FISH BOWL DIARIES: LIFE BEHIND THE LENSFISH BOWL DIARIES: LIFE BEHIND THE LENSFor over a decade, Fish Bowl Diaries have been capturing the raw power and beauty of windsurfing. Behind the lens are Sofie and Paul, a husband-and-wife duo whose journey into photography originated during a trip to Maui in the 90s.In this interview, Sofie explains how Fish Bowl Diaries got started, the challenges of shooting in some of the worlds most breath-taking locations and what it takes to stay at the top of their game in a highly competitive industry. From Mauis legendary waves to travels across Japan, Fiji and Chile, theyve documented the sport like few others. Dive in as we explore their creative process, favourite shots, and the reality of life behind the lens.Where and when did you guys meet and were you both into photography at the time?Paul and I met in 1990 in Cyprus. We got married a year later! At the time neither of us were into photography. A few years after we got married, I was gifted some money and we bought a camera. We started out with film cameras and even had our own darkroom, printing both black and white and colour images.Who came up with the name Fish Bowl Diaries and what was the concept behind the name?I, Sofie, came up with the name. I genuinely have no idea how the name Fish Bowl Diaries came to my mind! Paul hated the name at first, but the quirky name has stuck with us for the last 13 years and has served us well! Id been shooting so many photos of windsurfing whilst Paul was windsurfing at Hookipa and I didnt want them sitting on my computer so I started interviewing riders and showcasing their images with their interviews on a website. I set up a FB page and a year or two later an Instagram account and the rest is history!When and how did you start getting into shooting windsurfing?We first came to Maui in the 90s and I was one of those wives who sat on the beach taking photos of her husband! We werent professional photographers back then (not even amateur photographers!) and we borrowed a relatives camera gear.The pics were pretty awful In 2011, we started coming to Maui on a regular basis. At this point, we were professional photographers and thats when our windsurfing photography began. I was still one of those wives sitting on the beach taking photos of her husband but also the pros too. I mostly didnt even know who they were! We had absolutely no idea that this would lead to a career in water-sports photography.What year was your first season in Maui and how long did it take for you guys to get recognized?2011 was our first full winter season on Maui but it was probably about three years later that brands wanted to work with us or magazines wanted to showcase our work. In the early years, magazines werent interested in our work saying that the market was inundated with images from Maui and there wasnt a huge demand for more Maui images. Brands didnt know us so it took a while for them to notice our work and commission us.How did you end up living on Maui?Paul was selected for the green card lottery so we jumped through a few hoops and ended up on Maui!!Do you prefer shooting at home in Hawaii or do you enjoy trips to competitions and new countries?Shooting on Maui comes so naturally now. I almost feel like we could do it with our eyes closed! The thing about shooting on Maui is that its almost too easy! For the most part, youre shooting in perfect lighting, good wave conditions and of course, top athletes. You do get stuck in a rut shooting at the same location so its definitely nice to be able to go elsewhere and challenge ourselves with a new location, different lighting and weather conditions.How did you like going on trips to beautiful places like Japan and Chile? Do you also make a holiday out of the trip?Its always great to be able to travel to new places, meet new people, make new friends and experience new cultures but its not as glamorous as it sounds! You usually fly in a day or two before the event and fly out a day afterwards. Theres always so much photographic gear to travel with so youre never traveling light and during an event Its not only full days of shooting but also full nights of editing so theres very little down time to see or do anything else.When we went to Japan last year, we werent there as official photographers. We were there on holiday rather than as photographers for the windsurfing event. We had wanted to visit Japan, so we tied in the windsurfing event as well as our trip to Japan. Once the event finished, we headed off to Kyoto for a few days with Sarah, Bernd & Jake and then fulfilled a 20-year bucket list item and went to Nagano to photograph the snow monkeys and finished up the trip in Tokyo. Were excited to be heading back to Chile again this year. The people there are so friendly, the location is beautiful and the hosts of the event at Hotel Surazo are very welcoming and warm.What camera gear do you guys use?Weve been Nikon users ever since we started photography. We now use mirrorless bodies Z9, Z8, Z7ii. Pauls first water housing was an SPL which housed a D800. That housing has been a workhorse and has served him faithfully for many years. He uses Aquatech housings for the mirrorless bodies.What is your favourite body and lens to shoot action with?Paul just bought a new housing for the Nikon Z8 and that paired with the 70-200mm f2.8 lens is his favourite set up. My favourite set up is the Nikon Z8 with the 180-400mm with the built in 1.4x teleconverter. The set up is light enough to hand hold and gives me the creative license to move around and shoot from different angles rather than be stuck with a heavy set up on a tripod.What would be the three lenses you take on a trip?If its just three it would have to be the basics which are rather boring!! 24-70mm f2.8, 70-200 f2.8, and 180-400mm f4.Who is the boss in the relationship?I assume you mean the business relationship?! Even in this day and age, we live in a patriarchal society. Almost everyone assumes if its a husband and wife team, that its always the man running the business. 99% of messages we receive start with hey man, hey dude, hey bro, hey Paul! Lets put it like this I, (Sofie), am completing this interview, if you send an email or message us on social media, Im the one who replies, if you see a post on FB or Instagram its me that posted it.Fish Bowl Diaries was originally my brainchild as a way to showcase all the images Id shot while Paul was windsurfing. It eventually turned into a business which I primarily run. Simple version is, I shoot from land, Paul shoots from water and I get to do all the tedious behind the scenes work!Who does all the editing?No prizes for guessing its me, Sofie! What is the best location you have ever shot?Its hard to define the best location as it always depends on conditions (and who youre photographing)! The best location one year might be the worst the next due to lack of conditions. Cloudbreak is definitely way up there on the list though. The waves there are breathtaking. Theyre long and peel beautifully and the barrels are so picturesque. Peahi, which is right on our doorstep, still holds up as one of the most exciting breaks to shoot at.Do you have a favourite photo or are there too many to mention?Just one?!! Impossible! Completing the text for this interview was easier than narrowing down a selection of images for the interview!One shot that always comes to mind is an old photo of Robby Naish which I shot at least 20+ years ago. I had no clue about photography or windsurfing and I was using a borrowed camera with an old manual focus 800mm lens. I captured a shot of Robby doing a fully extended table top. I was so proud of that one because at that time I had no idea what I was doing! The tabletop has been my favourite move ever since that shot!!More recently Id probably pick one of Robby Swift at Cloudbreak. Its shot at that magical golden hour which all photographers love. Robby is coming down Cloudbreaks iconic barrelling wave with Paul at the front of the frame shooting from a jet ski with Ian from Fiji Surf Co. Its one thats a bit different than the normal windsurfing image I have the opportunity to shoot. Other than action photos there are also so many lifestyle images weve shot over the years which make it to the top of the list. Capturing emotive lifestyle moments during events are just as rewarding as the action shots.Paul has so many amazing water shots that its hard for him to pick a favourite! A couple of stand outs would be images of Morgan windsurfing at Peahi and one of Kai Lenny surfing at Peahi shot from the left. That angle doesnt get photographed very often and the perspective from that side is truly unique and magnificent. The other image that comes to mind is one of Robby Naish on a Kona day. Sunny Kona days are always breathtaking days to shoot. Robby is doing an aerial, the wave is barrelling, you can see the West Maui mountains in the background and the light Is glorious. Its a perfect frame. There are more Definitely too many to mention!Who are your favourite riders to shoot and why?Impossible to answer this one as there are far too many riders to list and they each have something unique about them!! We work with hugely talented athletes and without their skills on the water we wouldnt have the images that everyone enjoys. Were very grateful to all of them!What do you guys love about photography?Im not sure wed be where we are now without photography. It was Paul wanting to windsurf at Hookipa that took us to Maui back in the 90s. We were only supposed to go just once but I guess no one ever goes just once! I dont think his love of windsurfing would have been enough reason for our move to Maui. Setting up Fish Bowl Diaries gave us the real push to move to Maui, which has completely changed our lives.Photography has taken us to places we wouldnt have gone and weve met so many people along the way, making long lasting friendships. The thought of creating and capturing iconic images that will last long after weve dropped off this mortal coil is something quite special.How do you stay motivated to keep shooting at such high quality?I have major OCD! Sub-par images are simply not an option Obviously the camera gear helps when it comes to resolution quality but I am persnickety about details. I cant stand things like uneven horizons, weird editing tones, bad compositions or awful lighting. Unfortunately, the latter is one we dont always have control of as we sometimes have to shoot in bad weather/lighting but anything we have control over we do our best to manage to a high standard. If were working for a client, we especially do our utmost to maintain quality as we want to be sure to give them the best images possible.Have you ever had a photography disaster?Just before Covid lockdowns, Paul finished up water shooting for a Naish shoot and as he was swimming back to shore the latch opened on the housing and it flooded the camera and lens and housing electronics. Thankfully we got the card out and we were able to retrieve the images. The camera was a right-off and the housing needed the electronics changed.Is there a day that sticks out as your most memorable to shoot?This is actually the hardest question to answer! Firstly, my memory is atrocious and secondly there have been so many incredible days over the years . Perfect Kona days, jaw-dropping Peahi, mesmerizing Cloudbreak, Chilean golden hour and massive Hookipa days.Do you enjoy shooting the big wave season in Hawaii?YES! The bigger the better! Theres almost just as much of an adrenaline rush shooting the big waves as there is for the athletes riding the waves.Do you Sofie get worried when Paul goes out on the ski at Jaws?Im more worried about him swimming and water shooting at Hookipa than I am of him on the ski at Jaws! Although if hes on the ski with Jason Polakow, then yes, Im worried Where do you guys see yourselves in ten years time?Retired! Haha! I actually struggle quite a bit with back and neck issues and carpal tunnel so Im really not sure how much longer I can keep going with shooting and computer work makes me pretty sad to think I may have to stop sooner than Id like Paul always says if he cant windsurf anymore hed probably not want to live on Maui and I cant see us lugging around heavy camera gear when were 65! Im sure well still be taking photos but a lot less and well be picky about what we shoot!What things annoy you when you see people using or abusing your pictures?It is beyond frustrating having people think they have the right to use your images especially without even asking for permission. Many believe images are free to use because theyre online. They are NOT!To keep a presence in the industry we have to use social media and its a great tool but at the same time I almost begrudge posting because we end up finding our work shared on accounts and websites where someone is profiting off our images either for monetary gain or simply to bulk up their following off the back of our work.Will you ever get rich shooting windsurfing?HA! I think you know the answer to this question JC!! Were a couple of decades too late for that!Any advice to any up and coming windsurf photographers?If youre serious about any kind of photography as a job, save up and buy the best equipment you can. It will save you money in the long term. If your ultimate goal is to shoot windsurfing for a living then you need to be realistic and accept that you will have to subsidize your earnings with something else! Either another kind of job or shooting another higher paying genre of photography.The post FISH BOWL DIARIES: LIFE BEHIND THE LENS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

MARIO KMPEL: CREATING THE IMPOSSIBLE WINDSURFING BOARDMARIO KMPEL: CREATING THE IMPOSSIBLE WINDSURFING BOARDMario Kmpel and the team at Future Fly took on the challenge to build a low cost board with high performancethe White Tiger!The Future Fly & the Wind Lounge Team took on the challenge to build the impossible windsurf board. A board that costs less, keeps the highest quality standard, brings the performance that you want and is transparent from scratch. Of course, with all the tuning possibilities well explained afterwards. The documentary gives a deep insight behind the curtains of how windsurf brands operate and what it took to bring the ideas of Mario Kmpel & Arnon Dagan to life.The post MARIO KMPEL: CREATING THE IMPOSSIBLE WINDSURFING BOARD appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

MATTEO IACHINO: HAT TRICK HERO!MATTEO IACHINO: HAT TRICK HERO!THREE STRAIGHT VICTORIES FOR MATTEO IACHINO AT THE PWA GUADELOUPE WORLD CUP!Dominating a PWA racing event is rare; even more so in the technical, unpredictable world of foiling. But Matteo Iachino made a powerful statement to open the 2025 PWA racing season, firing off three straight bullets and turning heads across the beach in Guadeloupe. Fresh after his podium celebrations, we caught up with Matteo to find out the secret behind his sensational start to the season and whether this is just the beginningPhotos: PWA / CarterMATTEO IACHINOAfter many years foil racing, I am starting to understand what you need to work on my gear to actually have it performing the best way possible. Foiling is like the Formula 1 of windsurfing on the sea and you need to have everything tuned perfectly. The pilot mattersbut the gear matters a lot more than what I was used to in fin racing. Our sails at Severne have improved and the Starboard X15 foil board has improved too. This has helped a lot for the basic performance but then you have to tune every single piece of your equipment like a freak! I used to tune like that as a slalom sailor on the fin but not as much on the foil. It took me a while to realize by watching other riders that the tuning was the only way to improve your performance. Every little detail matterseven a hair on the front wing for example!TUNING AND TESTINGMost riders are using the Patrik Aeon foil but then there are so many other set ups that make a difference. In foiling you want to race with the less power possible. Power also means drag. So, you want to have as least power as possible in the foil to have more glide and be fast.You do need power to climb and get out of bad situations. My new boards and sails have helped a lot. The Hyper 8 Severne sail is lighter on the board, that allows me to go on a smaller front wing or on a less powerful set up earlier. The new X15 Starboard is gliding better too. So, with the lighter sail and the board gliding better, the combination of the two improvements helped me a lot. I also worked on masts, battens, booms and the finish of the foil itself; every detail.FINDING THE FLOWObviously when we are racing the foil is the only element actually in the water but the aerodynamics of the board is critical too. We worked a lot this with Remo Villa and I was surprised at the beginning how much of a difference this has made. We have now been foiling for almost ten years! I thought as many people do still think that once you take off, the board doesnt matter much because you are in the air. But for us racing you feel the difference of the aerodynamics.It is a bit like when you put your hand out of the window when you are driving on the highway or if you stand up when you are cycling. You feel the difference with the board, it has a huge impact. You gain power as you go higher, or if you glide and you lose power and it goes down again, there is a fine line where the board is still comfortable.You can have just enough power to stay in the air but not much to glide through the air and carry the momentum. So, the aerodynamics and stability of the board in these cases makes a massive difference. You have to work on the length, with the size of the nose the size of the tail and all the airflow elements. The position of the foot-straps makes a difference too. There is a lot to work on.Remi is the mastermind behind all of this. I help Remi bring ideas and Remi is the one who does all of the developing. He put the ideas into something concrete. Sometimes we just sit down and brainstorm new ideas. Since I entered the team I have worked with Remi.2025 KICKS OFF!You never know what is going to happen when you go into the first race event of the season. I knew I had better performance with my whole set up in all wind ranges. I knew from medium to high wind and right down to light wind I would be going faster than last season. Also, you dont know how much the other guys have improved. You test with some people, but you never know if they play their best cards! You never know if you have the best the best sail but not the board or the best foil but the sail is not so good.You need to test every piece by piece. When you show up at an event you have to hope the improvements you have made are better than the other guys! Testing against another racer from another team, I never play my best cards either! Part of it is not to show how fast you are properly but also if you push too hard testing and you crash into another rider, or crash yourself, then you might break you best gear.THE TESTING PROCESSYou want to use one piece at a time and see if that works the best and then you vary different other elements. I test an average set up that goes decently. Then I will test only the battens with that set up. Then once I have found the best battens, I will test only masts. Before the event, you put all the best elements together. Then you just hope that you have the magic combination. I use GPS a lot for testing which helps a lot. With foiling you can use GPS more because it accurately tells you all the data you need to know.THE TASTE OF VICTORYThe first race I was pushing. In medium light conditions you need to on the edge. When I saw that I had good speed, I was not relaxing but playing it a little bit safer. You can never totally play it safe because every sailor is fast. If you start half a second behind you are done! You can maybe come back through the gybes, but it is really difficult at this level.With the second elimination we were on small gear, we were on 7m sails. In these conditions it is possible to make a comeback earlier but with 9m or 8m in those conditions with seaweed as well it is very difficult to pass. I think I won every race during the day. In some positions when you are qualifying you dont want to fight too hard. That would be stupid. You could crash for now reason.It was really cool to win all three rounds. I put so much work into my training and testing this season and that felt very satisfying. It was nice to see the result of all that hard work. But to me there is still no comparison with winning or competing in fin racing.Winning a heat in Fuerteventura on Slalom X last year had so much adrenaline for me. That was a dream come true. To win in Guadeloupe was super nice, it was amazing dont get me wrong, but foil is another sport compared to fin. I worked for it! The amount of work I put into it was ridiculous. That makes it special. My true passion is still full hardcore fin racing. If I had to choose, it would be 100% fin over foil!REMI VILLA (Starboard shaper)We worked a lot on a numeric computer which has helped our designs using AI! This AI has helped me for our development. I having been working on some programmes to study the numbers of the aerodynamics of our shapes. This helped me to design the and improve the boards. We can see compared to last year, Matteo is far more stable when he is foiling. He is really stable all the time. The board is not moving and this is because of the aerodynamics that we developed on the boards. In 2026, which is coming soon, the boards will be even better as we have made some new big steps of improvement already.It is very important to work on the aerodynamics in foiling as it stabilizes everything. When a gust hits you do not lose the balance, you just accelerate that is it! It is the same with cycling, the aerodynamics make a massive difference. The problem of stability in foiling is all down to the aerodynamics. We have also worked with Matteo on some details of his training! This is important also to give him confidence to be stable for the whole week. He has been very calm all week during the races and he is just going very fast! I am extremely happy about these results. We have been working together for almost ten years and now we really understand each other and everything has come together!The post MATTEO IACHINO: HAT TRICK HERO! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

NICO PRIEN: GUADELOUPE WRAP UP!NICO PRIEN: GUADELOUPE WRAP UP!Get an inside look at the PWA World Cup in Guadeloupe through the eyes of pro racer Nico Prien! Filmed by Lars Wichman, Nico shares his unique on-the-water insights, race highlights, and behind-the-scenes stories you wont want to miss. And a huge round of applause to Lars for pulling yet another all-nighter in the editing suite to bring you this videoready for you just one day after the action wrapped upFair play!!Edited and filmedby Lars WichmanSony A7rV Lumix S5II & S1H Insta360 X4 // ACE PRO // Go3s The post NICO PRIEN: GUADELOUPE WRAP UP! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

GUADELOUPE GOES OFF: FULL POWER RACING IN THE CARIBBEAN!!!GUADELOUPE GOES OFF: FULL POWER RACING IN THE CARIBBEAN!!!PWA GUADELOUPE WORLD CUPThe 2025 PWA Guadeloupe World Cup served up the full Caribbean dream with one crazy day of action to shake up the season. We hear from all the podium finishers as they break down an unforgettable start to the year.Yepafter five intense days of competition, the PWA Guadeloupe World Cup has officially come to a close. It all came down to a single day of explosive action on Friday, where Matteo Iachino dominated the mens racing with a flawless performance, claiming three straight bullets. On the womens side, Justine Lemeteyer kicked off her season in style, narrowly edging out Lina Eren in a thrilling battle for the win.Sailors that arrived early to train got to see the true colours of Guadeloupe with some classic windy sunny days that showcased the islands full potential, but unfortunately during the event, we mostly saw cloudy skies and light winds aside from that one crazy day of action. That is the nature of the game in windsurfing unfortunately, unpredictable and thrilling! Friday will still be remembered as a memorable racing day that showed how epic Guadeloupe can be as an event location.During the first round of racing the Caribbean breeze kicked off in the 8-12 knot range and the elimination was progressing nicely but all of a sudden it picked up to 15-20 knots leaving many sailors still racing on their biggest gear, totally overpowered! Riders stuck on the big kit were getting absolutely sent, with wild crashes on the reaches and carnage at the gybes as everyone fought to stay in control. Back on the beach there was a frenzy of sail and foil changes going down as many racers opted to switch to smaller gear. By late afternoon the wind dropped again for the third and final round of the mens racing so it was back to the big gear to finish the day off.Sure, conditions kept us on our toes, but lets be honestno one was really complaining. Racing in board shorts in the Caribbean, surrounded by palm trees and crystal-clear water? Yeah, well take that every day of the week. Friday proved it: when Guadeloupe turns it on, its one of the best racing spots on the planet!And now it is over the all the podium finishers to for their insights into the first event of the PWA season!MATTEO IACHINOI dont think I ever started a season like this! It has been a while since I have won a foil event. I think only once in my career I could have stayed on the beach during the last elimination as I already had three bullets. It is super cool feeling, especially after all the work I have done. All the pieces came together.I knew every piece of my gear was working better this year than last year. The only thing that was the same was the foil. The board has been improved, the sails are a lot better and I was going faster on every single size compared to last year. I knew I was going to be faster and I was confident about that. But to win every single final was amazing. I did not expect this. Every race is different and every start is different. That is what makes our sport so cool.There are so many variables. We only had three eliminations, but they were in three different conditions. We had 8m full power, 7m powered up and 9m light wind. So, we had a mix of everything all in one day. It was choppy on the 7m, and it was flat and weedy on the 9m. In the finals I was pushing as much as I could. In the earlier heats I was just making sure I qualified. In the first heat I was pushing then I saw I had an edge! Then I could control the races a bit. In the finals you have to push because in the end anything can happen. The level is high and if you dont hit the start nicely it is tough to come back. In the blink of an eye, you can drop from first to fifth. In the final you have to send it!Pierre is an amazing rider. He won the title last year and since I started, he is my biggest opponent, I think. Pierre and Antoine Albeau have been my biggest rivals since I started racing. Antoine stopped but Pierre is still there. He is my age. Now we have a nice relationship. I knew he was fast because I tested with him a bit before the event and every time I was lining up with him he was the fastest I was testing with.REMI VILLA (Starboard shaper)We worked a lot on a numeric computer which has helped our designs using AI! This AI has helped me for our development. I having been working on some programmes to study the numbers of the aerodynamics of our shapes. This helped me to design the and improve the boards. We can see compared to last year, Matteo is far more stable when he is foiling. He is really stable all the time. The board is not moving and this is because of the aerodynamics that we developed on the boards.In 2026, which is coming soon, the boards will be even better as we have made some new big steps of improvement already. It is very important to work on the aerodynamics in foiling as it stabilizes everything. When a gust hits you do not lose the balance, you just accelerate that is it! It is the same with cycling, the aerodynamics make a massive difference. The problem of stability in foiling is all down to the aerodynamics. We have also worked with Matteo on some details of his training! This is important also to give him confidence to be stable for the whole week. He has been very calm all week during the races and he is just going very fast! I am extremely happy about these results. We have been working together for almost ten years and now we really understand each other and everything has come together!PIERRE MORTEFONI would love to win but I will take a second place. It is always good t start a season this way. You never know what can happen at an event and a second is solid. With the first event you dont know how fast you are until you hit the racecourse and how the other guys have been training. It could have been worse.I think Matteo was better this week. He did the perfect job, but we were both ahead of the other guys. A step ahead, I think. The experience and the consistency is paying off. I think it is going to be a good fight this year again. I am really happy about my speed and my sailing. Anything can happen at the beginning of a season and this was also a new location for the tour. I will take the second and am happy with that.The first race was super windy. It was tough as the wind picked up during the races. We were all a bit overpowered. After the second gybe I took it a little bit easy and didnt push. But after that race I was going full on for the rest of the event. You never know what can happen. A point is a point and that can matter at the end of the season. Every heat and every race can be important at the end of the season. It could make the difference for the title. I had it in the past where I finished level with Antoine Albeau. So, a point is a point and it is important to push every single second.ALEXANDRE COUSINThat was the best way to start the season for me and I am really happy about that. I have all Patrik equipment, foil, board, sail, boom, harness lines and everything so I am happy to make this podium. The Patrik team has worked a lot on the development of the gear over the last few years.Now it has started to really improve and we are showing how good it is. Half the fleet are using Patrik foils! I think it means that our foil is the best and really appreciated by all the riders on the world cup. It was a long path to make this foil as good as it is. I think the team has done an amazing job on the foil. It is nice t see nearly all the riders using this foil. I had a few lucky breaks this week, but racing is like this. I think for this event I had the luck with me. I take it and it is important to start the season with a podium.MENS RESULTS1st Matteo Iachino (ITA | Starboard / Severne Sails)2nd Pierre Mortefon (FRA | Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Boards)3rd Alexandre Cousin (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)4th Jordy Vonk (NED | Duotone Windsurfing)5th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Point-7 / Z-Foils)6th Maciek Rutkowski (POL | JP / NeilPryde)7th Alexis Mathis (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)8th William Huppert (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)9th Benoit Merceur (FRA | Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foils)10th Sem Stroosma (NED | Tabou / GA Sails)JUSTINE LEMETEYERI felt a bit under pressure to come back racing as the world champion. We only had one day of racing but when I mattered, I managed to perform. The new gear with Patrik works perfectly and I am happy to kick of the season with a victory and also happy to kick off the new partnership with Patrik with a win.The gear as amazing, physically I was there and mentally I was there, so it was a good week. There is more to come in the season, but I will take a victory to start things off. I knew I would have a tough fight with Lina Erzen. I knew she was going to be my main opponent. We have already sailed together in the iQFOiL racing and I know she is fast. I also know the sails she has are fast as I was working on the S2 Sails last year. I know they are good also. She will be a good opponent for the whole season, so it is going to be a nice fight, which is cool!LINA ERENI am happy for sure. It is a podium and only my third event in the PWA on foil. I was always looking for better, but I am just happy for the opportunity to be able to compete here. I think myself and Justine are both good racers and can foil fast and gybe well. I felt I had just as good speed as her, but you cant afford any mistakes with Justine as she is an amazing competitor. I will enjoy my last day in Guadeloupe and then I will go home to my family and celebrate with them.BLANCA ALABAUI would not say I am happy with the result. I finished in third which was a really good position as all the girls were fighting really hard. I would have liked to have a few more races with Lina and Justine. I think I had the speed and I know I have the level to be there at the top. Hopefully next time I will be closer. I am really happy with my new boards; they are very fast and easy to control. I just never really felt comfortable on the racecourse during that one day of competition. I had a few problems and I felt I lost my focus. Next time I know I can do better.WOMENS RESULTS1st Justine Lemeteyer (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)2nd Lina Eren (SLO | Starboard / S2Maui / Starboard Foils)3rd Blanca Alabau (ESP | WeOne / Severne Sails)4th Femke van der Veen (NED | Starboard / Severne Sails)5th Bobbi-Lynn De Jong (NB | Starboard / NeilPryde)PWAThe post GUADELOUPE GOES OFF: FULL POWER RACING IN THE CARIBBEAN!!! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

NICO PRIEN: GUADELOUPE WORLD CUP RACE ACTIONNICO PRIEN: GUADELOUPE WORLD CUP RACE ACTIONCheck out Nico Priens detailed insight into the epic first day of racing at the Guadeloupe PWA world Cup! Be ready for high octane foil racing, gnarly crashes and some incredible drone angles g=filmed by the ALVAA media crew! Remember Nicos right hand manLars Wichmann stays up all night editing to bring you these videos so give them a like or follow on YouTube!DANGEROUS CRASHES & A BROKEN TOE | Windsurf World Cup GuadeloupeEdited and filmed:by Lars WichmannSony A7rV Lumix S5II & S1H Insta360 X4 // ACE PRO // Go3s The post NICO PRIEN: GUADELOUPE WORLD CUP RACE ACTION appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

FINN MELLON'S ULTIMATE CHILE GUIDE!FINN MELLONS ULTIMATE CHILE GUIDE!Irish windsurfer Finn Mellon lays out his go-to guide for navigating Chiles raw and rugged coastline. After falling head over heels for the waves, culture and adventure in 2024, hes back this season and even planning a Wave Camp for next year. From when to go to, what gear to pack and how much its going to cost! This guide covers everything you need, to score in this epic wave-sailing playground.Photos: Fish Bowl Diaries and Finn Mellon!FINN MELLONHey, I am Finn Mellon, a wave chaser from Ireland, and this is my personal guide to one of the most incredible places Ive ever been: Chile.Last year was my first time exploring its wild coastline, and I instantly fell in love with the waves, the people, the rugged scenery, and the raw adventure of it all. It exceeded every expectation I had, and thats saying something! I knew I had to come back and here I am again, already planning my third return. Yeah, its that good.If youre curious about windsurfing in Chile, especially around the Matanzas / Navidad area, or just want a fresh spot to explore, Ive packed everything Ive learned into this guide; from when to come, what gear to bring, where to stay, and even how to survive your supermarket runs. And hey, Im also planning a Wave Experience Camp here next year; So, feel free to drop me a message!SOME BASICS ABOUT CHILE.There seems to be two times of year to come here for windsurfing. November-December, Windier chance of less swell. The chances of sailing jumping spots opens up.Jan/Feb Sounds best avoided in Windsurfing terms for the Navidad region. They get a lot of sea fog as the inland temperatures are much higher than the coast, this sea fog reduces the chances of getting much wind.March April This seems the best time of year for Waves & Wind combo. If you also surf, then can get on the water every single day and you will be amazed by the quality of conditions.GETTING HERE!Flights are okay for this time of year (April). Similar prices of Cape Town flights. For me coming from Ireland the best route is flying to the USA then to Chile. I flew with Delta Airlines, Dublin-Atlanta- Santiago for 780 return (not including board bags for 3X23kgs I paid 225 one way)For those looking to come from the UK/Euro it seems like flying from Madrid or Paris is a very popular option, Direct to SCL airport in Santiago. Lucas had an interesting route this year with Avianca airlines that flew from London- Bogota- Santiago.Once you land in Santiago it is a 2.5-hour drive Southwest to Matanzas, quite an easy drive. I recommend perhaps getting some food at the airport or nearby gas station if you are hungry on arrival. The drive doesnt have too many food options.Knowing some basic Spanish is important here in Chile, there is very little English spoken here, Its not like the Canary Islands! I like it like that, feels very authentic.GEAR TO BRINGThis is quite seasonal dependant. For Spring as I am now, your big sails are very important I have been on 5.0 for every session except one when I went 4.5 at Matanzas. However, it is useful to bring a medium small sail (in my case a 4.0) as if you stay at Topocalma all day it can often get pretty windy. If I were coming on holiday my quiver would be Goya 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0. Maybe bring a spare 400 Mast, Boards: Quatro 81L & 89L. (Weight 78/80kg)My most used board has been my big board.Pack a surfboard, one with a good amount of paddle power (often long paddles back to the point and rips).CAR / TRUCK RENTALWe have always had a 4X4, its not essential but is nice to have.Now that the other route to Topocalma has been much improved you can get there with a 2wheel drive but if money isnt a problem I would recommend 4X4 especially for a few of the surf spots. In general roads are pretty good this year, improved from last year.Lucas Victor & I have rented from friends of Victor in the past, but I know quite a lot of people use Rent A Car Chile to get their trucks.Bring roof rack straps!! Dont make the rookie mistake Lucas and I made on our first trip in forgetting straps ha ha.ACCOMMODATION OPTIONSI would aim to stay in Matanzas or surrounding areas like Pupuya.Lucas and I have been very lucky to have good friend Victor Fernandez offer us a place in his beautiful house that he built here in Matanzas in 2007.There are plenty of options around Matanzas ones to suit big or small groups at reasonable prices. From talking around I think people are paying between 20 and 40 euro a night.If you are looking for something a bit fancier, you can look to stay at Hotel Surazo, which is directly on the beach at Matanzas. You can roll out of bed, Watch the waves as you have breakfast then step out of your balcony onto the beach where you left your rigged gear! Its a beautiful hotel and the restaurant offers some fantastic food. You must get the chocolate fondant cake when you go. Victor got it many years ago and insisted we tried it too, Now I insist on you trying it too!DAILY LIVING & DINNER COSTSI must say the supermarkets are not cheap! And they are also very different to home, at first the shops are bit of a culture shock compared to shopping at home or in Cape Town. The shops are very basic.Matanzas has three little corner shops that have the essentials but when you are looking to do your weekly shop you drive 15 minutes to Navidad where a weeks shopping here is about 80/100 euro and the grocery shop is about 35 euro. The supermarkets here are quite a culture shock for us Europeans.Eating out in Matanzas comes with a little premium on prices.Pizza and a lemonade can cost 20 euro.Ceviche and drink 15 euro.An Empanada is 4 euro.Drive slightly out of town and you will find dinner/lunch that quite a bit cheaperHOTEL SURAZOHOTEL SURAZOCost of Staying in Hotel Surazo!A Private Room with a Double bed & Sea View is 180 a night.The Bunk Bedrooms which share up to 5 people are 50 per person.BREAKFAST & DINNERBreakfast at Surazo Ranges Between 5-10 euro.A beer costs 5/6 euroBottle of wine on average between 19 and 30Starter Costs roughly 12-13Steak for dinner expect around 23 or Fish for 18.Pizza 11-14 euroTRUCK RENTALWeek Truck rental from Rent a Car Chile.4X2 Toyota Hilux 401.17 57 a day4X4 Toyota Hilux 449- 64 a dayFORECASTSMy take on it so far is you are after SW or SSW winds, The more South the wind is the more offshore it is at Matanzas. Topocalma is pretty similar but maybe a bit more offshore. The first turn and out back sailing at Matanzas is surprisingly onshore at times.Swell Matanzas likes a SW swell as does Topocalma. NW and I think the swell comes more straight into the bay, thus making the wave faster and more of a closeout.GETTING TO TOPOCALMA!We used to drive along the beach and through the sand dunes which a 4X4 was essential for, but now they have improved the alternative route and its actually a really beautiful and much easier drive to Topocalma. It takes just a little over an hour. On this route you can easily do it in a 2-wheel drive. If you want a bit more comfort and piece of mind still worth going for a 4X4. Also dont be afraid to let air out of the wheels, Makes for a much more comfortable drive on the bumpy parts of the road.WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR AT TOPOCALMA & MATANZAS!At Topocalma you want to be careful not to get stuck on the beach, that mistake could leave you sleeping in your truck until the next person arrives. Long walk to anywhere from here. I would advise to bring a surfboard in case you were to get skunked on wind.When it comes to what to watch out for at Matanzas, there isnt too much besides the actual wave itself, I would recommend bringing a big board, as it would be very easy to completely sink here on your smaller equipment. When the swell is bigger, there is a lot of water moving around so maybe not the safest option if you are not too confident in your water capabilities. Much easier when its small. The rocks arent scary here, so not much to worry about there.Hope you have enjoyed reading a few pointers about Chile. I really recommend visiting here, it has become one of my favourite places in the world.WAVE CAMPAs I mentioned earlier, I will be running a Wave Camp in Chile next year, if you would like to hear more. Email me finn424@googlemail.com!COST SUMMARYScenario A: Budget Stay, Shared Costs!!Flights (per person)Flight + board bag = 1,230Truck Rental (shared)44 Toyota Hilux = 896 totalSplit between two = 448 per personBudget Accommodation (shared)30/night room split between two = 15 each14 nights x 15 = 210 per personFood (split)Groceries for 2 = 400 total 200 eachEating out (4 meals at 20, 4 at 10) = 120 per personMisc/Fuel (split)Fuel/other = 125 62.50 per personTotal: ~ 2,270 per personScenario B: Hotel Surazo, Shared Costs!!Flights (per person)Still 1,230Truck Rental (shared)Same as above = 448 per personHotel Surazo (shared 2 person)180/night private sea-view room90 each per night x 14 nights = 1,260 per personFood (mostly eating at hotel)7 dinners (23), 7 breakfasts (8), 3 pizzas (13), 2 ceviches )Fish dish) (15) = approx. 300 per personSome groceries/snacks: 100 per personMisc/Fuel (split)Same = 62.50 per personTotal: ~ 3,400 per personSummary:BUDGET STAY:COST PER PERSON: 2270HOTEL SURAZO (Shared) 3400The post FINN MELLONS ULTIMATE CHILE GUIDE! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

THE WINDSURFER LT: ROGER TURNERTHE WINDSURFER LT: ROGER TURNERWith those lovely summer see breezes fast approaching, Roger Turner makes a convincing case for why you should add a Windsurfer LT to your quiver!Whether youre new to windsurfing, returning after years away, or simply looking for a board that delivers maximum fun with minimal fuss, he reckons the Windsurfer LT offers a refreshingly pure sailing experience.In this review, he shares his journey with the LT so farand tells us why its far more than just a retro revival. For Roger, the Windsurfer LT has become a gateway to more water time, spontaneous sessions, and a rediscovery of the very reasons he fell in love with windsurfing in the first place.ROGER TURNER:So, I bought a Windsurfer LT, board only, last summer, not normally a great time for windsurfing. The deal was done for me after watching Spottys famous You Tube Windsurfer LT video from Geraldton in Oz, where he is blasting around in medium and strong winds and waves alongside short-boarders and clearly loving itI expected the light wind performance and racing pedigree, but this removed any remaining doubt about the versatility and fun factor. Bought the board the next day!Planing threshold- my nemesisMy short board gear (125 litre with sails up to 7.2, plus wave gear, Im 95 kg) needs a solid 15 knots of wind to start to work. This planing threshold is a big deal and for me at least, a massive source of frustration. So many days have wind that yo-yos from 10-20 knots to tempt the hopeful, or 5-15 knots but lovely warm summer weather. I hate wobbling about, struggling to get upwind and generally call it a day quickly. Lets stop pretending we live on the north shore of Maui where the summer trade winds blow 20-25 knots every day.I want to get out on the water more, dont need to be doing 30 knots or boosting massive, tweaked aerial etc. We work hard and need to be able to get out when and where we can and not have wait for 15+ knots. So what are the options?Windsurf and wing-foiling are fun in light-ish winds and especially the latter has really taken off (pun intended), but the gear is expensive and fragile, and foiling is not for everyone or all locations. I have freeride windsurf foiling gear and love the sensation of gliding around, which is a strange combination of full-on and dull! Not used it much since I got the LT though.Giant windsurf gear, effective but still needs 12 knots and the kit is unwieldly and expensive.High-performance long boards. From older Mistral Equipes and Fanatic Cats to the more modern Starboard Phantom etc. Amazing performance, expensive and better suited to winds over 10 knots, but narrow and not good for light winds.A Solution?Enter the Windsurfer LT, a retro design, brought up to date in 2016 and now distributed in big numbers around the world, all identical except for a little bit of branding (Windsurfer, Exocet, Mistral, Starboard, Naish, Gaastra etc). Wider, lighter and simply better than the original and, I think, quite beautiful, with harmonic lines.Heres the spec; 366cm long, 74cm wide, 15kg, 227 litres, big, stiff daggerboard, no straps. Add softish rails and a little tail rocker for manoeuvrability.The rig is a retro 5.7 that suits the board perfectly and is way better than you think it will be. In expert hands this exact kit is capable of 30 knots. Quick to rig and with quality components.It is easy to sail but challenging to sail well. Buy the board only if you have no intention to race and you have suitable rigs already, thats how I started, the one design rig can be added later.High performance does not necessarily mean fun!So, not very exciting looking, not the fastest in light, medium or strong winds, but is high performance a prerequisite for fun? Does everything have to be extreme and Red-Bull-fuelled? It turns out for me at least, it doesnt. Remember the DSBs (dedicated slalom boards) of the 90s?A lot of sports have gone hi-tech and high performance, (not to mention high price) including windsurfing, sailing, cycling etc. Does this increase participation, or in fact alienate the mass public that may aspire to some low to medium performance activity (otherwise known as fun)? I know what I think!Dont underestimate the Windsurfer LT the impatient board!But heres the thing, watch Spottys video froma wavey Geraldton in Australia on a stock LT, or his runs over 30 knots and you may have to rethink what this modest kit is capable of.My LT has lived on the vans roof rack constantly. It (she?) is as impatient as I am to get wet and wont wait for strong winds. There is no planing threshold with the LT, it simply goes faster as the wind picks up. The planing sensation is different to a shortboard, smooth, but less responsive, never feeling the need for foot straps as the deck is so grippy. People keep asking me does it really plane? The answer is a big yes, but there is always more of the board in the water. I regularly get above 20mph, and the standard kit is capable of 30 knots!But the most important factor is the way you sail it. We have toured Poole Harbour, seen seals, gone round Brownsea Island, been to Old Harrys Rocks, explored and surfed at Kimmeridge, blasted at Branksome and Sandbanks and nearly got round Hayling Island. Were going out today in the 15-20 knots, dont care if it drops to 6 knots or increases to 25. (if theres less than 5 knots, I can always paddle board on it anyway). I took it to Kerry, Ireland for the lighter wind days and to explore the islands and it worked perfectly for that too. In light winds you can comfortably chat as you sail.The Windsurfer moves through the water beautifully, particularly if theres enough wind and skill to rail it upwind. Also, the extra width makes downwind sailing so smooth and stable.And the LT is perfect to learn the basics on, a smaller daggerboard and rig is available to make this more accessible. Also, the LT is nice for just messing about with helicopter tacks, old school flare gybes how far back do you dare to stand to get it to really whip around? And rail-rides, remember them? With a bit of ingenuity, overnight camping gear can be lashed down for adventures further afield.The LT works with all sorts of rigs, so is an excellent board in its own right. I have used mine with 7.5m longboard sail and 7.2 and 6.2 freeride sails. I have now got the standard 5.7 rig too and have found it a bit of a retro revelation with its long boom and very soft feel, it is very powerful and effective over a massive wind range. The feedback you get is perfect for beginners and improving sailors and its very light and super quick to rig, requiring way more outhaul than downhaul. Makes you reassess the way a windsurfing sail works.Plan to try a wing on it ASAP, perfect way to get used to the basicsSUP tooMany of the user-friendly characteristics combine to make the LT an excellent all-round paddleboard, complete with leash point. So, from zero wind to 25 knots you have it covered. Get to the beach and go..Session saverHere is an example of a Windsurfer LT session-saver; Branksome Dene Chine, Poole, 12-20 knots, side shore with small waves, potential nice session on my Duotone Freewave 125 and 6.2 sail. But the wind was fickle and after a couple of wobbly runs I quickly traded the short board for the LT and scored an excellent session blasting around and even riding a few waves.Dont forget the racing!Before you even consider the LTs main attraction for many, one design racing. In Italy and Australia there are huge racing fleets (100+) and local, regional, national and world championships. See ex-world wave sailing champion Scott McKerchers recent article in Windsurf on his winning return in Perth, Australia. The racing is divided into course racing, slalom and long distance with a little old-school freestyle thrown in.Although the LT is relatively easy to sail well, to win races you will require a good deal of skill, especially to rail the board upwind, fitness and good set-up of board and rig, plus the strategic and tactical knowledge to finish consistently high up the fleet. As all sailors use the same equipment, the fleet is divided into weight categories so all competitors have a chance. But the competition is always promoted as 50% racing, 50 % fun so the apres sail is as good as the action on the water.LT in UK..?There are probably no more than a couple of dozen Windsurfer LTs in the UK, which is tiny compared to many other countries. If we can get the participation to a critical size there is potential for the LT to take off here too. Local races and cruises are being organised and we will be racing alongside the longboards in the UKWA series, with the Christchurch event on June 21/22 being our regognised Nationals.Maybe even have a go to the 2025 Europeans or WorldsThe good!Versatile, for nearly all conditions and locations.Simple, quick to rig.Huge racing fleets.Manoeuvrable, upwind ability, downwind stability.High quality and robust.Paddle boardable.The not idealQuite large and heavy -roof rack required.Not cheap around 2,500 complete (but value for money is off the scale in per session.Board only is around 1500).Some may prefer higher tech, high price and higher performance.Not good for jumping..(or at least landing!)If you live somewhere it always blows over 20 knots, may prefer smaller gear.Compared to..Old school long boards (Mistral Equipe, Fanatic Cat etc). Windsurfer LT is not as fast in planing conditions, but the extra width, softer rails and tail rocker makes it more fun and manoeuvrable.Modern longboards (Starboard Phantom etc). Higher performance than LT, but much more expensive, especially when taking the rig into account, and cluttered with straps.Modern learning/progressing boards (Duotone Eagle One, Starboard Start 2). These boards are wider, so more stable than the LT and have moderate upwind performance, but not designed to be raced and so not as versatile as the LT.Who is the Windsurfer LT for?For impatient or time-limited sailors wanting to spend more time on the water.Any windsurfer frustrated by having to wait for solid 15+ knots.Returning old-school windsurfers and dinghy sailors- they will love the responsiveness not being locked-in to the sailing club.Dinghy sailors dinghies have gone down the high-tech and high-performance route, the responsiveness, simplicity and transportability of the LT is very appealing.Sailing clubs Looking to offer a diverse, fun and simple way to get on the water for learning and racing.Families -looking for a simple, versatile beach and holiday toy that can also be used as a paddleboard.Old gits and young gits, could retro be the new cool?Give a Windsurfer LT a try, you might get hooked, like me!Windsurfer LT Stop PressDue to huge interest in these boards, H2O Sports in Poole will be placing another order for delivery in early May. Board only 1499 or complete with rig 2499. Its time to get onboard with the retro-revolution that is sweeping the world. Get in touch to secure your fun for the summer01202 733744History of the Windsurfer LTThe origins go back to legendary days of Hoyle Schweitzer and Jim Drake in 1967, eventually selling 400,000 units, the largest sailing class ever. Robbie Naish won the World Championships in 1976 at the age of 13 and an updated version of the board (Windsurfer One Design) was selected for the 1984 Olympics. As other race classes were introduced and the pursuit of higher performance became king, the fleets dwindled. A new project was started in 2016 updating the construction and design to become more ergonomic whilst keeping the racing and all-round appeal of the original. Hence the Windsurfer LT was born and there are large fleets established in Italy and Australia, with Worlds, European Championships attracting 200-300 competitors with emphasis being 50% racing:50% fun. The current biggest selling windsurfing kit in the worldWINDSURFER LTThe post THE WINDSURFER LT: ROGER TURNER appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

THE BIG FIFTY! SARAH QUITA OFFRINGATHE BIG FIFTY! SARAH QUITA OFFRINGASarah-Quita Offringa has spent twenty years ruling the womens windsurfing worldso answering 50 questions should be a doddle, right? In our latest Big Fifty, Sarah looks back on epic victories, contemplates a mid-season existential crisis, and calls out for suggestions on life after competition. Catch her if you can; just dont expect her to go down without a fight! And whatever you do, dont ask her to watch a movie she doesnt have the patience!Photos: John Carter // Fish Bowl Diaries // PWAFull name? Sarah-Quita Najive OffringaDate of birth? 04-07-1991Height and weight? 78kg 1.81mSail number? ARU91Do you remember the first time you stepped on a windsurfing board? I have this vague memory as a three-year-old sailing with the then owner of the windsurfing school yes!What was the first windsurfing board you ever owned? I had the F2 AIR 85LHow many years have you been on the PWA tour? Ive done the full tour since 2006. After counting on my hands, this year should be my 20th year on tour. Thats hard to wrap my mind around.First PWA event you won? Fuerteventura 2006 FreestyleHave you always been competitive? I guess so! I did a lot of sports as a kid. And I remember competing in all of them at least once. Running, tennis, gymnastics, karate, even horseback riding! But competitive swimming really became my thing for a long time before windsurfing took over.Car or van you own / and dream car or van? I know very little about cars. Honestly, Im happy with whatever gets me from A to B and as long as I have space for my gear and a good sound system.I own a Nissan Frontier NP300. And dream car could be a HILUX or one of those pick-ups in Maui with big wheels. In Europe I would love to have a van like the slalom guys do!Favourite movie? I guess I liked Pirates of the Caribbean as a kid.I actually dont have the patience to watch movies.Windsurfing hero? From the start its been the Bonaire boys, and Kiri in particular. I guess he still is my hero! Over the years Ive gained a lot of admiration for many riders on tour. I love to see the hard work everyone puts into their craft. Its inspiring.How many years have you been with Starboard and why have you stuck with the brand? Ive been with Starboard since 2005 I would say. It was a dream to become part of the team, and the cooperation has just been really good. Their support allowed me to develop myself across disciplines and having such good boards under my feet I could really trust my gear and push myself on the water.Favourite windsurfing destination? Cape Town and Australia. I love these places for the windsurfing spots, but also the outdoor life and the variety of activities to do there.Favourite move? Push loop, Shaka and Culo are the favourites.Apple or PC? Apple!Tea or coffee? Both. When I overdosed on coffee, I switch to tea.Do you ever get depressed and why? Im quite emotional in general and I have several dips during the year for sure! It varies between an existential crisis somewhere in the middle of the off season. Or having after competition dips where I lose a bit of meaning, because all of a sudden there is no more pressure to perform. And usually somewhere in the middle of the season if Ive been travelling for a bit too long, I get homesick and I just need to travel home and re-charge.What are your visions for windsurfing in the future? Windsurfing is such an amazing sport, and Ive had the greatest experiences because of it. It would be amazing to unite all the different associations and have a stronger structure where theres a clearer path to go from beginner to pro and pursue a career in windsurfing.Do you remember your first day on the PWA world tourtell us about it? I remember my first event in Bonaire when I was 12. It was cool to see the pros and compete against them. I remember begging the head judge to not run another elimination that day so that I could go and train before competing again. As if I was going to learn a new move in an hour and perform it in a heat ha ha.What sailor has had the greatest impact on you? Right at the start the Bonaire boys as a gang. Taty, Tonky, Kiri, Choko and Bjorn. Later on, it was a couple of guys in the Netherlands that were responsible for getting me into wave sailing while I was studying (They basically bullied me for freestyling too much).What was the happiest day of your windsurfing career so far? Competition wise I was so stoked to win the Aloha Classic for the first time in 2016. I lost out early in the single elimination and then came back winning 6 or 7 heats in the double. And then my first wave title in 2019. That was pretty awesome. Hookipa is the opposite of where Im from and what I started out with. So, Im proud of those achievements. But the memories that stay with me the most are usually some evening sessions in the Canaries: Pozo, Fuerte, Tenerife right before a contest where everything comes together and Im out there sailing with friends and having a blast while the sun is setting. Those evening sessions feel magical and make me feel extremely happy and grateful to be out there.What was the worst day of your windsurfing career so far? I was leading the slalom contest in Denmark (2017) and in the last race I could win the title with one event to spare. I won my qualifying round but learned at the finish line that everyone in that race skipped a buoy (I still think it was a massive wind shift, and we should have re-run that race) so I was disqualified and couldnt race the final. Delphine made it to the final, but she had to win it to take the event and take the title race to the last event in New Cal. The disappointment was huge, and I cried my way back to the beach. Watching that race was heart-breaking as she burst into the lead, and I couldnt do anything about it. And then she dropped her jibe. So, I still won the event!And the world title. I was distraught when I made the mistake, but I was a trainwreck when I realized I won anyway haha. I was exhausted from competing and travelling so I was skipping the last event. Two months later in Brazil I get an e-mail saying that there was a mistake while calculating and I would have to go to New Caledonia and finish at least top 4 if I wanted to win the title. It took a lot mentally and logistically to re-set and go back to get that title.In the end I finished 2nd in New Caledonia and it was all good fun and I was glad I was there. So, to answer the question I think the hangover after that event in New Caledonia must have been by far my worst experience in my windsurfing career so far.Do you get a lot of satisfaction out of teaching people to improve their windsurfing? Yes, I do! I enjoy it more than I think every time. I love teaching kids and giving them their first windsurf experience. But also, during the clinics with more advanced riders its so cool to see how small tips make a huge difference in their riding.Do you ever get sick of travel, all the airport check ins and dragging gear around? Yes, I dread travelling with my gear more and more. Even though I know the drill, I get pretty stressed for check ins now. Travelling together makes everything better though. Its when I travel alone that I get really stressed.Why do you love windsurfing? The freedom feeling when Im on the water. The fact that I always have something to learn. The challenge and fun is never ending.What is your biggest fear? Hmm I have this sense that Im running out of time and the idea that as I get older that Ill slowly be able to do less and less. Because I get so much joy from pushing my body to the highest level. I really wonder how to deal with that later on.Are you much of a business person or are you easy going when negotiating contracts etc? Ive become better at it, but in general quite easy going I would say.How many minutes a day do you spend on your phone scrolling or on calls? I spend a significant amount of time sending and receiving voice notes! I also have some horrible scrolling periods also I dont dare to say how many minutes!If you did not get involved in the windsurfing industry, what do you think you would have done in life? You know.. its like this windsurfing path was laid out for me at such a young age. I enrolled when I was 12. I feel like there was never a moment where I considered or had to consider doing something else. Even when I studied in the Netherlands I never really considered studying in that field because I was already windsurfing full time. Its hard for me to answer.If you could have dinner with any famous people from history, who would they be? Famous people Id like to meet now is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Trevor Noah. From history Celia Cruz and Harry BelafonteWhat three words would you use to describe yourself? Easy going, chaotic but determined.Do you ever go out on freeride gear just for a blast? I consider my slalom gear my freeride gear. And I love it every time I get that speed feeling.What would you do if you won ten million dollars? Wow! Id invest it in a property, organize a dream trip with friends to a cool place, Id buy a sailing boat and give some to charity!Do you ever feel guilty winning so much towards the other girls? I put in the hours on the water in all disciplines. Try to catch me if you can J I wont go down without a fight ha-ha-ha.Favourite board and sail combo you use the most? The NeilPryde 4.8 Wizard and Starboard 93L Ignite for freestyle and my NeilPryde 4.5m and Starboard 82L for waves.Do you ever get stressed? Yes, but I feel like Im quite good at managing stress. I need some pressure to perform anyway. No matter what I do.Dream windsurfing trip? Cabo Verde with Swell this time.If you could change one thing in your past, what might that be? Maybe appreciate the fact that I could travel at such young age. I dont think I realized what an awesome opportunity it was. Now I try to take everything in much more.What achievement are you most proud of? Building my own house recently. I cant believe I have my own place now.Whats the one thing about you few people know? I get goosebumps when things are too perfect or too colour coordinated. I like to happily mismatch clothing or mix things up. Just enough so that its not matching perfectly.I also am extremely scared to get on rides in amusement parks. Get me outta there!How many hours do you hit the water on a typical day? When Im home, about 2-2.5 hours. When Im on a trip 3 to 4 hours.What are your plans after you finish competitive windsurfing? Send some suggestions my way! Im struggling to figure this one out.We hear you are getting into photographytell us about your new passion and why you like it? Last year I had to get some photos done and I couldnt find a photographer and I got annoyed that I was always relying on others for good footage and photos and I didnt know exactly how my camera worked apart from automatic mode so I decided to understand it better. I went full geek mode watching tutorials etc. And one windless week in Pozo I just went out every day to take a photo of the day. Soon I was taking it everywhere to capture The adventure of the day. And was learning a little bit every day. I love editing the photos and tell the story of the day. I always had a pocket camera with me back in the day so Im happy to be back at it now. I bought a water housing too and its SO much fun to be in the water in the middle of the action. Ive been stalking JC a bit for some tips. I feel like it gives me a different perspective of the surroundings Im in and I have some nice memories afterwards to relive. Its a fun hobby I want to get better at. Right now, Im excited about timelapses!What is the wildest thing you have ever done? Get on a private jet with Martin Garrix to watch his show in Bolivia and Peru and be back in Aruba all within 48 hours. Ridiculous.If you found a 100 Euro note in the supermarketwould you hand it in or put it in your pocket? Ill put that one in my pocket and probably spend it on a nice dinner or activity with a friend.Do you believe in God? I feel a bit agnostic.Would you pick up a hitchhiker? I did recently! In Aruba thats pretty normal. Maybe not in bigger countries?What is your top tip for the perfect push loop? I have to give credit where its due! I think Adam Lewis is one of the best guys do get tips from.The top tip is: When youre about to hit the highest point of your jump, you pull your front hand to your chest (But you dont sheet out with your back hand) and you whip your head back. Thats it. One of the coolest moves out there!!The post THE BIG FIFTY! SARAH QUITA OFFRINGA appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

THE SEARCH FOR THE LONGEST WAVE: LUCAS MELDRUMTHE SEARCH FOR THE LONGEST WAVE: LUCAS MELDRUMThe Search for the Longest Wave: Lucas MeldrumAfter the WWT / PWA competition concluded in Chile, Lucas Meldrum teamed up with Victor Fernandez, Finn Mellon, and Nial Mellon for a road trip in pursuit of some of Chiles infamous long waves. Join them as they journey south along the dusty backroads, chasing perfect conditions and unforgettable wave sailing sessions in some of the countrys most epic windsurfing spots.LUCAS MELDRUM: After the PWA / WWT World Cup in Matanzas we headed south of in search for some perfect peeling waves!The post THE SEARCH FOR THE LONGEST WAVE: LUCAS MELDRUM appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.