Mathias Genkel

Video about the new Sailloft Quad

2012-02-10T20:04:00.002Z

Have you ever thought about trying some well performing sails that survive more than a season? You should consider German based Sailloft, if you want value for money. Here'a video about their new 4-batten sail: the Quad. Some nice wave action by Oli Maier in Klitmoller and the odd freestyle move by me. If you're an ambitious wave or freestyle oriented rider looking for a light and durable sail, don't look any further! The Quad is available in the following sizes: 3.6, 4.0, 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, 5.2, 5.6 For more visit: sailloft.de Scroll down to under the picture to view the video.

It wasn't to be

2012-02-07T21:16:00.000Z

The uncommonly cold weather that we have seen for about two weeks now has produced a considerable amount of ice on the Baltic Sea. Temperatures fell to about minus 25 degrees on Usedom last night. So this might be one of the reasons why we couldn't sail Neu Mukran today. The whole bay south of Sassnitz was full of ice. That was a real pity, since the wind direction was perfect and it seemed to be quite consistent, too. This is what the spot looked like upon our arrival:

We tried a different spot near Juliusruh. On the way there, roads became worse but we finally made it and had a very short session in mushy onshore conditions. It was quite hard to get into the water because the whole beach was covered with ice and snow, which is quite slippy when you wear rubber boots. On top of that, the first 10 metres were full of crushed ice pushed onto the beach by onshore winds. As the water was nearly chest-high, it was quite hard to move and I started to realize that what we were doing was actually quite dangerous. We had to quit after a couple of runs. Ice was building everywhere. Still a good experience to be out there.

On hold for Tuesday

2012-02-05T15:50:00.003Z

You know it's winter, when all inlets and estuaries are covered with thick ice and when you see snow-covered beaches on local webcams. You know it's winter when you visit the Baltic Sea ice service website to check the current ice-situation at your local beaches. You know that windsurfing is an addiction when you still think about going out... But what are you supposed to do when you just can't find the time to escape the winter these days? After last Tuesday's short session - cut short due to a lot of ice which was building on my boom and sail - why the hell would anybody want to windsurf out there again? - To tell you the truth, with the right equipment it is still possible to windsurf in close to zero degrees. However, it was about minus five degrees last Tuesday and that was a bit too cold. Just take a look at the webcam to get an idea of what Baltic sea beaches in Germany look like these days.

This is a webcam showing the beach of Warnemünde near Rostock

In order to get a more detailed impression, check the ice-report for German coastal waters.

This post is not about showing off what a man I am to think about going windsurfing in these arctic conditions. Neither does it want to encourage you to get out there and freeze to death. I just wanted to share some thoughts on the latest weather conditions and keep you updated about the situation in Northern Germany.

Here's the forecast for Tuesday! Let's hope it lives up to my expectations!

Windguru announces zero degrees, so windsurfing should be possible. See you on the water! But keep it safe!

A Scandinavian Experience

2012-01-27T11:55:00.000Z

Looking back on it now, it has to be seen as one's vain attempt to escape the winter blues. But with temperatures gradually falling, thanks to a constant flux of cold air arriving from eastern Europe, this had to be one of the last occasions to get on the water for the next couple of days. They announced winds from the south east, which is usually a good call for Dierhagen, a flat water spot on the Bodden nearby. However, the forecast dropped a lot when day X was approaching so we started looking for alternatives. It didn't take long to convince Markus to join me on a ferry trip over to the other side of our little Baltic sea, where the wind would be stronger and more consistent. It's always kind of crazy to get there. Since taking the car on the ferry costs a fortune, we used a small trailer for the gear and then walked the distance from the port to the spot. This is not a big deal in summer, but doing so in January was a very special experience. Luckily, we already got in our wetsuits whilst still on the ferry and even more luckily, nobody saw us while getting changed. It's actually quite surprising that, if you wear a wetsuit underneath your clothes, nobody notices, at least as long as you wear a scarf.
Conditions looked nice from the ferry but the wind did not seem very strong. It actually looked like a summer's day because the sun was out. When we finally arrived at the beach after crossing a construction site and having to carry the trailer over some pipes and other stuff, we were amazed at the sight we were offered - the sun was coming very much from the side, giving a very Scandinavian feel to the whole landscape. A landscape bare of people and finally no kites around! I rigged my 4.6, Markus his 4.7 which he soon swapped for a 4.2. I was happy on the 4.6 even though I was slightly overpowered. We had a nice session in the setting sun. Getting out of the wetsuit in the dark with ice building on the sails was probably one of the little downsides of the trip. But when I think of the whole thing now, I can but smile. Another great memory - thanks to the best sport in the world!

The spot at sunset - if you look closely you can figure out smoke rising from Rostock's coal-burning power plant.

Our trailer set to a very industrial background. We must have looked like homeless people carrying all their stuff.

The port - looked at through a bush.

The ferry is leaving - please come back soon!

4.6 ready to go! There are patches of frost on the right because the sun never got there.

The divine Patrik Freestyle 90l!

In the bus - people thought we were crazy but it all fit in perfectly.

As you might have noticed, there are no action shots from that session. We actually filmed quite a bit but I tell you it's not an easy thing to do, when it's that cold. I hope to be using one or two clips in wintersurf 2.0 which won't be out before long. For now, you can watch wintersurf 1.0 right here: http://vimeo.com/33495541

Riding on a Flooded Field

2012-01-14T20:07:00.000Z

Thomas and Gabriel, two fellow windsurfers from Rostock, convinced me to go windsurfing today. I wasn't really motivated as I wanted to study after yesterday's session. Forecast was for about 16 knots pretty much directly from the north. We headed to Roggow, a spot at the Salzhaff, which is a Baltic Sea inlet. Already on the way to the spot, we noticed that many fields were flooded and that this provided perfect flat water. In the beginning we were only joking about sailing on a puddle just in front of Ikea. But when we finally arrived at the spot, we actually noticed that the whole field behind the beach was completely flooded. Unlike the main spot, this patch of water offered perfectly flat conditions. After testing out the depth of the water, we finally gave it a shot. Unfortunately, the wind was not very strong and quite gusty, too. The 4.6 Sailloft Quad proved to be the right choice as it gives you loads of power, even in the lulls. Luckily, the farmer didn't show up. So here are some pictures from that session. Thomas broke his boom after hitting a shallow patch with full speed and took these photos for a change. What boom would you suggest him to buy (he was using an Aeron V-Grip)?

Finest flatwater, but not very windy

Accessing the spot through a farmer's gate.

small kono

a kono-sequence

a flaka at the main spot - too choppy!

and a small kono with Rerik in the background.

a grubby

a crash

Friday Afternoon

2012-01-13T20:39:00.005Z

There's nothing like a good windsurf session at the end of a busy week! The wind had already dropped a bit when I went on the water just after lunchtime. But the Patrik Diethelm Trailer Wave 78 and the Sailloft Quad 4.4 worked just fine in these conditions. With the water level being about 70cm above average the waves did not break in the proper sense of the word. They just built up, started to peel, then backed off again and finally hit the shore. So there was a bit of a shorebreak - but nothing too serious, if it hadn't been for the submerged groynes popping up here and there. Surfers didn't seem too happy either with the conditions. But then again, after all that hype about this spot, this might be a good thing to happen. My girlfriend took some photos and we were also doing some filming, so I was really keen to show some nice takas. But that wasn't to be, since every time I went down the line it was really hard to keep the speed and every time I wanted to hit the lip there was absolutely no power left in the sail. Forecast is for colder weather tomorrow and Sunday but next week looks good again. Keep surfing!

This is a sequence of a small forward loop.

Nothing radical on this one, but I liked the background and the surfers on it.

Maybe one of the better waves of the afternoon.

A flaka over a bit of chop.

Different perspective on this one.

A shaka close to a wave.

Another Cold Session

2011-12-17T20:16:00.001Z

The forecast for today announced winds from the northwest gusting up to 35 knots. I wasn't really tempted to go for an overpowered freestyle session in icy conditions so I headed to the nearest spot with some waves. I took 4.4 and the PD Trailer Wave 78, which I like to use in the twin-fin setup when the wind is onshore and the waves are mushy and small. It was quite some fun out there, but with some higher cliffs just behind the beach the onshore wind got killed on the inside. Further out I was completely overpowered. Plus, the waves weren't steep enough for jumping further out. So all I could do was some onshore wave riding closer to the shore. Here are some photos from today's session. Some of them are not very sharp but we are working on that issue.

As you can see, nearly the whole beach got flooded. So this might have been one of the reasons why the waves didn't form as usual on the sandbar.

This is a rather low forward loop off some chop. It was actually hard to hit a steep ramp with speed. Once in the air, the pressure in the sail was so high I even over-rotated one forward loop, but let the gear go just before hitting the water. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo-sequence of that loop but I got it on video, so it might figure in Wintersurf 2.0.

This is the second part of the same forward loop.

This is a shaka closer to the shore with a beach walker's head dropping in.

A funny shove-it crash because I actually went for a shaka.

A pretty fuzzy backside aerial where the focus of the camera was actually on the background.

Another shaka on a wave.

Wintersurf 1.0

2011-12-11T21:28:00.001Z

The last three weeks have seen plenty of low pressure systems hitting northern Germany. And the good news is: the wind is going to stay. On the downside, temperatures are gradually falling. The first snow of the year arrived yesterday. But we are still far from last winter's icy conditions. When I saw the snow in the morning, however, I thought that I would just go for one of those short winter windsurf sessions that are usually accompanied by icecream-headaches and frostbitten fingers. Once at the spot, the weather slowly improved, the snow melted and the sun ever so often lurked through the clouds. It didn't take long to get on the water and the more moves I did the warmer I got. In the end, it was one of the better freestyle sessions as it was so nice to see the sun after all that rain, drizzle, hail and snow we've seen these last days. Here are some photos from that session and also a video which I named Wintersurf 1.0 as I'm planning to do a series of similar flicks.

Culo:

Kono:

A sequence of a skopu with the end missing, but believe me I made it! :-)

Here's the video Wintersurf 1.0:

gusty evening session

2011-12-10T21:58:00.001Z

I got in a short and gusty session yesterday, just before leaving for Hamburg to collect two new sails from Sailloft. Conditions were far from perfect but still quite some fun as the wind was cross-off port tack. My range of the new four-batten Sailloft Quad is now complete with 6 sails ranging from 5.2 to 3.6. I can actually only recommend this sail to anybody who wants a modern, powerful, light sail that is also durable. Here's just one picture from yesterday, but there's definitely more to follow as today was a really good day on the water too. A short video should be up in the coming days.

Supremesurf Big Days done!

2011-11-27T21:06:00.001Z

Germany's top wave sailors came together on the beach of Ahrenshoop for the annual Supremesurf Big Days competition today. I would not count myself as one of the top contenders in waves, but I still took part in that competition as it usually is quite some fun. And on top of that competing boosts your level. Conditions could not have been worse for me: nuking winds, 3.7 completely overpowered, small and mushy waves. Being a lighter and more freestyle oriented rider, I usually prefer more moderate conditions. I still managed to advance one round. In the end, Philip Köster, who arrived from Vargas to do this competition, clearly took the win. I was amazed at how many people came to watch his performance. Windsurfing seems to be getting a lot more attention here in Germany these days. Didn't take any photos because of the lack of light and a suitable camera but here's me rigging 4.2 and 3.7. More shots at: supremesurfbigdays.de

First Proper Session and Big Days to follow up

2011-11-26T08:30:00.000Z

Yesterday, we finally got a first windy day in. Temperatures were on the rise as well, so windsurfing was a must. I went to a spot called Ahrenshoop, one of the most exposed spots in Northern Germany. You can get some rather clean waves behind a set of groins. Since yesterday wasn't that windy and as it was the first windy day, the waves had yet to built. It was nice for freestyle though with some rather flat water between the waves. If it had been a bit windier, it would have been even a lot better to do some bigger moves. There wasn't much light for taking photos, but here are some shots by Hannes.

Also stay tuned for an update on the Big Days Competition taking place at this spot tomorrow. Philip Köster already registered for this event. Are we going to see the triple? I wonder how he is going to deal with the cold water temperatures. I remember that he always sails barefooted. Given the forecast it's going to be spectacular anyway! For updates check back right here on Sunday evening!

Stormy weekend ahead

2011-11-25T09:22:00.000Z

After a long time with absolutely no wind, windsurfers in Northern Germany will finally get their well-deserved share from today onwards. I'm actually heading to the spot right now. On Sunday, the local shop Supreme Surf is running the "Big Days Competition". I think the level on the water is going to be insane. For me as a lightweight and a more freestyle-oriented windsurfer it's probably going to be a bit too windy but I'm still going to enter the competition anyway. Here's the forecast for the weekend:

Waiting for Wind

2011-11-17T14:34:00.008Z

The current weather condition is a nightmare for every windsurfer in northern Germany. Unless you travelled very far, it was simply impossible to get in a decent session these last few weeks. Different forecast models suggest that we might get back to windier weather by the end of next week. But that's still a long time to hold out. I went to Ruegen last week, hoping for a sneaky freestyle session, but it just wasn't to be. Instead, I just did three or four moves before the wind dropped completely. Here are some pics from that weekend:

In Bavaria

2011-08-10T10:41:00.001+01:00

Another trip to my girlfriend's place in Bavaria. I am still busy writing my final paper for university but I sometimes go sailing for an hour or two if the wind is there. Bavaria proves to be windier than expected. It's just quite gusty and not very strong. Here are some pics from a lake called Ammersee near Munich:

Windy Baltic

2011-07-28T23:00:00.000+01:00

Last weekend was stupidly windy but unfortunately a lot of rain was on the menu, too. I had two good wave sessions which were actually the first proper days in waves that I got in this year. The Trailer Wave works great and I'm very happy with my waveriding. Jumps are a different story though. I would have loved to practise some backloops or pushloops but as the wind was super strong and I was just holding on to my 3.7, I just couldn't be bothered. I feel the need for a longer trip in order to get more comfortable in waves again and start progressing. On the other hand, I love freestyle and this is where I push myself every session. Well, I'm off to Bavaria this weekend. I'm gonna work on my final paper and may be lucky to sneak away to the lake and catch some gusts barely strong enough to get you going on a 5.3.

some shots and update

2011-06-30T22:40:00.001+01:00

It's been a while since my last post and I've had some good time on the water. The "Zuparken Festival", an open air festival at a beach right at the Baltic in Northern Germany, took place the weekend before last weekend. There was a freestyle competition going on and I managed to win the comp and wildcard for the PWA Sylt in the freestyle discipline. The wind was pretty much up and down all day so we just had a supersession during which the wind dropped off completely. Here are some pics of a session I had some time ago. All photos courtesy of Ingo Peitz:

Review Freestyle Battle

2011-06-10T21:08:00.008+01:00

As stated in the previous post, the German Freestyle Battle was a great success. Here are two more pictures and a video.

Results:
1. Mathias Genkel
2. Malte Hecht
3. Tobias Schwarz
4. Felix Söder

pics by Burkhard Hauer and unknown

German Freestyle Battle 1.0 on Norderney finished

2011-05-30T11:29:00.000+01:00

The first German Freestyle Battle 2011 took place on the island of Norderney last weekend. With flatwater conditions behind sandbars and steady winds, this was a perfect venue to run a freestyle windsurf competition. About 25 German riders gathered on a sandbar just about 500 metres offshore to run the event. In winds gusting up to about 28 knots it was a great day to be fully powered up on your 4.7.
I managed to win the event and am really happy with the result. See here the single elimination ladder and some pics of the supersession:

Loads of East Wind

2011-05-10T18:47:00.001+01:00

Well, it's probably been a while that I haven't posted anything on this blog. Here's another concise update of what was going on in the last couple of weeks. I have had some amazing freestyle sessions as it has been uncommonly sunny and windy for a while now. Now is a great time to come to Germany in case anybody was thinking about doing so. To be honest, the wind just stopped - but it's still warm. So this was last weekend and the vid showing the bob was filmed two weeks ago. See you on the water.
Pics by Valentin Boeckler.

Good session on Friday

2011-04-10T21:35:00.000+01:00

That was so nice. Even though I was on a freestyleboard as I have just saved up for a new waveboard now, it was so much fun to ride these waves and do some moves in between.

New Video: February Trippin'

2011-04-05T09:13:00.001+01:00

Here's a quick edit of a couple of windsurf sessions I had in February. Spots are Pozo and Arinaga on Gran Canaria and Brouwersdam in the Netherlands.

Interview on windsurfnews.de

2011-03-19T11:45:00.000Z

Here's a short interview in German. You can read about my new gear and about my plans for the upcoming season: http://windsurfnews.de/news_read.php?id=1218

Check out this Funnell as well, if you haven't seen it yet. Really nothing special but it was a nice feeling to get on the plane with just the power of the wave.

cold session in Rostock harbour

2011-03-05T22:24:00.000Z

Was driving around a lot looking for wind today and finally found what I was looking for just "in front of the house" in the harbour of Rostock. The wind had already dropped a lot by the time I got on the water but it was nice to finally sail this spot. I really should have listened to that one guy on boardseeker who was talking about how you shouldn't look too far for better conditions when there's wind on your doorstep!

More photos from GC

2011-02-28T19:24:00.001Z

Just came back to Germany after two weeks in Gran Canaria. It was a great trip. I met new people and had good conditions on the water.

Evening Session on 5.3

2011-02-24T20:44:00.001Z

Yesterday, the wind decided to pick up just before it got dark. So I had to hurry to get on the water in time. There were some nice little ramps to be had but it was mainly flatwater sailing. Well, Pozo without swell doesn't mean it's completely flat. There's always loads of chop and it can be difficult to keep the speed when doing a move. But now that I've seen that the conditions at the freestyle worldcup in Vietnam are pretty choppy as well and how these guys do all the latest moves in that chop, I am more motivated to learn to do the tricks in all kinds of conditions, too. Well, probably not in front of a 4m wave anyway.

Here's some shots taken by my Spanish friends Jacobo and Pablo from Madrid who had to leave Pozo today. See you soon!

Choppy and windy in Pozo today

2011-02-20T22:55:00.001Z

What a great day on the water today! There's even more wind to come! Check back for more soon.

Freestyle Session in Arinaga

2011-02-16T21:28:00.000Z

Wind is back in Pozo! I had my first proper SUP Session in small waves yesterday. Good workout but I prefer surfing - and windsurfing, of course! Well, today was a great day on the water with some nice freestyle conditions in Arinaga, one of the only real flatwater spots here in Gran Canaria. Christophe, a Hungarian language genius, who speaks five languages fluently, took me with him to the spot. The first two hours were pretty good and I was way overpowered in the gusts on my 5.3. The wind dropped later as loads of clouds showed up. That’s when we took the pictures. Thanks to Christophe for taking them!

A Modern Odyssee

2011-02-14T12:16:00.002Z

Egypt was on the top of my list for this winter’s travel destinations. I longed for some warm water in combination with great freestyle conditions - flat water and consistent winds that is. When the Egyptian revolution broke out two days after I had booked my flight, I knew that I was probably not going. So here I was in Germany with a cancelled flight but still willing to travel somewhere. I decided to do a road trip in the end. I would have loved to go to Ireland, Scotland or Brittany, the only problem being that I didn’t have money to buy a wave board as I had just bought a new freestyle board. The forecast looked good for the Netherlands with a low pressure hitting the coast providing some strong south-westerly winds and mild temperatures around 8 degrees. The wind turned out to be really strong and I was just holding on to my 4.2 and the new Patrik freestyle board for 3 days in a row. Here’s a video made by a friend which gives a good impression of the conditions:

Not Egypt from Lennartbruenig on Vimeo.
In the end the cold really got me and I decided to go to Corsica in order to get some milder temperatures in. On the way there my car broke down. So it was back to Germany, spending a night in a hotel, renting a car and driving to my girlfriend’s parents’ house, which was near to where my car had broken down the night before.

After another night in Germany I finally booked a flight to Gran Canaria. The forecast looked quite good and it was one of the last cheap flights left. So here I am in Pozo with only a freestyle board, three sails and no sunblocker. I’ve already had three good days in choppy conditions and good wind for 5.3 and 4.7. It’s funny how you can never tell where life takes you.

Moves from last summer

2011-01-15T17:18:00.010Z

I've been trying to get in a decent windsurf session for about two weeks now. The forecast never seems to materialise which is quite annoying because you just drive around wasting your time. Plus, I got stuck on a dirt track the last time I was trying to figure out how to make my way to a new spot. So maybe it's best just to take a break and watch some moves from last summer. I hope the whole "movie" will be finished soon.

Here's a so-called double puneta

And a small burner:

Arctic Session on New Year's Day

2011-01-04T16:54:00.004Z

It had been quite a while since my last day on the water. So when I saw the forecast for New Year's day I was getting very excited. They announced a strong north-westerly wind, sunny weather and 2 to 3 degrees celsius. If it hadn't been for the floating ice that seemed to show up on the webcam, I might have been even more motivated to windsurf. Needless to say that everybody I told about my plan to go out in these conditions thought I was crazy. Well, I decided to drive to the beach and have a look for myself. When my girlfriend and me arrived, it was very windy and sunny, as predicted, but there was also quite a bit of crushed ice in the water. I decided to give it a try anyway and it was definitely the right decision.

As you can see, the waves lacked power and it wasn't that windy in the end. Maybe the waves backed up due to the patch of ice next to the harbour wall. But you can already see from these pictures that the waves get rather clean. So this can be a good spot in bigger winds and waves.
Here's also a very short video of the session:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2010-12-24T11:34:00.001Z

I hope you all had a great 2010 with many quality sessions on the water! We seem to get a very cold winter but I still hope that 2011 will provide us with some great conditions and milder temperatures!

Session on a lake in Bavaria

2010-12-17T14:35:00.001Z

Got a good 2-hour freestyle session in last weekend. It felt actually a lot warmer than the last sessions I have had at the Baltic. The wind seemed a lot less arctic. Conditions were far from spectacular but there were some good gusts to be had. I was also quite happy to nail an ok normal stance kono and some burners on the way out. On the way in the wind was a lot gustier, especially where they were taking photos. Even though the photographer seemed to concentrate on Bavaria's most well-known freestyler Fabi Weber, I still managed to get this shot: (pic by Sebastian Schoeffel)

I have been in hospital from Sunday evening until today, so it was great to get some windsurfing in before having my nose repaired. This operation was really necessary as I was having problems breathing through my nose. If there's something like surfer's ear maybe I was suffering from a surfer's nose? :-)
Well, it's all good now, even though the doctors had to remove a lot of cartilage and then straighten the nasal septum. I was planing to go on a trip after Christmas eve but the doctors told me to refrain from any physical activity within the next three weeks. Anyway, I will be back on the water as soon as possible!

Short Clip from last Saturday

2010-11-09T19:37:00.000Z

Back on the Water from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

Back on the water!

2010-11-05T17:48:00.001Z

First freestyle session today after a two-month break due to injury. It felt so great when I got on the plane for the first time. But I have the impression that I might need a better camera for those gloomy november sessions.

Update

2010-10-22T16:05:00.001+01:00

Here are some older pics from my last trip to Denmark a little more than a month ago. Fractured my right hand during the trip and finally got rid of the cast. So I'm doing some physio and hope to be back on track in about two weeks. Pretty flat out with college too but already planing trips for next year. Watch this space for a little freestyle vid that is to be released soon.

new photos

2010-08-18T09:11:00.000+01:00

Here are two move sequences that were shot at one of my last sessions down here in Crete. Going back to Germany soon. Let's hope for a windy autumn at the Baltic.

funnell-clock-sequence

chachoo-sequence

New Pictures

2010-07-30T11:04:00.000+01:00

Winds are still howling on Crete. Here's some photos from the last sessions I have had.

Interview Espacewindsurf.net

2010-07-17T09:05:00.000+01:00

For those of you that speak French, here's a little article on my time in Southern France and my life in general. It is accompanied by some photos and two videos about windsurfing in Southern France. Read it HERE.

Lefkada - EFPT

2010-06-28T14:10:00.000+01:00

I had a great time on Lefkada sailing with some of Europe's top freestyle windsurfers. Although conditions were quite choppy and gusty there were some savage moves to be seen. I am happy with my result among the top 16 and am looking forward to some summer training on Crete this year. Here are some photos by Julian Robinet, who just released his new website.

NEW VIDEO - Mathias in France 2

2010-06-12T22:31:00.000+01:00

My stay in France is over. I already miss the country and the people a lot. Here's our lates Rock-n-rohwurst production on the windsurfing I had in Southern France this winter:
Mathias in France 2 – "The Winter Situation" from Johannes Neumann on Vimeo.

Lefkada/ Vassiliki

2010-06-07T11:11:00.000+01:00

Turquoise waters, green hills, warm winds - that's what the Greek island of Lefkada offers its visitors. We really enjoy our stay down here although you have to get used to waiting for the wind until it finally fills in at around 3 in the afternoon. The place is famous with British windsurfers which is quite handy if you want to improve your English while on holidays. We had a nice session yesterday evening together with the like of Andy Chambers, Colin Dixon and Max Rowe among others. The wind was quite light and gusty closer to the shore but we pushed each other to show some moves.

First German Freestyle Battle

2010-05-28T11:03:00.001+01:00

While hanging around at the German SURF Festival in Pelzerhaken, Baltic Sea, a couple of Germany’s best freestyle windsurfers decided to run a pure freestyle competition. This idea came up because we found out that many freestyle windsurfers in Germany were very unhappy with the current situation during DWC competitions where the emphasis is put on racing and slalom leaving but little interest and budget for a real freestyle competition.
It did not take long to find a photographer and a camera team as well as some brands to support the event. In the end, nearly all of Germany’s best freestyle riders came together on the beach of Großenbrode to run an elimination. The level on the water was quite high with some PWA sailors like Normen Günzlein and Adrian Beholz attending the competition. The riders judged themselves and we were all quite happy with the fair results even though there were some really close heats. I got fourth place in the end which is a result that I am really happy about. I could land some switch konos, shakas and culos in my heats. We also had a great photosession near a harbour wall. A video about the event is to be released soon.

Results:

1. Adrian Beholz ( F2/ Hot Sails)
2. Normen Günzlein (JP/ Neil Pryde)
3. Tilo Eber (JP/ Neil Pryde)
4. Mathias Genkel (RRD/RRD)
5. Max Droege (JP/ Neil Pryde)
5. Johannes Witte ( Naish/Naish)
5. Daniel Schenk ( Tabou/Vandal)
5. Tobias Schwarz ( Windflüchter / Naish)

Pic by Julian Robinet:

New Video: A Day in Beauduc

2010-04-25T09:46:00.000+01:00

Beauduc is the name of a very remote beach in the Camargue in Southern France. As there is really nothing around apart from sand, water, flamingos and the odd fishing huts the wind is really steady. You can also find some nice spots for freestyle behind the sandbars. This spot is very popular with kitesurfers and very hard to get to. Be prepared to spend an hour on dirt tracks.
This video captures a day in April where there was little wind anywhere else. On this particular day the wind was blowing for 4.5, the sun was shining and there were just the few of us out. Sailors are Rik and Pieter from Belgium and me. The video was captured with a rather simple camera and no tripod - no HD. Watch out for the next longer Rock-n-Rohwurst production to be released mid-May.

A Day in Beauduc from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

All over the Place

2010-04-10T15:51:00.000+01:00

As a matter of fact, windsurfing in Europe means driving around looking for a place with good conditions to sail in. Comparing forecasts on the internet, calculating fuel costs and driving time, calling friends to discuss about which spot works best - all these actions are common parts of a windsurfer's life. In the end, you can never be sure to have chosen the right spot. With all these forums on the internet where people write about the sessions they had, claiming to have had the best day ever you can easily get confused. Was it really that good on that particular day? Were the waves that big, the wind that strong? - No matter what - it's not about going where everybody else goes. It's all about enjoying your time on the water, be it a gusty 15 knots with loads of chop or a clean cross-off port-tack day with a 2 metre-swell. Sometimes it is better to relax. Some of the statements made in forums should be taken with a pinch of salt anyway.
This is what my sessions look like these days - average to marginal winds accompanied by sunny weather and mild temperatures. No waves, no big jumps - just windsurfing.

I feel that I am getting a lot safer with the standard switch moves. Getting safe on the more difficult moves is a different story though. Having started to properly do freestyle two years ago, I am still happy with what I have learned so far. It probably helped that I grew up sailing on a lake where we would do a lot of low-wind freestyle moves like heli-tacks and stuff.

All good things come to an end, as does my stay in Southern France. In just about 3 weeks I will be back in Germany. Before that, there is still one main event that is going to take place down here from today onwards. The Mondial du Vent in Leucate is a festival that features watersports. There will be an EFPT-Freestyle competition as well and I will try my best and compete. Let's see how it goes. I am motivated but I know that the level is very high. From what I saw in Leucate on Wednesday, everybody's on fire. I think it will be a savage event with loads of crazy moves and maybe some big crashes. At the moment the forecast does not look too promising but the event is still six days away so everything might change again. When I think of the stormy conditions we've had two days ago I am convinced that there will be wind. In the end, Leucate could be called France's high wind capital.

I am back in Istres now, waiting for wind and taking advantage of the good weather. Tomorrow's gonna be windy so I am happy to be able to sail. So long. Check out a little eslider that I nailed sometime around last week:

Eslider from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

Sailing in Fos-sur-Mer

2010-03-24T20:37:00.001Z

Happy times in France!

Two Clips - Freestyling in Le Brusc

2010-03-01T11:12:00.000Z

Just two short films made on a good day in Le Brusc. The sun spoiled the quality of the first one a bit. Enjoy anyway!

Sailing in the Sun from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

Freestyle 20/02/10 from aletlo on Vimeo.

Last Week Winter - This Week Spring

2010-02-22T20:51:00.001Z

After a long and hard winter it's finally getting a lot milder. Pictures are from last week. From now on, we hope to leave aside the hoodies and the gloves.

Switch Kono

2010-02-14T09:34:00.000Z

Not the biggest move but I like the industrial background. That's what most of my sessions at the moment look like. Glacial mistral winds accompanied by the sun. Believe me - it looks a lot warmer than it actually is.

Switch Kono - Mathias from Johannes Neumann on Vimeo.

Le Brusc

2010-02-09T11:58:00.001Z

Great session in Le Brusc, freestyling with some friends. Best sail: 4m. Kevin Allegre is on the red RRD WaveVogue, me on the brown SuperStyle.

Smells like Spring

2010-02-05T12:40:00.000Z

Scored two amazing sessions in Almanarre. Regular winds, mild temperatures, sunny...
Thanks to Jean-Marc Castier for some of the pictures. Check out his blog!

Low Wind Freestyle

2010-01-25T20:26:00.001Z

Mistral winds kicked in today. More to come this week. Looking forward to it. Will be cold, windy and flat I suppose.

RRD Blog Post

2010-01-22T09:47:00.006Z

Yesterday the insider RRD-Blog posted about our new website Rock-n-Rohwurst:
A new German windsurf website with the illustrious name „Rock-n-Rohwurst" has been up and running for a couple of months already. Their founders Johannes Neumann and Mathias Genkel are part of the German RRD-Team. They both share a deep passion to the sport of windsurfing. With Johannes working as a professional media designer and Mathias travelling around a lot shooting photos and recording videos, their website offers some quality footage. Mathias is currently working in Southern France and sails on every opportunity, whereas Johannes is on a trip to Maui sailing some big waves and working on some new video projects. Check out their website for further photos and be prepared for more.
Also, I am now officially part of the national RRD Team Germany. Thanks RRD!

Deceiving Forecasts

2010-01-17T11:12:00.006Z

When it comes to wind, January has been very disappointing so far. Somehow the conditions announced by the weather forecast never materialised. We have had big but messy waves in Carro with very light mistral winds at the beginning of the new year. South easterlies are usually pretty good at Fos-sur-Mer. This Thursday they announced about 30 knots. But when I arrived at the beach the waves were again quite big but the wind just didn't make it into the bay. There was too much east in it. At another spot it was howling 3.7 weather onshore. Sailed there for about half an hour until I finally gave up as it was really crappy out there.

In search for wind and good freestyle conditions we also made a trip to Leucate where the wind did not play ball once again. Forecast was for 20 knots which was actually a mere 8 - 12 knots. Nonetheless, some photos of the few January sessions I've had:

Eslider in one of the rare gusts in Leucate

Some light wind waveriding

Marseille

2010-01-03T08:08:00.001Z

I've had my first windsurf session in Marseille today. Conditions on the water were far from spectacular but I still enjoyed sailing with the city in the background. Had to go shopping with the girls afterwards, so Marseille was a great compromise. It's actually a really good example of a place where windsurfing can easily be combined with professional life. They even have a bus-stop called Plage Planche à Voile meaning windsurf beach. More photos and a German report on rock-n-rohwurst.de

X-Mas

2009-12-24T17:31:00.002Z

Been on the water today for just about an hour or so. Nice side-onshore conditions in Fos. They announced a lot of wind but in the end I was a bit underpowered on my 3.7. Still great. My second Christmas surf in a row. This time last year I was happy to be in South Africa. Sailed Elandsbaai with a good swell. So merry Christmas to everybody who reads this. RRD and Rock-n-Rohwurst are sending you the best wishes as well:

Tarifa

2009-12-18T22:28:00.006Z

I went on a trip to Tarifa a couple of weeks ago. Had some good sessions in Levante winds. A full report about the trip can be found on windsurfersmag.de.
(German language)
More reports soon on our website rock-n-rohwurst.de

Winter Winds

2009-12-09T15:45:00.005Z

With christmas approaching and the many big wave photos from Hawaii popping up, it is time to realise that winter is here to stay. For windsurfers in most parts of Europe this means getting out your 5/3s, booties, gloves and hoodies. Yet, for most uf us this also means more wind, bigger waves and crazy sessions with just you and a couple of friends around.
I am lucky to spend the winter in Southern France, one of the more temperate European regions. Despite the lack of consistent swell I usually get in three to five windsurf sessions a week, mainly freestyle. So here's one of them when I sailed my new 4.5 RRD SuperStyle and the 90l TwinTip:

Ponch by Mathias in Le Brusc from Johannes Neumann on Vimeo.

Video - Southern France

2009-11-30T20:24:00.002Z

Here's the first longer video featuring my windsurf sessions in Southern France:

Mathias in France Oct/Nov 2009. A Rock-n-Rohwurst-Production from Johannes Neumann on Vimeo.

Video Preview

2009-11-25T21:11:00.003Z

Shaka from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

A new video which documents my windsurf sessions in Southern France is going to be released this Sunday, November 29th. The focus will be on freestyle but there will also be a short wave part.
Watch this space for more or check our website rock-n-rohwurst.de

Aerial Time

2009-11-11T16:44:00.006Z

What a great after-work session! Was expecting to get some freestyle in. Found a little wave on a nearby reef though and took out the RRD Thruster for a ride.
That's a nice Mediterranen wave in Southern France!

A lot more pictures on our WEBSITE.

National Funboard Expression

2009-11-06T20:27:00.008Z

I recently attended a really nice event in Six-Fours (Southern France). They were running a freestyle competition in Le Brusc and a wave competition in La Coudoulière. The level on the water was really high and people were really friendly on the beach. The event was very well organised and the food was great, too. Overall winner was Vincent Mellouet, first in waves Thomas Traversa.

I scored well in freestyle but not so well in waves. Here's a short clip of the event:

Freestyle competition in Le Brusc from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

Some photos:

Getting used to it

2009-10-22T18:14:00.005+01:00

Spending time abroad is always a very special experience. I am currently working as a language assistant in Istres, a small town west of Marseille in Southern France. This allows me to combine my passion for windsurfing with earning some money, which is very handy when you think of how expensive a sport windsurfing is. I live 10 kilometres from the next beach, Fos-sur-Mer, a spot that is quite popular with speedsurfers and usually has some strong and gusty offshore winds. It's quite a demanding spot for freestyle but when it all comes together it's alright for moves like this:

Funnell in Fos-sur-Mer from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

It's a different story with southeasterlies though. They bring rain and onshore wave conditions to most beaches nearby. Carro, a famous Mediterranean wave spot, is about half an hour from where I live. This spot does not work well too often I think. Yet, I sailed there yesterday. The waves were really quite big for the Mediterranean. It's all low-period wind swell but the waves do not lack power. The level on the water was really high as well. I would even say that I saw Anders Bringdal out there. Anyway, this was my first proper wave session in more than half a year so I took it easy and stuck to the smaller ones:

Southern France

2009-10-08T14:33:00.004+01:00

Arrived well in Istres. Plenty of spots just around the corner. Had a good week so far with two freestyle sessions and a wave session in Carro last Friday. Small waves but it was nice to be out on the new RRD Thruster for the first time. I'm looking forward to autumn and winter mistral winds.

New Video

2009-09-20T15:20:00.001+01:00

Not a lot of wind on Fehmarn!
Thanks to Johannes for filming and editing.
More pictures on rock'n'rohwurst

Light Wind Fehmarn - A Short Clip from Johannes N on Vimeo.

photos from a low wind session

2009-09-16T12:14:00.005+01:00

The wind's been light enough on Fehmarn when these photos were taken. Thanks to my friend Johannes for editing them. Got my new camera today, so there will hopefully be more photos and videos soon. There's some more photos on our website:

Lago di Walchen - Bavaria!

2009-09-11T09:13:00.002+01:00

I'm stuck in Bavaria waiting for my new sails to arrive. Meanwhile, I managed to get in two days of windsurfing in low and gusty thermal winds on a lake called Walchensee. My girlfriend's dad, who also lent me his sails, told me that it would be windy up there. The lake is surrounded by mountains and a north-easterly wind is accelerated by their shape. On the way there - not a single trace of wind. But once I made it over the mountain pass I could figure out windsurfers who were actually planing. Rigged a 5.3 and my new RRd twintip 90. Seemed a bit small for a freshwater lake with 3-4 beauforts but it worked surprisingly well.
Didn't manage to nail a clean Switch Kono but I think I can claim my first Culo. Don't know if it's something in between Bob and Culo. I have to see it on video but it felt good anyway. Still haven't figured out what my good tack for switch stance is. It's just crazy. Puneta and Funnell work better on starboard tack, with the left foot in front when sailing switch stance. With Eslider, Switch Chachoo and Switch Kono it is exactly the other way round. The same seems to go for burners although I'm really not sure on this one. Never landed one - yet! :-) I think anybody has their favourite switch tack. So should I give up going for switch moves on starboard tack? - I think I shouldn't bother worrying about these things. Windsurfing should be a natural thing. So the moves should come naturally. Let's see what happensnext. I'm ready to go for new moves and there's always new things to learn. Let's see where the wind takes me...
By the way, here's what my new sails will look like (can't wait):

older pics

2009-09-07T20:23:00.004+01:00

Baltic Sea

2009-05-29T19:23:00.005+01:00

You normally wouldn't expect to find good conditions for waveriding in the Baltic Sea. Well, yesterday it all came together and we got some quality conditions in. Quite packed with surfers and some windsurfers though but still fun. Conditions reminded me a bit of Hanstholm in Denmark with smaller waves. They were mostly pretty round too but occasionally they built up nicely allowing for several turns given that you were able to keep the speed. We had a savage party in the evening and some freestyle in the morning at 7 before I went back to go to uni at 11. Five hours of sleep, sore muscles and these photos is all that's left:

New Video - EASTWIND

2009-04-14T10:23:00.003+01:00

Eastwind from Mathias Genkel on Vimeo.

We had some easterly winds over the Easter holidays! So I decided to make a trip to Rügen together with Tobi. The wind's been light enough but the water was completely flat.

Flaka and Spock

2009-03-30T11:52:00.005+01:00

I'm back in Germany. Spring seems to be kicking in slowly. No wind though. There might be a slim chance of getting some freestyle in tomorrow. I didn't get much footage in when staying in El Medano. The camera crashed on the second day of the trip. Here's all that's left. It was the first day on the water after a week with no wind at all. The conditions were pretty average, 5.3 Bionic and the new I-Style. Light and gusty wind and quite choppy. Anyway, two moves right here:

Tenerife

2009-03-13T09:44:00.002Z

In terms of windsurfing this winter has been really good so far. After my first trip to Cape Town, I am now in Tenerife and the wind is blowing nearly every day. Conditions in Cabezo are mainly suitable for 4.7 with either freestyle or waveboard. I have not taken many photos yet though.
This one shows a funnell at a spot called La Tejita which can get quite good for freestyle:

New Video from Capetown

2009-01-22T10:21:00.003Z

Also check it out on vimeo and youtube.

Back in Germany

2009-01-18T15:56:00.002Z

I'm back in Germany after 4 weeks in Capetown. It's really cold over here. Lakes are frozen so my dad and me went ice-windsurfing. Here's just a small picture taken with a mobile phone:

Witsands and Platboom

2009-01-06T22:28:00.014Z

3 windy days in a row but a lot of driving to the cape every day. I tried my first pushloops. It doesn't seem too hard to initiate the rotation but to do it fast enough was a different story for me.
Here are a couple of pictures of a very slow pushloop rotation that ended in a big crash:

What a forecast...

2009-01-01T18:44:00.006Z

I dont' know if anybody is actually following this blog but for those who are: I wish you a happy new year and loads of windy days.
Well, I'm still in Cape Town. We had a good day at Platboom yesterday with logo-high waves and 4.2 wind. But the forecast looks so bad! We still have two weeks left. More than half our stay is already over and so far I'm not really satisfied with the wind. We've had some good days for waveriding but not many days were good for jumping.
Let's hope for the best. Here's what yesterday looked like:

water-shots

2008-12-31T09:15:00.004Z

Some water-shots from yesterday at Sunset Beach. There was no swell. I hope to head to Platboom today.

2008-12-26T22:10:00.001Z

windy days but a bad forecast

2008-12-26T08:35:00.004Z

After two days with no wind and a lot of driving, we got a big day in at Elandsbaai. Probably some of the biggest waves I have ever sailed.

But there were also some mellower and very clean walls to be had.

Still windy

2008-12-20T22:56:00.002Z

We've been windsurfing every day since Monday. Even today we could find a spot with wind.
The forecast doesn't look really good for the next couple of days but by Wednesday next week the South-Easter should be back.

Day 4 and 5

2008-12-18T22:41:00.002Z

Great sailing yesterday and today. A bit too windy yesterday though. Big Bay in the evening was a bit mellower. Today we went down to the Cape of Good Hope. We saw big waves in Platboom but didn't sail them as there was nobody out. The wind was quite light anyway. After that we followed some pros that were just leaving the beach and thus came to a great new spot. A reefbreak far out and a dumpy beach break further in.
A photo from yesterday, spot: Big Bay

Day 3

2008-12-16T22:00:00.006Z

Second day at Sunset. Wind a bit more cross off today. Waves smaller and dumpy.
Here are some pictures:

2nd day in Capetown

2008-12-15T21:08:00.004Z

Great windsurfing at Sunset Beach today. Windy enough for 4.7 and good-quality waves to be had.
Quite a crowd including some pros out though. All in all a perfect start to our stay.
Here's a picture captured from a video, so it's not the sharpest one on earth:

First Day in Capetown

2008-12-14T19:23:00.006Z

We finally arrived in Capetown today at around one in the afternoon after a long journey from Germany. We flew with Turkish Airlines. The service was alright but they charged us 90 Euro for gear one way. At least they didn't want to know the weight. On our way we stopped in Johannesburg. When the plane was landing, a group of South African pupils started to sing a song that sounded typically African to me. That was so cool.
Checking out in Capetown was surprisingly easy. Our gear arrived immediately and the new MFC double roller bag proved to be really helpful. You can just grab it and pull it behind you.
Here's a picture of my luggage at Capetown Airport:

We met the woman that wanted to hand us over our cars for the month in front of the airport. She was super friendly and very relaxed. She told us we had to come to her company to get the second car and sign the contracts. That's what we did. So it was the four of us in one old but stylish Mercedes with all the gear on the roof:

Our accommodation is ok too. It's a hostel and very close to Sunset Beach.

There was no wind today but the swell was quite good so we went surfing. Here's a picture of the evening session:

My quiver for South Africa

2008-12-10T18:43:00.002Z

Exocet U-Surf 76l
2 Fins (original and MFC Freestyle Pro 16)
3 Sails - 4.7, 4.2, 3.7 Sailloft Curve
2 Masts - 400, 370
1 Boom - 145-190
1 Mast Extension Rdm 45

High-Tech from Germany

2008-11-30T19:25:00.004Z

Sailloft Bionic

I will soon upgrade my quiver with a new Sailloft Bionic in 5.3.
I really look forward to trying this new concept. It's half a kilo lighter than the 'standard' Curve.

More information:

www.sailloft.de

U-Surf II 76

2008-11-15T18:38:00.007Z

Good wind back here in Germany. This is the first picture of my new waveboard.
Had some good freestyle on 4.2 today together with the boddenstyle crew. First Gozzada.
Tomorrow should be good at the Baltic.
Red Bull Big Days Contest is on stand-by for Wednesday or Thursday.

new video

2008-09-17T17:52:00.000+01:00

Crete - Palaikastro

2008-06-29T19:33:00.003+01:00

My favourite move

2008-05-28T12:43:00.002+01:00

essay time

2008-04-08T16:38:00.007+01:00

After two amazing weeks in Castlegregory I'm back in Cork to write my essay. The library is packed with people. They announce wind for Thursday so I have to finish the essay by tomorrow. I have already written an introduction but there's still a lot to do.
The windsurfing in the last two weeks was great. But I twisted my foot on Sunday after a loop. Walking still hurts ...

Wine Strand

2008-03-20T22:32:00.005Z

We're sitting in a pub while writing this. Talking about the day on the water. It was quite messy but good wind for the 4.7 and later 4.2 sail. I got some nice forwards on the way out and Grubbies on the inside. Great day!

I'm looking ahead to tomorrow and the weekend. The forecast looks promising…

Here are some pictures of today's action:

Easter

2008-03-19T11:08:00.003Z

It's the last day of college before the Easter break today. I have four weeks of windsurfing ahead of me. The forecast looks alright despite the fact that it might be quite cold. I really hope that Mossies is gonna work on Friday or Saturday.

I had some good sessions in Cork during the last couple of days. Coolmaine went off last Monday with the cleanest and most powerful waves I've ever seen on that beach. I went to Garrettstown on Tuesday which was really windy and messy. However, I was lucky to meet Rose and Andreas there. They filmed me for a media project.

We had perfect conditions for filming in Incheydoney last Wednesday. The footage will be shown on this site soon. This Monday was great for freestyling in Incheydoney. I managed to do my first switch stance move: a Clew-first switch stance spock (or Clew-first Puneta). It's supposed to be the easiest switch stance move and I agree. It's very similar to a Flaka as well.

Last week's pictures can be found on the left.

Windsurf Interversaties Belmullet

2008-03-11T19:13:00.005Z

I'm just back in Cork from this year's windsurf interversaties in Belmullet hosted by Shackleton and Uisce. The event was perfectly organised and it was windy every day. Mark and me had some good wavesailing on Friday in Fahmore with quite heavy waves. With the start of the event on Saturday it was all flatwater sailing. The expression session in Elly bay was good fun although it was a bit windy which made nailing all the moves quite difficult.
Sunday was less windy. We had a race and some nice sunshine. All in all a perfect weekend!
Here are some photos:

26/2/08

2008-02-26T18:05:00.002Z

I had two days of sailing in Cork. Yesterday was a really stormy day. I sailed Coolmaine on a 3.7. The waves were small and messy. All in all, the conditions were typically onshore. It was raining heavily. I decided to sail Cork harbour today. The place where I sailed is called Mahon Lough I suppose. The weather was considerably better than yesterday with sunny spells and just the odd shower. The water was quite choppy but it was still nice to sail on a 4.7. Tried a Clewfirst Puneta on port tack for the first time and it worked better than expected. The place seems nice for taking pictures so I have to bring my camera the next time I go there. No wind is forecast for tomorrow and the day after. The weekend looks good again.

24/2/08

2008-02-24T23:49:00.006Z

I am back home in Cork after three great days of windsurfing in Castlegregory. Thursday started off in Fermoyle with some good waves and loads of wind. I was fully powered up on my 4.2. The wind was a bit too offshore for my taste but Fermoyle was one of the only places to sail in Brandon Bay that day since the swell was big and messy. That meant too much whitewater in Gowlane and Stradbally where the wind direction would have been more suitable. Anyway, it was nice to get some port tack sailing after several weeks of flat water or starboard tack sailing. It was also quite interesting to see that three out of the five windsurfers out that day were using twin fin boards.
After an hour of sailing everybody called it a day. I was still keen to get out on flatwater. Scraggane, one of the only flatwaterspots nearby, did not work. The tide was too high, which produced a backwash, and the wind was low. I met Colin there, who wanted to get out as well. We finally decided to go out on the lagoon near An Clochan. That was not the best idea. The water was flying. It was unbelievably windy.

The wind was supposed to drop in the course of Friday. It was still very windy when I arrived at the beach in Fermoyle. I first went out on my 4.7 bearing in mind that the wind was due to drop. After two runs I had to change for my 4.2. The swell was still quite big. I saw Rob, a Brandon Bay local, sailing a few hundred meters downwind in Kilcummin. He later joined us in Fermoyle but assured us that Kilcummin had been going off. The wind finally dropped after a two hour session or so. The sun came out and it was going to be a nice day. I was still relaxing when Colin turned up in his van looking for a place to surf. Mark, another local and me joined him on his spot hunt. Brandon Pier did not work so we decided to check the beach west of Fermoyle. Getting there was quite an adventure as we had to pass a field with cows and drive on a dirt track. Luckily, Mark lent me a surfboard. It was a Bic mini malibu with a soft deck. The three of us paddled out and I was totally exhausted. Everytime I go surfing I ask myself the question: "Why am I doing this?" - All this paddling for maybe one or two waves. Well, in the end I got a very nice wave. It was quite a long ride for me as a beginner. I decided that this was definitely worth all the paddling and called it a day. Mark and Colin decided to do the same.

Saturday started rainy and stormy which did not really help me overcome my lack of motivation. I checked Stradbally which looked big. I checked Fermoyle which looked small. Even worse: no other windsurfer was around. I finally met Niall and we checked Stradbally again. One guy was already rigging so we decided to go out there. Meanwhile, Rob had arrived as well.
The day turned out to be perfect. It was big but there was always a way to get out. The light was just amazing. I once caught a wave and suddenly I saw that the mountains in the background where bright with the sunlight. The scenery was just amazing. It was one of the moments when you realize why windsurfing is such a great sport.
Saturday was Brandon Bay at it's best. Even Jamie Knox came out sailing with his new Gaastra sails.
Here is a picture of Niall from Saturday: