New RRD Hydrofoil for a freeride use. The WH FLIGHT ALU 85 has it’s highest performance in lightwind conditions, it allows to enter in the water with 7-8 knots and is extremely easy and fast. Made with an 85cm long mast which is assembled with a dedicated plate with Tuttlebox inserts or alternatively a plate with Powerbox inserts which avoids from box cracking. This means that this Hydrofoil can fit on every type of board, without the need for a specific foil box. The 120 cm long Fuselage allows an earlier take off and a longer full height flight even when the wind gets lighter. You can foil with ease for longer distances, having a better control and find your desired trim even with gusty wind. Jibing will be a lot easier and smoother and the upwind performance will be greatly improved. The hybrid carbon wings, 80 cm in the front and 38cm the rear, are the best compromise in terms of lightwind and top speed.
The AIRSUP CONVERTIBLE V4 is the perfect board program to ride waves as a SUP, and enjoy learning how to windsurf. Planing on this board and jibing will be a pure thrill. Very maneuverable, quick to plane and lightweight! It’s the one-for-all board that will introduce anyone straight to any watersport in the blink of an eye.
The AIRSUP CONVERTIBLE V4 is the most appropriate type of SUP board to also learn how to windsurf. With its generous width, it makes it super easy for anyone to step on, paddle or uphaul a sail. It’s the most popular board range for families who wish to find a board to satisfy everyone. Available also with a 6” thick profile, to enhance stiffness for heavy weights and it’s an easier board to paddle or windsurf, thanks to its increased floatation.
Built with a new SDB “Sandwich Dyneema Belt” on bottom and TPB “Thermo Plastic Belt” on the deck that wraps the whole contour of the board from the deck to the bottom as a stringer, the board becomes about 50% stiffer than any conventional inflatable board. Thanks to the Edge PVC Soft Rail positioned under the board tail, water flows away fast and clean without turbulences.
2017 was a banner year for RRD freestyle sensation Jacopo Testa, winning the European Freestyle Pro Tour and finishing 3rd in the PWA freestyle rankings. We take a closer look at his success with words from the man himself and John Skye and Matteo Guazzoni from RRD who also give us an insight into their team and freestyle kit development program.
Words John Skye, Jacopo Testa & Matteo Guazzoni // Photos John Carter
Originally published within the March ’18 edition.
JOHN SKYE – RRD SAIL DESIGNER
This year has been amazing for Jacopo Testa. He has always shown a lot of talent the last few years, but was so chilled and relaxed I had the feeling he didn’t have enough drive to really step up so high. Clearly I was very wrong!!! This year he showed his skills in a huge variety of conditions and more importantly performed really well under pressure. He came back from last to first in Lanzarote in the double Elimination of the EFPT, beating a load of really top riders in the process. I think that really built his confidence up, because since that moment he was right at the top in both EFPT and PWA. To me this is all the more impressive since I think he is actually better with wind from the other direction, especially his aerial jumping freestyle. Most of the freestyle was with wind from the left, but I think he would be even more amazing with wind from the right. This year in Maui during our photoshoot he blew me away with his level. We were shooting at Baby beach, which is the classic small wave jumping spot where lots of the best brochure shots come from. He was sailing so impressively that at one point I actually just dropped my sail on the inside, sat on my board and watched him! Everything in the air was high, controlled and clean. I would like to claim it is the sail that makes it all possible, but when I use the sail it doesn’t do the same thing ha ha ha.
STYLE PRO
Our freestyle sail – the Style Pro – originally took shape around 7 years ago, actually starting with Adam Sims when he was riding for us. Originally we had the Super Style, which was a classic old style freestyle sail, which meant a 5 batten powerful wave/freewave sail, which has since become our infamous Move. At this time it gave the best balance of power to get moving quickly, speed, manoeuvrability and control, with the control mainly meaning stability. Most of the moves were sliding based at the time and speed was really important. This sail is still the best go to sail for 95% of riders, especially those that sail onshore, or bump and jump style conditions. However after testing he found he actually preferred our pure wave sail for freestyle because he preferred to sacrifice some power in order to gain control for the ducking moves. The direction of freestyle at the time was that ducking was the most important feature, so we went back to the drawing board to make something completely new. I pretty much took our wave sail and then tried to work out a way to put a tonne of power in it, without adding any shape. At that time the way we did it was mainly to increase the width of the luff tube, to increase the amount of material at the front of the sail. This meant the sail was totally flat when sheeted out, but when you sheeted it in, it filled in like a balloon. Since then it has developed massively and thanks to the use of varying amounts of Dacron we have been able to create a similar amount of power, whilst reducing the luff tube width and therefore increasing the control, particularly when overpowered. The dacron has much higher stretch characteristics than most of the other materials in the sail, so by making a wide and stretchy panel right at the front we could create a similar balloon effect, but keep it a bit more controlled. It allowed us to modify the width of this panel and the number of layers to control the amount of stretch much more accurately through the sail, thereby allowing us to be much more specific where we wanted this boost of power to be positioned. The reduction of the luff sleeve width meant that the reaction from the sail was much more direct and also controllable.
POWER
The main difference with a freestyle sail is the ability to go from zero power and 100% control, through to huge amounts of power in an instant. The Style Pro is the most reactive sail in our line and if you are not used to the way the power goes on and off, it can be a little harder to handle. Comparing it with a standard wave sail, like the Vogue, the wave sail is more stable and the power comes on and off more progressively, which is more controllable. For sure you could wave sail with a freestyle sail and I know people that particularly like it for light wind riding conditions. However the power in a wave sail is typically a bit lower and a little further back which helps keep control when riding, and allows the rider to drive through turns better. Meanwhile the freestyle sail has the power higher and further forward which is less useful when riding, but great for powering them through freestyle moves. Additionally the aggressive way that a freestyle sail switches on and off makes smooth riding a bit harder, particularly setting rails going into bottom turns. There are other differences as well such as the tight leech and the higher aspect ratio. The tight leech stops the sail moving around too much in moves and keeps everything locked and controlled when ducking. They are basically feeding the sail into the wind, and a loose leech means that if the duck is not perfect the wind can easily catch the wrong side and unbalance the sail. The higher aspect ratio does 2 main things. Firstly it makes ducking easier and more importantly faster because the boom is shorter and secondly it speeds up horizontal rotations, which is what all the freestyle moves are. We also modified the batten angles, making them more angled, which created more support through the whole sail and makes it all a bit stiffer, which again makes the ducking quicker and easier. Everything is designed so that they can duck the sail quickly and easily whilst maintaining as much speed as possible. Like this they can set up their moves in control and then explode into the air when they need to.
The rigging of freestyle sails is really different. They have so little loose leech that it looks wrong. The sail does not release so well and you lose some speed, but they counteract this by having very fast rockered boards, and the control they gain when ducking is essential if they are to do the moves with speed. Weight is also critical so we reduce the reinforcement in the Style Pro, particularly up high in the sail, by not having batten pockets and having reduced thickness of materials through the head. In general these sails are used more on flat water so they don’t have to be built to withstand mast high waves like the wave sails do. Our team also all use the race mast, our Firewing RDM. It is super light obviously, but also a bit stiffer, which the riders like as it stays more balanced in the moves. The way these sails have developed and the direction that freestyle is going at the moment makes these sails very specialised really and not much of what we do with the freestyle sails gets used in the rest of the line. Having said that, what is amazing about the Style Pro is that it actually does all the old style freestyle loads better than the old sails. My moves are pretty old school and also very rusty, but if I take out the latest Style Pro sail my level instantly goes higher, even with the sliding moves. Other than the Compact Wave concept, the Style Pro is the sail I am most proud of for the way it has developed over the years together with the team and has become a real reference sail to the whole freestyle community.
TEAM
Our freestyle team is amazing right now and I am very happy. The freestyle sail is pretty much the only sail in the line that I can’t really test well by myself. My freestyle skills are a little archaic so it’s hard to feel how the sail really works in the high end moves they are doing. I still like to actually sail the protos a lot and try to understand them, but in terms of the finer details it’s really hard as my double air culos are not really up to scratch. Therefore I really rely on the team a lot, and I am really happy with all the guys we have. Jacopo is obviously a key member of that team and has a big input, but the guy that works the hardest on this is Loick Spicher. He is a really good freestyler, but also really good at testing and giving excellent feedback. He has kind of acted as the test team coordinator, taking all the information from the guys and translating their feedback into useful information. Often the hardest thing is actually to translate what the guys feel into real information. Sometimes it’s very hard to communicate specific feelings, and even more so when it’s not in your mother tongue. Loick is firstly very good at that, and secondly speaks about 6 languages, so that really helps when discussing things with the others. On top of him and Jacopo we also have Tonky Frans, who is a legend and has a huge wealth of knowledge and also Francesco Cappuzo who is a bigger build than the others and therefore gives really useful feedback on other points in the sails. Finally our windsurf marketing manager, Matteo Guazzoni, is also an amazing freestyler, being ex- EFPT champion himself, so he also has a big input, often with a more general point of view. All the guys are super picky which I love. As a designer I love that the riders are pushing for perfection. It is much better like this than if they just say everything is great.
This year I was really proud of all the team. I think all the other disciplines of the sport I am still actively competing in so it’s a slightly different view on the team. With the freestyle I have not been competitive at it for 10 years or so, so I look at it and it feels really different. Somehow I feel like an elder advisor over the team, rather than one of the guys. Slightly less with Tonky as we competed together for years in the beginning, but certainly with the other guys I am constantly checking their heats and scores and watching more closely than with anything else. For sure I like to follow Alex Mussolini when he is doing well, but it’s really different with the freestyle team somehow. Jacopo stole the show this year and really it was only Gollito that he couldn’t beat. Even Amado he beat in the EFPT, so he really showed he is one of the top top guys. I really wanted Tonky to do well this year as he was sailing better than ever but I think he was pretty unlucky. He had 1 or 2 heats this year that were so close and he lost by nothing on a couple of dubious decisions. If a couple of things had gone the other way he could easily have been right up there also fighting for the podiums. Loick also stepped up his game and Francesco really shone in Sylt. He is an incredible talent, and a real all-round waterman, the Italian Kai Lenny.. ha ha ha. He is 2 x Italian windsurf wave champion, 3 x Italian kitesurf wave vice champ and this year in Sylt he finished 7th in the Freestyle. If you see him, his build is not the typical freestyler’s build as he weighs around 90 kgs, but you see him on the water and he is like a ballerina, but with huge explosive power when he needs it. He is really young still and it will be interesting to see how he develops.
TESTING
Our typical testing schedule revolves mainly around Cape Town and Fuerteventura, but we are still active the rest of the year. Normally in Fuerte we come up with a few different concepts to test. Typically we will choose 1 size, something like a 4.8, and then make 3 or 4 protos trying different things, often quite radical. We test those sails whilst everyone is together and see what the feelings are. Often we then modify these sails, right there in Fuerte, and test them again. From there, we choose the better concepts, look to develop them further and often make a couple more protos for the guys to test in the autumn, with Sylt being the perfect opportunity to at least get everyone together and discuss where we are at. After that we normally aim to really refine the concept and push to make the final set of sails for testing in Cape Town. Normally these go straight into production, but there is still a little room to tweak or modify them further if we think it’s necessary. Then the whole process starts again. I think the freestyle discipline is probably the hardest to design for because the sport is constantly evolving. Slalom is lots of work, but in the end the parameters more or less stay the same each year, for example the sails need to go fast, accelerate well, have power but stay controllable. With freestyle, these parameters are constantly changing as the moves and styles change and develop. A few years ago when we started the Style Pro, the sail needed to duck well and that was the most important thing. Then they needed to duck well and have lots of pop/power. Now it seems like the guys are sailing much more powered up than before and using the wind to really fly. Therefore the emphasis is now really on control, and less about maximising the power. Who knows where it will go next, but it means we are constantly working hard to give the guys the best tools to compete with. This year with all the success of Jacopo Testa and the rest of the team we really proved we have a sail that is capable of doing anything.
JACOPO TESTA
I was born in Milano and grew up in Sardinia where my great love for windsurfing started. I was about 10 years old when, with my brother Matteo, I did my first windsurfing course at Sporting Club Sardinia, from that moment I discovered the meaning of passion. Riccardo, the windsurfing dad of a friend of mine created a team – ‘TNT’. With them I started participating at events in various Italian locations where I met other windsurfing kids and could compare my level and try to improve it. During the summer I spent the windy days trying the moves; we were a big group with a lot of motivation. The beginning was hard because you don’t get tuned in straight away with your board and sail, the sea and wind and your body and its movement. Putting all these elements together was the biggest step. While growing up I wanted so much to change my life. I left the city and moved to Sardinia, started travelling and decided that windsurfing was going to be my profession. I hooked up with RRD because Gigi Le Carrò introduced me to them. RRD has become my first real sponsor and together with John Skye we also started a collaborative program for improvement of their boards and sails and we have had great progress so far!
DREAMS
My advice to kids wanting to follow my path is to cultivate the true passion that everyone has inside, that force is fundamental for realizing your dreams. I worked for many years at a windsurfing school as an instructor, I did so many courses, seeing so many people and numerous children. The hardest part of that job is to transmit your passion and keep the attention and interest of your students alive. Something you don’t know about me, I would like a farm and to be a farmer! Watch the seeds grow from the earth! For the next months though I’m just sowing the seeds of the new competition season ahead, starting with a trip to South Africa for some training. Bring on 2018!
RESULTS
In 2016 I achieved my first true results. For the second time I got third place overall in the EFPT and 13th overall in the PWA. In my head I said, “Next year I want to be first in the EFPT and be one of the top ten riders in the PWA.” My expectations were exceeded! European champion and third overall in PWA!!! These are unforgettable moments and emotions. My first PWA podium will remain in my mind forever. Every morning I get up to go to ‘work’. Van, equipment, spots, wind, so much desire and sacrifice. Hours of physical and mental training. The body doesn’t abandon you, but sometimes thoughts can make you discouraged, because if you don’t see the results you want you can think about giving up and going back to a ‘normal’ life.
MATTEO GUAZZONI – RRD INTERNATIONAL MARKETING & TEAM MANAGER
Although I deal primarily with marketing, I am still excited by everything to do with the development of our new products, especially our freestyle boards. Having been a freestyle athlete in the past, and still having a passion for it, makes everything easier. In RRD we are lucky to have the workshop where the boards are designed and shaped directly in Grosseto. This year in particular we have an amazing freestyle team. We discuss and decide together which direction the development of our new boards must take. My role is as a bit of a ‘collector’ of ideas between the demands of our riders, Roberto and our shaper. The TwinTip v6 freestyle board was actually born before I joined RRD. The boys and Roberto had added some small changes to the previous version (the v5), which was already a good board. The v6 board keeps the same scoop line, double concave and vee. Our board is extremely easy and comfortable once you step on it. We decided to keep a quite pronounced double concave because we were happy about its stability and control in most conditions, especially when it gets more difficult in choppy water and small waves. Less double concave would probably give more acceleration but would be harder to control. In general the hardest part is to find the best compromise between speed and control.
We have reduced the length from 227 cm to 223 cm, increased the thickness and moved the footstrap positions more forward. A shorter board is easier in both air moves and sliding but the more you shorten it, the more technical it becomes. However this is the direction that all brands are taking. To keep the same volume you need to reduce the length and increase the thickness, trying not to loose sensitivity and reactivity. The freestyle level has risen a lot, the style and type of moves has changed into more air moves and double rotations. What is needed is to have speed and pop to fly higher and a shorter board to reduce the strength needed during those air rotations. Freestyle scoop lines are flat on the tail (no kick) to maximize early planing and have some vee/concave at the centre of the board. The rails are quite sharp at the back while progressively increasing the tuck towards the front. The volume distribution has changed recently, the thickest has to be on the tail and under the stance position in order to keep the board easy planing in both normal and switch stance as well as to maximize the pop. It’s a very technical board program, you need to work constantly with the riders and get their suggestions and feedback, but it’s fun as you have to try to be creative and innovate.
“ My advice to kids wanting to follow my path is to cultivate the true passion that everyone has inside. ”
Introducing the RRD Style Pro MK7, here’s what they have to say;
‘After our most successful season yet we introduce the Style Pro MK7, our new pure freestyle sail. With Jacopo Testa powering to victory in the European Tour as well as standing on the podium of the PWA, the pedigree of the Style Pro is plain to see. A huge amount of work went in the Mk7 with all the team involved and hours of both testing and debriefing. The result is a faster sail, with more reactivity to help push the sport even higher. The Style Pro Mk7 continues to push the boundaries forward, making everything simple and letting you focus on the biggest moves!’
Test Editor Tris Best // Second Testers Maurin Rottenwalter & Joe North Photos Bryony Web // LocationPortland Harbour
A phenomenon has gripped windsurfing, as it has almost every other watersport. Foiling, although nothing new, has come of age over the last 18 months or so, with most major brands producing a targeted product and many new brands emerging on the scene. We set our test team the task of trying some of the latest kit available, since they are located at Portland harbour – one of the best windfoil locations in the UK, if not Europe! We chose to look primarily at freeride focussed foils – those designed specifically for the progressing foiler. There is no doubt many of you reading this are keen to give it a go, so these are some of the foils and boards designed to capture your attention, enhance your enthusiasm and provide those first exhilarating flights.
This test was originally published in the July 2018 issue.
FINDINGS The first thing to point out when looking at foils, more than anything else, is that stiffness is key. There are an incredible number of forces working on the hydrofoil, from many different angles – the flow of the water, the energy transferred from the sail through the mast foot and board; the downward pump from the rider, turbulence in chop, the denser water deeper down … we could go on. It makes it nigh on impossible to model the environment in a computer program, just as it is difficult to model the fluid dynamics around a windsurf sail. And yet, one thing that seems consistent amongst all the brands and the literature they’ve produced is that the stiffer the foil, the less twist, flex or torsion there is and the more stable and predictable the flight.
The mast is a prime candidate to potentially exhibit stiffness issues, so for the best performance the default material is carbon or carbon composite, which has its obvious cost drawbacks. To keep costs down, all bar two of the foils here have resorted to aluminium masts instead, with many brands going a step further and reducing the length of the mast (measured from the top of the fuselage to the point the mast meets the hull of the board), to mitigate torsion at the base. From 68cm to 91cm, there are masts of all shapes and sizes here, the larger ones providing more clearance and margin for error, whilst the shorter masts provide a better chance of survival in the event of any accidental breach.
The fuselage or strut, (which stems from the bottom of the mast and hosts the wings), has a large influence on the stability and response of the foil’s flight, with lengths varying amongst the group by almost 50cm. A very general rule is that the longer the fuselage, the more stable the foil. The shorter it is, the more immediate its response to input from the rider. That said, there are plenty of other considerations, such as the position of the mast fixture on the fuselage determining the point of lift, or the size and shape of the wings used. Another argument against the longer fuselage is the real-world issue of it pendulum-vibrating at its rearward tip, due to the distance between the mast and rear wing being so great. Time will tell which way the development story unfolds! Again, the majority of the brands here are using aluminium as their choice of fuselage material, satisfied that they can control component stiffness through carefully considered cross sections.
The wings are probably the most eye-catching and diverse features of all, with some very different shapes, sizes and materials employed by the brands. From the low aspect (short span, long chord) front wings of Naish and Slingshot, to the high aspect examples of the RRD, Pryde and Manta Foils, there’s a whole case study of designs here. Carbon, for most, is the material of choice, simply due to its stiffness, weight and form flexibility … but it bumps the price up again. Neil Pryde and Manta Foils have opted for G10 glass fibre instead, stripping cost, but being limited by the properties of the material. Their wings must remain flat to ensure durability, so the brands have precisely milled the profiles of their wings to maximise lift efficiency. Be aware, this has made these wings quite sharp along their tips and trailing edges.
Play in the fixings and junctions will also dramatically impact upon stiffness and stability, and has clearly been considered long and hard by all brands. There is also one other very important point to consider here, and that concerns maintenance. We all know that the typical windsurfing environment of saltwater and sand (and UV if we’re lucky!) is a highly corrosive one, but there is another reason to step up your conscientiousness, and it concerns the materials used in the foils. The galvanic series determines the likelihood and rate that corrosion will occur when two metals or semi-metals are submerged in an electrolyte. The further apart the materials are in the series sequence (i.e. the difference in their nobility), the faster the rate of corrosion. Now, it just so happens that saltwater is the perfect electrolyte, and that carbon (graphite) and aluminium are at the other ends of the galvanic spectrum from one another! That means that their proximity to one another in foils provides a high voltage potential, whereby electrons pass from the cathode (aluminium in this case) to the anode or electron attractor (the carbon component). Past instances of when this rapid-corrosion phenomenon occurs are too numerous to recount, in both our sport and other sports such as cycling, but take hybrid booms with their carbon tailpieces as a prime example. Leave the boom in the back of your van for a month or so after your last session, and you’d be left scratching your head when your boom could no longer be extended on your next journey to the beach. Lubricants such as Lanolin oil and taping bolts with Teflon are suggested by Slingshot to mitigate the influence of the electrolyte (saltwater). Others brands recommend Tef-Gel – a lubricant regularly used in the marine industry. Whatever you use, rinsing your foil in fresh water after every use is a good start to get rid of the catalyst, and dismantling your foil for a thorough clean on a regular basis, even if you use it frequently, is a must.
One other point very worthy of note regarding foils is this: whilst it has got to be acknowledged that the UK windsurfing market is relatively late to the foiling party in relation to others (such as the French market for example), we should also recognise that the windsurfing industry as a whole is late to foiling compared to other industries, such as kitesurfing. Brands like Slingshot, Manta Foils, Naish and Moses have a heritage of foiling in other sports and as such have much to give and teach our industry. There are sure to be others joining in the future, and their influence should be embraced rather than narrow-mindedly scorned for their ‘intrusion’. Their inclusion in our sport will accelerate progression and more than this, it’ll bring about versatility in products, where foils can be used for all watersports, from surfing to kitesurfing, windsurfing to SUP’ing. Some of the foils here are already ‘one-foil-does-all’ in design, and surely that is something to consider if you’d like to try foiling in all its various guises.
Many of you will be convinced to give foiling a go, but be looking to keep costs to a minimum by scouring the second-hand channels for a cheap board. Initially this seemed a sensible starting point, but we’re hearing of boxes being ripped out of boards more frequently today, purely because more people are trying foiling. So the decision has to be made on whether to go foil-ready or foil-specific. The advantages of foil specific are tangible as soon as you step on – better balance and feedback through the feet, more connection with the foil, easier to pump for early flight and better chance of recovery during unintended touchdowns. And yet for many, a foil-ready board would provide more scope. The ability to put a fin in and use the same board would be a massive bonus if the conditions weren’t right for foiling … and if you windsurf in various locations, the chances are you’ll come across quite a few of these sorts of days.
Fixing the foil to the board was once the sole domain of the Deep Tuttle box, but we’re already seeing alternatives, with the kitesurfing brands (Slingshot, Naish and RRD) introducing the pedestal plate and many brands rumoured to follow RRD in the near future by offering a Powerbox option. There will also be a plate adaptor introduced soon so that a pedestal foil can fit any finbox. Time will surely tell whether a Powerbox has the strength to withstand the forces experienced, but for now it is clear that whichever fixing is used, setup and tuning are crucial to a positive foiling experience. The pedestal plate provides a fantastic practical solution for shifting the focus of the foil’s lift and achieving balance. Many foils themselves have tuneable parts – stabiliser wings that can be adjusted – to angle the flight and settle the stance. If none of these are available you then have the default options possessed by all boards – the ability to move footstraps and the deckplate in the track. The key is that you need width in the board’s tail, and suitably inset back strap options so that your heel isn’t off the board or wrapped round the rail. This is vital to control, so some old pin-tailed slalom guns with outboard-only strap options won’t cut it I’m afraid – you have been warned!
GLOSSARY OF TERMS This is the first foil review we have conducted, so to make sure we don’t lose you when we discuss the nuances between the foils by using unclear terminology; here is a glossary of the test parameters.
Early Lift – How early the foil will kick into action and elevate the board clear of the water. Another really important consideration is where the lift comes from – whether it is back-footed, front-footed or balanced between both feet.
Directional Stability – A foil is in effect a big fin initially, but when in flight, how directionally stable does it feel?
Response – Whilst in flight, you’ll want to control your height through gusts and lulls, on different sea states and during transitions. Response considers your sense of control fore and aft.
Flight Predictability – This is a biggie for everyone, from the novice to the pro. How solid and comfortable the foil feels underfoot largely determines how committed you can be and how much you can load it with power. Which leads neatly onto…
Speed – Does what it says on the tin, a pretty clear-cut test parameter.
Reaching Comfort – Most recreational sailors blast across the wind, from A to B, and wish to do so for hours on end, without a struggle. In powered to overpowered conditions, it is actually one of the tougher points of sail, so how do these foils fair in reaches?
Pointing Ability – Just as we’re seeing in the PWA foil racing, the beauty with foiling is the ability to point, both upwind and off the wind. So what is the non-reaching potential of each of these foils?
Twitch – This term will be a new one for many and describes the potential ‘play’ in the foil. It deals with any unexplained bounce, jolt or hiccup in the flight – an experience that momentarily rocks your confidence in control. It could be down to a myriad of reasons, but ultimately is likely to boil down to that Holy Grail of foil stiffness.
Manoeuvrability – Different to response, manoeuvrability deals with just how playful and throw around you feel the foil is. Does it encourage you to enter transitions in quick succession, or dread them?
Ease of Assembly – Most of these foils come fully dismantled. Just how easy is it to put them together and also how easy is it to locate them securely to the bottom of a board?
SUMMARY So on to a quick summary of the foils on review here. Firstly there are the low aspect options of the Naish Thrust and Slingshot Hover Glide. Both benefit from the pedestal plate fixing and both give a tremendous amount of lift for flight in marginal winds. The Naish is wonderfully playful and manoeuvre-oriented in nature, whilst the Slingshot is incredibly adaptable thanks to its various mast-mounting options. The two price pointed foils – the Manta Foils Mono and Neil Pryde RS:Flight AL prove that carbon doesn’t have sole rights to wing technology. They are both excellent performers and really put the cat amongst the pigeons, providing excellent value for money. At the other end of the scale are the Starboard Freeride and Moses Vento 91. If you are keen to get serious about foiling, there are no better points of entry. The Starboard foiling collection boasts an interchangeable modular system, whilst the range and speed of the Freeride will keep on giving. The Moses has a similarly impressive range with an extra front wing available should you wish to upgrade. The Fanatic Flow H9 is all about ease and practicality, giving you the best chance of success in your first flights, whilst the RRD WH Flight Alu is a unique offering, blending a mixture of qualities for a fast efficient ride in marginal conditions. That leaves the AFS W85, the only full carbon setup here on test. It is a very eye-catching bit of kit, its alluring form and curvaceous wings matching its glistening material mesh surfaces. It performs beautifully and to cap it all, costs the same as its aluminium counterparts … wow! We’re simply speechless … suffice to say we’re excited about what the future will bring. Watch this space.
2017 was a banner year for RRD freestyle sensation Jacopo Testa, winning the European Freestyle Pro Tour and finishing 3rd in the PWA freestyle rankings. We take a closer look at his success with words from the man himself and John Skye and Matteo Guazzoni from RRD who also give us an insight into their team and freestyle kit development program.
Words John Skye, Jacopo Testa & Matteo Guazzoni // Photos John Carter
Originally published within the March ’18 edition.
JOHN SKYE – RRD SAIL DESIGNER
This year has been amazing for Jacopo Testa. He has always shown a lot of talent the last few years, but was so chilled and relaxed I had the feeling he didn’t have enough drive to really step up so high. Clearly I was very wrong!!! This year he showed his skills in a huge variety of conditions and more importantly performed really well under pressure. He came back from last to first in Lanzarote in the double Elimination of the EFPT, beating a load of really top riders in the process. I think that really built his confidence up, because since that moment he was right at the top in both EFPT and PWA. To me this is all the more impressive since I think he is actually better with wind from the other direction, especially his aerial jumping freestyle. Most of the freestyle was with wind from the left, but I think he would be even more amazing with wind from the right. This year in Maui during our photoshoot he blew me away with his level. We were shooting at Baby beach, which is the classic small wave jumping spot where lots of the best brochure shots come from. He was sailing so impressively that at one point I actually just dropped my sail on the inside, sat on my board and watched him! Everything in the air was high, controlled and clean. I would like to claim it is the sail that makes it all possible, but when I use the sail it doesn’t do the same thing ha ha ha.
STYLE PRO
Our freestyle sail – the Style Pro – originally took shape around 7 years ago, actually starting with Adam Sims when he was riding for us. Originally we had the Super Style, which was a classic old style freestyle sail, which meant a 5 batten powerful wave/freewave sail, which has since become our infamous Move. At this time it gave the best balance of power to get moving quickly, speed, manoeuvrability and control, with the control mainly meaning stability. Most of the moves were sliding based at the time and speed was really important. This sail is still the best go to sail for 95% of riders, especially those that sail onshore, or bump and jump style conditions. However after testing he found he actually preferred our pure wave sail for freestyle because he preferred to sacrifice some power in order to gain control for the ducking moves. The direction of freestyle at the time was that ducking was the most important feature, so we went back to the drawing board to make something completely new. I pretty much took our wave sail and then tried to work out a way to put a tonne of power in it, without adding any shape. At that time the way we did it was mainly to increase the width of the luff tube, to increase the amount of material at the front of the sail. This meant the sail was totally flat when sheeted out, but when you sheeted it in, it filled in like a balloon. Since then it has developed massively and thanks to the use of varying amounts of Dacron we have been able to create a similar amount of power, whilst reducing the luff tube width and therefore increasing the control, particularly when overpowered. The dacron has much higher stretch characteristics than most of the other materials in the sail, so by making a wide and stretchy panel right at the front we could create a similar balloon effect, but keep it a bit more controlled. It allowed us to modify the width of this panel and the number of layers to control the amount of stretch much more accurately through the sail, thereby allowing us to be much more specific where we wanted this boost of power to be positioned. The reduction of the luff sleeve width meant that the reaction from the sail was much more direct and also controllable.
POWER
The main difference with a freestyle sail is the ability to go from zero power and 100% control, through to huge amounts of power in an instant. The Style Pro is the most reactive sail in our line and if you are not used to the way the power goes on and off, it can be a little harder to handle. Comparing it with a standard wave sail, like the Vogue, the wave sail is more stable and the power comes on and off more progressively, which is more controllable. For sure you could wave sail with a freestyle sail and I know people that particularly like it for light wind riding conditions. However the power in a wave sail is typically a bit lower and a little further back which helps keep control when riding, and allows the rider to drive through turns better. Meanwhile the freestyle sail has the power higher and further forward which is less useful when riding, but great for powering them through freestyle moves. Additionally the aggressive way that a freestyle sail switches on and off makes smooth riding a bit harder, particularly setting rails going into bottom turns. There are other differences as well such as the tight leech and the higher aspect ratio. The tight leech stops the sail moving around too much in moves and keeps everything locked and controlled when ducking. They are basically feeding the sail into the wind, and a loose leech means that if the duck is not perfect the wind can easily catch the wrong side and unbalance the sail. The higher aspect ratio does 2 main things. Firstly it makes ducking easier and more importantly faster because the boom is shorter and secondly it speeds up horizontal rotations, which is what all the freestyle moves are. We also modified the batten angles, making them more angled, which created more support through the whole sail and makes it all a bit stiffer, which again makes the ducking quicker and easier. Everything is designed so that they can duck the sail quickly and easily whilst maintaining as much speed as possible. Like this they can set up their moves in control and then explode into the air when they need to.
The rigging of freestyle sails is really different. They have so little loose leech that it looks wrong. The sail does not release so well and you lose some speed, but they counteract this by having very fast rockered boards, and the control they gain when ducking is essential if they are to do the moves with speed. Weight is also critical so we reduce the reinforcement in the Style Pro, particularly up high in the sail, by not having batten pockets and having reduced thickness of materials through the head. In general these sails are used more on flat water so they don’t have to be built to withstand mast high waves like the wave sails do. Our team also all use the race mast, our Firewing RDM. It is super light obviously, but also a bit stiffer, which the riders like as it stays more balanced in the moves. The way these sails have developed and the direction that freestyle is going at the moment makes these sails very specialised really and not much of what we do with the freestyle sails gets used in the rest of the line. Having said that, what is amazing about the Style Pro is that it actually does all the old style freestyle loads better than the old sails. My moves are pretty old school and also very rusty, but if I take out the latest Style Pro sail my level instantly goes higher, even with the sliding moves. Other than the Compact Wave concept, the Style Pro is the sail I am most proud of for the way it has developed over the years together with the team and has become a real reference sail to the whole freestyle community.
TEAM
Our freestyle team is amazing right now and I am very happy. The freestyle sail is pretty much the only sail in the line that I can’t really test well by myself. My freestyle skills are a little archaic so it’s hard to feel how the sail really works in the high end moves they are doing. I still like to actually sail the protos a lot and try to understand them, but in terms of the finer details it’s really hard as my double air culos are not really up to scratch. Therefore I really rely on the team a lot, and I am really happy with all the guys we have. Jacopo is obviously a key member of that team and has a big input, but the guy that works the hardest on this is Loick Spicher. He is a really good freestyler, but also really good at testing and giving excellent feedback. He has kind of acted as the test team coordinator, taking all the information from the guys and translating their feedback into useful information. Often the hardest thing is actually to translate what the guys feel into real information. Sometimes it’s very hard to communicate specific feelings, and even more so when it’s not in your mother tongue. Loick is firstly very good at that, and secondly speaks about 6 languages, so that really helps when discussing things with the others. On top of him and Jacopo we also have Tonky Frans, who is a legend and has a huge wealth of knowledge and also Francesco Cappuzo who is a bigger build than the others and therefore gives really useful feedback on other points in the sails. Finally our windsurf marketing manager, Matteo Guazzoni, is also an amazing freestyler, being ex- EFPT champion himself, so he also has a big input, often with a more general point of view. All the guys are super picky which I love. As a designer I love that the riders are pushing for perfection. It is much better like this than if they just say everything is great.
This year I was really proud of all the team. I think all the other disciplines of the sport I am still actively competing in so it’s a slightly different view on the team. With the freestyle I have not been competitive at it for 10 years or so, so I look at it and it feels really different. Somehow I feel like an elder advisor over the team, rather than one of the guys. Slightly less with Tonky as we competed together for years in the beginning, but certainly with the other guys I am constantly checking their heats and scores and watching more closely than with anything else. For sure I like to follow Alex Mussolini when he is doing well, but it’s really different with the freestyle team somehow. Jacopo stole the show this year and really it was only Gollito that he couldn’t beat. Even Amado he beat in the EFPT, so he really showed he is one of the top top guys. I really wanted Tonky to do well this year as he was sailing better than ever but I think he was pretty unlucky. He had 1 or 2 heats this year that were so close and he lost by nothing on a couple of dubious decisions. If a couple of things had gone the other way he could easily have been right up there also fighting for the podiums. Loick also stepped up his game and Francesco really shone in Sylt. He is an incredible talent, and a real all-round waterman, the Italian Kai Lenny.. ha ha ha. He is 2 x Italian windsurf wave champion, 3 x Italian kitesurf wave vice champ and this year in Sylt he finished 7th in the Freestyle. If you see him, his build is not the typical freestyler’s build as he weighs around 90 kgs, but you see him on the water and he is like a ballerina, but with huge explosive power when he needs it. He is really young still and it will be interesting to see how he develops.
TESTING
Our typical testing schedule revolves mainly around Cape Town and Fuerteventura, but we are still active the rest of the year. Normally in Fuerte we come up with a few different concepts to test. Typically we will choose 1 size, something like a 4.8, and then make 3 or 4 protos trying different things, often quite radical. We test those sails whilst everyone is together and see what the feelings are. Often we then modify these sails, right there in Fuerte, and test them again. From there, we choose the better concepts, look to develop them further and often make a couple more protos for the guys to test in the autumn, with Sylt being the perfect opportunity to at least get everyone together and discuss where we are at. After that we normally aim to really refine the concept and push to make the final set of sails for testing in Cape Town. Normally these go straight into production, but there is still a little room to tweak or modify them further if we think it’s necessary. Then the whole process starts again. I think the freestyle discipline is probably the hardest to design for because the sport is constantly evolving. Slalom is lots of work, but in the end the parameters more or less stay the same each year, for example the sails need to go fast, accelerate well, have power but stay controllable. With freestyle, these parameters are constantly changing as the moves and styles change and develop. A few years ago when we started the Style Pro, the sail needed to duck well and that was the most important thing. Then they needed to duck well and have lots of pop/power. Now it seems like the guys are sailing much more powered up than before and using the wind to really fly. Therefore the emphasis is now really on control, and less about maximising the power. Who knows where it will go next, but it means we are constantly working hard to give the guys the best tools to compete with. This year with all the success of Jacopo Testa and the rest of the team we really proved we have a sail that is capable of doing anything.
JACOPO TESTA
I was born in Milano and grew up in Sardinia where my great love for windsurfing started. I was about 10 years old when, with my brother Matteo, I did my first windsurfing course at Sporting Club Sardinia, from that moment I discovered the meaning of passion. Riccardo, the windsurfing dad of a friend of mine created a team – ‘TNT’. With them I started participating at events in various Italian locations where I met other windsurfing kids and could compare my level and try to improve it. During the summer I spent the windy days trying the moves; we were a big group with a lot of motivation. The beginning was hard because you don’t get tuned in straight away with your board and sail, the sea and wind and your body and its movement. Putting all these elements together was the biggest step. While growing up I wanted so much to change my life. I left the city and moved to Sardinia, started travelling and decided that windsurfing was going to be my profession. I hooked up with RRD because Gigi Le Carrò introduced me to them. RRD has become my first real sponsor and together with John Skye we also started a collaborative program for improvement of their boards and sails and we have had great progress so far!
DREAMS
My advice to kids wanting to follow my path is to cultivate the true passion that everyone has inside, that force is fundamental for realizing your dreams. I worked for many years at a windsurfing school as an instructor, I did so many courses, seeing so many people and numerous children. The hardest part of that job is to transmit your passion and keep the attention and interest of your students alive. Something you don’t know about me, I would like a farm and to be a farmer! Watch the seeds grow from the earth! For the next months though I’m just sowing the seeds of the new competition season ahead, starting with a trip to South Africa for some training. Bring on 2018!
RESULTS
In 2016 I achieved my first true results. For the second time I got third place overall in the EFPT and 13th overall in the PWA. In my head I said, “Next year I want to be first in the EFPT and be one of the top ten riders in the PWA.” My expectations were exceeded! European champion and third overall in PWA!!! These are unforgettable moments and emotions. My first PWA podium will remain in my mind forever. Every morning I get up to go to ‘work’. Van, equipment, spots, wind, so much desire and sacrifice. Hours of physical and mental training. The body doesn’t abandon you, but sometimes thoughts can make you discouraged, because if you don’t see the results you want you can think about giving up and going back to a ‘normal’ life.
MATTEO GUAZZONI – RRD INTERNATIONAL MARKETING & TEAM MANAGER
Although I deal primarily with marketing, I am still excited by everything to do with the development of our new products, especially our freestyle boards. Having been a freestyle athlete in the past, and still having a passion for it, makes everything easier. In RRD we are lucky to have the workshop where the boards are designed and shaped directly in Grosseto. This year in particular we have an amazing freestyle team. We discuss and decide together which direction the development of our new boards must take. My role is as a bit of a ‘collector’ of ideas between the demands of our riders, Roberto and our shaper. The TwinTip v6 freestyle board was actually born before I joined RRD. The boys and Roberto had added some small changes to the previous version (the v5), which was already a good board. The v6 board keeps the same scoop line, double concave and vee. Our board is extremely easy and comfortable once you step on it. We decided to keep a quite pronounced double concave because we were happy about its stability and control in most conditions, especially when it gets more difficult in choppy water and small waves. Less double concave would probably give more acceleration but would be harder to control. In general the hardest part is to find the best compromise between speed and control.
We have reduced the length from 227 cm to 223 cm, increased the thickness and moved the footstrap positions more forward. A shorter board is easier in both air moves and sliding but the more you shorten it, the more technical it becomes. However this is the direction that all brands are taking. To keep the same volume you need to reduce the length and increase the thickness, trying not to loose sensitivity and reactivity. The freestyle level has risen a lot, the style and type of moves has changed into more air moves and double rotations. What is needed is to have speed and pop to fly higher and a shorter board to reduce the strength needed during those air rotations. Freestyle scoop lines are flat on the tail (no kick) to maximize early planing and have some vee/concave at the centre of the board. The rails are quite sharp at the back while progressively increasing the tuck towards the front. The volume distribution has changed recently, the thickest has to be on the tail and under the stance position in order to keep the board easy planing in both normal and switch stance as well as to maximize the pop. It’s a very technical board program, you need to work constantly with the riders and get their suggestions and feedback, but it’s fun as you have to try to be creative and innovate.
“ My advice to kids wanting to follow my path is to cultivate the true passion that everyone has inside. ”
Words John Skye//PhotosLawiin06, Matteo Guazzoni, Jean Souville, Jean Marc Cornu, Stuki San
Défi Wind is the legendary event that puts over 1000 windsurfers on the same starting line, pros and amateurs alike for an edge of your seat harness racing experience like nothing else. Every May eager ‘Défi’s’ make the pilgrimage to Gruissan in the South of France to face the might of the howling Tramontane winds and test their metal on long distance reaches. In and out of the buoys this definitely is not. Amongst the challengers was our very own John Skye, he recounts this year’s event and why it was one to remember!
FIRST TASTE The Défi has been on my bucket list of events for a while. Ever since the legendary high wind events of 2015 and 2016 I always thought it looked fun and a nice sort of challenge. In 2017 I finally made it to Gruissan Plage in the South of France, but unfortunately there was no wind, so this year was my first real taste of Le Défi, and what a taste it was!
I arrived late the night before and as RRD had a stand booked, the first priority was to get all the gear onto the beach whilst we still had a chance. The following morning there would be 1300 people swarming around so access would be difficult. The guys that had made it there early said it had been quite light that day, only 25-30 knots! The event site is an amazing setup. A large stage sits in the middle, with exhibition stands to the right and a large party/drinks/food tent to the left. Then as you walk towards the beach you pass more exhibition tents and restaurants before finally on the beach there is a ring of yet more exhibition tents. For those that went to NWF at Hayling, imagine that times 2 or 3. This event is not only about racing!
HOWLING Thursday morning we were woken by a gale and sure enough when we arrived at the beach it was howling. We set to work unpacking 20 new boards and screwing around 80 footstraps on. There were flags to put up and sails to rig too, but in that wind it seemed pretty pointless! Once that was done it was time to switch focus to the race, with a briefing at 13:00 and a 1st start at 15:00.
The Défi briefing is something that has to be seen (and heard) to be believed. More like a rock concert, with sound effects booming out of the PA and the organiser, Phillipe Bru, putting on a show worthy of the entry fee alone. After one hour of screaming and shouting they finally get down to the details of the race. Organizing 1300 windsurfers in a 40km race with 40 knot offshore winds is quite a task and they certainly take it seriously. With around 50 boats and jet skis patrolling the water as well as a wall of buoys 1km out to sea, they have never lost anyone. The safety briefing goes on, and on, and on, and on and after 2 hours, eventually it comes down to the big countdown. With huge fanfare, yet more sound effects and massive cheers from the crowd, the giant start watch on the screen begins its countdown from 60 minutes. Race 1 is finally cleared for launch.
I rig up the 5.2 and 90 litre / F-hot 32 cm fin combo. It’s a setup I have been tuning for the last couple of weeks in Gran Canaria. I am at a massive advantage with this because there are few places were the wind blows so strong. Still as I hit the water it’s a shock how strong it actually is. The Tramontane passes over the Pyrenees and comes in cold and hard. My confortable GC setup is not feeling very confortable right now. A few runs and a few adjustments and it starts to feel better, but I can’t imagine how the other guys are dealing with it.
STARTING POINT Before coming to the event I had been picking the brains of everyone I knew about the Défi, trying to piece together as much information as I could. The best place to start, which tactics to use, gear tuning and just about everything else I could think of. My strategy was to start about 50-100 metres from the pin end of the line, out of the way of the top guys, but not too far behind them either. The start is what they call a rabbit start with a 30ft powerboat charging upwind at around 30 knots, and 1300 windsurfers blasting behind. It has to be seen to be believed, so check out the online videos.
Not really knowing what to do, I set about the start like any other slalom start, crossing the line in the right direction with 4 minutes left and then gybing on the 3 minute mark to come back the other way. That is when the wall of windsurfers blew me away. It is something you have to see to really understand what it is, and when you add in 40 knots of wind, whitewater being ripped off the surface and metre high chop in all directions, it just adds to the spectacle. My problem now is that I am heading towards this wall in the wrong direction and there doesn’t look to be much space! I spot a small hole and pass through into a cauldron of turbulent water and dirty wind. I just about wobble around a gybe and then find myself stuck in the middle of 1000 sailors. Luckily in 40 knots of wind even dirty air can get you moving, and I start to move towards the front row. Finding a little space, I push upwind and hang back a bit, creating a little room below me. When I catch the first glimpse of the boat I sheet in, hold my breath, close my eyes and fly through the front line of windsurfers out into clean water!
LOCK AND GO Now it was a case of lock it all down and go. Normally on a PWA start after about 30 seconds people start to come past, so I was pushing and pushing waiting for the familiar slapping of a board upwind. Surprisingly this never came and suddenly I realized I was clear of the pack and pretty much on my own. About 200 metres downwind and a little way ahead were the frontrunners, then nobody! I had no idea where I was heading. Off in the distance there were 2 headlands. The first seemed too close to be 10 kms, whilst the other seemed too far and way off downwind. At this point my theory was to head upwind if in doubt, as at least I would find the gybe mark that was supposed to be near the beach somewhere. After about 2 or 3 kms I finally hear a board coming over the top, and it was actually quite a relief to have somebody close by. Past winner of the Défi, Andrea Cucchi of Point-7, blasted past and I locked in behind him, happily following his black sail. At around the 5km point things started to hurt a bit. Sailing in one direction for so long is not normal and begins to get a bit uncomfortable. The headland that seamed too close has not actually got any closer and it soon becomes apparent that this must be the 1st buoy. Still I follow the black sail.
Finally at around 7km we hit the beach. At this point it’s more or less a speed track, broad and flat. Normally it would be a case of bearing off and I know with this gear I can get speeds of over 35 knots. However the reality is that my legs are burning and going fast over chop was not what they wanted to do. Instead I bounced down the last 3km, and have never been so happy to see a gybe mark! As everyone converges there suddenly seems to be hundreds of people ahead, but all I really cared about is getting onto the other tack and giving my body a break. The gybe is relatively simple, but stepping into the straps and getting into position on the new tack proves to be harder than expected. My body seemed to be stuck twisting in the opposite direction, but it eventually sorts itself out.
Now heading the other way there were literally 1000 people sailing straight at me at close to 30 knots. There is clearly no way through that lot and I watch as many of the guys in front fly off downwind and out to sea. Still pretty lost I do what I have been doing the whole race and follow the black sail, which chooses a higher line. Now almost 4km back the fleet starts to thin out a bit and I decide to make a break and try to get upwind of it. I weave my way through the oncoming traffic avoiding the back markers as they fly out of control and catapult in front of me. I even have the terrifying moment of a head to head with someone foiling… in 40 knots!!! I navigate my way to the beach and now enjoy a relatively cruisey blast along the flat water to the 2nd gybe.
By this point the fleet is fairly spread out and I found myself locked in battle with 2 others. No idea who they were but what followed was a 20km battle. I got ahead of one, then the other would go past, then in front, then behind, swapping places heading upwind and downwind. This continued until around 37km when my body had had enough. I looked behind to see there was nobody else coming and let off the gas a bit. I figured I was around 30-40th, so gaining 1 position didn’t feel like it mattered. The black sail I had been following the whole time was a distant dot on the horizon. I have never been happier to cross the line and when my feet were finally back on dry land I was not really too sure if it had been fun or punishment. I guess the feeling is similar to running a marathon. Relief that it’s over, but a huge sense of satisfaction as well. I also suddenly realized I must have done a bit better than I thought, because there weren’t that many people around at the beach. It’s hard to believe you have done well when the winner was literally 3km ahead, but when the results finally came through I had finished a very satisfying 10th!
OFF DAY The next day was beautiful but zero wind. I am sure I wasn’t the only windsurfer on the beach happy for a rest! With the sun shining it was time to show off our goods, and out came the beach tents and flags and the industry put on a fantastic show of the latest and greatest gear. It is such a contrast, but this is what makes the event so special. The stage is utilized nonstop throughout the day with prize giveaways and presentations, including boards handed out to lucky competitors all chosen at random based on your contest vest number. Throughout the day there are non-stop interviews with competitors with the first question always being, “where are you from?” With over 35 countries taking part it truly is a global affair, with 30 odd making the trip from the UK. What is also great to see is the number of youths taking part with 130 of the fleet under 18.
As the afternoon turns into the evening things start to heat up. There are parties every night, but this has all the makings of a big one. No wind tomorrow and a day of relaxing and beer drinking on the beach. Sure enough the music starts to pump out and the party tent is rammed. We go exploring to check the other bars in the event site and they are all pumping. This is as much about the social as it is about the windsurfing and the party rages until the early hours.
STORMY SATURDAY Saturday in contrast dawned cold, cloudy and all a bit dreary…. which is incidentally how I felt after one too many beers the night before. At the beach there was enough wind for foiling and 100’s hit the water to silently fly around.There was an attempt to run a mini ‘foil’ Défi but the wind shuts down as soon as they put the buoy in the water.Suddenly the wind goes from onshore 10 knots to zero. Then starts to pick up from the opposite direction. The PA announces to batten down the hatches because the storm is coming and sure enough in less than an hour it’s 40 knots, accompanied by driving rain. With the forecast for the next day predicting strong winds we had already made the decision to pack up as much of the stand as we could, but still the weather caught us out and we battled away trying to fold up inflatable tents and derig sails. By nightfall it felt like the wind was peaking at 60 knots and rain that puts the UK to shame. But the promise of racing tomorrow meant everyone went to bed happy… except maybe the poor souls camping in tents around the site, whom I suspect had a very rough night!
SUPER SUNDAY Sunday starts windy, wet and freezing. I am completely unprepared for weather I would normally associate with Sylt. Last year had been hot and sunny the whole time and I had only packed a light summer jacket. Everyone was packed into the party tent for an indoor briefing, which once again was a full show going on for nearly an hour. The plan was for 3 races, but I don’t think anyone in the room believed it would happen. Eventually they announced a shorter start countdown of 45 minutes and race 2 was underway.
This time the start went terribly for me. With the wind much lighter (only 25-30 knots!!!) there was not the same power to get out of trouble. I followed the same tactic that had worked so well in race 1, but this time I was left stationary amongst 1000 sailors, off the plane and out of the straps as the boat flew by and the rest of the fleet disappeared into the distance. It was a disaster start, but actually the most fun race of them all. This time instead of blasting along on my own I was picking people off one by one, heading upwind to get clear of one, then bearing off to go under another. This time for some reason the 10km flies by and I even manage to attack the gybe a bit and take a couple of places. There are people everywhere this time around and I have no idea where I am in the rankings. The wind by this point had picked up about 10 knots and those that chose the right size for the start, are now getting punished. I battle on and eventually claw back to a respectable 19th, even though it felt like 50th.
Race 3 took a while to get underway while they checked there were no missing people. EVERYONE has to sign out and sign back in again before and after the race, a way to keep track of everyone and make sure nobody is lost. Now 3 or 4 are missing, but thankfully it turns out they were on the beach grabbing a sandwich or beer!
Finally we get underway with the wind peaking towards 40 knots+ and nearly all the top guys reach for their smallest sails. My new strategy is to take advantage of the first 3-4km of each leg, as this is where I have full strength, so after the gybe I push as hard as I can to get ahead and then ease off a bit towards the end. It’s a strategy that seems to pay off checking those around me, but I end up in a similar position of 18th, so I’m not really sure if it was beneficial. One of the hardest things with the Défi is working out the good tactics. In slalom everyone is close and you can really see if heading upwind or downwind works. At the Défi you have no idea. I tried just about every different line between the buoys and honestly couldn’t work out which was the best.
FINAL PUSH Unbelievably the race crew decide to push for one final race in order to get a discard. It’s 17:00 on the final day and it seems crazy to me, but suddenly the countdown is on and everyone hits the water. The wind is dropping quickly and it’s clear that getting free of the pack is the priority.My start is fairly average and without the power I decide to bear off downwind and get some speed and hopefully find stronger wind out to sea. It seems to pay off and I quickly get clear of the pack and seem to have good power. I start to head back upwind a bit, but the harder I push, the more the wind turns and the more the wind drops. Suddenly it’s a 10km upwind struggle, which is absolute torture for my already destroyed body. I’m dying, but as soon as I ease off, the board points downwind and I know I will miss the mark. About 1km from the buoy I realize I am not going to make it, so tack and head back the other way into the stream of 1000 sailors charging towards me. At this point it becomes total carnage. The wind is now 15 knots, half the fleet are stationary and nobody can make the mark. I honestly thought I would never get home and have to walk, and was cursing the race crew. Eventually after 15 minutes more or less stationary I get a gust and pump 500 metres to get clear and find some clean air. As we get near the second gybe I am very relieved to see nobody coming back towards us, which means they either shortened the course or cancelled, which either way is a relief. It turns out to be the cancelled option, which I think favours me massively in the overall and sure enough I end up a very happy 13th.
The event was won by Nicolas Warembourg who absolutely dominated, winning every race. Apparently one of the races he was miles behind and kept pushing and pushing until he finally took the lead literally 100 metres from the end, which is just amazing. Apparently he has finished 2nd 2 or 3 times and was so motivated to win it he actually moved to the spot and trains there every day. He is a good PWA sailor as well, but clearly had one goal in mind and deservedly finally got his hands on the trophy.
It’s now 3 days later and still my body is recovering. 100km racing in one day in 40 knots is pretty tough, and as I said before it’s a fine line between fun and punishment. Still the sense of satisfaction is amazing and the fact that people come back year after year shows that this is much much more than just a windsurfing event. As we loaded the RRD van 2 Danish guys came to say hello. They were just leaving to drive home…. 2000km away!! Clearly the Défi is something very special!
WordsFinn Mullen, Timo Mullen, John Skye, John Carter, Peter Hart & Dave White//PhotosJohn Carter
If a cat has nine lives then Dave White surely has ten. Whitey has a unique world class talent for windsurfing …and survival. The warrior faced his toughest test last year suffering a stroke whilst windsurfing in Mauritius. Almost one year on, and with the help of his family, we interviewed Dave on his recovery with questions from John Skye, John Carter and Peter Hart and insight from Timo Mullen, John Skye and Dave’s wife, Sally White, on how events unfolded in Mauritius that fateful day. It’s tough reading, but not as tough as Whitey and his family! Read on for a moving story about one of our most famous windsurfers and the heroic actions of two kitesurfers and a local boatman who helped save his life.
TIMO MULLEN It really is scary to think this all happened a year ago now, and as I head back to Mauritius this year I know it will be difficult to not think all the time about what happened to Whitey.
It was pretty big that day, mast high plus, which makes all the breaks pretty scary and a lot of current running. As I came in from my session I saw Skyeboy sailing out and he asked me where was best to go and I told him Manawa, as One Eye was just a close out. I didn’t realise Whitey was also sailing out, which would have been worrying as the wind was very light! About an hour later I was sat on a sun lounger on the beach with my wife when she told me that a guy pulling up in a boat looked like Whitey. At first I thought it was just one of the RRD dealers who had broke a mast, but then sure enough I saw it was Whitey, and he didn’t look good! With Whitey you always expect some sort of disaster, so as I ran down to the boat I was expecting a broken leg, but the moment I saw him I knew it was really bad. I spotted he had a stroke straight away. The FAST acronym – Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time to call emergency services, is drummed into me from any first aid courses I have been on. I know Whitey so well I could see that he was suffering from the 3 main symptoms. I knew time was very crucial but we had to move a 110kg dead weight out of a boat on the beach to a make shift stretcher (sun lounger) and carry him through the hotel to the medical facility on site. The Doctor confirmed that it was likely he had a stroke and was busy organising ambulances to take him to hospital, which unfortunately was 90 minutes away. To be honest I thought Whitey was going to die in front of me and all I could think to do was just hold him tight and give him a hug and tell him that I was there and would make sure I’d stay with him. I spoke on the phone with Sally, his wife, and remember telling her that this wasn’t the usual Whitey disaster and that she should get on the next immediate flight to Mauritius. The drive behind the ambulance to the hospital was pretty crazy as the ambulance was going flat out through every red light with me trying to stay on its tail whilst on the phone to his insurance company trying to get everything ready for his arrival at the hospital. I remember thinking how ironic this was as I drive like Miss Daisy and Whitey always rips it out of me for that. Yet here I was driving like a total maniac and Whitey didn’t even get to see it!! When we arrived at the hospital, I realised no one spoke English and it was a Sunday, so all the good doctors were not on duty. Luckily I had Pam Green, a stroke rehab specialist and friend of Dave’s, on the phone telling me what to tell the nurses on call at the hospital. I had to do this in French, so it was quite daunting. The good news was that Dave could sit up straight and could lift both his arms and give a firm handshake with both arms. His speech was slurred and his face had dropped, but physically he was looking better than an hour ago. I left him to the specialists and later that evening I was able to see him and again he seemed better but very tired. Both John and I felt confident that he would make a bit of a recovery, however unfortunately during the night it turned out that Dave had another stroke and this is what set him back. Dave stayed in hospital for a further 2 weeks in Mauritius, not the holiday extension he wanted, but now safely back in the UK I know Dave is in good hands and I am confident he will be back on the water sooner rather than later, plus he has managed to jinx the whole year for wind! I reckon he has only missed about 10 good sessions on the water!! Big thanks must go though to the two local pro kiters who saved Dave’s life, and I mean, save his life. 100% he would be dead if it was not for their selfless heroic actions. They literally held Dave in the water, keeping him from going under in mast high plus swell and bringing him to shore with the help of a local boatman, take a bow Willow River Tonkin and Taylor Holl.
JOHN SKYE We had lunch and went pretty much straight on the water. There were 2 Italian guys from RRD and myself and Whitey. I actually made the comment “keep an eye on each other”, but then did a pretty terrible job at it!! My last memory of Whitey windsurfing was when I hit the channel on my way out to sea. The wind dropped completely and I was sinking on my over volumed board. I looked back and saw Whitey just leaving the beach, stood up on his board. I then had to focus on making it out through the breaking waves in the channel, but when I looked back he was gone. I had just assumed he had gone back to the beach with such light winds and fully expected him to come flying out on a kite or large slalom gear. After about an hour sailing, someone came up to me on the water shouting that Whitey had had a heart attack. By the time I came in, he and Timo were on their way to the hospital. I quickly got changed and then grabbed some of Dave’s stuff that I thought he might need in the hospital and set off.
At first it didn’t seem too bad at all. He couldn’t talk much but seemed to have good movement and everything seemed pretty okay. Timo and I were taking advantage of Whitey’s inability to answer back by ripping into him in his hospital bed. Despite struggling to say yes or no, he did manage to say “shut up”, which was very encouraging. I then stayed overnight in a hotel nearby, but when I arrived in the morning he had deteriorated quite badly. There was definitely much less piss taking as he seemed to be fighting for his life at that point. I am massively thankful to Pam (his best friend’s wife and NHS stroke specialist) as I hit her with 1000’s of questions by WhatsApp, trying to work out what to do and getting reassurance that everything was as it should be. The doctors changed his medication and by lunchtime he was doing a bit better. Sally (his wife) and Reece (his son) arrived from the other side of the world within 24 hours, which is unbelievable really, and after that they took amazing care of him.
Since then I have been in contact quite a bit through Skype. He is doing amazing at talking now, although you can really hear when he is tired or not, as he tends to struggle more to find words. But to be honest, it’s almost a relief because he used to talk too much anyway! When it all happened I was googling ‘stroke recovery’ and the number one thing they all said, was it depends mostly on the effort and drive of the patient. At that moment I knew he would be back on the water at some point and I can’t wait to sail with him again. Hopefully he will be a bit slower now and won’t pass me quite so easily!
SALLY WHITE Well it started out a quiet Sunday morning, kids all out and David in Mauritius. Then about 12’ ish I had a phone call from Nik Baker to say he had received a phone call from Timo saying David had suffered a stroke. To say that was a shock was an understatement. If they had told me he had broken something windsurfing that would have been acceptable. Then I phoned Timo, he said he was with David and Skyeboy and that they were still at the hotel but were taking him to a hospital. Timo said we should fly out and gave us times of a flight. I said is it that bad? Then panic set in, what child should I phone first? I spoke to all of them and they all arrived home very quickly and all wanted to fly with me. Eventually we decided Reece should come with me and we had booked a flight within an hour. As you know we are a big family, so within minutes other family members arrived – mum, brothers, sisters, all in total shock. Reece took control and we left the house in total chaos with everyone crying. Thank goodness for good friends, as a quick call to Mark and Julia and a lift was ready to the airport. I left having a panic attack, not good.
After a 12 hour flight we arrived in Mauritius. Unbeknown to us, Timo and Skyeboy had set up a WhatsApp group with the kids and close friends Nik and Pam Green. Pam working in the NHS was a fantastic help keeping them informed as to what the doctors should be doing. We arrived at the hospital with David having an MRI scan and Skyeboy still there. The doctors confirmed David had suffered a stroke. They said it was a waiting game to see what happened next and they were going to keep his blood pressure lowered. It was a shock when we first got to see him, he couldn’t speak and his right hand side couldn’t move. I could just see the worry and hurt in his eyes that he might stay like that for ever. He was in his worst nightmare. They kept him in intensive care for 6 days, then moved him to a nice room with a sea view and fabulous sunsets. That was our home for the next 3 weeks and I only took enough clothes for 4 days. Our days were spent at the hospital from 10 in the morning until 8 or 9 at night. Reece even had a sleepover with his dad one night. As days went on we got into a routine. Pam sent some exercises out for his face and mouth, which we did 3 times a day. We went for walks round the hospital and David slept a lot for the first week or so. Next thing was to get him home, which he was desperate for. We FaceTime’d our other children daily – Aaron, Samantha and granddaughter Florence. David loved that, but hated the thought that he couldn’t speak. At last we had a date to go home and after a lot of phone calls with the insurance company, which were amazing, a flight was booked with a nurse so we all flew home together. The only thing David didn’t like was he had to go to hospital to be checked over. In the end he was there for 10 days. After a struggle we managed to get the house sorted for his return, the bed was brought downstairs and everything was in place. He was so happy when he was eventually home, then started the long haul of physio.
The physios were amazing, coming in everyday for months. They still come in now twice a week for physio and speech therapy, and we also have help from Pam doing physio and friends Julia and Mel doing reiki. David amazes us all each day with his determination and still has his lust for life. I think there has only been a couple of times when he was very down then he soon snaps out of it. He has even put himself forward to go to the hospital and speak to stroke patients who are struggling. He also goes to three different groups a week.
I would like to thank our three children and their partners who have also been amazing through all this and have never moaned, they are just always there for their dad. Also all our family and friends and my girlfriends who have kept me sane through this whole experience and most of all our little granddaughter Florence for making us laugh every day. Also a big thank you to everyone who donated to the JustGiving page that Skyeboy set up, which has helped us to buy things for David to enable his recovery.
JOHN CARTER QUESTIONS
JC – Can you remember what happened the day you had the stroke in Mauritius?
DW – I couldn’t remember the second it happened, but a few minutes later I was hanging onto my board with my head bobbing up and down and I had no feeling in my right arm and leg, but had no idea what was going on. About 40 minutes passed when a kitesurfer found me and pulled me up to his kite, then it was 20 minutes before a boat came, they didn’t want to take me initially as they thought I was dead, so I had to try and wave my arms so they knew I was alive.
JC – Do you feel lucky to be alive…anything could have happened when you blacked out on the water?
DW – Yes I am lucky to be alive, but also if I had gone I wouldn’t have known. All I have to say about that is I have gone over my nine lives.
JC – Do you remember hanging onto your board out in the channel while waiting to be rescued? What were you thinking, or was everything a blank?
DW – Yes I remember it. It wasn’t blank, but I was thinking why is my arm not working. My head was facing my left hand and my right hand was under the water.
JC – How tough was it being stuck in the hospital in Mauritius for two weeks?
DW – Tough in one way and easy in another. Tough thing was I couldn’t speak to anybody and tell them what I wanted, but in my head I knew everything. It was hard, as the doctors didn’t realize I was fine in my head. The easy bit was that I had a beautiful view of the ocean from my bed.
JC – How did it feel when you finally made it home to the UK?
DW – Very excited, I wanted to go straight home but had to spend 10 days in hospital to get checked over. They wanted me to go to a London hospital because they didn’t think I understood anything, but we managed to persuade them I was ok, as Sally and the kids knew I understood everything.
JC – How determined have you been in the recovery process?
DW – Anyone who knows me will know I am a very determined person, but it will be a long time to recover and not happen overnight. There have been a few times when I thought I might not recover, but they were short lived.
JC – Do you know if you will make a full recovery and be able to windsurf or are you taking matters step by step
DW – I don’t know the answer to that, but what I have is determination and support that will help me recover. I have held a kite with one hand on the land and it feels good, the next thing is to go on the water. Once I have more movement in my right hand I will start to hold a windsurf sail, but that will still be a short time from now. Taking each day as it comes.
JC – We heard you are back behind the camera now, how does that feel to be doing one of your passions again?
DW – That was because of my occupational therapist and her determination. We had the camera altered, but I still wasn’t sure I had it until I got behind the camera. Fortunately I had two good friends, Jonathan Bradford and Sara from Result Clothing, who encouraged me to start taking pictures. They didn’t want a lot of pictures to start with, but I hope they will be there in the future.
JC – Has surviving this ordeal brought you closer to your family and friends?
DW – Not really, as we are a close family anyway and I can get the children to do extra things for me, and as for friends we are very lucky we have some close ones who have been amazing, that said friends I have all over the world have been fantastic and they keep in touch.
JC – What has been the toughest mental and physical challenge over the last year?
DW – The toughest mental challenge is my speech. As you know I like to talk a lot, but actually the toughest thing is not being able to write it down. The toughest physical challenge is the movement in my hand, but it’s getting there.
JC – You always were a guy that went at every challenge 100 % full power. After the stroke are you taking it slightly easier now?
DW – No, but the tiredness gets the better of me. However in my head I can go 100% full power. The rest periods are getting shorter day by day.
JC – How has surviving these major illnesses changed your outlook on life?
DW – It hasn’t really. I don’t see them as major incidents. Unless I die, I just see it as another challenge. I have always lived each day making sure I have no regrets.
JC – How much support have you had from the windsurfing industry and people you know in the business?
DW – I have had lots of support. But everyone has their different ways of approaching it. Some people keep away because they feel they don’t want to intrude on my recovery, but I have also had lots of visits and phone calls. Also everybody reacts differently to it. John Skye is someone who I talk to weekly and has been a big part of my recovery.
JC – How have you managed to stay so positive during the last year?
DW – I don’t even know, but I have. Only twice have I ever been depressed about it, but even that only lasted half an hour.
JC – Have you been keeping an eye on the windsurfing scene while being off the water?
DW – Yes, all the time. I stream every PWA event and always check the results of the British series. This year I want to personally get to the beach and watch the action. I managed to get to the slalom in Hayling Island.
JC – We heard you are able to drive again now. How does that feel to have your independence back?
DW – When I wasn’t able to drive, I had a mobility scooter, which I got from Greeny (Nik Green), so I could be independent. I remember when I first got in the scooter I could hardy walk, I just sat there. My car just means I can go out even further.
JOHN SKYE QUESTIONS
JS – What was the best single moment since the accident and why?
DW – When I first got out of bed in Mauritius and got on my feet, that was when I knew I would be able to start the road to recovery. Plus the first time I saw John, I knew I had to get better so I could beat him.
JS – What was the worst single moment since the accident and why?
DW – Wetting myself, because no one wants to piss their pants. I went out on my scooter, came back to the house, but as I could barely move, I couldn’t get in the door quick enough.
JS – Being honest, did the thought of giving up ever cross your mind?
DW – No, it didn’t when I was in the water. But when everyone went home on the first night in hospital and I was on my own, I thought about how I could end it, as I didn’t want to be like this forever. That lasted for about half an hour.
JS – You have now experienced 3 ‘near-death’ moments in completely different circumstances. Short-term ‘near-death’ in a 150 mph car crash, long-term ‘near-death’ with a battle against cancer and finally a medium-term ‘near-death’ being dragged out to sea whilst semi-paralysed in offshore winds. How do the 3 compare and which was your favourite?
DW – I think the car crash is my favourite, not the one you’re talking about, but another one which nobody knew about where I hit a tree, took off, went down the bank and flipped the car several times. I think that was the best experience. The car crash took up less of my time. The cancer was very time consuming but didn’t really affect me too much to start with. This one (the stroke) can go on to never-never land, but may take a while to kick your ass again.
JS – Have you crashed your car yet?
DW – No! I bought one that was automatic and avoids all crashes.
JS – When you finally get back windsurfing, what is the thing you will want to do the most? Ride a perfect wave, fly down a speed course at 40+ knots, go bump and jump at Clacton on Sea or something different?
DW – Go bump and jump at Clacton on Sea, but don’t write me off all the other stuff.
JS – Your family has always been amazing, but it seems like they all stepped up to another level since the accident. Obviously you are proud of them all, but is there anything that really surprised you on how they behaved over the last year.
DW – To start with, Reece was always extra cautious about me – it took quite a few months to pass before he actually started to take the piss. Then Aaron was young at heart, he didn’t know how to react, once I was back a few months he started to show his worth. As you would expect with Samantha being the oldest, she really held the fort back at home, and when I got home she was always extra caring – she created a journal for me so I could track my recovery. Sally was a legend, like she always is. The 3 weeks in Mauritius she never said a bad word to me, only after a few months did I get the truth from Reece where I found out she didn’t want to be left alone with me in the hospital room because she didn’t understand the actions I made out of frustration. As Reece told me, I always used to clench my fist and hit the bed in frustration to express the words I couldn’t say. It was nice because Florence (my granddaughter) was the only one that didn’t change how she would act with me. In the hospital she always sat on my lap in bed, and now wherever we go she will always walk holding my hand. Dan, Aimee and Milly (the kids partners) have been perfect, every time they see me, the first thing they do is see how I am.
JS – Were you surprised by the response to your just-giving fund raising?
DW – Amazing, amazing, amazing. I will go on about it for the rest of my life. This contributed to so many different aspects of my recovery, from the physical side– the physio and equipment, to even getting my car adapted to enable me to drive and getting my camera altered to allow me to continue my passion of photography. When I can write myself, I will write personal thank you’s to every single person that donated.
JS – You are improving everything rapidly, but after the stroke you basically lost both mobility and speech. Which did you actually miss the most? The ability to run around and go sailing, or the ability to repeat your stories over and over again!
DW – That’s pretty 50/50. When I’m at home and everything’s going on in a conversation, it can be frustrating that I can’t fully talk. But on the other hand, there’s nothing better than windsurfing when you can’t windsurf anymore.
JS – Finally what was worse: 1- the moment you realised you might not be sailing for a couple of years or 2 – the moment you realised I had beaten you in a speed-sailing contest?
DW – You beating me in a speed contest? Well there is always a first for everything. Anyway, I only compete in 35 knots and above.
PETER HART QUESTIONS
PH – Your whole life pre-stroke was about showing off on the water and jabbering incessantly. Your speech is getting so much better (and let’s face it, it was never that great in the first place) but what has been the most frustrating aspect of all this?
DW – When I see you, my speech is really frustrating. I hate to talk slowly with all of my friends. The Essex part of me comes on in my head clear as day but doesn’t come out of my mouth.
PH – Having spent a little time with you recently, you seem amazingly calm and philosophical. Has the stroke made you evaluate life, your outlook and … everything?
DW – No, because my life is what it is, but it has made me want to help others in my situation. I always go out of my way to show others in my position what can be done – at one of my groups I attend, I helped a man say three words which was a massive achievement for him, I am also going to help another lady who wants to try and get out of her house a bit more, but doesn’t have the support to do so. I have applied for a licence to be able to go onto a stroke ward and give support and motivation to others.
PH – Is there going to be a book: “My life in A&E” by Dave White?
DW – I don’t know, because one – I have to write it, and two – I don’t know where it would start. In 1978 I broke my arm and my pelvis, and now 22 accidents later I had a stroke. Three – I probably will have more accidents in the future.
PH – Sally (Dave’s wife), I can see, has been amazing, (as has your whole family) but when we’re chatting and you get stuck, she seems to know EXACTLY what you’re trying to say. Does it worry you that she’s obviously always been able to see through you?
DW – Good question! I hope not. But she always seems to know when I’ve done something bad. She has known me for most of my life, and has been by my side through every single accident I have had– the more I’ve had the easier it gets. I don’t know weather that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
PH – I think you can see how much love, support and positivity there is for you out there on social media – but we all know how good Facebook et al are at papering over the cracks and revealing only the bright side of life. Rehab is rarely a steady upward curve, have there been setbacks along the way when suddenly things have got worse?
DW – Partly. At the start, the bad days and the good days were virtually on par, but as my recovery progresses, the good days seem to become more frequent than the bad. Of course there have been hiccups, but these only encourage me to bounce back.
2XS® DEMO WEEKEND + KING OF THE TRENCH – 20/21ST OCT 2018 – WEST WITTERING
Club Vass and 2XS® will be running the UKWA National Title freestyle event alongside the 2XS®Demo weekend. It will turn into a tow event if the wind is light. Club Vass Team will be here in force over the weekend to add this event to our demo weekend. We are expecting some of the UK’s hottest freestylers including
Max Rowe, Jamie Howard, Adam Simms, Nick Hibdige, Andy Chambers, Ollie Townsend, Sam Green, Claire Elliot, Heidi Jabbari and Sarah Jackson.
The
2XS® Demo is back for 2018 – over the weekend we are excited about the new 2019 gear and it gives you not only the chance to talk to the suppliers but also understand how the gear works and try the product before you buy!
Over the weekend there will a free BBQ lunch Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting)
Party sat night theme 1980s starts at 9 .00pm Old House at Home West Wittering – wear plenty of neon. We will have test kit from –Ezzy, RRD, Goya, Quatro, Fanatic, Duotone, Slingshot, Starboard, RRD, Foils, JP Custom, GA sails, Tabou, Ozone, RRD kites, Dakine, ION – Windsurf, Kitesurf, SUP and Foiling.
Register at the 2XS Club office before you demo. We will be selling off our 2018 Demo Gear over the weekend – so if you are looking for some great priced gear please contact sales@2xs.co.uk call on 01243 513077 . Location 2XS®,West Wittering Beach PO20 8AU.
With the cold and windy season approaching, insulation is key and if you’re considering some new neoprene then read on as we speak to Marc Burhans, ION’s neoprene product manager, who gives us some expert advice and talks through the new ION range and check out our 2018 winter wetsuit buyer’s guide, where a selection of brands show off their latest product.
MARC BURHANS INTERVIEW
WS: Nearly all brands now offer so-called ‘front zip / chest zip’ suits, and the latest development is the ‘zipless’ wetsuit, featuring an entry system without any zip at all, so are the days of the ‘back zip’ over?
MB: Previously the ‘back zip’ was ‘the’ solution. However, over the last decade the front zip has become increasingly popular. The reasons and advantages of the front zip are obvious: the short, horizontal zip on the chest increases the freedom of movement of the user compared to a ‘back zip’, where the zip on the back is considerably longer and slightly more restrictive, especially for forward body motions. Nevertheless, the ‘back zip’ still has a huge following, mainly because it’s so easy to get in and out of: jump in, pull up the zip and off you go. What many people haven’t realized is that new, refined and more flexible materials, neoprene and linings are continuously being developed and putting on a front zip has become ridiculously easy in recent years too! Getting in and out of our new ‘Strike AMP front zip’ for example has gotten considerably easier due to a specific revised cut and a slightly longer zip, offering a wider entry. Even the most die-hard ‘back zip’ fans should give a front zip a shot. In my experience most ‘back zip’ fans are concerned with how difficult it might be… I can only recommend to just try a ‘front zip’ on in a shop and feel for yourself how easy it is to get in and out and how comfortable it is. The final decision as to whether to go for a ‘front’ or ‘back zip’ comes down to personal preference though. As I mentioned, the front zip offers a greater level of mobility, which is important to pulling off manoeuvres, that’s why pretty much all pros use a front zip these days.
The zipless design provides the maximum freedom of movement and a unique level of comfort. The con here is that it’s a bit trickier to get in and out of the suit. It’s no real issue with a 3/2mm or a 4/3mm, however, with the warmer suits like a 5/4mm, a bit of practice will make it a whole lot easier. Looking at zipless wetsuit constructions, they’re mainly targeted at surfers as these suits offer an unmatched level of freedom of movement. Getting in and out is certainly something one has to get used to though. However, we are continuously working on improving concepts further. For each new collection, we’re testing new cuts and materials. Through new innovations and designs we always strive to achieve a better wearing comfort, an easier entry and to push the envelope of what is possible. A suit should not represent any compromise.
WS: ION has two different lines of wetsuits: ‘Onyx’ for lean build and ‘Strike’ for well built. Can you explain further the differing sizing between the two?
MB: it’s not only the weight of the riders that needs to be considered in sizing a suit. That’s exactly why ION offers two different lines: ‘Onyx’ and ‘Strike’. Both have been designed with a different fit and thus the individual cut caters for different body builds. For a windsurfer with very muscly, athletic arms (in particular upper arm, i.e. big biceps), wider waist and hips and solid, strong legs, we have the ‘Strike’ range. Whereas I would recommend a suit from the ‘Onyx’ range to somebody with the same height, but who’s built leaner and smaller, i.e. smaller waist, hips, legs and less arm muscles.
The fit of each line was designed to match different body builds. Thus, on the one hand the stronger, bigger body type, and on the other hand the leaner, more wiry type. When you’re bigger built, it’s extremely important that the cut of your wetsuit has been designed specifically to suit your body type, that’s exactly why the ‘Strike’ line has such a strong following.
The ‘Onyx’ and ‘Strike’ models are available in both size categories, ‘normal’ (Euro size 46-60) and ‘tall’ (Euro size 94-106). All ‘Strike’ wetsuits feature a smooth skin neoprene in the back area as well as ION’s ‘Crash_Padz’ at the ribs and shins. The ‘Onyx’ offers great flexibility and special comfort thanks to the reduced panel design.
WS: How do you define “the perfect fit” of a wetsuit?
MB: The wetsuit should offer maximum freedom of movement, thus it should feel snug like a second skin and be super comfortable. ‘Comfortable’ does not mean that the suit has excess buckles of material or feels loose, because this would compromise the ideal heat insulation.
WS: The ‘Onyx’ and ‘Strike’ lines are available in different quality levels, namely ‘Element’, ‘Core’, ‘AMP’, and ‘Select’, can you explain the difference?
MB: The four levels represent different price levels. The ‘Select’ wetsuits are the warmest in the entire ION range. At the same time, these suits offer a huge amount of flex and feature ION’s ‘Plasma Plush’ on the inside, that’s why they dry extremely fast. ‘AMP’ wetsuits are the most flexible in the range and have been designed for freestylers and surfers who are after the maximum level of freedom of movement. ION’s new ‘Hot Stuff 2.0’ inside lining ensures all ‘AMP’ suits are also super cosy and warm. The ‘Core’ level offers selected features from the ‘AMP’ level at a lower price, which makes these suits very popular. And the ‘Element’ line is the more budget version of the ‘Core’, perfect for weekend warriors and windsurfers with a smaller budget who only sail occasionally.
This guide first appeared in the October 2018 issue.
Gunsails – “Say goodbye to being cold, the Force Semidry with frontzip is the warmest model of the GUNSAILS wetsuit collection and your partner for freezing cold winter days. This highly elastic wetsuit combines protection, warmth and freedom of movement. All seams are taped and blind stitched with an additional elastic S-Seal. Together with the 5 and 6 mm premium neoprene fabric and the integrated hood, the Force Semidry is extremely durable, shelters from cold winds and feels basically waterproof. FEATURES: Double Lined Highend Stretch Jersey, Frontzip Construction, Thermo Plush, Tatex Knee Protection, Shock Pads, Drainholes, Velcro Loops, Key Pocket and Melco Tape.”
ION – “ION’s Strike Amp 5/4 combines great stretch with perfect heat retention. Especially rather brawny windsurfers will appreciate the Strike Amp for its wider fit. Hot_Stuff 2.0 keeps the rider warm thanks to a bigger looped fabric. This flexible lining combined with the new I_foam neoprene provides maximum stretch while the latter also reduces weight through its airy structure. Velcro Leg_Loops and Maki_Tape 2.0 on the seams make sure cold water stays outside while further contributing to the flexibility. Crash_Padz at shins and ribs care for impact protection while the Glide_Skin panel at the back shelters the rider from wind chills.”
O’Shea – “The O’Shea Cyclone II is made with a fusion of 100 percent limestone based neoprene, the ultimate in stretch, warmth, fit and durability. We are one of very few companies using this material and technology in the global wetsuit market. As a brand inextricably linked to windsurfing, the Cyclone II 5/3 is a great suit to windsurf in during blustery autumn and winter winds. The Cyclone II features a fully opening front zip design, making entry and exit simple and easy, even for bigger riders who may otherwise struggle with the reality of a front zip suit.”
Prolimit – “The Prolimit Mercury 6/4 freezip is the strongest and ultimate watertight wetsuit. Neoprene tape is laser cut and high frequency welded onto the inside of the wetsuit. Combined with Fluid taping method (FTM) outside seams results in a neat, strong and durable seam. Neolight Duotone 550+ limestone neoprene panels with Thermal Rebound™ layout and Zodiac plush inside lining. To complete it a waterblock seal to limit water entry and to keep you warm and comfortable during long sessions. Thermal Rebound™ lining is directly derived from survival blankets for protection against cold conditions. Extra protection layer to reflect body heat.”
RRD – “Ready to jump into icy waters? Go for the Fahrenheit, the warmest and quickest drying wetsuits in our range. Stacked with the most high-tech features such as new and improved liquid taped powerseam stitchless technology, superstretch neoprene and fully neo-taped on the inside. The hollow fibre quickdry inside lining takes up 20% less water, keeping it light and making it dry fast, by channelling the water to the back of the lining and draining it out. These features make the Fahrenheit extremely warm, strong, and flexible to suit the most demanding riders. Available in a hooded 6/4 chest zip version also.”
Severne – “As with our sails, the approach we take to wetsuit design prioritises FUNCTION over all else. The number of seams is minimalized, cosmetic seams are removed and material choice is strictly high-end. Each panel is considered and optimized for shape, material and stretch orientation. Dynamic stretch is factored into the shaping with forearm expansion and aerobic exertion being one of the key elements considered. The EXOskin is specially designed for colder water applications, where warmth and reduced wind-chill is paramount. Carefully considered material selection means this hybrid suit does not sacrifice flexibility by maintaining double-lined superstretch material in the arms and legs.”
“Jomilson de Sousa and Antonio Costa are two Brazilian locals from Camocim and now living in Jericoacoara since a couple of years. After receiving their new 2019 RRD equipment (sponsored by the Pousada Windjeri) we went on a trip to the Lagoon of Paraiso and had a blast! Sailing in this natural swimming pool actually makes you feel like in a little paradise.”
If you feel like upgrading your waist harness for something fresh, then check out our buyer’s guide with some of the latest product from the brands and some expert advice from German ripper Klaas Voget.
KLAAS VOGET
“When choosing the right harness, the most important factor for me is the fit. That is something a bit more personal, but I can really feel a difference on the way my back reacts to different harnesses. I personally like it when a bit wider area of my back is covered, with a smooth curve that touches my back with a similar pressure in all areas when hooked in. If you try a harness in the shop, not only put it around your waist, also hook in for a while, put load pressure on the hook and turn your body left and right a bit to feel if there are some stress points or if it fees comfortable in all situations. Most harnesses have quick lock systems nowadays, that’s something I wouldn’t want to miss out on, to be able to quickly put your harness on and off and always have the right setting. Also make sure that your harness isn’t moving around too much, as you don’t want it to slip up all the time. I like softer neoprene edges on a harness, as they are gentler on the skin around your hips if you’re sailing in shorts when on holiday or training in warmer climates and want to avoid skin abrasion.”
GA Sails say – “The G5 PRO is designed for those of you who need the ultimate back support and comfort. With the ultimate back support in our range, the G5 PRO will cushion and support your back from top to bottom. G5 ergonomics have improved even further and a carefully designed high support 3D moulded design ensures support for your back. A refined kidney belt locks the harness in place and our Dual Strap adjustment system provides a final layer of support you can’t beat. The perfect choice for anyone looking for no compromise comfort in a waist harness.”
Gunsails say – “The CRUZ is our ergonomic hip harness for freemove and freeride with our patented Secure Lock System. It also features an inner and outer 3D shape, made out of water-repellent PU material, which offers excellent protection against impacts. There is also soft neoprene padding at the edges for maximum comfort and an Integrated Belt System, featuring 360° kidney belt with elastic adjustment for a perfect fit and prevents slipping. There is also a small Velcro key pocket on the outside. Available in sizes: small / medium / large / extra large.”
ION say – “The ION Radium Curv 10 is the lightest hard-shell harness on the market. The revolutionary Curv material is a totally new innovation in harness development. Extreme durability thanks to the self-reinforcing structure of the Curv and a low weight set new standards in design and performance. Medium stiffness (Flex Index 10) supports the rider perfectly. While Curv harnesses are rigid in the centre back area, they feature flexible side parts adapting to the individual anatomy of every athlete, further enhancing agility and progression while riding. The 3D Plus spine and high outline were designed to support the rider exactly where needed most.”
MFC say – “Redefining flexibility in a harness was our design goal at MFC. The harness comes with a quick release bar with twin point webbing fixings to minimise bar twist, as well as a huge reduction in weight – this is now one of the lightest most unobtrusive harnesses on the market. Designed to sit low on your waist with a sleek design to allow maximum manoeuvrability on your board. A harness you can count on and as used by PWA Tour standout, Marcilio Browne. Available in sizes: small / medium / large / extra large.”
Prolimit say – “Our legendary high-end windsurf waist harness, better than ever before. Redefined 3D Molded waist harness. High density EVA outer layer, PU laminated for wrinkle free flex and good abrasion resistance. Pre-curved for correct fit. Four point connected neoprene belt system with a snug fit, comfort with control. High back support and full length neoprene soft edge to reduce chafe. Dual foam construction. Torque window side panels for torsional twist. Mark IV internal load plate construction for anatomical shape and comfort without riding up. Pin-release spreader bar with 4-way MPL webbing construction keeps the bar stable and quick to fit.”
Ride Engine say – “Ride Engine created the world’s first hard shell harness with the goal of solving problems that people have tolerated for decades. Soft, flimsy harnesses ride up, twist from side to side, squeeze your gut uncomfortably, are often big and bulky and don’t offer enough support when you really need it. With Ride Engine’s stiff 12K carbon shell, those problems are a thing
of the past. The shell is moulded to match the form of your back and lock into your lumber for a combination of comfort, support and low-profile fit unlike any other harness in windsurfing.”
RRD say – “The RRD Shield harness is now available as a premium windsurf edition, featuring a low profile, spread tow carbon support shield. This 3D moulded stiff carbon plate, with naturally curved back and pre-shape, spreads the load for maximum back support. It doesn’t absorb water, so it stays light. The slim harness profile combined with flexible side and rib areas allow for freedom of movement and enhance performance in long or powerful sessions. The inside now features memory foam combined with soft neoprene, which gives you that extra bit of comfort. The improved bar pad with stabilizer wings protects your ribs.”
Severne say – “Function focussed, the AIR has been stripped of any excess. Waterproof materials minimize any weight gains when wet. Low density Thermo-Formed inner and neoprene Soft Edge provide essential comfort. Designed to be able to be worn loose, the bar pad prevents hook twist when trying to unhook quickly. And the minimalist waist closure holds the harness in place without any elastic compression. The profile of the AIR harness is kept low for maximum manoeuvrability. The main features are – ultra lightweight, maximum manoeuvrability, windsurf-specific spreader bar, thermo-formed outer and inner skins and neo soft edge.”
Simmer say – “The Raptor harness is engineered to give the best support and comfort ever experienced in a windsurfing waist harness. The shape is created using seven different moulded components sewn together to create the most anatomical fit around your waist and following your back arch. It also has an up-scaled back plate, fitted with extra reinforcement to provide the best back and arch support in the Simmer harness collection. It comes standard with a fixed hook system, with a spreader bar protector for maximum vertical hook stability. The harness also has a quick-lock release on the hook. Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL.”
RRD tell us about their first full power PWA race winning sail.. 100% race ready and tuned for winning at the highest level. A wide sleeve, carbon battens, deep profile and performance that will blow you away. The X-WING MK1 offers both blistering speeds and power, whilst remaining light in the hands and easy to use. It is not for the faint hearted, but go with it and anything is possible.
With the heritage left behind from the Firewing, we still focused on making things easy and the X-WING MK1 offers both blistering speeds and power, whilst remaining light in the hands and easy to use. It is not for the faint hearted, but go with it and anything is possible.
“A crazy amount of work has gone into this sail with hours of testing, refining and more testing helping to produce a sail that not only offers the performance needed to win races, but also remains incredibly confortable to use. We focused on every detail possible to make sure that every sail that comes out the factory is race tuned and ready. Featuring a completely new luff curve, a new widened luff sleeve, a new batten configuration, new shaping throughout… the list goes on and no details were left untouched. Next year promises to be something special!”.
TECHNOLOGY:
A Deeper draft profile increases the power and stability plus improve the cam rotation and we have achieved a more connected leech twist thanks to a completely new luff curve as well as adjustments to the shaping in the front. Thanks to the improved stability and control we’re able to reduce the number of battens in the larger sizes from 8 to 7. This reduces the weight and also improves the pumping and low-end performance.
The new X-WING has 3 eyelet positions all with similar boom lengths to ride the sail more neutral or more lifty, depending on your style and set up.
The X-WING is a sail that works more smoothly and efficiently across the full wind range.
Triple Power Clew –With 3 eyelet positions, all with similar boom lengths, we give options to ride the sail more neutral or more lifty, depending on your style and set up.
Refined Leech Twist –With a modified luff curve as well as adjustments to the shaping in the front, we created a sail that works more smoothly and efficiently across the full wind range.
Deeper Draft Profile –3 main benefits. 1- increased power and stability. 2- Increased downforce on the board, which allowed us to open up the head of the sail for a faster release. 3- By increasing the shape in the foot area more naturally, we could reduce the need to ‘force’ the shape with cam pressure. This massively improved the rotation of the sail giving better exit speed out of the gybes.
100% carbon tube on battens 4 and 5, to lock the draft forward and give maximum top end speed.
Glass tube rod batten 6 for the perfect mix of control and acceleration in the main power generating area of the sail body.
Reduced number of battens in the larger sizes from 8 to 7. This reduces the weight and also improves the pumping and low-end performance
Straight section luff sleeve – By utilizing straight sections on the luff sleeve, we improved the accuracy during the manufacturing process and help guarantee that the sail we test and put into production is exactly the same sail that you have in your hands.
Cyril Moussilmani F-71rides the X-WING MK1
Cyril Moussilmani will compete with RRD SAILS during the 2019 racing season. It’s the first time in the RRD history that a top level slalom racer is fully equipped with RRD products. He participated, together with John Skye, in the development of the new X-WING MK1, pure performance race sail.
Wave action action just in from Alex Mussolini in his latest clip – ‘My last trip to an amazing island, sailing alone… Light winds but amazing waves, cant wait to be back there’
Caterina Stenta – “Cape Town again and again! 5th winter spent in the mother city and many more to come! Hope you enjoy my last edit of my 2018 winter months in the Cape Peninsula.
Thanks to Tom Deburchgrave for filming and Julian Robinet for the water filming!
Thank you GMM Productions for the edit and Maui Ultra Fins for the support.
Music: ODESZA – Higher Ground (feat. Naomi Wild).”
