here's why windsurfing will never be cancelled...

...'cause it's a bloody spectacular sport, that's why!

Oh. My. God.
The show yesterday at Hookipa was unreal. Big waves, strong wind and all the best sailors in the world. I'm so lucky to be injured these days...

I took a total of 411 single shots (my camera doesn't really take sequences), made a first selection down to 54, and the picked the best 30 for this post. The remaining 24 would make a great post in any other day (please remind me in summer time, I'd be happy to post them for you guys...).

Shot of the day goes to Boujmaa's Black Shot. It's not a great picture, but it's an insane move. You can see it better in this clip after minute 1.10.
To me it looks like a double backloop with a sail jibe halfway through... right, double backloops are too easy.


Here's the other shots in chronological order.
The Windsurfing Movie 2 crew needed a shot of Mark coming out of the water with some gear damage. Hey it's a movie, nothing wrong with staging a shot like that... but maybe next time make sure to get the sand off the bottom of the board, you guys! ;)
(I believe they shot it again later...)


I got to the beach around 12.30 and already heard comments about the epic action during the JP photoshoot. Da hell, I had a dentist appointment and then my daily swim... can't be there all day!
So I missed that one, but got the Fanatic one halfway through and the NP one later on.
Browzinho (sick doubles) one hand backloop while Paskowsky hits the lip.


Browzinho one hand goiter.


Browsinho again and Volwater.


Jake and Jace handling some filming gear (I told you, it's like Hollywood these days).


Luuuke!


Diony.


Diony and Ricardo (the helicopter is just downwind of them).


Kauli.


Mark stuck another few mutants.


I'm not sure it's this one, but Kauli did an amazing push loop forward. One of the lifeguards turned towards me and the others sitting on the guardrail and yelled:"what the hell was that?!?"


Swift.


Nice wipeout.


Time for the NP photoshoot. Elliot Leboe is on the videocamera, don't know who's the photographer.


Swift.


Boujmaa high forward, while Mark does a mutant... on every single wave there was stuff like this.


For example, check this little random video I took. Browsinho jumps and Camille attempts a mutantish 360.


Boujmaa.
Notice how his sail is color coordinated with his board. Same as Fanatic and North or JP and NP. That makes it a little harder for manufacturers that only do sails OR boards. At least for the part of the windsurfing market who cares about the look of the gear... what's that, 99% of it?


Alternative use of a gopro top of the mast mount. I've been one of the first to believe in those little cameras quite a few years ago (got my first one in 2006) and I'm very happy to see that they are now recognized as the best small water proof cameras around.


Levi's mutant attempt? I think I saw Kauli trying something like that too. It was the first time I saw someone other than Mark trying it. Let's see how long it will take them to catch up...


Polakow. I heard his morning session was stellar. For some reasons, I tend to believe that.


Diony. Very nice aerial.


Swift, not sure what he's doing. Nice shot, though.


Victor.


Luke.


Horrocks.


Levi, tweaked aerial.


Volwater.


Volwater again.


One for the ladies: Victor Fernandez. He reminds me of someone, but the closest I can think of is Cristiano Ronaldo... but not really actually. Any suggestions?
By the way, super nice guy. Actually, most of these guys are really nice. Only a few of them are a bit too focused on themselves... specially on the water.


Today the waves will be smaller, but still fun to watch. Thursday afternoon there will be another NW swell, but that will be from 315-320 and it might be blocked a bit... at least in Kanaha.
Soon I might try to go back to work... so enjoy the posting frenzy until it lasts!