Surf Today Windsurfing

Whether she's competing on a downwinder, a speed sailing event, or slalom race, Tonder always pushes herself to the limit.

In September 2017, the athlete from Langebaan became the first woman on the planet to complete an 80-kilometer race - the Défi Wind Mauritius.

But what many didn't know was that two of their members - Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher - were avid windsurfing enthusiasts.

According to a 1990 TV news story by ITV, the duo started sailing when recording in the Caribbean. Whenever on tour, they always managed to find time to get out on the water.

All athletes will have the opportunity to train and fine-tune their gear before the first PWA World Tour event scheduled for May 2018.

All windsurfing enthusiasts are welcome to join the training sessions, and the club will provide storage for the equipment.

American windsurfer Web Pedrick was the first to perform the aerial windward 360 trick. Initially, he named it "The Swayze," in honor of Patrick Swayze, but the designation evolved to flaka.

A flaka is a flat water taka. Although it is seen as a quite unnatural move because it forces the sailor to jump forward, and stick the nose of the board slightly under water, it is also a gracious maneuver.

Windsurfstuff.com aggregates over 100 boards and 100 sails from 22 windsurfing companies. Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced windsurfer, you can get exactly what you need.

"I created this site from a windsurfer's perspective. I believe that the quality of the products varies little from brand to brand, and new brands are continuously searching their way into the market," explains Jannis Rohden, founder of Windsurfstuff.com.

The Italian windsurf club founded in 1978 is preparing a year-long series of activities to honor its history and past.

One of the most important events of the season is the 2018 RRD One Hour Classic, a historical flagship regatta that, nearly 30 years after its creation, evolves to keep up with the new windsurfing technologies.

Although it was only introduced in the 1970s, windsurfing equipment rapidly became available in nearly all corners of the globe within a couple of decades.

Windsurfing was supposed to be a pleasant outdoor recreation. But for Cubans, it also symbolized hope. It was a vehicle to achieve freedom in the United States.

With air temperatures reaching 0°C (32 °F), they were naturally the only ones out there ripping the perfect waves, smoothed by the offshore wind.

"Leon had already texted me days before, telling me that Agger would be pumping. He wanted to know if I would want to go. Normally, I sail here all winter but lately, the temperatures have been around and under 0°C!" explains Ten Hoeve.

The unprecedented wind and water conditions of Bonaire attract windsurfers and kitesurfers from all over the world on a regular basis.

The Lac Bay Lagoon has been used for countless windsurfing championships due to the perfect natural conditions: the lagoon offers more than two kilometers of warm shallow water and constant winds of 24 knots on average.

Sebastian Steudtner learned to surf when he was nine years old. Because he was born in Nuremberg, far away from the ocean, all he could do was windsurf in the nearby bodies of water.

"Where I grew up, in the south of Germany, it's only mountains and lakes. So, the only way to stay connected to surfing was through windsurfing. That's the reason why I started, initially," explains Steudtner.

Then, all you have to do is join the first ever IWT Baja Wave Camp, run by Casey and Sarah Hauser, and Joey Sanchez.

Together, Sarah, Joey, and Casey will provide a comprehensive program to get you performing your best leading up to the IWT Baja Desert Showdown, from August 18-25.

World Sailing has already confirmed the participation of sailboarding in the Summer Olympics. It will be the tenth time windsurfing takes part in the most prestigious international sports event on the planet.

Tokyo 2020 will also be the most gender-balanced Olympics of its centennial history with a 50/50 ratio participation of male and female athletes.

The Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) was founded in 1996 and, today, it is officially recognized by World Sailing (WS) as one of its "Special Events."

But to understand the foundations of the PWA World, we need to get back in time to a period when windsurfing was an unintegrated sum of several sailboarding disciplines.

The Shire of Gingin is home to the Lancelin Ocean Classic. Located 84 kilometers north of Perth, its stunning coastline, adventurous dunes, pristine rivers and panoramic views make it a unique and perfect getaway.

The event that combines a marathon and wave riding has once again attracted pro and amateur contestants from all around the globe, making it one of the biggest editions yet, since it was first run in 1986.

Originally from France, Mathilde's family relocated to the island of Raiatea, in French Polynesia, when she was a child. Her father Gwen, a professional windsurfing instructor, began teaching her to windsurf from an early age on the island's beautiful lagoons.

It wasn't long before Mathilde caught the eye of major sponsors like airline company Air Tahiti Nui and eyewear brand Julbo. "Vahine I Te Moana," or "Girl In The Sea" is a film that takes its audience to her island and shows what it's like to be the youngest professional windsurfer in the world.

Neil Pryde retired from the company he founded in the 1970s, but when it comes to planning the future of Olympic sailing, he is always an active thinker.

In the past 40 years, Pryde was deeply involved in the design and manufacture of sailboarding equipment, even though he never practiced it. Interestingly, he competed as an Olympic sailor on the Flying Dutchman class, at the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico.

The windsurf magazine boom took place in the early 1980s when the boardsailing sport became a gigantic success in the European markets, especially in France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The sailboard would eventually secure an Olympic status, opening the way to the creation of multiple periodical windsurfing publications. Unfortunately, only a few resisted the test of time and internet.

After two years and a half of work, Italian windsurfer-filmmaker Federico Infantino and co-director Elisa Mariani are proud to release "That's Surf West."

They traveled thousands of miles to explore and document the sailing and surfing opportunities of Western Australia, as well as its exciting lifestyle, rich culture, and stunning natural beauty.

On December 11, Switzerland's Lake Uri was invaded by a dry, warm, and down-slope wind called foehn wind, resulting in powerful 120 km/h (75 mph) winds.

Müller and a small group of local windsurfers decided to give it a go. A decade ago, the 23-year-old sailor watched a video shot in Pointe Rouge, Marseille, and dreamed of riding a similar storm. So, this was his day.

Windsurf foiling will allow you to experience a silent flight above the water. Hydrofoils offer a different sensation and will make your bigger board feel looser and freer.

One of the greatest advantages of foiling is that you'll be able to sail a windsurfer in really light winds. This underwater wing will allow you to ride according to your personal style.