Windy springtime in Austria

Since I returned from Vietnam and Thailand a lot has happened due to the fact that we had a lot of windy days here in Austria. And luckily the temperatures were fine and I could start to sail on the lake Neusiedl from the first day on after returning from South East Asia.

At the first event in Mui Ne I registered the 9,2 – it´s new in the Reflex II range this season – instead of the big 9,7. And this was a good decision out of my view. The 9,2 – I got it on the first day after the arrival in Austria through the Severne importer Hannes Schneider – has extremely much power and can cover the light wind conditions on the PWA tour for sure. That´s what I found out in several light wind sessions, like we had one today. Overall I had more than 15 intense days of wind using all sizes I registered for the 2011 season: once I had a session on the 5,6, several days with 6,2 and 7,0, great days on 7,8, some sessions on 8,6 and a few days on 9,2. Definitely the feeling for the new Reflex II got better and better by each session. The trim much finer. And I already can note now in April, that I really feel very comfortable on the new racing sails. This season I had the change for the very first time to train already in the beginning of March on the new sails and feel now much better prepared than ever before. The flight for the second tourstop is already booked as well and I try to keep a good rhytm of sailing on the water and having workouts in the gym or on the bike.

Jibing on the new 2011 kit with the iSonic 107 and Reflex II in 7,8 (Pic: Kerstin Reiger).

On the 4th of April I got a call of the Austrian Starboard distributor Hannes Schneider, who informed me that the 3 iSonics in 87, 107 and 127 has been arrived on the airport Vienna, delivered by airfreight from Bangkok. That was great and I had my first testrun on the same day. Many days followed on the new 87, which goes through the nasty chop very easily and works perfect with 7,0 and 6,2. The 107 needed some tuning in terms of mastfootposition, but like the board a lot with 8,6 and works fine with 7,8 and as well with 7,0. The big one with 127 liters and 85 cm width does not feel big anymore, jibes are very comfortable for a board in this size and has overall a lot of control. Feels like the 8,6 works really good on it and also takes the 9,2 or even a 9,7 very well.

Windy Podersdorf. Fully powered on 6,2 and 87.

While the wintermonths Peter Pfaffenbichler created a new fin, called S-2 for sizes from 31,5 to 41,5, with ab it wider base. The fin gives more power at the exit of the jibe and has an improved stability. We did several hour sof testing and the results delivered the proof that the development goes in a good direction. I used a 33cm on the 87 and 38,5 cm and 40 cm long fins on the 107.

Last week I gave an lesson for upcoming windsurfing teachers, which was fun. we had a lot of wind and could windsurf on small freestyle kit.

Sunset at the lake.

Also made it in print mags these days: 5 pages about Gökceada, Turkey in the Spanish Surf a Vela and 10 pages in the current German SURF about the island of Lesbos, Greece. Due to the great shots of Kerstin the story in the German SURF was the longest we ever had. For the near future some fresh trips are planned. Now it´s time to prepare everything for the Surf Worldcup, which will start next weekend and run for around 10 days. There we are going to run a big booth together with the German SURF magazine. Just pass by, if you are around in Austria! Big freestyle windsurfing  action is guaranteed.

Publication in the German SURF 05/2011 about the island of Lesbos, Greece (Source: SURF 05/2011).