Andrea Principi wins 2023 Red Bull Megaloop

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 10:35:27 +0000

After a four-year wait for the perfect storm, one of the fiercest kitesurfing events in the world has been contested once again in the Netherlands.

Italy's Andrea Principi has been crowned Red Bull Megaloop champion after 16 world-class riders put on a spectacular kitesurfing show during an autumn storm in Zandvoort, The Netherlands.

With the brutal gusts swirling all around at Wind Force 8, Principi displayed a high level of style, creativity, skill, and strength to execute the tricks that landed him one of the most coveted titles in the sport.

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Lorenzo Casati conquers 2022 Red Bull King of the Air

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 10:16:32 +0000

Lorenzo Casati has taken out the 2022 Red Bull King of the Air in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Italian kitesurfer beat his fellow countryman Andrea Principi and Dutch sensation Jamie Overbeek to claim the 10th edition of the prestigious big air kiteboarding event.

The competition kicked off with winds over 40 knots, allowing riders to get the highest heat scores and highest single move.

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Kitesurfer Jeremie Tronet defies jet suit pilot Richard Browning

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 15:14:22 +0000

From jet-pack flying to walking on water, Richard Browning, also known as the "real-life Iron Man," and pro kitesurfer, Jeremie Tronet, are no strangers to pushing the limits of what's possible.

Now, the two have taken their exploits to St Vincent & the Grenadines to shoot a breathtaking showdown on the high seas: "Pilots of the Caribbean: Man vs. Tech."

As one of the biggest productions portable camera company Insta360 has ever undertaken, months of careful planning and preparation preceded the shoot, plus a whole lot of Zoom calls.

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How to make universal kite pigtails

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 17:21:51 +0000

Pigtails are one of the most underrated kiteboarding accessories. They're extremely useful but also expensive. Learn how to make a kite pigtail.

Colored kite pigtails serve multiple purposes.

These small bendable items always come in handy if you're using and controlling a single kite bar with multiple brands you own or use regularly.

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A's Youth Foil Class: the pathway to Olympic Formula Kite

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:06:20 +0000

Formula Kite is the new fast and furious Olympic class, and the acrobatic skills of the riders while moving at breathtaking speed may look out of this world, but there is a simple and fun way to get there.

It's called the A's Youth Foil Class, and since 2021, it has been the pathway to Olympic kite foiling.

The introduction of a class that will upskill young athletes aspiring to compete in the Formula Kite class has been a long-standing idea.

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Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo towed up 80 meters above Nazaré

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:39:34 +0000

Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo is taking his kite stunt adventures seriously. This time, the Portuguese got towed up in the skies of Praia do Norte.

Who said Nazaré is a surfers-only arena?

Nuno "Stru" is a well-known face at the world's most famous beach break.

On November 8, 2017, the 44-year-old daredevil from Porto wrote his name on the Guinness World Records for riding the largest ever kitesurfing wave.

After carefully analyzing the wave, the officials set Nuno's Nazaré wave at 62-feet (19 meters).

But this time, the Portuguese had a new (and dangerous) challenge.

The goal was to perform a tow-up session using his kite as a parachute and reach for the sky at 80 meters (262 feet) with the support of a jet ski.

The death-defying kitesurfing antic would get Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo level with the iconic Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo and its legendary lighthouse.

A Risky Flight

Could he do it without falling flat on the choppy waters of Praia do Norte?

"It's a risky idea, but I've been thinking about it for some time. The conditions are all set up, and I think I'm ready," explained the stuntman.

The sun was out, and the wind was blowing strong, so it was time to get airborne.

Slowly but steadily, Nuno started climbing the skies until his kite got more or less level with the beautiful red lighthouse.

The experience was like nothing he had ever gone through. After landing the big air, loops and rotations, "Stru" was ecstatic.

"The last one was amazing. The northern wind kicked in at around 20 knots, and then I had to release it. I couldn't hold it anymore," explained the kiteboarder.

"And there's that second when after releasing it, you're left hovering, and you don't hear anything - zero."

Mission accomplished.

Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo spent 50 seconds floating in the blue skies of Nazaré's Praia do Norte. What will he do next?

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How to find the area of a kite

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:55:54 +0000

In theory and geometrically speaking, the original kite is a quadrilateral with two pairs of congruent sides that are adjacent to one another.

Kites are an old human invention.

The earliest depiction of a kite dates from 9,500-9,000 years B.C. It was found in a mesolithic period cave painting in Muna Island, Indonesia.

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SeaWing: the giant kite that propels vessels across the ocean

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 16:16:21 +0000

AirSeas announced the installation of the first automated kite propulsion system on a commercial vessel.

The cargo ship named "Ville de Bordeaux" was built in 2004, sails under the French flag, and is owned and operated by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs.

The ro-ro ship, the designation given to vessels designed to transport wheeled cargo such as cars, buses, trucks, and railroad vehicles, is expected to deploy the 1,000-square-meter SeaWing kite in January 2022.

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Francisco Lufinha crosses the Atlantic on a kite-powered boat

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 11:14:11 +0000

Francisco Lufinha has successfully completed the 6,700-kilometer (4,160 miles) crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on a kite-powered multi-hull boat.

The kitesurfer kicked off the sailing challenge on November 3, 2021, in Cascais, Portugal.

Five days later, Lufinha was forced to make a technical stop in La Palma, in the Canary Islands, where he fixed malfunctions in his kite and made some minor adjustments to the boat.

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Syroco's Moonshot #1 wants the world sailing speed record

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:09:36 +0000

Alex Caizergues is the fastest sailboarder on the planet. But the French kiteboarder wants more.

The answer is Syroco's Moonshot #1, a high-tech speed sailing craft.

In 2017, during the Salt and Speed, a speed sailing event held in Salin-de-Giraud, France, Caizergues smashed his own sailboarding record.

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Marc Jacobs conquers 2021 Red Bull King of the Air

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 10:04:57 +0000

Marc Jacobs has taken out the 2021 Red Bull King of the Air (RBKOTA) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Kiwi kitesurfer celebrated his 32nd birthday in grand fashion after beating three-time champion RBKOTA Kevin Langeree and rookie Stig Hoefnagel in an action-packed final.

Traditionally run in a weather window from late January to early February, the big air kiteboarding event took place at Kite Beach conditions in the new waiting period from late November to early December.

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The best kitesurfing spots in Tarifa

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:54:52 +0000

Tarifa is a huge bay that features six miles (ten kilometers) of long sandy beaches. Discover the best kitesurfing spots in Europe's capital of wind.

You will rarely meet a wind sports enthusiast that has never heard of Tarifa, the coastal community located near Cádiz, in the southernmost tip of Spain.

Tarifa owes its name to Tarif ibn Malik, the 8th-century Muslim/Berber commander responsible for exploring the southernmost shores of the Iberian Peninsula.

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Windsurfer sails from Oslo to London

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:21:10 +0000

Dutch environmental activist and windsurfer Merijn Tinga, also known as the "Plastic Soup Surfer," has made an audacious journey from Oslo to London, braving the North Sea's currents and winds, to call attention to the pervasive problem of plastic pollution.

Instead of opting for the easier route from London to Oslo, which would have been more aligned with the typical southwest winds and currents, Tinga chose the challenge of sailing against these elements.

He explained, "My mission required me to sail precisely against the wind and current."

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PWA and IWT unite to run Wave World Tour

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 12:56:01 +0000

The Professional Windsurfing Association (PWA) and the International Windsurfing Tour (IWT) announced a merge of their multiple sailboarding competitions.

The announcement aims to run the best-ever wave sailing world tour to celebrate the sport's 50th anniversary.

According to both organizations, the creation of a new unified wave windsurfing tour featuring a five-tier ranking system that will get contests and athletes from local to world-class venues.

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What is an anemometer and how does it work?

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 16:47:48 +0000

The anemometer is a device used to measure wind speed and wind pressure.

It is an essential tool for meteorologists, who study weather patterns, and physicists, who study and learn how air moves.

But anemometers can also be used in engineering, aviation, and many other fields.

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The definitive guide to speed windsurfing

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 10:08:16 +0000

Speed sailing is all about who is the fastest man and woman on the block.

In February of 1990, the Frenchman Pascal Maka set an outright speed sailing record of 38.86 knots - a windsurfer was the fastest sailor on the water for the first time.

I spoke with Erik Beale, at home in Hawaii, the first windsurfer to crack 35 knots and the first sailor of any craft to break through the 40 knots barrier.

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Heidi Ulrich breaks women's speed windsurfing world record

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:17:58 +0000

Heidi Ulrich set a new world women's windsurfing speed record in Luderitz, Namibia.

The Swiss windsurfer completed a 500-meter run at 47.16 knots and improved the previous record set by Zara Davis in 2017 at 46.49 knots.

On November 25, 2022, Ulrich was first in the water at 11:13 am with a clear mission.

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Windsurfing legend Antoine Albeau retires from PWA World Tour

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:33:34 +0000

The most successful windsurfer of all time announced the end of his professional career in the PWA World Tour. Antoine Albeau (F-192) sailed competitively for 30 years.

A fierce opponent, a highly skilled sailboarder, and a calm and gentle man outside the water.

If you had to describe Antoine Albeau in one sentence, this could be it.

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Nautical flags: the meaning behind the International Code of Signals

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 16:42:08 +0000

The International Code of Signals (ICS) is a nautical flag signaling system comprised of a set of colored flags, each with a specific meaning, used by watercraft to communicate relevant messages.

Each sender or recipient can decode the flags in their own language and arrive at the equivalent text. As a result, the system of signals and codes crosses all language barriers.

The ICS features a distinctive set of colored flags that can be used solo or combined. The international maritime signal flag system includes:

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How to plan your windsurfing holidays and travel

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 17:01:54 +0000

Whether just a day trip or a six-month voyage, windsurfing involves travel for almost everybody who sails. Few can boast perfect sailing conditions in their backyard.

There are many centers around the world that are completely set up for high-performance sailing, some offering accommodation and instruction as well as equipment for a complete package.

Centers such as these offer a choice of boards and sails suitable for local conditions.

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How to read a windsock

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 11:20:15 +0000

A windsock is a simple gadget that allows us to estimate the wind's speed and direction roughly. But which data does it provide, and how should we read it?

There is an old discussion on whether the wind is tangible or intangible. You cannot exactly touch it, but can feel it; you cannot see it, but you can measure it.

The truth is that humans have found a way of giving it a visual representation of its strength and direction.

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Monty Spindler: the legendary windsurfing sailmaker

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 11:44:49 +0000

Monty Spindler is one of the premier sailmakers in our sport and every bit as good of a sailor as he is the maker.

With longevity few can match, he has designed sails for more brands than any other professional.

The young needle spiker started sailing on the lakes of Detroit at four years of age in Optimist, with his commitment to the sport advancing with a move to Annapolis at age 13.

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What is a wind shadow?

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 11:31:28 +0000

Wind shadows are a common phenomenon observed in all types of water bodies and inland.

A wind shadow, also known as dirty air and wind wash, is a place or zone where the wind is not blowing or doesn't reach.

It is frequently spotted in oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, lagoons, estuaries, basins, harbors, and even outdoor swimming pools and puddles.

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First-ever foiling tack on windsurfing's iQFoil equipment

Mon, 09 May 2022 10:46:43 +0000

Australian windsurfer Harry Joyner completed the first-ever foiling tack on an iQFoil windsurfing kit.

The 15-year-old sailor from Fremantle wrote history for the 21st-century Olympic windsurfing class after performing the first foiling tack on iQFoil equipment in competition.

The move is expected to change the way athletes will plan and execute their tactical upwind racing strategies.

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Kai de Legh conquers 2023 Australian Bodyboard Titles

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:20:59 +0000

The 2023 Australian Bodyboard Titles concluded at North Haven in Port Macquarie, the capital of Australian bodyboarding.

Held under pristine 3-4 foot offshore conditions, the ocean provided the perfect canvas for bodyboarders to showcase their prowess, vying for the coveted title of Australian champion.

Glen Elliott, Surfing Australia Contest Director, believes they witnessed the best conditions ever seen for this division of the Australian Titles.

"Epic conditions for the bodyboarders, with each participant reveling in the high-performance peaks at North Haven," Elliot said.

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The biodegradable mushroom-based bodyboard

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:02:43 +0000

A groundbreaking eco-revolution is washing over the surfing industry, powered by a remarkable innovation: mushroom-based bodyboards.

Enter the Magical Mushroom Company (MMC).

Born in 2019 in Surrey, England, MMC first made waves as a packaging firm with a green thumb, crafting biodegradable packaging from mushroom roots called mycelium.

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El Frontón claims life of Julian Gonzalez

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 12:18:26 +0000

Professional bodyboarder Julian Gonzalez Perez passed away while surfing El Frontón in Gáldar, La Palmas, Gran Canaria.

The 29-year-old rider from Colombia lost his life on Christmas Eve in Spain's infamous slab.

On December 24, the emergency authorities received an alert for an accident that had taken place on the coastline.

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The history and evolution of the swim fin

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 10:58:46 +0000

Swim fins are a piece of essential equipment for swimmers, bodyboarders, bodysurfers, snorkelers, and divers.

A swim fin, also referred to as a swimfin or a flipper, is an aquatic sports accessory used to enhance the speed and performance of swimmers in the water.

Swim fins are designed to increase propulsion, stability, and maneuverability when swimming.

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Jeff Hubbard: the explosive Hawaiian bodyboarding aerialist

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 11:04:36 +0000

Jeff Hubbard cemented himself as one of the bodyboarding's most influential and successful riders.

He is well known for his high-flying acrobatic moves and has been at the forefront of high-performance bodyboarding since the 1990s.

Jeffrey Dean Hubbard was born on October 21, 1975, in Kailua, Hawaii, to Mark and Barbara Hubbard.

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How to sit on a bodyboard

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 13:23:04 +0000

Waiting for waves is one of the most common situations bodyboarders and surfers go through during their sessions. Learn how to sit on a bodyboard and relax your muscles.

The lineup is for wave riding what a waiting area is for airports. In both cases, people are on standby for their upcoming rides and flights.

Depending on the swell conditions, the wait for the next set of waves can last for several minutes, if not half an hour.

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Tristan Roberts crowned 2022 world bodyboarding champion

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 09:23:00 +0000

Tristan Roberts is the 2022 world bodyboarding champion.

The South African bodyboarder secured his second consecutive world bodyboarding title after his maiden win in 2019.

Roberts, who led the rankings until the last event of the season, only needed to do better than his direct opponents, Tanner McDaniel and Alan Muñoz.

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Laje do Shock: the death-defying Rio de Janeiro slab wave

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 12:01:06 +0000

It's ultra dangerous, fickle, unpredictable, and rarely breaks. Welcome to Laje do Shock, one of Brazil's heaviest slab waves.

Niterói is a city located west of Rio de Janeiro that is home to several iconic wave-riding spots.

One of them is Itacoatiara Beach, a bodyboarding world tour venue for decades known for its powerful beach break waves.

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Maui bans disposable polystyrene bodyboards

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:22:26 +0000

Maui County passed an ordinance banning the sale, rental, and distribution of disposable polystyrene bodyboards.

It's one of the first laws to put an end to a several-decade-old environmental catastrophe.

Low-cost, single-use bodyboards will no longer be available in Maui's local seaside shops, big retailers, and supermarkets.

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How to pull out of a wave on a bodyboard

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:53:40 +0000

It happens to everyone riding a bodyboard. You've caught a wave, it closed out, and you want to pull out without getting dragged to the shore. Here's how to exit a wave wisely and safely.

Knowing when to press the eject button is part of wave-riding knowledge and something every bodyboarder should master.

The technique can avoid painful wipeouts and/or losing time and positioning in the lineup.

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Maldives National Bodyboarding League kicks off in Malé

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 10:31:58 +0000

The Maldives National Bodyboarding League (MBBL) kicked off in Malé.

The Maldives Bodyboarding Association (MBBA) announced the creation of a national circuit featuring the country's best riders.

The first event of the newly launched tour got underway at the locally renowned surf break of Raalhugandu.

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How to make history and empower women's bodyboarding

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 09:42:48 +0000

March is Women's History month, so I took a minute to myself to sit down and think about why women are given a month out of the year to pay respect to.

I, myself, don't often reflect and consider myself to be oppressed, probably due to white privilege.

So I decided to do a little research and better understand the history of women's oppression and where it currently is today.

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Exile Oktoberfest crowns 2022 United Skim Tour champions

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 09:43:07 +0000

The 17th annual Exile Oktoberfest skimboarding competition took place at the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, California.

Yahir Valencia of Barra de Navidad won the professional men's division, and Casey Kiernan of Stuart, Florida, won the professional women's division.

Both the professional men's division and the professional women's division counted as part of the United Skim Tour (UST), the world's only international professional skimboarding tour.

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Lucas Fink wins 2022 TAC Skimblast

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 07:46:21 +0000

The eighth annual TAC Skimblast skimboarding competition took place on June 25, 2022, at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

The professional men's division of the TAC Skimblast counts as one of six events on the United Skim Tour (UST), the world's only international skimboarding tour.

Lucas Fink, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took the top spot in one of the most competitive competitions in UST history.

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Lucas Fink eyes record-breaking skimboarding wave in Nazaré

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:16:36 +0000

Brazilian skimboarder Lucas Fink chose Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal, to try and ride the world's biggest wave on a finless board.

The infamous beach break is home to several Guinness World Records.

The Portuguese big wave venue has already witnessed the largest wave ever ridden, the biggest wave surfed by a woman, and the largest wave sailed by a kiteboarder.

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SkimsGiving: skimboarding with a purpose

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 12:28:55 +0000

Have you ever pondered the identity of your community?

It would be fair to think if you have, you would like to believe it was growing, lead with positivity, and pack to the gunnels with hope.

With an obvious bias, I believe this describes my local beach community.

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Manasota Beach: a unique Floridian skimboarding spot

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 12:15:31 +0000

As a skimboarder, I have recently visited Manasota Beach, a small beach located in Englewood, Florida.

The way I, and most visitors, arrive at this spot is via Manasota Beach Road, which ends with a small drawbridge spanning the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).

The main structure of the road features well-maintained restrooms, showers, and vending machines.

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Foam vs. wood skimboards: what's the difference?

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 15:32:35 +0000

Skimboarding is a highly versatile sport that can be practiced and enjoyed both in and out of the water.

A skimboard is a finless, solid, and smooth plank that can be ridden in shore break waves and also inland, wherever there's a thin layer of water.

The sport has two main disciplines - wave and flatland skimboarding - with different requirements when it comes to equipment.

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How to wax a skimboard

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 14:13:07 +0000

Wax is often used to help you stick to your skimboard while flatland or wave skimming.

There are specific techniques for waxing a skimboard so that it sticks to your board, and so do you.

The surface of a skimboard is slippery, which is great for the side in contact with the water but not good for under your feet.

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The different types of skimboarding rails

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:43:40 +0000

Rails are a very important technical feature in flatland skimboarding.

However, when discussing a skimboarding rail, there are two meanings.

One refers to the edges of the skimboard that run from nose to tail, and the other is a type of ramp or obstacle that a skimmer uses to launch off or do tricks.

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The most common skimboarding injuries

Mon, 31 May 2021 14:36:14 +0000

Wounds and injuries are just part of any sport. Let's take a look at the particular injuries affecting skimboarders.

There are the basic abrasions, bruises, sprains, and strains that often plague frequent skimmers and the more nasty deep cuts and broken bones.

Most injuries from skimboarding are recurring pains caused by intense, repetitive actions, which are - eventually - unavoidable, although treatable.

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The anatomy and characteristics of a skimboard

Wed, 26 May 2021 14:16:40 +0000

Skimboards are board-riding vehicles specifically and technically designed for a particular form of skimming.

Therefore, there isn't really a one-size-fits-all board.

One might be great for some styles of skimboarding, but it may not be optimal for another.

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What is flatland skimboarding?

Fri, 14 May 2021 14:43:26 +0000

Skimboarding has been around for a long time. It all started in the 1920s when beach lifeguards used long, flat wooden boards to ride the shoreline.

In the 1960s, skimboards made another comeback, with riders using completely round planks.

The sport has evolved yet again but, this time, people are noticing.

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The glossary of skimboarding terms and slang

Mon, 10 May 2021 13:48:46 +0000

Skimboarders have their own breed of language. The vocabulary of skimming has been growing since the sport was created in 1920s California.

Skim lingo and jargon evolved, like the sport itself, from a mix of surfing language and skateboarding terms.

So, if you hear someone say something like, "dude, you killed it last sesh with that no-comply before grindin' the railside! Steezy!" you will understand what they are saying by checking the following glossary of skim terms.

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Wakeboarding trio ride on and below Arctic obstacle course

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 12:59:16 +0000

German wakeboarder Felix Georgii is known for his creativity when it comes to unlocking new spots and trick variations.

Therefore, it came as no surprise that the 2018 X Games gold medallist chose a Swedish frozen lake north of the Arctic Circle as the perfect location to invite his friends, two-time World Champion Gührs and six-time Austrian Champion Dominik Hernler.

The trio created an obstacle course by cutting outlines in the 80-centimeter thick ice surface and shaping the ice blocks into a kicker, boxes, and even a five-meter-wide igloo to jump over and ride through.

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Nikolas Plytas goes extreme wakeboarding in Milos

Tue, 31 May 2022 12:57:24 +0000

Nikolas Plytas traveled to the stunning island of Milos for his latest breathtaking project.

The Greek watersports star weaved his way around the turquoise coast and lunar-like landscape on a Prada Luna Rossa Team board and his bare feet.

The 26-year-old from Athens started out in 2006 and, aged 19, he conquered the famous shipwreck at Elefsina, where he performed tricks over the rusty hull.

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Glacier wakeboarding photo awarded at 2021 Red Bull Illume

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 12:37:00 +0000

Markus Berger won the "Playground by Whitewall" category at the 2021 Red Bull Illume.

The Austrian photographer took the prestigious trophy for his shot of wakeboarder Dominik Hernler riding a meltwater stream inside a glacier.

The "Playground by WhiteWall" category is all about celebrating the incredible locations and environments where athletes get to play.

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The physics of wakeboarding and water skiing

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 11:14:35 +0000

Newtonian mechanics explains the forces involved in wakeboarding and water skiing across water when pulled forward by a motorboat.

The physics is the same for both.

As the board moves through the water, it accelerates a mass of water each second (m/dt) to a velocity (dv) diagonally down and forwards to create a force (Force DOWN = ma = m/dt x dv).

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Timo Kapl storms the 2021 Red Bull Wake Capital

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 12:52:55 +0000

Timo Kapl was the surprise winner of Red Bull Wake Capital.

The world's best wakeboarders descended on Hamburg, Germany, to tackle a hugely challenging course in the shadow of the iconic Elbphilharmonie concert hall.

Held in Hamburg's Sandtorhafen harbor, Red Bull Wake Capital saw 16 competitors take on a spectacular course.

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Waterskier Nikolas Plytas unveils slick tricks on snow

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 15:11:11 +0000

Nikolas Plytas has made a name for himself with a series of challenging stunts, such as conquering the famous shipwreck at Elefsina.

The Greek waterskier's latest project saw him take to his board on snow as well as his beloved water.

The 25-year-old from Athens started in 2006 with a bullish ambition to not only break his own personal records but also smash longstanding records laid down by other athletes on the water.

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Dakar Rally race truck tows wakeboarder Russian wakeboarder

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 15:34:07 +0000

Russian wakeboarding star Nikita Martyanov and Kamaz-Master team driver Anton Shibalov broke down the borders between their two sports.

The duo put on a wakeboarding session powered by the rally-raid truck, which has dominated its Dakar Rally class in recent years.

The idea formed when Martyanov saw a photo of a Kamaz truck ripping down a levee across an artificial lake and thought to himself: "What if that mad truck towed me? I could do some sweet tricks."

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Omeir Saeed breaks two Guinness World Records

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 15:21:05 +0000

Omeir Saeed has broken two new Guinness World Records (GWR) for farthest wakeboard ramp jump and most wakeboard rail airs in 30 seconds.

The 23-year-old wakeboarder from Abu Dhabi eclipsed the long-standing mark by Jérôme Macquart.

In 2011, at the Al Forsan Club, a 15-year-old Saeed got into the water to "mess around" with his friends.

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Wakeboarder rides Philadelphia's pink-lit Boathouse Row

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 15:22:04 +0000

Meagan Ethell marked the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month by lighting up her backdrop in pink in a stunning series of wakeboarding photographs.

The 22-year-old has long worked to raise awareness for and funds against the threat of breast cancer and lit Boathouse Row, in Philadelphia, for the occasion.

Boathouse Row is a strip of 19th-century homes along the Schuylkill River, and Ethell chose the location having seen the marina lit in pink in previous years.

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Nic Rapa and Meagan Ethell win 2020 wakeboard world titles

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 15:55:50 +0000

Nic Rapa and Meagan Ethell have taken out the 2020 Nautique WWA Wakeboard World Championships, held in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

Rap put down a fantastic performance in the pro men's final, taking the overall title with a nearly flawless run of 95.00.

Nic threw down a mute mobe 5 and a double cab roll for the win.

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Moxie Pro: the first ever female-only wakeboarding series

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 10:38:44 +0000

Moxie Pro is the first-ever standalone professional wakeboarding series for women.

The inaugural three-event series is open to female participants across the globe for both boat and cable disciplines.

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"Sound of Wake": Dominik Hernler plays big in Salzburg

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 10:31:45 +0000

Sticking to the diktat "holiday at home," Austrian pro wakeboarder Dominik Hernler set out to explore Mozart's haunt of Salzburg, Austria, on a mission to play with the Salzburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

The 28-year-old's instrument of choice is his well-tuned wakeboard and a pair of cymbals.

Confused? Just wait for the crescendo.

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