get well soon Boujmaa!

Yesterday Boujmaa had a bad accident while sailing at Hookipa. He's ok now, just a few stiches on the lip, a concussion to nurse and a broken metatarsal in his hand. I want to wish him a speedy recovery.

I got to the beach when the lifeguard were launching the ski to go get him, so I didn't see the jump, but Agustin sent me the whole sequence (muchas gracias!!!). He and his girlfiend Maria live and work in a beautiful ranch in Patagonia. I would love to go there one day.

Also, here's the story as I heard it from people that were there before me.
He and Diony went out early training for jumps at Lanes. Boujmaa was throwing his crazy tricks like the black shot and some new ones. Once back to Hookipa he found a huge gust (the wind was very offshore and super gusty) and a big ramp and went for a really high jump.



This is the start of the first rotation.






First rotation completed and he's still at least 10 meters higher than the landing spot!







Second rotation completed. Unfortunately there's still a few meters between him and the water and he kept spinning.


This is the last shot where you can see him. You can easily guess how he ended up hitting the mast with his head.



The impact was strong enough to knock him unconscious. He ended up under his sail and must have breathed some water. FORTUNATELY, Klass Voget was sailing out right behind him and in 5 seconds was already there and pulled his head out of the water. We can pretty much say that he saved his life.
Soon after that Ferdinando arrived too and helped Klaas. Boujmaa regained consciousness, but was coughing water and still clearly under shock.


The lifeguards were pretty quick to respond.

The following photos are mine instead. Back to the beach.


You can see some lifeguarding training there.


Francky was wearing his towel around his waist but he decided to show off his Speedos in order to provide some shade. Now, that's friendship! :)

Francky did more than that. He set up a facebook page to help Boujmaa pay the hospital bill (I believe he has insurance, but you know how that works... it's probably a partial coverage).

I'll be back soon to this post to add the photos I took of the sailing action.
Once again, I'd like to wish Boujmaa the quickest recovery. Get a helmet, brah!!!!

One more thing. I asked Agustin to send me the time stamps of the events.

exact crash time: 1.00pm
lifegards arrived to Bouj: 1.07pm
lifegards leaning Bouj on the sand: 1.11pm

That is a great job from the lifeguards! Thanks guys!

Here are the action photos I took.
I have two photos of the day.
Despite being overexposed, I still love this aerial of Victor.


Kai couldn't manage to hit the lip of that mean wave behind him. Glenn was sitting next to me and said:"if he hit that thing, that would have been the shot of the day!"
Well, he didn't hit it (he told me later that he sailed cautiously because of the gnarly conditions and the Boujmaa accident.... very wise man!), but made the shot(s) of the day anyway. That wave looks like one of those carnivorous plants about to eat a bug that stopped on it...


Other photos in chronological order. Skyler.


KP. I like the shadows in the next few shots.


Mark.


KP.


KP.

KP.


Mark broke his mast in this wipeout. You can see how the tip of the mast will hit the reef. Not a warranty claim here...


He should write an article:"how to make it back to the beach with broken gear".


Bernd.


Kauli about to wipeout.


Mr. Fluid Kauli Seadi is sailing really fluuuuid.


Ricardo's bit of a damage.


Kauli.


Mark.



That's the only one that passed by. That's the only one you get.


Mark upside down.


Timo Mullen is here. I'm afraid I shot this backloop a bit too early.


Absolutely sick aerial from Morgan!


Kauli. This is a start of a three photos sequence of the turns he did on a wave.




Mark upside down.


Bernd.


Kauli.


Last, but not least, the hero of the day: Klaas Voget.

My session reports.
Well, that's easy. Hookipa was way too windy/gusty for my taste and I didn't sail. But I sailed it with smaller waves and and lighter winds (still very offshore) for the past three days and loved it, so no complains.

Forecast.
The windsurfing forecast is really bad. After Tuesday, the wind will get too light and southeasterly. But there will be a decent south swell, so no complains again!

Wait! I just remembered that I took a little clip of Mark doing one of his aerial 360s. What a post!