WAVE RALLY 2: DOWN UNDER!WAVE RALLY 2: DOWN UNDER!Wave Rally World Championships Return to Geraldton in January 2026Paul van Bellen tells us all about the upcoming Wave Rally World Championship windsurfing event to be held at Coronation Beach, Geraldton, Western Australia from the 9-11th January, 2026. We also hear from Jane Semen about the Oceania Youth Wave Titles will also be taking place in Geraldton between the 10th to the 18th Jan 2026! Looks like a great time to be in Western Australia!!!Windsurfing Western Australia and the Geraldton Windsurfing Club is thrilled to announce the return of the Wave Rally World Championships, coming to Coronation Beach, Geraldton, Western Australia from 9-11th January 2026.Following the huge success of the 2025 event which drew competitors and spectators from across Australia and around the world, this years Wave Rally promises to be bigger, brighter and hopefully windier than ever.With a festival atmosphere, DJ beach parties on Friday and Saturday nights coupled with fun wave slalom racing at one of the worlds best windsurfing locations, the 2026 championships are shaping up to be a highlight of the Australian summer windsurfing calendar.Event organiser Paul van Bellen from the Geraldton Windsurfing Club says he is excited to welcome both returning and new competitors to the shores of Geraldton.Wave Rally isnt just about the racing, said van Bellen. Its about bringing people together; locals, visitors, families and athletes to celebrate wind, waves and our amazing Geraldton coastline. Building on last years momentum, Wave Rally hopes to sell out the 2026 event with 100 entrants, making it again the largest participation windsurfing event in Western Australia and possibly the biggest wave slalom event of its kind in the world. Competitors of all ages will travel from across the country and abroad to take part in this unique celebration of sport, community and coastal culture. The 2025 event was estimated to have contributed over $110,000 into the Geraldton economy.Well done and thank you Paul for a fabulous event and all the hard work you put into it. Of all the windsurfing comps I have attended this was the most fun. Competitor, 2025 Wave Rally World ChampionshipsFor more information contact: Paul van Bellen Wave Rally World Championships https://www.waverally.org info@waverally.org +61 405 446 272And dont forget the Oceania Youth Wave Titles will also be taking place in Geraldton so it is going to be a fabulous time to be in Western Australia!!OCEANIA YOUTH WAVE TITLES WESTERN AUSTRALIAWe caught up with Jane Seman to get the inside scoop on what to expect watch this space for more updates!Jane Seman Its such an honour that Geraldton in Western Australia has been chosen to host the World Junior Wave Grand Final. I think WA has the largest group of youth windsurfers in any one place right now and theres been a huge effort from a lot of people over the last eight years to make that happen. Loads of people just volunteering their time every weekend. Severne, Patrik and Starboard helping out with gear and even making new gear to suit what the youth were doing or needing.But its all created a really healthy, fun, friendly atmosphere. The windsurfing kids have become such good friends and also made friends with visiting families and lot meeting new people. So whilst this has a more serious competition element and the kids definitely push each other, its also just loads of fun, really social and super friendly.Geraldton has probably got to be the best place in the world for families to windsurf together. It has warm water and a variety of spots that cater for complete beginners to total pros like Jaeger Stone. Theres Coronation Beach that starts with flat, shallow water, then leads into small rolling swells and then further out the back are soft but bigger breaking waves. Sunset Beach in Geraldton works when the swell is bigger and thats a super fun sectiony wave that offers great riding and jumping. Then the Spot works in small swells and just has an endless amount of easy reforms that are super fun for both jumping or popping aerials. Everyone has a good time here and it looks like it will be an epic event!There is a tonne of event info here:Junior World Wave Grand Final + Oceania Youth Wave Titles + Junior Windsurf Camp Windsurfing Western AustraliaThe post WAVE RALLY 2: DOWN UNDER! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025Pete Davis reports from the Lderitz Speed Challenge 2025 as the riders gather in Namibia and the anticipation builds for what promises to be another record-breaking year. Set against the stark, windswept beauty of the Namib Desert and the wild Atlantic coast, the worlds fastest windsurfers have converged on the legendary Lderitz Canal. Last year, records were smashed and lets hope 2025 is another rewrite of the history books.Pete Davis: Now in its 15th year and following the success of last years event that achieved new mens and womens world records and five national records This year has attracted a full list of the great and good of speed windsurfing.Antoine Albeau is here of course with a target on his back from last years success upping his record to 53.49 knots and he has improved and held this record since 2008. The big guns here who will be pushing him hard and after his title will be Bjorn Dunkerbeck 42 times world windsurfing champion, the German record holder Gunnar Asmussen, the Belgian Record holder Vincent Vakenaers and Antoines French stablemate at Severne, Cedric Bordes. All of these guys could spoil the party for Antoine.On the womens side Jenna Gibson who achieved the Womens world record and was the first women to go over 48 knots last year at the Canal is keen to push it higher to the 50-knot mark. She will be kept honest by the Swiss rider and previous Womens world record holder Heidi Ulrich who was not at the event last year and is very motivated to get her title back.This event is not all about world records, the site is home to over 20 national records and they are just as prized by the competitors who take part. None fiercer than the British speedsters Jim Crossley and Simon Pettifer. These two have windsurfed and raced together for over 30 years and both want to break the British record held by the late great Farrel OShea but at 51.20 knots it is no soft target.With other riders bidding for their national titles like Roger Ornvang from Sweden, Enrique del Valle from Spain and Alexander Petikidis from Greece. This year will have a lot to play for.Day one was a fairly light wind day if you think 25 to 30 knots is light but for these guys and girls, it is! No records broken but a good warm up and a chance for the riders to tune their gear. The fastest of the day was Vincent at 46.70 knots followed by Antoine and Gunnar. The girls were close with only 0.2 of a knot separating them and first blood to Heidi.This years event is going on for a month, held on the edge of the Namib Desert close to the sea on the Skeleton cost of Namibia, miles from anywhere. It is the fastest speed spot in the world and they are waiting for the perfect conditions it is not going to be boring that is for sure.To follow the live action follow this link https://luderitz-speed.com/ranking-2025/The post LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025 appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

Your essential read for SUP this autumn! New November SUP Mag UK available nowPay by credit card with Stripe or Paypal. Purchase here. Digital edition available @ https://joom.ag/Mc2dQ&AsAdviceTravel and adventuresPaddle UK featuresInclusive SUPBehind the brandGear shedSUPM supports and gives airtime to the UK SUP scene 100%. And were the only mag that does.The latest November 2025 issue of SUP Mag UK in print is available to purchase now Digital edition available @ https://joom.ag/Mc2dFeaturing 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.

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TIMM-DANIEL KPKE: THE MAUI ULTRA FINS STORYTIMM-DANIEL KPKE: THE MAUI ULTRA FINS STORYAfter a chance meeting on Maui back in 2006, Timm-Daniel Kpke crossed paths with aerodynamics expert Dietrich (Rick) Hanke and a simple conversation about fins turned into the start of something revolutionary. From an idea born in the surf to a brand now trusted by world champions, Maui Ultra Fins has become synonymous with innovation, precision, and performance.We caught up with Timm-Daniel, now the owner and managing director, to hear how it all began, what makes a great fin design and their design and testing process!WINDSURF: Tell us about the early days and how the brand got started?Timm: Well, it all started in summer 2006. Dorte, my wife, and I were on a sabbatical from teaching at a business college and met Dietrich (Rick) Hanke on Maui. We were both staying with Jutta Mueller, the windsurf legend who let us move in.Rick had just retired from his official career as Head Flight Simulation at DLR in Braunschweig so was pretty much into the topic of wing design already. As he had been a passionate windsurfer for decades, he realized the potential in fin design, especially in wave fins. When we came back in June 2007, he had the design for the WAVE fin ready, a single fin. It was elliptic, completely new for wave fins. I was super sceptical but gave it a goand got the second fin ever made as a birthday present on 19th June. What a change it made for all our lives! I helped him with translations, descriptions and business advice at the beginning, then took over the distribution in Germany in 2010. We sold 30 fins that year, basically through word of mouth, just one year later, it was already 1,000 fins. You can probably imagine what that meant as we quickly had to establish everything a proper business needs, printers, website, packaging etc. So, I have been involved from the very beginning and took over the overall responsibility a couple of years ago.WINDSURF: Where are the fins made, where is the HQ based and who is in charge of designs?Timm: We do work with several producers in Europe and Asia. The exact choice depends on what we need. Our headquarters are in Flensburg, Germany, right at the Danish boarder. That comes in handy for all kind of conditions as we have daily access to Flensburg Fjord for flat water testing and our place is close to wave spots at the German and Danish side of the Baltic Sea (Damp, Kaegnes etc.) and the North Sea (infamous Sylt and Rmo) is also only around 300 km to Cold Hawaii (Klitmoeller, DK) but takes us about 4 hours with our old VW T3 van.Rick is in charge of our designs, like the Style-Pro-03 (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Style-Pro-03_1) and the Style-Weed-Pro (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Style-Weed-Pro_1). But it is basically a team effort as we include our national and international team riders, so for example Sarah-Quita, Lennart Neubauer, the Nebelung brothers (Niclas and Lucas) and many more.WINDSURF: What is your role in the brand?Timm: I own the brand now and am the MD. As we are not a huge company, I organize events, initiate developments and keep an eye on the figures. That was quite a task in recent years as you can imagineWINDSURF: Was there a pioneering fin that put the brand on the market?Timm: From a commercial perspective, the X-Twin (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/X-Twin_1) was our first big seller. Philip Koester won 5 world championships on this very fin which matched his aggressive riding and need for speed so well. The Style-Taty was also the must-have fin for freestyling back in the days. A fin that sparked quite some discussion was the Delta fin, a shallow water fin that was inspired by airplane design as well. You can use a 24 cm long Delta-XT-50 (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Delta-XT-50_1) fin instead of a 40 44 cm straight fin. That saved quite some boards (and bones)WINDSURF: How and why is using a decent / correct fin so important?Timm: Fins can actually be compared to tyres when it comes to performance. They provide stability and are crucial for speed, grip and agility. So, fins can alter the characteristics of your boards immensely. I have just done some testing of a new thruster centre fin on Maui and also tested the board with twinser and quad setups.However, treating your fin well, is also of great importance. Always check that the leading edge has no dents or scratches and that the fin itself is positioned smoothly in the box.WINDSURF: What is the difference between a stiff / soft fin in the waves?Timm: That is one of the questions I am asked a lot. In general, stiff fins are faster, soft fins are more forgiving. The overall performance also is determined by the surface area, the outline and the profile (thickness etc.) which needs to match its requirements (turnability, speed potential).WINDSURF: How much can a poor fin or wrong sized fin ruin as session or make a board an uncomfortable ride?Timm: Very often sailors use too big fins. That is often down to them using the stock fins which are often provided for a heavy rider in the worst (lightest) conditions as the board manufacturers want to get the rider planing, no matter what. That is no big issue when you know about it then you can simply get a second fin that matches your individual requirements (and keep the stock fin for those very light days). Just keep in mind that a bigger fin has more surface and therefore more drag you will be much slower and / or the board has too much lift and becomes uncontrollable.The same is true for a design that does not match your discipline, like using a freeride fin in a slalom board. You will again have too much drag.WINDSURF: Where and how do you test out a new design?Timm: We usually start with a problem that can be anything from extreme weed, lack of speed, wish for more control / turnability / grip in a certain setup. It is probably easier when I give a recent example. Our European freestylers (Niclas and Lucas Nebelung, Lennart Neubauer) used our Style-Weed (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Style-Weed_1) freestyle fin in the past.As it had a slightly thicker profile, it was great for early planing, one jump and sliding moves. However, it was not the ultimate choice for double moves as it lacked some speed. So, Rick narrowed it down to five prototypes with matching areas and we had them tested in very different conditions from tidal pools at the North Sea (Bsum, close to Sylt) to choppy conditions on the Baltic Sea. The whole process took 1.5 years as we only wanted to launch a product that really does the job. That very fin, the Style-Weed-Pro (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Style-Weed-Pro_1) has become the fin for advanced freestylers and pros in weedy conditions. The top 6 riders in the German Freestyle Battle on Fehmarn 2025 all used it, and they are not even all on our team WINDSURF: Is it all workor is the testing process also about enjoying the windsurfing?Timm: Let me be frank: It is quite work for the riders as they have to evaluate also smaller differences and as a team are responsible for what we launch. However, they seem to enjoy their work and benefit as they finally get what they like and need I also did some testing on Maui and would not complain at all but that might be down to sunshine and moderate but daily waves for four weeks.What difference would it make to a sailor by upgrading all of their fins on their whole quiver of boards? Timm: That can have a great impact, but I would advise for a slow approach. We offer free advice on setups, and you can start with one fin (set). We also explain which fin (set) makes sense. There is a reason why we have a very wide product range that has grown over the years. Some, like the X-Wave (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/X-Wave_1), have remained unchanged for over a decade now so we do not update our range just to create FOMO. We are interested in long-term relationships, not a quick sale.WINDSURF: What riders do you have on the team these days and what input do they put into the designs?Timm: We do have current PWA wave and freestyle champion Sarah-Quita Offringa and last years freestyle champion Lennart Neubauer on our team but also a bunch of top windsurfers (Adrien Bosson, Maria Behrens, Anton Richter, Maaike Huvermann, Niclas and Lucas Nebelung, Roberto Hofmann and many more). It is often those guys who ask a question (Would it be possible to have a faster freestyle fin???) and start an R&D process for more extreme designs, like the Style-Pro-03, the Wave-DTL+ etc. They of course test our fins at a top level and in extreme conditions, but we also include other windsurfers and test them ourselves, for example Marcus Kleber (freestyle & wave) and Dominik Hofmann (freestyle & foilstyle). Marcus also was the driving force behind our harness lines (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Harness-lines) and Dominik got heavily involved in foilstyling (https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Foiling_1)and pushes us here.WINDSURF: Tell us about your latest thruster set up you have been testing and what conclusions you have drawn from the sessions in Maui?Timm: It was actually pretty interesting. I already had a session on our local fjord back home to test the fin size and positioning, but was super eager to give it a go in proper waves. Maui in summer does not really have the biggest swells but just like in previous summers, we have waves every single day. As the waves were only up to 2 metres, I mainly sailed Upper Kanaha and Camp One (for jumping). With about 80 kg I sailed an 18 cm centre fin (139 cm2) on a 75 litre Mojo Tidal Pro. The board turned on a dime which really helped in smaller swell and wind waves in the afternoon. As the fin (Tri+) has limited area, substantial rake and is fairly soft, I could initiate quick front- and backside turn at ease. So, I would launch it when the other riders let me. Otherwise, I will keep it for myselfWINDSURF: What about the new freewave fin, and how important is it to get a bunch or riders of all abilities to try out a new design?Timm: That is still in progress, but we already had some good testing on lighter days and the son of our US retailer managed his first ever jibe on the prototype. Max: I love this fin! We will get our pros on this fin but also many other riders with mixed abilities as they will ride it.WINDSURF: How would you advise a rider to choose the correct size and stiffness fin for their needs?Timm: Well, that is fairly simple: Just quickly fill in a form and you get individual advice: https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/adviceWINDSURF: Do you think fins have reached a state where there is only room for small improvements or could there be a revolutionary idea or concept still out there waiting to be discovered?Timm: Well, we are open-minded and receive constant impact from our teamriders and customers for new designs with the ideal fin being one that changes shape while windsurfing Anyway, the improvements have of course become a bit smaller but are still worth the work we put into it. The whole setup with board and rig has become more efficient and specialised, just have a look at the sail designs without cambers or with 1, 2, 3 and 4. That all aims at different speeds and angles, so our fins have to match those demands but still work in a wide range of conditions. So we actually develop and provide specialist fins (Delta-XT-50, https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/Delta-XT-50_1) and more general fins (X-Ride, https://www.mauiultrafins.shop/X-Ride_1).More info at:Maui Ultra Fins Windsurfing SUP Kite MUF MUFinsThe post TIMM-DANIEL KPKE: THE MAUI ULTRA FINS STORY appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

THOMAS TRAVERSA: EPIC FUERTEVENTURATHOMAS TRAVERSA: EPIC FUERTEVENTURAThomas Traversa has just released some insane footage from his trips to Fuerteventura over the past few winters!Thomas Traversa:Pure wave sailing action from Fuerteventurasome unreleased 2023 footage combined with more recent action!Boards/sails: Tabou Da curve proto 22053 68 liters Tri-fin K4 15cm scorcher/10cm A.I 2degreesWITH Gaastra Manic 4.0 Tabou Da curve proto 22053,5 70LQuad-fin K4 13,5cm Incinerator/8cm A.I 2degrees WITH Gaastra Manic 4.2The post THOMAS TRAVERSA: EPIC FUERTEVENTURA appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025The Lderitz Speed Challenge 2025 is officially underway in Namibia! The event kicked off with a few days of lighter winds (at least by Lderitz standards) giving the worlds fastest sailors a perfect opportunity to get familiar with the canal and warm up at Diaz Point. The anticipation is building fast and this first video already captures the energy and action on the water. Fingers crossed for stronger winds so the men and women can have a crack at breaking records!!!LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025 First few days were light, but the riders enjoyed a mix of Diaz point and the channel. A few summary of those good moments in image Enjoy!Thank you to all our participants Our sponsors : Luderitz Nest Hotel, R-tech Solution AB, Kenings car hire, Sailmaker Dedication, Severne Windsurfing Our camera and gps time keeper : Manfred Fuchs gps-speed.com WSSRC Commissioner : Pete Davis Media coverage : @113photosport t Event Organiser : Raffaello Gardelli and the canal crewThe post LDERITZ SPEED CHALLENGE 2025 appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

MAYO MAYHEMMAYO MAYHEMThis years Mayo Mayhem event went off, with wild winds, huge waves and all the madness that goes with an Irish event that lives up to its name! Check out the full event video hereit looks like they really scored some incredible conditions!! Dont miss this!Malcolm Scott: Mayo Mayhem 2025 powered by RWE full comepitition video . Watch all the action from a great weekend in Co Mayo Ireland.The official Mayo Mayhem powered by RWE 2025 event video has landedand trust us, youre gonna feel the vibe and pure chaos of this years action-packed weekend!With just one camera on the beach and up to FOUR riders tearing it up on the water at once, we worked hard to capture every spray, every jump, and every wild moment! Sure, a few epic moves mightve slipped past the lensbut what we did catch is 23 minutes of pure Mayo Mayhem madness!So grab a drink, grab some popcorn and get ready to relive the stoke, the sound, and the speed of Mayo Mayhem 2025!Camera: Michael McLister & Tomasz LotockiDrone: Tomasz LotockiEdit: Malcolm ScottMusic:The Stunning Brewing Up a StormFoo Fighters All My Life, The Pretender, Something for Nothing, Times Like These, Best of YouTurn it up loud and let the mayhem begin!The post MAYO MAYHEM appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

2XS WAVE CLASSIC: EVENT VIDEO2XS WAVE CLASSIC: EVENT VIDEOGet ready to relive the action from the 2XS Wave Classic! Alfie Hart from Windsurfing TV has been hard at work crafting an epic edit from the 2XS Wave Classic, packed with incredible wave-riding moments, behind-the-scenes highlights, and all the energy from the beach. Dont miss this one!WINDSURFING TV: The final round of the 2025 BWA tour the 2XS wave classic held an West Witterings was a classic!! All fleets competed, the wind blew and the sun stayed out. In this film we follow local rider Lucas Meldrum in his quest to win an event on his home turf and Dan Macauley competing in the masters fleet and his part on the new Windsurfer Magazine!RESULTS:Pro Mens 1: Lucas Meldrum 2: Andy Chambers 3: James Cox Pro Womens 1: Izzy Adcock 2: Liath Campbell 3: Annika Loh MASTERS: 1: Tim Watson 2: Dan Macaulay 3: Paul Metcalfe YOUTH: 1: Mikey MacLean 2: Sam Wade 3: Max Sargent AMATEURS: 1: James Arnell-Smith 2: Tom Walker 3: Samuel Field Womens Ams 1: Camilla Stenumgard 2: Caitlin Boothroyd The weekend also saw the launch of Windsurfer Magazine the long awaited first viewing of the magazine to get your copy head over to https://windsurfer.co/The post 2XS WAVE CLASSIC: EVENT VIDEO appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

BEN SEVERNE: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCEBEN SEVERNE: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCEHis name may be on the sails, but Ben Severne is anything but a frontman. Ben is creative force behind the Severne and he has built the brands reputation on innovation, precision and an uncompromising drive for performance. Far more comfortable in the sail loft than in the spotlight, Ben prefers to let his riders shine on the world stage while he quietly pushes design boundaries behind the scenes. Back home in Western Australia, however, hes not just a designerhes a passionate sailor at heart, with an insatiable appetite for time on the water. We caught up with Ben for a brief chat during a whirlwind visit to the Fuerteventura World Cup, where he had flown in to connect with the team.WINDSURF: Severne signed Antoine Albeau, to join the likes of Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Matteo Iachino and Cedric Bordes was that part of your decision to sign Albeau?BS: Definitely not. Im not left to any of those kinds of decisionsthey tell me to cut and design the sales (Laughs). I prefer to stay behind the scenes and do the fun stuff. I leave all the complicated stuff, like dealing with team riders to Kurosh Kiani, while the sales are down to Thewes De Boer! I just play around in my shed designing sails.Having said that, we are a team. We do discuss whether a big decision sounds like a good idea or not and in this case a lot of influence came from Cedric Bordes. Cedric does huge amount of our testing now in the racing department. Most of the different projects usually go through Cedric and hes quite good friends with good mates with Antoine, so it all started from there.For Severne, signing Antoine was just an incredible opportunity to acquire a whole lot of knowledge. He has so much experience working through all the different solutions when designing a sail. So thats pretty helpful and it cuts down the risks of not making any mistakes. We now have a rider with a huge amount of knowledge about designing and testing sails and he knows what he needs to go fast, that can help point us in the right direction. It speeds up the whole process.WINDSURF: Are you going to design anything revolutionary for him to break the speed record or are you just refining the sails that you have already?BS: Antoine is similar to Bjorn; they both want equipment that is easy to use! As soon as its gets difficult to sail, they are the first people to go, no, this is too stiff or its it is too difficult to control in the chop! These big guys are actually asking for the easiest, most functional design of a sail. That is quite interesting.Weve had smaller guys that are more determined to use difficult equipment, but the likes of Antoine and Bjorn prioritize, easy to use equipment, then their skill and technique shines through and you see the result.WINDSURF: So, your ethos now with Severne, is it still the same as it always was making the best equipment possible, as you guys also ride the gear yourselves?BS: I think everything that we make, we get to get to play with, so I want it to be the best. There are some products that I would probably not choose to go sailing on, but the challenge of taking the knowledge from other areas of windsurfing and applying it, is very fun! When spend a lot of time designing the iQFOiL racing equipmentpersonally Im never going to race an 8m in 25 knots! That is not for me, but to set it all up and make it as good as it can be, thats quite a fun challenge.WINDSURF: Is speed an area of windsurf that interests you?BS: Yeah, we play around with quite bit of that in Australia. There is surprising number of people that are into just going fast. No-one knows how to jibe in Australia, so straight lines are all we can do (Laughs)WINDSURF: So, what about you yourself personally, you still windsurfing just as much as you ever were or?BS: Basically, we are on the water every day in the summer or even in winter, we sail most days, theres a lot of gear to test. I think the middle of winter in Australia, if its raining and its freezing cold and its onshore, maybe starts to feel like hard work, but still, I think its a pretty good job.WINDSURF: And, whats a typical day in Australia for you then?BS: I think theres no such thing as a typical day in my life! Every day is different. Were constantly getting sails to test, were getting boards and theres parts for booms and even different kinds of down haulits endless to just work through samples and prototypes and new ideas. One day I might be working on wetsuits and harnesses and the next days speed sails and fins!The fun part is just having every single little piece under our controlright down to foot strap screws, customized fin screws, the parts on the booms and the batons in the sails, every single little detail provides a chance to experiment and come up with something better.WINDSURF: You have got your team for all the marketing and sales, but do you like to keep your finger on the pulse of what they are up to?BS: I am more involved in all the bits that we actually produce and sell. But I think were all involved. Kurosh Kiani is kind of the marketing guy, but he does a lot of testing. He is involved in every major design decision including all the sizes we are going to make etc. All the people that we work with are pretty experienced windsurfers and spend plenty of time on the water using the products.WINDSURF: Are you happy with the way Severne has grown and where it is now?BS: I try not to look at it as a big beast if I can help it. The way that its going to succeed is if we just treat it like its the same old small business when it started! Ultimately, we are just building windsurfing equipment to enjoy windsurfing for ourselves and makes the best possible products for us to use on the water. I think looking at the success, just changes the way we might make a lot of the decisions. Even the way we would develop the product would change. I think its important to just make the best equipment for the fun of it, for the love of windsurfing! I like to keep working the way weve always done and stay consistent. I just look at how we can build equipment that makes windsurfing better!WINDSURF: On your typical season in Australia, are still doing those crazy road trips up to Gnaraloo, Exmouth and Margaret River.BS: I think nothings changed. Theres maybe a little bit more traffic, but if you have not been to Australia for a few years, you would not notice anythings different. Its exactly the same, same people doing the same shit. Some of the places are getting more crowded. Thats the problem. There is talk about less people windsurfing, but if you go to any of the places, you cant get a car parking spot. Thats the reality in Australia at least! There are more people windsurfing now since as long as I can remember.And for some reason weve had better seasons, the last two years have been the windiest, with swell all summer. Its the best weve ever had and everywhere is packed. So yeah, I think that is good to see.WINDSURF: What whats the most satisfying part of your job?BS: Obviously the sailing.WINDSURF: What about seeing a happy customer?BS: We like good feedback but there is always the fear of bad feedback. Thats more of a motivator, I think. Normally before we release a product, weve probably had at least a season testing it. I have always got a big van full of gear and quite a few guys on it testing with me. If Ive got 4 or 5 different boards in the back of the van and I consistently go to one board, then normally thats the one! That will be be stage one! Then well get a few of those boards with a couple of other people riding them. If they have the same feelings of what were trying to do, it goes from there.So, I think by the time a product goes into production, everyones got a very clear idea of what it is. We normally understand exactly where the concept is coming from and we know what the board or the sail does and we have a clear understanding of what were trying to achieve. So, at the end of the process theres not many surprises.SEVERNE WINDSURFING GEAR FOR THE REVOLUTIONThe post BEN SEVERNE: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.