Becarefull what you wish for, we asked for wind and got in abundance in #Rhosneigr, had an amazing day. Though is I learnt anything its never take it easy. Being my first day back in real waves since I did my achilies, though I should take it easy onthe jumping, sitting here with my wrist all puffed up I shouldn’t have bothered, go hard all the time, if its going to happen it going to happen anyway …. guess there’s always a plus side, got some shots of everyone else.
Test Editor Tris Best // Second Testers Maurin Rottenwalter, Joe North Photos Nick George // Test Location Southwest England
The ‘stubby’ wave board …does it represent a new era in wave board design, or yet another wonderful fad, feeding off (amongst other things…) the frenzied buzz surrounding vanguard surfboard design? We asked the OTC test team to get hold of them as quickly as possible and put them through their paces.
This test was originally published in the October 2015 issue.
Let’s call it what it is – the concept of making the boards short and squat is nothing new in our sport. Prior to the three models on test here hitting the scene, there have been several past designs worthy of note that have been the forbearers of the same virtues. Back in 2004 Naish brought out the Hybrid Wave (214cm / 59cm / 85L) having dabbled in the stubby concept in the speed / slalom discipline with their 89L Hybrid. Robby Naish was the advocate of the project back then, claiming that the inspiration came from his new found love of kitesurfing (we’ll forgive him; he is the King after all!). The fact that you feel so close and connected to the water with so little in front of you led them to experiment with dramatically shortened board lengths. The truth is that the Hybrid Wave was met with mixed reviews. Back then, a length of 214cm felt like a long step away from convention. The board had little stability off the plane (both weight carrying and directional), was difficult to unstick from the water … and even when it was going it wasn’t particularly fast, so struggled to keep up with fast waves or make tight sections unless fully powered. Don’t get us wrong – it was a very bold attempt and Naish should have praise heaped upon them for being visionaries, but for most it was a step too far in an already niche sector of the market.
Fast-forward ten years and wave board design has moved on massively since the introduction of the Hybrid Wave. The accepted design of a conventional wave board has become shorter, wider and thinner. It has been a very steady gradual process of iterative developments over the decade, initiated by Starboard with their Wave Fish, but really exposed and championed with the Evo 74 in 2004.
March on a few years from the Evo, and whilst countless theories have come and gone (and will surely come again!) about deck, rail and bottom shape, probably the single largest revolution in wave board design over the years has been the introduction of multi-fin set-ups. Influenced by prominent characters with distinctive riding styles such as Kauli Seadi, the twinzer exploded onto the scene, followed by the quad, the trailer fin and of course the thruster. In fact, I stand to be corrected, but if you look at every brand’s 2016 wave board line-up there is not a single fin board in sight…
So with all these changes happening since the first board shorter than 220cm, perhaps it was worth another look? Step up the Starboard Black Box in 2013, the Simmer Frugal in 2014 … and here we are in 2016 with many brands at it. Their return has been met with mixed views, even visible emotions. When I first saw signs of the 2016 boards on social media earlier this year, the author of the post posed the same question as the title of this article. What I don’t think he anticipated was the torrent of abuse he copped as a result! Amongst the many replies he received to his ‘stop-press’ posting (many of which can’t be repeated here) there was a message from a dedicated wave-head that I know that feels very strongly about his craft, and will go to great lengths and travel many miles for that “golden session”. His reply was the shortest it could be, but to the point. It simply read …“NO!”
If anything can be gleaned from the remarks from the first sightings, it is this: that the wave sailor is one passionate beast! And much like the discipline itself, it is a question of taste and style. How you interpret the wave – where you lay your path down to the foot of the curve; how tight you turn and vertical you aim back at the lip; and how you project back off as you hit the lip – do you throw the tail, gouge and throw spray or push for an aerial? It all rests with this question of style. Some are more open to change and experimentation, but others are more set in their ways. They know what they like … and like what they know. So if they don’t like the look of something; if it challenges convention, they are not likely to accept it easily. But then again, one thing is for certain – opinions soften over time. And if this new generation of stubby wave board performs … even becomes a more common sight around our shores in the future … opinions may well change.
FINDINGS
So onto the million-dollar question – how do they compare to ‘conventional’ designs? Well, let’s go through some features common amongst these three boards. Firstly, when using any of them, your stance is placed further back on the board, with the back strap right over the top of the fin(s). On the plus side it gives the rider instant response and you can really sense the grip provided. It also means with your weight further back, you don’t dig the nose in during the cutback. The downside to being so far back over the fins is that the stubby board is incredibly sensitive to its fin set-up. Literally half a centimetre can make all the difference to the feel, early planing and response given by the board. Fins have always been critical to performance, but in this style of board we believe it has become even more so. And as for the tow-in of the fins, we think there will be lots of development and discussion about this in the future.
Secondly, the shorter length and more importantly rail length, enables all the boards to carve and fit into tighter wave pockets and sections. Get the balance right on your feet and you’re rewarded with a carve that is so mouth-wateringly smooth and compact that you’ll be left wondering when you suddenly learnt how to sail like a world champion! The downside is that because they need to retain volume somewhere, they all have large noses! A pretty obvious statement I grant you, but something worthy of note. Because, much like the original specialist freestyle boards that appeared back at the turn of the century, these noses are red-hot targets for the front of the boom in the event of a sudden catapult. Sounds silly, but get caught unaware by a sudden gust and you’ll be heading to the board repairers before you know it! You have been warned.
SUMMARY
No need to be verbose about the merits of these boards here. Wave sailing is THE most aspirational discipline of our sport, yet also probably one of, if not the, most niche. Realistically, how many regular wave hunters can afford having two, let alone three, wave boards in their quiver? If any concept is going to take off it has to have wide user appeal … otherwise it will be a non-starter. Providing a chink in the armour to the argument for the stubby, we know that several other brands, such as RRD tried their own versions, but decided against releasing their own on the basis of its ‘all-round’ appeal, using their knowledge of the concept to reach a compromise instead (see the Wave Cult V6 test elsewhere in this issue). And yet … having tested these designs in everything from onshore to cross-offshore conditions, we are pleased to be able to write that we believe 2016 is the year that the stubby concept has come of age.
The Starboard Reactor is the most specialist tool here. It is simply incredible on a wave face, the feeling and drive you get through the rails and fins will add a new dimension to anyone’s riding. The JP has a wider user appeal, being fast and lively and able to tank upwind when powered. It is engaging to sail and will definitely benefit from the user experimenting with the fin / footstrap set up to get the best for their weight and riding style, but it has real world practicality and lays bare the advantages of the modern stubby for all to see. That leaves the Fanatic. In this group it is undoubtedly the most user friendly, with real ‘plug and play’ ease that will surprise most riders that step onto it for the first time. Stable at rest as well as directionally, it gets going early, punches upwind effortlessly and above all is quick. In the turn it has a different feel to a conventional board and will take some dabbling with fin placement to really find what works for you, but with a long waterline through the turn it locks the rail in securely, meaning you can be confident you’ll get to the lip every time.
TEST LOCATION This test was conducted around the UK shores at more than 6 wave sailing locations. UK conditions can certainly be unpredictable at times, yet with a good summer of wind, we had time to test the boards and sails at a variety of locations and in a mixture of conditions, from cross-onshore to firing cross-off.
Yes don’t panic but it’s nearly ding dong merrily on high time and Santa needs some help in filling your quiver bag otherwise you’re going to end up with more socks and Terry’s chocolate oranges than your local Debenhams. All we windsurfers really want for Christmas is some wind, and I don’t mean from Nan’s brussel sprouts, but anything else in our splendid seasonal guide would be good too…along with a nice force 5/6!
1.Aquapac TrailProof™ Waist Pack
New from waterproof bag specialist Aquapac is the Waist Pack – the perfect gift for windsurfers say Aquapac. ‘’The Waist Pack is, as the name suggests, ideal for keeping valuables such as phones, wallets, keys, medicines etc safe and secure around your waist so you can have fun in and around water, worry-free. The all-welded construction means no sewing holes so no leaks.’’ Available in two vibrant colours – green and blue.
“Clothing for those that do…” is Procella’s motto, offering a rich alternative to high street fashion. “Unique designs for those who have a love of watersports. The perfect present to add to your Christmas list, or stocking filler for a fellow waterbaby. Our products are made from 100% premium combed organic cotton, printed/embroidered in England using water based inks. Orders are beautifully hand packed in a recycled brown paper bag”.
A collection of high quality awe-inspiring images from the best windsurfing photographer in the world, John Carter, all shot on location at the world’s best windsurfing locations. The 2016 Windsurf Calendar – give your wall a treat or the perfect gift for the windsurfer in your life.
Calendar Specifics: Size: A3 (297mm x 420mm). Locations: Cornwall & IOW – UK, Maui – USA, Margaret River – Australia, Essourira – Morocco, Tarifa – Spain and West Coast of Ireland.
The legendary Windsurfing book, Tricktionary, has a new 2016 edition coming! “With 150 pages more and completely reworked, the new Tricktionary 3 will be strongly connected to the latest in online coaching, the TrickGenius platform. The best gift for a windsurfer? Pre-order a Tricktionary 3, add some free TrickGenius access on a cool gift card and to give away the real deal, get a Tricktionary DVD Box along with it!” For pricing, see their website.
Subscribe to the world’s number one windsurf magazine for the best features, test reports and technique articles all delivered to your door ten times a year. Digital version also available for tablet, mobile and desktop users. This may sound biased, that’s because it is, but we think this is one of the best presents you can buy a windsurfer, non-windsurfer or friend of a windsurfer or non-windsurfer! For pricing options, look up our link below.
Those Italian stallions, RRD, tell us they have been busy knitting Santa a new jumpsuit and carbon fibre sled with quad fins. Meanwhile back in the real world of RRD research and christmas present development, RRD have the perfect gift, the EQ3, a high-end windsurf specific harness built for power and comfort. Pre-shaped moulded EVA, fibre glass battens inside, spreader protector, key pocket, quick release closure, spreader downhaul, neoprene edges and grip print.
ION Neo Shelter jackets are a gift to guarantee a cosy Christmas on the beach. As used by the riders and crew in the Red Bull Storm Chase, they come with an ergonomic shaped hood with elasticated draw-cord adjuster, diagonally slanted front zip for a centred harness hole position, two comfy hand pockets for warmth with a Key Loop for key storage, elasticated drawstring on the hem and velcro closures for wrist adjustment.
Mystic are back for this winter with an all new line up of jackets. The Outdoor Jacket is a water resistant puffa style with a slim athletic fit, perfect for winter wind protection. With an adjustable hood and bottom, the jacket will suit every body shape, and with the Black or Winter Blue colourway you will be looking fresh whilst keeping warm! Get ready for the warmest winter ever!
Flymount have just announced the launch of their 4th generation camera mount, due for release this winter. The new version is stronger, and weighs even less than before (143g). The weight saving is down to a new Nylon part that copes better with grit and sand. There’s some serious beefing up around the hinge area too, and a stronger bond between the jaws and the urethane liners. British made to last a lifetime.
Here’s a great present and it can even get down the chimney as it’s available as an inflatable! Consisting of an 11’6’’x30” Zen (the all-round inflatable WindSUP with Rail Edge technology for a new inflatable planing sensation), a WindSUP Compact 5.5 rig with 4 piece mast and 3 piece boom, 3 piece Enduro Tiki-Tech paddle and high aspect pump. Easily assembled and disassembled in seconds and fits into a car or Santa’s sack.
Shaun Cook has made quite a splash in his first season of racing in the BSA. The co-owner of F-Hot fins was pushed into his first ever slalom event at Harwich this year by Dave White and currently leads the amateur rankings using RRD freerace equipment. Amped and hungry for more competition we caught up with Shaun to learn more about his new found passion and talent for racing and experiences as a first timer on the BSA slalom circuit.
Words & Photos Dave White
WS – How long have you been windsurfing and where did you learn? SC – I have been windsurfing since I was 12 years old and was taught by my dad Steve Cook and of course Whitey. They taught themselves to windsurf back in the day so sent me to Alton Water to learn the basics; that’s all it took to get hooked. The next day I beach-started and was water-starting by the end of the week. After that I was one of the crew; good job as at a tender age of twelve I needed a lift to the beach. Those days seem like an eternity ago now, though it’s been a fantastic twenty two years on the water!
WS – What sort of gear have you mostly been riding? SC – That’s changed over the years, firstly it was F2 / Arrows, then Gaastra / Tabou and now it’s all RRD. Guess you can see a pattern emerging, Whitey’s always had a van full of kit and he was never using what I needed due to our difference in size, pretty handy really! Up until a few weeks ago the biggest board I’d been on was a 100l and that was just to pose in front of the camera, which is exactly how I ended up on a Firemove 112 and X-Tra 6.5!
WS – What made you switch over to slalom? SC – Not too sure really, I’d taken up kitesurfing for the light wind days just to be on the water, at least that’s how it started out. The last few years I’ve only windsurfed when it was too windy for kitesurfing. Big kit felt clumsy and slow to me, so I was surprised when I tried the 6.5, it was like being bitten by the windsurfing bug all over again. Guess it was just good timing as the BSA were coming to Harwich and Whitey gave me a push into entering. I didn’t think it was for me but with my arm well and truly twisted I went and couldn’t believe how much fun it was.
WS – How easy is it to rock up and join a BSA racing event? SC – Making the decision to go racing was harder than the realities of signing up. Simply turn up and ask for Brian; he’s easy to spot, he’s the one with the wig on. Strangely that helps as you suddenly realize it is not that serious.You enter your details onto the form, pay a little cash and hay presto, you’re not only in but you’ve got windsurf insurance.
There’s three options, well two actually, the Pro fleet naturally took itself out of the equation, Master Blaster or Am’s Slalom. I was opting for the former but that twist in my arm was still there making the decisions (blooming Whitey!), so off I went to the riders briefing. There we had a quick introduction for the day’s event and newcomers were offered an explanation to the starting procedure and it was reassuring that I wasn’t alone; there were a few other first timers also going through the ropes.
“ Having a start and finish line just heightens the enjoyment of windsurfing, racing is a great laugh both on and off the water ”
WS – What sails, boards and masts did you need? SC – I guess not everyone entering their first ever event will have a personal caddy and a trailer full to the brim with everything from wave to race kit. Yes, it was a role reversal, Whitey was my caddy for the weekend and like every good caddy he was pointing out the best options for the day; right where’s my X-Fire. Apparently not, he pulled out a Firemove and said, ‘sail what you know, not what you can’. That didn’t make sense at first but getting round the course in comfort gained me more places than speed would have done. Outside of your normal windsurfing kit, you’ll need a start watch; nothing complicated but anything that’ll do a three-minute countdown.
WS – How much did it cost? SC – I entered the Amateur fleet, and it cost about £55 to enter. As I was a new member I think I will earn a 20% discount off my next event. I also joined the UKWA which gives you insurance for the year; this set me back about £45 but I think it is well worth it to be covered.
WS – What is the atmosphere like between the racers in your fleet? SC – The atmosphere amongst the amateurs was awesome, even though I was a newbie everyone seemed to be friendly and were willing to help each other out (well until they get on the water
that is anyway!).
WS – What did you learn from your first two events on and off the race course? SC – Listen to the flag briefing, I was so fixed on the starting sequence I didn’t recognize the abandoned flag as the boat raced past me. The wind had dropped to below racing conditions but I was so amped I continued to cross the line in first place but then to find everyone was waiting at the start for the wind and myself to arrive. To date my most frustrating mistake was at Worthing; this time I really was out in front but mixed up the finishing marks. Simply put, it doesn’t matter how far ahead you are, if you don’t cross the finishing line you just haven’t finished. So learn about flags, race sequences and the rules, there aren’t too many and everything you need to know is online; it’ll take a little heat out of your first competition. Once you’ve signed up, check the heat order and which heats you’ll be in, if you can identify a seasoned regular in your heat, keep an eye on what he’s up to.Though the most important tip of all is, go and
enjoy yourself!
WS – Do the pros help out with any advice or race tips for you? SC – It’s probably a question I can’t answer fairly, I’ve not only got Whitey but most of the Pro’s use F-Hot fins which I run with my father Steve. And yes, I know it might seem odd that we make some of the best fins in the world and I haven’t used them, but as Dad says, you don’t see the designers driving the Formula1 cars. That said, I’d still say yes, the beach is just a mix of Pro’s, Am’s and Masterblasters, everyone mixes in and the spirit and atmosphere is pretty relaxed.
WS – Are you hoping to move up to the pro fleet? SC – I will see how I fair in the Amateur fleet this season, but Whitey’s already saying we’re doing the Pro’s next year, and yes, I think that means the both of us! Actually it’s more than that, but I better not give his plans away, let’s just say I think there will be quite a few of us going for it next year.
WS – Would you recommend any other wannabe racers to come join in some of the other races? SC – I would highly recommend any windsurfers that fancy a race to join in, actually, even if you just like blasting with your mates you’re already half way there. Having a start and finish line just heightens the enjoyment of windsurfing, racing is a great laugh both on and off the water and it really helps brush
up your skills as a sailor.
Zara Davis is the holder of two WSSRC world speed sailing records, the 500m for windsurfing and the outright Nautical Mile; in other words she is officially the fastest female windsurfer on the planet! Her speed exploits have earned her a place in the Guinness book of records and she has been ISWC European Speed champion a record 4 times. Believe it or not, Zara is not a full time sailor she holds down a full time job as an Osteopath and runs a busy health center in Portishead near Bristol. JC caught up with the Queen of speed to find out more about her gift for sailing fast.
Words & Photos JOHN CARTER
(This feature originally appeared in the September 2015 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
JC: How did you catch the speed bug?
ZD: I think speed is in my genes. My dad was a rally driver and I was just born into the world around people that like going fast. Even when I was a beginner, all I wanted to do was catch the guy in front of me. I just love going fast in a straight line!
JC: When was your first ever taste of windsurfing?
ZD: I learned way back in 1979 while on holiday in France. When we returned home we bought a BIC DuFour Wing which was the board of the time, it had one of those big solid booms and a triangular sail. I sailed for a couple of years before I became ill with serious glandular fever. I had to stop all sports for quite a while and never got back into it until I was 28, after I had passed a couple of degrees and started work in Milton Keynes. I started sailing at Brogborough Lake, near Bedford where I met my husband Pete. I did not know anybody when I first moved there so I joined the club to help meet people. Windsurfing had moved on quite a bit since my first sessions in France.
JC: Were you straight into speed back at the lake?
ZD: Pretty much! I was never very good at turning the corners and I am still not (laughs). The great thing about speed is that it is so accessible. In the early nineties, speed was quite popular. They had events at West Kirby and Weymouth with speed guns and there were quite a lot of those events happening. You could roll up, pay a tenner and have a go on the speed course; it was great fun. It was low level competition, you did not need to be able to do anything aside from be in the foot straps, harness and go in a straight line. That is really where it all started!
JC: Have you ever been a full time pro or have you always had a day job?
ZD: No! Definitely not no! I run a medical clinic, I am an osteopath and I have always worked. Until recently I worked full time but now I only see patients three days a week. We live in a very tidal location on the Bristol Channel so I don’t get to windsurf as much as I would like to. If I can squeeze forty good days in a year I am pretty happy. Most of the girls I compete against on the world circuit are sailing three hundred days a year. That is a massive difference.
JC: When did you first start becoming serious with speed?
ZD: My first major event was 2005, Pete wanted to do Sotevento, it was ‘the’ place at the time. That is where the records were being set and it just happened they were offering half price entries for women. There were about fifteen women in the fleet, it was a world championship and I ended up fifth. So I was delighted to do so well and thought maybe I have a talent for speed! The girls that beat me were Karin, Valerie and Alison Shreeve. They were the best in the world. In 2006 I headed out to Warvis Bay in South Africa to have a go at the mile record. I broke the record and that really triggered me off to get more serious. Valerie was there, I broke her record from the previous year and the story goes on from there!
JC: So when did you head out to Luderitz?
ZD: We had tried to do a 500 meter record attempt in Warvis Bay in 2006 and then I had a bad accident in 2007. I fractured my left foot and had to have a couple of operations. I missed the record attempts in the Canal in France because of the injury, that was the year Antoine did 49.09. I was desperately sad to have missed that. It was also the year of Driven by Wind, with Whitey at the Ray so I missed out on that as well. In 2010 I broke the women’s production record at Luderitz on my Mistral 47 but the trench they made was not the best. They had put all the sand that they dug from the canal on the wrong side and it meant there was no wind in the bottom half of your sail when you were blasting down and hitting it at forty knots. By 2012 they had dug the canal inland and that is where Antoine and I both broke the world record. The trench still was not perfect, it could certainly be better. But either way it was an amazing opportunity. I did a 45.83 run and that record still stands!
JC: So how was that particular run?
ZD: It was really weird. We were all getting quicker all day. It was probably about 3pm in the afternoon. All the times were building. After I broke the record I decided stupidly to change down sail because it was getting windier. I was on a 5.5m at that point and it was blowing about 45 knots. I thought maybe I would go even faster with a 5m and I made it to the end of the course and just when I put my feet down, the board flicked up and whacked me on the front of my shin. Somehow it managed to chunk off a piece on the front of my shin. I had to go to hospital and have that stitched. In the next two hours everybody went two knots faster while I was in hospital. It was quite gutting. It was awesome that I had broken the record but being that everybody improved their speed that afternoon I know I could have also improved my time. It was disappointing that I could not have taken that opportunity. Hey, I still hold that record so it was still a good day!
JC: Was that particular run scary or did you enjoy it?
ZD: It was not scary, if you go down the canal and you are scared you should not be there! It is too dangerous! I knew that my kit was working and the Sontag asymmetric fin was also perfect. Each day records are broken your speeds build through the day. You don’t just get in the canal and do 45 knots on your first run! You can start at 12pm and do a 39 knot run and gradually you pick up as each run happens. You almost don’t notice that you have picked up an extra five knots or so later in the day. I knew I had nailed a decent run, the best runs are when everything goes quiet and it feels easy! It was just one of those runs. I was on my 5.5m Simmer SER and a Mistral 41 and my Sontag 20 inch asymmetric fin.
JC: What is the key to nailing the perfect run?
ZD: It is really difficult to know exactly the secret to the technique. I am not a very geeky sailor. I don’t spend hours priming my gear, I rig it, get on it and sail it! I think I am quite a natural sailor from my point of view. You need to be a bit bold, you need to maybe have a screw loose. You need to be focused to where you are headed for. It does not take long to do it. The whole thing is over in twenty seconds. That is a very short period of time. I guess it is like running the Olympic 100 meters final. You have to be 100% in the zone. I think the key is having that ability to absolutely concentrate for that bit of time and know that your gear will get you there.
JC: What do you think set you aside from the other women that day?
ZD: I think I have a physical advantage in the sense that I am taller, bigger and longer levered. I am not saying that is the only aspect, Antoine is not the tallest for instance. He might be the strongest, he possibly is but he is certainly not taller than the others. Jürgen was there, Anders was there, what is he 6’4 or 6’5?; so there were taller guys there. I think there is just something in his technique and ability that enables him to go faster than anyone else down the canal. I think the Mistral 41 holds more than half the records in the canal. So I think there is certain evidence that the 41 was a particularly great design by Chris Lockwood.
JC: When you are at home do you ever go chasing big speed days when the forecast is on?
ZD: God yeah! Again because I work it always seems to be windy when I have bookings. My work is not at all flexible. A month in advance is fine but I have patients that are booked in. If I see on Monday that it is going to be windy on Wednesday; bad luck! There is absolutely nothing I can do about it. West Kirby is a long way away. It is a three and a half hour drive for us. I can’t just pop up for an hour, pop back and then see patients! So it always seems to be windy on the only days I can’t move anything. Monday and Fridays are paperwork days so I can shift those around at least! Kirby is the place to go in Britain and my last decent session was way back in January! The Ray also has potential but it is equally far away. I don’t know that place so well so it is much harder for me to just turn up. Whitey is always raving about it. The nice thing about Kirby is that you rig up in the car park next to the water, do the run, walk back up the wall and you are done. It is simple speed sailing! Also practice for Luderitz is amazing because it is very similar to how you take the corner and enter the course. That bend into the wall is a very similar physiological barrier. You have to be able to go at forty knots round a corner!
JC: Do you think Pro-am speed events like the Dunkerbeck Challenge are helping attract more people into the sport?
ZD: For sure!, at this event we have little kids and some very talented older youths racing together. The kids are doing 17 knots while some of the older youths are doing 34, isn’t that fab! They can windsurf, they can get in the harness, straps and sail between buoy A and buoy B. They have a result and they have competed next to some of their idols and legends of the sport. This is a fantastic way to inspire the younger generation to start competing.
The harder thing from the women’s point of view is that most women are not naturally competitive so they simply don’t want to compete like that. But the nice thing about speed is that you are not necessarily competing against the others. Out there on the course you have no idea what speeds anyone else is clocking up. It’s not like slalom sailing with eight people at the buoy screaming at each other. You go down the run on your own, you do your own thing and end up with your own set of results according to the conditions. People ask me if I am competitive, I am not really like that against others, I just want to be the best I can be. That usually means winning! If I do the best I can be, usually I do win! All of us can have a go at that and challenge yourself! Speed gives you that. The other disciplines are more fraught with danger and that is what women don’t like. I think women should speed sail actually. I think they see it as a big, heavy man’s sport while the reality is that it’s a great sport for women. It is fab what Bjorn has done and that is why I am here! I love the idea that everybody is here from all different levels. There was one guy here who had never rigged a sail before because he always rents from centres! He will be out there on the course with the likes of Bjorn! Where can you do that in any other sport. That is such an amazing opportunity alone. I would recommend this event to anybody. It is warm, sunny, windy, pretty flat and relatively easy. Nobody is expecting this guy to beat Bjorn but he is sailing with Bjorn and he will probably go the fastest he has ever been. That is what it is about; doing your own personal best!
JC: How would you feel if your record is beaten?
ZD: Records are there to be broken aren’t they? My mile record was set in 2006 but now there is a girl called Hanna White who is setting herself up with a boat called Speedbird to break my mile record. That is quite exciting. She is sponsored by Landrover, has a team together and is trying to beat my record. If she does it, I would have held it for ten years so I am happy with that. I am proud that I have done it and the nice thing about records is that your name will be in the book forever. It would be nice to have another go at the 500 metre record. I feel that there is slight unfinished business in Luderitz because of that injury the day I broke the record. I had that window of opportunity that I could have gone to maybe 47 or 48 knots. Maybe I should go back and have one last stab at it. I am getting older and if you have that sort of crash at 55 miles per hour with little protective gear on, it can be pretty lethal. Maybe I’ll feel differently if somebody breaks it, who knows! 50 knots for a women is certainly possible; I think it would be tough. I still think there is a possibility that I could get there given the right day and the right location. If I had done the 47 or 48 that day I would be pushing now for the fifty because that would be my next big hurdle. Right now I am four knots off and that is a hell of a chunk to improve on at that speed. In women’s windsurfing there are some fantastic younger girls coming along and sooner or later one of them will go that fast!
JC: Is Luderitz the only place where the records can be broken?
ZD: I don’t think so, what we have established is that in order to beat the record what we need is absolutely flat water. If we could find a better canal in an easier location for everybody to get to that would be the answer. The South of France or maybe some places in Holland might be the ones. I think you need to build two or three canals at slightly different angles! We are not talking a huge amount of money to dig a hole. I know it is a kilometre long hole but it does not strike me as that expensive, but you need a big sponsor to put that effort in. I think there are guys looking into this right now, yes you will have to wait for a forecast, but I think there will be more opportunities to go quicker.
Ezzy & RRD Rider, Carl Tomlinson, recounts his recent trip to Western Australia and a handy guide to windsurfing in Geraldton.
”After several trips to Cape Town during our winter time, I’d wanted to try something else, last year we decided to spend 4 weeks in New Zealand, this year I had 3 weeks leave and we decided to go to Australia. You can windsurf all round Australia but the main and most popular spots for travelling windsurfers are without doubt in Western Australia. On 2 previous trips, 15 years ago, I had largely spent surfing and wave sailing around Margaret River which is 300km south of Perth. The waves here are famously big and powerful but the wind is not as reliable. North of Perth there are several spots, the best known of which are Lancelin about 160km drive from Perth, Geraldton, 450km and then Gnarloo about 920km. Then there is also Esperance on the South Coast a mere 725km from Perth. I’d never been further north than Lancelin and was keen to go as I’d heard lots of stories about sailors spending months at a time sailing every day in conditions not too dissimilar from what we get at my local spot of Rhosneigr during the day and then switching in the late afternoon for some cross off wave riding; sounded perfect!
The main and most popular spot is Coronation beach which is about 30mins drive North from the nearest town, Geraldton, both affectionately known in Ozzy slang as Coro and Gero. Coro is also a camp site, but don’t expect to find running water and all mod cons, you have to bring everything with you including water for the shower! There’s a whole community of travelling windsurfers who shack up here for months at a time and have been coming for years. It makes for a very friendly atmosphere and I remember a German lady walking around offering everyone a small piece of Xmas cake on Xmas day, nice!
With only 3 weeks holiday and those being around the busy Xmas holiday, I decided it’d be best to head up to Gero and stay there for a couple of weeks and then we’d spend some quality time together around Perth doing some sightseeing and catching up with friends after Xmas. So I was banking on the forecast being good for those first two weeks. Just before getting on the plane I got a Facebook message from Mike showing a great forecast, 25kt wind with 2.5m swell for 3 days during the first week. After the week I’d just had at work it felt as if the planets were, at last, starting to line up for me!
The first 2 days the swell was small, making for small jumps on the sandbar. The next 3 days the waves increased in size and easily logo high on the sandbar and great for jumps. I was building on the backloop practice I’d be working on in Pozo earlier in the year. Coro is perfect for learning and practicing jumps, especially backies. You have a long run across the lagoon, where you can pick up speed whilst watching for a suitable ramp to launch from. It’s a bit like “Bernie the bolt” you keep adjusting course to line up with the perfect steep pocket to launch off. In reality other sailors can get in the way, or the wave closes out just before you get to it, or the wind drops and you lose speed…….but for the most part you get more jumps in per session than you would in a month at home. And because it’s 4.5 or 5.0m most of the time, it doesn’t get too scary.
During the second week, and after a couple of days of light winds and flat water, we were blessed even more great windsurfing as a 4m swell arrived with strong winds, this lasted 4 days and it was honestly windsurfing heaven for me. Warm and sunny, jumps on the way out, wave riding on the way in, great feel on the water and in the company of some outstanding sailors and for once I wasn’t the oldest sailor on the water! I remember Mike mentioning for me to bring small sails, I’m glad I did as I used my 3.7m twice and needed it.
Once the swell gets to 3m plus it’s also worth considering some of the local Gero breaks, Triton, Sunset and Swan are all close to each other and popular with locals. The waves break on sand bars between 100-400m just offshore and get to a nice size. The sailing isn’t as easy as Coro, as it’s gusty and light on the inside, but it’s well worth it as its less busy and I’d say the riding is slightly better. Great waves like in the pictures and just a handful of guys on the water, awesome!
After the great time at Gero & Coro I wasn’t expecting too much from the sailing in Perth and besides I’d promised Jane we do the touristy stuff. As it turned we headed south to a break called Avalon Beach near Mandurah about 90km south of Perth. Unlike Perth, where the spots which are sheltered from swell by outer reefs and Rottnest Island, it’s a pukka surf break with waves breaking on a reef and then wrapping onto a sandbar. Of course when the sea breeze kicks in it’s perfect side shore. I was fortunate to get a short session in with small waves and could see the great potential of this place when a proper swell is running.
All you need to know
Wind blows October to March, typically 13 days of every 20 sufficient for windsurfing, with the best winds November to February.
Cross on shore during the afternoon, then side/cross offshore in the late afternoon/early evening.
Sails, people were using 3.7 through to 6.0, I took Ezzy Taka2 5.0, 4.5, 4.1, 3.7 and used them all but mainly 5.0 and 4.5 is typical, but I’m only 72kg so don’t need a big rig.
Boards, a typical board would be 80l wave or 90l freestyle board, I took a RRD Wave Cult v6 74l. On balance this was the right board for my 73kg, but I could have been at home on my 82l.
Warm water and very warm air, most people wear a 2mm long sleeved summer suit, shortie or boardie’s and a thermal rash vest (2mm neoprene)
Sun is ferocious; you must wear sunscreen (50spf) and a hat if you are follically challenged like me!
Inner lagoon great for freestyle and learning
Waves break on the sand bar about 200m off the beach
Varying places to stay in Gero to suit most budgets but most windsurfers rent an apartment or stay at Sunset Beach Holiday Park where you can camp or hire a cabin.
The thing is with Australia it’s so big and so far away, it takes 24 hours to get there and then it’s another 24 hours to get your stuff together and head up the coast to wherever you are going. It took a few days to get my sleep patterns back to normal, but after that I got into a routine of finding something to do in the morning with Jane and then heading off up to Coro in the afternoon for some windsurfing. Gero is a main port on the west coast and most of WAs significant grain and metal ore exports are channelled through here, so it has a bit of an industrial/utilitarian look about it. For non-water sports enthusiasts there isn’t a right lot to do in and around Gero to be honest, but the city itself has been refurbished and now has a modern and upbeat feel to it and is pleasant enough. Up until 2000 the beach at the front of town was a railway sidings for the busy port, but that’s all been torn up and moved so that now there is a pleasant beach and waterfront in its place. There’s plenty of places to eat out but don’t expect European culinary standards. We also drove up to Kalbarri, a small seaside town 160km North and explored the Murchison River Gorge which was well worth it.
Big thanks to Jane for taking pictures and the guys at Seasprite sports as always for looking after me with RRD boards, Ezzy Sails & Streamlined accessories.
We are now kicking off with some freestyle tips in our #top100tips series. Here we cover the carving upwind 360 which is great fun and develops a lot of fundamental skills, improves your upwind carving and builds the skills for the tougher moves like a whole heap of spinny sliding freestyle moves and the taka in the waves. Carve smooth, and don’t look at the sail … Enjoy All courtesy of #jemhallcoaching and performed on the Ezzy Elite & Cheetah and Rrd Firemoves …
This video is about Gybing Tip #11 and it covers the all important Preparation phase of the gybe. Getting low, unhooking effectively, and scissoring the board downwind. More #top100tips coming soon from #jemhallcoaching Watch, enjoy and share please.
If you want to go fast, there are few better men to follow in the wake of than Bjorn Dunkerbeck. So when the leader of the pack laid down a speed challenge, John Skye was keen to compete. In our exclusive diary, John tells all about his bid for glory down the speed strip, while Speedster in Chief – Dunky – gives an insight into his event.
Words John Skye //Photos John Carter
My quest for speed started around 3 years ago when we introduced the first Firewing to the RRD sails collection. Originally I bought the GPS unit to help with testing, but it quickly became clear that in the gusty conditions we have over here, it didn’t give conclusive test results. However the speed seed was planted and together with the GPS-Results program and GPS-Speedsurfing.com I started logging results and getting competitive with myself to go faster.
In 2014 Bjorn was already on my case to enter his event, but unfortunately my travel plans meant it was impossible. However for 2015, the event was in the diary nice and early and there was no way I was going to miss it. Not only did it look like a great fun event, but it also would provide the perfect testing ground for the sails. I had numerous proto types to try and with the free format of the event and hour-long heats, it would allow me to experiment and learn. Having never done any sort of speed contest before it was pretty hard to set a goal, but I was desperate to get over 40 kts, even if it was just a peak speed. Twice I had hit high 39’s, with the last effort peaking frustratingly close at 39.95 kts, but with the mirror flat waters of Fuerte, surely that would give me the edge to cross the all-important barrier.
Day 1 – Originally I had hoped to head over early and test the conditions and gear combinations, but in my first ever parental compromise I made the decision to stay for my daughter’s end of year party and mini-graduation from nursery school. This meant the only option was an overnight ferry, arriving on the morning of the contest at 6am. Furthermore I made the huge mistake of choosing a yoga mat on the floor rather than a comfy cabin; and paid the price with one of the worst night sleeps I can remember (and that is saying something with a 3 month old crying baby in the house!!)
Arriving at the event site the wind was light, which thankfully gave me a couple of hours to at least relax a bit before the contest kicked off. The wind finally kicked in after lunchtime and I hit the water straight away to test the different gear combinations. With light winds for a 7.8 I had 3 board possibilities and after trying the X-fire 105, 90 and 80, I found very little difference, so opted for the middle one. Then a quick test of various fin sizes with a 32/30/28, I again opted for the middle one with my trusty 30cm RS-3 F-Hot proving to be the most comfortable.
Round 1 was the Canaries Championship and I hit the water with the 7.8 Firewing, 90 X-Fire and 30 RS-3. The race director had set a number of buoys in the water to help to order things, with 2 buoys marking an entry gate, a no overtaking zone up to the next buoy, and finally just before the start of the course, a zone where only 1 rider can enter at the same time. Unfortunately in this 1st round the buoys were in completely the wrong place. It meant that to enter the course correctly you almost needed a formula board! I stuck to the rules but as a consequence I never entered the course with any speed, struggling to get over 32 kts. Following the Canary round, we went straight into Round 1 of the European championships. This time the course was much better, and following a couple of good runs on the bigger gear (7.8/90), I changed down to a 7.0 on the 50cm speed board. Speeds turned out to be more or less the same, with the 10 second average slightly higher than the morning and a best speed of over 34 kts.
Having taken part in just about every format of windsurf competition, GPS speed was a new and very different experience. Unlike waves or freestyle which are subjective, speed events are very clear with who beat who, with the best 2x 250m runs counting over each hour long round. The only problem is that you have no idea how you are doing compared to the others. You have your machine on your arm and can check it every run, but you have no idea if you are 2 kts quicker or 2 kts slower than the rest of the competition. That makes for a really interesting moment when at the end of the session everyone is checking with everyone else “what speeds did you get?” to try to gauge your success. At the end of the day, you hand in your SD card and wait to find out if you are fast or slow!
Day 2 –I arrived in the morning desperate to know how it had gone, only to see my name missing from all the results. The guys told me there was a problem, that they had lost my card. There was only one other possibility, and sure enough when we checked my machine, they had forgotten to take it out the day before. So after checking the data, I jumped up to 6th in the euros and 2nd in the Canaries. Very happy for the first day. Bjorn was in a league of his own, with speeds over 2kts quicker than the next. Bjorn is one of, if not the fastest sailor in the world, and in these lighter, more slalom orientated conditions, that advantage seemed to be multiplied.
With no wind I spent the morning chatting and picking people’s brains, particularly Pete and Zara Davis. I have known them since I first started windsurfing on Brogborough lake at 13 years old, and they were incredibly open and helpful. To be honest everyone at the event was the same. Being new to this world it was fascinating talking about which board/sail/fin combos people used, both for the previous day, and for the real speed days at places like West Kirby/la Franchie or even Luderitz.
Also I spent some time studying my tracks on the computer and this turned out to be very useful. It was pretty clear I was always losing speed in the middle of the course. There is a gust at the beginning and a gust at the end, with a lull in the middle. The best speeds I had were always when I could keep a good speed through the middle. I also noted that actually all my best runs were a little out to sea. I had spent the previous sessions trying to get as close to the beach as possible, onto the flattest water, but actually the wind and times were better 20m out. Armed with this info I opted to put a bit of weight on my shoulders to help carry me through this lull and not worry so much about getting close to the beach. Plus having seen the consistent speeds of Roberto Hoffman I also opted for an asymmetric fin in my speed board.
Finally the wind came in very late. They started Round 2 of the Canaries leg and the first 10 minutes was really windy. I set 2 pretty good speeds of over 32kts on the 7.8/90 combo, and then came running in to the beach to grab the speed board. That turned out to be a total disaster. Firstly in the rush to rig, I hadn’t closed the clip properly on one side of my boom, so as I entered the course and sheeted in, the boom shortened and I had to abort the run. After sorting that out I made 2 more runs, but it quickly became clear that the asymmetric fin I had was too small in these conditions.
So back to the beach and running around to change fins. Had a much better feeling with the 28 RS-3, but by then the wind had dropped considerably. So back to the beach and again more running around to grab my 80 and try it on the 7.8. Eventually they closed the round early due to light winds, but I finished absolutely punished. Running around on the beach with 3kg on your back really takes it out of you. End result eventually turned out to be 2nd place on the day, and second overall for canaries. More importantly I was getting a better idea of what kit was working and more crucially, what wasn’t.
“ Speed is also a discipline where you can mix professionals with amateurs on the same course ” Bjorn Dunkerbeck
Day 3 – With strange Calima weather, the wind was all over the place. Picking up for a few minutes, before swinging around to the other direction and leaving people swimming back to shore. Eventually the racing was called off and I went out for a few runs to get some photos. I grabbed my 90 X-Fire and 7.0 and ended up with my best speeds so far. I made a note to give that a try next time.
Day 4 – Still some very strange wind, but finally it kicked in late in the afternoon with very similar conditions to the other days. Zara had made a comment about small sails being quicker on the tight course, and after yesterday’s good runs in the evening I opted for the 7.0/90/30. This turned out to be a killer combo. Plus with a small wave running through the course I could use this to get an extra knot out of the board, especially helping to get through the lull in the middle. I did try the speed board again towards the end, but it was clearly not as effective.
At the end of the session and following the usual “How fast did you go?” conversations, it was clear that I had had a very good session. Keen to be able to check the data, I ran to the van to download the card before handing it in. In my haste however I pulled the card out before turning off the machine, resulting in a very worrying loud beeping noise! That meant that the all important file from the afternoon session was missing! My heart almost stopped and I searched and searched to see if I had made a mistake. At that point I honestly thought I had wiped the whole session and was pretty devastated. With my face white with worry I found Zara who reassured me me the data was recoverable. Sure enough the wonderful guys at GPS-Speedsurfing found the data and later that evening confirmed I had finished the round in 2nd place behind Bjorn, and was sitting 3rd place overall. I already had had a beer night planned with JC, and after that result there was even more reason to celebrate.
Day 5 – Arriving at the beach, the results were on display to confirm my position. Suddenly my perspective of the event changed massively. I had arrived to test and learn, but now I was within touching distance of the podium. Conditions were the same again, so I made sure the 7.8 and 7.0 were rigged and ready 5 minutes before the start. The wind was looking light with people struggling to get down the course with power. I opted for the 7.8, but the wind picked up very quickly. I had a couple of good speeds with the 7.8, but I was getting pulled around too much and changed to the 7.0. The speeds were OK, but I never found the flow of the previous day. I couldn’t get a clean run, people kept getting in the way and in the slightly stronger winds, I couldn’t quite stay locked down. Maybe it was the after effect of the JC beers, but coming off the water it was clear that there had been a couple of really quick runs from the other guys. When the evening results were posted I had finished 4th, with an average speed of 35.4kts but having seen how close it was to 2nd I was a bit gutted. The 2 guys ahead of me had both had 1 killer run each, but their second best run was actually slower than both of mine, meaning I was only 0.35kts too slow on the average of the 2 runs, which is nothing. I was still lying 3rd overall though, but that result would turn out to be crucial!
Day 6– More of the same on Day 6, with light and gusty winds on the course. This time I made the correct decision and started on the magic 7.0/90/30 combo first, clocking a few 35kt+ times on the 10secs average. After 20 minutes though I couldn’t seem to go faster and lacking power I came in for the 7.8.
Interestingly despite having more power through the course, the speeds were very similar, proving to me what Zara had said about the smaller sails. At the end of the day I finished 2nd again, with an average speed of 35.0 kts, which consolidated my 3rd place and actually brought me level in points with second. The tie break goes to whoever has the fastest speed of the week, so with his one killer run the day before of 36.2kts, Dylan De Jong had the edge. Still however there was one day to go and literally everything to play for.
Day 7 – Unfortunately that turned out to be all the weather gods had planned for us. Day 7 looked really good at first and we even started a round, but after just 10 minutes the wind switched off and left us swimming back to shore. At 2pm the Race director called it off and put an end to this fantastic event. I had to settle for 3rd, with Dylan De Jong in 2nd and Bjorn miles ahead in 1st.
That afternoon in a bid to get over 40kts I set off with Jim Crossley down the coast and gave it my all despite the horrifically choppy conditions. Turned out to be a fruitless mission as I failed to get even the best time of the week despite being maxed on a 6.2. Jim hit 39.9 on his slalom board which had it been 0.1kt quicker would have been devastating!
In conclusion the event was a huge success. The GPS format lends itself perfectly to this type of Pro-Am event. Everyone is battling with themselves more than against others and therefore there is competition for everyone, for the 50kt+ club as well as those just trying to get past 30kts. We were extremely unlucky with the conditions. Fuerteventura normally produces an excess of wind, but this week the venturi effect failed to deliver. It meant conditions were more towards speed slalom rather than all out speed. I have a feeling the results would have been very different had we had 6.2/5.7 weather everyday. The final results showed Bjorn with the top run of 37.8kts. However the day after the event finished it was a solid 30kts and people were hitting over 40kts with ease. Still it is the same conditions for everyone and in the end speed is simply about going as fast as possible whatever the wind. So for me I left the event 2nd in the Canaries Championship and 3rd in the European Championship. I went home very happy with the performance of the Firewing sail and having learnt a huge amount over the week. Unfortunately I got nowhere near the 40kt peak I was looking for with a max of only 38.5 kts, so the dates will be back in the diary for next year and hopefully a bit more wind!
Bjorn Dunkerbeck
I have always liked speed windsurfing. My first contest was in 1987 here in Fuerteventura; my father and my sister competed in their first one also in 1986. I had many records both on the 500 metre course and the nautical mile. Always I have believed that speed windsurfing is something anyone can do at any age. What we have done with this event is really prove that the young ones have fun and the older guys can stay involved forever. My son is ten, my father is seventy, that is sixty years of age span and there are lots of guys in-between. I think everyone has had a great time here. We have this awesome R2 Hotel where most of us are staying, so it is a great social scene in the evenings. Coming with the family is no problem at all as the speed beach is also very close and within walking distance.
Speed is also a discipline where you can mix professionals with amateurs on the same course; it is basically only speed and long distance where you can do that. Wave sailing, freestyle and slalom are all too complicated to mix too many different levels together. That is the main reason why I am pushing so much to establish this event and more events like this going forward, because I think it is good for windsurfing and it is a lot of fun. We are working on getting more GPS sailing out there. There is a motivation to see how fast you are going in different conditions, different sail sizes and different water textures. With GPS you can tune yourself and you are motivated for good days so you can improve your speed from previous sessions. The devices are so good that they are very close to video timing, so we don’t need that in Fuerteventura, it takes a lot of budget and a lot more manpower. I see a lot of potential to get lots of windsurfers interested in this and on the GPS page they have over 2500 people posting their times on it. Interest is growing tremendously and I am pretty sure it will get a lot bigger!
Zara Davis is the holder of two WSSRC world speed sailing records, the 500m for windsurfing and the outright Nautical Mile; in other words she is officially the fastest female windsurfer on the planet! Her speed exploits have earned her a place in the Guinness book of records and she has been ISWC European Speed champion a record 4 times. Believe it or not, Zara is not a full time sailor she holds down a full time job as an Osteopath and runs a busy health center in Portishead near Bristol. JC caught up with the Queen of speed to find out more about her gift for sailing fast.
Words & Photos JOHN CARTER
(This feature originally appeared in the September 2015 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
JC: How did you catch the speed bug?
ZD: I think speed is in my genes. My dad was a rally driver and I was just born into the world around people that like going fast. Even when I was a beginner, all I wanted to do was catch the guy in front of me. I just love going fast in a straight line!
JC: When was your first ever taste of windsurfing?
ZD: I learned way back in 1979 while on holiday in France. When we returned home we bought a BIC DuFour Wing which was the board of the time, it had one of those big solid booms and a triangular sail. I sailed for a couple of years before I became ill with serious glandular fever. I had to stop all sports for quite a while and never got back into it until I was 28, after I had passed a couple of degrees and started work in Milton Keynes. I started sailing at Brogborough Lake, near Bedford where I met my husband Pete. I did not know anybody when I first moved there so I joined the club to help meet people. Windsurfing had moved on quite a bit since my first sessions in France.
JC: Were you straight into speed back at the lake?
ZD: Pretty much! I was never very good at turning the corners and I am still not (laughs). The great thing about speed is that it is so accessible. In the early nineties, speed was quite popular. They had events at West Kirby and Weymouth with speed guns and there were quite a lot of those events happening. You could roll up, pay a tenner and have a go on the speed course; it was great fun. It was low level competition, you did not need to be able to do anything aside from be in the foot straps, harness and go in a straight line. That is really where it all started!
JC: Have you ever been a full time pro or have you always had a day job?
ZD: No! Definitely not no! I run a medical clinic, I am an osteopath and I have always worked. Until recently I worked full time but now I only see patients three days a week. We live in a very tidal location on the Bristol Channel so I don’t get to windsurf as much as I would like to. If I can squeeze forty good days in a year I am pretty happy. Most of the girls I compete against on the world circuit are sailing three hundred days a year. That is a massive difference.
JC: When did you first start becoming serious with speed?
ZD: My first major event was 2005, Pete wanted to do Sotevento, it was ‘the’ place at the time. That is where the records were being set and it just happened they were offering half price entries for women. There were about fifteen women in the fleet, it was a world championship and I ended up fifth. So I was delighted to do so well and thought maybe I have a talent for speed! The girls that beat me were Karin, Valerie and Alison Shreeve. They were the best in the world. In 2006 I headed out to Warvis Bay in South Africa to have a go at the mile record. I broke the record and that really triggered me off to get more serious. Valerie was there, I broke her record from the previous year and the story goes on from there!
JC: So when did you head out to Luderitz?
ZD: We had tried to do a 500 meter record attempt in Warvis Bay in 2006 and then I had a bad accident in 2007. I fractured my left foot and had to have a couple of operations. I missed the record attempts in the Canal in France because of the injury, that was the year Antoine did 49.09. I was desperately sad to have missed that. It was also the year of Driven by Wind, with Whitey at the Ray so I missed out on that as well. In 2010 I broke the women’s production record at Luderitz on my Mistral 47 but the trench they made was not the best. They had put all the sand that they dug from the canal on the wrong side and it meant there was no wind in the bottom half of your sail when you were blasting down and hitting it at forty knots. By 2012 they had dug the canal inland and that is where Antoine and I both broke the world record. The trench still was not perfect, it could certainly be better. But either way it was an amazing opportunity. I did a 45.83 run and that record still stands!
JC: So how was that particular run?
ZD: It was really weird. We were all getting quicker all day. It was probably about 3pm in the afternoon. All the times were building. After I broke the record I decided stupidly to change down sail because it was getting windier. I was on a 5.5m at that point and it was blowing about 45 knots. I thought maybe I would go even faster with a 5m and I made it to the end of the course and just when I put my feet down, the board flicked up and whacked me on the front of my shin. Somehow it managed to chunk off a piece on the front of my shin. I had to go to hospital and have that stitched. In the next two hours everybody went two knots faster while I was in hospital. It was quite gutting. It was awesome that I had broken the record but being that everybody improved their speed that afternoon I know I could have also improved my time. It was disappointing that I could not have taken that opportunity. Hey, I still hold that record so it was still a good day!
JC: Was that particular run scary or did you enjoy it?
ZD: It was not scary, if you go down the canal and you are scared you should not be there! It is too dangerous! I knew that my kit was working and the Sontag asymmetric fin was also perfect. Each day records are broken your speeds build through the day. You don’t just get in the canal and do 45 knots on your first run! You can start at 12pm and do a 39 knot run and gradually you pick up as each run happens. You almost don’t notice that you have picked up an extra five knots or so later in the day. I knew I had nailed a decent run, the best runs are when everything goes quiet and it feels easy! It was just one of those runs. I was on my 5.5m Simmer SER and a Mistral 41 and my Sontag 20 inch asymmetric fin.
JC: What is the key to nailing the perfect run?
ZD: It is really difficult to know exactly the secret to the technique. I am not a very geeky sailor. I don’t spend hours priming my gear, I rig it, get on it and sail it! I think I am quite a natural sailor from my point of view. You need to be a bit bold, you need to maybe have a screw loose. You need to be focused to where you are headed for. It does not take long to do it. The whole thing is over in twenty seconds. That is a very short period of time. I guess it is like running the Olympic 100 meters final. You have to be 100% in the zone. I think the key is having that ability to absolutely concentrate for that bit of time and know that your gear will get you there.
JC: What do you think set you aside from the other women that day?
ZD: I think I have a physical advantage in the sense that I am taller, bigger and longer levered. I am not saying that is the only aspect, Antoine is not the tallest for instance. He might be the strongest, he possibly is but he is certainly not taller than the others. Jürgen was there, Anders was there, what is he 6’4 or 6’5?; so there were taller guys there. I think there is just something in his technique and ability that enables him to go faster than anyone else down the canal. I think the Mistral 41 holds more than half the records in the canal. So I think there is certain evidence that the 41 was a particularly great design by Chris Lockwood.
JC: When you are at home do you ever go chasing big speed days when the forecast is on?
ZD: God yeah! Again because I work it always seems to be windy when I have bookings. My work is not at all flexible. A month in advance is fine but I have patients that are booked in. If I see on Monday that it is going to be windy on Wednesday; bad luck! There is absolutely nothing I can do about it. West Kirby is a long way away. It is a three and a half hour drive for us. I can’t just pop up for an hour, pop back and then see patients! So it always seems to be windy on the only days I can’t move anything. Monday and Fridays are paperwork days so I can shift those around at least! Kirby is the place to go in Britain and my last decent session was way back in January! The Ray also has potential but it is equally far away. I don’t know that place so well so it is much harder for me to just turn up. Whitey is always raving about it. The nice thing about Kirby is that you rig up in the car park next to the water, do the run, walk back up the wall and you are done. It is simple speed sailing! Also practice for Luderitz is amazing because it is very similar to how you take the corner and enter the course. That bend into the wall is a very similar physiological barrier. You have to be able to go at forty knots round a corner!
JC: Do you think Pro-am speed events like the Dunkerbeck Challenge are helping attract more people into the sport?
ZD: For sure!, at this event we have little kids and some very talented older youths racing together. The kids are doing 17 knots while some of the older youths are doing 34, isn’t that fab! They can windsurf, they can get in the harness, straps and sail between buoy A and buoy B. They have a result and they have competed next to some of their idols and legends of the sport. This is a fantastic way to inspire the younger generation to start competing.
The harder thing from the women’s point of view is that most women are not naturally competitive so they simply don’t want to compete like that. But the nice thing about speed is that you are not necessarily competing against the others. Out there on the course you have no idea what speeds anyone else is clocking up. It’s not like slalom sailing with eight people at the buoy screaming at each other. You go down the run on your own, you do your own thing and end up with your own set of results according to the conditions. People ask me if I am competitive, I am not really like that against others, I just want to be the best I can be. That usually means winning! If I do the best I can be, usually I do win! All of us can have a go at that and challenge yourself! Speed gives you that. The other disciplines are more fraught with danger and that is what women don’t like. I think women should speed sail actually. I think they see it as a big, heavy man’s sport while the reality is that it’s a great sport for women. It is fab what Bjorn has done and that is why I am here! I love the idea that everybody is here from all different levels. There was one guy here who had never rigged a sail before because he always rents from centres! He will be out there on the course with the likes of Bjorn! Where can you do that in any other sport. That is such an amazing opportunity alone. I would recommend this event to anybody. It is warm, sunny, windy, pretty flat and relatively easy. Nobody is expecting this guy to beat Bjorn but he is sailing with Bjorn and he will probably go the fastest he has ever been. That is what it is about; doing your own personal best!
JC: How would you feel if your record is beaten?
ZD: Records are there to be broken aren’t they? My mile record was set in 2006 but now there is a girl called Hanna White who is setting herself up with a boat called Speedbird to break my mile record. That is quite exciting. She is sponsored by Landrover, has a team together and is trying to beat my record. If she does it, I would have held it for ten years so I am happy with that. I am proud that I have done it and the nice thing about records is that your name will be in the book forever. It would be nice to have another go at the 500 metre record. I feel that there is slight unfinished business in Luderitz because of that injury the day I broke the record. I had that window of opportunity that I could have gone to maybe 47 or 48 knots. Maybe I should go back and have one last stab at it. I am getting older and if you have that sort of crash at 55 miles per hour with little protective gear on, it can be pretty lethal. Maybe I’ll feel differently if somebody breaks it, who knows! 50 knots for a women is certainly possible; I think it would be tough. I still think there is a possibility that I could get there given the right day and the right location. If I had done the 47 or 48 that day I would be pushing now for the fifty because that would be my next big hurdle. Right now I am four knots off and that is a hell of a chunk to improve on at that speed. In women’s windsurfing there are some fantastic younger girls coming along and sooner or later one of them will go that fast!
JC: Is Luderitz the only place where the records can be broken?
ZD: I don’t think so, what we have established is that in order to beat the record what we need is absolutely flat water. If we could find a better canal in an easier location for everybody to get to that would be the answer. The South of France or maybe some places in Holland might be the ones. I think you need to build two or three canals at slightly different angles! We are not talking a huge amount of money to dig a hole. I know it is a kilometre long hole but it does not strike me as that expensive, but you need a big sponsor to put that effort in. I think there are guys looking into this right now, yes you will have to wait for a forecast, but I think there will be more opportunities to go quicker.
Test Editor Tris Best // Second Testers Maurin Rottenwalter, Joe North Photos Nick George // Test Location Southwest England
Wave board design continues to evolve and there are certainly some interesting aspects to each design in this group. A squared swallowtail and double wingered swallowtail to name just a couple of interesting tail shapes.
This test was originally published in the October 2015 issue.
You then have a massive array of bottom shape configurations used, from the conventional vee / double concave to pronounced mono-concaves, not to mention the massive disparity in rail sharpness / tuck between the boards. Then there are the fin options, from the thruster majority in the line-up to a quad and a twinzer, adding a bit of flavour to the test. All the boards here are supplied with one ‘recommended’ fin setup, but several can obviously be used in another configuration.
The Starboard can be used as a single-fin board if preferred; the Goya as a twinzer… and the RRD as pretty much anything you like with its five slot boxes! As with the stubby boards tested elsewhere in this issue, you’d do well to take your time and experiment with the fin placement of each of these boards. Whilst they aren’t quite as fin sensitive as their smaller siblings, the fin’s position, along with footstrap and deck plate position, can make a massive difference to the feel and response of the board.
This test was conducted around the UK shores, from south coast cross-onshore conditions, to Cornish cross-offshore bliss. If you speak to some of the Cornish locals, the response is that the summer has been pretty lousy for conditions, with little swell or wind. Yet, for testing we scored some ideal days. Nothing too big that it becomes a test of your own ability more than that of the equipment, but consistent waves and wind to give the boards more than a fair crack of the whip. The advantage to conducting the test around our own beaches is that we could get a sense of their ‘real world’ appeal for our own market and the conditions that you, as readers, are likely to experience. So we are pleased to report that all five boards are equally applicable to the conditions found around our shores as they undoubtedly are in the locations from which they were developed, be that Maui, WA, South Africa or south of France.
FINDINGS
If we travelled back in time and took a snapshot of a wave-sailor’s board quiver through the years, it is likely that you’d always ideally find at least two boards in their line-up – one for nuclear wind days … and the other as their trusted stead for use in the majority of conditions. The big difference in a modern board quiver today is the size of the boards – whilst 80-85L is the ‘go-to’ wave board size for most, the ‘extra’ board tends to be larger board today, rather than smaller. No longer the big boy’s wave board, the 90+ litre platform is desirable for most, the change in consensus coming with the introduction of multi fin setups. With a larger volume, float and ride sessions are no longer the sole domain of the tightrope-walking super-fit. You could plane earlier and boost over rushing white water easily, yet still have a small, compact and responsive board underfoot once on the wave face. These boards are super playful when going … so much so, that we wouldn’t be surprised if they steal the 85L wave board’s thunder and become the wave-rider’s mainstay board size in the future.
SUMMARY There is a proper mixed bag of styles and performances on offer from these five boards. The Fanatic is the most conventional, offering phenomenal plug and play ability, whilst remaining fun and capable on the wave. Similarly, the Starboard Kode Wave has fantastic crossover appeal into a coastal bump and jump role, being fast and super stable, both in a weight carrying capacity and directionally. The Tabou and Goya are unquestionably wave-biased, the former being smooth and easy whilst the latter represents the sharp edge of wave board development in every way. Last up is the RRD, which has an almost hybrid look to it, with its squared swallowtail and boxy nose outline. It is the result of some investigation down the stubby route by the brand, matched with a steadfast understanding of their unwavering brief for the Wave Cult to offer‘all-round’ performance. And in our opinion, the result is well worth a look.
TEST LOCATION This test was conducted around the UK shores at more than 6 wave sailing locations. UK conditions can certainly be unpredictable at times, yet with a good summer of wind, we had time to test the boards and sails at a variety of locations and in a mixture of conditions, from cross-onshore to firing cross-off.
Ezzy & RRD Rider, Carl Tomlinson, recounts his recent trip to Western Australia and a handy guide to windsurfing in Geraldton.
”After several trips to Cape Town during our winter time, I’d wanted to try something else, last year we decided to spend 4 weeks in New Zealand, this year I had 3 weeks leave and we decided to go to Australia. You can windsurf all round Australia but the main and most popular spots for travelling windsurfers are without doubt in Western Australia. On 2 previous trips, 15 years ago, I had largely spent surfing and wave sailing around Margaret River which is 300km south of Perth. The waves here are famously big and powerful but the wind is not as reliable. North of Perth there are several spots, the best known of which are Lancelin about 160km drive from Perth, Geraldton, 450km and then Gnarloo about 920km. Then there is also Esperance on the South Coast a mere 725km from Perth. I’d never been further north than Lancelin and was keen to go as I’d heard lots of stories about sailors spending months at a time sailing every day in conditions not too dissimilar from what we get at my local spot of Rhosneigr during the day and then switching in the late afternoon for some cross off wave riding; sounded perfect!
The main and most popular spot is Coronation beach which is about 30mins drive North from the nearest town, Geraldton, both affectionately known in Ozzy slang as Coro and Gero. Coro is also a camp site, but don’t expect to find running water and all mod cons, you have to bring everything with you including water for the shower! There’s a whole community of travelling windsurfers who shack up here for months at a time and have been coming for years. It makes for a very friendly atmosphere and I remember a German lady walking around offering everyone a small piece of Xmas cake on Xmas day, nice!
With only 3 weeks holiday and those being around the busy Xmas holiday, I decided it’d be best to head up to Gero and stay there for a couple of weeks and then we’d spend some quality time together around Perth doing some sightseeing and catching up with friends after Xmas. So I was banking on the forecast being good for those first two weeks. Just before getting on the plane I got a Facebook message from Mike showing a great forecast, 25kt wind with 2.5m swell for 3 days during the first week. After the week I’d just had at work it felt as if the planets were, at last, starting to line up for me!
The first 2 days the swell was small, making for small jumps on the sandbar. The next 3 days the waves increased in size and easily logo high on the sandbar and great for jumps. I was building on the backloop practice I’d be working on in Pozo earlier in the year. Coro is perfect for learning and practicing jumps, especially backies. You have a long run across the lagoon, where you can pick up speed whilst watching for a suitable ramp to launch from. It’s a bit like “Bernie the bolt” you keep adjusting course to line up with the perfect steep pocket to launch off. In reality other sailors can get in the way, or the wave closes out just before you get to it, or the wind drops and you lose speed…….but for the most part you get more jumps in per session than you would in a month at home. And because it’s 4.5 or 5.0m most of the time, it doesn’t get too scary.
During the second week, and after a couple of days of light winds and flat water, we were blessed even more great windsurfing as a 4m swell arrived with strong winds, this lasted 4 days and it was honestly windsurfing heaven for me. Warm and sunny, jumps on the way out, wave riding on the way in, great feel on the water and in the company of some outstanding sailors and for once I wasn’t the oldest sailor on the water! I remember Mike mentioning for me to bring small sails, I’m glad I did as I used my 3.7m twice and needed it.
Once the swell gets to 3m plus it’s also worth considering some of the local Gero breaks, Triton, Sunset and Swan are all close to each other and popular with locals. The waves break on sand bars between 100-400m just offshore and get to a nice size. The sailing isn’t as easy as Coro, as it’s gusty and light on the inside, but it’s well worth it as its less busy and I’d say the riding is slightly better. Great waves like in the pictures and just a handful of guys on the water, awesome!
After the great time at Gero & Coro I wasn’t expecting too much from the sailing in Perth and besides I’d promised Jane we do the touristy stuff. As it turned we headed south to a break called Avalon Beach near Mandurah about 90km south of Perth. Unlike Perth, where the spots which are sheltered from swell by outer reefs and Rottnest Island, it’s a pukka surf break with waves breaking on a reef and then wrapping onto a sandbar. Of course when the sea breeze kicks in it’s perfect side shore. I was fortunate to get a short session in with small waves and could see the great potential of this place when a proper swell is running.
All you need to know
Wind blows October to March, typically 13 days of every 20 sufficient for windsurfing, with the best winds November to February.
Cross on shore during the afternoon, then side/cross offshore in the late afternoon/early evening.
Sails, people were using 3.7 through to 6.0, I took Ezzy Taka2 5.0, 4.5, 4.1, 3.7 and used them all but mainly 5.0 and 4.5 is typical, but I’m only 72kg so don’t need a big rig.
Boards, a typical board would be 80l wave or 90l freestyle board, I took a RRD Wave Cult v6 74l. On balance this was the right board for my 73kg, but I could have been at home on my 82l.
Warm water and very warm air, most people wear a 2mm long sleeved summer suit, shortie or boardie’s and a thermal rash vest (2mm neoprene)
Sun is ferocious; you must wear sunscreen (50spf) and a hat if you are follically challenged like me!
Inner lagoon great for freestyle and learning
Waves break on the sand bar about 200m off the beach
Varying places to stay in Gero to suit most budgets but most windsurfers rent an apartment or stay at Sunset Beach Holiday Park where you can camp or hire a cabin.
The thing is with Australia it’s so big and so far away, it takes 24 hours to get there and then it’s another 24 hours to get your stuff together and head up the coast to wherever you are going. It took a few days to get my sleep patterns back to normal, but after that I got into a routine of finding something to do in the morning with Jane and then heading off up to Coro in the afternoon for some windsurfing. Gero is a main port on the west coast and most of WAs significant grain and metal ore exports are channelled through here, so it has a bit of an industrial/utilitarian look about it. For non-water sports enthusiasts there isn’t a right lot to do in and around Gero to be honest, but the city itself has been refurbished and now has a modern and upbeat feel to it and is pleasant enough. Up until 2000 the beach at the front of town was a railway sidings for the busy port, but that’s all been torn up and moved so that now there is a pleasant beach and waterfront in its place. There’s plenty of places to eat out but don’t expect European culinary standards. We also drove up to Kalbarri, a small seaside town 160km North and explored the Murchison River Gorge which was well worth it.
Big thanks to Jane for taking pictures and the guys at Seasprite sports as always for looking after me with RRD boards, Ezzy Sails & Streamlined accessories.
OVERVIEW Hot off the production line, this is the latest incarnation of RRD’s Vogue, designed for pure wave performance. Whilst still recommended for use with a 400cm mast, it has a reduced luff and boom length, making it one of the more compact in the group. This is somewhat disguised visually though, as the sail tapers to a very short head batten, giving the impression of a high aspect outline. Available in standard ‘Pro’ construction or HD as tested here (with scrim throughout its panels), there is only a moderate amount of shape to the sail’s profile below the boom at rest, and plenty of skin tension radiating from the sail’s x-ply luff panel. The bottom two battens sit next to or beyond the leading edge of the mast at idle, yet rotate easily in transition as the wind fills and the luff sleeve stretches.
BRAND CLAIM “After over 2 years of testing, the Vogue Mk7 is now with 4 battens throughout the entire range. Thanks to changes in the outline and shaping of the larger sizes we were able to offer the same control and stability of the previous 5 batten model, but with the lighter and more responsive feel of the 4 batten design. At the request of the team we also increased the power slightly, therefore increasing its range of use and improving its global usage.”
PERFORMANCE This is the first time we have tried the Vogue from RRD – the brand’s control specific wave sail with its distinctive visual graphics. Short in the boom and with only a moderate shape at rest, the sail feels light and balanced in hands, yet provides instant feedback the moment the gust hits, thanks to the tight drum-like skin tension in its luff panel. With stretch in its luff sleeve it fills to generate a useful amount of bottom end power, feeling precise, lively and crisp in the hands rather than solid, grunty and locked in. The centre of effort is locked forward in the draft, delivering power efficiently to the board and pulling the rider’s stance more upright, reducing any chance of it becoming backhanded in gusts or manoeuvres. The overriding sensation the Vogue imparts to the rider is one of light, dependable handling, never decaying or presenting control issues. With both a good natural range on one setting and a useful amount of tuning available, the Vogue has excellent manners, instilling confidence in the user and enabling it to be used in any coastal environment. It can also comfortably fulfil a variety of roles from high wind coastal blasting to venturing into large powerful wave breaks.
THE VERDICT The Vogue offers supremely light, clean and dependable handling over an impressive wind range, giving it the capacity to fulfill many roles. Conventional to set correctly and easy to get on with, it was liked by all who used it. Recommended.
We are now kicking off with some freestyle tips in our #top100tips series. Here we cover the carving upwind 360 which is great fun and develops a lot of fundamental skills, improves your upwind carving and builds the skills for the tougher moves like a whole heap of spinny sliding freestyle moves and the taka in the waves. Carve smooth, and don’t look at the sail … Enjoy All courtesy of #jemhallcoaching and performed on the Ezzy Elite & Cheetah and Rrd Firemoves …
Your chance to try the latest windsurfing kit on the market before you buy. Test the latest cutting edge boards and sails at four UK locations this spring / summer and be sure that you are choosing the best. Four great locations, each perfect for a weekend away with camping and B&B’s nearby.
Over the coming months I will be introducing 100 key windsurfing tips to get you moving on up in windsurfing. From stance to starts, tacks to gybes, jumps to rides I will be giving you simple tips to learn from and focus on whilst enjoying your water time. Here are 5 video tips. Stay tuned, watch, enjoy and share.
Windsurf Tacking Tip #1 HD
This is my first tacking tip in my top 100 windsurfing tips and its all about the preparation. As in the gybe it is hands before feet and by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail. Go tack as it is the most useful transition for all levels of windsurfer of all time. Share and Enjoy.
Windsurf Carve Gybing Tip #2 HD
This is a top tip for the exit phase of the Carve Gybe. Get down (low) James Brown, after your gybes and many moves! I believe in you.
Windsurfing Stance Tip #3 HD Control your speed through gusts and lulls with this simple tip – go fast and enjoy.
Windsurf Jumping Tip #4 HD Be inspired, educated and enthused about how to take off and get better jumps – watch, enjoy and share.
Windsurf Forward Looping Tip #5 HD This is a top tip for the preparation phase of the forward loop. Get over the board and have your hand way back down the boom – this is the easiest thing to do but it is often forgotten. Pull that trigger! I believe in you.
…. guess there’s always a plus side, got some shots of everyone else.
