Review: GDR escape on a surfboard - and other highlights in surf 2/1987

Tobias Frauen

· 03.10.2024

Title hero Jeff Caspar was already riding only with a helmet back then - photographed by Sun Star for the surf cover at the Gorge.

42 Images

Photo: surf-Archiv

In surf, Dirk Deckert tells how he escaped from the GDR with his windsurfing board across the Baltic Sea. The focus is also on two ground-breaking innovations: while the symmetrical rig failed to catch on, the front loop is now the dream manoeuvre of many windsurfers

Topics in this article

GDR escape by surfboard
The first front loop
The symmetrical rig without shifts

GDR escape by surfboard

In November 1986, Karsten Klünder and Dirk Deckert fled the GDR on their surfboards and told their story in surf. After part one from Karsten's point of view in the previous issue, in surf 2/1987 Dirk now describes the dramatic hours on the water between Rügen and Møn. The two friends lost sight of each other early on and Dirk sent out light signals, always running the risk of being spotted by border officials. His self-made sinker is hardly suitable for launching sheets, and his dry suit and compass break down early on. Dejected, Dirk returns to the shore and hides at a closed campsite. There is no turning back, the authorities would arrest him immediately for aiding and abetting Republikflucht. After a nerve-wracking day of waiting, including a risky trip to Stralsund to get spare parts, Dirk ventures back onto the water. Despite setbacks and dwindling strength, he makes it out onto the open Baltic Sea, the wind is now actually too weak for his 275, but the waves are still enormous. After an enforced break due to a broken base plate, things were going better and Dirk was constantly jumping over the huge Baltic Sea waves: "There were things rolling towards me that I thought I'd never get up there!" he reports later during a visit to the surf editorial office. A little later, Dirk meets a Danish fishing boat whose crew already knew exactly where he had come from: Karsten had launched a search operation after his arrival on Møn the day before. Later, the two meet again at the reception centre in Giessen, and it quickly becomes clear that a joint escape would not have worked because of the different speeds. The Danish cutter captain pays tribute to the two GDR refugees: "That takes a hell of a lot of courage!"

The first front loop

The topic in the winter of 1986/87: the first standing forward rotation, the cheeseroll by Cesare Cantagalli, who invented the forerunner of the modern front loop and was the first to jump it. "I always think very hard beforehand about what I'm going to do," reported the then 18-year-old Italian, who was previously rather unknown. "I tried to visualise every single movement beforehand. [...] And before I knew it, I managed the manoeuvre!" Initially, the jump was attributed to Cesare's mate Mike Eskimo, "he just sells himself better than me." At the Aloha Classic, however, Cantagalli then performed a "killer loop", as he christened the jump, right in front of the judges and became famous virtually overnight. South African locals later christened the jump "Cheeseroll" because they associate Italy with cheese. Cesare's goal: a double loop!

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The symmetrical rig without shifts

Inventor Peter Plica has developed a symmetrical rig that eliminates the need for shifts and is designed to offer significantly better aerodynamics than conventional sails. After North had already shown his design at ISPO in 1985 and other brands were also thinking along the same lines, the first example is now ready. The first test was a complete failure, ending in a catapult and mast breakage. "Large parts of the surf test team then showed natural respect for the new device." Only Kutte Prießner dared to try again, and lo and behold: "He mastered the invention as if he had never ridden anything else." Although the thing is faster than many other sails, it is not yet convincing in terms of sailing comfort: "The symmetrical rig dances so unsteadily in the wind that you need a lot of force to compensate for these pressure point movements," write the testers. "You feel like you're constantly surfing with the leech ahead."

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And what else?

"Sensational details" on the new Olympic board from Lechner: "A V in the underwater hull, which is unusual for displacement boats, and extremely sharp edges that are pulled down." The rig for the games in Seoul comes from North.
In his letter to the editor, "Big Mike" from Flensburg would like to see more "trappings" like burger-eating shapers or Robby Naish mowing the lawn on the surf posters: "Does it always have to be action?"
surf provides an overview of the "personal riding technique programme" for every surfer before the 1987 season. Categorised according to the familiar six skill levels, everyone can set themselves realistic goals. After all, wanting to learn water starts and power jibes prematurely is "like wanting to pass your A-levels after the first class".
Advertising pearls: VW writes floridly about "The double life of Mr P." Not scandalous revelations from the Piëch family, but a solid family man who uses the same car for business and pleasure...
Sails with lots of speed, but without stubborn camber: then as now the ideal choice for most hobby surfers, tested by surf in February 1987.
"Snow surfing" is the latest trend: still very new in 1987, snowboarding boomed a little later. surf tries it out - on a "classic" snowboard and on a swing board, in which two ski-like elements move against each other through foot pressure
Forgotten accessories: surf is testing mast sleeves - thin pieces of plastic or metal tubing designed to better distribute the forces of the boom on the mast and thus prevent breakage
"Looks like transport damage, but is an insider tip": Sunshine launches booms with a kink. Initial surfing verdict: Anatomically great, but handling takes some getting used to
Aldo Aubert draws attention to the endangerment of marine mammals with spectacular images in front of a whale fin
The Siam World Cup in Pattaya, Thailand, was a "surfing world event", enthuses Alois Mühlegger. In addition to many classes and lots of wind, there was also a "pompous award ceremony including fireworks followed by a parade in an open-top car".