Interview :: Temira ripping at the Gorge :: photo (C) by Jon Malmberg Please tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from and how come you started windsurfing? I grew up in the Seattle area, and learned to windsurf on a lake near Whistler Mountain. I saw windsurfing on TV when I was a little kid, and decided from that moment on that I wanted to be a pro sailor. My parents finally got tired of me begging for lessons and sent me to summer camp where I could learn. I bought my first gear when I was 13 or 14, and my parents sent it straight back to the place I'd ordered it from and kept the money. Needless to say, that didn't make me a happy kid! I finally got my own gear (and my own car) when I was 16, and spent every day after school on local lakes. I moved to the Gorge in the summer of 1997, and fell completely in love with the town and the sailing conditions.       About your passion for sailing at the Columbia River Gorge and the local scene. The Gorge is beautiful; I feel so grateful that I live here. Besides the natural beauty, the people are fantastic - kind, helpful, friendly... Windsurfers here are always willing to help each other learn new moves. Advice is given freely, and people take time out of their sailing to shout hints to people on the water. We have an awesome and supportive community here, and that's a good part of why we have so many rippers. The best thing about sailing in the Gorge is that I can try aerial moves over and over, and never have to worry about getting crushed by the next wave in a set!       Your attitude towards freestyle windsurfing? Freestyle windsurfing is great! Learning new moves keeps windsurfing from ever getting boring.       What freestyle move are you currently working on? I'm working on the Flaka and on the shuv-it Vulcan (I don't know the name of that move)       What is your favorite sail and board of choice for a typical day at the Gorge? Fanatic New Wave 75 and a Hot Sails Superfreak 3.7 for a perfect day. I can land on that sail all day and never break a panel. Awesome! :: Temira ripping at the Gorge :: photo (C) by Rick Strahl       Your latest magic moment on the water? A couple of weeks ago I sailed at the Hatchery on a rare winter west wind day. It was 12 degrees (celsius), blowing over 50mph, with 30 meter wind devils and 15 meter walls of spray. I was on a 3.2, completely overpowered, alone on the river.       Either/or ?! Morning or afternoon session? Morning. X-Ply or monofilm? Neither. Dacron is the best! HipHop or Rock? Neither. Techno. Paul Oakenfold or Tiesto live. Ocean sailing or river ripping? Mast-high waves or 3.2 on the river. Can't choose! Port. Wavesailing? Starboard. Simple AirJibe or Spock? Spock. Maried or single? Single (and looking) Forward or backward loop? Back or Push. Session or competition? Session. Wave or freestyle? Waves! Tattoos or not? Love 'em, but still looking for the right one for me.       About your life and future. I'm currently running my own small business and doing a fair bit of freelance writing. I'd like to go back to school soon, so I can work in renewable resources: windfarms, biodiesel plants... any sort of sustainable work that will reduce the impact we have on the planet.  :: Temira ripping at the Gorge :: photo (C) by Jon Malmberg For more info please visit Temira's website www.temirawagonfeld.com!

kAI9ypfZttA|100%|100%The legendary Windwing promo video featuring Wyatt Miller & Rob Warwick

source: youtube

Interview Please gives us a short introduction about yourself and about your home river the St. Lawrence River in Canada. My name is Guy Trudeau. I live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I have been sailing the St-Lawrence River for 20 years now. There are many spots with flat water and swell on this long river and on the lakes around. For east and north wind direction, Quebec is the best and if the wind is from the south or west, then it is better in Montreal area. If you want some waves, then you could go to Lake Champlain or Lake Ontario, which could offer good wave riding conditions.       ::videoclip of Guy Trudeau ripping at St. Lawrence River/Canada :: :: video sequence (c) by meodigital.com :: You are into freestyle windsurfing , please tell us about your motivation doing all kind of tricks. I am in freestyle windsurfing because I love learning some new moves. I began windsurfng in summer 1986. When the temperatures went to cold, I started doing some windskate and realised how fun and easy it was. Windskate is so easy it helps a lot to practice new moves. Learning some new moves is more important to me than being the faster on the spot. Also, if you could do some tricks when your wave riding, then it is even better. But, with or without waves there is always something to do and to learn. It is cool to do as much tricks as you can on a very short time with some friends pushing each other.       :: guy ripping at Gulf St-Lawrence :: photo (C) by Yanick Richard St-Vincent What boards and sails to to you ride ? Since three years, I ride for Ben Gauthier (Wind Spirit). So, I ride Wind Obsession's board. The wave board range is 70 l, 76 l, 82 l and the freestyle Swicht 99 l. For sails, I use Ezzy Sails. Overall great stuff! Ocean Earth, Select Hydrofoils, STS and Adrenaline are also supporting me.       What's the best windsurfing spot you've been to and what are your plans for the upcoming winter? Since i windsurf, I've been to different place like Maui, Cabarete, Costa Rica, The Gorge, Cap Hateras and the Maggies. The best spot for me is where it is blowing often and where there are only few people. So let's say until now that, Costa Rica and the Maggies are the best spots I've benn to. Next winter, I might be in Costa Rica again for practicing more and more moves!       :: winter sailing at Gulf St-Lawrence :: photo (C) by R. Landry Your latest magic moment on the water? My latest magic moment was last September when I catched a good north-east wind in the Maggies (?les-de-la-Madeleine) on a secret spot. The wind was side-off and I was riding super clean waves with few friends. My best feeling was when I was riding over a seal for 2-3 seconds. That was very cool!       About your life and future? Right now, I am a teacher in high school and I have chosen to be a substitute for the freedom. In this way, I can catch more wind. So for the future, I hope to experience more great days of windsurfing. Don't forget to check out his cool windskating website: www.windskate.ca 

1lr2vKYRcJc|100%|100%The Gorge wind tunnel

source: youtube

Interview

Please gives us a short introduction about yourself and how it came that you are also called The Berkeley Boys" ?

When we first went to the gorge, we were matching both sail brands and board brands, and we were freestyling on top of each other all the time and they started to call us the Berkeley Boys (were proud of where were from). It just stuck       You guys are from the San Francisco Bay Area and are ripping mainly in the San Francisco Bay Area and Berkeley Marina. Where and when did you first sail on a river and are there any differences for you between sailing on rivers and sailing the oceans ? We first met on the Rio Vista River waters in Central Califonia. We're both big fans of the fresh water ebb and big ass swell! But the grass is always greener! If your in the river all year you crave the salt, and if your always salty, you miss the fresh water. I swallow more fresh water:)       ::Click PLAY to watch a videoclip of Rob & Wyatt ripping at the Gorge:: video sequences (c) windwing.com You are both very talented freestyle windsurfers. What do U think about freestyle and it's rapid progression and what's the sickest freestyle move you can do? Rob: Freestyle has proggressed so much since I started to try tricks, and its great. Theres always a new move to learn or try, it never gets old! Favorite trick for me is big ass shovits and ponchs Wyatt: Its super dope to land a new move and the feeling never gets old. Favorite move is shovit spock!       Rob about Wyatt and vice versa... Rob: Wyatts dope move is the shaka and all the long arm crazyness! He's sick... Wyatt: Robs funnel clocks are sweet, but I'm still better than him.       When you are sailing together are you guys pushing each other to the limit, is there any rivalry between you two? Rob: When I see Wyatt do something, the first thing I think, is cool, and the second is, I can do it, so yeah, he really drives me to learn, and there is always a contest on the water, though its always fun! Wyatt: When I see Rob learn something I cant do it eats at me! So I have to go out and learn it. Yeah, were always competing on the water...but i always win!       Now that the Gorge Games are over, isn't time for a new format/event where you guys can compete against each other ? At lake Garda/Italy they've had the "King of the lake" for several years, what about the "King of the Gorge"? Rob: Its a shame about Gorge Games, but we need someone to pick up the ball and get it rolling on a new event. The Gorge is such a great freestyle venue that its ubsurd not to have one. Wyatt: I really want an event in the Gorge. There are'nt any in the States really and it we need to show the rest of the world that Americans can throw down! King of the Gorge!!! ::Wyatt :: Switch Stance Chacho - Gorge       What boards and sails do you prefer ? Rob: North Sails and Mistral all the way. Never owned sweeter stuff before! Oh and all that wonderful Dakine stuff! Wyatt: I ride nothing but crazy!       What is the best windsurfing spot that U have ever been to? Rob: Margarita, Venezuala! The Hatchery,Gorge-USA! Wyatt: San Carlos, Baja California-Mexico       Your latest magic moment on the water? Rob:Stomping stuff in Wyatts face afer a long winter of practice! Wyatt: Getting back on the water after injury and still landing stuff for Rob!       ::Elliot English (previous r.o.t.m.) + Rob ripping The Wall/Gorge :: (c) thewindsurfer.com   About your life and your future? Rob: I love the life I have right now and wouldnt change it! I just want to avoid responsibility as long a I can, and keep windsurfing. More winters in the Caribbean and more summers in the Gorge. Maybe the tour one day... Europe?  Wyatt: Just finished school, and will avoid a desk job at all costs! For the future, keep on sailing, and more Baja winter nights. Whoop on tyson's sorry ass! 

Interview

Please introduce yourself as an enthusiastic windsurfer in a few sentences...

I'm from Vancouver, BC, Canada, the best place in the world for windsurfing if you have enough dedication. I started windsurfing many years ago on long boards at the local beach and had great fun doing that. I did that on and off for several years. In the fall of 2002 I bought my first short board, a Bic Vivace 282, and a couple of Hot Sails. The next sunny weekend I headed up to the fabled Squamish to try out the new gear. Arriving at the spit was all exciting, surrounded by tree covered mountains and shear rock faces on either side, the place was like no other. Seeing all these people flying around on the water in what I thought was an incredible amount of wind made my heart beat fast with a rush of adrenalin. After a couple tries rigging up, I finally managed to rig up the mid 90s sails on a one piece mast. Upon hitting the water I beach started as I wasn't able to waterstart. I headed out to the windline and when it hit I had the biggest rush of power. After going a hundred meters without planing I decided to turn around, so I dumped my rig and tried to waterstart for the first time. After struggling to get my rig flying I powered it up and was thrown straight over to the other side of the board. This wasn't going to work, so I seceded and tried to uphaul my rig. After several attempts I managed to get up. I pointed the board downwind on the way in and it happened. The board popped up onto a plane. I was flying, no better feeling in the world. Before I knew it, I was back at the Spit, albeit quite far downwind. I lugged my gear back to the rigging area and packed up. I was so worn out from that one run but it had made the difference. I was hooked.  ::elliot english - ripping the wall/columbia river gorge :: (c) thewindsurfer.com         You are living in the metropolitan area of Vancouver. Nearby Squamish River is one of your local playgrounds. What makes sailing there so special? Locally, it's one of the few places that consistently gets high wind during the summer. It blows every sunny day up there. First thing in the morning it'll be calm maybe even a light outflow. Then on a good fully sunny day sometime between 10 and 12 a light southerly breeze will begin and within half an hour it'll be up to 15-25 knots and perfectly steady. If there's a marine layer covering Vancouver and Georgia Strait the wind can get up to 35 knots though this is pretty rare only happening a handful of times per season. Launching from the spit you sail in either the river on the south side of the spit with it's glass smooth water and cranking winds perfectly for practising your lay down gybes or other tricks. Otherwise, you can sail out into Howe Sound and cruise about sailing up to the rock face which is responsible for the accelerated wind in Squamish. It's a beautiful place to sail with grand scenery and cold glacial fed water coming down the river mixing with the salt water of the inlet.  :: click to play - short video clip of elliot (~4 MB) :: (c) thewindsurfer.com         What other favorite playgrounds do you have? Quite a few. My favorite time to sail in Vancouver is the winter because we are directly in the path for low pressures on the northern pacific during those months. It's the season of high winds, big swell, small sails, and small boards. The two main places we sail from are Centennial Beach in a southeasterly wind and Acadia Beach on a northwesterly. I've sailed over 2m waves at either place on the bigger days. The setup is onshore at both locations, though when the wind is nuking you can get huge airs.       What is your favorite aspect of sailing and why? The whole feeling of windsurfing is what attracts me to it, the sense of speed and the feeling of flying over the surface of the water. I admit that I'm not really a freestyler, more what I like to do is go fast and hit steep ramps to go up. Currently I'm working on looping, both fronts and backs.  :: ripping at tsawwassen ferry terminal / Vancouver :: (c) thewindsurfer.com         What boards and sails do you ride? For boards I ride Roberts. They're a local shop based out of North Vancouver. Nothing I've sailed so far has the same slipperiness in the water and the limitless speed I get from them. I have two, a 70l bump and jump board for getting big air and a formula board. For sails I've got a few from Sailworks, Neil Pryde and Northwave. The Northwave is a 3.7 I picked up for free in the gorge. The Neil Pryde is my primary summertime sail, a 5.4 2003 Raf Jet. I've got a Sailworks Hucker 4.2 and Retro 6.5. The Hucker is my favorite with loads of power and no lack of guts. You feel every gust and just keep on accelerating.       Your latest magic moment on the water? Today, I was sailing 4.2 fully lit at Centennial Beach. The waves were over 2m on the outside with the opposing tide. I hit one face about to break and headed up into the wind straight into a massive back loop. I slowly rotated until I landed on my back in the water start position. It was my first full backloop. What a great feeling.       About your life and your future? It's only mid april and I've already had 37 days on the water, not much time for anything else. Currently, I'm a student at the University of British Columbia studying computer science. The plan is to get my masters and doctorate and take the research route so that I will have the freedom to windsurf as much as I can.  thanks to Elliot for being ripper of the month ! please check out his cool website www.thewindsurfer.com !! :: ripping boundary bay/Vancouver :: (c) David Clutton (C36)