50 KNOTS, HEAVY CRASHES - LDERITZ SPEED ACTION!50 KNOTS, HEAVY CRASHES LDERITZ SPEED ACTION!Check out the latest VLOG from Nils Bach as he looks back on the windiest day of the season so far at Luderitz!The post 50 KNOTS, HEAVY CRASHES LDERITZ SPEED ACTION! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

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Interview: Emma LovePhotos: Richard Taylor Photography, Jon Fish, Niamh Lee, Cameron Hopkin & Jess PhillipI sat down with her, accompanied by her lovely dog Max, to chat about her work as a SUP Leader Provider, Mentor, and Coach. www.dipperpaddleboarding.comCan you describe your typical working week?There is a lot of variety coaching, mentoring, freelancing, and working at a university. No two weeks look the same, and this is what keeps it interesting. One day, Im running an instructor training session; the next, Im prepping students for a pack-rafting expedition; somewhere in between, Im trying to keep up with my qualifications and develop my paddling.And then theres Max, my young Labrador who thinks every Zoom call is an invitation to demand attention!Talk me through what keeps you curious about coaching SUP.For me, coaching is not just about passing on technical skills its about building confidence, independence, and problem-solving. Anyone can teach a paddle stroke, but if you can help someone figure things out for themselves, thats where the real learning happens.I think everyone should feel emotionally supported to get through the messy feelingsof learning, whether its a beginner on their first SUP session or a more experienced paddler getting ready for their leadership qualifications. But, creating a learning environment tailored to the individual is not easy because not everyone learns in the same way, so its about finding what clicks for each paddler. Sometimes, this means stepping back and letting them work it out. Other times, I may choose to break things down into smaller pieces. Theres no one way to coach, and it is this that keeps me curious and means I am constantly learning too.And if your curiosity stops?The moment I stop being curious, reflecting, exploring different methodologies, and thinking about how people learn, I stop being an effective coach, provider, and tutor. Thats why I love working with other providers of awards and qualifications. It is a chance for us to collaborate and develop new ideas, and it gives me a lot to reflect on how I continue to evolve my coaching style.Have you always planned to go down the trainer/assessor route?I never set out thinking, Im going to be a provider or a tutor. It just wasnt on my radar. I thought Id continue working on my paddling, building up experience, and maybe progressing in leadership, but certainly not stepping into the world of training and assessing.It was Lara Cooper (Development Manager at Paddle Scotland) who gave me the nudge. I remember her sending me a message saying, Jess, youd be brilliant at this. You should apply. This one prompt set me off on this provider pathway. I think this is a very common theme, especially for women, because we often dont see ourselves in certain roles until someone else points it out and gives us a little push.Would you describe the journey to becoming a tutor and provider easy?No, it isnt easy. People dont always realise how expensive (and time-consuming) it is to achieve the various qualifications. This includes the training days, the amount of study we have to do, and completing our sign-offs, especially when juggling it with work, personal commitments and keeping your paddling progressing.Provider and tutor training opportunities and assessments dont come around very often in Scotland. When they do, theyre usually at the mercy of the weather. For example, I had a Coastal Leader sign-off planned, but then there was not enough wind, and the whole thing was cancelled! It is very much a case of being persistent and grabbing opportunities when they come up.What value do you place on having a mentor?Encouragement is so important, and I have been lucky to have Lara Cooper, Adam Burns, and Jim Gibson, whove all supported me at the right moments whether it was applying for a provider role, pushing for another qualification, or stepping up to new coaching challenges.Sometimes, you just need someone to say, Youre ready.A lot of women second-guess themselves; I know I did.I try to be that voice of reassurance with the students I formally mentor because I see so much of myself in them. Including the same doubts and the same struggles to believe theyre ready. I love giving that reassurance to help them figure out their pathway and realise theyre capable of so much more than they think.Do you have any plans to continue to develop your coaching practice formally?Long term, Im curious about doing the Performance Coach Award, probably in whitewater SUP. I am focusing on how I coach in my own way for now because currently this awardis not financially in my reach.Final thoughts: whats your advice for aspirants?If youre thinking about coaching, becoming a provider, or becoming a tutor, my biggest advice is to dont wait until you feel 100% ready because you probably already are.Shadow coaches, ask questions, and surround yourself with people who will encourage and push you forward. Sometimes, all it takes is one person saying, Youd be brilliant at this, to change everything.

LENNY BROTHERS: KEITH TEBOUL PODCASTLENNY BROTHERS: KEITH TEBOUL PODCASTKai and Ridge Lenny sit down with legendary shaper Keith Teboul to find out how he got into designing boards for the best riders in the world and the mindset behind his passion.Lenny Brothers: This week we sit down with legendary shaper and waterman Keith Teboul, founder of Quatro and KT Surfing, to dive into his journey from the early days on Maui to pioneering equipment thats shaped the future of surf, windsurf, big wave, and foil. We dive into his design philosophy, the creative process behind building boards, stories from working with top riders, and the mindset thats kept him innovating for decades. ENJOY!The post LENNY BROTHERS: KEITH TEBOUL PODCAST appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

WORDS:DEL CLAREPHOTOS:Del & Tom ClareDel Clarehttps://delkayaks.co.uk @del_likes_kayakingThe Palm and Pyranha Park Jam returned in October, bringing kayakers together from across the UK over two weekends. Team paddlers from both Pyranha and Palm, along with special guests, visited whitewater courses across the UK. The Park Jam series aims to give young kayakers the opportunity to meet and paddle with team paddlers and, hopefully, leave the event feeling inspired.The Park Jam series started with Bren Orton where it used to be called Brens Park Jam until he requested it be changed because he saw it as bigger than himself. Although Bren is no longer with us, his legacy is continued through Park Jam and that is beautiful. The positive, long-lasting impact these events have on people cannot be underestimated. Many of the kids who come to Park Jam have been attending for years now, and it is incredible to see how much progress they make each year.The eventsThis year, Park Jam expanded internationally with a special event in Hohenlimburg, Germany, earlier in September. I did not attend, but heard it was a real success, and have linked a post from Palm and Pyranha about it. https://www.instagram.com/p/DOq2fOnCPcX.The two UK Park Jam weekends took place on the 11th-13th October and the 18th-19th October.Lee ValleySaturday, the first weekend, was an early one as we needed to pick up Palm team paddler Oli and Palm Grom Sophie before heading down for a 09:00 start at Lee Valley.I live next to the River Trent in Nottingham, and Lee Valley was very different. Crystal clear chlorinated water AND conveyor belts to carry you back up to the top of the course what a treat.There are two courses at Lee Valley the legacy course and the Olympic course. The Olympic is a tremendous white water course and totally unlike anything Ive ever paddled. The white water was easier than I was expecting, but the eddies were very boily. Luckily, I had the lovely Sal Montgomery with me, who had forewarned me of the infamous boils and told me to just take that first lap slow! The Olympic course is an excellent section of white water I can see why people rave about it!I then went and paddled on the legacy course, which is a similar style but less full-on than the Olympic course. I met two lovely young paddlers, James and Joseph, who were paddling hard in their playboats.I asked the boys at the end how determined they were with their rolls, and they told me they would practice every week at the pool and at Lee Valley. Their coach had told them it was essential to keep trying, so if they failed one roll, they had to go for another one, or he wouldnt help them. They were so resilient with their rolls because of this, and it was great to see their commitment. If you are the coach of Joseph and James, who came to the Lee Valley Park Jam great job, coach!I headed to the pontoon for some launched loop attempts. Myself, Becky Green, Jamie and Kalob Grady had great fun launching kids off the pontoon! Sophie took great delight in joining the kids and being launched.It was great to see another two young kayakers I know arrive to join the Park Jam event brothers Logan and Mason. They are both super keen and talented young shredders who have a great attitude to paddling. They got on and stuck in straight away with some off the pontoon loop attempts before heading down for some white water fun.Whilst I had been having fun on the pontoon and legacy course, another couple of fabulous junior paddlers, called Ottilie and George, were both ripping it up on the Olympic course. I am told that Ottilie went no paddles and smashed it, and George gave Zack Mutton a good run for his money in one of the stickier holes! Young Seb was also having a great time in his playboat!It was time to get off at midday so we could change ahead of the talk. Kalob offered great insights into planning an expedition and stories from his own experiences. It was time to head north to the second Park Jam of the day at Northampton Active.Northampton ActiveWe arrived mid-afternoon at Northampton Active. The first person I saw was lovely young Teija, accompanied by her younger sister Niamh. Eight-year-old Niamh wasnt planning to paddle, but when I asked if she would like to come down in the duo, she said yes! We acquired a very enthusiastic Oli to lead the duo, and on we went! Niamh was a little nervous, but I said I would be at the front in my bright yellow kayak, and she just had to aim for me!We smashed out a couple of duo laps, and Niamh grew with confidence. It really helped that her wonderful big sister was helping me as a safety boater and being very encouraging. Niamh and Oli werent the only pair to be having some duo fun; Em and Louise, and Elliot and Theo were also having a great time!On one of the laps, I met young George, who was in an eddy and feeling a little nervous. We went for a course walk to see all the features before kayaking. There is one larger drop on the course, which can make people a little nervous, so we went to watch this.The fabulous Zack was sitting just above the drop and about to go down. I told George to watch Zack, and he would demonstrate. Zack then went backwards and did a half-freewheel into a faceplant. It was entertaining, but I did have to stop myself from laughing when I saw Georges face after watching this, and I promised him we wouldnt go down the drop in this manner!We had a fun few laps down, and George was doing so well, conquering the nerves and pushing himself out of his comfort zone. We saw another George coming down, hand-paddling and having the best time. It was a tale of two Georges!I then met two lovely siblings called Jessica and Alex. Alex was smashing some attempted cartwheels when I bumped into them, and Jessica was neatly working her way down the course. I asked Jessica what she wanted to work on, and she said she wanted to work on surfing, but she was a little nervous.Jessica had enough boat control that she would go to surf but pull herself out at the last second. It wasnt a lack of ability but rather a lack of confidence. We practised on one of the holes, and each time she got closer to going in, she suddenly was in! It was awesome to watch! She had a little surf before capsizing and swimming, but when she came up, she was grinning. Moments like this are what make Park Jam so special to me. I had met Jessica only that afternoon, but felt so proud of her in that moment. It can be hard to be brave and push yourself when you are scared, but Jessica smashed it!We got off and changed, ready for two brilliant talks by Becky and Heidi Walsh. Becky shared her experiences of being a freestyle athlete, whilst Heidi focused on why everything starts at Park Jam.River DeeOn Sunday, we headed to the River Dee! With a midday starting time, it meant a slightly slower morning and plenty of time to faff before getting on the water.It was great to see Dasha there again, who had come to the Northampton Active Park Jam the day before. She was telling me all about her kayaking adventures and balancing life as a university student. George B was also there again, having attended both of the Park Jam events the day before.We gathered as a group on the river, and the fun started! We headed down to the bottom wave and joined a group of paddlers who were all ex-students of Loughborough Uni.Suddenly, every paddler there for Park Jam descended to the bottom wave, and it became a very chaotic party wave. There were so many wonderful moments during this, but I particularly enjoyed Kalob surfing, holding his paddle with one of the blades in both hands, and challenging people to come knock him off. I am not sure anyone did!Budd had taken to loaning out his SUP and SUP skills, and one minute was ferrying Sal at the front of his board onto the wave. Next, Em had acquired the SUP and was sitting on the board in her playboat and surfing. There was so much fun being had.In the eddy, I bumped into George and his dad, Ade, again. George had been at Northampton, and I was delighted to see that I seemed to have persuaded him to come for a second day of Park Jam. George wanted to practice his paddling, so we walked up to the top to run the section of rapids.George, his dad, and I went up to the top and got onto the paddle. George had never paddled through the middle hole before. He smashed it! When we got down to the bottom wave, he was even convinced to try out surfing for the first time, which was awesome to see!We headed upstairs for two talks from Oli and Zack. Oli was talking about his kayaking journey, and Zack was sharing his journey and leading a fascinating discussion about risk-taking and risk management. Zack showed photos of himself as a toddler learning to kayak on the Kaituna and how this river shaped his development. I, too, learned to kayak on the Kaituna! Only, I was 20 years old when I started, and 2-year-old Zack looked a lot more in control than 20-year-old me had felt!Nottingham, as sadly none of us could take the week off. The others were staying the night in Wales before heading up to Scotland for the Pinkston Park Jam the next day, and then a week of kayaking in Scotland. It was lovely to have some chill time with everyone before we bid our goodbyes and wished them a happy week of kayaking ahead!Tees BarrageAt 06:00, we collected Oli from his house and headed up north to the Tees Barrage. It was lovely to see everyone again and hear all about their Scottish adventures whilst setting up for the next Park Jam.The Tees Barrage was absolutely booked out, and it was great to see George B and his dad Scott again, who had come to all three Park Jams last weekend.Once we were geared up, we got on, and I bumped into a bunch of the older teenagers who I would describe as the mischief-makers, in the most positive way possible. Dan, Jamie, Sam, Toby, Ewan, as well as a few Im sure Ive missed.I told them I was looking forward to seeing what antics they got up to today. They did not disappoint. Whenever I saw this group, they were having the best time, doing tomahawks off the side, backflips off the wall, all sorts of kayaking, and just generally having an absolute blast.There were many other teenagers there as well Ted, Jacob, James, Patrick, Zach and more. They were also having a lot of fun, and it was great to see them really enjoying themselves!water, who were now without their usual paddling buddy. One such parent was Scott, whom I accompanied for some laps. I asked Scott what his goals were for the day, and he said getting to the bottom upright, so thats what we worked on! Scott smashed some laps out with me and was really pleased.George wanted to swap kayaks with Scott in exchange for Georges Firecracker. It took us a few attempts, but Scott did smash a whole lap from top to bottom upright in the Firecracker and was thrilled with himself. Proud of you, Scott!I met quite a few happy paddlers in eddies over these laps and wanted to give a special shout-out to Jamie and his friends, who said they read this blog, as well as to Stuart, who was celebrating his 60th birthday by coming to Park Jam!The kids, meanwhile, were happily getting thrown off a wall in their kayaks by team members, although none quite as spectacularly as little Jacob! He seemed to relish it! Much more so than his poor mother, who watched with a mix of awe and horror from the sidelines.A particular favourite moment of mine was watching Palm Grom Maite Luz, unsure how to tomahawk off the wall. She kept lifting up but not committing. Her caring mentor, Heidi, came to support, and the next time Maite lifted up, Heidi gave her a supportive kick, and into the water she went! It was a spectacular moment to witness and enjoyed by all! Dont worry, Maite smashed it, and Heidis supportive nudge proved to be effective!After paddling, there were talks from both Kalob and Adrian Mattern, which were well received, as well as prize giving and poster signing. As we were driving to Cardiff that evening, we were aiming to be on the road by 16:00, and five hours later, we were in Cardiff!Our car stayed with Olis parents for the night, who are literally the coolest people Ive ever met. Big shout-out to Alison and Ian Cooper, who not only let us crash at their house but also welcomed us with a roast dinner on arrival. You guys are amazing!CardiffWe arrived at the course at 08:00 and got to work on the set-up. Once the flags were up and the van unloaded, it was time for the Flow Rider. We had a team Flow Rider session before Park Jam started, and honestly, it was SO MUCH FUN!If youve not been to Cardiff before, they gradually ramp up the flow throughout the day, starting at 4 cumecs, then 6, then 8. Its really quite neat and means that there is something for everyone.Lisette, a local Cardiff paddler, found me and asked if I would take some of their younger paddlers down the course. Lisette introduced me to Ioan, Emily, Rowan and Tom. I was delighted to join them and grabbed team paddlers Oli and Heidi along the way.We got on for the first lap, and there were a few nerves. A few laps later, however, the nerves were beginning to disappear. We were now paddling laps, catching every eddy and surfing every feature, which was awesome!The course was now at 6, and so we smashed some more laps and surfed. We ended the morning on the bottom wave, practising our surfing. Emily was utterly fearless in every attempt she made; Tom had an incredible roll, and I was so proud of Ioan for throwing himself into it after having had a swim on 8 earlier in the week.Meanwhile, little Rory, who is only eight years old, was smashing out laps with Oli. Every time they came past us, Rory was grinning from ear to ear, and wed all give him a big cheer. His dad, Mike, was following closely behind each time, and I didnt want him to feel left out, so I gave him a big cheer as well, which he seemed to appreciate!We stopped for lunch, and the kids did not want to get off! At Cardiff, they stop the course at lunchtime before releasing it at 8 so they can make some course changes. A family Id met at the Nene the previous weekend had come to Cardiff, and the kids, George and Isabel, were keen to kayak but had little whitewater experience. I asked if they would like to come down in the duo, and once again I asked our best duo driver, Oli, if he would come down and off they went. They smashed their laps, and every time Isabel had the biggest smile!The afternoon was full of fun. It was great to see Palm Grom Riley Wilford again, who was smashing his kayaking, as well as Eva, with whom Id spent quite a bit of time this Summer.My favourite moment, however, was Scott Barber coming down in a duo with Oli in his passenger princess era! It was great to see, and I know his son George really enjoyed watching his dad smash some laps. I ended the day practising some eddy crossing at the bottom with Isabel, and by the time we were done, we were both very ready to get off!I quickly changed and was ready just in time for the final introductions to the talks. Aaron gave the first talk, and Zack gave the final talk of Park Jam 2025.Photos and poster signing happened afterwards, along with the opportunity to just chat to people, which was lovely. Kalob suggested we give a special shout-out and prize to George B, as he had attended every Park Jam event over the two weeks. The whole team had signed the shirt, and it was a very special moment.If you would like a Park Jam t-shirt, you can purchase one @ https://store.pyranha.com/index.php/default/merchandise/palm-x-pyranha-park-jam-t-shirt.html. All profits are going towards supporting future Park Jams and the Whitewater Paddlers Memorial Trust.Eventually, we did finish packing down and ended up accumulating in the car park. The lovely Simon Morse was there and giving out beers and heroes to everyone. If you dont know Morsey, he is one of UK kayakings nicest folks. He always gives more than he takes and is super considerate.After an incredible but hectic two weeks, it was a charming way to end Park Jam. Aaron suggested a group photo (excellent idea, Aaron!) and then we had an hour of chatting and celebrating in a car park with the whole crew.Thank you, Cardiff, for a great day and a perfect end to the Park Jam weekends.Thank you + shouts outsTO PYRANHA KAYAKS & PALM EQUIPMENTMassive thank you to Pyranha Kayaks and Palm Equipment for making Park Jam happen, and to Janice, Chips, Cheesy and Mat for their tireless work organising everything.TO THE TEAM BEHIND THE SCENESBehind the scenes, it was a real dream team that made the Park Jam a success. There were no egos, just great attitudes, hard work, plenty of passion and a little bit of playful banter.A special thanks to the media team, who ensured there were plenty of photos and videos to capture the memories.Events like this only happen through people working together. Thank you, dream team, for everything you did and for letting me be a part of that team.Finally, thank you to all the paddlers and supporters who attended any of the Park Jam events. Each event had its own special atmosphere and community of paddlers, which was incredible to see.Final commentsPark Jam was Brens dream to bring together young paddlers on the water and help them grow. Park Jam isnt just about showcasing incredible talent but about building confidence and inspiring passion in young people. It is about bringing our community together and celebrating everything that makes this sport so incredible. For every wave surfed, wall splatted, loop attempted and smile shared Brens legacy was being carried on, and that is something special.Thank you to every paddler, supporter, and organiser who made the Palm and Pyranha Park Jam 2025 so special. See you all next year!

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BJORN DUNKERBECK: NOT SLOWING DOWN!BJORN DUNKERBECK: NOT SLOWING DOWN!Pete Davis caught up with Bjorn Dunkerbeck on his final day in Lderitz, before heading back to Europe for a busy schedule of appearances. Bjorn reflects on his speed sailing experience this season, talks through his upcoming commitments, shares insights into the evolution of GPS-based speed sailing, his work with the Waterspeed app and his life as a father to a multi-talented, sport-driven family.PETER DAVIS: OK, Bjorn, how has the 2025 Lderitz this year been for you?BJORN DUNKERBECK: I must say this year has been very slow. We had a few sessions on the channel that were pretty fun, not super fast speeds, with 90km an hour top speeds. But I must say the channel looks really good, the line is very straight and theres lots of water in the channel. But unfortunately, its been a very rainy season and that doesnt accelerate the winds down here in Lderitz. The wind hasnt been as strong as we all wished for.So, I go home with a little bit of disappointment because I was expecting a bit stronger winds. I actually only managed to windsurf on my 45-centimeter speed board, which is normally my warm-up board. I have four different 40-centimeter-wide or narrow boards with me, that I couldnt actually take down the channel. Not one single time! I did a couple of starts with my new 40; it was a little bit thicker, but it was just not enough for my 57 to be able to carry that board all the way down the channel.So, I stuck on my training board, my warm-up board, and even though I managed to do 90km an hour top speed on the 45 production Starboard Isonic Speed, thats actually very positive. But I would have liked to have some more wind.PETER DAVIS: You look really strong on the canal; I assume now from the operations youve had, youre fully recovered, youre fully back to fitness?BJORN DUNKERBECK: Yes, I would say so. Last year it was pretty fresh after my recovery and I could feel that my right hip was heating up after sailing. And this year I must say Ive had no problems at all, not in the preparation in the Canary Islands in Gran Canaria or here after the sessions. Of course, you feel a little stiff after a couple of hours on the speed board, but thats normal healthy sport-after-windsurfing stiffness. But really happy. My left hip is still holding up very well after six years, and the right one since two years is tip-top, and I was looking forward to having some really strong fun days on the channel, but unfortunately it didnt happen.PETER DAVIS: Yeah, were really disappointed for you and we know its going to be difficult for you going home, but we know youre very, very busy. Youre going back to Gran Canaria for an event that youre organizing. Whats happening with all those events, because I know youve got your 100-kilometers-an-hour challenge that you unfortunately havent managed to do here, but youve got so many other thingsyoure so busy all the time. What else have you got going on?BJORN DUNKERBECK: Well, actually, first of all, Ill be home for a week, then Ill be going to the ISPO next week. Its the last ISPO in Munich, the sports fair. After 44 years, its moving to Amsterdam. So, Im going be there for a few daysSunday the 30th, Monday and Tuesday. After that Ill be going to Austria to see the Red Bull HQ people and talk a bit about the season and whats going to happen next year.Then from the 16th to the 21st of December we have the stand-up paddle wave event in Gran Canaria for the 5th time in a row. So that will be quite interesting with Tristan Boxfordhes still the boss of the APPand all the top riders will be there. Then Christmas will be slightly after that, so everythings going to happen pretty quickly.And then I will be at the Boat Show in Dsseldorf, the first weekend of the boat showthe 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th, where were going to do a kids camp on the pool. Its a 100-meter pool with the fans in there. And Saturday 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th were going to have between 10 and 15 kids with the Saltwater Shop project, Kids Motivation, Saltwater Shop, and Dunkerbeck together. Were going to be doing that.And then, of course, preparing the event in Pozo in July from the 4th to the 12th of July. Wave sailing with juniors in all categoriesunder-13, under-15, under-18 and under-21 pros and menwith definitely one or two categories of masters. Weve been trying to get the over 45 and the over 55 categories going and I think its going to happen this year finally. It is cool because a lot of the masters have kids that compete so they can both compete together.PETER DAVIS: You need some coffee and cake!BJORN DUNKERBECK: Thank you very much. Yeah, yeah, well have coffee and cake!PETER DAVIS: So, tell us about Waterspeed. Youve been promoting that quite heavily; youre quite enthusiastic about it?BJORN DUNKERBECK: I think that the GPS, first of all, is a very important device for speed windsurfing and speed sailing in general. And as you well know, I was involved with Garmin with the Gecko and the Forerunner 20 years ago already at least and they have improved tremendously since then. We have devices that can go up to 20 points per second. Manfred Fuchs has a live device that were using here in Lderitz, and thats always helping us to promote windsurfing and speed sailing in a more direct and more precise way.You can get very nice precise top speeds and live tracking and Waterspeed is really the very best app for any water sports. They really want to be number one in water sports, and Ive been working together with them for the past three years already. And managed to motivate them to do not only iPhone but also Android. And now we can do challenges on the Waterspeed app, so any local event can use the Waterspeed app and put in a little programthe challenges, teams or groupsand you can do your own personal events and you can put a time frame on! Lets say Im doing my event six months out of the year. Im doing my event in the summer months of July and we call it Surf and Fun July. So we can do one for our local spots, wherever we are. You can do one for local spots anywhere in the world with the Waterspeed app.Enhance Your Watersports Experience Get Started TodayAnd whats very nice as well is its not only working on your phone as it was in the beginning, they have improved the app and now you can combine it with any smartwatch: Apple Watch, Ultra, Garmin, Coros, Suunto. And it makes it very easy and consumer-friendly to be able to do challenges with a group of people or even global, as my challenge is going on right now. Its a global challenge with Waterspeed and we put it in the same period as the Speed Challenge, but once this is finished, Im sure were going to do the next oneanand the next one could be a little longer. Give more people a chance to join my group, first of all on Waterspeed app, and also the challenges that we come up with in the future.And dont forget were doing the Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge, as always! This is the 10th year in a row, and we are running up to close to 3000 riders on the ranking. And right now, theres still another week to post your speeds. The 30th of November is the last day, so dont forget to post your speed on gps-speedsurfing.com and of course sign up correctly on the Speed Challenge to enter the raffles that we have every year from our different sponsors like 4Action, Forward WIP protection gear (Forward WIP Innovative Protective Gear for Water Sports), Severne Sails, we also have the big shop in the Netherlands, Windsurfing.nl, and a few other partners.Just check on the website on Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge. You see all our partners, and if you wish to become a partner for next year, contact me on event@dunkerbeck.com. New partners are always welcome and very important for our sport to have new partners, and that includes obviously Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge, the stand-up paddle event in December and also the Pozo Windsurf World Cup; we need partners to grow and keep promoting our sport in the best way.PETER DAVIS: So, youre going back to see the familyhow are all they doing? And now I understand that Liam is now on a different brand to you. Does that make your competition with Liam a little bit more competitive?BJORN DUNKERBECK: Well, hes on Duotone right now since a year and he has another year of contract with them. He feels really happy because hes getting a lot of attention and I think thats very important. Hes just turned 21, he will be 22 next year. And I think that its important that hes involved in the development and gets equipment that fits his style and his weight! It has shown that his sailing is improving, but not only because of that. Also, hes growing into a mans body now. Hes a lot stronger and his mind is even more focussed than before and hes also a multi-talent. Hes doing surfing contests, doing a stand-up paddle event on Gran Canaria as well. And hopefully in the future joining me for another speed event again.PETER DAVIS: And then you have Daniel chasing him as well?BJORN DUNKERBECK: Daniel is definitely very talented and he is very sporty. Hes doing lots of different sports as well!PETER DAVIS: How old is he now?BJORN DUNKERBECK: Hes just turned 13 last week. I missed his birthday. Which was on the 14th of November. And my daughter Alba, who lives in Madrid right now, turned 23 yesterday. So, Ive been missing those birthdays a few times in the last 20 years. Thats the way it goes. We do another celebration when I get back!Danny was doing the juniors for the first time in Pozo this last summer when he was 12 years old and also did Tenerife. Hes very organized, hes always the first guy on the beach. He has all his sails rigged up with his correct sail number E1111. And now that hes 13, he actually got his own Instagram account as well: Daniel Dunkerbeck 1111. So, if you are a junior and have an Instagram, you can ask him to get acceptationbecause its not a public account obviously, but he would like to motivate other kids and show other kids that windsurfing is a lot of fun. And also, mountain biking, stand-up paddling and surfing obviously its all part of their daily routines.PETER DAVIS: All seem to be a chip off the old block?BJORN DUNKERBECK: Yes. Well, Im pretty happy. I mean, they both played soccer when they were young. Daniel is still playing soccerhe actually had a game todaybut it combines very well because they have group training three times a week after school! The other days we go windsurfing. So, as long as theyre interested in sports and are dedicated, I think its a very good thing.Both of my girls, Alba and Martina, were both Canarian champions and Spanish champion in gymnastics. Martina is actually right now in the highest categoryPrimera categora is the highest level. Only 16 out of 250 clubs go in this first category, and the top 10 stay there and the last 6 from 11 to 16 drop down. So, its like a ranking. Theres 16 clubs and she has been in the top ranking for the last couple of years and hopefully will stay there for the next season as well.And of course they can both windsurf and they can stand-up paddle! They also do a bit of surfing, both of the girls, but theyre all very sporty!PETER DAVIS: Bjorn, thank you very much for your interview. Much appreciated!BJORN DUNKERBECK:You are welcome!The post BJORN DUNKERBECK: NOT SLOWING DOWN! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

WORDS:DEL CLAREPHOTOS:Del & Tom ClareDel Clarehttps://delkayaks.co.uk @del_likes_kayakingThe Palm and Pyranha Park Jam returned in October, bringing kayakers together from across the UK over two weekends. Team paddlers from both Pyranha and Palm, along with special guests, visited whitewater courses across the UK. The Park Jam series aims to give young kayakers the opportunity to meet and paddle with team paddlers and, hopefully, leave the event feeling inspired.The Park Jam series started with Bren Orton where it used to be called Brens Park Jam until he requested it be changed because he saw it as bigger than himself. Although Bren is no longer with us, his legacy is continued through Park Jam and that is beautiful. The positive, long-lasting impact these events have on people cannot be underestimated. Many of the kids who come to Park Jam have been attending for years now, and it is incredible to see how much progress they make each year.The eventsThis year, Park Jam expanded internationally with a special event in Hohenlimburg, Germany, earlier in September. I did not attend, but heard it was a real success, and have linked a post from Palm and Pyranha about it. https://www.instagram.com/p/DOq2fOnCPcX.The two UK Park Jam weekends took place on the 11th-13th October and the 18th-19th October.Lee ValleySaturday, the first weekend, was an early one as we needed to pick up Palm team paddler Oli and Palm Grom Sophie before heading down for a 09:00 start at Lee Valley.I live next to the River Trent in Nottingham, and Lee Valley was very different. Crystal clear chlorinated water AND conveyor belts to carry you back up to the top of the course what a treat.There are two courses at Lee Valley the legacy course and the Olympic course. The Olympic is a tremendous white water course and totally unlike anything Ive ever paddled. The white water was easier than I was expecting, but the eddies were very boily. Luckily, I had the lovely Sal Montgomery with me, who had forewarned me of the infamous boils and told me to just take that first lap slow! The Olympic course is an excellent section of white water I can see why people rave about it!I then went and paddled on the legacy course, which is a similar style but less full-on than the Olympic course. I met two lovely young paddlers, James and Joseph, who were paddling hard in their playboats.I asked the boys at the end how determined they were with their rolls, and they told me they would practice every week at the pool and at Lee Valley. Their coach had told them it was essential to keep trying, so if they failed one roll, they had to go for another one, or he wouldnt help them. They were so resilient with their rolls because of this, and it was great to see their commitment. If you are the coach of Joseph and James, who came to the Lee Valley Park Jam great job, coach!I headed to the pontoon for some launched loop attempts. Myself, Becky Green, Jamie and Kalob Grady had great fun launching kids off the pontoon! Sophie took great delight in joining the kids and being launched.It was great to see another two young kayakers I know arrive to join the Park Jam event brothers Logan and Mason. They are both super keen and talented young shredders who have a great attitude to paddling. They got on and stuck in straight away with some off the pontoon loop attempts before heading down for some white water fun.Whilst I had been having fun on the pontoon and legacy course, another couple of fabulous junior paddlers, called Ottilie and George, were both ripping it up on the Olympic course. I am told that Ottilie went no paddles and smashed it, and George gave Zack Mutton a good run for his money in one of the stickier holes! Young Seb was also having a great time in his playboat!It was time to get off at midday so we could change ahead of the talk. Kalob offered great insights into planning an expedition and stories from his own experiences. It was time to head north to the second Park Jam of the day at Northampton Active.Northampton ActiveWe arrived mid-afternoon at Northampton Active. The first person I saw was lovely young Teija, accompanied by her younger sister Niamh. Eight-year-old Niamh wasnt planning to paddle, but when I asked if she would like to come down in the duo, she said yes! We acquired a very enthusiastic Oli to lead the duo, and on we went! Niamh was a little nervous, but I said I would be at the front in my bright yellow kayak, and she just had to aim for me!We smashed out a couple of duo laps, and Niamh grew with confidence. It really helped that her wonderful big sister was helping me as a safety boater and being very encouraging. Niamh and Oli werent the only pair to be having some duo fun; Em and Louise, and Elliot and Theo were also having a great time!On one of the laps, I met young George, who was in an eddy and feeling a little nervous. We went for a course walk to see all the features before kayaking. There is one larger drop on the course, which can make people a little nervous, so we went to watch this.The fabulous Zack was sitting just above the drop and about to go down. I told George to watch Zack, and he would demonstrate. Zack then went backwards and did a half-freewheel into a faceplant. It was entertaining, but I did have to stop myself from laughing when I saw Georges face after watching this, and I promised him we wouldnt go down the drop in this manner!We had a fun few laps down, and George was doing so well, conquering the nerves and pushing himself out of his comfort zone. We saw another George coming down, hand-paddling and having the best time. It was a tale of two Georges!I then met two lovely siblings called Jessica and Alex. Alex was smashing some attempted cartwheels when I bumped into them, and Jessica was neatly working her way down the course. I asked Jessica what she wanted to work on, and she said she wanted to work on surfing, but she was a little nervous.Jessica had enough boat control that she would go to surf but pull herself out at the last second. It wasnt a lack of ability but rather a lack of confidence. We practised on one of the holes, and each time she got closer to going in, she suddenly was in! It was awesome to watch! She had a little surf before capsizing and swimming, but when she came up, she was grinning. Moments like this are what make Park Jam so special to me. I had met Jessica only that afternoon, but felt so proud of her in that moment. It can be hard to be brave and push yourself when you are scared, but Jessica smashed it!We got off and changed, ready for two brilliant talks by Becky and Heidi Walsh. Becky shared her experiences of being a freestyle athlete, whilst Heidi focused on why everything starts at Park Jam.River DeeOn Sunday, we headed to the River Dee! With a midday starting time, it meant a slightly slower morning and plenty of time to faff before getting on the water.It was great to see Dasha there again, who had come to the Northampton Active Park Jam the day before. She was telling me all about her kayaking adventures and balancing life as a university student. George B was also there again, having attended both of the Park Jam events the day before.We gathered as a group on the river, and the fun started! We headed down to the bottom wave and joined a group of paddlers who were all ex-students of Loughborough Uni.Suddenly, every paddler there for Park Jam descended to the bottom wave, and it became a very chaotic party wave. There were so many wonderful moments during this, but I particularly enjoyed Kalob surfing, holding his paddle with one of the blades in both hands, and challenging people to come knock him off. I am not sure anyone did!Budd had taken to loaning out his SUP and SUP skills, and one minute was ferrying Sal at the front of his board onto the wave. Next, Em had acquired the SUP and was sitting on the board in her playboat and surfing. There was so much fun being had.In the eddy, I bumped into George and his dad, Ade, again. George had been at Northampton, and I was delighted to see that I seemed to have persuaded him to come for a second day of Park Jam. George wanted to practice his paddling, so we walked up to the top to run the section of rapids.George, his dad, and I went up to the top and got onto the paddle. George had never paddled through the middle hole before. He smashed it! When we got down to the bottom wave, he was even convinced to try out surfing for the first time, which was awesome to see!We headed upstairs for two talks from Oli and Zack. Oli was talking about his kayaking journey, and Zack was sharing his journey and leading a fascinating discussion about risk-taking and risk management. Zack showed photos of himself as a toddler learning to kayak on the Kaituna and how this river shaped his development. I, too, learned to kayak on the Kaituna! Only, I was 20 years old when I started, and 2-year-old Zack looked a lot more in control than 20-year-old me had felt!Nottingham, as sadly none of us could take the week off. The others were staying the night in Wales before heading up to Scotland for the Pinkston Park Jam the next day, and then a week of kayaking in Scotland. It was lovely to have some chill time with everyone before we bid our goodbyes and wished them a happy week of kayaking ahead!Tees BarrageAt 06:00, we collected Oli from his house and headed up north to the Tees Barrage. It was lovely to see everyone again and hear all about their Scottish adventures whilst setting up for the next Park Jam.The Tees Barrage was absolutely booked out, and it was great to see George B and his dad Scott again, who had come to all three Park Jams last weekend.Once we were geared up, we got on, and I bumped into a bunch of the older teenagers who I would describe as the mischief-makers, in the most positive way possible. Dan, Jamie, Sam, Toby, Ewan, as well as a few Im sure Ive missed.I told them I was looking forward to seeing what antics they got up to today. They did not disappoint. Whenever I saw this group, they were having the best time, doing tomahawks off the side, backflips off the wall, all sorts of kayaking, and just generally having an absolute blast.There were many other teenagers there as well Ted, Jacob, James, Patrick, Zach and more. They were also having a lot of fun, and it was great to see them really enjoying themselves!water, who were now without their usual paddling buddy. One such parent was Scott, whom I accompanied for some laps. I asked Scott what his goals were for the day, and he said getting to the bottom upright, so thats what we worked on! Scott smashed some laps out with me and was really pleased.George wanted to swap kayaks with Scott in exchange for Georges Firecracker. It took us a few attempts, but Scott did smash a whole lap from top to bottom upright in the Firecracker and was thrilled with himself. Proud of you, Scott!I met quite a few happy paddlers in eddies over these laps and wanted to give a special shout-out to Jamie and his friends, who said they read this blog, as well as to Stuart, who was celebrating his 60th birthday by coming to Park Jam!The kids, meanwhile, were happily getting thrown off a wall in their kayaks by team members, although none quite as spectacularly as little Jacob! He seemed to relish it! Much more so than his poor mother, who watched with a mix of awe and horror from the sidelines.A particular favourite moment of mine was watching Palm Grom Maite Luz, unsure how to tomahawk off the wall. She kept lifting up but not committing. Her caring mentor, Heidi, came to support, and the next time Maite lifted up, Heidi gave her a supportive kick, and into the water she went! It was a spectacular moment to witness and enjoyed by all! Dont worry, Maite smashed it, and Heidis supportive nudge proved to be effective!After paddling, there were talks from both Kalob and Adrian Mattern, which were well received, as well as prize giving and poster signing. As we were driving to Cardiff that evening, we were aiming to be on the road by 16:00, and five hours later, we were in Cardiff!Our car stayed with Olis parents for the night, who are literally the coolest people Ive ever met. Big shout-out to Alison and Ian Cooper, who not only let us crash at their house but also welcomed us with a roast dinner on arrival. You guys are amazing!CardiffWe arrived at the course at 08:00 and got to work on the set-up. Once the flags were up and the van unloaded, it was time for the Flow Rider. We had a team Flow Rider session before Park Jam started, and honestly, it was SO MUCH FUN!If youve not been to Cardiff before, they gradually ramp up the flow throughout the day, starting at 4 cumecs, then 6, then 8. Its really quite neat and means that there is something for everyone.Lisette, a local Cardiff paddler, found me and asked if I would take some of their younger paddlers down the course. Lisette introduced me to Ioan, Emily, Rowan and Tom. I was delighted to join them and grabbed team paddlers Oli and Heidi along the way.We got on for the first lap, and there were a few nerves. A few laps later, however, the nerves were beginning to disappear. We were now paddling laps, catching every eddy and surfing every feature, which was awesome!The course was now at 6, and so we smashed some more laps and surfed. We ended the morning on the bottom wave, practising our surfing. Emily was utterly fearless in every attempt she made; Tom had an incredible roll, and I was so proud of Ioan for throwing himself into it after having had a swim on 8 earlier in the week.Meanwhile, little Rory, who is only eight years old, was smashing out laps with Oli. Every time they came past us, Rory was grinning from ear to ear, and wed all give him a big cheer. His dad, Mike, was following closely behind each time, and I didnt want him to feel left out, so I gave him a big cheer as well, which he seemed to appreciate!We stopped for lunch, and the kids did not want to get off! At Cardiff, they stop the course at lunchtime before releasing it at 8 so they can make some course changes. A family Id met at the Nene the previous weekend had come to Cardiff, and the kids, George and Isabel, were keen to kayak but had little whitewater experience. I asked if they would like to come down in the duo, and once again I asked our best duo driver, Oli, if he would come down and off they went. They smashed their laps, and every time Isabel had the biggest smile!The afternoon was full of fun. It was great to see Palm Grom Riley Wilford again, who was smashing his kayaking, as well as Eva, with whom Id spent quite a bit of time this Summer.My favourite moment, however, was Scott Barber coming down in a duo with Oli in his passenger princess era! It was great to see, and I know his son George really enjoyed watching his dad smash some laps. I ended the day practising some eddy crossing at the bottom with Isabel, and by the time we were done, we were both very ready to get off!I quickly changed and was ready just in time for the final introductions to the talks. Aaron gave the first talk, and Zack gave the final talk of Park Jam 2025.Photos and poster signing happened afterwards, along with the opportunity to just chat to people, which was lovely. Kalob suggested we give a special shout-out and prize to George B, as he had attended every Park Jam event over the two weeks. The whole team had signed the shirt, and it was a very special moment.If you would like a Park Jam t-shirt, you can purchase one @ https://store.pyranha.com/index.php/default/merchandise/palm-x-pyranha-park-jam-t-shirt.html. All profits are going towards supporting future Park Jams and the Whitewater Paddlers Memorial Trust.Eventually, we did finish packing down and ended up accumulating in the car park. The lovely Simon Morse was there and giving out beers and heroes to everyone. If you dont know Morsey, he is one of UK kayakings nicest folks. He always gives more than he takes and is super considerate.After an incredible but hectic two weeks, it was a charming way to end Park Jam. Aaron suggested a group photo (excellent idea, Aaron!) and then we had an hour of chatting and celebrating in a car park with the whole crew.Thank you, Cardiff, for a great day and a perfect end to the Park Jam weekends.Thank you + shouts outsTO PYRANHA KAYAKS & PALM EQUIPMENTMassive thank you to Pyranha Kayaks and Palm Equipment for making Park Jam happen, and to Janice, Chips, Cheesy and Mat for their tireless work organising everything.TO THE TEAM BEHIND THE SCENESBehind the scenes, it was a real dream team that made the Park Jam a success. There were no egos, just great attitudes, hard work, plenty of passion and a little bit of playful banter.A special thanks to the media team, who ensured there were plenty of photos and videos to capture the memories.Events like this only happen through people working together. Thank you, dream team, for everything you did and for letting me be a part of that team.Finally, thank you to all the paddlers and supporters who attended any of the Park Jam events. Each event had its own special atmosphere and community of paddlers, which was incredible to see.Final commentsPark Jam was Brens dream to bring together young paddlers on the water and help them grow. Park Jam isnt just about showcasing incredible talent but about building confidence and inspiring passion in young people. It is about bringing our community together and celebrating everything that makes this sport so incredible. For every wave surfed, wall splatted, loop attempted and smile shared Brens legacy was being carried on, and that is something special.Thank you to every paddler, supporter, and organiser who made the Palm and Pyranha Park Jam 2025 so special. See you all next year!