This clinic runs from Nov 10th to the15th and is part of the Four Seasons Unforgettable Event Series on Maui. This unique opportunity is for anyone who has ever wanted a safe and fun introduction to water sports while staying at a five star hotel in Hawaii.

For more details email shawnacropas@gmail.com

Or check out our last March Four Seasons Aloha Clinic event: http://www.shawnacropas.com/four-seasons-unforgettable-event-series/

For booking please check out: http://www.shawnacropas.com/alohawindsurfingclinics/fourseasons/

Earlier in the week Neilson announced their schedule of 2013 clinics, with Peter Hart and Sam Ross both providing some must attend coaching weeks at some of Neilson’s top centres. On the coaching front, Matt Pritchard also shared some of his best jumping tips online. 

With all the snow and freezing temperatures this week many of you have taken to the water, frozen or not, to get your windsurfing fix. The Ianovated guys have also been out, testing their super warm suit in even more challenging conditions!

Stay tuned for more Storm Chase news, we will cover the event on more detail over on our sister site Boardseeker so be sure to check there for the latest updates. For those hitting the water this weekend have an incredible time, it looks like a few locations are going to be going off!

Red Bull Storm Chase, on for Ireland!

The biggest key to getting air is to  load hard on the takeoff, meaning you gotta push down with your legs and explode upwards with them while hitting the piece of chop at just the right moment. Grip with your toes to roll the windward edge of the board up so the wind can get under you, suck your back leg up and under your butt and keep the power of the sail sheeted in so that you can keep power to the jump with your sail. If you sheet out, you just drop like a stone and don’t get as high or as lofty of an air!

The landing is usually the hard part, keep the tail of the board under you so that when you touchdown you don’t spin out. A lot of people tend to straighten their legs out in mid-air and when they land like that they fall onto their back pushing the tail of the board away from them. So keep the board close to you, the more you bend your legs and arms the higher you are gonna fly! Always remember to look where you want to go….. Here’s a little sample of the possibilities for a big chop hop!

Check out more info from Matt, and brother Kevin, on their website here or on the Gaastra site here. 

Aloha Windsurfing Clinics NP from Pritchard Windsurfing on Vimeo.

Graham Ezzy

Tanya Saleh reports from day four of the American Windsurfing Tour’s Cactus Cup, Punta San Carlos, Baja. Images by Clark Merritt…

We awoke to slightly larger swell again, but the fast increasing large high tides once again meant that the point waves did not exist. Therefore it was decided to hold round 3 at the beach break by the Solo Sports camp. Solid head high and larger sets were coming through so everyone geared up for the 12 minute, 2 waves to count heats.

The Youths were first to go out and they were clearly all fired up because they were all charging getting right under the lip with every hit. This was accompanied by several crashes so all together was rather entertaining to watch. Morgan took 1st place with Jordan in 2nd an Jay in 3rd.

In the men’s, Keith Teboul and Kevin Pritchard progressed from the first heat, Kevin McGilvray and Skylar Haywood moved on from the second heat, with Graham Ezzy and Morgan Noireaux joining them from the 3rd heat. The final sailors were Keith, Graham, Morgan, and Kevin P. The set waves were becoming a little less frequent and Graham and KP got the better longer waves therefore progressing to the super final. This 20 minute heat was truly fantastic to watch; experience vs. youth. Both of them were getting 4 turns and 2 or 3 aerials per wave. Graham scored on the larger wave front, and his additional goiters thrown into the mix gave him the edge to take 1st place.

In the amateurs, Solo Sports Staff member Joey Sanchez finally made it passed his first heat. Joey has only been windsurfing for a year and a half, is very competitive, and therefore was a little upset that he hadn’t made it yet. Today was his day and he got through to the final. Conversely Pete Dekay (editor of Windsport) has been lying flat on his back for 24 hours thanks to a random back injury. With no Dr’s within a couple of hundred miles he has been taking it easy and nursing it with plenty of Baja Fogs. Hopefully it will head as quickly as it came.

In the women’s we all struggled to find waves but I managed to grab the biggest and landing an aerial pretty much sealed the deal. Event organiser Sam took 2nd place with her increasingly aggresive turns, Miho in 3rd and Catherine in 4th.

Huge shout out to Solo Sports owner Kevin Trejo who some of you will know. He got bullied into joining the Master’s having not windsurfed for 10 years!! His first round resulted his highest score being a waterstart, but has redeemed himself since by winning the next 2 rounds!

Tanya Saleh's bikini tabletop

Tanya Saleh reports from day three of the American Windsurfing Tour’s Cactus Cup, Punta San Carlos, Baja…

Glassy conditions led to extended surf sessions this morning both down at the point and at the main beach break. Unfortunately the high spring tides meant that by the time the wind kicked in, the swell wasn’t playing ball. Although some waist to head high sets rolled in they were very few and far between.

After lunch it was full on 4.5 weather and the judges called a pro – am event. What is this I hear you say? (Since I wondered exactly the same thing). It’s a team event in pairs where each Amateaur picks out the name of a Pro man to team up with. There are 10 minute heats and you are ONLY scored on overall impression.

This obviously ended up rather similar to an SWA event, except for imagine Kevin Pritchard killing a head high wave with a blonde wig, starboard cape on and beer in hand. It was hilarious. There were wrestlers, there was sabotage, there were tears and much more.

The whole event took all afternoon and was certainly a fine display of skill combined with creativity. The moral of the story was … that to win, you couldn’t just bust some amazing moves; you had to do so with a special twist.

The winners were Russ Faurot and Yossy who heat after heat landed synchronised jumps and wave rides. 2nd place went to Morgan and Robert who put up an incredibly good fight with their own synchronised moves. 3rd place went to Nathan Mershon and Josh Sampeiro; whose wardrobes earnt them many points for request. Not only were wrestling masks involved, but also women’s swimwear … AND world class waveriding.

Tomorrow afternoon the ‘real’ swell will be back and competition will (unfortunately) be restored to normal

More at www.americanwindsurfingtour.com

Nathan Mershon

British competitor Tanya Saleh reports from day two of the American Windsurfing Tour’s Cactus Cup, Punta San Carlos, Baja…

Another successful day and another round complete. The swell ranged from knee high to logo high depending on whether you were lucky enough to score a set wave in your heat. The family style competition vibe continued with competitors and spectators cheering each other on from the point when not in the water.

The men’s final featured Keith Teboul, Russ Faurot, Nathan Mershon, and Matt Pritchard. When you watch Keith Teboul killing it down the line landing 3 aerials one after the other ontop of 4 turns on the same wave – you know it’s going to be a good heat. All 4 of them were killing it and it pretty much came down to who got the biggest, longest waves.

Both Nathan and Keith progressed to the super final where we got to witness the battle of the aerials. Nathan managed to pip Keith on the wave selection to take the win. In the women’s I managed to take the win with Miho in 2nd, Sam in 3rd, and Catherine in 4th.

I have to say that this is the most fun contest I have ever been a part of. The conditions are so enjoyable that sailing in your heat is awesome since you get to sail the point with just 4 of you there for 15 minutes. It’s just like cruising around with your friends having a good time.

For a full break down of results please go to www.americanwindsurfingtour.com

Photos courtesy of Kevin Pritchard who miraculously manages to coordinate filming, shooting stills, and competing all at the same time.

Sarah-Quita in slalom mode

Following her strong World Cup showing at home at PWA Aruba, Gaastra’s Matt Pritchard interviews Sarah-Quita Offringa who is current leading lady in both the PWA Slalom and Freestyle tours!

MP:  Way to go over there SQ!!! Awesome job, tell us about what it was like sailing in your home waters – did you feel pressure to win?

SQ: Hi Matt. Thank-you! Since I started on the PWA it’s been a dream off mine to have the PWA coming to Aruba. The pro’s were telling me so many stories of how they used to race on my island and have a good time! Finally this year the government gave the green light to host a PWA event here. YEAH! Freestyle and slalom. So just having all the pro’s sailing here at my home spot was already big for me! No I didn’t have more pressure than usual to win. The pressure that I had was my own because I always want to perform well.

MP: I must say I am rather impressed – you have come from the freestyle scene and are now winning slalom contests – what happened and how did this all come about?

SQ: Well I didn’t completely come out of nowhere. In 2007 I sailed my first PWA slalom comp in Fuerteventura. Then in 2009 I competed in Turkey and finish 2nd. I realised there that I was quite fast so I decided to the whole tour next year. Last year I did the whole tour and gained a lot of experience sailing at different locations. At first I needed a lot of help from everybody tuning my equipment and choosing fins etc… but now I can pretty much handle myself and this gives you more confidence out on the water. How I got around winning slalom events?? I never think about winning a whole event. I just take it one race at a time giving every race a 100%

MP: Are you slalom training every day or do you have a new trainer? What is your schedule like?

SQ: Well like I’ve said before I live in Holland now and I haven’t even gotten time to even be on a windsurfing board much and when I do I’ll be freestyling… I’m lucky that I have a friend living quite close by that’s willing to drive an extra 20 minutes in the opposite direction to pick me up and go windsurfing. What I’ve learnt this year is that even though you can’t sail as much you won’t lose your technique and you don’t need to sail every day to progress. Anytime you are on the water you just need to try and get everything out of your session.

Sara-Quita freestyling Aruba

MP: Do you think the other girls are surprised at how well you are doing being this only your 2nd year doing slalom? You are beating the veterans out there!

SQ: ‘m quite happy by the way I’m performing but to be honest all the girls are pushing hard and that’s why as a whole everybody’s getting better. There are more and more of the younger sailors winning races. Alice Arutkin usually wins at least 1 race in a competition and we’ve seen Lena Erdil and Fanny Aubet winning races for the first time in Aruba so that’s a big step ahead for all of us. The next generation has arrived!

MP: What is your favorite thing about racing?

SQ: Definitely the moment the red flag goes up and you know you have 4 minutes before the start of your race and then the last 30 seconds planing slowly towards the line with 9 other girls and then finally nailing the start and sailing full speed towards the first mark to see who rounds it in first. It’s a complete adrenaline rush!

MP: Tell us about the gear set up you are using – boards, fins, masts etc…

SQ: My favorite setup right now is the 7.1 Vapor with my 90 l iSonic which I have a 35cm fin under. We haven’t had really strong conditions yet but I’m hoping I can use the 6.4 Vapor… Dubbed ‘The Beast’ by Arnon, hahahaha…

MP:  How about some tips for other girls – what are some things they can do to prepare for racing on the PWA Tour?

SQ: The best experience you get is actually competing with everybody. You’ll learn there how to tune your equipment or wether starting at the pin or the boat is better. In any case… If you go out to train some slalom it’s best to have somebody to sail with. Most of all just enjoy being on the water

MP: Well congratulations and thanks for your time! Keep it rolling… Very nice job!!!

Sarah-Quita Offringa

Tonky Frans

MP: Tonky, welcome on board man! It has been a long time coming, I have wanted to see you join the program for a while and I’m glad we have finally made it happen. Tell us your thoughts on the new Tabou Twister…

TF: well the board is very good so far that I have tried it; for sure it is a board that I will have to get used to it! I like much the 90 liter have this fish tale which makes it really interesting for some new style and new moves that I can do with this board .. so far what I can say is it is very interesting sailing with this Tabou Twister…..

Tonky

MP: It seems like the boys are really loving the twin fin set up for freestyle. How do you think this will help your performance- A lot of guys are saying it is much easier to stay upwind and ride the boards with smaller fins so they can do more spins- what’s the story there?

TF: —-My way of seeing freestyle, I grew up with freestyle, when freestyle started it was more spinning I agree that the double fins are good, but now we are in the level that we are not spinning any more and we are freestyling ! NO Formula! Freestyle has grown now into double moves spinning was in the beginning very important, so for me, to tell you about the board it have the best  shape/ outline specially the 90 and the 100 is my favorite.

Tonky

MP: You have been on the scene for a while now- I can remember some heated battles with you back in the day! Being a seasoned pro what do you think it will take to be the World Champ? You have the talent, is it luck or what?

TF: well I still have the talent, still feel like I can be world champion, the luck is in the heats that the 6 minute you have you need luck to do good. I see a lot of pro’s  sailing very good in freesaling but during the heat they are not solid, And That is what makes most of them not make it to the top.

Tonky

MP: You are known as the most stylish freestylers in the world…..What sort of new moves are you working on now?

TF: well I am thinking about some new moves, some new jump’s new combinations, I am working on something that I did do before I got on tour so that will be my special move that can bring me to the top…. I have this willy skipper Idea that I wanna do something new with this move, I will keep on trying and I will let you know more about that in the future …!

Tonky

MP: Tell us about a typical day for Tonky- when do you get up, what do you eat and what do you do from 6am till 11pm?

TF: I wake up, go to the Bakery than I will drive to the beach… sailing a bit , than I will have some lunch in the mid day some fish nuggets next door to the bar at sorobon  / talk to my friends and some new move, or talk about, girls and you know what the boy ‘s do at the beach! Then I hit the water again to have a late session, try some new things and then I go home, send some email, see what is new in the windsurf world and try to find some sleep around 11:30 Pm

MP: Where do you see the sport of windsurfing going? It is pretty radical these days- how do we get more people into it

TF: Well I SEE  freestyle going in the good way, as experience I can see that as a freestyler we do really radical maneuver lately and I see the sport going in the the X Games and that is what I wanna do in freestyle so any thing sick that, you can think of I wanna do this, to see this sport grow.

MP: Besides Bonaire, where is your favorite place to sail?

TF: My Favorite place to sail is Feurteventura- it is where I like the most after that I will say Pozo

MP: Who is in your regular day to day crew?

TF: well in the End is me my self and I, but I hang out more day to day with Jason a cousin off mine.

MP: How about a favorite quote or words that you live by?

TF: Iive the life at the fullest

MP: Heroes?

TF:me my self, Matt , Fransico Goya , Josh stone,

MP: Ha Ha……. Classic. Thanks for the props and for your time Tonks- Good luck for 2011, we will all be watching for some new Style from you!! Keep ripping and welcome to Tabou!

TF: Thx Matt and I am happy to be on Tabou! Cant  wait to hit the tour again – WORLD CHAMPION, TONKY FRANS!

We also have interviews with Naish, Polakow, Matt P. & J. Prior, loads of footage of dirtbiking, streetbiking & waveriding on our HDs, so maybe the project hasn’t died yet. We just can’t hold this piece anymore hidden… If you’re interested in this project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information.

www.mauinerdproductions.com

Finian Maynard at Fuerteventura 2010

One of the fastest men on the windsurfing planet, Gaastra / RRD rider Finian Maynard put the pedal to the medal nearly claiming victory at the 25th year anniversary event in Fuerteventura! One of the most intense battlegrounds on the PWA tour, Finian knows the game and played it well. Matt Pritchard got a chance to ask a few questions and see what he had to say about his recent success …

MP: Finian, Congrats on a solid 2nd place result- I know it is tough out there; give me a rundown of what has been going on for you this season.

FM: Fuerte was a great result, I am super happy to finish second with a chance for the win on the last day. I thought I sailed very mistake free and tried to be consistent on the race course and this plan seemed to work quite well. The beginning of the season was hard with a knee injury just before Korea and getting used to my new Vapor sails so I have been playing catch up a lot but I think I am race ready now.

MP: How about your size? You have been one of the biggest guys on tour- probably a reason why you are one of the fastest guys out there…. What are you dims right now and have they changed for you in the last year?

FM:  I think I am still the same height…..190cm and my weight right now is 111kg. I think that this helps me in powered conditions when one needs to sheet on harder but I feel I am competitive in the light wind as well as growing up in the BVI was all about 10-15 knots of wind.

MP: With the 6/3 rules, do you think this is an advantage to you or not? If not, why would it favor one competitor over another?

FM:  I like the 6/3, we can race anywhere, anytime and in any condition, so for the event organizers this makes for a better show and we can also race on the equipment we want in any specific wind. With the 4/2 rule, one could get caught out from time to time on the wrong stuff.

MP: What size sail have you been using most on tour this year? Do you have a favorite size and why?

FM:  I like my 7.6 the most. It feels stable and quick but unfortunately I have only raced it in one event. Otherwise, I have been on my 10.0 most of the year.

MP: How involved are you with your team mates Ross and Kevin? Do you guys talk strategy on the race course or is it every man for himself out there?

FM:  To be fair, it is mainly every man for himself on the race course, every sailor on the water is a competitor. However, we do talk about how the sails are feeling when we are on the beach.

MP: How about the Terminator- Dunks is making a pretty serious effort to win back a world title! What are your thoughts about that and what do you think motivates him to keep pushing so hard?

FM:  Bjorn has endless energy and desire for racing. It is embedded in his blood. I think that his sponsors are pushing hard and I believe he wants one more PWA title in the modern era before he retires.

MP: You have been on tour for many years- I would say you are due for a Slalom title one of these days- What will it take for you? I know that is a tricky question but you have always been close but not quite- what gives?

FM:  My desire for the title is stronger than ever. I will do my very best to achieve that goal.

MP: With 2 more events to go- one in Turkey and Sylt, what is your strategy for the rest of the season?

FM:  I am fighting with many guys for 3rd overall this year. I have no strategy, just to try and race well and see what happens.

MP: Well that all sounds pretty good- thanks for your time and good luck in the next event! We will be watching …

FM: Thanks a lot, I hope the wind gods are good to us and we get more high quality racing like Fuerteventura.

Finian Maynard

Dario Ojeda

Pozo local Dario Ojeda will join forces with the powerful Tabou Team. Dario is well known for his aggressive riding style both on and off the water!

“I have seen Dario progress as a sailor for the last 10 years and he is a deadly force in his home waters of the Canary Islands – Watch for him to do some damage on the PWA tour!” says team manager Matt Pritchard.

Matt Pritchard had the chance to interview the latest Tabou team member on the Tabou website:

www.tabou-boards.com