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Surfboard at Tchibo
The estimated three to four thousand (!) boards offered by the now-forgotten manufacturer Sana via the coffee roaster Tchibo are “flying off the shelves”. Even back then, there was much more on offer there than just coffee (“whole beans or ground?”), though only in-store or by postcard. Due to space constraints, the bulky board was only stocked in selected shops; the surfer-customer was lucky enough to snap up the last one. Admittedly, it came without accessories such as straps; the demand even left the coffee sales assistant almost at a loss. In surf shops, however, Tchibo customers are not at all welcome, and the industry is up in arms: “No service for Tchibo boards – send the customers back to the bakery! Specialist retailers must take a firm stance on this!’ rants one shop owner. Others even fear it will tarnish the image of the entire sport. The whole scheme is said to have been orchestrated by Michael Kölln, who holds a stake in the manufacturing company set up specifically for the campaign and is said to have contacts in the coffee market. “The Tchibo supply was seen as an affront to our colleagues in the small and medium-sized specialist retail sector [...]” – on these grounds, Kölln was immediately expelled from the “Surf Trade Association”, which he had helped to found just a few months earlier. At the same time, the association is trying to turn the tables and now wants to sell coffee in surf shops. Incidentally, the “Bohnen-Board” itself received a mediocre rating in a brief surf test: stable, good in light winds, but with very little manoeuvrability due to the “negative rocker” and, in stronger winds, acting as a built-in brake.
Scheveningen District Report
Now somewhat forgotten, but for a long time one of Europe’s top spots: Scheveningen, The Hague’s city beach, was for many years an established World Cup venue, though also a somewhat mixed bag: “The beaches are crowded and noisy, and the water quality ranges from mediocre to poor.” The imposing Kurhaus is the only bright spot amongst countless high-rises, whilst the pier is a rather ageing funfair. On the other hand, there’s no end of parking spaces along the boulevard (where you’re even allowed to spend the night), plenty of places to eat and drink, and a specially marked entry point for windsurfers. However, anyone wanting to get out on the water must not only wear a lifejacket but also obtain written permission to windsurf from the ‘beach police’. All this effort can be worth it when the south-westerly wind blows exactly parallel to the shore, allowing for some impressive jumps. It’s no coincidence that the local surf club is called “Jump Team”...
What else is going on?
- Patent guru Hoyle Schweitzer has sent an armada of mystery shoppers to German surf shops. In at least 30 cases, products were offered that were not covered by the licence. In total, the lawyers are seeking over 100,000 marks in damages.
- Trained pigeons are helping the US Coast Guard search for missing persons. These fluttering rescuers have significantly better vision than humans and a wider field of view. Groups of three trained pigeons are placed in a Plexiglas dome beneath a search aircraft and look in different directions. As soon as they spot something orange, such as a life jacket, they peck at a button in front of their beaks.
- Inge and Michiel Bouwmeester teach children their first windsurfing manoeuvres in a photo-story style – complete with corny jokes.
- “Even riders on all-round funboards” are now having a go at what used to be an “elite manoeuvre” Duck Jibe. Reason enough for a detailed look at riding technique with Philipp Pudenz.
- A year before the sport’s Olympic debut, the world’s top wind gliders first gathered in Eckernförde and then at Kieler Woche. It was there that Stephan van den Berg – who would go on to win gold in Los Angeles in 1984 – claimed victory.
- At the Euro Funboard Cup on Sylt, an algal bloom created a carpet of foam that was up to two metres high in places. The problem at the time was that the riders couldn’t find their boards beneath the foam. Looking back now, it is the suspected presence of pollutants and PFAS contamination the North Sea, which was under extreme strain at the time.
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Tobias Frauen
Editor