For the past 30 years Boards Magazine has conducted product tests within most of the monthly printed magazines.  For 2012 the format of Boards Magazine will change and so too will the way that tests are delivered.

The quality and volume of tests provided over the year will remain unchanged, but the delivery will be focused online (although some will still feature within our Bi-Annual publications).  The tests will become more interactive, will be free of charge to read, more accessible (everything will be archived) and more up to date.

Testing will continue in 2012 with Adrian Jones remaining the test editor and as always, he will be assisted by his Clone test team.

For the time being, we have uploaded a selection of the main tests that were covered over the past 18 months in Boards Magazine printed and linked through to our sister site Boardseeker, where the full test can be read.  In the future, all new tests will be available right here on the Boards website in a new and improved online format.

We will continue to deliver regular group tests, but will also be increasing the number of ‘first impressions’ and ‘new concept’ reviews that we do.  This style of review will allow you to get more up-to-date reviews on the very latest kit to hit the market as well as more niche and specialist products.

As always, we will continue with the same methodical, unbiased and honest approach to testing that both Boardseeker and Boards Mag have become renowned for.

BOARDS October 2011

Contents 278 – OCTOBER 2011. Covershot: Andreas Olandersson (S-66), Cape Town, by Tomas Ärlemo

features

LOVING LESBOS

Chris Pressler discovers the delights of Sigri, an unspoilt fishing village and a new spot on the Greek windsurfing map…

TESTED – 5.3 POWER WAVE SAILS

What, exactly, is a ‘power wave’ sail? What is it designed to do, in what conditions, and for whom? Test editor Adrian Jones reveals all, ably assisted, as always, by the Clones…

LEGENDS OF TIREE

The Tiree Wave Classic has long been the British Wavesailing Tour’s most prestigious event, and to mark its 25^th anniversary we take a nostalgic look back at some of the legendary characters who’ve contributed to its success…

ROBERTO RICCI – RISING FROM THE ASHES

Dave White gets up close and very personal with Roberto Ricci, who rose from humble beginnings to create RRD, one of the world’s most successful windsurfing brands…

NATIONAL WINDSURFING FESTIVAL

If you were unlucky enough to miss out on this year’s incredible event, sit back and take a look at Dave White’s pictorial record while scribbling next year’s dates into your diary… …

SETTING YOUR OWN RULES

Whether we’re blasting at our local spot or lining up to take our chances Weymouth, we all get a kick out of speed. And thanks to modern technology, these days you don’t need to enter an event to join the speedsailing ranks…

LIFE ON TOUR – WORLD CUP ROUND-UP

Ed Sinclair brings us up to date with the action from 2011, which has been one of the most exhilarating years yet for the PWA…

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BOARDS September 2011

Contents 277 – SEPTEMBER 2011. Covershot: Caroline Camboulives sharing paradise with the locals, by Ben Thouard

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TAHITI – Between dream and reality

Tahiti is a paradise that’s already well known to surfers – especially the famous wave of Teahupoo – but as Ben Thouard reveals, it’s full of unexplored corners that present mind-blowing opportunities for windsurfing…

TESTED – 90L MULTI-FINS

Having been besieged by requests to cover the more generously proportioned sector of the waveboard market, test editor Adrian Jones put the Clones on a high calorie diet and took them to Tenerife with seven super-sized shredders…

FIRST WAVE

Our editor is no stranger to competition, but when it comes to the waves he very much counts himself as a rookie. Time to throw him in at the deep end…

THE BONAIRE STORY

Robert McCormick reports from behind the scenes of Children of the Wind – a character-driven film that focuses on Bonaire’s talented youngsters as they travel from poor, humble beginnings to international windsurfing fame…

JOYFUL WAKE

Our sport is full of people who – regardless of circumstance – manage to transform their lives through windsurfing. Reader Michel Porro introduces us to an American amputee who reinvented himself as a Caribbean windsurfer…

BSA SLALOM 4 – HUNSTANTON

With the forecast predicting 15-20 knots of slalom racing perfection, hopes were running high that Norfolk would deliver some epic action. Michael George reports…

SELF SERVICE

This month our resident maestro of maintenance, Marjan Tkavc, turns his attention to that most essential but occasionally irksome piece of equipment, the humble boom…

NEW TO WINDSURFING – PART 4

Simon Bornhoft concludes his series by offering some key advice to help get the kids on the water…

PWA CANARIES WAVE TOUR

Ed Sinclair reports from Pozo and El Medano as 60 of the world’s most radical waveriders slashed, looped and spun their way through the opening rounds of the 2011 PWA Wave Tour…

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BOARDS May 2011

contents 273 – MAY 2011

Covershot: Another day at the office for our Clones test team, by Dave White

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MOROCCAN MONSTERS Florian Jung and Mr Morocco himself feast on some classic Atlantic winter swells…

FIRST RIDES – NORTH NATURAL 6.0m Adrian Jones gets to grips with North’s new entry level sail…

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Jason Polakow’s powers of concentration get tested to the max as he encounters an unexpected 700lb visitor on a triple mast high wave…

110L FREERACE BOARDS Adrian Jones and the Clones test team assess the merits of nine of the finest freeracers on the market…

DAKHLA FESTIVAL Described as a harmony between sky and sea, desert and music, the Dakhla Festival celebrated its 5th anniversary in style. Jamie Hancock reports…

WILD WEST Dave White discovers where his wife has hidden his passport, dons Stetson, chaps and poncho and heads out to explore windsurfing’s Wild West, otherwise known as Punta San Carlos, Baja California, Mexico

ESCAPE FROM CAIRO Recent events in Egypt had us all glued to our screens, but what was it actually like to be in the thick of it? Expat Damian De Backer reports from Cairo and the Sinai…

SELF SERVICE In the first of Marjan Tkavc’s DIY series not only do you get the chance satisfy those primal urges to wield potentially dangerous tools, but you also discover how to make your own quick-release fin bolts…

SWA KD3 WAVE TRILOGY Sam Burnett reports from Cardiff on the grand finale to the hugely successful Student Windsurfing Association wave series…

EX PATRIOT GAMES This month’s Have Your Say contributor is British expat Mark Rheinlander, who’s settled in the land of Vegemite and red backs…

FLIRTING WITH THE FORWARD BOARDS reader Jeff Scott of Eastbourne charts his progression in the sport from reluctant beginner to wannabe looper, and finds himself asking: “Are forwards just for pros? Or can your average Jeff do them?”

MARVELLOUS MOULAY Last, but by no means least, in the second of our visits to Morocco this issue the indefatigable Jem Hall and his wrecking crew give us the lowdown on Moulay Bouzerktoun, home to Boujmaa Guilloul and some very agreeable waves…

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CLOSE OUT

BOARDS February 2011

contents 270

FEBRUARY 2011

Covershot: Graham Ezzy by Jerome Houyvet

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MINI TEST – THE UPHAUL CHALLENGE

While waiting for the wind to return Adrian Jones ponders the imponderable and attempts to crack one of windsurfing’s oldest chestnuts: just how small a board IS it possible to uphaul?

COCOS-NUTS

Jason Polakow gives us the idiot’s guide to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands – home to Australia’s smallest and most remote National Park, perfect waves breaking in crystal clear waters, and the world’s most beaten-up old boat…

GUYS ON TOUR – RICH PAGE

Windsurfing’s slightly taller, younger and less wealthy version of Bernie Eccleston talks with Dave White about life as PWA Tour manager…

TESTED – 4-BATTEN WAVE SAILS

Most manufacturers now have a specialist compact 4-batten sail in their line-up that claims to grant you access to the tight-carving slashy world of new school wavesailing. The big question is do you need one? Adrian Jones and his Clones investigate…

CORNWALL – THE OTHER SIDE

This month Dave White’s Home Ground series sets out to explode the myth that Cornwall only has one coast, taking in the delights of Par, Polkerris, Sibleyback, Looe, Seaton and the Tamar Estuary…

SURVIVING WINTER

With water temperatures still well below average after the big freeze, our extreme weather specialist Steve Thorp presents his top tips for surviving cold Runts (and anywhere else)…

RAIDERS OF THE LOST LAGOON

With a two-week photoshoot in Dahab almost over, Team Tushingham load up the camels and head into the desert on a quest to find a hidden gem…

HAVE YOUR SAY

Simon Bornhoft series looking at recreational windsurfers from different walks of life continues with the truly inspirational Moira Bastow, who at a sprightly 78 years of age often puts many youngsters to shame…

SPRINGTIME IN CORSICA

Thanks to the constant winds that whistle through the straits of Bonifacio, Corsica has become known for offering some of Mediterranean’s best windsurfing. Many of its best spots, however, are yet to be discovered. Gilles Calvet reports…

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OVER & OUT

On the cover: Connor Baxter by Jerome Houyvet

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LIFE, THE HARD WAY

Nayra Alonso gets up close and personal with Pozo legend and rising PWA wavesailing talent, Dario Ojeda…

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Adrian Jones demystifies the multifin market and looks towards the future. Are convertibles such as Starboard’s IQ range of twins and quads the way forward?

TESTED – 85L WAVEBOARDS

In the first of a double-pronged assault on a market saturated with a bewildering array of options, the Clones assess the virtues of nine distinctly different flavours of 85L waveboards for your riding and jumping pleasure…

THEATRE OF DREAMS

This month Dave White moves his Home Ground series 7,240 miles away to pay homage to windsurfing’s spiritual heartland…

GETTING SOME IN!

As seasonal swells start to slap our shores, Carl Tomlinson shares some views on getting the best out of UK conditions while maintaining harmony in other crucial areas of life….

PWA FUERTEVENTURA GRAND SLAM

Paul Griffiths reports from Sotavento’s golden sands as the globe’s Slalom and Freestyle glitterati gather to decide their 2010 title fates…

PWA ALAÇATI, TURKEY

Our inside line to windsurfing’s premier Slalom series reports on what’s become a four-horse race this year – the only problem being that three of them have already fallen…

DAKINE WEYMOUTH SPEED WEEK

The annual pilgrimage for speed freaks is almost upon us. Pete Davis gives us the lowdown and brings us news of the BOARDS British Speed Ladder 2011…

UKWA WINDSURFER OF THE YEAR 2010

Yes, in true reality TV style, you the windsurfing public get to decide who will receive this prestigious accolade. Pete Davis presents the nominees…

NATIONAL WINDSURFING FESTIVAL

You were there, we were there – even Boujmaa Guillol was there, and he lives in Morocco. It’s now a ‘must do’ event on every windsurfer’s calendar, but the big question on everybody’s lips was: “Can it possibly get any bigger and better?” The answer is yes, it can. And it did…

CLUBBING IT

The RYA’s Chief Windsurfing Instructor, Amanda Van Santen, talks with two impassioned individuals about their careers in coaching and their roles within the club scene…

CALIFORNIA TRIPPIN’ AND PISTOL RIVER BASHIN’

Tanya Saleh and crew hit the road for a Kerouacian romp along California’s crenellated coastline, taking in the Pistol River wave event and checking out the windsurfing spot action between San Diego and Crescent City on route…

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OVER & OUT

BOARDS 265

contents 265

SEPTEMBER 2010

Cover

Jason Polakow by Jerome Houyvet

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THE BORDERLINE – BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL

Fabrice Beaux and Sylvain Demercastel discover a place of infinite

perspectives among an archipelago of over 7,000 islands…

MINI TEST

Freewave or multi-fin? Adrian Jones postulates ‘pon one of the many existential quandaries facing contemporary windsurfing man…

SHAPING THE FUTURE – KEITH TEBOUL

Paul Griffiths and Dave White visit the birthplace of the most radical windsurfing boards on the planet…

TESTED – 4.2 – 4.7m WAVE SAILS

Licking their lips at the prospect of some autumn swells the Clones put nine 2011 wave sails through the rinse cycle…

PWA COSTA TEGUISE

Lanza goes loco as the PWA’s top manoeuvre maestros strut their stuff on route to world freestyle glory….

PWA POZO

It’s jaw-dropping business as usual as Pozo’s relentless winds propel the PWA elite wrecking crew into 50ft back loops, 40ft stalled double forwards and super tweaked table-top push loops…

WATERMEN

Legendary luminaries of wavesailing Jason Polakow and Levi Siver get down with Dave White during a recent visit to the UK to talk about everything from The Windsurfing Movie II to being held down at Jaws…

ION MAN 2010

Ant Baker reports from Eastbourne Extreme, home to the infamous

ION Man and North One Hour Classic events…

CLUBBING IT

The first of an occasional series by the RYA’s Emma Slater focusing on the

UK’s vibrant club scene…

WESTERN AUSTRALIA, PT II – PERTH

Simon Bornhoft and family explore the potential of the windy city and surrounding area…

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OVER & OUT

BOARDS 264

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PICTURE DESK

An eclectic selection of the hottest and most newsworthy images from around the windsurfing…

GUYS ON TOUR

We’ll get back to the girls soon – promise – but in the meantime we thought you’d like to find out what makes aerial anarchist Boujmaa Guillol tick…

TESTED – 120 L FREERIDES

Introducing test editor Adrian Jones and the Clones, who kick off their testing program by taking a good hard look at the latest 120 L freerides on the market…

HOME GROUND – WEST KIRBY

Dave White revisits a part of the world that resonates deep within his windsurfing being and is always guaranteed to get his mojo working…

TESTED – 7.0 FREERIDE SAILS

If you’re looking to make the best of the UK’s fickle summer winds – and who isn’t – then you’ll be needing one of these no-cammers in your quiver…

PWA COSTA BRAVA

Paul Griffiths reports on the latest slalom action from sunny Spain, where pundits were wondering if that man Albeau can keep his stranglehold on the series…

BSA SUMMER SERIES

Three events and three locations on three coasts in three weeks – and wind and sun at all of them. In summer. We’re not superstitious, but maybe three really is a lucky number…

WINTER HOLIDAY GUIDE

WESTERN AUSTRALIA, PT 1

Simon Bornhoft and his family offer a unique view on travelling to Western Australia. (Waveheads may wish to look the other way…)

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Boardseeker make their move. Photo: Simon Crowther

Europe’s leading action sports media owner, Factory Media, has today announced the acquisition of popular windsurfing website, Boardseeker.com. The website will join BOARDS Magazine, its existing windsurfing title, in a broad portfolio of digital and magazine brands serving over four million action sports fans monthly in Europe.

Factory Media currently publishes 16 digital and 13 consumer magazine brands in six languages across the snow, mountain bike, surf, BMX, windsurfing, skateboard and motocross markets. The new deal will add a new layer of content to the Factory Media digital network, a vast action sports resource headlined by aggregate portal MPORA.com, which majors in video content, picture sharing and community functionality.

“Boardseeker.com represents what is most exciting about action sports communities online – their thirst for knowledge, their brand loyalty and their insatiable appetite for product information,” said Darryl Newton, managing director of Factory Media. “Factory Media is excited to be adding such a respected title to our portfolio. We can already see the value it will add to brands seeking to engage with action sports fans.”

For the past eight years, Boardseeker.com has been instrumental in the growth of the online windsurfing community. The site boasts one of the world’s largest windsurfing subscriber bases and has developed a solid reputation for providing high quality, cutting-edge web content and product information. Factory Media’s wealth of online experience and resource will now be put to use in helping Boardseeker.com expand its user base and diversify its content and equipment testing programs within the sport of windsurfing.

Boardseeker.com will continue to operate independently within the Factory Media group, with founder and former managing director Adrian Jones remaining at the helm.

Adrian said: “It’s a very exciting and progressive move for Boardseeker.com to be joining Factory Media. Our team has worked extremely hard over the past eight years to develop the site into one of the most popular and progressive portals in windsurfing. Now our team will have the backing to develop the site and user base in a way that simply would not have been possible in the past. We are focused on ensuring that Boardseeker.com subscribers continue to receive the same great content that they have become accustomed to, but with the added resources allowing us to evolve, adapt and make the most of the ever-rising opportunities that new technologies continue to offer.”