I am still with Loft Sails, and use my Carbon Art boards a lot, but sometimes also tries my other boards, the most recent is Tribal Rapid by Chris Lockwood. So i enjoy my life on the water!
In 2019 I Stopped Blogging
Windsurfing with TWAR - Weymouth 2018
The past year has not been easy
with my body. During the spring I ran on all different specialist about the
grip in my right hand. It felt simply not strong enough. The first thought was
carpal tunnel syndrome, but I am still not sure about the reason, maybe
something in my spine, they said... But none gave me any advice to do surgery,
so I got a PT and started with swinging kettle bells. I gained some strength.
In June I went to Fuerteventura and finally got the World Championship Trophy
Super Master. But the sailing conditions where over the top, down there. Gosh
it was choppy in the end of the runs. 
But in early August I got a cold... After 3 weeks I thought it was a
sinusitis, and started to get treatment for that thru an Internet doctor, but
god, it went 10 times worse. Then my back got very bad, so I went to all
ortho-therapists worth the name, it became 10 times worse. After 2 months, I
went to a real doctor, after one second he said, - I understand that you have
had problems with breathing and your back, since you at least have pneumonia.
So I got antibiotics and it felt some better. Went out windsurfing to test my
back, but cut my right hand badly on the back of a fin (waterstart with fin stucked in the harness-lines, and the rig flipped while I lifted the fin). A week later at the Swedish Speed Championship
I took 10 pills to reduce fever, pneumonia and betapred for the head, duct tape on the hand, and after 4 heats I ended up second overall, even won one heat. Felt great. The back and
the hand were OK after the event. So I decided to go to Weymouth 2 weeks later. This time not with the goal
to win, but to participate and enjoy.
The first 2 days in Weymouth/Portland we had a harbour course with winds
20-45 knots. I had tough days, fever and hard to breath. The chops where crazy
and my 7,8 m2 sail felt big enough, but my speeds where terrible (I was not
aware that everyone else was on 6.3. The third day, my body felt great, and
everyone where on the same sails as myself.
In the mid of the week I got the test result from the lab. Mycoplasma
Pneumonia and TWAR... So I am in the middle of the legendary Weymouth speed
week, and I am in pretty bad shape...
But my speeds where competeable and life felt pretty great. The super
strong wind really did not come back, but winds around 15-30 knots where a lot
better for my unfit body.
To my conclusion. Should I lay down on the bed and wait to heal, or
should I do something that I enjoy? Life is quick, so I prefer to windsurf, and
really no doctor will ever keep me off from the water, I think the best medicine to heal is windsurfing!
Vice Swedish Speed Champion 2018
World Championship 2018 - World Super Master Champion!
The windsurfing year 2018 in Europe was very different to start with. The summer in the north was not warm, it was hot... From April to mid August, 20-32 degrees C everyday where I live and no wind or rain. The event in Fuerte, was in this POW the same. 9 days on the island and we sailed 4 times... There is some to say about the event in both good and less good. But since I am myself an event organiser, I know how much job it could be and when it comes to permits and red tape, nothing is easy. To hold a GPS-event can also be a technical challenge. So with this in mind, we sailed two days, in hard, difficult conditions at the south of Fuerte. I used 7,8 m2 sail in most races, when the rest of the fleet was on 6,4 or 7,0. With the late switch of events venue, Cartbon Art sent me a used small slalom board that was made for a light rider, the foot straps was far too much forward, about 6 cm. A good board but, my stance was terrible.
I did not really have the strenght to do the runs that far out from the beach in the 2 metres chop, so finishing 9:th at the prize giving was far better than expected. I also got the award World Champion Super Master 50-54. With that said, I hope the event will return to the format in Matas Blancas we had 2016-2017.
Speed World Championship 2017
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| Zara Davis, World Champion! |
Went back again to Fuerte. The week earlier was insane with loads of other important events, job and family related parties etc. I was not very well prepared and I had to drive 1200 km to Hamburg and fly in the be able to get to the Worlds in time. For the past 2 years I had not used smaller sail than 7.0.The World Championship started with loads of wind from north and BIG rolling waves from east. The gear felt not in balance with myself and did not really feel secure to go fo
r it. So too many heats around 20th place in the start of the week. With lighter wind and flatter water it went better and better and in the very last heat really good. I have to be happy with my 12th overall.Markus Emanuelsson & Marcus Richardson ended up 3:rd and 4:th. Well deserved, the both prepared very well.
Twan Verseput sailed fantastic and a great sportsman and friend. And again, what loads of work the organisation have made. Victor Couto & Orlando Lavera thanks for all effort.
Looking forward for next years!
Weymouth Speedweek 2016
In the perfect condition this also is a very
good spot for speedsailing by the way. My very good friend Anders Bringdal
proved that in 2008. But in general the Portland harbour is a devil in
disguise. The chops or the waves doesn’t look or feels like no where else. It
is hard to describe the conditions but lets say that it is always challenging
to go faster than 30 knots. When the wind is from the east, like 2016, it is
harder than a 43 knots run in Luderitz for sure. The run is about 120 seconds
long, a line up of 60 seconds, an entry of 20 sec, the actual run 30 sec and
the exit when you decided if you should go upwards or downwards of the course,
on the way back.
All the
competitors are all very happy and never complains, even if the course could
have been a lot flatter if it have been on port tack instead of starboard. - It’s
the same for everyone, they all are saying.
But normally during a week it is summer 2-3 days, autumn 2-3 days and maybe also a day of winter. Cold temperature doesn’t sound good, but with more density in the air the better push in the sails. So I those days are also good, just bring the right wetsuit. Finally some words about the academy. The Weymouth Portland Sailing Academy is an extremely nice place to hang around at. It looks like yacht club, but it is really all about sailing. 220 kids in ages around 10 years, pass through a program every day. The builds rafts, windsurf, sails, paddle canoes and longboats. At the same time all British Olympic sailors are practising and a national 470-event goes off, as the same time as 80 speedwindsurfers are competing. And it all runs seamless.
And not to
forget, the speedweek people: Elderly men with boats/rafts, kiters with foils,
moths, all levels, ages of windsurfers and the organisation team (Big Thanks by the way for the boatride). It is like a huge
family, where everyone has different roles and characters. Must be experienced.
Hard to describe. But everyone are happy and no hard words.
Myself in
this years event. Well with a flue and no power in the body, brandnew boards
and fins, it was a fight to be on the water every minute and at the end get a
7:th place overall was more than good. Congratulations Simon Cofield to win the
Weymouth Speedweek 2016! But I have beaten you before and I will try again, but it is harder when you are on the Loft sails! Here is the final result.
Reflections from the Speed World Championship 2016
To start
with, the organization of this event was perfect. They ticked all boxes so to
say.
- Race officer that started heats in exactly the right moments and held us on wait when the conditions not where stable
- Very big tent for storage, with a security every night
- Huge hotel 600 m from the event area, with breakfast and dinner buffet
- Warm welcoming ceremony
- High level prize-giving ceremony at the beautiful cave-lagoon-pool area
- GPS-timing team that made their loads of work smiling
- Live-timing with a screen on the shore
- Merchandise shop, self cost for competitors
- Top photographer
- Sub-sandwiches for lunch
- Cold water and Red-Bulls
- Boat and jet-skis on the course all days
- Course that where adapted to the conditions
- On course judges
- A rental wind/kite/SUP-centre that help me with gear
- Et cetera
About the
spot Matas Blanca at Costa Calma Fuerteventura.
It is an OK
spot for this kind of event. A bit from perfect, but it works well. The forecast
all days was 15 knots, but around noon the thermic wind picked up to 20-30
knots. Sometimes when cloud came the wind suddenly disappeared or swung around
100 degrees. It was gusty but rather gusty than no wind. The temperature was around 23-26 C and 21 C in the water I guess. Perfect for shorty.
About the
sailing. To be honest I have not been so many days on the water the last year.
And 90 per cent of my days have been with 8.6 or 9.2 m2 sail. My idea was to
fly down a few days earlier to tune the 7.0 and the 7.8. I have only used them
for a few minutes this year. But Air berlin managed to keep my gear at Tegel airport
those days. And when the event went off I took the sail I know, the Loft Racing
Blade 8.6 in all heat except of the first. I know that it is a bit slower in acceleration and top speed but I
also now that I have done 39 knots with it and I like it. It also carries me
easy through the lulls and easy is never wrong. As I see it speed in 20-30
knots wind could be done in two ways. Either a big sail (7.5-8.5), a big speed
board (100 l) and a small fin (30-32cm) or medium sail (7.0-7.8) a medium slalom
board 85-110l) and a bigger fin (36-38 cm). The latter set-up works better
today, since the fins have become so much better than five years ago. Some participants only brought a few sail and a small board, Björn brought a 6 tonnes truck. For a World Championship I would say bring what you need. It is not the race officers concern if the participators have too small equipment.
At this
event I had my 250 m runs around 33 and 35,5 knots in most heats, and best
top-speed about 37 knots. Would I have
done it different when I look back, probably I should have taken the 7.0 or 7.8
in the last heat. That was the heat that I discarded, and it would have been fun to
see what a smaller kit could deliver.
And some
words about the competitors. I have raced with very many people in the world
and know what standard everyone has. The top-riders in this event is for sure
some of the best speed windsurfers in the world. No one at this event could
just put the feet on the board and cash in a heat.
I am also
very happy that we finally see some younger riders on the top. Aaron and Twan
where really fast and consistent. I think we soon will see some change on the very
top on the major events. I was a bit
reluctant to the open format with kids and amateurs on the same course. But
must say that if it is room for that, that is very good for the sport. You see
so much joy in their eyes and the routine they get here will help the in the
future to become very good competitors.
So again,
thanks for a great event. Thanks Markus Emanuelsson and Marcus Richardson for joining me from Sweden. Thanks all other
competitors that made all days, evenings and breakfast so nice. Thanks to my
sponsors; #Hertz #Tenson #LoftSails #Carbonartwindsurfing #Ackert
#Equipewindsurfing
Congratulations
Björn Dunkerbeck and Zara Davis, you did it again!
Next big
event for me is the Swedish Championship and then Weymouth Speedweek!
Weymouth Speedweek 2015
It is time to
put Weymouth Speedweek anno 2015 to the archives. First of all, I am impressed
by the team of organizers that keep on working and improving this event year by
year. The self service GPS check-in, the real time data logger, always 3 "marshall" boats on the course, results every night or morning etc etc. World class!
Also the place, Portland is something very special. The Portland rock,
the view from the Heights, the quarries, Portland Bill, the Chesil beach and
the WPNSA-facility cannot be beaten by any other venue. And the english weather, the last day 26 C in the afternoon in mid October!
The social activities
every evening including the Weymouth Pub´s are also very unique experiences in more than one way...If you are in Weymouth you should check some back-yards, and watch up for pigeons...
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| (c) Photo: Pete Davis |
The icing on the cake this
year was to meet Paul Larsen, his team and experience the legendary top speed 68 knots Sailrocket 2 IRL. Great to meet and hear the stories and the theory behind, maybe the fastest
sailing craft I ever will see in my entire life. 
I hope to come back soon again, hats of for Kevin, Patrick, Jim, Keith and Simon that finished ahead of me this year. But next time one or more of you will end up behind me (again) ;-)
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