Big topic in autumn 1999: Mistral has already acquired Fanatic and A.R.T. under the umbrella of Klaus J. Jacbobs Holding (yes, the one with the coffee), now the biggest competitor F2 is also to be brought into the surfing empire. The deal is THE topic of conversation at ISPO, but at the time of going to press the contract had not yet been signed. However, it was already clear at the time that the new group would dominate a large part of the market with the brands Mistral, North Sails, Fanatic, A.R.T., F2 and Arrows, with smaller companies only having a chance in the niche market. At F2, the management team of Martin Brandner, Werner Gnigler and Peter Thommen have already resigned as a precaution. They then turned JP-Australia into one of the biggest brands in the world, while the Mistral conglomerate was sold on under the Boards & More name in 2003. F2 is spun off in 2007 and files for insolvency in 2008, and Mistral is also sold again in 2009. The brand rights of the two former top dogs changed hands several times, and the names are now only marginal phenomena. albeit with current comeback ambitions. However, the sail brands A.R.T. and Arrows have disappeared completely.
Extremely short and extra wide - Windsurf Material 2000
surf is presenting its new products for the coming season under the title "Vision 2000"; in view of the millennium, everything that is halfway progressive has the suffix "2000" in its name. The AHD Maxxride (101 litres on 250x62 cm) is "extremely short and extra wide" - old school from today's perspective, but the beginning of a new shape era back then. Other boards with a similar volume, such as the F2 Ride or the Bic Saxo, are 20 cm longer. There is hardly anything radical to be seen in the preview, but a lot of manoeuvrable easy-riding material. At the end of the 90s, things got airy at the bottom, waist harnesses became more and more widespread and freed the lumbar region from the strapped-in confines of seat harnesses. Nine models are in the surf test (including a classic chest harness), apart from a few features, the hip harnesses from back then would still look modern today.
Natural Born Kieler - The Kiel surf scene
After 1997 ("Addicted to surfing") surf once again delves into the Kiel surf scene: "Ravers must have once lived in Berlin, gays should have been in Cologne in search of happiness, and surfers belong in Kiel!" Both in the tasteful Schilksee bungalow of handyman Tilman Heinig and in the surfer flat-share of Steffi Wahl and Christian Kohl: shoes off! Ingo Meyer, Henning Nockel and Andy Wirtz were also part of the scene at the spots around the fjord and in Kiel's most famous suburb, Klitmøller. Not forgetting, of course, the Tonix crew: Sören and Torsten "Turtle" Schulze made the cult videos "Brainstorm" and "Soulwave" together with Barne Peters, after which they also produced as an independent label for larger surf manufacturers or broadcasters such as MTV. The surf business in Kiel is also different to the established brands in the south. Various windsurfing enthusiasts in the scene have set up their own businesses as importers or distributors of equipment, none of them have a traditional office. In Kiel, they sell from a rickety garage or directly from a trailer at the spot. "If I were to set up in the south, I might be able to make more money, but then a quick trip to Rømø wouldn't be possible," comments RRD importer Thorge Krieger. But there are also tensions in the Kiel scene: Namely, the question of who is photographed the most on the water.
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And what else?
- The Pritchards, the Stones, the Goyas, the Jensens, the Morenos, the Sivers and many more: surf presents the sibling pairs in the World Cup and tries to find out who is more successful.
- After the April issue 1999 the new sport of kitesurfing was introduced, surf presents a kitesurfing special in September. In addition to tips on riding technique for beginners, the material tips provide exciting insights into the early days of development. Most notable, however, is a short interview with kitesurfing pioneer Robby Naish: "In the beginning, all I wanted to do was kitesurf. But it's like having a new girlfriend: the first ten times you have sex are incredible." When asked whether kitesurfing could become a strong competitor to surfing, Robby replies: "Definitely not. [...] Windsurfing is just too much fun."
- Who is Andy Pusch anyway? The Rhine local and later Worldcupper introduces himself in a short interview. It was clear to him at the time: "I saw Dunkerbeck shouting at people in the wave because they were in his way. He looks like he doesn't enjoy windsurfing. I never want to be like that."
- Cue Dunkerbeck: he has his head shaved bald at the 30th birthday party during the World Cup in Pozo - and even makes it onto the surf cover. With a mega-hack of 50 knots and more, Dunki is right at the front in slalom, while Francisco Goya's star is rising in wave riding. The judges like his new school moves better.
- Fascination and frightening moments go hand in hand when night surfing. While it can provide unforgettable moments, as author Dimitri Lehner describes, waves, jump heights and obstacles are almost impossible to recognise. And then there's the little animal with three letters that also likes travelling in the dark...
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Tobias Frauen
Editor
