Only Timo Mullen could persuade his Mom to fly over from Ireland to England to see him on Mothers' Day, then miss the return flight home and drive overnight to Scotland to take shots of him windsurfing World-Class reefbreak Thurso instead.
Here's Timo's side of the story. "I couldn't get anyone to do the 14 hour drive with me so I drafted in my Mum and Dad who were over visiting from Ireland...
Only problem was that Sunday was Mothers' Day, which meant missing my wife's first ever Mothers' Day as well as dragging my mum all the way in a van to the cold cold north of Scotland.
Anyway 'we' scored some amazing conditions, 3.7m logo high point break on the first day, then two sessions the next day both side shore, 4.2m on a pretty hollow and shallow break in front of a Nuclear Power station!
I was using my Evo 70 and a Kode 80. It's one hell of a drive but well worth it for the conditions!"
Well the family that plays together stays together I guess? Thanks Mrs Mullen. You're a gem. And a pretty hot shooter too.
Wind reports on Google Maps - well done Windfinder. (Also check out and/or add a listing to the biz directory.)
German star Michiel Bouwmeester's opening a new Pro Center in Sardinia.
Not very windsurfing related but very important news.
Kauli goes SUPing at home.
GP's knackered. But not too tired to post you shots of gusty, windy Maui.
A link to some nice Galician conditions on Continent Seven's homepage.
Video of Alice Arutkin in South Africa and pics of Boujmaa Guillol who's currently in Marseille on U-Ride.
Here's a Press Release from JP Australia:
JP / HARRY NASS WINDSURFING CAMP IN DAHAB
20.-27 August 2009
with Micah Buzianis US34 and Robby Swift K89
powered by JP Australia and
Harry Nass Surf and Action Center, Dahab/Egypt
After the successful events in 2007 and 2008 this one is going to be even bigger a better.
Many windsurfers would like to become faster, some have considered to compete in a Slalom event – just for fun - but were not sure if they are actually good enough to do so? Or they simply want to get their jibes finally to perfection? If you are one of those guys - this camp will be excellent for you.
Micah Buzianis, US34, top PWA Slalom Racer from Maui Hawaii, Robby Swift top PWA Wave rider and Slalom Racer and head coach Dirk Muschenich, former winner of the German Windsurf Cup and now professional windsurf coach plus Harry Nass and his team will tune your speed and jibing to perfection.
Don’t worry this camp is not aiming at semi professionals – while they are still welcome – but at people who simply love windsurfing, enjoy speed, want to get faster, improve their jibing and maybe get a bit involved in racing. Or some might simply join because they enjoy sailing with a group of people.
In groups of maximum 10 people you will find out about how to
- trim and fine tune your equipment
- get faster (GPS)
- improve your jibing and bring it to perfection
- jibe around a buoy in the middle of a racing fleet
- do Lemans beach starts
- do boat starts
- get your body ready for slalom and speed (Gym, Nutrition)
- win races
As you can see jibing is a very important point. Jibing is the one thing which decides between enjoying windsurfing or hating it and most races are won by the best jiber in the fleet.
To achieve this you and your coaches will use the latest equipment
- start boat
- video analyses
- GPS devices to check your speed
At the end of the camp we will have a Slalom competition. The winner will get a brand new JP Slalom board.
If you are concerned that this sounds all too serious - don’t worry, there will be plenty of fun. We really want to emphasis that you don’t need to be a top-level windsurfer to enter this camp. If your main goal is to become a confident jiber and get that bit faster so that you can upset your friends a bit by overtaking them – you will enjoy this as well as everybody who wants to start racing and get ready for it or those who already race and want to get better. There will be various training groups with various levels and goals for the week.
The EUR 190,- package price include:
- one week camp with Micah, Robby, Dirk, and Harry’s team
- a JP/Harry Nass Windsurfing Camp Lycra
- participation in the final race
- price giving party
You can bring your own equipment or rent the latest JP and NP stuff from Harry Nass.
Yikes. Bit of a news backlog over the weekend. Here we go in no particular order. Oh Yeah. The shot's from the Campello Wind Center on Margarita, Venezuela. More shots and news below.
Firstly, remember this is the last day of the 'Air Taka or Goiter' Poll to the right. Here's the clip before you vote. Thanks.
GP hit da harbor and sailed a light Maui Kona wind too.
Kev Pritchard confirmed that with such sketchy Konas it all didn't quite go to plan.
Tatiana Howard clicked-off a couple of snaps of that surf for you too.
Watersports Photographer Dani Miguel's on-fire and has re-discovered FUN. Check out his other [Spanish language] great photo Blog too.
My head's swelling from the fact that my Blog's read by Celebs. Check out Josh Angulo's comment and official confirmation on the 'Goiter issue'.
Speaking of the innovative older Angulo brother, check out Makani's 'Mutant' video.
Snaps of Starboard 2010 Protos getting a good once-over in Vietnam.
Jimbo got caught in a spin with some sharks.
U-Ride - you rule! Check out the link to two movies from Ezzy and JP under the link 'Hawaiin Party'!
Surferworld pubished news on Taka Kamaguchi signing with Naish and an interview with 2008 PWA Wavesailing World Champion Kauli Seadi.
There are a few last places available for a Peter Hart clinic in Cabo Verde.
Yeeaaaah niiiiice one! (Quicktime player.)
Jeroen posted some pics of the new 'Big Boyz' Hot Sails low-end sail - the 'Firepower'. Thanks Jeroen.
More snaps of the 'Secret Spot' as featured on GP's Blog recently. This time it's got Starboard 'ProKids' Rider Zane Schweitzer's take.
An interview with Jimmy Diaz (English) on Turkish language website Ruzgarvmi. Thanks to Berky for the link.
I got this Press release from the newly opened Campello Wind Center in Venezuela. Their website is under construction but there are contact details at the end.
Thanks to CWC for sending the news and some snaps. Here it is:
Press Release
RICARDO CAMPELLO OPENS “CAMPELLO WIND CENTER” IN EL YAQUE, MARGARITA
As promised the “Campello Wind Center” is now open! Everything is set up in El Yaque to start welcoming new guests. It’s been a lot of work but I’m satisfied with the results. All is focused to give the best service and most enjoyable experience for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
The center is equipped with the latest JP Neilpryde kit, from beginner until freestyle/wave boards and a variety of sails that will satisfy clients demands. We offer daily instruction for complete beginners to advanced and also I will be organizing clinics throughout the year. Where clients will receive pro training from myself and other pro windsurfers.
El Yaque is windy most of the time but if you fancy taking a day off we have a number of options. These include kayaking, mountain biking, surfing, trekking, horse riding, island tours, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, go-karting and trips to the beautiful island of Coche and Cubagua. We also host ”WINDSURFING NIGHT SUPER SESSION” at Ipanema Beach Bar, where you can see all the pros in action at night while enjoying a BBQ and live bands as well as all kind of international food. Once a week we’ll also have a competition with all the guests and prizes!
We can arrange accommodation within El Yaque to suit all needs, check the list below.
Windsurf Paradise
El Yaque Paradise
Coche Paradise
Atti Hotel
Casa Rita
Casa Viento
El Yaque Beach
California Hotel
Jump n´ jibe
So if you fancy a windsurfing/kitesurfing holyday I invite you to come to El Yaque, a great beach on the north of Margarita Island in the Caribbean. This is the right place to come and we are the right team to satisfy your requirements and much more!
The Campello Wind Center website is under construction but feel free to contact us through email for any further information or reservation.
campellowindcenter@gmail.com 0058 2954167747 office
Ricardo Campello
x3 Fresstyle Worldchampion
Crikey if you've got this far you'd agree that's enough for now. It's St. Patricks Day tomorrow which is a Public Holiday here in Ireland, so I might not be online :) Thanks for reading.
PWA Judge Thijs van de Meer wrote back on the Levi Siver 'Is it an Air Taka or a Goiter?' issue.
Thijs says it's a Goiter because "In the picture [above] you can see the mastfoot is clearly higher than the top of the mast.
To me, that's where an Air Taka turns into a Goiter.
Goiters are being done a lot flatter these days, it looks less radical, but the guys are sticking them more consistently this way.
A tough trade off. Compliments to Levi for staying in the wave in these offshore conditions. Too bad he lost it at the end." Thanks Thijs for that insight. If you disagree why not vote in the Poll to the right?
By the way. Eagle-eyed readers might have noticed the various spellings of Goiter in circulation.
Irish Pro Oisin Van Gelderen did some research and found that a Goiter, as opposed to a Goyta or Goita, is related to an overdose of action in the Adrenal glands!
From memory I think that's why the move was named that back in the 90s. So who invented it? Was it Mark Angulo? Any answers, medical or windsurfing related are appreciated in the Comments section below. Thanks.
Here's a revolutionary new way of choosing a sail from Boardseeker.
I had a great response to yesterday's 'arty Blogs' post, and received a lot of links such as Frank from River-Rippers.net's recomendation.
Yann Sorlut sums-up the AFF event in Almanarre, France.
Take a deep breath and hoooooooooold.
Even The King goes on the Rocks from time-to-time.
GP get's his readers to take some of the strain and posts other people's videos for a day. Good idea.
More new perspectives from Dani Miguel.
Err how glad am I that never bought any Quiksilver stock? Thanks to [Twitter] @Ian Votteri for the alert!
Runnin' late today so it's a high-speed roundup for now.
Angulo sent this video 'In the Gap' for your enjoyment.
Another Cabo Verde flick, this time from Robby Swift, available at the JP Australia website.
What is it with all the angry Sharks this year? Maybe they're finding the water too dirty?
Perhaps with that in mind former PWA racing Champ Allison Shreeve is making a mammoth crossing in aid of the 'Coast Care' charity.
Steve Bodner's also being a Friend of the Water.
And if you're a Face-booker you can help Robert Masters of Maui's Stableroad by joining his I Care About Water group - please help him reach 1000 members by tonight! Thanks. (There's also a Stable Road Facebook Group...)
A snap of a 5-fin RRD Prototype.
Don't forget the Fuerte Wave Classic comp's on still and to view their galleries.
Good work and well done for the Beach Clean guys.
Irish Red Bull Rider Oisin Van Gelderen sent these shots from the Irish Intervarsities Windsurfing Comp this past weekend on Achill Island.
Oisin said " I was there to judge the student wave Expression Session, and I used a unique new technique called 'judging from the water'.
We went sailing all day and mid push loops I kept one eye on what everyone else was doing !"
I bet those stranded-in-a-tower PWA judges wish they could do that too...
Thanks once again to Oisin for the heads-up and shots.
Have a nice day. Hopefully more later...
Keeping you up-to-speed and on-the-pace...
Irish Pro Oisin Van Gelderen sent this scenic shot of a 5 deg Celsius session on Wednesday in Brandon Bay, Ireland, during an 8.6 meter swell and 30 knots of wind. Thanks Oisin. Brrr.
The Maui crew get a break from the old routine. (I bet those shots are flipped from port tack...)
News and pics from the Fuerte Wave Classic.
A Total Wind reader has also posted some nice shots from the contest in their forum too. Here and here.
PWA Slalom Champion Antoine Albeau's re-launched his website.
News, pics and audio [French language] interviews from the AFF event in Almanarre, France.
You can follow more live throughout the day also at Windsurf Journal.
A [German language] interview of filmmaker and PWA Freestyler Andre Paskowski.
The new RRD 11 SUP.
Mad Maarten suggests some no-wind reading material.
A video of a hot Danish lady showing off in Bonaire.
More old-skool windsurfing action video.
Have a nice day.
What is it with the 'brother's' theme today?
Anyway. 'Tropical' Ireland gifted Finn Mullen some nice surf. (17ft@18 secs out to sea - the hood's just for the sun protection..honest.)
But 'balmy' England had snow showers and snow drifts on the way to the beach in mind for his younger bro Timo to contend with today.
Was it worth it? "3/4 ft offshore at K Bay? You bet!" he said.
Here's some more recent UK winter waves in Cornwall courtesy of photo portfolio site Guavajelly. (Tip - check the South Coast reef action shots in the '08 gallery.)
Tatiana Howard needs to study harder and concentrate more...bet this is what GP was like in Skool.
Here's that Samba movie trailer again if you missed it before.
PWA Freestyler Yoli De Brendt has a new video coaching system for you.
Everyone's ready and waiting at Cotillo beach for the Fuerteventura Wave Classic.
Meanwhile in the South of France they're running waves at the first AFF event of 2009.
..and you can win a surf (not windsurfing) trip to Morocco with Xoxxi. (departing London.)
First-up is a nice shot sent in by George from the Live2Sail Blog. Thanks George.
Here's a really short interview with PWA Wave Tour leader Josh Angulo on Maui.ee.
A Chilean adventure on video with Fabrice Beaux.
Some boom-Cam action from Seatex Boards on Windsurfmag.it.
After scraing some seals, GP is being cruel to Oceanic mammal life. Again. This time he's taken on a Sea Lion.
Don't you just love these vintage magazines. I love the smell and feel of these old issues crammed with great stories and less ads than in many you see today. (Even with the recession.) Check out the great surf books there too.
Speaking of Surf books, PWA and legendary surf scene photographer Alex Williams has launched a new book of some classic shots of British Surfing in the 70s in a new publication titled 'Atlantic Surfers'. (You can preview the first 15 pages online.)
The March issue of Boards is out and I've got two articles published.
(That's Canadian PWA Freestyle rider Phil Soltysiak on the cover by the way.)
First up I've a review of the career of Scott McKercher followed by an investigation into the new Freestyle Classix format.
If you've read these I'd love some feedback on either the articles or the subject. Thanks.
WIND Mag issue 333 is also out now and it's a monster test issue. Check out the huge list of gear they've tried out.
Any other new issues of magazines out? Please leave the details in the Comment section below. Thanks.
U-Ride have a link to some video of Slalom racing action in The Gorge.
With the Fuerteventura Wave Classic a few days away, WSJ have posted a link to video of Spew Pits cranking on the island from last week to whet your appetite.
UK Windsurf and SUP pro John Hibbard wrote in; 'The main right peak at this beach is rammed with Surfers everyday and is a 100% No Go Zone for SUPers.
The left in between the main break and the rivermouth is empty but it's hard to catch - not on my Starboard 8' 5" though!'
And finally. The Hustle Project. We've got a winner of the Fanatic T-Shirt contest.
So congratulations to Rudie from Holland correctly answered that Fanatic won 4 World Cup events in 2008 - World freestyle champ Gollito won Podersdorf and Lanzarote and world number 2 wavesailor Victor Fernandez won in Pozo and Sylt.
Rudie said 'I really like Fanatic because one of their boards got me back in to windsurfing big time!! And they are not through with me because I still want the freewave 86 ltr!'
Rudie - I'll be in contact about the details. Let's see what the rest of the industry can come up with for you guys? I guess you'll shout loudly about what you got from them at the beach hey? Power to the people! Lets get you some stash.
Many wave-crammed days and a training course later and Beach Telegraph is back in action.
With the dust settling from the Cabo Verde event it's time to get back up-to-speed with everything going on.
So much has happened that I gotta draw a line in the sand and just start from here instead of catching-up.
Actually, just sticking in Cabo Verde for a minute, you'll see that Graham Ezzy won the Super Session.
www.Windinfo.eu sent the flyer above for the Boardshort Picnic Windsurfing Camp (German language) in Gargano Italy.
Continent Seven editor and PWA racer Chris Pressler's been enjoying himself and winning in Vietnam.
Epic Sessions has been giving great webcast service in Maui during the past week. And GP thinks it's about time the PWA offered even a low budget version themselves. What do you think? Should they wait until they get a high-quality rig and the extra budget to staff it and host it, or should they just give us action in any way possible?
Just bear in mind though that although it's easy to park at Ho'okipa and do this, but other competition areas are harder to capture as the contest areas are huge and you'd need extra people to film edit and commentate, plus all the additional radios and someone to coordinate - which all costs money even on a low budget scale.
Don't forget to check GP out on the Flowrider at Kihei too.
Hotsails have been enjoying some Tandem action.
Before the 'line in the sand' WIND mag sent these links to videos of Thomas Traversa and friends in Big Wave action in France and the consequences.
Boujmaa Guillol is now Blogging.
I saw this Reggae outfit on Twitter thanks to Ms. Porter. I wonder if he inhaled?
Let's not forget 'The Hustle Project' where I hassle the industry for free gear for you guys. Although I've been offline for a week I'm still holding the Fanatic T-Shirt comp open for at least today.
Here's a reminder of the question and details:
How many PWA Events were won by Fanatic Riders in 2008?
Please leave your answer in the Comments section below AND mail me at hotgossip@beachtelegraph.com stating why you want the shirt and like the brand for when I choose the winners. Thanks.
Rules: 1. No pros or sponsored riders or dealers are allowed to answer. We will know who you are! 2. I'll think up more rules as I go along.
More soon. Please leave links to anything you think I've missed in the Comments section below.
Maui's Top Dog Blogger GP Cammaro gives it to you uncut.
And Tom from Hot Sails went boom-cam crazy too.
Chris Pressler's been testing Starboards in 'Nam.
The Black Local enjoyed Ho'okipa too.
JP sent out a Press Release containing an interview with Antoine Albeau.
I've uploaded the [Word] file so you can read it uncut. Antoine's contract with JP/NeilPryde started February 1st.
WIND magazine (French) have an interesting piece on how up-and-coming youngster Camille Juban was refused entry to the Cabo Verde World Cup.
With old-skool riders like Goya being allowed in instead, Juban is feeling the cold wind outside of the PWA Top-32.
However some youngsters such as Kai Lenny and Graham Ezzy have been given Wildcards, which is great in terms of seeing fresh blood, but a bitter pill to swallow for a youngster with experience.
What are your views on this? Should Juban have been given his chance? Please leave any comments below. Thanks. (No sign-in required.)
Continent Seven posted something 'Baltic' to contrast those balmy images of Maui. Check out the link 'Halliday' on their front page.
Boards Mag report a new Ocean Source clinic in Morocco with John Skye and Nayra Alonso.
Mind you, 'Skyeboy' is out for a while after picking up an injury in Cape Town. Let's hope that heals swiftly before Cabo Verde.
Planche Mag 316 is out on the stands.
That's all for now folks. Please leave any news of other new print issues out or hot links in the Comments section underneath. Thanks.
