Victor Fernandez: Hookipa is one of the most consistent spots in the World for wave sailing. Here are some of my best highlight moments before, during and after the last World Cup of 2024, the Aloha Classic. Thanks to all the filmmakers for the footage. Rider: Vctor Fernndez Spot: Hookipa, Maui Hawaii Footage: Moritz []

Interview: Sarah ThornelyPhotos: Caroline Dawson, Jonathan Gill, Matthew Phillips, Brodie Hopkins and the Amazon ChallengeWhen you get the opportunity to paddle in a world so far removed from what you know on an iconic river in Peru, why would you not? We excitedly kept abreast of this challenge whilst it was happening and are delighted to be able to chat with Caz, Jon and Matt, who make up the remarkable Team SLPA.Want to read about the expedition itself. Head over to https://paddlerezine.com/amazon-challenge-2024/ and read for free.Paddle stats:TOTAL DISTANCE paddled | 335 KMPADDLE STROKES | 58,322TOTAL CALORIES | 18,000+AVERAGE SPEED | 8.3 km/hrTOTAL TIME PADDLING| 40:24.08Challenge mileage breakdownDay 1 48 kmDay 2 34 kmDay 3 55 kmDay 4 68 kmDay 5 76 kmDay 6 54 kmTell us a little about yourselves and your paddling experience?Caz: I own the award-winning adventure business SUP Lass Paddle Adventures. I am an accomplished paddler and coach who has completed several long-distance SUP challenges. My recent overseas trips include paddling the Vjosa in Albania and working as a guide in Scandinavia.Jon: I have been paddling for four years, gained an adventure guide qualification in 2021 and got addicted to paddle boarding during Covid. I love paddling down moving water, going on camping adventures with the paddle boards, and accessing areas where no one goes.Matt: I am a seasoned paddleboarder, sea kayaker, and natural leader. I am currently guiding river expeditions in the north of New Zealand. I have also spent several seasons guiding SUP adventures in the Sri Lankan rainforests and Panamanian jungle, exploring unmapped areas.How did you first hear about the Amazon Canoe/SUP Challenge?Caz: I came across the Amazon Challenge on social media.Jon: Caz told me to do it!Matt: Facebook during its first year, but I already had commitments. Then Caz twisted my arm when we were paddling together in Albania.Can you let the readers know how you prepared for this challenge physically and mentally?Caz: My preparation for the challenge didnt go as planned! I broke my ankle in October (just a week after I signed up). Then, three weeks before heading out to Peru, I became very sick with biliary sepsis, and I ended up having emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder. The doctors recommended I postpone the challenge, but I was determined to bounce back and give it my all. Between injuries and illness, I spent a lot of time in the gym and also took part in the SUP Twelve and Spey Challenges.Jon: We did a lot of training at the gym. Caz would make me get up at 06:30. We would go to the gym and start work. We would push ourselves further with bigger and heavier kit on our boards to ensure we were mentally and physically prepared for a challenge of this scale. We also entered a couple of races and challenges to make sure we were battle-hardened.Matt: I kept working as an expedition leader in NZ. I pushed onto some other higher-grade rivers and got out on the board as much as possible.Did the Challenge organisers give you preparation and travel advice?Caz: I am used to organising expedition-style trips both for myself and others. My biggest challenge was understanding what the rainforest environment would throw at us. Carlos and Freya, the organisers, were a great help and always at the other end of the phone or WhatsApp. The information pack supplied for the challenge was very comprehensive.Jon: Carlos and Freya were always available for a conversation and very helpful. It was a very well-organised challenge with excellent online resources. Again, Caz is the queen of organisation and kept us boys on track!Matt: I am well-travelled and have paddled a broad range of rivers, so I was comfortable with the preparation side of things. Caz kept track of things like insurance, flights, accommodation, etc with a Google spreadsheet and regular updates.We understand its quite a trek to get to Peru, can you let us know how the travelling was for you? Have you been to Peru before?Caz: Travelling to Peru was hilarious. We had 5 x 23kg board bags and six x two-piece paddles, as we were carrying an extra board and kit for Matt. We had heard horror stories of bags going missing, but our seven flights throughout the trip went smoothly.Jon: I was always excited to go to the home of Paddington Bear. Getting to go to Cusco and then travel across the Andes (we reached 4000m) and then down through the cloud rainforest was an incredible experience.Matt: Never been to Peru before. I flew from New Zealand via Chile ahead of Caz and Jon. I wish I had refreshed my Spanish beforehand!Were there specific skills you practised for this challenge?Caz: I spent time practising my fully loaded board flips on the Dee, including a swim on Serpents Tail to test if I could release my leash and righten my board. Ant Ing put me through my paces! I had previously paddled with Jon and Matt, so I knew we all had each others backs should anything go wrong.We had a crash course on the things that would want to bite, eat, or sting us in the rainforest, which Matt kindly delivered in a dodgy natural history and taxidermy museum in Cusco. Bullet Ants, Wandering Spiders, and Black Caiman were all recommended things to avoid, and we did!Jon: Caz and I trained hard to ensure we would work together as a team and know the required skills for safety, rescue, self-rescue, equipment, first aid, and camp skills. I personally spent more time ensuring I knew how to use video technology, such as drones and 360 cameras, on our adventure.Matt: What will and wont eat you? I have spent lots of time in jungles and rainforests, but each one is different the Amazon didnt disappoint.Did you feel confident before you started on day one, and how was that day?Caz: Really confident not! Paddling in the Amazon was the first time I had been on a board in almost a month, as before heading out I had emergency surgery, which wasnt ideal. I had to be careful with any heavy lifting the boys were great in helping with my kit and bags.Jon: I knew we would have it in us. However, Caz has a different story that she hasnt shared with anyone, but shes flipping nails!Matt: I felt great when we first hit the water. I had to get used to a brand new McConks board and Ainsworth paddle. Within 300-400m of the start, we were straight into a rather big and boily rapid, which was fun and set the scene for the rest of the day.Can you let us know about the indigenous people you met?Caz: Just the loveliest, smiliest, happy people. Both tribes we met when paddling were welcoming and couldnt wait to share their stories with us. A memory that will stick with me will be splashing around with the children on the boards we managed to fit 11 children on a 14 McConks board!Jon: What a humbling experience to meet the tribes and people on our trip down. The background work that Carlos and Freya had done to ensure the barriers were down and the tribes wanted to work with us worked wonderfully. There wasnt a language barrier that couldnt be broken down with the medium of mime, a smile or pointing to something. Meeting the families in the communities, including the children and showing them our paddle boards is an experience that I will never forget. Laughter surpasses all boundaries.Matt: I loved seeing the kids get the school supplies and enjoyed their excitement of being on the sups and playing games.Anything particularly unusual happen whilst on the challenge?Caz: Aside from eating alpaca and guinea pig and drinking masato (locals chew yuca root and then spit it into jars for fermentation), the most unusual thing was spotting a bright red crab in the middle of the rainforest.Jon: Our dance every 30km, we sang our Were paddling the Amazon song, and as the kilometres rolled on, our board moves and paddle spins got more and more polished. We certainly impressed the North American canoe team!Matt: I had to fish Jon out on a rope. We saw giant armadillos and spotted the endangered Amazon giant otters, which are 6ft long! Everything in the Amazon is big!Were the Amazon conditions anything like you had ever experienced before?Caz:The Madre de Dios is one of the main tributaries that form the Amazon River as we know it. The eddy lines and boils were pretty huge and very unforgiving on the first couple of days. I was pleased with only taking one swim over the whole 335km on the first rapid, on the first day, less than 500m from the start! We had some big 70km+ paddle days, which in the heat was totally energy-sapping. We had an alarm that reminded us to drink every 30 minutes. We all carried seven litres of water on our boards and got through it every day.Jon: The boils and eddy lines were huge. As we travelled down the river, the meanders got longer and wider, and the flow, slower and slower. By the end, it was like paddling in treacle!Matt: Big volume fun. I enjoyed the Madre de Dios. It was like paddling in New Zealand or a volatile tidal river.What were your absolute highlights?Caz: The wildlife. At times, it felt like we were paddling through an Attenborough documentary. The forests on either side of the river were alive with wildlife and at times, it was pretty surreal, particularly the early morning flyovers of bright red Macaws and Toucans.Jon: Meeting the communities, speaking to the people and seeing how they lived. The nightwalk in the jungle and all the creepy crawlies the size of your hand, including spotting the Wandering Spider one of the Worlds most deadly spiders.Matt: I loved the big-volume wildness of the river on the first couple of days. I loved being in the Amazon, surrounded by the wildlife, the vegetation, and the communities who call this magical place their home.What were the lowlights of the trip?Caz: We all experienced upset stomachs on the trip, some worse than others our bowel habits became an almost daily topic of conversation. Also, the sandflies were an absolute pest, which meant we all set up camp and dived into our tents quickly at the end of the day. The heat was also relentless; it rarely dropped below 30c during the day.Jon: Getting beaver fever! Seeing the destruction of the rainforest and river banks through illegal gold mining operations.Matt: Being chased down the river by a swarm of giant wasps! One stung me on the hand, and Caz over-prescribed me with antihistamines to be on the safe side, which made me very sleepy!We also got some fascinating insight, particularly from Jon, into maps, water quality, wildlife, and food take it away, Jon!The maps we had for the challenge were 40-year-old river maps, which change over time and every season, so the available maps were for reference at best. Google satellite images despite being 2024, did not match up to the serpentine twists and turns in the river. All navigation was following the rivers main flow and getting to checkpoints.For safety and tracking, we were tracked with a ping from Garmin Inreach mini every ten minutes so we could be followed at home. There was also the SOS feature we had in an emergency. Luckily, we prepared to make sure we would not have to use this.We were so remote that help was two hours by boat and 14 hours to the nearest hospital! We were in the middle of nowhere, with the forest surrounding us from every direction. There was not a road until the last day, and that was a four-hour boat ride downriver. We did see a few smaller aircraft at night, but these would not have been much help with them trafficking Narco!The water quality was very muddy, full of fine silt, and you would never see the bottom of your paddle, let alone the riverbed. Who knows what we paddled over! There were lots of trees and branches, with strainers and sweepers ready to catch you out if you were not paying attention. However, calling to one another and keeping a keen eye, we never had any issues with debris.Meals: We planned all our meals before with dehydrated Real Turmat packets being our staple; however, as a treat every other day we had a chocolate pudding to keep morale high. A 700-calorie breakfast, 700-calorie lunch with 200-calorie snack packs of biscuits, a 700-calorie dinner and a 500-calorie pudding, would be enough to keep us going, but we did have to force ourselves to eat in the heat despite not wanting to. You would feel the ache and slow down when you were hungry, especially on the bigger and slower days. Each of us drank more than 7-8 litres of water daily to keep ourselves hydrated, and despite drinking nearly constantly, we rarely needed to go to the toilet due to excessive sweating.We all saw some fascinating wildlife, including Giant Armadillo, Giant Otter, Macaws, Toucans, vultures, and hummingbirds as small as your thumb or as large as a sparrow, buzzing and being very territorial. Frogs, bats, spiders as big as your hand and playful like kittens, insects, crabs, monkeys, snakes, lizards, and some very impressive paw prints from Tapier, pigs and big cats. Massive blue butterflies, and at night, the moths and other eyes we saw staring back at us were everywhere, so much life in all abundance.Lastly, Cocaine production: We were all attuned to our senses of the water and the rainforest smells: clean, alive, and almost sweet. However, we did notice a change of smell at several locations to a rich leaf mulch smell, almost like silage or compost. This was the Narco labs making cocaine.We understand you were the first SUP team to cross the line, and Caz, you are the first woman to finish this challengeCaz: Being the first woman to paddle the Madre de Dios on a SUP is a pretty cool achievement. It felt super special after it was so touch and go as to whether I would even make the start line. There were a few tears shed. Its made me think of other paddle possibilities out there. The challenge wasnt a race, but our SUP boards travelled considerably faster than the traditional canoes, which helped us make the daily checkpoints in good time.Jon: We started as a team and finished as a team. We worked incredibly hard preparing for the trip to ensure our skills were up to speed in areas such as self-rescue with loaded boards.Matt: We stuck together, kept moving (we averaged 8.3km/hr over the 335km) and worked as a team we all had skills that complimented one another.Can you let us know about the organisers and their team?Amazon Challenge organisers Carlos and Freya were fabulous and went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a great challenge. They are keen to welcome more SUPs for the 2025 Challenge.As were the support crew a big shout-out goes to members of the Shipiteri community, who were always so smiley, helpful and supportive in their rescue boats and at every checkpoint.Can you let us know about your Challenge fundraising?Over 2000 of donations were raised through our Just Giving page, which has been split between Manu Biological Station, Los Amigos Biological Station (as visited by Sir David Attenborough) and the Shipiteri Community, all of which we visited on our trip.The funds will support rainforest conservation and the development of eco-tourism opportunities for the Peruvian Amazon communities.Do you have particular people you would like to give a shout-out to for their help?We have received incredible help and support with this challenge from friends, family, and clients making donations via our Just Giving page through to top paddle and outdoor brands that supply us with kit.We particularly would like to thank:McConks: 14 touring boardsMustang Survival: clothing, bags and buoyancyAinsworth: carbon paddlesKelly Kettle: water filtration systemLifesystems: first aid kit, mosquito repellent and suncreamWaterhaul: sunglassesSealskinz: waterproof socksExposure Lights: waterproof torchesPhizz: hydration tabletsTarget Trees: cash donationAgronomic Digital Innovation: cash donationAdvice for people sitting on the fence about this event?Go for it! Its a very special event, and the environment (30c+, high humidity, wildlife, and remoteness) makes it a unique challenge. It would be great to see more SUPs take part in 2025.Thank you so much to Team SLPA for their fascinating insight into what appears to be an incredible adventure and challenge if you are interested in registering for 2025, I am sure Caz, Jon and Matt would be delighted to give you more info and you can also check out the official website here: https://amazoncanoechallenge.com

More action from the last week in Cape Town. week 2 send it academy.. Are you a Windsurfing.TV Member? HELP make videos like this possible JOIN the Membership program To become a member all you have to do is support the channel with Beer Money Go to: https://windsurfing.tv/beer-money/

Nico Blasting over in Puerto Rico

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NICO PRIEN: PUERTO RICO, THE UNTOUCHED PARADISE!NICO PRIEN: PUERTO RICO, THE UNTOUCHED PARADISE!Nico Prien takes us on a journey to explore Puerto Rico, where he is greeted by strong winds and heads out to windsurf around some stunning untouched islands!Edited and filmedby Lars WichmannSony A7rVLumix S5II & S1H Insta360, ACE PRO, Go3sThe post NICO PRIEN: PUERTO RICO, THE UNTOUCHED PARADISE! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

SACHA FORTUNE JOINS DUOTONESACHA FORTUNE JOINS DUOTONEThe 2024 IFCA Slalom Europeans Fin Slalom U21 Youth Men winner, Sacha Fortune has joined the Duotone Team!Sacha commented Im so happy to join such an exceptional team like Duotones; its like a childhood dream come true! The gear is so fast and easy to use, I was surprised by its effectiveness during my first sessions. Everything is designed so that the gear performs well right out of the box, with plenty of markers that help you enjoy the ride from the very first use. Ive literally fallen in love with my new gear, and I cant wait to show what its worth both on fin and foil! A huge thank to the Duotone team for their trust and warm welcome!Duotone France announced: Sacha is a talented young windsurfer who has quickly made a name for himself as a promising rider on the French scene. Through his total commitment, dynamic style, and continuous progression, he has managed to stand out and prove that he has the potential to reach the highest level.Originally from Guadeloupe, he grew up riding on demanding spots, which allowed him to develop great versatility in both slalom and wave. Always motivated to push his limits, he perfectly embodies the Duotone Windsurfing spirit: innovation, determination, and passion for windsurfing.What convinced us to bring him into the team is, above all, his energy, seriousness, and desire to progress. He is part of this new generation of riders who are not afraid to challenge themselves and are constantly striving to improve. His integration is fully aligned with our vision of supporting young talent and helping them reach the highest level.By joining the team, Sacha will have the opportunity to ride with the best, take his skills to the next level, and represent Duotone Windsurfing in upcoming competitions and events. We are confident that he will proudly represent our colours and inspire a new generation of windsurfers!The post SACHA FORTUNE JOINS DUOTONE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

RAW Drone footage from Semi Finals / Finals 2025 Margaret River IWT/PWA. Ben Proffitt & Colin Dixon are watching it for the first time and will bring you the commentary. Tune in to have your say..

BOARD TALK: MARCILIO BROWNEBOARD TALK:MARCILO BROWNEIn our new series, we caught up with the four-time PWA/ IWT wave champion, Marcilio Browne, to find out all about his current quiver of wave boards and how he sets them up!Photos: Fish Bowl Diaries and PWA/ Carter.GOYA CUSTOM QUAD 8What is your height and weight?MB: I am 188 cm and weigh 85 KGTell us about the Quad 8 and how it is different to last years model!MB: I would say the new quad is a continuation of the work we did in the past but for sure spiced up and more radical on better waves, while keeping all that speed and mobility. Not to forget it has also been fine-tuned everywhere else from the outline, to the rails and tail!What do you love about the Quad 8?MB: I love how forgiving and all around it is. I could take this board anywhere in the world and have fun with it, it doesnt matter what the conditions are. Off course I have my own customs that are more specific for certain waves and locations, but I am very impressed on how versatile the Quad 8 is.In what conditions do you ride the Quad 8?MB: I ride it when its side, side offshore down the line and also on super windy onshore days, like Pozo conditions or any onshore up to 4.2m or 4.5m. It is very fast and stable, so it jumps high and keeps very good speeds on the wave when its small and almost straight onshore. Obviously, it is also a great board when conditions improve and its more side shore with bigger waves.What size Quad would you normally ride at Hookipa on a typical day?MB: I would say the 84L for sure. I am very comfortable on this board riding anywhere between 4.5 to 5.0, which cover most Hookipa days.Do you use your Quad in onshore conditions like Pozoand how would it be set up differently?MB: Yes, I do ride the quads in onshore conditions like Pozo. Mostly the 80L and the 84L. For those conditions I like having the fins a bit further back as well as the mast track. Sometimes I also like to experiment with riding some bigger side fins when the waves are small.What size fins do you typically use and where do you have them positioned in the boxes. When and why would you change any fin sizes and positions?MB: For the quads I ride mostly 14.5cm and 9cm. I usually ride the centre fin directly under my foot and the side fins two fingers apart from the centre. If the conditions are very onshore, I will move everything about one finger back. For the Thruster I pretty much only ride the 92L. On those, I like to ride 18cm with 11cm sides and if the waves are decent, I like to go 10cm sides. For the thruster, I also like having the centre fin directly under my foot and the side fins about 2.5 fingers apart. And on that board I would also move everything about a finger back if the conditions were onshore.Are there any particular foot strap positions you use when you set up a new board?MB When I set up the production boards, I usually go all the way back on the back-foot and all the way forward on the front foot as this is the stance I prefer. I also have some custom boards specific for Hookipa, those boards are little longer/narrower than production. On those I stand at about 20cm from the tail and my stance is about 50cm wide.What about the mast track position for different conditions?MB: I generally like to have my mast track a bit further forward than the middle of the box. But this all depends, mostly on sail size and wave size. Generally if its windier and smaller waves I would move it backwards (Pozo for example). If the waves are bigger or if I am riding a bigger sail, I will have it a bit further forward.GOYA CUSTOM THRUSTER 4What was new with the Custom Thruster 4 in 2024/ 25?MB: The outline has been updated, also well as the rocker line and rails have been adjusted. It is for sure a much looser and more forgiving board.When would you switch to the Thruster?MB: I like riding the Thruster in some very specific conditions. If its 5.0 or 5.3/5.5 weather, side onshore with kind of bigger powerful waves, but you are still not riding super-fast because the wind has some onshore too it, that is when I love the thruster, and in those conditions, I generally ride 92L.What sizes in the thruster would you take to a competition?MB: Nowadays only 92L!THE NITRO 3 PROWhen would you bring out the Nitro and what size would you typically be using if you had to use it in a competition?MB: I love the Nitro when the conditions are bad. Anywhere from side, side on to straight onshore with tiny weak, mushy waves, the Nitro is all I ride. That board makes terrible conditions so much fun and thats what I love about it.As far as sail sizes, it can be anywhere from 4.5m to 5.7m. It mostly depends on wind direction and wave quality. If I am on 4.5m and its straight onshore I am super happy riding the Nitro 89, then I can ride the 98L on those same conditions from 5.0m to 5.7m. Also, I had some fun light wind sessions on the Nitros when its been side/side onshore with weaker waves, even at Hookipa during summer, the board is a blast, it literally doubled the amount of days I was sailing.How important to you is it to have light boards?MB: Very important, especially while competing everything matters and makes a difference, even if it is only in your mind! But generally lighter boards feel more alive and get going quicker, they are also more responsive, which are all things I love from a board.DESIGNHow much are you involved in the design process?MB: On the production line I am quite involved along with Francisco Goya. Francisco usually starts them from my favourite custom board file and then tunes up from there. I obviously test them out along the way and give him some feedback along with the rest of the team. It is amazing to watch the way Francisco has been working on this boards. He is very sensitive and has a really specific feeling he wants to get out this boards and he wont settle for anything until he gets exactly what he wants! It doesnt matter how long or how many prototypes it takes. I have never seen anyone work so hard on a production line. His attention to detail is unmatched and there is a lot to be learned just from watching him doing his thing. On my own boards I would say I am very involved, from designing them out on the computer to checking all the steps along the way, from measurements, to construction and the weight! This is a very big passion for me! I love it, especially when you see it all coming together and you get rewarded with a magic board, there is no better feeling!QUIVERIf you went on a trip what is the typical quiver of boards you would take, sizes quads/ thruster etc?MB: It obviously all depends on where I am going and if it is an event etc But to simplify, if I could choose three boards to do a lap around the world it would be quad 80, quad 84 and thruster 92. With those three boards, I would say I would be covered for 95% of wave conditions around the globe.If you had to choose a quiver of four boards to cover everything what would that be!MB: Quad 80, quad 84 , thruster 92 and the Nitro 98!What changes can we expect for 2026?MB: We are aiming to keep improving and make boards that are light, fast and ride tight in the pocket. I love the idea of bringing wave riding as close as possible to surfing. I also like having boards to sail around the world on subpar conditions and still have a blast.GOYA WINDSURFINGThe post BOARD TALK: MARCILIO BROWNE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

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