SHOW ME THE MONEY! THE COST OF BEING A PRO RACER!SHOW ME THE MONEY! THE COST OF BEING A PRO RACER!Breaking Down the Expenses for one season on tour with Jordy Vonk.Jordy: Not going to lie, Im both curious and a little scared to see the final number in this article! But if youve ever wondered what it really takes, financially, to be a professional windsurfer, youre in the right place.From endless flights packed with oversized baggage to accommodation costs, training expenses, and the ever-growing price tag of gear, competing at the highest level isnt just about skill and passionits also a serious investment.In this insight to the financial side of being a pro racer on tour, I will walk you through exactly what it costs to chase the wind across the world, from winter training in Tenerife to competitions in far-flung destinations like Japan and Guadeloupe. Spoiler alert: the numbers add up fast. But if youre dreaming of going pro, dont let that stop you! Every champion starts somewhere!Lets break it all down.TRAVELINGTrainingWhere do we even begin? Lets start with winter training. For me, that means spending three months in Tenerife:Flights (including 250kg of baggage) 1,000 (from Amsterdam)Accommodation: Im lucky enough to have my own apartment now, but the average rent is 1,200/month. If you share, thats about 600 per person (times three months).Training Around 1,500 for water training plus an extra 100 for a local gym membership.Competition ExpensesNow that were prepped for the season, lets break down the costs of competing. Airline baggage fees are a wild gamble, sometimes you get a kind check-in agent and pay 90, other times they weigh every gram, and youre hit with 900. But heres my best estimate for this years competition expenses:Guadeloupe: 3,500 (flight, baggage, hotel)Defi Wind: 1,000 (driving + accommodation)Canary Islands (3 events): 4,000 (flights, rental cars, hotels/apartments)Sylt: 750 (drive + train)China & Japan: 4,000 (flights, baggage, hotels)That brings the total to 13,000; and keep in mind, as a top 12 rider, I get free accommodation during competition days. If youre outside that ranking, it gets even more expensive!I havent even factored in food. Some events provide meals, others dont, which can add a lot of unexpected costs.And thats just the main travel. There are always additional trips, testing sessions at Lake Garda, training in Holland, or simply fuel for getting to your home spot. Easily adds up to a few thousand more.Lets not forget my van. At 380,000 km, its still holding up, but last year I spent around 3,500 on repairs just to keep it running. Add road tax, insurance, and fuel, and Id estimate 10,000 per year.EQUIPMENT COSTSIm lucky to have sponsors covering most of my gear (boards, sails, fins, wetsuits), but I still had to buy my own foils last year. That was 11,000 just for those!Costs in this category can vary massively, especially if you break something. A sunken foil, a catapult-damaged board nose, or a torn sail can mean 1,000+ in repairs over the season. Those small fixes add up quickly!OTHER EXPENSESContent CreationSponsors and fans expect content, so I invested in:Camera: 2,500GoPro Max: 500iPhone (for quick content): 1,500I also hire professional photographers and videographers sometimes: 1,500 per year (often discounted thanks to sponsors or event deals).Other CostsAccountant: 1,000 per year (taxes, bookkeeping)Laptop (for remote work): Thankfully still holding up!Physical coach: 2,000 per yearTOTAL COSTS? LETS NOT TALK ABOUT IT!Honestly, Im scared to add it all up! But before you freak out, you grow into this lifestyle.When I started, I saved every euro: Sharing houses with four other riders. Flying with minimal bags. Carpooling with others. Taking long layovers to save on flights. Cooking cheap meals. Training at the nearest spot to avoid fuel costs.If you dream of becoming a pro windsurfer, dont let these numbers scare you. I used to work for a transport company, driving trucks just to earn money for competitions. I burned all my savings but gained so many valuable experiences for life. No passionate windsurfer regrets trying to go pro. A normal job will always be there later; but this? This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.Total Estimated Costs of Being a Pro Windsurfer (Jordy Vonk)So, lets tally it all up, here goes! Oh, and by the way, this is just the cost of doing the tour with free boards, sails, masts and booms etc (plus some free accommodation at events and an apartment in Tenerife during training!). In addition, Jordy now needs to cover his personal expenses in life alsoWinter Training (Tenerife): 3,800Competition Expenses: 13,000Additional Travel (Van & Fuel): 13,500Equipment (Foils + Repairs): 12,000Content Creation: 6,000Other Costs (Accountant, Physical Coach): 3,000 Grand Total: 51,300The post SHOW ME THE MONEY! THE COST OF BEING A PRO RACER! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

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UKWA: WEYMOUTH EVENT REPORTUKWA: WEYMOUTH EVENT REPORTThe UKWA kicked off their racing season in style this weekend in Weymouth, with great conditions and plenty of smiling faces out on the water. The atmosphere was lively, the competition was tight and the wind delivered just enough excitement to keep things interesting.Scott Harrison reports:Photos: Watershots_ukScott Harrison:The weekend of 12/13 April saw the UKWA return to Portland Harbour for the first slalom event of 2025. Boasting shallow, flat, clear waters it is an incredibly popular windsurfing spot and the location where the 30 knots barrier was first broken in the 1980s. Around 30 competitors arrived to test their skills against the course and each other.In the International fleet, where foiling is fully integrated all eyes would be on PWA pro Scotty Stallman, however, with the current speed world champion Jenna Gibson, new member of the 50 knot club Simon Pettifer, and recent podium placer at the BWA south Wales event Nick Welsh there would be no easy heats!Similarly in the national fleet, where the focus is fully on the fin, with light wind foiling if the conditions dont deliver, the field is wide open with pretty much anyone capable of talking a top 3 in a heat.Saturday morning saw glorious sunshine and a teasing easterly breeze, which by lunchtime had filled in enough for some figure of 8 foiling racing across both fleets, in the international fleet Scotty Stallman completed a clean sweep ahead of Nick Welsh and Jenna Gibson, who had super tight racing, and by the end of the day were only separated by 1 point. In the National fleet Mitchell Vickers won every race convincingly followed by myself, Richie Hill and Andrew Twinn scrapping it out behind. For most the conditions and the course were perfect, windy enough to foil at will, but easy enough that the gear didnt get out of shape.Sunday had a decent forecast of 15-20 knots of south west wind, but, would it appear in time? After teasing the crew all morning it turned on straight after lunch and never turned off, after 3 foil races the international fleet finally got onto the fin, Scotty Stallman winning every race, ahead of Simon Pettifer and Nick Welsh respectively who were separated by the closest of margins. The National fleet had it pretty much their own way with 6 back to back 3 buoy downwind slalom races I ended up in a super tight scrap with last years champion Alastair Campbell and Elliott McCreery, managing to squeak it ahead in the end.Massive thanks to Intego Pro sports sunscreen, OTC and SurfDoctor for sponsoring the event and putting up some great prizes. Portland delivered in style and as I drove back across the causeway the locals were still out blasting full speed.The Next event is 3/4 May at Steamer point, Christchurch, its a stones throw from Avon beach and, as such has some of the finest sailing on the south coast, with a large grassy camping and rigging area, toilets and a decent cafe.4BOARDS have committed to sponsoring the event so there will be good prizes. This is a conditional event, meaning that if we have 30 plus pre entries by April 24th it will go ahead. So make sure you sign up asap!UKWASign up today at www.ukwindsurfing.comThe post UKWA: WEYMOUTH EVENT REPORT appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

MFC: MAUI PROAM HIGHLIGHTSMFC MAUI PROAM HIGHLIGHTSCheck out the awesome highlights clips from the MFC Maui ProAm, which went all the way to the finals yesterday at Hookipa! With wild winds and a pumping swell the action was epic right from the first heat with monster jumps, powerhouse turns, epic tricks and some spectacular crashes!Hit the link below to catch all the insane highlights and see who came out on top!EVENT RESULTS:MEN:1: Marcilio Browne.2: Marc Pare.3: Takara Ishii.4: Robby Swift.WOMEN:1: Marine Hunter.2: Lisa Wermeister.3: Maria Andres.4: Collette Guadagnino.The post MFC: MAUI PROAM HIGHLIGHTS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Photos courtesy of Annagail Leaman The Happy SnapperThe third year of the UKs twelve-hour endurance marathon, SUP Twelve,saw almost 100 paddlers complete as many laps as possible between7amand7pm.Powering his All Star around the course, Starboard UKs Paul Simmons took the event win, completing 28 laps (a total of 95km) in the twelve-hour timeframe, with fellow All-Star paddler Emily King second in the female division, first in age group and first UK female.Emily King:Im really pleased to be back racing, and even more thrilled to have taken 2nd overall and 1st UK female over the line! Its a real privilege to be competing again and mixing it up with some of Europes top paddlers.SUP Twelve was an amazing experience, tough both mentally and physically, but so much fun and a great learning opportunity. Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen!Paul Simmons:I felt prepared thanks to plenty of time on the water in coastal environments, challenging my balance and core strength. This year more running for training ensured my legs were strong enough to cope with constant work both on the water and through the beach transitions.Pushing hard, at halfway I was on track to reach my goal of 100km, but a challenging water-state and fatigue caused me to end up a couple laps short. I was pleased with my performance though, notably refuelling a little (almost) every lap to maintain energy levels.The 140 x 23 All Star was perfect for the sea-state, with outstanding secondary stability saving me from numerous potential falls and the high-volume nose popping over bumps easily. I stuck with the Starboard Lima PrePreg Carbon Large paddle all event, delivering power and precision with every stroke.It was fantastic to see many paddlers persevering all day despite a sea-state somewhat different to their usual paddling conditions. It was great to have encouragement yelled by supporters through each transition, also thanks to event organiser Brendon and his team of volunteers who made SUP Twelve 2025 a pleasure to take part in, particularly Karl Hobbs and his legendary board-butler skills!Full results: https://www.whatsmytimeresults.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=17047&RId=6328&EId=2

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Dont Miss Out: Gear Up for SUP Season 2025! New April SUP Mag UK available nowPay by credit card with Stripe or Paypal. SUBSCRIBE HERE and receive your first issue of the full subscription of four magazines yearly starting with the current issue: April 2025 issue 44. CoachingQ&AsTravel and adventuresPaddle UK featuresRegularsSUPM supports and gives airtime to the UK SUP scene 100%. And were the only mag that does.The latest April 2025 issue of SUP Mag UK in print is available to purchase now Digital edition available @ https://joom.ag/UqjdFeaturing a huge array of SUP stories from across the planet and the crme de la crme of UK stand up stories, its a must have read for anyone into the art of propelling themselves forward on a board with a paddle.Available to order now.Any questions? Give us a call on 01480 465081 we will be glad to help.

GET OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE: FLORIAN JUNGGET OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE: FLORIAN JUNGIn this feature, Florian Jung shares six powerful habits to break through plateaus and rediscover the stoke of windsurfing. Whether youre chasing your first carve gybe or charging Jaws, it all starts with leaving the comfort zone behind. Florian sets it out with six efficient rituals to improve your windsurfing skills!Words: Florian Jung // Photos: Sam Tome, John Carter, Fish Bowl Diaries and Pierre Bouras.When was the last time you had a real moment of success while windsurfing? The feeling of having learned something new or having mastered a difficult situation? Maybe thats not what its all about. Maybe the feeling of joy should always be in the foreground! Of course, there will always be days when things just dont work out, when the wind is too gusty or suddenly gone. But how can we create the best possible circumstances to really enjoy our goals and our time on the water?Imagine you go on the water with a concrete goal. Lets say, you want to learn the power gybe. You feel good. Your equipment is perfectly set up, the wind is constant and after a few failed attempts, which were planned, you glide full speed into the turn. Your timing is right just like you visualized it before. You shift your sail and your board carves into the other direction. Yes, thats such an amazing feeling. You are on cloud nine and the beer after the session with your surf buddies tastes especially good today.Mastering maneuvers like this is one of the biggest hurdles for many windsurfers. Character traits like resilience, ambition, and willpower should also be subscribed to us as windsurfers if you want to go far. This may not sound like fun to outsiders. There arent many sports that are so complicated. Knowing that you dont give up right away is therefore a huge plus in overcoming many challenges in daily life of windsurfers. But what remains hidden for outsiders is the path to the goal, which is almost always the same. The journey includes a few wipe outs or catapults here and there but always comes with a lot of happiness and inner growth if we conquer a situation or learn something new.At my Wave Windsurf Camps I always meet participants who feel like they have come to a standstill, who fiddle around with certain maneuvers for years and sometimes seem to despair. Partly because they lack time on the water, partly because they have stopped experimenting or built-up inner blockades. All they need is the conscious feelings of success that come from gradually challenging themselves and growing in a controlled environment with new input.I am also on this endless journey and certainly not every session is a complete success. But also, the days when things dont work as planned are part of it as long as I try to learn from it. These are the moments where I have consciously challenged myself, consciously taken risks and successfully mastered them that make me grow.For me, the following habits provide an important aspect to maintain this endless joy that windsurfing offers in the long run.Everyone has different patterns and natures, but these basic characteristics are the same for each of us. Here are a few tips from my daily practice:)Be proactive!As the saying goes. If you dont change anything, everything stays as it is. No problem if everything runs perfectly, and you are satisfied. But in the long run this bears the danger of underchallenge, weariness and boredom and this consequently equals a step backwards. For me it is crucial to consciously set new incentives again and again. To have new experiences, to learn and to enjoy the process of growing. Be it a new maneuver, a new spot or our own attitude, how we perceive the world around us.For me, the idea of a ticking clock helps. Time is the same for everyone. One day our clock will run out and so I ask myself what I want to experience here and now. It is one of the most basic questions, what do you want to do until then.If you take this idea a little further, it results in certain time windows. Life phases in which different things are possible. If your goal is to surf a giant wave or break the 80 km/h mark on your speed board, its best not to start when youre 70 years. To me, being proactive means creating the best possible conditions and setting appropriate goals for where, how and exactly what you want to experience. After 3 windless windsurfing vacations at the Mediterranean Sea, it might be better to book a trip to the Canary Islands next summer! Of course, there can always be divergences, but for me it helps to have a clear direction and then actively follow the path to the summit.Learn to learn:Before every windsurf session, I try to get myself in the right mood. Especially before important heats at competitions or on days where the highest concentration is required, I listen to appropriate playlists beforehand to build up a positive basic tension. When it comes to learning maneuvers, I use various techniques, such as feedback through filming, slow-motion training or visualizations. Here and there, the idea of making as many mistakes as possible and deliberately exaggerating them also helps. Falling into the water sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left of the board, to find the golden mean. Smaller intermediate goals help enormously. To stay with our example of the jibe, it might help to focus on switching your stance in the jibe and practice beforehand on land. The next time you try it on the water, you should only concentrate on the foot position and then consciously observe what happens. Often small mistakes make the difference.Windsurfing is a sport with and in nature and therefore the basic conditions are different every day. Sometimes the wind is not quite enough. Sometimes you fly over the water completely overpowered and just want to get back to land in one piece. I find the ability to adapt flexibly and stay creative is one of the most exciting aspects of windsurfing. Sometimes 10 knots on a flat lake are enough to learn the perfect tack.But to really feel the joy, it helps immensely to share your experiences and unite with like-minded people. For example, at a windsurfing camp or with your surf buddies at your home spot. The main thing is that its easy for you to share, push yourself and get possible feedback.In general, it always starts with the right questions. What do I want and how can I improve myself? What drives me and makes me happy?Quality vs. quantity:In windsurfing, as in other areas of life, the principle of the right intention applies to short-term as well as long-term goals. After my last injury break, I created a daily ritual that helped me a lot. Every time before I go out on the water, I check my equipment setup again and check every detail. Foot straps, sail pressure, harness lines, sail trim etc. In this respect I am a perfectionist and want to have the best possible material at the start. An incorrectly rigged sail or board that just wont plane can end any session in frustration.Afterwards I stand on the beach and take a few deep breaths and imagine what I really want to learn realistically. This so-called golden minute helps me get much more out of my session. Whether its practicing a new maneuvre or just being on the water and switching off, its a way to put my focus in the here and now and leave all other distracting thoughts on the beach. The motto here is: quality vs. quantity. Id rather do one good turn in the wave with full awareness than try manymaneuvers with half-hearted effort.When I notice that this focus is waning, I take a break or go back to the beach. In the past, I was often on the water for more than 4 hours. Today, that happens relatively rarely. Like that I try to minimize the risk of injury but also always surf with enough power and concentration.Set the right goals and then let go:A few years ago, I wrote down a bucket list for myself. ( A list of goals I want to do before I am gone). It listed things like: Surfing Jaws at 45+, sail around the world, win a competition, teach a person with limited ability to windsurf, etc.Goals give you a direction like a compass needle. But there are not only good goals but also so called stress goals. If you ask too much of yourself, if you get out of balance, if you want to learn the loop and if you get tense every time you go out on the water, then you will lose the fun in the long run. The moment we try hard we are already tense. Thus, it is one of the biggest sources of error there is. It implies a certain weakness and shows that we are not yet up to the challenge. In natural activities, we dont try. We just do it. We dont think about it. We drive a car, we write an email, we go for a run. It doesnt require any effort and it comes easily to us. But when we are faced with a task that we think is a challenge, when self-doubt rises in us, we begin to try. We put up an inner resistance to our goal.With less effort, better results can often be achieved. Therefore, it is certainly best to motivate yourself with candy rather than a stick.Set clear goals in life, make the necessary preparations, and then just let things happen. As the martial arts fighter Bruce Lee once said: Dont try, do it or dont do it but dont try.Attitude:When things are starting to go smoothly on the water and you are just so full of self-confidence, the motto is to store this in your subconscious. This requires a lot of repetition. The more precisely we know and feel how something works, the better we can recall it.During a surf session in the big waves at Peahi, I was caught by a set of 3 waves and experienced probably the hardest wipe out of my life. I got pounded by wave after wave and the time underwater felt like an eternity. When I met Watermen Kai Lenny a short time later in the lineup, I saw him sitting completely relaxed on his board and making some jokes. A few meters next to us 1012-meter giant waves detonated onto the reef. I had my pants more than full and was glad to have survived the last beating. When I asked how he got over such wipe outs so easily, he said in short: You just get used to it. Before you get worked, smile, take a deep breath, and then see it all as a fun challenge.When youve done nothing but surf waves of this dimension since childhood, its easy to talk. But what remains hidden are the many experiences, the many repetitions that have led to this attitude. Thousands of waves one has ridden before or not, the precise physical preparation with special breathing training. The safety vest with inflatable air chambers, the jet ski assistance as your life insurance. But no matter what preparation you made above all, our attitude is crucial in determining whether we see big waves as something dangerous and if so, how we gradually change this.The moment I see critical situations with some humour, it is much easier to make clear decisions and e.g. stay relaxed underwater. Of course, it still takes a lot of effort to get out of the comfort zone, but behind it are usually the most precious moments.This certainly requires a kick in the butt every now and then to overcome, but as long as you dont feel paralyzing fear, but a healthy amount of excitement, it can be a very valuable experience to live truly extraordinary moments. Whether its surfing a wave in Jaws, crossing the shore break on a stormy day at your home spot, or simply learning a new maneuver again, it doesnt matter. Its about consciously jumping over your shadow every now and then with calculable risk. Everyone should define for themselves what small or big challenges are and how they can be mastered.As Henry Ford said, One thinks he can, the other thinks he cant, and both are right.First sow, then reap:Change is the only constant. Through change, we always learn new facets in life and get the opportunity to live them out. Sure, it takes courage to try something new and take risks. Discovering talents is one thing, pursuing talents is another. Many people are held back from change by the fear of failure. Thats why its so important to review our habitual patterns every now and then and make basic assumptions that will bear fruit later. For something to grow, you must learn how to sow.In a small way, our mindset but also our daily routines in windsurfing as well as in life in general are therefore of great importance.How do we learn to acquire new skills with interest that make life better, more valuable, more exciting or do we prefer the status quo? To be happy is above all a state of mind that can only arise within ourselves. In the last 15 years I have had several setbacks, some of them injuries or disappointments in competitions. But these experiences are part of it and can be valuable as long as I learned from them. Like the waves, life remains a daily up and down. For me, its about taking the right balance of risks to really build momentum. So, get out of your comfort zone and have fun learning.If you are more interested in improving your windsurfing skills in a controlled environment, you can sign up for a variety of windsurfing camps around the world. There are tons of great events and coaches and sometimes this little push helps you to push your limits or light the inner fire again.If you are interested, check out my following Wave Windsurf Camps this year:03.09.- 10.09.2022 Wave Camp Klitmller19.11.- 30.11.2022 Wave Camp Cape TownMore info on: www.florianjung.comFlorian Jung is sponsored by:StarboardGUNSAILSMaui Ultra FinsAK durable supply companyXcel WetsuitsThe post GET OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE: FLORIAN JUNG appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.