"You're only considered a real surfer under three metres," says Werner Gnigler. Like many of his colleagues in the industry, the F2 shaper favours shorter, wider boards - the beginning of board design as we know it today. Away from length as the most important criterion, in favour of volume and width. By falling below the "psycho threshold" of three metres, the hope at the time was that more riding fun and gliding pleasure would once again inspire the entire sport.
A visit to Günter Lorch
Günter Lorch also planes the principle of width instead of length into his boards, as the shaper from Lake Constance emphasises in the large portrait by surf editor-in-chief Gerd Kloos. "I was the only one back then who refused to go along with the Hinkelstein drama with the extremely narrow noses and the widest point far back!" claims Lorch, while On boss Walter Eichler has different memories. His in-house shaper has made a name for himself with exquisite carbon custom models for Andy Laufer, among others, and the series models are also well received. With his "charm like a pair of tweezers", Lorch can sometimes get the better of regatta riders, but in any case "doesn't have an overly high opinion of other riders' statements" and prefers to test them himself. He is also at loggerheads with the "Klitmöller pigtail wearers", for whom the waves were once allegedly too high and who then secretly disappeared while Lorch dragged himself to the beach with a broken foot. What is undisputed, however, is that Lorch has a knack for good light wind boards, for which the new shape trend plays into his hands - plus there is now "less polystyrene waste at the tail."
Adventure trip to the Cape Verde Islands
"Dustier than the moon, drier than Fuerte" - but also "better than Hawaii" (according to Jason Prior): Cape Verde is slowly appearing on the windsurfing world map; Christian Kohl explored the archipelago for surf. "Ponta Preta is the myth of tomorrow," predicts a local. After a few impressive sessions, the group heads off to the neighbouring island: "If tourism is in its infancy on Sal, it's still in nappies on Boavista." Despite - or perhaps because of? - a paradise with fantastic spots, crowned by a session on the Outer Reef with waves over the height of a mast on 3.80 metre long raceboards. After a night of partying, the whole island knows Christian and his crew. "Life on Boavista soon feels like a game in which there are only winners!"
Indoor World Cup in Frankfurt
Indoor fever: It wasn't just the World Cup that met for races indoors, there was even an indoor event in the German Windsurfing Cup. The spectacle in Frankfurt was won by the previously unknown Oskar Hollmann ahead of Peter Wagler. The latter was also allowed into the pool at the big PWA event. There, Robert Teriitehau jumped out of the pool as usual, while Francisco Goya didn't even ride the ramp but tried spin loops in shallow water. Bernd Flessner, who had been counting on a wild card and had flown in from the Canary Islands, was not allowed to take part - but the organisers had given the starting place to Robby Seeger. Robby Naish had his daughter Nani with him and won the event to the delight of his German fans. At the award ceremony, he threw his board into the pool and whoever was the first to grab it got to keep it - several spectators jumped in full gear after him.
Brian Talma - the "Irie Man"
Caribbean legend Brian Talma not only gives waveriding tips in surf 9/1998, but also asks for an interview. Alongside Josh Stone, the "Irie Man" is the F2 ambassador for the young freestyle generation and is primarily tasked with promoting the lifestyle. "I sell what I embody," says Talma, who has been solid in the World Cup but has never been able to ride to the top. His slogan "Where's the action?" became his trademark, which he lovingly cultivates to this day - anyone who has experienced Talma on Sylt in recent years knows what we mean. This is just a protective shield to help him overcome his dyslexia, which has not prevented him from completing a degree in business and administration. At home in Barbados, Brian Talma is a legend, but a lonely one: "I lost all my friends because of my fame," he reports. "They attacked me, ripped everything out of my hands and kept it for themselves." That's why he now lives mostly on Maui, where he has friends and a partner. His vision: "Freestyle is the new strength that our sport needs to draw on!"
You can click through the entire magazine in the gallery above!
And what else?
- Robby Naish is calling for new judges in the World Cup, he feels unfairly treated. The big name is no longer a draw, but on the contrary sets the bar much higher than the competition. Naish stands as a figurehead for the entire sport, "Anyone who passes judgement on Robby is also indirectly passing judgement on themselves."
- In the "Transat le Sables", participants race hundreds of kilometres across the Sahara on surf skates.
- A small note: Windsurfing Chiemsee was rumoured to be planning an IPO in 1998. A few years later, it was more of a rummage table than a trading floor before the brand was revived.
- Mistral launches the Naish Pro model series with top shapes in elegant sandwich - the stuff that board dreams are made of. In addition to three wave boards, there are also two freeriders. On the very next page there is a double-page advertisement with a glued-in catalogue.
- In the test, surf pits 7.5 sails with and without camber against each other and realises: it can be done without. At the same time, it is the era of adventurous constructions at the top of the sail, with a jib or fishing line attachment for better twist
- When are there good waves where? surf explains the relationships between wind direction, wind strength and the wave yield for the North Sea and Baltic Sea
- Not only boards (see above), but also booms are showing signs of development: The first brands are reducing the diameter of the spars, NeilPryde announces a boom with a 28 millimetre cross-section - today a popular standard.
- Andreas Erbe has discovered dreamy spots in the north of Denmark in his travel story - some of them deserted. Even though the shifting sand dune at Rubjerg Knude has since moved on and the lighthouse has been pushed right behind it, the corner remains one of the best regions in Denmark. Here you can find a current spot guide!
- World Cup Pozo at its best: brutal wind, overall classification, even Dunkerbeck at his limit in 50 knots. The now sadly deceased Peter Volwater is counted among the favourites as a top talent, but in the end Dunki and his local mate Vidar Jensen make it to the final. In the slalom, on the other hand, world champion Matt Pritchard had to admit defeat, allegedly unable to cope with the new Z1 sails developed by the Maui team - "the bloke knows curses!"
You can click through the entire magazine in the gallery above!
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 4/1999
