months a year and now its more. Some years I stay at my home in Spain two or three months in total.WINDSURF: How does it all work?MARIA ANDRES: Theres nothing fixed. Some years I was focusing on competition, some years I wasnt. I love travelling and I love wave sailing in as many good waves as I can and also Im super curious about cultures of the countries I am visiting. I love the beauty and the landscapes. Im sailing and sometimes Im enjoying more the view of the surroundings than the conditions! I enjoy the places through my eyes a lotWINDSURF: So you dont just visit a country just for the windsurfing?MARIA ANDRES: No, for sure not. You need a combination. At the beginning, if I go to the very beginning of why I windsurf or why I travel: I started sailing very early, when I was around eight years old. In Cdiz Bay there was a lot of windsurfing activity and youth teams. We were training and competing, and I realized if I was doing well, I could be in the team and if I was in the team they would take me to places to compete. I realized that that was a way to not only have fun doing what I like the most but also my way to be able to travel! And somehow, over the years it became my way of life.I always try to make my trips my job. It started there. I realized early that I had a strong desire for travelling and huge curiosity to see new things.. and the more I trained and enjoy windsurfing, the more I could travel, so it was win win! The more I got immersed in windsurfing, the more I could live from it, in one way or another. It doesnt need to be from competition or sponsorsit could be promoting places, brands or whatever. For me, its all linked. These are my two passions in life: windsurfing and travelling.WINDSURF: What do you love about windsurfing?MARIA ANDRES: What can I not love about it? (Laughs) Its my life! I cant imagine my life without it! When Im on my board, thats me. Other than that, Im just doing thingsbut on the water, thats my essence, my truest self. I love all kinds of windsurfing, but waves are what I enjoy the most. Riding a nice peeling, clean, long wavethat makes my soul so happy.WINDSURF: When you go on a trip, you dont usually go somewhere just for a week?MARIA ANDRES: No, I hate that. Too much hassle for nothing. When I travel, I like to live the placemeet people, follow their rhythm, try food and make friends. That keeps me on the road all the time. I like to live life the way the locals do. It is a constant change, which takes a lot of energy because youre always adjusting and learning. Sometimes its not easy, but for now Ive never seen my life any other way. I could not stay in one place.Budget is another reason. You cant fly in and out all the time and have a base at home and pay rent while traveling. My only way to travel the whole time was connecting places and not having a base. My base is pretty much where my harness is. I dont really have a base.WINDSURF: Soyou are used to camping and living in vans?MARIA ANDRES: I adapt to make it happen. Of course, Id be more comfortable in a beautiful house in front of the beach, but if it needs to be a van with nothing, Ill take it. Happily. I actually love creating projects where I can involve different brands to make a trip possible. If it is a place I am really looking forward to going to, I will try to make it happen one way or another. Thats how Ive been able to go to so many places Adapting and getting creative, haha.WINDSURF: Dont you ever feel like you need more stable base at home?MARIA ANDRES: Yeah, but two months later I want to leave. I get itchy feetor an itchy board. Home is amazing, but it can be cold and not consistent. If I want waves at home, that is only in winter. Id rather be somewhere I can be in the water more. I like to go back because it is beautiful and I have my family thereWINDSURF: So, how do you fund this lifestyle?MARIA ANDRES: Ive done everything. I always say there are only two jobs I havent doneone I wont say (laughs), and the other is selling drugs. Everything else Ive done. Now I am working for the WWT events and socials.At the beginning of my trips I washed dishes, took care of kids, taught Spanish and cleaned houses. Later, when I started to collaborate with Windsurf and SUP Mags and got better in producing articles, I did promotions for tourism agencies, events, hotels and products. Sometimes I got paid, sometimes just covered costs or got paid with valuable products I could sell later. Communication is keyyou have to put in the work to get the deals and be active. These deals are not coming from the sky.I was sponsored for a while, I also had a magazine and worked online. The money didnt cover everything but made life easier so I could choose better jobs. Now I do the social media for the WWT, which is amazing because it allows me to have a job in places I love. I work online, and so if I can, I stay longer in the ones I like. This job gives me a creative angle too. You get to know the riders better, from a different side, lets say I try to give voice to everyone, to be fair and to show the backstage and emotions, as well as to put a face to those sails with numbers, so that followers get to know the riders behind the sails. I enjoy having the possibility to make an impact on how the sport is perceived Besides the high performance, competitive tour content, I like to show the young, happy, friendly, fun and accessible side of it. I like to think that the what and how is shown is a powerful tool to help the sport (I love) grow WINDSURF: Once the event is over, its your turn to windsurf more?MARIA ANDRES: Thats the hardest part. Seeing good conditions and having to work, especially if Im competing too. Sometimes I dont even know whats happening on the water, because Im doing interviews and posts. Its hard, but so far it works for now. But after working at the events, I get the freedom to sail myself and enjoy the location more!WINDSURF: Do you enjoy competing?MARIA ANDRES: I used to compete in racing and slalom, where all is clear, you finish the position you cross the line and that was a good thing, but even though I had fun I didnt find it very exciting. There was a point I felt it was more stress than joy. In waves, in places I like down-the-line beautiful waves , with good conditions and fair heats (long enough), yes, I like it! When you get the chance with a heat long enough in fair conditions (sets rolling) to do your best, it doesnt matter if you win or lose the heat as long as you are happy with your performance. Having the spot firing for just 4 friends and pushing your limits is pretty awesome! I like the feeling of being focused in the heat, its very intense but fun! When bad conditions or heats are being forced to just be running the event quickly, no, thats not fun!WINDSURF: Youve just come to Australia what are you hoping to get out of the trip?MARIA ANDRES: Australia is a dream. Its my second time, but the first was Sydney and I wasnt wave sailing yet. Now Im making a dream come true. Australia is huge, not crowded, wild and well preserved. I dont like crowds or cities. People are relaxed and friendly. I feel like it is a land of windsurf-unexplored kilometers, and say no more, that translate to me as paradise! haha nothing more exciting than . It is raw beauty, wild nature, waves non stop after this first time in Western Australia I cant wait to be back againWINDSURF: What are your plans for the future?MARIA ANDRES: Ive been thinking for years that I cant live like this much longer, haha it is already ten or fifteen years I was thinking this and here I am, still doing it. But to be honest, as long as I have the energy and the opportunity, Ill keep going! You never know if health, pandemic, wars(!?) or something will stop you travellingWINDSURF: And your own sailingdo you feel like you are still improving?MARIA ANDRES: Always, I think that is the same for all windsurfers. That does not change for anybody at any age, windsurfing is endless. Every session is a chance to learn. Thats what keeps us hooked to the sport with everybody at their own level and bigger or smaller goals.WINDSURF: Do you feel happy being a part of the windsurf community?MARIA ANDRES: Of course. This is part of what keeps me travelling and going to events. That connection is deep between windsurfers. It does not matter where you are from or what your views are. On our boards, thats who we are, and thats where we connect. Maybe we dont need to have other things in common. It doesnt matter where youre from we always support each other too you have friends everywhere in the world and what unites us is stronger than any differences. Its very especialWINDSURF: Do you enjoy seeing kids learning the sport?MARIA ANDRES: I love it. Every time there is a kids camp or kids competing it makes me smile the whole time. Their genuine happiness is contagious. Its so beautiful to see and it makes me so happy to see the sport going somewhere. I have been doing social media for the Youth World Championship and I love seeing those young kids getting hooked on the sport and making friendships for life!WINDSURF: Any low points in this lifestyle?MARIA ANDRES: Uncertainty. Not knowing what next month looks like. Some years I have everything planned and I book all the flights. But some years I like to keep it open and let the universe surprise me. This year I am doing it like that. Sometimes its scary and sometimes it is super exciting. Im working on being comfortable with that its a decision Ive made. It can be more expensive when its open and you can pay a lot more for flights but at the same time you can improvise. You are then open to more opportunities and you can flow. I know it takes my energy and I worry about how it is going to work, but positivity and flow are things you can work on when you live like this.WINDSURF: What are your favourite places you have experienced?MARIA ANDRES: New Caledonia, Tahiti, Baja California, Peru, Maui and Madagascar. Stunning places, not just for conditions but for beauty and feeling. New Caledonia and Tahiti could be at the top because of the waters and landscapes as well as the culture. Tahiti is the most stunning location on the planet I think. As for memorable trips Baja California was such a cool one to do. There was a lot of preparation but it was really cool to be camped there. Peru is the most enjoyable friendly wave in the world. Maui is busy but I still love it. Everything else in Maui balances out the crowds. Madagascar was also marvellous! like unreal almost! And now I really loved Western Australia! I need a bit of beauty. If it is an ugly place, I dont want to be there, there are too many beautiful ones to choose to be in one that does not make your soul sing! hahaWINDSURF: Are there many places left on your bucket list to visit?MARIA ANDRES: Western Australia was one of them but I am here now Indonesia and a lot of places in Africa for sure and many islands in the Pacific Too many places for only one life! Hey, but if a ticket to Tahiti fell from the sky for next week, of course Id go again! haha And that is why I keep my plans open, hahahaThe post MARIA ANDRES: LIFE ON THE ROAD appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

JOCHEN STOLZ -SUMMER WAVE SESSIONS EL MEDANOJOCHEN STOLZ -SUMMER WAVE SESSIONS EL MEDANOTenerife local Jochen Stolz has been ripping it up at his home spot in Tenerife this summer. Take a look at some incredible action of him sailing in El Medano where he will be competing this week.The post JOCHEN STOLZ -SUMMER WAVE SESSIONS EL MEDANO appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

BROKEN TEETH, BROKEN VAN...BROKEN RECORDS!BROKEN TEETH, BROKEN VAN BROKEN RECORDS!Simon Pettifer and Jenna Gibsons record breaking road trip!Some trips seem cursed from the moment they begin. A cracked tooth, a van breakdown, a cancelled ferry and the constant fear of missing the best conditions had Jenna Gibson and Simon Pettifer wondering if they should turn around and head home. Instead, they kept rolling south and somehow turned one of the most chaotic road trips imaginable into one of the most successful, with both sailors smashing national records and Jenna adding yet another World Record to her incredible collection. They talk us through the highs, the lows and why sometimes the best stories start with everything going spectacularly wrong.Photos: Prince Of Speed / Jenna Gibson and Simon PettiferWINDSURF: How was the forecast looking in the build up to the eventand what was your goal?Jen: Its a month-long event, 7 June-7 July, but you only go down there when the forecast looks truly epic. Principe the event organiser sends out an email to his Speed Knights and you get your butt down to La Palme with only a few days warning. I had been on stand-by for weeks and was planning to fly with just one board bag, but actually the forecast was looking so good for the week after that I decided that if I drove down instead, I could stay a bit longer and get some high wind slalom practice in ahead of the PWA in Fuerteventura.Simon: I wasnt really meant to be going, but as soon as Jen decided not to fly, the plan then became; I would go with her to do most of the driving and keep her company, have a few good days speed sailing and fly back home to Bournemouth. The main goal was to get Jen to the south of France so she could break another record, she was going for the grand slam, Speed World Champ, 500m record and Mile record. My goal was to have fun testing my leg on a speed board, Id not sailed one since Luderitz and recovering from a broken ankle.WINDSURF: Tell us about the drama on you getting to the event with the van breakdown etc?Simon: We decided that I was going on Thursday night, so I finished work on Friday and we packed Jennas van, dumping out the big slalom gear and putting in the speed sticks, easy. We had dinner and while chewing some salad, yes salad, one of my back teeth just cracked and split, not super bad, but bad enough to not want to go to France for a week with tooth ache. Saturday morning, I booked into the emergency dentist- easy. While drilling out the filling in the broken tooth, the dentist suddenly stops and cursed not what you want to hear while in the chair of doom lol, turns out a load more of the tooth broke out, anyways an hour later I leave the dentist with a shiny new fillinghappy days.Saturday night, we decided to go and grab my spare 45cm wide speed board off Jim Crossley, just to be super organised. On the 25 min drive the engine warning lights started to flash and she went into limp mode at 9:30 pm, 11 hours before the ferry departs, aarrrghhhhhh. So, we call our local windsurfing mechanic Gav, who, being totally amazing, says, come round the house now, lets fix it. At 10pm we arrive at the garage, Gavin works his magic, but were all a little worried about the 10 hour drive the next day. Will the silver Boxer let us down again? We leave his house about 11:30pm, its all going to be fine hopefully. Although we did have a discussion about not going as we really didnt want to get stuck in the French countryside with a broken vanBut we decided to risk it and go.5:30am up at sparrows fart to drive to the ferry and on to La Palme. We got to the ferry in good time, its only a 10-minute drive lol. As we are waiting to board were feeling good. What else could go wrongright? Well apparently ferrys can break down too, who knew? You couldnt make it up, the ferrys broken, but drive to Portsmouth and were pretty sure youll get a spot on the 4pm ferry from there. some terrible language came out of my mouth, Jenna was appalled at my filthy potty mouth lol.This meant getting to La Palme for the warm- up day would be tough now. But thats OK Jen says, its only the warm- up day. After all the stress from the last 2 days I slept like a baby on the ferry. We disembarked in Caen and finally got on the road about 11pm. We drove for a few hours but eventually Jenna went to sleep in the back of the van, giving me strict instructions not to drive for too long. I find driving on the toll roads in France in the middle of the night super easy as they are empty, so I drove until 5:30am when finally I had to rest my head. Jenna got up at 8am and started to drive again.WINDSURF: Did you almost give up?Jen: I definitely almost gave up on going when my van broke down and if it wasnt for Simon having just booked the time off work, I probably would have. Having been on stand-by for weeks and it being towards the very end of the holding period, I thought that maybe we wouldnt get the wind this year and the record attempts maybe wouldnt actually happen this year, so in my head I was already just looking ahead to Fuerteventura and thinking more about slalom. Also, if my van was going to need major repairs, I could do with saving the money! But Simon was all in, and if stuff was going to go wrong, at least Id have some good company.WINDSURF: How frustrating was it when you were driving down knowing the conditions were firing?Simon: We had no clue that we were missing a good day on the water. The forecast was just for it to be a nice gentle warm up day. Principe is normally pretty good with his local knowledge and forecasts, anyway there was nothing we could do about it, I wasnt even competing anyway ha-ha. So, we finally made it to La Palme and drove straight to the beach. Damn it was really windy, looks like were actually going to get on the water for a warm up, awesome.Principe greets us with his huge smile and the news that warm up day was truly great, so great in fact that Heidi has broken her previous world record and Cedric has also broken the world record, Gunnar has broken the German record and Vincent the Belgium record which was great But of course we heard that all too familiar saying, You should have been here earlier it was epic its gone patchy now, with big holes down the course, and also the tide has gone out so its gotten too shallow. Well that sounds ideal. Had Jenna missed her chance??WINDSURF: When did you get the chance to do your first runs?Jen: When we arrived at 2pm, everyone was sitting on the beach, saying how the speeds had slowed down and the tide had gotten too low to get down the course. But of course, we were super eager to get on the water anyway, even if it was just for those warmup runs. After all, the big winds were yet to come.After getting rigged and letting the tide come up a little, we made it onto the water at about 4pm. Having had a few run-ins with the sandbanks in the past, I was keen to just find my bearings on the speed course. The biggest concern for me isnt the depth along the shore-line, but the underwater islands that lie a bit further out, that can leave only a very narrow strip of water deep enough to the clear with the 21cm fins between the beach and the sandbanks.On a 500m course, there might just be the one or two sandbanks that you need to be aware of, but over the nautical mile, there are so many its hard to keep track of. Especially with the lack of landmarks along the beach, you get a bit disorientated about how far along the speed strip you are, and whether that sandbank youre sailing towards at 40 knots is the one you need to hog the beach on or make sure to sail further out at.I must have gone up and down the full mile 3 or 4 times, stopping every 100m to check the depth. With the tide still much too low on the first few passes, it shook my confidence a bit. Luckily the wind was very square, so it meant sailing back to the start was super easy, and I could check and double check my depths. I then tried Simons tactic of following behind someone, but kept getting unlucky by following the wrong people, as most were only doing 500m runs and shooting out to sea to stay clear of the first big sandbank.It wasnt until over an hour later that I got my first full run of the mile, still pretty apprehensive, 37knots, not bad. Next one with a bit more confidence, but a pretty tight angle, 39 knots. At this point I found out Simon had broken 40 knots so I knew my next move follow him down the course. The run started out great with a big gust, but halfway down we hit a lull, as is quite common on such a long run and Simon pulled out of the run. I stopped just behind him, but it wasnt until it was too late that I realised that I was on an epic run, with a max speed over 3 knots quicker than the run before, if I could have just finished the run, who knows what the time could have been. On the way back up to the start, Principe says they are closing the course, they had been there since 5am and the conditions just werent as good as they had been. I told him what had happened and begged for 1 last run BAM 40 knots and the last run of the day.Simon: La Palme is amazing, incredible wind strengths combined with super flat water and a massively long beach makes it the best beach anywhere for the mile attempt and also great for speed sailing in general.But its not like West Kirby or Lderitz, at these spots you know where youre going pretty much, Kirby in particular, yes you can hit the wall, but youre not hitting the bottom. At La Palme there are sandbanks which move after each storm and when the winds on shore so when the tide gets too shallow, more caution is required.So, with the water super shallow we decided to take it easy, rushing down the course now could have catastrophic results, hitting a sandbank was a very real possibility. I asked Jenna to take it easy please, and she proceeded to sail down the course stop, check the depth and repeat this process several times. I didnt quite do the same. I did a couple of runs 500 700m long and sailed back up.Then I saw Cedric Bordes beach start and decided to follow him, for sure he knew the depth I thought. Turned out to be good and although I wasnt full chat the whole way down the course it was a great run, super smooth, no crashes and according to my watch 40.7kts over the milewow really did actually break the British record on my first attempt ?I was absolutely ecstatic, until I saw Jenna, who promptly gave me a huge bollocking for not checking the depth like she was doing and pointed out some scary shallow spots with no water that I had apparently just sailed straight overfair enough I suppose! Shes the clever one not me lol. To be fair later in the evening another rider did tell me that Cedric was not the one to follow as he is crazy ha-ha.. all good.Meanwhile Jen did her thing sail check .she pulled out of a few runs either because of a hole or because she wasnt happywe did one run togetherwhich I pulled out of because I wasnt happy with the speed she stopped as well, later Principe had stern words with Jenna, according to him it looked like a huge run ooops.Then once Jen was happy with the run and knew where she wanted to go, confident with the depth she let rip on a few attempts. Now I cant actually remember which of the runs she broke the record on, I think possibly the second but at some point I saw her with a massive smile on her face and knew shed done it again.Im still amazed that it went down like this. We were absolutely shattered after all the bad luck wed had, we rocked and smashed it, both of us together, I cannot tell you how happy this made us both.Time to get to the campsite and get some very much deserved sleep. The next day was forecast light winds giving us time to rest up for what was meant to be the day, Big Wednesday!WINDSURF: What are the conditions like at the venue and how different is it from sailing speed in Lderitz?Jenna: Most obviously one is open water, just a beach that happens to have the luck of the Tramontana hitting it at the right angle. The other is a ditch dug out with an excavator and lots of shovels, placed exactly at the best theoretical angle for maximum speed, and best positioned to make the most of the funnelling effect from the dunes on either side of the flat plane. One is in the south of France, with every convenience you could want just down the road and the other is in the desert miles away from everything.At Lderitz the start is so important, waiting for a gust thats the right direction and strength, to jump onto the board, getting in the straps as fast as possible so you can set up for the corner and into the forced slingshot, but thats the hard part done, and then you follow the sandbags as close as you dare and hope none of the huge gusts push you too far off your course, or the lulls make you drift up into the sandbags.At La Palme you still wait for a gust, then you beach start, no jump, then you sail upwind a little towards the beach and do a gradual bear away onto the course, theres no slingshot as such, no banana runs as Principe says. You have to change course for Sandbanks sometimes, and you choose how close to the beach you want to go, often the safest path is super close to the beach, like 1-3m away as there is a narrow deeper section of water there before it starts getting shallow due to sand build up from the Sandbanks.Lderitz is generally much broader, meaning that in the start box you can be stacked, almost out of control, but as you go round the corner a lot of the power disappears and the sail goes light in your hands. La Palme is a tighter speed run, especially in its flat conditions.The last difference for me is the finish, La Palme you can finish whenever you like, at a comp theres a buoy or flag, after this sheet out bear away carve into wind step off, smiles all round. Lderitz you have a finish box which is tiny, if you dont stop super-fast you will sail straight into a wall of very hard sand, also its choppy and shallow, as far as Im aware most injuries at Lderitz happen while trying to stop from 50 to 0 kts in about 3 seconds.BOTH have excessive amounts of sand and small stones that batter you all day long!WINDSURF: How did the rest of the week pan out after your opening day?Simon: We arrived at the beach Wednesday morning to loads of wind gusts in the 50 knot area, sand flyingwas it time to rig the 5.2m? It was definitely a goggles day for me, honestly you would not believe the amount of sand in your eyes, ears, hair and other places at the end of a day here.Although the wind was a lot stronger than the Monday, it was from a much broader angle, so swell was coming through and was a lot choppier and despite the strong wind, there were massive holes on the course, so not amazing conditionsobviously this doesnt stop a group of speedies from trying.Everyone was going for runs, lots of pulling out but getting back to the pump station to try again.At times the wind was extreme, on one of my attempted runs I beach started but as I did so the water just went white and frothed it picked up me and my gear and slammed me back into the water ha- ha I got back up and did a run.it felt really fast, but that was just because it was so wild, massive gusts I couldnt make the most of as I was so overpowered, in reality it was only a 39 something mile.The run after was way better. this time the gust came, Heidi went first no one else went so I started doing my run, it was weird because I could see whenever Heidi hit a lull 100m ahead of mebut somehow, I wasnt hitting them. The mile gives you plenty of time to think about your sailing lol. Somehow I was making it down ok, then as I could see the finish in sight Heidi hit a huge lull.she bore away to try and keep her speed but it was too big and she slowly carved up into wind ending her run just short of the finish, I managed to sail through the wind lull and keep going, but 100% Id slowed down a lot and thought the run was ruined, I had to double take my GPS watch 41.28kts for the mile wow Id broken my own record could it be true?On the van ride back up the other two sailors were talking about the conditions not being the best.I got a PB super stoked.Back at the start I spoke to Jen to find that she also had upped her game, wow this was truly amazing.Some other guy called Antoine also managed to beat the new World record, on his GPS watch he had 45.5kts for the mile. Unreal speeds from the goat of speed sailing.The day ended with Heidi, Antoine and Thomas all hitting the sand bar and crashing although they were all fine, the course was shallow and way too dangerous to continue, Principe closed the course and went home to await the video timing results.Jennas speed got downgraded to a 40.13kts on the mile, still a new World record.My speed got downgrade to 40.56kts but still had increased the British record. My 2 sec Speed on the run had been 44.7kts with a 500m speed of 43.5kts.Antoine got his speed downgraded to 44.97kts by the video timing, also another new World record.To be clear the video timing is King it times our speeds on the course between 2 set cameras, and its all ratified by the WSSRC, they have a commissioner at the event, so its all official, our GPS units measure the speeds everywhere, the reason the speeds get downgraded is because they werent on the official measured out course. For example, my speed was way better at the beginning (before I passed through the start camera) and the end was shockingly slow. Principe asked Mike George to check one of the tracks and 100% you could clearly see the speed trickling away as the finish camera approached, but before the first camera the run was on fire.Jen: With it already windy first thing, and the wind only due to pick up, I headed out at 9.30am to try and catch the lighter bit of wind, as, if the forecast was correct, it would be too windy for me on my 5.2m once the full wind kicked it. At this point the angle was good, but wind holes on the course meant you couldnt make it the full way down, and you would go from overpowered to falling-in backwards in a second.I only successfully made it down the mile twice that day, with lots of failed attempts. But the attempts paid off as I seemed to catch the last sailable run before the wind turned and went nuclear and the course closed due to dangerous conditions- this final run- my record run, I held on through the chop but I definitely thought to myself that I didnt want to do another one of those again!Although the course opened up again later that day, I didnt go back out. I had been hit by day two of a cold that ended up lasting a month. I stayed on the beach listening to reports from the water and although Antoine managed some amazing record runs that afternoon, the feedback from the masses was that I was better off on land. After hearing the reports of all the crashes into the sandbars, I think I made the right decision for me. Extremely happy to have broken the record again, but unfortunately the celebrations were limited to cough syrup and an early night. Not so glamorous, but there was more wind to come and we thought that was just the beginning.Somehow this amazing forecast just didnt give us the flat waters needed for speed. Thursday turned out so broad that, despite sitting and waiting patiently, all that was managed was a short high wind slalom session with the boys who were preparing for Fuerteventura. The final day was a lot lighter than expected, and with breaking waves rolling onto the course. When youre sailing at those speeds along the beach, theres nowhere to go when the water ramps up in front of you, so once again, a bit of a disappointing day for such a promising forecast. We didnt let it completely go to waste as we still spent time on the water. But thats speed sailing we are so reliant on perfect conditions to break records. Well be back next year to see whats possible.WINDSURF: What gear did you use for the record runs?Simon: Jenna used a 5.2m warp and me 5.5m, both 45cm wide Duotone Falcon D-Lab boards powered by F-Hot assy speed 21cm Fins made in the UK!WINDSURF: How did you celebrate?Simon.I would like to tell you that we got wrecked and had a big party, but that couldnt be further from the truth lol. What actually happened was a lot tamer. There were still possible big days ahead, so we had a barbecue and went to bed early to try and get a good nights sleep in the van / oven, the heat was incredible, we ended sleeping under towels we had soaked in the cold shower. Jenna then developed a sore throat and cough which is passed on to me, so by the end of the event where we did all go out for a really nice meal with all the other competitors we felt pretty crappy.Jen. Yeah, like Simon said, we were ever optimistic for another super windy and flat day perfect for the mile where we could both up the records even higher. Combined with the fact that we both felt crap with a cold virus thing celebrating would have to wait.We did stop on the drive home and had a lovely meal together at Simons favourite Chinese buffet.WINDSURF: Whats next?Simon: With there not being any slalom events in the UK this year and the wind deserting us for the two scheduled fun slalom 8 events the UKWA had planned, normally it would be Weymouth Speed Week in October. But this year I think Im going to go to Germany in September to the German speed Championships, its on a big lake apparently Ill be needing a weed fin or two, but I am assured by Gunnar Assmusen its going to be fun and I do love a German sausage. After that straight to Denmark to support Jenna at the IFCA slalom Europeans, maybe Ill give it a gowho knows. Then back for Weymouth Speed week, the home of speed sailing and the best event on the planet, there are rumours of a couple of big names coming this year, so it should be amazing.Jenna: Well, Ive just had the craziest slalom event ever in Fuerteventura, some extreme conditions, which were punishing for everyone. Like Simon has said, I am going to Denmark in September to compete in the IFCA Euros, with a stop off enroute to go to the German championships with Simon. After that also Speed Week to end the year. Sadly there is no Lderitz this year, but training goes on for me. I would love to be the first lady to get a 50kt 500m and that is one of my goals for the future.Who else was impressive ?Simon: Hard one, theres a stack of impressive people at these events. The big guns Antoine Albeau, my French buddy, will he ever stop breaking records? In all honestly, I dont think he will, he is determined and relentless, he continues sailing when others stop, the mans a proper legend. The day he broke the record he sailed till he crashed, hes that determined to go faster and faster, big respect.Heidi Ulrich, did you know she smiles while speed sailing? Like, a huge, happy smile, she works super hard, always checking the course and pushing hard, absolutely fearless and again a very impressive windsurfer.Cedric Bordes, world record holder and another man that pushes so hard, always tuning gear to get more and more speed, is a clever windsurfer who really knows his stuff.Gunnar Asmussenthe mighty German speed machine, he is on the brink of great things Im sure of it.Vincent Valkenaers, of course he is always super fast, with his slightly unique stance he uses ever bit of power the wind sends his way, without doubt he an impressive speed sailor.Thomas Moldenhauer smashing out speeds fearlessly crashing and not caring, also supporting speed events and helping push windsurfing.Roger Orvang, the big Swedish Viking, always smiling, pushing hard on the speeds and supporting speed events for years.Principe, working relentlessly on The Prince of Speed events, these things dont just happen, there is politics involved, permissions to get, roads to build, timing to sort out, officials, forms to claim records, media, results the list is endless as is his passion for speed and his speed knights, (thats what he calls the sailors).These are some amazing people, and its great to meet up with them several times a year, everyone gets along, speed is an individual event, everyone wants a PB, ok for some people that PB is a world or National record, but for everyone is a lot of fun.PRINCIPEOrganising a speed event isnt just about finding the financial resources to support it, obtaining the necessary permits, securing political backing, and so onTheres more to it than that its an introspective journey in search of ourselves and our physical and mental limits, to push ourselves to the very edge and sometimes even beyond whilst maximising our potential.This requires a deep understanding of ourselves. This work on ourselves becomes the key to opening doors we didnt even realise existed. Organising a speed event is not just about having the wind and achieving results its about following my riders, supporting them and helping them find their strength and turning their potential into action.Those eyes, those moments are what give me the strength to fight to keep this dream alive and to stay on my feet for 15 hours a day, whether its 40 degrees or 3 degrees with 50-knot winds.Id like to thank all my Speed Knights for giving their all and leaving nothing to chance.I would like to thank all the sponsors and local institutions: La Palme, the Aude department, the Cte du Midi and the Occitanie region.Forever SpeedPrincipeThe post BROKEN TEETH, BROKEN VANBROKEN RECORDS! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

GEORGE GRISLEY: TESTS THE CLASSIC NEILPRYDE RAF WAVEGEORGE GRISLEY: TESTS THE CLASSIC NEILPRYDE RAF WAVEGeorge Grisley is never shy of a challenge, so when one of his subscribers pitched the idea of him to test his old-school NeilPryde RAF Wave, he embraced the task and took it to Sotevento to find out if it could cope with a the latest freestyle moves. Watch the video to find out how George faired!George: One of my subscribers challenged me to test his old-school NeilPryde RAF Wave, so thats exactly what we did. I put this iconic sail through three freestyle challenges to see how a sail designed before freestyle even existed as a discipline would stack up against modern demands. Can a decades-old sail still perform, or is a modern sail a must have.. Watch to find out.The post GEORGE GRISLEY: TESTS THE CLASSIC NEILPRYDE RAF WAVE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

WINDSURF TENERIFE 2026 PREDICTIONSWINDSURF TENERIFE 2026 PREDICTIONS AND FUERETEVENTURA RECAP!Well the events are coming so thick and fast the dust barely has time to settle before were rolling into the next one. We didnt get where we are today by sitting on the fencewhich, if were brutally honest, isnt actually that far, but were sticking with our picks. So its time to update your fantasy teams after we make some more bold calls with our 2026 Tenerife Predictions. Well also take a quick look at how our Fuerteventura Slalom X crystal ball performed now the results are in. Spoiler alertit wasnt a total disaster.Photos: Rafasoulart / PWACarter / PWATENERIFEThe forecast is looking solid after the weekend so expect to see some solid waves rolling into El Cabezo. We have not seen the all important draw yet so our predictions could go up in smoke if all our picks end up on one side of the draw. Tenerife favours the wave riding more than in Pozo but if its windy and one or two jumps counting then those with the perfect double and push forwards will definitely have the advantage over the wave riding specialists. Watch our for a rock called Godzilla which lurks on the inside at low tidea nasty chunk of lava best avoided!MEN1: Marc Par2: Philip Kster3: Marino GilWildcard: Liam DunkerbeckMarc ParMarc has won the past two events in Tenerife and, judging by the way he sailed in Pozo, hes absolutely flying. He was landing everything with clinical precision before the deteriorating conditions in the final prevented him from really showing his full hand. Were convinced there was plenty left in the locker.El Mdano is a place Marc knows inside out, hell have his equipment perfectly dialled in and, with Kster no longer competing at his home spot, were backing Marc to make it three Tenerife victories in a row.Philip KsterYou can never count Philip Kster out in the Canary Islands. Period.The forecast is looking promising, which should allow him to unleash his trademark double forwards and seemingly endless bag of wave-riding tricks. With his family surrounding him at the Canary Islands events, he always looks relaxed, but once the heat horn sounds, the switch flicks and the heavyweight moves start flying. We expect Kster to be in the mix.Marino GilMarino was a touch unlucky in Gran Canaria and we expect him to come into Tenerife with something to prove.After the PWA event finished in Pozo, he dominated the Spanish event in strong winds, throwing doubles, push forwards, takas, goiters and stylish 360s for fun. If he finds those conditions again, dont be surprised if hes got his hands on the silverware at the end of the week. Wildcard: Liam DunkerbeckThis events coveted Windsurf Wildcard goes to Liam Dunkerbeck.Hes improving at a frightening rate, has doubles on tap, throws massive back loops and his wave riding keeps getting stronger every event.Leaving Marcilio Browne out feels a bit like playing Russian roulette with your predictionsbut sometimes youve got to stick your neck out. If were wrong, well pretend this paragraph never existed.WOMEN1: Sarah-Quita Offringa2: Alexia Kiefer3: Justyna SniadyWildcard: Pauline KatzSarah-Quita OffringaWere backing Sarah-Quita to rediscover her best form in Tenerife.Daida Moreno was sensational in Gran Canaria but, from what weve heard, that will be her only appearance on the 2026 tour. That should ease the pressure slightly, while Sarah-Quita will hopefully have had more time on the water after arriving in Pozo underprepared due to the poor forecast beforehand.Never write off a 28-time world champion.Alexia KieferAlexia has finally finished her exams and should now be able to dedicate plenty of time to revision on the water before El Mdano.She could easily have won here last year had she landed her back loop in the final, while her vertical wave riding is among the very best on tour. If she puts together a clean heat, shes a genuine title contender.Justyna SniadyJustyna looks to be sailing better than ever.Weve recently seen her sticking huge 360s in Vargas, while her back loops and push loops on port tack are looking increasingly solid. Everything suggests shes arriving in Tenerife full of confidence. Hs Justyna got the mental strength to go all the waywe are not sure, but she will definitely be giving it her all in Tenerife.Wildcard: Pauline KatzPauline impressed us in Pozo with both her riding and jumping, and we think shell arrive in Tenerife carrying even more confidence after shaking off her recent injury.Shes undoubtedly got the talent and feels overdue a breakthrough podium. Dont be surprised if shes right in the mix come finals day.There is plenty more talent in the fleet too, so keep an eye on Sol Degriek, Lisa Wermeister, Marine Hunter and Line Wittrup.FUERTEVENTURA RECAPWellour crystal ball wasnt completely cracked!MENWe underestimated the firepower of Matteo Iachino and his NeilPryde/Starboard combination. Pierre Mortefon almost pulled off a remarkable comeback on the final day, but Matteo kept his cool and held on for a deserved victory.Our third-place pick, Jordy Vonk, struggled to find consistency in the nuclear winds despite showing flashes of brilliance, while wildcard Maciek Rutkowski recovered from a nightmare start to fight his way back onto yet another podium. You can never accuse Maciek of giving up quietly.Actual ResultsMatteo IachinoPierre MortefonMaciek RutkowskiAmado VrieswijkWindsurf PredictionsPierre MortefonMatteo IachinoJordy VonkWildcard: Maciek RutkowskiSarah-Quitas PredictionsAmado VrieswijkMatteo IachinoPierre MortefonWildcard: Maciek RutkowskiThe bold call of Amdo winning was not a million miles away and to be fair Sarah called all four names in the top four, but none in the correct order!WOMENThe womens predictions didnt quite go to plan either, although Jenna Gibson competing while battling a nasty virus certainly didnt help our cause. At full strength we still think she would have been right in the fight for victoryalthough Justine Lemeteyer might have something to say about that.We did at least nail Femke van der Veen in second, while 16-year-old Bobbi De Jong was undoubtedly the revelation of the event, finishing fourth despite her youth and relative size.Actual ResultsJustine LemeteyerFemke van der VeenJenna GibsonBobbi De JongWindsurf PredictionsJenna GibsonFemke van der VeenJustine LemeteyerWildcard: Blanca AlabauSarah-Quitas PredictionsJustine LemeteyerJenna GibsonMarion MortefonWildcard: Femke van der VeenSarah called the winner but elsewhere she failed to deilverat least we got all the three winners in the wrong order!The post WINDSURF TENERIFE 2026 PREDICTIONS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

"YOU CAN'T RACE SAFE!" MATTEO IACHINO'S WINNING FORMULAYOU CANT RACE SAFE! MATTEO IACHINOS WINNING FORMULAAfter an incredible week of high-wind Slalom X action in Fuerteventura, Matteo Iachino emerged victorious following one of the most intense title battles ever seen on the PWA. From the mental challenge of protecting a lead to trusting his new equipment and racing flat-out when it mattered most, the Italian opens up about the highs, lows and emotions behind his latest PWA victory.WINDSURF: On the last day of racing, it looked like you had the event in the bag, but suddenly Pierre Mortefon was charging back. Talk us through that final dayMATTEO: The point is Id never experienced having such a big advantage before. Going into the second-to-last day I knew that a sixth place would probably be enough to secure the title because it was unlikely wed complete more than 12 eliminations.After finishing second in the first elimination, I felt like sixth place was basically enough, so I started thinking, Just take it easy and dont push too much. Up until then Id only had wins and second places, so I thought I just needed to bring it home.That was actually my mistake. The level is so high that as soon as you stop pushing 100 percent, you start making mistakes. The other guys arent backing oftheyre giving everything.On the final day I realised I had to change my mindset. In the last elimination I went full gas all the way through the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Only on the very last reach after the final gybe did I back off slightly because I knew I didnt need to take any unnecessary risks.WINDSURF: Did the inflatable obstacle (the sausage) in the final add extra pressure?MATTEO: Its always stressful because its another obstacle. You never know whether youre going to hit a wave at the wrong moment or end up in the worst possible place.But I train a lot for every possible scenario. I try to prepare for every X-factor, even the ones we dont always use on tour, so I felt confident.WINDSURF: Was battling Pierre for the title fun or stressful?MATTEO: Both. Pierre is an amazing competitor and I know he never gives up because Im exactly the same.There are so many good sailors now and the level is incredibly high, but in these kinds of conditions Pierre and I usually have a slight edge. I knew I had to be careful.It was stressful, but winning after a battle like that gives you a completely different feeling.WINDSURF: How did it feel coming down the final reach knowing youd done enough to win?MATTEO: It felt amazing. After that last gybe, knowing Id secured the world title, it was an unbelievable feeling.Its difficult to describe because all the hours in the gym, on the water, testing equipment and travelling all come down to one single moment. Its a mixture of fulfilment, relief, adrenaline and pure happiness!WINDSURF: What made this event so special?MATTEO: I think its probably the best event weve ever had.Ive never competed in such consistently windy conditions before. Until now my favourite event was Portugal in 2018, but this one beats it.It was windy every day, there were waves coming and going with the tides and Slalom X in those conditions is just incredible. Its so much fun, so much adrenaline and incredibly demanding physically.WINDSURF: How happy were you with your equipment?MATTEO: Im really pleased with how the gear worked.Ive been with Starboard for ten years so I knew what to expect from the boards..theyre amazing. Racing with the combination of Starboard boards and NeilPryde sails has always been a dream.I knew Id prepared well and felt fast, but until the racing starts you never really know. I definitely felt faster than in previous seasons and that makes everything easier.The whole package worked perfectly and Im really happy with my sponsors and my equipment.WINDSURF: How tough was the event physically, especially carrying all the gear up and down the hill?MATTEO: It was incredibly demanding. There wasnt a single easy day. Every race was hard, rough and intense.I used the 5.6m almost all week, apart from one elimination where I switched to the 6.5m Even in the final I probably should have been on the smaller sail.I train really hard and every year I try to improve the quality of my training, so I felt ready. Im still tired now, four days later. Luckily my friend Sebastian was with me helping carry the gear up and down the hill, which made a huge difference.WINDSURF: Do you have any speed or heart-rate statistics from the event?MATTEO: No. I actually take my watch off before racing because I often hit whatever Im wearing on my wrist during close racing.I wear it during training, but not during competition. I also dont want to be distracted by data while Im racing. I collect data all year round. I sail around 90 percent of the days and train in the gym four times a week, so I already know what to expect from my body.WINDSURF: What were the high and low points of the event?MATTEO: The turning point was definitely the third day.After winning both long-distance races back-to-back I knew I had a really good chance of winning the event. They were incredibly funlong enough to be challenging but still exciting, with rough water and great starts. Im not normally a huge fan of long-distance racing, but I really enjoyed those.The lowest point came on the final morning when I failed to qualify for the winners final. I had a poor start and made mistakes in the gybes because mentally I was trying to race safely. You cant race safely at this level. I had to stop, reset my mind and remind myself to attack again. Even after all these years thats never easy!WINDSURF: Was this the kind of racing you live for?MATTEO: Absolutely!This is exactly why I race. You couldnt ask for better conditionshowling wind every day, loads of eliminations, the obstacle, the long-distance races, the double gybes it was insane.Winning an event like this is another dream come true.Whenever Im training or suffering in the gym, this is exactly what Im imagining. These are the conditions I want to compete in, and to win in them makes it even more special!The post YOU CANT RACE SAFE! MATTEO IACHINOS WINNING FORMULA appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

NIKODEM MERLAK: EL CABEZO WARM UPNIKODEM MERLAK: EL CABEZO WARM UPAs the build up to the Tenerife World Cup intensifies, Nikodem Merlak has just dropped an action packed video to give a taster of what is in store. We hear the conditions in Tenerife have been firing and there are more wind and waves on the way!The post NIKODEM MERLAK: EL CABEZO WARM UP appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

WORDS: IAN JONESIan JonesPHOTOS:Tommy Fasoli,Davide Longoni,Elena Luciotti,Brian Clough,Riversoul,Robinhood Watersports,Giorgio Schiavon &Tim MoorsThanks to: Davide Longoni and Tommy Fasoli of Riversoul the kayak and rafting centre in Valsesia https://www.riversoul.it/?lang=enRobin Hood Watersports Specialist Watersports Equipment www.roho.co.ukRead Ians previous expedition from Ecuador at: https://paddlerezine.com/the-piatua-ecuador/Old dogs, new tricksIm sat in the eddy below Mollia, watching as Brian floats over to me, both of us feeling pretty overwhelmed it seems smiles of relief or happiness? Mollia, on the Sesia River, Valsesia, a rapid of significance, so significant it was never on my radar.Until this year, video clips started appearing on various social media feeds at low levels. Um, I can see the line from a thousand miles away, sitting on my sofa, in a different country!Weve been on the Sesia for four days and have spent the last two with Tommy from Riversoul. Tommy has been showing us the river and coaching us to make better lines, to make use of the water and its features. The we is Brian and I; were sponsored paddlers these days, not cos of our ability, cos of our age pensioners.Mollia?Mollia has been mentioned in conversations over the past weeks. Today, not a word, not a murmur or any reference it doesnt exist, until We have just finished our second lap on the sprint, shouldered our boats, walked up the bank to the car park, dumped them, and debriefed the run. Weve been making lines, and the sun is shining in our world, when the mood shifts as Tommy asks, Mollia? Gulp! I answer first, after a couple of moments of thought, yeah. Brian, moments later, nods in agreement.Its been a good bit of kidology on Tommys part, carrying our boats away from the river, alleviating any pressure that could have been created by leaving them riverside, assuming we were going to run it. Tommy reaches for his phone. He needs to speak to Davide. We passed him and his group on the river earlier. The groups need to merge to ensure safety and line of sight.A long 20 minutes later, Davides group come into sight. Theres a bit of the usual river faff; were not the only ones to be running the rapid for the first time. I am asked a couple of times by people carrying their boats away from the river if I am running it; I mumble a response. I have already told Tommy that if I go quiet, theres nothing wrong; Im just processing. Theres a lot of processing to do.Back on the water, we float downstream to inspect from rocks on the rivers left, immediately above the rapid. We are told its difficult to see the line we have seen from the road at river level. I exit my boat, walk down the rocks, note my marker on the water, a ripple on the surface as it approaches the first drop. I dont speak to anyone; I have nothing to say. Its yes or no, and I have already made my decision. I just walk back to the Zet, climb in, adjust the ratchets and snap my deck in place.A signal from Tommy, now perched atop a rock, has line of sight to Davide at the bottom of the rapid, river right, with a throwline for the last stopper move, just in case, although at this level its not much of a keeper as it is when the river is higher.Drop into the first featureI break our into the slow-moving water, I see my marker and drop into the first feature, landing, I draw myself to the right and set my line for the crucial second drop, I need to land that one ok so I can be ready for the main event, a ramp of white water.Now Im not known for smiling much, but I am happy on the inside; I just dont always show it. Davide tells me later he saw me smiling as I emerged from the maw of white water the ramp creates. I knew I had the line; I wasnt going to make the flare, but I was stable and knew I could hit the stopper straight and punch it. I hear shouts and whoops of approval from the river bank as I float through a melee of boats. Turning round, I look back upstream and watch as Brian pilots the DRS down a similar route to my own.Young pupLater in the week, a friends son, Jacob Laing, runs the rapids at higher levels; hes 14, one of the young pups and is charging into his boating career. Brian and I, older by a considerable number of years, are more strolling, meandering through ours. Jacob tells me he wants to run it higher. I have no doubt that he will. I want to run it higher; I might. Jacobs skills are surpassing mine and his dad Mikes, but we can still grow better beards than he can, for now! Theres life in the old dogs yet!