Here is Jan Wolters showing some nice speedsurfing at La Franqui. I really like that song. It’s called Cake – The Distance. Enjoy!

Update: Erik loots did a nice interview with Jan. Check out his blog.

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

4. Build

Many windsurfers think that weight is a big factor in speed. Good physique does help. Because when you’re heavier you can more easily keep your windsurfing equipment under control.

Height also plays a role. Your body functions as a lever while windsurfing. If you’re taller you have more leverage than shorter people.
Does this mean that you aren’t able to go as fast as bigger sailors? Absolutely not! Build is the least important factor. For example, take Karin Jaggi. As a multiple world champion speedsurfing she proved many times that you can go very fast with a length of 168 cm.

Karin Jaggi going full speed.

3. Your windsurfing equipment

Often we hear windsurfers talking about their equipment. A special vin, an expensive carbon mast and the latest 2010 rig. A fast windsurfing board and sail will surely help you go faster.

One thing is really important. You have to be able to release the full potential of this expensive equipment. Otherwise you will be as fast, or perhaps faster, on your freeracer.

2. Rigging and tuning

Unleashing the full potential of your quiver has a lot to do with the correct rigging and tuning of every component. A fast speedsurfer knows how he must rig the sail and board to suit the conditions. And he knows how to tune every component to fit his own windsurfing style.

1. Technique and skill

Windsurfing is a dynamic sport. On a reach you will constantly make small adjustments to trim your sail and board. You will also react to the waves and other conditions in the water. A talented, experienced windsurfer know how to convert that one gust to acceleration and stays in control. The better you know how to react on the circumstances, the higher your end speed will be.

Conclusion

To accomplish high speeds you must learn and improve on all facets. Before buying new equipment I advice you to start with improving your skill and technique. Learn how your windsurfing gear works. That’s when you can get the biggest improvements that will matter most.

And eventually you will have more fun when you do buy new equipment because you learned how to use it to its full potential.
Do you also think that these factors impact your speed? Leave your opinion in the comments.

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

Have you ever thought about joining the GPS Team Challenge or starting GPS speedsurfing? Here are 5 reasons why I joined this challenge and hopefully you will also after reading these reasons.

1. Learn more about my favorite sport windsurfing

   Windsurfing has always been my favorite sport and I am windsurfing since I was eleven. After a while I noticed I reached a plateau. I wasn’t getting any faster or improving on other fields for that matter. By joining the Dutch Fun Speeders Team I hope I can remove that barrier and improve my windsurfing skills.

2. Socialize with other speedsurfers

   The cool thing about a team effort is…well…it’s a team effort! And thus you are able to meet new people. Windsurfing is normally an individual sport. By joining a team will open up the opportunity to discuss your set and talk to other people with the same mindset.

3. To keep myself extra motivated all year-long

   Sometimes it is hard to get out on the water, especially if the forecast is not that good. Getting all the windsurfing equipment out of the storage into the car. Rigging the sail etc. It can be a big hassle compared to other sports like normal surfing. Having teammates can help you overcome this a bit easier. And usually, it is worthwhile.

4. Share interesting new learning’s

   Besides learning new stuff for myself I will try sharing the gained knowledge as much as possible through this blog. I really enjoy sharing things which make enthusiastic. And this way I can hopefully make other windsurfers enthusiastic about GPS speedsurfing. And maybe get other people motivated to start windsurfing.

5. To have (more) fun on the water!

   And this is probably the most important reason, to have fun! The rush you will get when going down wind and pushing the limits is awesome. It’s a natural drug. The kick will even be greater after looking on you GPS to see you have a new personal best.

Hopefully you can relate to my reasons for joining the GPS Team challenge. What do you think after reading these reasons? are you going to join the challenge?

Having fun on the water, Spanish Waters - Curaçao

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

The ISWC has a poll online in which you can vote who will enter the hall of fame. The winner will be announced on the 1st of March.

The nominees are:

Men (in alphabetical order):

Alex Caizergues, FRA
multiple world record holder kite, currently at 50.98 knots, double kitespeed world champion

Antoine Albeau, FRA
Double ISWC Speed World Champion

Dave White, GBR
Dave was holding the production windsurfing record for more than a decade

Finian Maynard, BVI
4 times WSSRC Outright Speed World Record Holder, 7 time Speed Windsurfing World Champion

Manu Taub, FRA
Pioneer of Speed-Kiting, 2 times WSSRC Kitespeed World Record Holder, first Kiter over 40 knots

Olaf Marting, RSA
Two times WSSRC Kitespeed World Record Holder

Rob Douglas, USA
Took the Outright Record from the Windsurfers to the Kiteboarders, 2 times within 0.3 knots of the world record

Roddy Lewis, USA
Speed Windsurfing Pioneer

Women (in alphabetical order):

Britt Dunkerbeck, ESP
2 time WSSRC World Record Holder, multiple Speed Windsurfing World Champion

Charlotte Consorti, FRA
2 time WSSRC Kite Speed World Record Holder, 4 times Kitespeed World Champion

Valerie Ghibaudo, FRA
2 time Speed Windsurfing World Champion

Jenna de Rosnay, FRA
4 time WSSRC Outright World Record Holder

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

Karpathos is getting ready for the speed windsurfing world cup 2009. A lot of big names will be competing for world championship points and eventually the speed world title.

Last Year Björn Dunkerbeck won the ISWC event. This year all the eyes will be focused on Antoine Albeau.  He was ruling the last couple of PWA events and there is a good chance he will go home with the win this year. Currently Anders Bringdal is leading the ISWC tour so we can expect some resistance from him. Some Dutchies will also be present and show how fast “we” are on the water, among them are Peter Volwater and Ben van der Steen.

Dunkerbeck at full speed - ISWC Speed World Championship 2008

The ISWC Speed Windsurfing World Championship will be held from 31-7 till 5-8-2009.

Registered windsurfers:

Alberto Possati
Anders Bringdal
Andrea Baldini
Andrej Kocjan
Anja Kruse
Antoine Albeau
Anton Geesink
Armin Hoefer
Ben van der Steen
Beppe Fortunato
Birgit Hoefer
Björn Dunkerbeck
Cedric Bordes
Chris Lockwood
Christian Bornemann
Christophe Fiorentini
Christophe Richaud
Cyril Moussilmani
Daniel Borgelind
Dieter Gerichhausen
Dirk Jan Knol
Drakopoulos Panagiotis
Erik Beale
Erik Larsson
Finian Maynard
Francesko D’Urso
Hans Kreisel
Jaques van der Hout
John Benamati
Jurjen van der Nord
Magnus Bengtsson
Manfred Fuchs
Marcus Kortas
Marcus Richardsson
Marie‐Paule Geldorf
Marion Raisi
Markus Emanuelsson
Martin Kovac
Martyn Ogier
Morten Knutsen
Nick Vardalachos
Nikoletta Margoni
Orlando Lavandera
Pascal Toselli
Patrick van Hoof
Patrik Diethelm
Pete Davis
Peter Volwater
Philip Adamidis
Robert Sturm
Thomopoulos Konstantinos
Thorsten Luig
Tim Otte
Tobias Hed
Torsten Mallon
Valerie Ghibaudo
Wilfried Vanherweghe
Zara Davis

More info: ISWC

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

GPS-Speedsurfing.com has secured Neilpryde, Tushingham and Select as new sponsors. This is a very good development. GPS Speedsurfing is created and managed by volunteers so money is always needed to keep the site up and running.

Creating and managing a site is not for free. Hosting, system administration, traffic are all things that must be taken care of. Thanks to the new sponsors it is possible to further extend and build the GPS Speedsurfing community. As windsurfing advertiser it is also a great opportunity to get you brand known by (potential) buyers.

GPS Speedsurfing gives you insight in your own windsurfing capabilities. You will also have the possibility to ask questions on the forum. Because of the high involvement of the GPS Speedsurfing community, you will have an answer in no time! A lot of the participating windsurfers are windsurfing a lot. There is always the opportunity to ask your question on your beach since the community is internationally wide spread.

By becoming an goldmember for only 20 euro, you will support the GPS Speedsurfing website. As a goldmember you will have a lot of nice features at hand:

• Ranking search function: search the ranking based on speeds, age classes, spot classes and equipment classes.
• Session search function: search the ranking based on speeds, age classes, spot classes and equipment classes.
• Equipment search: analyze different equipments in different circumstances.
• Spot Search: see the rankings and sessions per spot and the ability to search the ranking and sessions.
• Spot Stats: a growing list of statistics about spot a cool feauture to analyse spots.

Stop reading and buy yourself a GPS and become a member! Are you already a member but you are still not a goldmember? Become one and support the GPS Speedsurfing community!

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

The weather forecast for this weekend wasn’t so good. The wind direction was the main cause. In the Netherlands wind from the east is not so good. Windfinder.com predicted a small 4 bft in the north of the country while the winfsurfing spots in my neighbourhood had no wind at all. I really wanted to windsurf so I decided to risk the long drive to the north. The spot that I choose is called the Amstelmeer.

I’m glad that I risked the long drive, because it turned out to be a great windsurfing session! The weather was sunny and I was planing most of the time. The wind was gusty but the sun made is all worthwhile.

Check here the windsurf trip data on gps-speedsurfing.com

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

Some french windsurfers did a great experiment! With the help of special software (GpsarPR 2.7) they combined the GPS data and their headcam. As result you will see the speed and direction on the video from your windsurfing session combined. There is no need for a special cam. Every “normal” video camera is capable of doing this. Check this nice example:

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

Here is a short windsurfing video at Strand Horst (in the Netherlands). I was filming and just testing the camera on november 2003. By coincidence a few gps speedsurfers were on the water speeding. One of them was Neilpryde sponsored windsurfer Martin van Meurs.

Check out the video here:

This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurf blog with tips, news, and how-to's.

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This is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. A windsurfing blog with tips, news, and how-to's.