PVB catches up with the legend that isJason Polakow for a bit of a chat sooo good!

The post 2024 Wing Foil Wave World Champions Crowned appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

The wind doesnt always screw up the surf out there. Heres Rick Weeks most recent Sup Surf session, a windy and wild day with some really nice lined up shoulders! Almost hypothermic after 2 hours in [&hellip... Read More

SPEARFISH is a new surf film that documents Mikey February testing and finetuning a new signature model he designed with Channel Islands Surfboards, dubbed the Febs Fish. Watch him draw fast, beautiful, precise lines and gauging turns on this twin fin fish in Mexico, Morocco, California, Maldives, and Indonesia.Spearfish was created by Mikeys new video platform Spearhead Unlimited, with primary filming captured by Ian Thurtell, editing by Sam Smith and an original musical score by the Albert Bof trio.Find the Febs Fish by CI Surfboards at your local surf shop or hereSTOCK DIMENSIONS53 x 19 7/8 x 2 28.5L55 x 20 1/8 x 2 5/16 30.5L57 x 20 x 2 7/16 33.8L59 x 20 7/8 x 2 36.3L511 x 21 1/8 x 2 5/8 39.7L61 x 21 x 2 44.0L63 x 22 x 2 7/8 49.7LMIKEYS DIMS55 x 20 1/8 x 2 5/16 30.5LMikey is 63 x 165LBSThe Feb's Fish is the latest result of Michael February's never-ending curiosity for exploring new lines through designs shaped by Britt Merrick. Sometimes Mikey's requests are for original concepts, while other are his new take on a classic design. The latter was the case when he asked Britt for a traditional fish outline but that it have a contemporary engine (modern bottom contours, rocker, etc.) and finely foiled rails so it could be ridden at the highest performance levels possible.During its R&D revisions and refinement, Febs discovered this new fish comfortably covered a wide range of conditions: from dredging tubes in Mainland Mexico, to high lining with ease at Rincon, to effortlessly getting up on rail and hitting tightly arcing turns with full commitment and confidence at places like Jeffrey's Bay and Morocco. And of course it could grovel at the places like Emma Wood. It is now a staple board in his travel quiver and is his go-to design when just cruising at home.The Feb's Fish is available stock in PU with two color options and in White Spine-Tek

The post Starboard Reveal 2025 Products appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

GRAHAM EZZY: SHIFT IN FOCUSGRAHAM EZZY: SHIFT IN FOCUSThe following is transcribed from a chat between John Carter and Graham Ezzy on the beach in Sylt. They speak about how his focus has changed from the competitive side of windsurfing into his popular online coaching community. JC also receives a few tips from Graham about English literature and learns more about Grahams life between Maui and Germany as well as his plans for the future.Words: Graham Ezzy // Photos: John CarterMINDSETI started competing when I was very young. My first World Cup on Maui was when I was fourteen so around 19 years ago. I grabbed the last slot available at the event. I can remember I was up against Jonas Ceballos in the first heat, at that time he was second in the world. I was the last seed. I ended up beating him, which was a nice experience at that age. I expected competitions to continue like that, but it wasnt the case, and I ended up struggling over the following year to repeat that experience. I just couldnt pull off what I normally did in free sailing in competitions heats. Now almost twenty years later, I am a lot less interested in the competition side of windsurfing. I am more interested in different ways of riding waves and trying to push my level and explore my vision of riding waves on a windsurfer.LETTING GOStill, I went to Pozo in 2023, I made the decision to go there at the last minute because I wanted to compete on Maui at the end of the season, and I knew I needed a ranking, otherwise I would have to rely on the politics of a wild card. The forecast for Pozo looked pretty good, and I had not been to Pozo for a few years. I felt really good on the water and I was having a lot of fun. I did well in the single finishing 9th, and in the double I had a good draw, but I had to leave to go pick up my kids, so I didnt compete in the double, and I fell back in the results. It was a shame, but at the same time I felt good that I had sailed well in the single. That was the best I have ever done in a Pozo single. It felt good to have that freedom. To have done well, but to leave mid-competition and go and support my family and to be there for my kids. It felt good to have done the right thing for my family on two levels. One, was to be there for my kids and two, not being so obsessed by the competition. Before, competing was overwhelmingly emotional for me, which hindered my performance and my happiness. To be able to just leave that event was really liberating!COVID, COACHING & CHALLENGESI didnt expect to get into coaching. However, people were stuck at home during COVID, lockdowns were happening all around the world, and I wanted to interact with the windsurfers around the world and give back to them somehow. So, I started doing livestreams just to interact with everyone stuck at home. I asked what people wanted, and they wanted coaching. I was in Maui at that time, and I enjoyed the challenge. It is not as easy as just saying what to do because if you just tell somebody what to do, that doesnt really help them unlock their windsurfing. I found that teaching people was actually a difficult communication problem, which kept me interested.Most of my coaching is virtual. I do a free live stream every week, and have a private community on Facebook, which is free to join. We have almost six thousand people in it! It is amazing how it works because they all help each other. It is so cool to see the knowledge in the community. It is not just me talking about my experience, and what I know. If someone asks a question about bottom turning in a spot in the Netherlands, there can be ten other people who also windsurf in that same spot. They have good answers and tell people where to line up etc. I love seeing the windsurf community working together. Online communities tend to get sour, but people in the Graham Ezzy Coaching Community are so nice and supportive.MERGING PASSION AND BUSINESSThis all started out as a passion project, but it is turning more into a business project. I have been doing some in person clinics, Windsurfing Masterclass weeks, and more and more online instruction as well. I do one-on-ones online, and I am also developing online courses that people can take in their own time. They have access to my instruction but dont have to spend the time and money to come on actual courses with me. I have done quite a few live and virtual courses for fast tacks, forward loops, Vulcans, and a few other moves.Teaching online is obviously a challenge. I am not with the people. I work a lot with footage reviews, People submit their footage, and the other members comment on it, and I talk about the footage on the livestream every Sunday. In the courses, I try and develop them in a way where I teach the theory and the technique from videos that I have personally shot. I then give clear concise exercises where people can work on the moves themselves.BEING COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLEFor most people the easiest way to get better is to see themselves. Too often, what you are doing is not what you think you are doing. When you see yourself for the first time it is shocking. That is an important process. Your footage is uncomfortable to watch, but learning is uncomfortable, so you have to embrace that. The more footage you see of yourself, you realise what you are doing wrong, but more importantly, once you have seen yourself doing what you think is correct, you can close the gap between what you think you are doing and what you are actually doing, which then enables you to better adjust your technique because if you are not doing what you think you are doing, how can you possibly make an adjustment?MISCONCEPTIONThe easiest fixes are with the gear. Many riders set their gear up in ways that make improvement almost impossible. There is a misconception among amateur riders that the gear doesnt matter because they are not going to feel the difference. I hear people say that all the time. However, I think it is actually the other way around. The pro riders can make anything work, while the lower your level is, the more you benefit from having the fin in the right place or the right board for your weight. Gear is even more important for the average windsurfer than it is for a pro.DONT ASSUMEWe talk about so many things in our group. How to line up for a wave, how to catch a wave, and all about priority. My number one thing with priority is to ask the locals. I think it is a mistake if you are travelling that you can assume the priority rules because many spots have different rules. I was talking with Finn Mullen about the rules in Ireland where the person who is upwind has the priority, whereas in Maui that is not the case. It does not matter if you are more upwind, it is about the first person on the wave. It can get subjective, but the point is to ask the locals and not assume you know best.FUNDAMENTALSOther things we discuss are the fundamentals of riding a wave. These are wave selection, wave placement, and timing. So, selection, placement and timing. If you dont do those things, even with the right technique your wave riding is not going to work. If you have those three things, even if your technique is off, you will still ride the wave nicely, because the power transfers from the wave to your board. That really is what wave riding is all about, taking the energy that is in the ocean, which is caused by storms and transferred into waves, and then turning that energy into board speed. You need to be aware of what that wave is doing and how the energy is transferring to your board. I talk about looking for waves, where the power sources are on the wave. Normally a wave is not going to be pushing the same amount of power in every place. If it is, it will probably close out. You want to start at a power source and aim your bottom turn towards the waves next power source. That energy needs to be transferred into your board.FORWARD THINKINGRiders have to want to be coached. Unsolicited advice rarely goes down well. Change has to come from within. If someone wants to get better at windsurfing they can seek out ways to, but if they dont, it doesnt matter how much advice is knocking at their door. If they dont want to improve, they are not going to change. I hear people say, I dont need to get better, I just windsurf for fun!, which I find weird because from my experience, from watching both pro sailors and amateurs alike, you have more fun the better you get. If you are better, you catch more waves. Isnt riding more waves the fun part of windsurfing? It is not very fun to slog around, get pounded and do a walk of shame back up the beach. If you are better and more efficient, your tacks are better and you catch more waves, then you are going to naturally have more fun! Also, it gives you something to work on when the conditions are not good, on a day that you would not normally go out, maybe you can work on tacks or something which will open up a lot more doors later on.PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACHI am open to criticism of my own sailing, and I am still willing to learn. Doing the coaching has changed my perspective on this. Have I received coaching? Not as much as I would have liked. Kevin Pritchard is amazing competitor, and I wasnt, so I went to him for coaching on how to compete better. Pritchards coaching was helpful for me. I have since realised I need coaching for other aspects of my life too. Since I started coaching windsurfing, I have taken writing courses and courses about teaching courses. I realised that I should be practising what I preach and looking for advice in the areas of my life where I can do better.EZZY SAILS INVOLVEMENTMy work is all in windsurfing and it all gets blended together I work with my dad for Ezzy Sails. During COVID I was doing a lot of work with the company on all different sides. From the development of the sails to coordinating with the factory. We are one of the last sail companies in windsurfing to own our production, and there is a lot of logistics involved with keeping it running. I also deal with the importers around the world and that side of the business. At the end of the day it is a small team running the show, and we have to wear many hats. But going forward, Im stepping away from the sails to focus on the coaching.DEFINING SUCCESSRight now, I am most excited about coaching. In competition, just one person is happy at the end, the winner of the event. I have won events before, and for a short while that is great, but then you start thinking about the next event. Winning is not a satisfaction that lasts. Everyones success comes at the expense of everyone elses success. Whereas with the coaching, I am successful when everyone else is successful. I find that I am happier and more fulfilled doing the coaching than competing.EDUCATION AND WRITINGI studied English Literature at Princetown, and writing is also an important part of my life. I have been working on a collection of essays about my life as a windsurfer, father, and a husband to a German wife. I have been working on these over the last year. I will release them somewhere; but I dont know where yet.INSPIRATIONOn the water, I try and draw as much inspiration as I can from my peers on the waves. In terms of writing, my biggest influence right now is Helen MacDonalds H is for Hawk. She blends first person narrative, literary curiosity, and something technical, which in her case is falconry. My writing looks at a cross-cultural marriage, the books that I read, and windsurfing. In German, the word for debt schuldt also means guilt. When we signed the papers for the loan to buy our property on Maui, my wife was crying because of all the guilt she felt she was taking on.COACHING INFLUENCEIn my coaching, I try to find inspiration outside of windsurfing. I look to other sports, and I look at theories of learning. Learning is hard and uncomfortable, and that is the only way that the brain and body know to change, to adapt, to integrate something new. Windsurfing is one of the most difficult sports in the world. But if you try too hard, if you focus on the technique too much, youll do it wrong. You need to be loose and relaxed and aware of the concepts more than the technique. My theory of windsurf coaching doesnt come from teaching beginners, but rather being a pro and watching the other high level pros, and applying the solutions for the highest level problems to the lower level ones. When it comes to wave riding, the concepts are simple, and the technique can get in the way of that. I see so many people worrying about how wide their grip is or whether theyre leaning forward enough, but they are on the completely wrong part of the wave! And I tell them where they need to go and what they need to think about and they trust their body to do it, and suddenly the technique happens.COMMUNITYI enjoy living between Hawaii and Germany. Hawaii, if I am there for too long starts to feel stifling. Maui is such a s small island, but that said, I would really like to spend more time in Maui over the next few years. Our plan is to get set up on Maui, so come 2025 we can move there for at least the next five years. Our oldest child turns six soon, so it is time for him to start school and I would like him to do that on Maui. In Hamburg, Germany, there are a tonne of elementary schools whereas in Maui, in Haiku, there is only one! So, if you go to school in Haiku, like I did, you really feel like you are part of the community and I think that is important for him.COMPETITIVE OUTLOOKI am not very interested in competition at the moment, but I have some unfinished business on Maui. I have been on the podium of the event there a couple of times. I have had a few top fives and a lot of top tens. In terms of a world ranking or the World Tour, I have moved on. I feel like I have a lot more respect now than ten years ago for what it takes to win a world title. I have watched Brawzinho [Marcilio Browne], and I had a close view of how hard he has worked and how hard he has trained to earn his titles. I have so much respect for him. I am okay with that. I have made different decisions in my life, and I have had these varied interests and have not had that single focus like Brawzinho. It is very cool and inspiring to see what he has achieved. It has also been freeing because I have seen what it took for Braw and that was something that I was not willing to do.STEPPING DOWN FROM THE PWAI was on the management board of the PWA for almost ten years. I want the tour to succeed. However, I am not going to compete full-time. Ten years ago, I was one of the riders always complaining, which is precisely why I stepped up to be on the board. I figured if I am complaining then I should step up to try to change things. It was interesting and eye-opening being on the board. We did change a lot, but also, I realised that a lot of things are the way they are because there is no other option.Interested in being coached by Graham? Then check out his website @ www.windsurfingmasterclass.comThe post GRAHAM EZZY: SHIFT IN FOCUS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Jordan WylieThe Power of the Paddle Jordan Wylies StoryInterview: Jo MoseleyPhotos: Alfie Marsh waves and portrait. James May carrying boardHello and welcome to our new column, where I talk to paddleboarders about the positive impact of SUP on their mental health. Whilst we are not for one minute suggesting that SUP is a replacement for professional medical help, I hope that these stories will open up conversations around mens mental health and the benefits of being on the water. I am so grateful to Jordan for sharing his story. Please do get in touch if you would like to share yours: Instagram @jomoseley or thejoyofsuppodcast@gmail.comPlease tell us who you are and what you have done in paddleboarding.My name is Jordan Wylie. I am a former soldier who served in the British Army with the Kings Royal Hussars for ten years.After leaving the Army, I spent the last 14 years building a career in adventure. I try to do things I enjoy and which will have a positive impact on the world. I am committed to helping the next generation and am the National Ambassador for Army Cadets. I also volunteer with the Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, which gives me a great sense of purpose and fulfilment. Some people may also know me from TV, as I work on Channel 4s BAFTA-nominated Hunted and Celebrity Hunted.During COVID-19, I began paddleboarding on my local stretch of the Basingstoke Canal, which was really beneficial for my mental health.In July 2020, I embarked on a huge some might say crazy challenge called the Great British Paddle to become the first person to SUP around the coast of Great Britain. However, the expedition was halted after 149 days, 7 hours and 33 minutes and having covered 2377km. Nicola Sturgeon, the then First Minister of Scotland, announced that Scotland was going into a Level 5 lockdown, and we had to return home.At the time, it was a new world record for the longest journey on a paddleboard on the ocean. I am very happy to say that my good friend Brendon Prince went on to complete his circumnavigation of Great Britain in 2021. I couldnt be prouder of Brendon, his achievements and the work he does for water safety.While I didnt complete the journey, I accomplished the goal I set out to achieve building a school in Djibouti, a tiny country in the Horn of Africa. In doing so, I fulfilled a promise to a little boy five years before.Can you tell us a little about your mental health challenges?For the last few years, I have struggled with my mental health and was diagnosed with severe depression and chronic anxiety. People think my mental health struggles are a result of my time in the Army and the tours of Iraq and Northern Ireland, where I lost friends and witnessed some very distressing events. These times have certainly been challenging, and after being close to death on some occasions, I gained a real appreciation for life, and I now never take it for granted.However, after coming out of a ten-year relationship with the mother of my daughter, I reached some very dark moments and considered taking my own life. It was then that I received my diagnosis.How did SUP help?I have found the great outdoors to be very medicinal. I call it my Blue Therapy and find being in or on the water, on a board or boat, very tranquil. I feel I can reach that feeling of flow, where life is calmer, peaceful and magical.The Great British Paddle also gave me back a sense of purpose that I had lost after leaving the Army, where our real task was to protect and serve others.I wasnt very good at paddling on the ocean at first. I had massively underestimated the task at hand. It took me almost two weeks to be able to stand up!I was nave enough to start and stubborn enough to continue, and kept going. Even when cold, tired or injured, I felt good every day. Even on the toughest day, it felt magical. It was one of the best experiences of my life.SUP is a close-knit community. Did you find support there?Yes! I had wonderful help from incredible paddlers I met on the south coast, like Marie Buchanan, Sarah Thornely and Ginnie Betts, who taught me what to do. Without them, I wouldnt have gone on to cross the Irish Sea twice and paddle around Cape Wrath in winter.Can you share any lessons the Great British Paddle taught you?One lesson was that you must keep going sometimes, that might simply be one paddle stroke at a time or on land, one step at a time. Dig deep, keep learning, keep going. Adversity can create wisdom and strength. Just dont give up.Also, my TV work does give me a certain public profile. While I dont buy into the celebrity culture, I believe that if you have a platform, you are responsible for being accountable to others. I want to use mine to encourage, support, motivate and educate others and be a force for good in the world.Please tell us how to find you on socials/website:Instagram and Facebook: @mrjordanwylieWebsite: www.jordanwylie.orgBook about the Great British Paddle: The Power of the Paddle by Biteback Publishing Ltd www.bitebackpublishing.com/books/the-power-of-the-paddle

JEM HALL: PLANING TACKSJEM HALLMOVE ONUP WINDSURFING TECHNIQUEPLANING TACKSMOVE ON UP WITH JEM HALL:PLANING TACKSFollowing on from the planing duck gybe tips from June, we examine how to unlock the polar opposite the planing tack.Photos:Eye Sea You PhotoFirstly, lets discuss why you even need the planing tack to begin with because on paper it probably feels less important, and less fun, than learning to gybe. However, the planing tack will assist you greatly on your pathway to nailing a planing carve gybe, which will be the last feature in this series.The skills you will build while learning planing tacks will massively help you to plane out of your gybes. Yet I hear you say, planing out of a tack is impossible!. In reality, we are looking to plane into the tack, rather than all the way through it, by carving smoothly towards the wind, but once we are at the exit we are looking to get back on the plane as quickly as possible.For simplicity I will breakdown the planing tack into a who, what, why, where, when and how format:In your drop and push position, whilst pulling down on the boom, and flexing the back leg, you are in a great position to slip your front foot into the strap. Slipping your backhand back up the boom to the back line will get the rig more upright to help you get planing. With good power you can then get planing, or you might have to hook in and lazy pump to get up to speed. BELIEVE and go nail it!WHO?This move is for anyone who is already pulling off a few tacks, but also looking to take their tacking game to the next level, primarily by entering tacks with more speed! Ideally, you are also progressing, or already competent, at getting planing from the footstraps. As opposed the old school way of planing in the harness and then getting into the straps. The better you are at quickly planing out of a tack, the quicker you will be at cracking the planing carve gybe ah, now I properly have your attention!You can get more info on the basics of the tack in a previous piece from July 23, and my light wind transitions piece. You should also recap from the June 21, Tack Attack, which will give you a great overview on the move.WHAT?The planing tack is an upwind transition, during which you unhook and crucially aim to keep your speed upon entry, (think about gybes here), before carving smoothly towards the wind and then moving your feet as quickly as possible so that you can get your foot back into the opposite front strap as quickly possible, and more importantly pop back on to the plane!One of the main tips when exiting your tacks is to get low and scissor the board as hard as possible in order to steer the board downwind quickly, while catching the wind on the opposite tack. When executed correctly, this will lead you to being in an excellent low, committed and outboard position, which is a highly efficient position to get planing from. From here, the exit is diametrically opposed to standing up, hooking in and being a bit passive.WHY?Many people ask me, mainly old school sailors, why they/we should tack in the first place? Well, it keeps us upwind, helps us to gybe better on the opposite tack and it gives us more jumping and wave riding opportunities when wave sailing. Plus lastly when the wind is cranking, it is far less scary.The planing tack is a notch up, and it should be strived for by any aspiring sailor as it will make you more active and efficient. Furthermore, it will help you improve your unhooked prep and carving (crucial for planing gybes), while it has great crossover into the waves.WHERE?There are lots of options again here; the easiest is on flatwater as you have both the time, and the space, to get up to speed and complete the move without having to think about anything else.It is also great to tack in between waves as the space between them is often very flat. Depending on the swell, there may be less space between the waves, which is when the tack really comes into its own as gybes need more space and time to perform. Furthermore, you can do it near the top of a big swell and then you can use the power of the next wave, plus gravity, to help you get planing again.The coup de grce of planing tacks is to do it onto a wave, then bear away and go straight into the straps without hooking in. You can then decide whether to ride immediately or wait and cherry pick a better wave behind you. Essentially, it puts you in a powerful position.WHEN?Learning the move is often best when you have good wind and speed as you maintain momentum after unhooking and then have a stable board to carve upwind on. In order to plane away, you need a decent amount of power to get you planing once you have steered out and then moved into the front strap.Using a wave / swell is an opportune moment to plane out of a tack as you benefit from the power of not only the wave, but also gravity. In terms of your prep and footwork, it is crucial that you unhook across the wind and then carve and move your feet before you head directly into wind. If in doubt, go round the front early and then be active in your exit.HOW?I will now share with you my main tips for planing tacks and break the move down into bite-sized chunks in the sequence enclosed.MAIN TIPS PLANING TACKSPreparation; follow the H.U.F. principle in order to maintain speed and be ready for the footwork into the exit. This is Hand low on mast (or front of the boom), Unhook (by ONLY bending your elbows), and then Feet out of the footstraps.Vision; looking forwards into the tack will help your timing and weight placement. Look at the boom to get your new front hand to the other side and then looking forwards fast towards your exit will really boost your tacks and it is one of the key actions to focus on.The hips dont lie Shakira, Shakira got your attention again didnt it going into the tack is all about getting the rig back and your hips forward and also OUTBOARD. Coming out your aim is to get the rig forwards and your hips back, and out, so you can scissor the board and then get planing again, hoorah.Precision; with the hands it is about having your backhand by the back line on the entrance and your front hand low on the mast. Having your front foot forward and on the mastfoot helps your footwork, and helps prevent the nose sinking, which will then help you get your back foot back past the rear footstrap.Getting down James Brown; being low and out really helps all phases of the tack, from unhooking, to carving, to the exit.Slippery hands; this is all about relaxing your grip on the boom, so it can slip through your grasp and help you move your hand to a better position on the boom. None more so than when you grab the boom on the new side, look forward fast and send the rig forward. You will grab it at the front, but when you send it, then the grip is relaxed so the front hand ends up at the front line. Now it is best placed to not only steer, but also assist in getting planing faster.Planing; your planing technique will really be called into action when looking to plane out of this and other moves. Refresh yourselves with my tips from my August 22 piece. The main actions after a tack are; keep the rig away, get the rig forwards and upright, pull down (not in!) on the boom, front hand near the front harness line and look upwind to see the wind, so you can adjust your sailing line accordingly.KIT Turny boards that plane easily, like a medium to small freemove, or a fast medium to large FSW. Sails from 6.0m and below are easier to tack. A 6.5m will work, but is pushing it as the biggest I would recommend. Not too big a fin so it is easy to control on the entrance and carves smoothly towards the wind. Generous footstraps; will ensure your feet can get out of the footstraps smoothly and are easier to get back into for the planing exit. Long lines; these enable unhooking from a low position so you can keep speed, before carving. They will also help you get the rig more upright when you hook in as you consolidate your planing exit.Ezzy sails, RRD (boards, wetsuits & softwear), Chinook & Black Project fins sponsor Jem Hall. Get him live and direct on one of his highly acclaimed coaching holidays check out his website www.jemhall.com for details. You can also follow him on X / Facebook / Instagram.The post JEM HALL: PLANING TACKS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

The post 2024 Australian SUP Titles Results appeared first on SUPboarder Magazine.

The highly anticipated 2025 Product of the Year Awards Ceremony made its exciting return to this years Paddle Sports Show in Strasbourg on September 25, 2024. Featuring a wide array of innovative boats, gear, accessories, and [&hellip... Read More