Words: Paul HymanPhotos: Active360 https://active360.co.ukThe Oru Kayak our flexible friendOne of the great things about owning a kayak is the freedom to take off and explore rivers, lakes, canals, and oceans whenever you please, at your skill level. The drawback is that you have to transport the boat to the water and find space to store it between trips. Great if you have a car, live near water, and have plenty of storage space at home. Not everyone owns a vehicle, and there are often still logistical issues to deal with, such as carrying a heavy boat to the launch area after lifting it from a vehicle and portaging locks and other barriers.So, what if your kayak was very lightweight and folded neatly into a convenient package when you need to carry it? You could own a kayak without owning or hiring a vehicle, and portaging would be much easier.Oru Kayaks are a California company launched in 2012 on Kickstarter. A designer who loved kayaking applied origami principles to building a kayak which would fold up like origami paper models. Instead of paper, he used a type of very tough translucent corrugated plastic. The result is a range of very light kayaks which fold neatly for transport or storage. Since its launch, Oru has grown, expanded its range of kayaks and accessories, and refined its designs.Active360 started up in 2011 with an initial aim to make SUP a popular sport in London. The founders and coaches were all experienced kayakers who had been involved in the sport at various levels for many years, with backgrounds in setting up and running canoe clubs, as well as expertise in whitewater, freestyle, surf, and racing. SUP was almost non-existent in London back then, and it was quite a challenge to be part of developing something with obvious potential, yet still regarded by most people in the paddlesports world as a quirky spin-off from surfing, not worth serious attention.Over the years, that changed, and SUP became a very mainstream activity with high participation rates. After 11 years, we began to see the market mature. With cheap, often low-quality equipment dominating the market, there is lower demand for lessons. We have also been developing the environmental protection aspect of the company for over seven years. This includes organising Paddle and Pick plastic clean-ups and related work for a decade. So, 2024 felt like a turning point and a time to make new things happen.Promotional event in PaddingtonThen along came Oru We received an email in summer 2024 asking us if we could help Oru organise and run a promotional event in Paddington, London, with media and retail buyers trying out the kayaks firsthand in an accessible London waterway. We set this up, and Dan, our Operations Director, organised from our side and met the Oru crew, including the founder and Chief Designer, Anton Willis, over from California.Dan was impressed and liked the kayaks. With over 25 years of kayaking experience, starting at age nine and qualifying as a Level 2 coach at 18, he has tried many types and brands of kayaks. At Orus invitation, we began planning to offer a demonstration facility in London.We primarily sell online, but we understand that some people would like to see and try the boats before making a purchase.We offer demo sessions on the Thames at Kew Bridge and from various canal locations. These include on-water time, showing the boats fold and unfold, as well as comparisons between different models.The Oru rangeThe range begins with a simple 8kg basic open boat, suitable for beginners and occasional paddlers who cover distances of less than 10 km. At the top end, theres a full sea kayak with good luggage storage capacity, and in between, there are the intermediate Inlet and Beach kayaks, which have more space and performance. Theres a double kayak the Haven which can easily accommodate a large dog or two kayakers and a smaller dog. At 4.9 m in length, it has a lot of carrying capacity. The Bay ST is a good all-round 3.7m long closed cockpit boat, and the top-end Coast XT is a fast sea kayak with good carrying capacity.Each performs differently, and the basic types are simple, open-cockpit boats ideal for novice paddlers (including complete beginners). In contrast, the top-end, closed-cockpit boats are more suited to experienced kayakers seeking performance comparable to that of a good recreational or sea kayak. For example, closed-cockpit boats roll without taking in much water, depending on the type of roll used and how long it takes to set up.The construction material is, as well as being lighter than carbon, very tough (the lightest carbon sea kayaks are 18-21kg compared with the Coast XT weighing 15kg). The Lake and Inlet models are just 8 and 9kg, respectively.The outer skinWe havent damaged one yet, despite the Thames Tideway having very rocky beaches strewn with lumps of granite discarded from bridge and embankment repairs. On YouTube, you can find an Oru kayak withstanding repeated hammer blows. This results in minor marks on the outer skin of the OruplastTM hull but no significant damage. Oruplast is an interesting material. Its 5mm thick and corrugated but with two smooth outer skins.For water to get in, you would have to pierce both skins, which are repairable with a small repair kit sold by Oru. Damage to the outer skin is not a problem, as this is not designed to keep water out of the kayak. Puncturing the watertight inner skin would require a repair.Ive met two Oru owners on the Thames who have both had their kayaks for several years and used them regularly. Both were in good condition with no apparent signs of wear. The biggest concern we had before getting involved was concerning the folds weakening over time if the kayaks were used regularly. This isnt an issue as Oru confidently claim that they can be folded 20,000 times.Outliving most usersAssuming each use is an unfold followed by a fold, using a boat twice weekly throughout the year would mean that the folds would last approximately 192 years. Of course, there would be other wear and tear through general use, such as portaging, which would accumulate to shorten the lifespan. However, unless abused, the boat would probably outlive most users. If you have owned fibreglass and carbon kayaks, you will be accustomed to taking care of them, for example, avoiding contact with rocks and not paddling directly onto a stony or pebbly beach. However, if you have only owned (and abused) plastic kayaks, you will want to think differently about owning an Oru.We would still take care getting in and out of rocky places, as sharp rocks or debris could potentially cause damage, although piercing both the inner and outer skin would take a fair degree of carelessness.Assembly timesThe folds are built into the material, making it relatively easy to determine how each model folds and unfolds (YouTube videos are available to guide you through the process). The assembly times given by Oru, ranging from two minutes to 15 minutes, should be achievable with some practice, regardless of the kayak model. The higher the spec, the longer the setup and fold-away time. If high performance and seaworthiness are not a concern but setting up quickly is important, the basic Lake and Inlet models would be the best choice.So we were taken by the versatility and practicality. Most people living in cities dont have the space to store a standard kayak or a car to transport it. Even if they do, they may find shuttle runs for one-way trips and portages with heavy boats to be a chore. Even taking a long, heavy kayak on a roof rack can present difficulties.I have a shoulder injury which doesnt stop me paddling but makes lifting a 30kg awkward load to shoulder/head height quite uncomfortable. Also, on trips away, theres sometimes concern about whether its safe to leave boats on the roof rack overnight a problem solved if you can fold them up and lock them away.So, how did the Orus shape up on water?After a few 10km hops on the Upper Thames to get the feel of them, we were keen to take the Coast and Bay kayaks (both closed cockpit) through London.So Richard Dan and I jumped on a train from Kew Bridge and set off to Bermondsey, where theres a nice launch beach not far downriver of Tower Bridge.We went at peak time on a Saturday afternoon when the river is busiest with Thames Clippers big passenger boats and fast ribs.Stability and watertightnessThe speed limit is 12 knots (approximately 14 mph), but boats are travelling faster, and some inefficient hull types create a significant amount of wash. This can be 1-1.5 metres in height, and as it bounces off the river embankments, its often hitting you from several directions. This was an ideal test of stability and watertightness. The boats all performed well, taking in an insignificant amount of water, and nobody capsized or even had to brace more than a few times.Tracking was good and our main complaint was that the standard seats were not too comfortable after four hours paddling. This would be solved by buying the Oru gel seat upgrade. We felt they compared well with other sea kayaks we had used. Dan and Richard had both worked as professional coaches in central London guiding groups through town daily so had lots of experience to draw on.The next outing was a three-hour night paddle on the Tideway. The Thames Tideway is less busy at night, but there were party boats and Thames Clippers out providing enough wash to make things entertaining. I was very tempted to surf the wash, and I was sure that with a few extra paddle strokes, the Coast XT would have taken off nicely on the bow wave. However, we were guiding a large group of paddleboarders and novice kayakers, so I decided to save that for another day.Place lights inside the bow and sternAt night, we were able to utilise another aspect of the Oru construction. As the Oruplast hull is translucent, it works well to place lights inside the bow and stern, which gives a nice, diffused glow visible from 100 metres and beyond (depending on the lux of the lights you choose). This could be either a replacement for or an addition to waterproof navigation lights. It was easy to spot the glow from the Orus and tell them from other craft from a distance.This time, we adjusted the seats and made the kayaks more comfortable. We also tried out the Oru gel seat, which is softer and more forgiving. We fitted thigh braces, which, strangely, are not supplied as standard but are an extra. This provides better control and confidence in rolling if a bow wave catches us off guard. I also feel that thigh braces have improved my sitting position, making it more upright, although thats probably a psychological effect.On the trip from Bermondsey upriver, we had banked on a push from the flood tide to help our trip upriver.However, this didnt happen, as the heavy fluvial flow provided us with no upriver surface current, despite the tide being in flood.This happens most winters when rainfall has been heavy, but it is rare in early autumn.Paddle cut shortThe Oru kayaks were light and quick enough to push against the current for hours, but although we made good progress, night was falling, and we decided to cut the trip short and get off the river. With standard kayaks, this would have created a few logistical problems, including how to transport a vehicle with roof bars to a pickup point. With folding kayaks, we just had to find a pickup point and decide whether to return to base by train, bus, or cab. Within 30 minutes, we were packed up and on our way.When packed up, Orus can be carried by its carry strap when folded, but this isnt practical for taking them on trains. We had three Oru backpacks, which fit the boats neatly and make carrying them distances of up to a few kilometres easily manageable.RollingOur latest test was to see how the Oru sea kayak rolls.We did this in a pool with thigh braces fitted.There were no problems, and the kayak took in only a few drops of water. Rolling could be easier, as with all kayaks, if the boat is padded to suit the paddler. The tighter the fit, the easier it is to use.We just used a standard kayak with no outfitting, which made it harder for me, as at 54kg, Im pretty loose in the boat. Dan, weighing in at 20kg heavier, was a better fit and could roll reliably.Active 360 and Oru KayaksDemo sessions in and around London including opportunities for local canoe clubs to try boats on special demo days.Oru Club.This will be a club open to anyone who owns an Oru offering trips, micro adventures and on-water meet-up events.Oru skill sessions. We will offer skill sessions tailored to Oru owners, focusing on general kayaking skills and providing ideas on how to maximise the enjoyment of your kayak.Stocking Oru accessories (we will also supply boats via drop ship with a discount code).

Words & photos: Matt Phillips www.mattphillipsoutdoors.comFirst SUP descent of the Chuluut Valley, MongoliaIve worked as a guide and expedition leader since 2012. I have been lucky enough to work in some fantastic places, including rainforests in Sri Lanka, jungle rivers in Panama and New Zealands waterways. I have sought out Personal expeditions on Icelandic glaciers, Canadian lakes, and paddleboarding the Amazon. Mongolia has been a dream destination since I was a teenager reading Conn Iggulden books on Genghis Khan.This year, everything finally came together for the expedition to Mongolia.Ive been guiding five-day canoe expeditions in New Zealand with Phil, owner of Canoe Safaris NZ. On a trip, I mentioned I had a half-formed plan for a trip to Mongolia, and he immediately asked to join. His enthusiasm pushed the idea from a dream into a reality.ambitiousThe plan was ambitious: nine days paddling 270 km along five rivers, starting in the basalt canyons of the Somon Gol, flowing into the Chuluut, then joining the Ider, merging into the Delgermrn, and finally forming the mighty Selenge. This would be the first recorded SUP descent of the Chuluut Valley. We contacted Canoe Mongolia, who were able to supply us with a canoe, some old soviet maps and a driver.Getting to Mongolia was an expedition in itself. From New Zealand, we took three flights and were stopped at every security checkpoint for extra bag checks. We had our powder vitamin mix for our drinks checked, power banks inspected, a first aid kit looked at, and the filter in my water bottle looked suspicious.My SUP bag also went on its own trip, but it turned up in the right place after I had been called to confirm it was my bag. Eventually, we arrived in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar. The evening we landed, we stocked up on supplies, including fruit, oats, bread, a slab of bacon, half a wheel of cheese, and snacks, as well as the all-important Mongolian Vodka and Chinggis beer.The following day, we met our driver and set off on an 18-hour journey across the country through spectacular steppe landscapes. We stopped at the site of the old capital, Karakorum, for a quick visit to the ruins. Then it was back into the car to our starting point on the Somon Gol River. We pitched our tents in the last of the light and the last of the dry weather for the night. All night, we had torrential rain and sheet lightning. It felt like we were going to be washed away. I clipped my kit bags together and pegged them into the ground.Day 1The day began with bright, clear weather and a change of plan. Our driver confirmed our pick-up point and time. He collected us from the river and drove us to a train station to catch the Trans-Siberian Railway back to Ulaanbaatar. The problem was that he was coming a day earlier than we had planned. We had spent over 18 hours with the man, but we had a significant language barrier. He gave us our train tickets, which we had purchased through Canoe Mongolia, and they were for a day earlier, so we were stuck with a quick change of plan.The first three days were expected to be the most challenging, with steeper gradients, large rapids, and tricky rock gardens. The basalt canyon was stunning, with sheer cliffs surrounding us. The rain the night before had created powerful currents and plenty of big waves and stoppers, keeping us focused. We aimed for 37 km that day, but with daylight left, we pushed further, banking extra distance in case of delays later. We had to make a few pauses and stops to empty the splashed water from the canoe, which had most of our heavier supplies in it.We found a flat spot for camp and quickly set up the tarp. We were expecting a localised storm like the one from the previous night. Each evening, the storm clouds gathered and threatened us, but we were lucky.Day 2We awoke to a stunning day with an endless blue sky. Although it was sunny, the temperature was still very cold, with each night and morning being chilly. We started the day with tea and porridge before breaking camp and loading the canoe and paddleboard. We had rapids and a few rock islands to navigate past, as well as some calmer sections where we could watch the eagles soar on the thermals.The day ended with a brutal half-hour rock garden. It felt like a never-ending series of slaloms, pivots, and quick decisions to avoid boulders; the rapid eventually ended with a series of large waves and holes. The last set of waves swamped the canoe, but Phil kept it upright. The nose of my SUP disappeared into a hole, sending me dancing along the deck. By the time we emerged, we were physically and mentally drained, having covered over 40 km of unfamiliar flowing river. We were meant to paddle 34km, stopping before the long rapid, but we had been feeling fresh and wanted to get a bit further. Once in that section, we had to keep going.About Zoltan andFelfedezk Explorers Sea KayakingZoltan is the founder ofFelfedezk Explorers Sea Kayaking, a community-focused business founded eight years ago with strong similarities to Sea Kayaking Wales.Were Explorers Kayaking, a touring and coaching team dedicated to sea kayaking. We lead sea kayak tours and provide coaching on rivers, lakes, and the sea. The majestic River Danube and the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean are our home bases.From winter pool training courses and regular weekly coaching sessions on the Danube and the islands of Croatia, to multi-day expeditions in Greece, Corsica, Croatia, and Wales, we explore our amazing world and connect people through sea kayaking.We design small-group experiences that we enjoy, so that you always have a genuine and energising experience with us. Always looking for ways to develop our skills, we enjoy paddling with our friends and colleagues from Wales several times a year. Were certified British Canoeing Sea Kayak Leaders (SKL/ASKL), experienced paddlers from all walks of life coaches, outdoor educators, and lifelong water people.For us, kayaking isnt just a (social) sport its a way to explore and connect with the natural world, as well as our courage and curiosity to build confidence, and share time on the water with each other.Day 3The river has calmed down; it still has waves and rock gardens, but it isnt at the same level as it was on day one or two. The valley is changing shape and opening in places. We set up the tarp at camp again because the sky has been threatening rain. We could see the hills in the distance being hit with heavy rain. Phil had his fishing rod out at camp, trying to catch us dinner, but he had no success. Clean drinking water became a surprising challenge. The main river was brown with clay sediment, which quickly clogged our filters, and many streams marked on maps were dry in summer, only flowing during spring snowmelt. Whenever we found a clear side stream, we filled every container we had including the empty beer bottles from earlier in the trip.Day 4During the night, it had rained, and our tarp had collected a couple of pools of water. We took advantage of this fresh, clean water to fill up all our bottles and have a couple of extra cups of tea. We met a nomadic family beside the river. The father spoke no English, but his daughter knew a little. They were curious about our journey, and we were equally interested in their life on the steppe. We had questions about how they lived and what animals they kept. She had returned to the farm after uni in Ullanbataa. The canyon was slowly opening up, and we saw more signs of nomadic life as we paddled yurts, herds of goats, and horses running along the banks. We stopped to investigate an abandoned shack and stable, all made out of rough timber and trees felled from the immediate area.Day 5The canyon had opened into wide steppe country. The river had slowed, and we had some stretches paddling into the wind. Our meals mainly consisted of dehydrated packs, supplemented with fresh spring onions picked along the banks, a block of cheese, and our enormous chunks of bacon, although this was mostly fat. Bacon and cheese lunches became a daily highlight. I clipped my fin a few times today. The river was constantly narrowing and widening with braids weaving around islands. At lunch, I rearranged my bags to put more weight on the front of the board to try to lift the back. I had my deep fin attached and my short river fin in the kit bag.I started with the river fin, but after day 2, I swapped. The short fin didnt give me the tracking I needed with the long, heavy board. A few fin clips and some board dancing were a price I was willing to pay. We spent the night camping on a flat island. Usually, when I camp by a river, I go up to get to high ground in case of floods and rising rivers, but this river was quick, and the land surrounding it was flat. The rain washed down the rivers, staying in its own almost canal-shaped path. There was rarely any sign of flood damage on the banks or trees washed downstream and now stuck on the banks.Day 6Our river, the Chullute, has merged into the Ida; on the maps, the Chullute is marked as a stream and the Ida as a river. At the confluence, the river grew in size and changed colour, becoming significantly browner. The Ida was designed to flow through more mountainous terrain, and we had hoped for cleaner water. Unfortunately, we were unaware of the quarry and mine along the riverbanks, which release sediment and mud into the river. We were hoping for a wash and shave in cleaner water at the confluence, but we had to settle for a small side stream for a quick dip, and Phill had a scratchy shave.Day 7The day was short; we had gained enough distance that we could have a short river day. We paddled into civilisation, where we found more huts, yurts, and gravel/mud roads. Our plan that night was to stay at Five Rivers Camp, a ger (yurt) site. The land was once a farm, but is now run by the family as a site for cross-country cyclists, bike tours and sometimes canoe groups coming the opposite direction from us on the Delgermrn.When we started the day, we were on the Ida River, but we ended paddling up the Delgermrn after a brief visit to the Selenga. The Five Rivers Camp was living up to its name! We spent the night here, enjoying the familys hospitality, swimming in the river, and preparing for the following day. We were also joined in the ger by the calves and a herd of goats who wandered through the camp.On the final day, we packed the paddleboard and loaded everything into the canoe. We started paddling back down the Delgermrn and onto the Selenga. The Selenga flows east at the point where the south-flowing Delgermrn and the north-flowing Ida meet. This day was meant to be a 31km day and the following day a short 16km but we had lost a day.From the information we had, we were expecting a headwind and shallow, braided, slow channels. This was the first day with real-time restriction. We had to get to our pick-up point so we could get to the train station early the following day. With the SUP deflated and two paddlers in one boat, we made swift progress, and we reached our pick-up point on time. We spent one last night under canvas and in the eye of a storm. Our expedition started in the rain and ended in the rain.The following day, our driver brought us to the train station to catch the overnight Trans Siberian Railway back to the capital.Pure satisfactionThe Chuluut Valley delivered everything I hoped for challenging whitewater, remote landscapes, encounters with nomadic culture, and the satisfaction of a first SUP descent. Its an expedition Id gladly repeat.

THE WINDIEST POZO EVER: FULL VIDEOTHE WINDIEST POZO EVER: FULL VIDEOAre you ready for it? The Windsurfing TV Pozo edit has just dropped and its absolutely packed with wild jumps, brutal wipe outs and heavy duty onshore wave riding! Edited to perfection by Alfie Hart, this film brings you the best highlights and exclusive behind-the-scenes action, both on and off the water.Buckle upyou dont want to miss this one!The post THE WINDIEST POZO EVER: FULL VIDEO appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

WINDSURF TRAVEL HACKS: WITH ANDREA CUCCHI, FLO JUNG, LENNART NUEBAUER AND SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA!WINDSURF TRAVEL HACKS: WITH ANDREA CUCCHI, FLO JUNG, LENNART NUEBAUER AND SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA!Traveling with windsurf gear isnt for the faint-hearted. Oversized board-bags, unpredictable airline policies, brutal fees and last-minute drama at check-in are all part of the game. But for seasoned pros like Andrea Cucchi, Florian Jung, and Sarah-Quita Offringa whove logged decades of miles, countless flights and more airport battles than they can remember, these challenges are just a mere layer of the adventure.From night-long cross-country drives after being kicked out of airports, to slipping sails into golf bags, to learning the art of staying calm when a check-in agent stares at a 32 kg bag, these riders have seen (and survived) it all. The good news? Theyve turned every nightmare into a systemand theyre sharing the hacks that save time, money, gear, and sanity. Hopefully these insider tips from some of the best in the business will help you on your way to a smooth journey through those pesky airports and help you get to your destination with more money in your pocket without too much stress!ANDREA CUCCHIFrom nightmare check-ins to driving cross-country through the night after being kicked out of an airport, Ive seen it all. With over three decades of globe-trotting to events with windsurfing gear in tow, here are my honest travel tips for anyone planning to fly with gear.TOP 5 TRAVEL HACKS YOU SHOULD NEVER FORGET!Never book a flight without checking the airlines gear policy: I never assume theyll take my equipment, especially board bags. Always call the airline and get everything clarified. Dont trust what the website says. One wrong assumption and your trip could fall apart before check-in.Avoid Sunday flights: If anything goes wrong, theres usually no one around who can help. Offices are closed, and youre on your own with a problem that could cost you thousands.Travel early, travel calm: I used to be stressed out until the moment I got through check-in. Now I arrive early, every time. I want everything planned, bags packed right, paperwork ready. Ive had too many chaotic experiences. Ive learned to hate adventure stress.Pack light, especially board bags. The heavier it is, the worse theyll treat it. If your bag looks heavy, theyll toss it around like trash. Keep it sleek, under the limit and easy to move.Be strategic at check-in. Dont overshare. Be calm and confident about your luggages weight. If it looks borderline, I politely and convincingly mention a weight thats acceptable. The more relaxed you look the less likely they are to weigh or question it. Dont act too nice. Its a red flag. Just behave like any other passenger with a backpack. The best check-in is a quiet, uneventful one. My luggage is always pre-weighed and organized. I tried to avoid check in staff where I see the person could be stress due to private life.like kids not listening and husband not helping at home there is a specific target to avoid!PLAN AHEAD!AC: Ive had times when I had to book a new flight because luggage fees were more expensive than a new ticket. Or got thrown out of the airport and drove overnight to make it to a race. Once, with Andrea Rosati we showed up with 27 bags on 12 trolleys. We were not even able to make it to the check-in. They turned our trolley out of the airport we drove 1500km in one night to make it to the event. They were not even fitting in one van; we had to tie them on the roof with belts going around the full and under the van. Now? Ive learned. I plan it like a military operation. If the event is under 1500km away: Ill drive. No question. Ive had cargo ship gear before because airlines refused to take it, cancel trips last-minute due to rule changes and missed key photoshoots!WINDOW OR AISLE SEAT?AC: I never pay. I get on board last and chose my seat. Ill choose whatever is left. After 24-hour non-stop drives in a van to events, even a 10-hour flight feels like a spa day. Always window or emergency. I sleep before take off and dont move until landing. Aisle seats? No thanks. Im wide-shouldered and tired of being whacked by food trolleys or bumped by every passenger walking by. If the window passenger looks like theyll need frequent bathroom breaks, I offer to swap seats. Problem solved!TOP PACKING TIP FOR WINDSURFING GEAR!AC: Its all about smart protection and weight distribution. I roll two sails together, place the mast inside, and use wetsuits to pad the delicate parts of the boards. I travel with a separate boom/fins/extensions bag and a single or double board bag. Even with three boards, I can make it work. I leave the foot straps off if they dont fit. The lighter and simpler your setup, the fewer problems youll have, especially with the board bag.BOOKING & BAGGAGE!AC: Price Hacks. Incognito mode, late at night.Rates tend to drop when fewer people are searching. Clear your browser history and cookies.Especially on mobile. Call unknown airlines.Always check that theyll accept your luggage and what the weight rules are, and you can ask for better deals if they feel you like they are doing business with you and not just giving you a discount.Post check-in? Theres always a way to add extra kg after check-in. Its not ideal, but better than surprise fees if you end up taking back extra gear for any reason. The last two years, airlines have become slightly more forgiving. Maybe fewer travellers with gear, or better policies.MUST-HAVE ITEM ON LONG HAUL FLIGHTS?AC: Nothing. If theres internet onboard, I pretend there isnt. I fall asleep before the plane takes off. Thats my luxury. The moment to finally relax a bit!CAR PARKING!AC: If Im alone at the airport and have a van full of gear, Ill ask the parking staff to give me a lift straight to the terminal. Skip the shuttle and then they take my van to their parking. If you ask kindly, they always help.Airlines over the years have been charging more. Were part of the reason some airlines stopped accepting gear altogether as many windsurfers were asking to cover breakages from their transport, which were not happening during the flight, but on the water. They understood it, and now we pay for the consequences!FLORIAN JUNG 20 YEARS, 100+BAGS, AND A MILLION TRAVEL STORIES!FJ: Traveling with windsurfing gear isnt just about logistics. Its about staying calm when your bag is 5 kilos overweight, convincing check-in agents that your sail bag is actually a golf set and learning how to live out of a board-bag with style. After more than 20 years on the road and a few hundred flights later, heres what Ive learned.Oh, Ive got a few travel hacks that saved my trip (and sanity) more than once!Sleep mask: Dont underestimate this simple tool. It blocks out the plane lights, the neighbours screen, or a crying toddler two rows back. It helps me reset, even on daytime flights.Noise-cancelling headphones: They help me zone out, meditate, or just protect my ears from chaotic airport soundtracks.Air Tags: These are game changers. I drop one in my board-bag, one in my suitcase. That way I always know where my gear iseven if the airline doesnt.Move every five hours: Long-haul flights are brutal on the body. I try to stretch, do some light yoga in the aisle, or walk around. You want to land with a body thats still usable.Stick to a solid flight routine: I treat long flights like creative downtime. I journal, read, listen to a good podcast or do some work. It helps my mindset and makes the trip feel productive.BOOKING TIPSFJ: Ialways book directly with the airlinewhenever possible. Its not just about finding the cheapest ticket; its about flexibility. If something goes wrong (and it often does when gear is involved), you want to talk to a real person who can actually help.Also,print out the airlines baggage policy. Ideally in English and in the local language of wherever youre flying from. If the check-in agent tries to charge you double for a board bag, you can pull out the policy and say, Here this is what your website says. It works more often than youd think.PACKING TIPS:FJ: Packing is an art and a workout. First of all:buy light board bags.A 5 kg bag already eats up precious weight. Then I usemy wetsuit, yoga mat, or sails to wrap and protect the board.Board on the bottom, sails on top, boom and mast in between, thats my standard layering. And be smart,most airlines have a 32 kg max per bag. Try to stay under 32 kg to avoid rejection or extra charges. But if youre at 34 or 35? You can usually get away with it if you move some stuff (like your extension or harness) into your hand luggage.Also, this ones keyI try to fit everything into one bag. Most airlines chargeper bag, not per kilo. So instead of spreading gear across two 25 kg bags, try to combine everything into one under-32 kg monster. And if I need a second bag?Use a sail bag and say its a golf bag.Its a well-known windsurfer trick. Many airlines treat golf equipment more generously than windsurf gear, and it often flies for much less!ESSENTIALS ON BOARDFJ: Easy:headphones, sleep mask, journal, book, and something creative to work on.I dont treat flights as dead time, theyre floating offices and reflection rooms. Sometimes its where my best ideas come from.WINDOW OR AISLEFY: Im anaisle seat guy, ideally emergency exit row. But I never pay for a seat in advance. Instead, Iboard as one of the last people. That way, I can scan whats still free and grab the best remaining seat. Worst case, I fall back on the one I booked.At check-in, Ill usually ask politely: Any chance theres an emergency row available today? Kindness and a relaxed attitude often go a long way!CHECK IN!FJ: Checking in with windsurf gear is part strategy, part social intelligence. I always try to connect with the staff. Ask them something like: Whats your dream travel destination? or How early did you have to wake up today? Then I tell them about my tripthat Im heading to a wave spot, maybe just coming back from a competition or doing a coaching trip. If they ask how much the bag weighs, I always answer with what the airline allows, not the real weight. If theyre sceptical, Ill say, I had to pack in a rush and the gears a bit wet. Should be close though.Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesnt. But its all aboutmutual respect.If things get tense, I ask: What would you do in my situation?That question often shifts the energy. People want to help, as long as they dont feel forced!OTHER TIPS!Bring extra straps for trolleys. Airport ones are usually broken or missing.Arrive early if youre nervous about the check-in or overweight. You want time to handle issues calmly.Read the faces of the check-in staff. If someones arguing with the agent in front of you, maybe switch to a line where the agent looks a bit more relaxed.Treat check-in like a game. The more you do it, the better you get.And most importantly:dont forget your packing list. Before you even start the car to go to the airport, ask yourself: Do I have my passport? It sounds dumb, but forgetting the basics is more common than youd think.WHEN IT ALL GOES PETE TONG!FJ: I had a flight once where they tried to charge me over 1,000 for excess baggage. Luckily, I was flying with a lawyer. We pulled out the airlines policy, proved they werent honouring their contract and got the full amount refunded within 72 hours. Things go wrong. Just stay calm, argue smart, andnever lose your cool. Youll be surprised how far a calm mindset and a bit of charm can take you!FINAL WORDS!FJ: After 20 years of windsurfing adventures, Ive realized thattraveling with gear is its own discipline. You learn to negotiate, read people, stay calm under pressure and, sometimes, carry 100 kg through three terminals without losing your mind. But honestly? Every mission is worth it when youre standing at the beach, looking out at perfect waves, with all your gear ready to ride.See you out there!LENNART NEUBAUERMy top travel hacks:LN: Always register windsurf equipment in advance by calling the airline. Be at the airport at least 2 / 2.5 hours before departure.Make sure to check the airlines windsurf baggage policies! Some airlines example KLM and Ethiopian are stricter with checking weight etc.Always be friendly and patient at check in, theres a chance they have never seen windsurf equipment before.Avoid booking with multiple airlines, as you will get charger for both airlines meaning you pay the windsurf gear twice.A bonus hack: If you know youre overweight, but the board bag on the scale at the airport and lift it slightly with your heel. Dont forget to play it cool :)BOOKINGLN: I usually look for flights on Sky Scanner and then end up booking directly on the airlines website. That way, in case of delay or cancelled flight I can talk to the airline directly instead of dealing with a third-party company.PACKING LN: I always pack my board bag in a specific way. If its only one, Ill put the board on the bottom, following the sails, then the mast and at last the boom. You want to have the boom as far away from the board as possible, as its quite easy to damage the board with the boom head. If you want it extra light, leave out the sail bags, weighing a couple hundred grams each, that can quickly save a kilo. The harness you can put at the nose or tail of the board for extra protection.ONBOARDLN: For long haul flights, I always have a pillow, noise cancelling headphones and a lot of water with me. Top tip here. Put the pillow on the table in front for good sleeping position (reminds me of school). Also, I usually ware warm clothes as I easily get sick from the airplanes AC.SEATSLN: I almost always choose / buy seats at the isle. Im quite tall so I like stretching out my legs from time to time. Sitting at the window can be nice for a better sleeping position, but a bit annoying if you want to stand of from time to time. Try to avoid getting sandwiched in the middle if possible.CHECK INLN: For the sweet talk, its good to be respectful and not too pushy at first, especially if you have time. If asked how much it weighs, never say the real weight, if you know youre overweight. If the limit is 32kg and your bag is 35, say it weighs 28. Some airports for example in Athens, Greece dont weigh the bags, they just ask how much it weighs. Avoid saying the exactly 32kg, so they think your unaware of the limit, so at 28 for example they wont get suspicious mind games.TROLLEYSLN: For trolleys, I just load everything on to one trolley and proceed to say excuse me and sorry for about 100 times till I get to the check in counter!SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA!TOP FIVE TRAVEL HACKS!SQ: I think Ive made all the mistakes possible while travelling.So, the main travel hacks for me when travelling with gear. I make sure I arrive at the airport on time! I think thats my main travel hack! I try to book flights with the same airline, so your baggage gets checked through to the final destination. Its not fun to pick-up, re-check and pay for excess baggage 3 times on your way to BrazilAnd I always read the airlines sports baggage policy before booking my ticket!BOOKING TIPS? SQ: Im always late booking tickets and regret I waited so long when I usually look them up really early. Its like I cant pull the trigger on buying a ticket until its quite close to the date. So, book early. For baggage its usually better to pre-book. But if you can handle the stress with some companies you end up not paying if you havent booked the gear. On the other hand, they can also deny your baggage completely! So maybe better safe than sorry!TOP PACKING TIPS!SQ: If Im travelling with a whole set in one bag then I go sails first, then board, then wetsuit, towel or even yoga mat before I put the boom and mast. I always try to wrap some soft material around my boom head and clew so it doesnt puncture the board.Travel with your harness hook in your luggage. And finally if you have roof rack straps, I sometimes tie that around the bag so that the gear doesnt move on the inside.TRAVEL ESSENTIALSSQ: My diary in case of some creative bursts on the flight, I also have a Kindle and definitely decent quality noise cancelling headphones. And some comfy sweatpants!WINDOW OR AISLE?SQ: I dont really care about booking seats to be honest. But Im always disappointed when I end up in the middle!When I can choose though I prefer aisle seats to be able to move around more and go to the toilet. Its better sleeping in a window seat, but Id rather have the freedom of moving around!CHECK IN TIPS!SQ: I usually try to rock up in a happy mood. But mostly try to keep talking and asking questions ha ha!The post WINDSURF TRAVEL HACKS: WITH ANDREA CUCCHI, FLO JUNG, LENNART NUEBAUER AND SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

COCO FOVEAU: SURVIVAL INSTINCTCOCO FOVEAU: SURVIVAL INSTINCTCoco Foveau looks back on a gnarly wipe out in Fiji and manages to see the funny side of being punished by an eight-metre set!When survival instinct has a sense of humour: My first beating in Fiji!SURVIVAL INSTINCTCF: You can never predict what survival instinct will make you do in certain situations. Looking back, I think mine had quite a sense of humour that day.In 2023, a competition was held in Fiji. Since that doesnt happen every day, I decided to join some riders earlier to enjoy the mythical spot.On my 3rd day there, conditions were extreme: 8-meter waves, little wind but enough to get in the water. Around me: Morgan Noireaux, Antoine Martin, Ricardo Campello true legends. I was proud to be among them but also intimidated: I had never sailed in waves that big. But JAWS was one of my dreams, and that day, I felt I was getting closer to it.CAUTIOUS APPROACHI started cautiously, on the smaller ones, 5-meter waves. Already a big challenge. I focused: surf clean, climb a bit toward the lip without getting ejected, find the balance between being suicidal too far inside the wave and being chicken too far outside.Now let me ask you a question: Whats between the small waves? While you think about it, Ill continue my story.I take a small wave, handle it well to the end, jibe, turn around and realize my mistake: a GIGA set is coming. And me, totally inside. No inertia, impossible to escape the 8-meter Big Mama rushing at me.I tell myself my gear is done for anyway, so better not hold on. I jump away from it. Antoine is on the wave, right in my axis. Only one strategy: breathe as much as possible. The wave swallows me.Underwater, I panic. Then I reason with myself:DONT PANICDont panic. You run out of air when you panic.True you love playing in the shore break usually, its the same thing, right?I resurface, just in time to see Morgan on the next one. Panic: hes further inside, Ill be in his path. I scream, he turns his head, sees me and keeps going. In the end, he passes much farther than I thought. My perception was completely skewed. And I catch myself thinking: Actually, Ive got a great angle to watch them surf.New wave, new washing machine. I panic again, then reason with myself:Why are you panicking? Youre not going to die, otherwise youd have already seen your life flashing before your eyes.That thought calms me.I resurface, take three breaths, Ricardo charges down the next wave and I dive again. By now, I know I have to move. No jet ski to save me, the surfers who had one already left. So, I alternate between washing machine mode and breaststroke to reach the channel. Luckily the waves are smaller, but still 45 meters.BACK TO SAFETYFinally, out of range, I breathe. On the boat, my friends are stunned. They were counting sails, saw one missing: Mine. Panic. Especially since I was rightly considered the rookie of the moment. When they hear me laughing (nervously) and saying: I just got wrecked like never before!, they sigh with relief.Morgan and Antoine are relieved too, but remind me of the lesson: always look behind before going. Clearly, I needed that beating to get it.We head to recover my gear on the Hachich kebab reef, a name that fits perfectly given how destructive it can be. Surprise: my gear is intact! The wave had thrown it so far away that no other wave could break it.BACK ON THE HORSEStill full of adrenaline, I see them derigging for me and I go: Oh really? So, I stop here then? They look at me, shocked. But I insist: after a fall, you need to get back in the saddle quickly. So, I regain some strength and head back out.Out at sea, the guys congratulate me. Ricardo Campello even tells me:You have big balls, girl.Honestly, is there a better ending to this story?Well, yes A few days later, the competition starts, and I grab my very first world podium: 3rd place, right next to Sarah Hauser and Sarah-Quita Offringa.One note: this story happened back when I still had my former equipment sponsors. I couldnt share the story without images, so they appear in it. But barely three months later, that partnership ended.Luckily, GUNSAILS and Flikka picked up the torchand what a torch! Just a few weeks after receiving their gear, I was already landing my second world podium in Hawaii, which propelled me onto the Overall World Podium.Today, I am more grateful and motivated than ever to have found in them partners who believed in me and chose to support me. I cant wait to create new memories in Fiji with them.The post COCO FOVEAU: SURVIVAL INSTINCT appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

SYLT FOIL SLALOM VIDEO ACTIONSYLT FOIL SLALOM VIDEO ACTIONThe action kicked off at the Citron Windsurf World Cup Sylt, where two thrilling rounds of foil slalom racing unfolded yesterday. Thanks to drone pilot Johannes Hertel, every moment of the finals was captured from above, giving you a spectacular view of the racing action! Check it out!Results after the two rounds are as follows:Results after two races!1: Johan Soe2: Matteo Iachino3: Pierre Mortefon4: Fabian WolfDay 2: Johan Se and Matteo Iachino share a bullet apiece in the opening two eliminations with the Dane leading by 4 points at close of play After a slow start to the opening day of competition at the 2025 Citron Windsurf World Cup Sylt, the wind eventually kicked in around 3pm local time, which allowed the first two Foil Slalom eliminations to be completed in light 7-14 knot winds. Last years event champion, Johan Se (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) claimed the opening bullet before current World Tour leader, Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails / Z Foils) hit back by winning Elimination 2.Citron Windsurf World Cup SyltBrandenburgerstrand, Westerland, Sylt26th Sept 5th October 2025The post SYLT FOIL SLALOM VIDEO ACTION appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

SVEIN RASMUSSEN: POSITIVE ENERGYSVEIN RASMUSSEN: POSITIVE ENERGYSvein Rasmussen, the visionary founder of Starboard, tells us about his goals for the brand, his belief in synergies, as well as his dedication to protecting our planet for future generations.Words: Svein Rasmussen // Photos: John CarterINNOVATIONWe started making windsurfing boards in 1994. They were not just another range of windsurfing boards though, but an introduction to the future of design thinking. Imagine boards with gravity control system (GCS), a recessed mast base area and built in a wood sandwich layup, which was about a kilo lighter than any other production boards on the market. Thirty years ago, such ideas were fun to bring to the market, and now we have introduced wood sandwich boards that are lighter again than carbon sandwich boards, other than our exclusive Reflex Carbon tech, while the gravity control system still delivers its magic in our iSonics, Carves and even Hyper wave boards. Its great to see that GCS has become a proven concept adapted by the industry.In 2006,I visited Jeff Henderson at Hot Sails Maui, he was working on converting longboard surfboards to windsurfing longboards. We were catching fun waves with them and one evening Jeff asked me to leave the rig on the beach, threw me a paddle and asked me to go paddle surfing. I was a bit wobbly on the 110 x 22 surfboard, but realised that this could be an amazing new direction once we made the gear more user-friendly.When I came home to our workshop we designed the 100x34 Whopper. My wife tested it with me in Bali in smaller waves while Jake The Snake Paterson, who was a Pipeline master surfer, put it to the test in bigger waves. It changed the entry to SUP surfing and quickly became the worlds number one selling SUP. Seeing that SUP could use some crazy ideasI jumped into paddleboardingas the brand manager17 years ago.PAVING THE WAYDuring my time as SUP manager, I often thought of my father Arne, who was paddling while standing up on a Starboard GO on our Lake Taco around 1999. He was a kayak paddler and said that at the age of 75 he preferred the feeling of standing up now, getting a better view and feeling freer. So yes, my father was my original SUP experience, and it took many years to realise the path he had paved for me and Starboard.One day,Ollie OReilly from Englandarrived out of the blue, he had the instinct for getting a job done properly analysing, planning and building communities. He has been with us for ten years andlast year I finally managed to convince him to becomethe brand manager of paddleboarding,which in turn enabled me to devote more time to windsurfing again.When you run a company, you just look for good people, and when you find somebody capable of doing a job, then thats great.BACK IN THE SADDLE Pro windsurfer,Nico Prien, was in charge of windsurfing for a few years and he did an awesome job. Nico is a young man and still loves his windsurfing,but after two years he realised that he wasnotready to become a truly dedicatedoffice rat just yet,anddecided it would be much more fun to travel and race again. So after Nicowent back to focus on the PWA Slalom World Tour,it left me with the opportunity to have some fun managingthe windsurfing side of things again. We are very fortunate to have Rmi Vila as our designer, he even dreams about windsurfing and is the essence of our sport. The2024 range has been very well received.Our warranty claims are very low and we aim to have a 0.5% rate (1 in 200 boards) that experience any issues, which we were at when we introduced the Innovation Quality slogan. Rmi is at the factory every Thursday for his weekly quality inspection, so we are quite ahead of the game. Seeing our team riders charging is amazing, Lennart [Neubauer], Liam [Dunkerbeck], Sarah-Quita [Offringa], Oda [Brdholt] and Matteo [Iachino] are a very special crew and we are so lucky to have them on board.GOALSThere are three things I want to doas windsurfing brand manager:I want to find a way to re-energise the appeal of windsurfing. I would like to see a lot younger crew coming in, as that is fun, and has always been part of my drive. If you teach a seventy-year-old to windsurf, that is great, but if you teach a seven-year-old to windsurf, that is even better. Whenever we run our advertising campaigns, we try and involve a lot of kids and plenty of ladies too.Then we need to semi-revolutionise the sport in terms of equipment. Since windsurfing incorporated foiling, there hasnt been a lot of new concepts and we need to figure out what the next level might be. There was a time when snowboarding had overtaken skiing as the most popular snow sport, but then suddenly the carve ski brought skiing back as the most popular snow sport. I see one of windsurfings evolutions in wing-foiling, which is just another way to surf with wind power and is easy for us windsurfers to adapt to.We also need to re-energise the sport through better equipment, which is easier and more fun to ride. We want boards to be more durable, while being lighter and less expensive. The Start 2 is 6 kg lighter and 30% less expensive than our entry level boards, and they convert to wing-board learners with the two supplied front fins. The Go Fly boards entered the market this year and they make windsurf foiling super easy to learn, I wish every windsurf centre would have one as its such a plug and play toy. Then the 79 Airfoil Learner is the ultimate all-round board, you can learn to windsurf, get planing, learn to wing and then to wing-foil all at 9kg.The iQFOiL 85 Surface 2 Air is a fabulous offering, you learn to windsurf with two fins, then learn to plane with the back fin and finally can participate in the iQFOiL Youth Worlds. In addition, last year it won the PWA World Cup in Japan, so its a real all-rounder.On the high performance level side we will continue to deliver the very best year after year, proven with 14 our of 16 PWA constructors titles over the years. We keep on working intensively with Rmi Vila, Matteo, Sarah, Lennart and Liam to develop gear that they, and the rest of us, rate as the best in our industry.DEEPER PURPOSE.At my age, surviving unspoken challenges and enjoying amazing days, I need to keep a very careful eye on our business, while also taking responsibility for its impact.How can we depart from our fragile planet knowing that at least Starboard had a minimal negative. impact, or perhaps even a positive one. Its about responsibility beyond the performance and the money, something that not many people will agree with me despite most scientists clearly showing that unless we start to take our future seriously, we will have no future at all.We run a luxury business offering watersports equipment with high emissions and 80% of our equipment is fossil fuel based. So while we slowly move towards more planet friendly materials and manage to get our energy over to renewables we all need to do more. We need to make up for the emissions of the past, the ones that have initiated the big change we currently experience.Mangroves, or Sea trees, from what our research has found are the most efficient carbon draw down per square metre and per dollar, so we have a few million trees in the ground by now.Our tree planting programs are certified by Verra and our plastic offset program, the first in the world, is also expected to receive Verra certification this year.To me, the important thing is all about biodiversity, re-creating forests, taking care of our coastlines, setting up educational programsandfinancially supporting livelihood projectsthrough carbon credits.OurBlue Carbon Verification Carbon Units (VCU) from Worldview International Foundationare AA rated, which is the most expensive and desirable in the market. Through our planting, we helpbring in millions of dollars to livelihood projects in the areas around the new forests.Then on the other side is plastic pollution,which is another huge challenge in itself, brought on solely by us ignorant and convenience seeking humans. We have forbidden single-use plastic at our offices and have removed almost all single-use plastics from our products since 2019 already. We have been working to getthe single-use plastic guidelines in Thailandto becomelegislation and laws. In 2017, we had already joined forces with the UN, ASEAN, Coca Cola and the CP group, to try and speed up the process. However, each year more and more plastic ends up in our oceans, it is currently estimated that each person contributes 1.4kg of plastic per year, so thats why we aim to pick up 1.4kg of plastic per board sold. We havealready removed 920,000kgof plastic from the beaches/oceans, but by 2030 we would like that number to be more like a couple of million kilos.Our customer(s) is/are the finalpart ofourjourney, so when a person invests in a Starboard product, they are not just investing in the physical product itself, but also into biodiversity, livelihood, carbon draw down, and one of the largest anti-plastic pollution projects on earth, it becomes a purchase with deeper purposeOLYMPICSThe Olympicsis ahugeinspirationfor Starboard. I remember being at the1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, but at the time, I would never have imagined ever becoming a part of the windsurfing industry or anything like that. So to see that our crew actually developed products that was awarded the Olympic discipline, and that Gonzalo Costa Hoevel has driven iQFOiL-ing to be as successful as it beyond my imagination.iQFOiL has brought new life back to windsurfing and helps to engage more clubs and federations within our sport. At the Olympics, it is was probably the most impressive sailing sport and windsurfing is now being noted.We just had a meeting with the LA 28 organisers while at the Paris Games, and they were impressed with the iQFOiL action.The financial side for us has been challenging, as we have invested hugely, by supporting both the class and the riders, but in the long term this will pay off for the sport, and hopefully, also for Starboard. We are extremely proud to be able to showcase the iQFOiL class as the first Olympic sport to be 10x climate positive.Since the first major event in 2020, we calculated the carbon footprint of all travel associated with iQFOiL and all the iQFOiL equipment, we then planted enough mangroves to offset the emissions by ten times over. We actually also did this for the PWA and ICF SUP events, which is a huge job, and we have a team of four eco specialists to help oversee it all. All our Starboardproducts are 10x climate positive and we even collect 11.4kg of beach/ocean plastic per iQFOiL board produced, which is the weight of the board. In 2020, we received the World Sailing Sustainability Award, and I was very happy to be congratulated by the Americas Cup winners when we first presented our initiatives during the 2019 World Sailing AGM in Bermuda.SYNERGY & TALENT I believe in synergies around the universe, so you almost naturally tend to work with people that come to you through random means. That is a synergy and that has seemed to work out for me over the years. Our (Starboards) first designer was Jean-Louis Colmas from New Caledonia. I was racing there and I looked at his boards because he was just so fast. Not long after that, we decided to start making boards together. Then came Tiesda You from the UK, who sent me two emails. Honestly, I couldnt read, or understand, either of them as there was no spaces between the letters. It was as if you were trying to read one giant line of text. In someway it tweaked my interest though, so I asked him to fly out to Thailand instead, so that we could have a face-to-face conversation about what he was trying to say.What you realise with a synergy is that you can find some really amazing crew. And the same can be said with all the brands that we are working with. A lot of the time it is friends who want to create something together. No matter whether it is our friends in South Africa, who make Airush Kites or the crew in Australia, who make Severne, it is all synergetic work. I can say with my hand on my heart that I dont think we ever even advertisedfor such important positions they are just naturally occurring synergies.FENG SHUIWhen we built our offices we usedarchitectsandFeng Shui experts. They can sense and feel the energies flowing through the building and angulations, so we worked with them to ensure that the flow is always improving. Its important that the environment in which you work should promote creativity and productivity. Essentially, we want it to feel like a resort, which is precisely why we have a swimming pool and we are situated in a wake park. The last thing you want as a company is that people dread coming to work. Instead, its much better to try and create an environment that makes them look forward to returning, rather than trying to run away.TESTINGI am probably the least talented windsurfing world champion in history, however, on the flip side I am probably also the hardest working one. On the development side of things, I might have tested more boards than anyone else, and my talent lies in feeling what can be improved in a boards shape.DETAILS I like to keep my finger on the pulse with everything that is going on at Starboard. I think most managers like to follow things very carefully. We want to make sure that we are minimising mistakes, while maximising potential. You can call it micro-management, but I like to call it macro-management. Personally, I want to see more, not less. We can take the advice from wonderful management books, but if any other brand managers from our windsurfing world are reading this they might agree that in our tiny industry we need to know most of the nuts and bolts.QUICK RESPONSE Every email I receive, I make a point of answering it within twenty-four hours if possible. I like to answer things immediately if I can! Sometimes I miss one and then I receive a follow up email, which I then feel very guilty about. It is not only our company policy, but it is also just a sign of respect! If someone talks to you in person, you are not going to stand there and wait for two days before you answer.MAGIC BOARDS I amaCarveaddict. That board to me feels like winning the lottery, honestly. Rmi did an amazing job on the latest design. I love the Carve and then the other board I love is the Go-Fly because it just makes the process of learning to foil so much easier. The Go-Fly gets you up on the foil with almost no effort. It naturally wants to come up on the foil, and once you are up, you are in total control. It is an entry levelto advancedfoil board; you could almost learn to windsurf on this board and then take off and go straight into foiling. You hardly even plane, you just go straight into foiling mode. In the past, we have said that you become hooked on windsurfing when you get planing for the first time, but you could also now argue that some people will become even more hooked, if they are foiling straightaway.There was a year when Jean-Louis was too busy to shape the new Carves, so I started learning how to shape, which was around 1999-2000. Now we are on our 2025 model, which is over twenty years later. It really is a great range. Five years ago, I was not so happy with them, but what we have now is this ultimate mix between super early planing, top-end speed and a board that is really easy to enter and exit the gybe. It gives me everything I need to be happy on the water. It is a board I think most windsurfers would enjoy riding as you can learn so quickly how to gybe on this board.WINGS Winging is windsurfing to me. With winging we just have a rig that is a bit different. It is surfing with the wind in essence, which is the same as windsurfing. Wing-foiling is also challenging windsurfing in a positive way. Windsurfing now needs to create even better gear and that can only be a good thing.FOCUS My focus will be to bridge the gap between continuing to deliver the highest performing gear and getting more people into our sport, while protecting our playgrounds from all sorts of pollution. I thank all our customers, shops, distribution partners, riders, staff and suppliers for believing in us and working together to make Starboard the best brand on and for the planet we are all a team.The post SVEIN RASMUSSEN: POSITIVE ENERGY appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

NICO PRIEN: THE MEDIA MANNICO PRIEN: THE MEDIA MANNico Prien has not only carved out a remarkable career on the water as a professional windsurfer, but he has also made waves online, recognizing the potential of digital media to reach and inspire through his incredibly successful YouTube channel which now boasts an impressive 70,000 subscribers. Nico tells us how he balances his roles as a professional windsurfer, YouTube content creator, shop owner and coach!Photos: John Carter / Pwaworldtour.comBACKGROUNDIm from a small village near Kiel in Germany, just a two-minute drive from the Baltic Sea. I went to school like any other kid in my area. I started windsurfing when I was about thirteen, my parents got me into it. My father was a windsurfer, probably one of the first in Germany, but he stopped due to work commitments. One day, they thought it would be a good idea to get me on a board and give it a try. At first, I hated it. My first windsurfing experience was pretty bad, so I didnt continue for a while. But thankfully, they encouraged me to try again, and that time I had my first planing experience just a few days in. After that, I absolutely fell in love with windsurfing.Once I got into it, I just tried to get on the water every day. My parents supported me and took me to the beach as often as possible; they helped me rig my gear and everything. After finishing school, I decided to focus on windsurfing for at least a yearjust to see where it would go. The rest, as they say, is history.Most of the guys I sailed with early on were wave sailors. Thats how I startedI saw them doing jumps and tricks, and thats where I wanted to be. As I progressed, I was able to use smaller boards. My first board was a wave/freestyle board, so initially, I was a wave sailor.I also went to the gym a lot and started getting taller and heavier. A lot of people told me I had the right size for slalom racing. I started with BIC Techno, a one-design class, but I hated it. The boards were too big and clumsy. Then I tried slalom sailing, and I really enjoyed it, especially when I started racing. In the beginning, I didnt even train; Id go wave sailing for fun, then just show up at competitions and race slalom.FIRST PWAMy first PWA event was in Sylt since its reasonably close to where I live. We also have a few German Cup events there, so it felt natural for Sylt to be my first World Cup. That was about twelve years ago. Initially, I focused mostly on the national circuit in Germany to gain experience and get started.FIRST VIDEOSEarly in my career, I was studying online while windsurfing and traveling. I started with psychology, then switched to marketing. I taught myself YouTube production as I went, figuring it could help with my promotion as a sailor. I learned whatever I could online.At the start of my windsurfing career, I had a few sponsors, and I wanted to give back to them; to provide some return on what they invested in me. Creating content felt like the right way to do that. Id always been interested in video editing. Even before I windsurfed, I used to edit random videos. My father helped film me, and I got more into it. I watched a lot of YouTube tutorials and started producing content because I enjoyed it and wanted to create real value for my sponsors.At first, I was very uncomfortable in front of the camera. If you watch my early videos, theyre pretty awkward. But like anything, you get better the more you do it. I took it seriously, and over time I improved. I still dont feel perfect at it, and I still feel a bit awkward when filming in public, but Ive learned to manage it.Initially, I vlogged myself, holding a action camera and talking to the camera. It felt awkward in public, and Id often look for quiet places. Action footage was partly done with the GoPro, but eventually, I needed someone else to film. Luckily, my girlfriend filmed a lot at the start, and I asked others to help too.YOUTUBEWere now just over to 70,000 followers on YouTube, which still surprises me. Ive always taken it seriously. I was inspired by mainstream YouTubers, studied how they grew, and tried to make each video entertaining. The key is consistency, regularly showing people what youre doing so they get immersed in your story. Like a movie, they start to care about the character.After each video, wed attract new viewers. Ideally, theyd stay because they connected with the story. I always tried to give people reasons to subscribe; competitions, giveaways, and ways to give back. At the same time, those incentives helped us grow the channel.YouTube is almost a separate job now. I have a full-time cameraman, Lars Wichmann, who films with drones and better equipment. In the beginning, it was more run-and-gun. Now its more structuredwe script, plan the direction, and polish the edits. We release a video a week, aiming for quality over quantity. Lars and I are a team, both passionate and dedicated.Theres always a story to tell on a trip or at an event. Weve filmed more content than we can publish. If we had two more editors, we could release a video every other day! Windsurfing will always be a part of the videos, but I want to use it to reach a broader audience.Nico Prien YouTubeTHE GOALI think when people chase numbers too hard, it can backfire. Im not aiming for millions of subscribers. I want to branch out a bit into other sports, maybe collaborate with high-performance athletes and link it back to windsurfing.Windsurfing is niche, so compared to mainstream creators, our numbers are low. What YouTube pays in ad revenue doesnt cover a cameraman or travel costs. Thats why we find other ways, like sponsorships and clinics. YouTube helps me grow Surfcenter, promote clinics, and get better sponsor deals. Its a great platform for advertising, but only if you stay honest. Once people stop trusting you, your reach has no value. It all comes down to trust and delivering real value.ADVICEIf youre starting YouTube, it depends on your goal, but dont do it for money or fame. Enjoy the process. You can work really hard and still not know where its going to go. You need to enjoy creating videos, telling stories, and everything in between. Thats what makes it worthwhile.When I started, I had no idea where it would lead. I was ambitious, sure, but I didnt set high expectations. That helped. In the end, it worked out better than I expected.RACINGBalancing sailing with YouTube, Surfcenter, clinics, and for a while being PWA Chairman was a challenge. Sometimes training suffers because Im juggling so many roles. I prefer to do things properly, so windsurfing sometimes takes a backseat. Still, I try to maximize my water time. I have a lot of experience now, so even a week or two of focused training can be enough before an event. I still love racing and believe I can achieve more. Now that things are running smoothly with Lars and the Surfcenter, Im finding more time to focus on racingthats definitely a goal.SLALOM XThe 2024 Gran Canaria event was the most fun Ive had competing in years. I wasnt completely happy with my performance, but the event brought back great memories, sanding boards and prepping fins, just like when I started.It was windy and choppy, real hardcore conditions, which I like. I think Im a good jumper, so I enjoyed the sausage section of the course. The jumps required real skill, not luck, which I appreciated. You had to perform in the moment, like wave sailing. Watching the live stream, it looked exciting, and Im glad we brought that energy to the audience.NP7 EXPERIENCEThe clinics are growing. Its part coaching, part experience. Some people want tips to improve; others just want to share great sessions with like-minded people. I love both aspects, helping people improve and sharing the stoke. At the moment, demand is higher than I can fulfil, which is a great problem to have. Its something I definitely want to keep expanding.PWA CHAIRMANBecoming PWA Chairman wasnt planned. When Jimmy Diaz stepped down, several people asked me to step in. I saw it as a chance to give back to the sport that made everything possible for me. I accepted the role.People think I had more power than I actually did! There are a lot of politics and collaboration involved. But I enjoyed the role. My ultimate goal is to help more people make a living from professional windsurfing and promote the sport to a wider audience. After a year in the role, I stepped back as it was never my long-term plan to stay at the head of the management board. We achieved a lot in that one year at a crucial an important time for the PWA. That was always my plan in the first place so now I can concentrate on my job as a sailor. I remain as the President of the PWA which I am happy to do as I think I can add value there. It is not as extensive a role as the head of the management board and full PWA Chairman.COVIDDuring COVID, I spent two years working for Starboard, moving from rider to brand-side. Aside from that period, Ive been with NeilPryde and JP for about ten years. Its a strong partnership, and I love their gear. Robert Stroj designs incredible sails, and our team is showing great speed on JP boards.Working for Starboard wasnt in my plan. But during COVID, the opportunity felt like a smart pivot. I learned a lot from Svein Rasmussen and am grateful for that time. Eventually, though, I realized I preferred working for myself; being on the water and making videos. The audience was growing, and I felt I had more to share with them.SURFCENTERI met the owners of Surfcenter during a shop visit and immediately clicked with them. It made sense to collaborate, we share a vision of revitalizing windsurfing and bringing the sport back to the glory of when the shop opened in 1976. Its a natural partnership driven by mutual passion.Surf-center.com The surf shop for all your windsurfing, sup and foil equipment! Surfcenter; Th specialist windssurf, wingfoil, windfoil & SUP.FUTUREIn five to ten years, Ill definitely still be windsurfing, no question. I want to do more extreme projects, test myself in harsh conditions and long distances, and keep telling stories. Windsurfing and video-making will always be part of what I do. Exactly where Ill be in ten years? Well see!NeilPrydeWindsurf Boards JP AustraliaThe post NICO PRIEN: THE MEDIA MAN appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

NICO PRIEN: REALTALK...SYLT!NICO PRIEN: REALTALKSYLT!After a tough opening day in Sylt, Nico Prien shares his candid thoughts on the state of foil racing in this honest recap of Day 1 action.NICO PRIEN: Little disclaimer: Obviously talking in the moment and for a fast paced YouTube video some details are left out. Its just a personal opinion and my path in the sport. What works for me and I feel is not for everyone. Generally windfoiling has a very important part in our sport especially for gusty and light wind places and for people, who cant deal with the physical demands and hard hits of fin windsurfing anymore. Foil competitions can be exciting too and just like everything in our sport: the more wind the better it gets. Anyway, we keep pushing full power through the highs and lows thats the only way!The post NICO PRIEN: REALTALKSYLT! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA: JERICOACOARA SURVIVAL GUIDE!SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA: JERICOACOARA SURVIVAL GUIDE!Every year, Jericoacoara draws windsurfers from around the world with its steady winds, endless sunshine, variety of conditions, and famously laid-back vibe. For multi-world champion Sarah-Quita Offringa, Jeri has long been both a winter training ground and a place to recharge between competitions.After spending countless seasons in Jeri, Sarah has put together her ultimate survival guidecovering what to pack, when to go and what you can expect if youre planning your own pilgrimage to this windsurfing paradise.Photos: Nicholas Jones EyeSeaYou and Sarah Quita OffringaPACKING FOR JERI: GEAR & ESSENTIALS!SQ: When I first started travelling to Jeri, I would only take my freestyle board and three sails. Over the years, Ive expanded my quiver to be able to get on the water in all conditions! The north-east coast of Brazil is a water sports heaven! In Jeri, I very often go for a freestyle and then a wave session in the same day. We will freestyle at the point and then go for a jumping/onshore wave riding session around the corner at Malhada. Ill have my 93l Board and usually use between 4.0m and 4.4m sails. And for waves Ill bring my 82L and a 4.5m. You have got to be ready for those special days with swell!On more recent trips, I also take my kite wave gear and some type of foil gear. Supfoil or wingfoil. With the tide changing so much there are so many options to spend your time on the water!Jeri is board short and bikini weather, but the sun is hot! So I make sure to bring plenty long sleeve lycras. And for the early morning and late sunset sessions it could even be a good idea to take a neoprene top. Im sure if you fly from Europe you wouldnt need that though! Lots of Sunblock is a must, shades, capsyou need all of it!GETTING THERESQ: Flying from Europe is pretty straight forward. The fastest options that I know of are TAP airlines which will take you to Fortaleza via Lisbon, and then theres Air France / KLM that goes straight to Fortaleza as well. This flights are around 12-15 hours travel to get you to Brazil.Once you arrive you should have a transfer booked, you can organize this quite easily through some locals, or via the pousada you are staying at. A driver will be standing there with your name on a sign, load your gear in the pick up and of you go zigzagging through Fortaleza for about 45 minutes before you get on the quieter highways to Jeri. This drive takes about 4.5 hours including some pit stops for food and deflating the tires for the last exciting 45 minute drive through the dunes. These transfers cost about 120-150 euros in total, which you could share between 4 people. I would advise you to get some cash at the airport before because there are no ATM machines in Jeri! The nearest one is 45 min away in Jijoca. You can pay by card almost everywhere, but cash is still super handy.WIND AND WATER: WHAT CONDITIONS TO EXPECT!SQ: The best season is from August to December. September and October being the most consistent and strongest. In those two months I tend to sail 4.0m most days. From November onwards its still likely to be 4.0m conditions but there are some 4.4m days. The waves start picking up around mid-November. I would say about 1m on average, perfect for getting into your first loops and wave rides! And on big days itll go up to 2m. I would consider 2m a special day, which happens at least once every trip for me. On those days you can catch a wave at the point and sail it all the way down to the dune, that is such an amazing feeling! November is also the busiest month on the water! Ive counted up to 60 riders sailing at the point. Towards the end of December the rain season starts and the wind is less consistent but there should be better waves for longboarding and some float and ride sessions.What I also love about Jeri is the tide. Every week is different and you need to adapt. Youre sailing at the same spot, but it changes all the time! Some weeks favour freestyling a bit more, other weeks favour wave sailing or jumping at Malhada. All depending on the tide.WHERE TO STAYSQ: The typical place to stay in Jeri is a pousada which is a bed and breakfast. The breakfast is a highlight, anywhere in Jeri! My favourite place is Pousada Do Mauricio, its where I stayed the first time I came to Jeri, and I still do. Mauricio the owner is a windsurfer himself and loves to have windsurfers over. The location is perfect! Its pretty close to the water and in the heart of town. They serve snacks right after sunset, which makes it a perfect gathering point for friends before going for dinner.Besides that there is WindJeri, the owner is also a windsurfer! And then there is also Maria Theresa that has hosted many windsurfers over the years. Shes like our Brazilian mum. Another option is to get an apartment. There are some locals that own apartments. The nicest is to stay closer to the water. Im not going to lie, walking through the sand from the beginning of town to the water is pretty exhausting and hot most of all! But in general, nothing is really far and everything is walking distance.If you want to go more upmarket then Club Ventos offer the complete package with beautiful accommodation and beach club right next to the water where you can rent top of the range gear. The club also has qualified instructors, always available to offer lessons and guidance. If you bring your own equipment, they provide ample storage space in their Water Sports Hall to keep your gear safe.COSTS: Renting an apartment would be the cheapest, and you could find for as little as 500 euros per month. The pousadas will be a little bit more expensive, but have breakfast included. There are also some hostels and smaller places that will charge from about 35 euros a night.A DAY IN THE LIFE: JERIS DAILY RHYTHMSQ: In Jeri its all about pacing yourself. Its a place where everyone can find something to do and enjoy themselves! Its very easy to get caught up in all the fun, but the question is: Can you keep up? You can get up early in the morning and be super active, and around sunset time you feel that special Jeri vibe, the caipirinha carts come out, theres live music and you can only wait and see where the night will take you!A typical day in Jeri Ill get up around 6:30am, go for a longboard / surf foil or supfoil session or some stretching at the beach if there arent any waves. Then breakfast can last from anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours! Its always nice to catch up with friends during that time.My first windsurfing session is usually around 11am till 1pm. Personally the best sessions are when the tide is a bit lower and pushing up to get those nice ramps.Then its lunch time. The first year I came to Jeri, I overdid it eating, Aai bowls sometimes twice a day, so I actually dont eat it so much anymore! But I have to say that it is a refreshing and energizing snack.I love places like Naturalmente because you have view on the spot, the sandwicheria, which is in the Wind Jeri Street nearby as Kuara, which has the most amazing buffet lunch. Then it is time for a quick nap before the evening session! After sailing, watching the sunset is a highlight everyday, either from land or from the water.Right around sunset, the people start emerging outside and Jeri slowly comes to life. Its always nice to stop at Maurizios for a snack to meet some friends and then go out for dinner. After that you can go out for Forro, Samba or to one of the more mainstream nightclubs! And the day after? Repeat. For as long as your body gives ha-ha!Every body needs a time out at a certain pointthere aint no rest for the wicked in Jeri.AVOIDING THE CROWDSSQ: There was a period after Covid, when it was very quiet on the water, but it feels like Jericoacoara re-emerged as a top destination in the past few years! Especially in November its extremely busy on the water. You need to pick the right hours to have a more relaxed session. Usually the people that are renting will get on the water around 11am. In September and October its windy quite early so you can have the spot to yourself. But I would say from 11pm-2pm is quite busy on the water. Its windy till sunset so there is plenty time to get a session to yourself.BEYOND JERI: DAY TRIPS & SECRET SPOTSSQ: The great thing about Jeri / Brazil is that the whole coast is windy and has waves!One of our favourite getaways is the lagoon, which is a 40-minute buggy trip away along the coast and into the dunes. This is the perfect freestyle training flat water spot.Make sure to bring plenty of water and order a sandwich, because youre going to be in the middle of nowhere for a couple of hours. The drive back during sunset will be magical! Just ask one of the locals for the phone number of a buggy driver and youre set.Around the corner upwind from the main spot you can score a wave session at Malhada! It is Starboard tack side-onshore and can be really fun when the waves are not breaking at the main spot. If the point is to busy for you, you can always go down wind towards the dune and the river mouth to catch the same type of conditions at the flag, but less crowded.Finally, leaving Jeri for a couple of days is always refreshing. You can do a 3-hour car trip to Maceio, which they consider the Jeri of 20 years ago. There are less people there on the water. The conditions are a little bit more onshore than Jeri, so it offers a bit different type of sailing. I love Maceio, but coming back to Jeri feels a bit like coming home.EAT LIKE A LOCAL: FOOD AND NIGHTLIFE!SQ: Eating out in Jeri is amazing! There is so much to choose from. Seafood is great, the meat is amazing and there are many vegetarian options too. There are two delicious sushi restaurants, theres a restaurant where you can get an eight-course meal or you can take it easy and go for more local food. Options are endless. Many times there will be live music which adds a nice Brazilian atmosphere to your dinner.Some of my favourite places for dinner: Na casa dela, Naturalmente, Cocoanuts, Pimenta Verde, Tamarindo, Miragem. And then theres a bunch of local places that you cant miss while cruising through the streets.STAYING SAFE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOWSQ: I feel extremely safe in Jericoacoara. The locals are very friendly and within a few days of being there youll have your routine and you get to know the people around you, and they recognize you as well. Youll feel very comfortable instantly. Jeri is a bit of a bubble where people just want to have a good time and be happy. I dont think it can be compared to bigger cities like Fortaleza where they tell you to be more careful.GEAR RENTALSQ: Renting gear at Jeri 250 and Club Ventos are always good options. Because then at least you will always have the right gear to get on the water. But if you are used to your own gear, I will always favour that. In the end you only really need one board and two sails which should fit into one board bag. That will cost you between 90-200 euros one way with the airlines. So you can do the math.CLUBVENTOS watersports Windsurf, Wingfoil and Kitesurf Vacations in BrazilJERI250 WELCOME TO JERI250.COMTHE HARDEST PART: SAYING GOODBYE!SQ: Leaving Jeri is very hard! Its always such a relaxing time. There are many transfers available to the airport, just ask at your pousada or a local friend. It will be a 4.5 hour drive back to Fortaleza. Since its a water-sport destination they are quite used to seeing the board bags at the airport, but Id say theyre still pretty strict. So, make sure youre not exceeding the weight limit on your bags.QUICK TIPSYou should see Jeri as a water-sport playground! Yes, its amazing for windsurfing, but its all the other sports that you can do that make it extra fun! Especially anything foil related.Get a taste of the Brazilian culture and take a Forro or Samba class. These are so much fun!Take it easy on your first Caipirinhas theyre tasty and amazing but pack a punch ha-ha!Catch at least one sunrise! A walk along the beach towards the dunes, or sunrise surfing session is a great way to start your day!There will come a point where youve sailed too much! Just take a day off, get a buggy for a drive through the dunes and visit Lagoa Paraiso for a relaxing hangout so you can disconnect from windsurfing and at the same time get excited for your next session.The post SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA: JERICOACOARA SURVIVAL GUIDE! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.