Something is different - that's one of the first things you think when you get your hands on the July 1997 issue of surf. Oh yes, the format! The magazine measured about two centimetres more in height and width back then, pushing the A3 scanner to its limits today - which is why not all the margins are visible in the gallery above.
The suffering of the young looper
2022 surf showed the On the way to the longed-for Frontloop, in 1997 there was also a great tutorial on the knighthood among windsurfing moves. "The vertical gyro is easier to perform than the duck jibe". At the same time, the loop is "the last real test of courage in a surfer's life" and "the greatest mental feat since the first jump from a ten-metre board". But, as surf author Steve Chismar also knows: "With the forward loop, a person ascends to the surf gods!"
Together with Josh Stone, Chismar reports on how he wanted to teach two older men the rotation they longed for. Stone, the shooting star of the scene at the time, allegedly taught his brother to loop in 20 minutes. The veracity of this story is questionable, as even Robby Naish, according to Chismar, practised his first loops away from the hustle and bustle - and got the tip of his mast stuck in the reef. Many windsurfers report unsuccessful or only half-successful attempts. Some gave up at some point ("The instinct to survive is simply stronger than the compulsion to succeed"), others ascended into the sacred spheres of the sport: "The real loop is ten times more awesome than the imaginary one!" This still applies without restriction in 2022!
Used or used up?
Then as now, the trade in used equipment is flourishing. The question of what price is appropriate for a board or sail that is no longer brand new is also still topical. surf editor Stephan Gölnitz asked various shops about this. Tenor: Classics such as the F2 Sunset Slalom or Mistral Screamer are still in demand in 1997; of the more recent boards, the freeride legend Xantos is the board that rarely lasts longer than a day in the shop. Above that it becomes difficult, even customised or sharp racing models are not easy to sell. A word of advice for newcomers: "Stay away from old hams!" Unlike cars, surfing equipment does not become more valuable with age, and there are hardly any spare parts left!
You can read about good and realistic prices for used equipment in one of the next surf issues!
Addicted to surfing
Nine young windsurfing freaks from northern Germany appear in surf for the first time in 1997. A report sheds light on the scene and introduces the most colourful personalities. Some faces and names are still present today: Torsten "Turtle" Schulze later produced legendary surf videos such as "Brainstorm" or "Soulwave" with Tonix and is now an adventurer and one of the most sought-after water filmmakers. Henning Nockel ("He only finds his footing in life when the south-west is strong - when there's a clean wave in Klitmøller") is a photographer and pioneer in wingfoiling. Peter Garzke and Jürgen Schall are also still active in the scene. They travel to Denmark together in a "convoy of old Mercedes-Benz hearses and graffiti Passats", but contests are not the clique's thing.
And what else?
- In 1997, surf celebrated its 20th birthday with a big party attended by all the big names in the industry. Publisher Konrad Delius reported on the editorial team's youthful sins in poem form
- Jason Prior was in Jaws for the first time in April 1997 - and was promptly overwhelmed by the first wave. In surf he reports in detail about his wash cycle
- Also a topic in 1997: Which mast goes with which sail? surf tested some North models with masts from other brands as an example. The result: the original mast is always the best choice overall. Another important tip for friends of the vario top: If the mast is more than 20 centimetres "overlength", the sail performance suffers!
- The elbow causes problems for many surfers, including "Gerd K." and "Alois M." surf shed light on the problem from a medical perspective. One piece of preventative advice at the time: "Set the harness lines short so that the arms don't have to do any holding work." Here, the development went in the other direction. Smaller fork diameters, on the other hand, are widespread and common today.
- And more riding technique with Josh Stone: the wave legend explains how intermediates can switch from a 3.25 metre board to a 2.75 metre shortboard
- The beach in St. Peter-Ording is to be closed to cars. Initially only in sections, and then in 2001 there were to be no more beach parking at all. This did not happen, and even today you can still drive onto the beach at least some of the time.
