Vidar Jensen reported on the (presumed) first surfing of Iceland in 2007. At the time, Vidar couldn't find a single windsurfer who had ever been on the water in Iceland. The journey into the unknown was correspondingly adventurous; despite his Norwegian roots, Vidar equipped himself with the thickest neoprene he could get his hands on. But the first session on the south coast turned out to be surprisingly mild. Later, however, the bonnet and gloves came into play as the small group travelled further north. However, a session in an icy north wind loses most of its horror when you can jump into a hot spring in the garden of your accommodation afterwards. In addition to these unforgettable experiences, Vidar Jensen brought back some breathtaking pictures - perhaps they really were the first Icelandic windsurfing photos!
How surf tests
To kick off the 2008 tests, surf provides an insight into the procedure: Test rides, comparison rides and the measurements of the test models are explained in detail. There is also a reunion with the now demolished tub for the volume measurement. Back then, all boards were pulled under water to determine the exact volume. Today, this is no longer necessary, as the manufacturer's specifications are pretty accurate thanks to the CAD shapes. However, there were always deviations with hand-shaped boards when manufacturers printed a fantasy number on the board for marketing reasons. All other measurements are of course still taken meticulously!
Stephan Gölnitz and Manuel Vogel gave a very deep insight into the surf tests some time ago in these interviews:
How to make a windsurfing trip with the family work
"First wife, then child, then sell boards", the text oracles at the beginning, which is how many windsurfing careers end. Anne-Kathrin Stevens writes about a colourful group of people who apparently combine surfing holidays and family perfectly. Everyone in the story seems happy, even if the roles seem a little outdated: The dads go surfing and repair the camper vans, the mums sit and chat over coffee. The girls paint and do handicrafts, the boys whizz around on their bikes. But the main thing is that everyone is happy.
The secret of JP-Australia's success
Having become independent in 2000 and the most sought-after brand by 2003, JP-Australia has risen to the top of the market in an extremely short space of time. surf sheds light on how it works: Renowned riders who are professionally looked after, a radical image thanks to namesake (but no longer a shareholder even then) Jason Polakow, yet boards for the masses from Werner Gnigler's plane. And last but not least, the design is highly recognisable. The man who holds it all together is manager Martin Brandner. He sometimes turns up at World Cups and makes sure that all riders parade, or he saves the Aloha Classic, where all starters have to stick a huge JP logo on their sails. Brandner is not without controversy in the industry, but his success proves him right
You can click through the entire magazine in the gallery above!
And what else?
- Together with rider Normen Günzlein, surf explains how to prevent the most common surfing injuries and how to treat them in an emergency - from cramps to torn ligaments
- Klaas Voget shows the riding technique on the wave, Dany Bruch explains the right of way rules
- Surf author Chris Pressler experiences Speed Week on Fuerte as an amateur. Anders Bringdal is back, as is Björn Dunkerbeck. The top speeds are around 40 knots - recently in Lüderitz the 50 mark was often broken
- At the Engadin Surf Marathon, Dunkerbeck doesn't go to the start with too little wind, even a 12.3 sail wasn't enough to glide. The EFPT freestylers later jump over a ramp
- In the freestyle board test, the HiFly Twinstyle stands out above all - following the trend with twinsers, which, however, remain exotic in this segment
More surf reviews:
- surf 4/1977
- surf 6/1977
- surf 6/1978
- surf 4/1979
- surf 9/1980
- surf 11/1980
- surf 4/1981
- surf 5/1982
- surf 6/1982
- surf 4/1983
- surf 10/1983
- surf 9/1984
- surf 12/1984
- surf 8/1985
- surf 8/1986
- surf 9/1986
- surf 2/1987
- surf 5/1987
- surf 8/1988
- surf 5/1989
- surf 7/1989
- surf 4/1990
- surf 3/1991
- surf 6/1991
- surf 3/1992
- surf 10/1992
- surf 9/1993
- surf 10/1993
- surf 4/1994
- surf 7/1995
- surf 6/1996
- surf 11-12/1996
- surf 7/1997
- surf 8/1998
- surf 9/1998
- surf 4/1999
- surf 7/2001
- surf 5/2005
- surf 3/2006
Tobias Frauen
Editor
