Graham Howes and Nick Jacobsen ride the "Floating Lake"

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 15:14:45 +0000

Graham Howes and Nick Jacobsen went on a crazy adventure to the Faroe Islands to ride their kites on Sørvágsvatn, also known as Leitisvatn or the "Floating Lake."

Turquoise water, coconuts, and palm trees are trending. People flocking to paradise to fill their Instagram feeds with smoothy breakfast bowls and bikini shots. Well, one thing was sure - Howes and Jacobsen wanted none of that.

"The idea came about in Cape Town over summer. Everyone was booking their tickets to Bali, Tarifa, and Cabarete," Graham Howes tells SurferToday.com.

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Matchu Lopes lands first ever triple front roll in competition

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 10:58:30 +0000

Matchu Lopes and Moona Whyte have taken out the inaugural Viana World Cup, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.

The third stop on the 2018 Global Kitesports Association (GKA) Kite-Surf World Tour got underway in the beautiful coastal city located in the north of Portugal.

Cabedelo Beach is famous for its "Nortada" wind, and it is also the spot chosen by the PWA World Cup to run this year's slalom and freestyle events in Portugal.

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The illustrated Kitesurf Map features over 500 wind spots

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 15:32:02 +0000

When we talk about maps, it's safe to say that details matter. A lot.

In 2010, a German surfer named Simon Schuetz was searching for a world map with the best surf spots, but he didn't find what he was looking for.

That's when he decided to found Awesome Maps, a startup based between Berlin and Bali that makes illustrated world map posters for the active traveler.

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Brandon Scheid claims the 2018 Triple-S Invitational

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:02:36 +0000

Brandon Scheid and Karolina Winkowska have taken out the 2018 Triple-S Invitational, at Cape Hatteras, in North Carolina.

It's been hailed as the most prestigious wake-style kiteboarding contest on the planet and, this year, the Triple-S Invitational got underway in all wind directions.

Once again, 34 riders put their skills to test and attacked the two kickers, 82-foot A-frame, 56-ft rooftop rail and 45-ft reverse rainbow on offer.

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73-year-old kiteboarder loses life in San Francisco Bay

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 15:04:28 +0000

A kitesurfer lost his life at Crown Memorial State Beach, in Alameda, California.

Alameda firefighters received a call at 4:25 pm for a kitesurfer in distress. A 73-year-old general surgeon was found in the water unresponsive and facing down by bystanders and fellow kite riders.

They dragged him to the beach and performed CPR, although there was no sign of life from the man, who had been flying his kite at San Francisco Bay.

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Project 65+: the 14 women aged 65-76 who ride kites

Wed, 30 May 2018 09:35:54 +0000

The Women's Kiteboarding Collective (WKC) launched a short film that celebrates the 14 female kitesurfers who range in age from 65 to 76.

"Life with a kite is damn near perfection." The words are from Betsy, a 69-year-old kiteboarder from Baja California Sur. She is one of the many senior riders flying kites around the world.

Contrary to the usual stereotypes of older women, these girls are skilled, experienced and accomplished kiters.

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Italian rider dies in tragic kite accident in Porto Seguro

Tue, 29 May 2018 11:52:34 +0000

A 37-year-old Italian died while kitesurfing off the coast of Porto Seguro, Brazil.

According to police, he was lifted by the wind to a height of about 100 feet (30 meters) and then fell into the water near Praia do Muta, north of Porto Seguro.

Originally from Thiene, in Italy, Christian Pesavento was living in Porto Seguro for seven years, and he knew the local kite spots very well.

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The challenges of kiteboarding as an Olympic sport

Wed, 23 May 2018 15:43:52 +0000

Windsurfing is an Olympic sport since 1984. Surfing is about to join the movement in Tokyo 2020. Get ready to greet kiteboarding in the most important sports event on the planet.

Now that kiteboarding was introduced in the Olympic program for Paris 2024, it's time to correct, improve and fine-tune some of the issues that the sport has been confronted with in the past couple of decades.

Is it a sailing sport? What are the "official" disciplines within the sport? Shall it be ruled under World Sailing or any other governing body?

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Danny Barnette goes puddle jumping in the Outer Banks

Fri, 18 May 2018 11:09:58 +0000

Danny Barnette has just enjoyed a pure freeride experience in the Outer Banks.

The kiteboarder from Raleigh, North Carolina, completed a 20-mile downwind run that led him through some of the best slicks on the East Coast.

One thing's for sure: his jumping skills are now better than ever, and that's probably why he named his video edit "Puddle Jumping." By the end of the clip, you may feel a bit dizzy, but it will be worth.

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Nicolas Warembourg wins the 2018 Défi Wind Caribbean

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 09:20:30 +0000

Nicolas Warembourg, the winner of the 2018 Défi Wind, also claimed this year's Défi Wind Caribbean, in Bonaire.

On the final day of competition, and after a quiet start, the wind progressively filled up Bonaire's sea and allowed two more long distances races in the afternoon.

With two bullets, Ludovic Jossin was the sailor of the day, but Nicolas Warembourg stayed solid and is the overall winner of the 2018 Defi Wind Caribbean in Bonaire.

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Boards & More splits from North Sails, Duotone is born

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 15:47:44 +0000

The rumors are true. Boards & More, the co-founders of North Windsurf and North Kiteboarding, are about to launch Duotone on August 1, 2018.

The new water sports company will also to develop windsurfing and kiteboarding products, and they will focus a large part of their efforts in foiling and hydrofoils.

"We and North Sails Group had different views about the future of North, so we decided to come up with our own brand," explains Till Eberle, managing director of Boards & More GmbH.

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Boujmaa Guilloul sails to victory at the 2018 Pistol River Wave Bash

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:05:49 +0000

Boujmaa Guilloul conquered the 2018 Pistol River Wave Bash, in Oregon.

The second stop on the International Windsurfing Tour (IWT) season attracted sailors from a dozen countries flocked to Gold Beach for yet another splendid contest.

The entire fleet took time to pay tribute to a fallen IWT campaigner, Attila Tivadar, who lost a battle against melanoma. He was a genuine and kind person, and will forever be remembered by his friends.

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What is the difference between sailboarding and windsurfing?

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:18:58 +0000

Sailboarding and windsurfing: why are there different names for a single the same sport?

In 1964, S. Newman Darby not only invented the sailboard, but he also opened the way to a new wind and water sport - windsurfing.

Sailboarding is the original term used for describing the outdoor activity in which someone stands up on a board that is connected to a mast and sail.

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The Windsurf Project kicks off in Nazaré

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 11:49:24 +0000

The Windsurf Project is an ambitious film series that aims to document the most radical and perfect windsurfing from around the globe.

During the 2017/2018 winter season, French windsurfer Thomas Traversa focused his efforts on tracking every storm in Europe. His agenda led him to the notorious Portuguese big wave break of Nazaré.

"Nazaré, right now, is definitely one of the top spots for big waves in the world. It is one of the scariest waves, and it was intimidating to sail it," notes Traversa former PWA World Tour champion, and winner of the Red Bull Storm Chase.

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Steven Van Broeckhoven blasts the 2018 EFPT Sardinia

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 16:07:18 +0000

Steven Van Broeckhoven claimed the 2018 EFPT Sardinia, at Porto Liscia Windsurf Club, in Italy.

The European Freestyle Pro Tour is back to the stunning shores of northern Sardinia, eight years after the last event. At the time, windsurfers were greeted with both light breezes and howling winds.

This time, and despite the shifting conditions, the thermal westerly winds allowed the completion of the event. Pro and amateur sailors delivered a fantastic show of style and creativity.

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Ricardo Santos triumphs at the 2018 North American Windsurfing Championships

Thu, 31 May 2018 16:48:43 +0000

Ricardo Santos conquered 2018 RS:X North American Windsurfing Championships in Cancun, Mexico.

The Brazilian windsurfer dominated the competition and won eight of the ten races. Santos imposed his Olympic experience over Ignacio Berenguer and Geronimo Nores.

The event attracted 57 athletes from eight countries, and they all fought for a place in the Pan-American Games and Youth Olympic Games.

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Julien Taboulet storms the North Shore of Fuerteventura

Thu, 24 May 2018 15:23:24 +0000

The North Shore of Fuerteventura is a magical place, and when the right wind and swell align, it produces ideal conditions for wave sailing.

Julien Taboulet is a quiet, yet busy windsurfer. He's not a social media fanatic, and he runs the Wesh Center in Leucate, so it's hard to follow some of his secret adventures.

Nevertheless, recently, he's had the time of his life in the Canary Islands. With winds of up to 40 knots and double mast-high wave sets, the French delivered a stunning wave sailing lesson.

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Vincent Langer crowned 2018 IFCA Slalom Windsurfing European champion

Tue, 22 May 2018 09:35:27 +0000

Vincent Langer claimed the 2018 IFCA Slalom Windsurfing European Championships, in Westerland, Sylt, Germany.

The seven-day event had five eliminations and a broad range of wind and ocean conditions, from light breezes and flat waters to gusty winds and pumping swells.

In fact, on day three, competitors were greeted by three-meter waves and 30-knot plus winds. The good news is that Germans love windsurfing, and they are willing to sacrifice comfort for an exciting competition.

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This is how bodyboarders ride the barrel at Teahupoo

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 16:56:56 +0000

When you reach the "End of the Road," you're all by yourself. Are you sure you're ready to get barreled at Tahiti's infamous Teahupoo?

Bodyboarders are known for taking off deep at Teahupoo. Thanks to their swim fins and prone position on the boogie board, spongers are able to get into the beast wave faster than any other wave rider.

Nevertheless, that doesn't necessarily mean a safe and epic ride down the line. If you're riding the bodyboard at Teahupoo, you can also make the cover of surf magazines for less heroic reasons.

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The day Cristiano Ronaldo went bodyboarding

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 11:26:41 +0000

Did you know that bodyboarding is one of Cristiano Ronaldo's favorite hobbies?

For many, he is the best football player of all time; a magician with a rare talent and an exclusive technique that enchants people from all over the world.

Ronaldo changed the way we watch and enjoy the world's most popular sport. His creativity, game reading skills, dribbling, and shooting power is widely praised as unparalleled in modern football.

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Isaias Ravyc claims the 2018 Itacoatiara Pro Trials

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 09:52:53 +0000

Isaias Ravyc has taken out the 2018 Itacoatiara Pro Trials, in Niteroi, Brazil.

The competition got underway in classic four-foot waves with plenty of barrels and air sections. In the end, only six bodyboarders qualified for the main stage.

Ravyc, Patrick Orr, Sammy Morretino, George Humphreys, Adejaldo Silva, Mack Crilley, Hugo Medeiros, Kevin Torres, and David Barbosa will join the world's best performers in the second event of the Grand Slam Series (GSS).

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Tom Morey recovers from eye surgery

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 10:12:56 +0000

Eighty-two-year-old Tom Morey was submitted to two eye surgeries. And he is recovering well, despite a few minor complications.

The legendary surfer and inventor of the boogie board has been losing his sight for a while, making it difficult for him to continue his work and live an independent daily routine.

However, and thanks to the funds collected by the Friends of Tom Morey initiative, the visionary engineer-musician was able to undergo a delicate surgery to help restore eyesight.

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Perfect 20: Tanner McDaniel makes history in Arica

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 09:42:14 +0000

Tanner McDaniel has taken out the 2018 Arica Bodyboard Cultura, at El Flopos, in Ex-Isla Alacrán, Chile.

The Hawaiian bodyboarder defeated two-time world champion Pierre-Louis Costes in spectacular 10-foot wave conditions and claimed his first ever APB Tour event.

On his fifth visit to Arica, McDaniel also became the first rider in the history of bodyboarding to win a final with a Perfect 20 score.

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Injuries and high scores ignite El Flopos

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 11:48:35 +0000

The 2018 Arica Bodyboard Cultura kicked off at El Flopos, in Chile.

Perfect six-foot barrels greeted riders on the first day of competition. The main event is on, and the world's best bodyboarders debuted the new heat format.

Alex Uranga suffered a massive rib injury and had to be removed out of the water directly into the hospital. Iain Campbel also injured himself and ended up with five stitches on the head.

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Yoshua Toledo wins the 2018 Arica Cultura Bodyboard Trials

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 10:16:33 +0000

Yoshua Toledo has taken out the 2018 Arica Cultura Bodyboard Trials, at Ex-Isla del Alacrán, in Chile.

The competition got underway in splendid wave conditions. The Chilean surf break of El Flopos pumped perfect barreling waves and multiple ramps, allowing athletes to combine tube riding and aerial maneuvers.

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The wave-driven life of Pierre-Louis Costes

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 10:17:52 +0000

Pierre-Louis Costes was born in the landlocked city of Vichy, in France.

However, his personal and professional career sent him to the westernmost country in Europe. Today, the two-times world bodyboarding champion lives and breathes Portugal.

Interestingly, Costes started bodyboarding in Morocco when he was ten years old. Since then he hasn't stopped riding and collecting multiple national and European titles.

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Elite bodyboarders ready for the 2018 Arica Bodyboard Culture

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 10:37:26 +0000

The elite of bodyboarding is ready to kick off the professional competitive season.

After two Qualifying Series Event Tour (QEST) competitions, it's to watch the world's best prone wave riders in action.

The first stop on the World Grand Slam (WGS) series is the 2018 Arica Bodyboard Culture. The event will be held at Ex-Isla Alacrán, in Chile, and supported by local bodyboard club, Union Flopos.

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Isaac Thomas will "Never Stop Skimming"

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 11:47:34 +0000

Isaac Thomas owns an interesting collection of rare skimboarding DVDs. They document the evolution of the sport since the turn of the millennium.

Times have changed, and the DVDs have been replaced by an impalpable medium: YouTube. However, the spirit remains the same - Thomas is riding his board for life.

"Never Stop Skimming" is a retrospective of his long skimboarding career. The edit includes Isaac's creative flatland glides and performances in a series of well-known spots including Chambers Creek, Cypress Creek, Dash Point, Galveston, Port of Tacoma, Rollins Lake, Sacramento, Spanish Banks, and White Rock.

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The 2018 Skim USA Tour schedule

Wed, 02 May 2018 11:32:26 +0000

The Skim USA Tour announced the full schedule for the 2018 season.

The largest competitive youth skimboarding organization in the world is setting up five events on the East Coast of the United States.

The 2018 Skim USA Tour kicks off on March 24, in Stuart Beach, Florida, and wraps up with the iconic Zap Pro/Am World Championships of Skimboarding in August.

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The 2018 European Skimboarding Cup schedule

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 11:39:55 +0000

The full schedule for the 2018 European Skimboarding Cup (ESC) has been released.

The best flatland skimboarders of the Old Continent will compete in six European stages and three different countries. The fifth edition of the ESC continues to develop inland skimming, and get more people into the sport.

There are two new additions to the 2018 calendar. Riders will be able to compete at the Battle of the Boot and Pangea Festival, both venues located in Germany, a country with a long tradition in flatland skimboarding.

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Brad Domke gives a board transfer lesson at Cylinders

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 12:30:12 +0000

Brad Domke calls Cylinders his home. He's been riding it for more than a decade. But you've never seen him in board transfers like these.

Domke is no stranger to tough challenges. The highly-skilled skimmer has been developing a unique taste for waves of consequences. And to raise the bar even higher, he rides finless skimboards.

This time, Brad and filmmaker Dylan Palmer witnessed a "legendary day of waves." When they arrived at The Wedge's lesser-known shore break, the fireworks were already loaded.

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How to get on a skimboard with the one-step drop

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 16:35:27 +0000

Whether you're a flatland skim rider or a wave skimboarder, you need to learn to throw the board before jumping on it.

Getting on your skimboard isn't easy. And if you can't master it, you won't make it to the waves or ramps. That is why the throwing technique is a fundamental skill in skimming.

One of the most common mistakes people do is running with the skimboard pointing up to the sky, or down at the sand. Avoid it - hold it firmly and parallel to the ground.

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Blair Conklin and Sophia Nguyen crowned 2017 United Skim Tour champions

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 10:41:01 +0000

Blair Conklin and Sophia Nguyen are the 2017 United Skim Tour (UST) champions.

The pro skimboarding season is over, and the sport has crowned its world champions.

Despite missing the OBX Skim Jam, the Florida Skimboarding Pro/Am, and the Sununga Skim Festival, the rider from Laguna Beach successfully defended his 2016 world title with four strong results in 2017.

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Sununga will crown the 2017 United Skim Tour champion

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 14:45:01 +0000

The 2017 United Skim Tour (UST) champion will be crowned at the Sununga Skim Festival, in Brazil.

Who will win the world title? Place your bets. Blair Conklin, John Akerman, and Perry Pruitt will battle it out for the ultimate accolade in skimboarding. One of them will raise the coveted trophy.

After winning the Florida Pro/Am, Akerman missed the TAC Skimblast, in Santa Cruz, an event won by Conklin. At the sixth event of the year - the Exile Oktoberfest - Conklin outperformed his rival and took the lead in the rankings.

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The skimboarder who rode a tidal bore wave

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:46:34 +0000

A skimboarder has ridden a tidal bore wave in the Dordogne River, in the south of France.

Laurent Lozes is probably the first ever skimboarder to ride "le mascaret," i.e., the tidal bore. The ride itself is never easy, but launching from the river side is next level.

It's all about timing and board control, and Lozes timed everything beautifully. He watched the wave travel up the river, took a few steps back, and then threw his skimboard down and across the water, and hopped on it effortlessly.

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Michal Ambruszkiewicz conquers the 2017 Red Bull Skim It

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 10:15:21 +0000

The 6th edition of the Red Bull Skim It is done and dusted.

On Saturday, August 26, Lodz once again turned into a skimboarding paradise. This year's edition of Europe's biggest competition on an artificial track welcomed participants from across Europe.

The winner of the legendary event taking place on the beach of Manufaktura turned out to be a resident of Lodz, Michal Ambruszkiewicz.

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Cory Teunissen ignites the 2018 PWT title race

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 10:57:06 +0000

Cory Teunissen and Sean Silveira have taken out the third stop on the 2018 Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour (PWT), in Mooresville, North Carolina.

The wakeboarder from Brisbane, Australia, secured his third ever PWT win after delivering a stunning performance run in the finals.

Teunissen landed two double inverts and another perfect 1080 and stole the show. Nic Rapa and Harley Clifford completed the all-Aussie podium.

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Nic Rapa conquers the 2018 PWT Acworth

Mon, 21 May 2018 10:45:02 +0000

Nic Rapa and Sean Silveira have taken out the second event of the 2018 Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour (PWT), held at Lake Allatoona's Dallas Landing Park, in Acworth, Georgia.

The final round featured some of the most intense competition the PWT has ever seen, and given the tight-knit races of the past, that's saying something.

The podium was separated by a mere 1.67 points, while the difference between first and second was only a half point! It was a tough decision between Cory Teunissen and Nic Rapa's, runs but the judges awarded Rapa the top spot.

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Erkka Lehtonen rode his wakeboard for 10 hours and 15 minutes

Sat, 05 May 2018 10:38:30 +0000

Erkka Lehtonen broke the world record for the longest non-stop wake ride in a cable wakeboarding park.

The Finnish wakeboarder stood up and running for 10 hours and 15 minutes in the cold waters of the Baltic Sea.

The previous record belonged to Mickey Henry, who in 2016 rode a wakeboard continuously for 10 hours and 5 seconds, What Wake Park, in Bala, Canada.

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Finnish athlete aims to ride a wakeboard for 12 consecutive hours

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 09:43:46 +0000

Erkka Lehtonen will try to ride a wakeboard for 12 hours in a solar-powered cable wakeboarding park.

The attempt will take place at Laguuni, a water sports center in Finland. The local cable wakeboarding track is powered by a solar electricity system with 20 solar panels, provided by the Finnish clean-energy company Fortum.

There is only a handful of wakeboarding world records made in Finland, the last one done in 2001.

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The 2018 Georgia Wake Series calendar

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 17:51:38 +0000

The full schedule for the 2018 Georgia Wake Series has been released.

Following a sophomore year that saw the Georgia Wake Series expand the schedule with an additional cable stop, resulting in nail-biting finishes where State champions were not determined until the final pass, the season was a tremendous success.

For 2018, the Georgia Wake Series grows to eight total events including four cable and four boat stops, making it the most balanced grassroots series in the country.

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Steel Lafferty jumps off seven waterfalls in Chile

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 12:27:28 +0000

Steel Lafferty is well known for breaking new ground in the wakeboarding world, and his new project tackling the stunning Siete Tazas (Seven Cups) rock formation, in Chile, is no different.

The American and his trusted team set up a daunting run comprising seven waterfalls and seven jumps including breathtaking drops of seven and eight meters.

"It was a very crazy idea and very difficult to make. I think it was the most complicated place I had ever been," said Steel Lafferty.

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Wakesurf Edge Pro Shaper creates the wake wave of your dreams

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 17:44:43 +0000

The Wakesurf Edge Pro Shaper promises the biggest and longest wake wave in the world.

Making such a bold statement could be risky, but the team behind this small piece of equipment made in the United States believes they're ready to deliver a unique product.

If you're a wakesurfing enthusiast seeking to blend surfing and wakeboarding on an endless ride, all you have to know is that this plug-and-play device will generate a huge water displacement.

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The 2018 Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour schedule

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 10:21:18 +0000

The full schedule for the 2018 Supra Boats Pro Wakeboard Tour (PWT) has been announced.

The longest-running professional wakeboarding tour will return to best wake venues in the United States. The circuit will crown a new champion between April and August.

The 2018 PWT season will feature the country's best 16 wakeboarders in four state-of-the-art wake parks located in stunning locations, and towed behind the Supra Boats SA550.

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The first-ever wakeboarding session in a surf pool

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 11:05:30 +0000

Nico von Lerchenfeld has had the time of his life at Surf Snowdonia, in Wales. But he was not there to surf.

Surf Snowdonia is the world's first surf pool powered by the Wavegarden technology. After a tricky opening, the man-made wave pool opened its doors to thousands of surfers eager to experience the inland wave ride.

Now that the dust's been settled, professional wakeboarder Nico von Lerchenfeld and his team installed a simple System 2.0 wake park at the surfing structure and hit the water at full throttle.

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