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.

These 4 factors affect your speed is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. Severne Sails new sail sponsor Karin Jaggi
2. ISWC Speed Windsurfing World Championship Karpathos 2009
3. MauiSails new sponsor Karin Jaggi?

Soure: Edge to Edge

Planet Reef is back! is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. Planet Reef party
2. Win a Miss Reef Calendar 2010
3. The 10 Miss Reef finalist are known!

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

5 reasons to join the GPS Team Challenge is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. GPS Team Challenge
2. Fanatic welcomes Peter Volwater

For some reason most people are always looking at the top brands when buying new windsurfing equipment (including me). Maybe I should have a bit broader look at things.

point-7 ac-3 2011 Prototype

Point-7 2011 prototypes is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. 5 reasons to join the GPS Team Challenge
2. Windsurfing sails 2009: Cut out or normal clew?
3. MauiSails TR-6 2010 spotted!

Severne Sails also created a new website. The site is very good looking and you can find all the new 2010 sails on it. Also the new Severne Reflex which is developed with Björn Dunkerbeck.

Naish Sails and Severne Sails update website is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. Severne Sails new sponsor Bjorn Dunkerbeck!
2. Naish Surfing 2010 website online
3. Severne Sails new sail sponsor Karin Jaggi

A lot of windsurfers by now know that it’s possible to measure speed with a GPS and post your results individually on sites like GPS-Speedsurfing.com. This idea inspired some members on the Seabreeze forum to set up a similar competition, but then between teams. A lot of people joined the discussion and this showed huge interest by the community. Eventually this lead to The GPS Team Challenge.

This GPS Speed surfing competition is all about fun and everybody who wants to join, should be able to. This competition has the goal to keep you involved with windsurfing all season long, not just in the summer time. And you can learn a lot from your team members

How can you enter the GPS Team Challenge?

First of all you need a complete windsurfing set and a GPS device, which you probably already have. Some competitions have a lot of rules, but this one doesn’t. So you don’t have to be afraid that you have to learn a lot of boring stuff. This competition is about windsurfing as much as possible.

Secondly this is a team challenge, so you will need a team to sign up with. And as you can see, a lot of teams have entered already. If you can’t find a team to sign up with, you can start your own team. Then you have to fill in this form and mail it to info @ gpsteamchallenge.com.

And that’s all. It can hardly be any easier than that.

Dutch Fun Speeders

Several dutch teams are participating and I joined the Dutch Fun Speeders team. This team consists of 20 windsurfers. Yes, that’s quite a lot of people but makes it possible to post a lot of GPS sessions and score a lot of points.

I am really happy that I was allowed to join the team. There are a lot of good windsurfers in the team and also Dutch speed record holder Dirk Doppenberg.
I wrote about having my worst windsurfing season ever last year. And with this team I hope to learn a lot and have a chance of reaching my goals which I set in 2009.

See you on the water!

GPS Team Challenge is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. 5 reasons to join the GPS Team Challenge
2. Windsurfing in the Carribean is hot!

I didn’t know that this was possible with windsurfing equipment. Kauli Seadi did a tow in session at big wave spot Jaws. On 1:03 you can see how he is towed in.

Tow-in windsurfing? is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. GPS Speedsurfing and Sponsoring
2. Hypothermia, what`s that?
3. Windsurfing in 2009!

There is one major difference with BOOT, there are almost no windsurfing exhibitors. As a windsurfer I wouldn’t advice you to go there, only if you interested in boats, looking for tips on boat maintenance, rigging tips, navigational equipment or other related topics.

Here you can find out how to get there.

Hiswa 2010 is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. Boot Düsseldorf again in 2010
2. Boot 2009 report
3. Impression BOOT 2010

Brain likes print but he has to say that even recycled paper doesn’t make up for the traditional methods print uses to publish everything because of the toxic inks, wasted paper and high shipping costs. Besides that, some magazines also “recycle” the content which have been seen online already.

I don’t fully agree because a lot of people forget how much environmental impact all the data centers have on which all the websites reside. Anyway it’s another great issue!

The February issue has to offer you:

McKercher vs. Stone
Team Severne Master and Student

Lancelin Ocean Classic 25th
Anniversary Special.

Technique
The Backside 360 with Martin Ten Hoeve

Freshman Year
Jamie Hancock Hits the Tour

Amazonia
Sarah Hebert Shreds with Pink Dolphins

Continent Seven
The Team Uncovered

Beginner To Winner
Time to Ride

Tricktionary
Board and Sail 360 with dutch windsurfer Martin ten Hoeve.

Sun Sea Sand
Environmental News

Windsurfer International magazine: February issue out is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

Related posts:

1. Top windsurfer Micah Buzianis has broken leg!
2. The 5th Mission succeeded!
3. Windsurf video: Davy scheffers freestylin’

What I don’t like is the fact that my site is not very recognizable. It could be any site instead of Mad Windsurfing. The navigation is also not how it should be. Old articles are not found very easily and that is very important because I want to provide the best user experience possible.

Yesterday I rearranged the sidebar (see the columns on the left). It was cluttered and not al links were clicked on very frequently. Hopefully is the navigation improved by this change.

What do you think? What should be improved and what should stay? Leave here your comment.

Improving Mad Windsurfing is a post from: Mad Windsurfing. Thanks for reading.

No related posts.