Epic Sessions

Livestreaming from Lord Of The Wind!

2012-01-13T10:53:00.002-06:00

EpicSessions is live streaming from Lord Of The Wind in Los Barrilles, Mexico! Lord Of The Wind is a windsurfing / kiteboarding competition with heats of course, slalom, freestyle and kitesurfing big air. The final race is the Lord Of The Wind race between the windsurfers and kiteboarders with the winner taking home the Lord Of The Wind title and a fat check! Tune in now here!

Last year, Kevin Pritchard (windsurfing) won the LOTW race and the kitesurfers are hungry for revenge! Looking at how much they've improved from last year, its gonna be an amazing race!

Peahi January 4, 2012

2012-01-07T21:36:00.002-06:00

The EpicSessions.tv team captures the insane action at Peahi (Jaws) on January 4, 2012.

Freestylin' the Gorge

2011-10-30T18:28:00.002-05:00

EpicSessions team rider Bryan Metcaf-Perez shows you how freestyle / wave sailing is done in the Columbia Gorge.

EpicSessions in Pozo with Red Bull Rockets and more!

2011-07-26T07:23:00.003-05:00

In addition to doing the Red Bull Rockets event when we were in Pozo, we also did some rider testing with some of the guys after the event. Enjoy!

And here's the vimeo link for the folks in Europe.

RB Rockets Pozo video by Red Bull Media

2011-06-28T17:35:00.002-05:00

Here's the latest from Red Bull Media on the RB Rockets event last Friday. Stay tuned for EpicSessions' full trip video with Rockets plus the guys as they train for the upcoming PWA event in Pozo.

Red Bull Rockets results!

2011-06-27T10:21:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to Dario Ojeda (pictured here) for boosting a 36.28ft jump and taking home 3,500 Euros cash for highest air in RedBull Rockets!

Spectators flocked to the shores of Las Salinas de Pozo to watch as 16 windsurfers set out to defy the laws of gravity for biggest air, best trick, and hardest wipeout. Split into two groups and equipped motion tracking devices provided by EpicSessions.tv, the riders hit the water for three different sessions throughout the day. On 5.0s and 5.4s the riders put on an incredible show, launching dry double forwards, tweaked pushloops, lofty backs, one-footed one-handed forwards, and more in 15-25mph of wind.

In the end, it was Ojeda who lined up the ramp, sheeted in and boosted an impressive 36.28ft jump to claim highest air of the day. Close on his heels was Ricardo Campello, Philip Koester and John Skye. Philip proved his incredible ability for aerial acrobatics by stomping a high, fast, clean double usually only seen in much stronger winds to take home Best Trick. No surprise was crazy aerial talent Ricardo Campello, going for broke, literally breaking his board, to take home best wipeout. (note - the riders in the last (black) heat were treated to the best wind and wave conditions and benefited as a result)

Props to all the riders who went out and put on one hell of a show, and the sponsors RedBull, Cutre Boardshop, Ayuntamiento Santa Lucia, Asociacion Espanola Funboard for supporting this new era of free-form competition for action sports!

The future is in Motion!

Top Jumps by Rider (height in feet)

Dario Ojeda - 36.28
Ricardo Campello - 35.74
Philip Koester - 34.44
John Skye - 33.10
Robby Swift - 27.23
Aleix Sanllehy - 25.73
Elezar Alonso - 25.27
Danny Bruch - 24.56
Marcillio Browne - 24.22
Jonas Ceballos - 23.21
Klaas Voget - 22.84
Yannick Anton - 22.63
Marcos Perez - 21.38
Kai Lenny - 20.87
Victor Fernandez - 20.35
Bryan Metcalf-Perez - 19.97

The full video and more photos for Red Bull Rockets will be released soon! Stay tuned!

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF!

2011-06-24T04:18:00.003-05:00

Red Bull Rockets is cleared for take off in Pozo! The winds are blasting, the waves are jacking up nicely and everyone is stoked to get it on today!

Some details are still being worked on - namely live video. Even if we're unable to get the interwebs working here on the dark side of the moon, you'll be seeing video from us and Red Bull Media in short order regardless.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Red Bull Rockets Update!

2011-06-20T10:49:00.007-05:00

Windsurfing's craziest jumpers and the EpicSessions.tv crew are headed to Gran Canaria at the end of the week. They're gonna boost, we're going to measure how high. On the best day between June 24- 30, the rider with the highest stock air, best trick, and epic wipeout will win cash. Get ready for RedBull Rockets!

Often times the best conditions are in the most remote of locations. Developing innovative ways to make it easier for people to see and appreciate the raw talent of athletes, regardless of location, is what we’re about at EpicSessions. A few years back we were the first to live-stream action from Jaws, Hookipa and the Gorge. Now almost every major surf event in the world is live-streamed. Today we have the ability to track riders in 3D live. When a rider boosts during RedBull Rockets, their jump heights will be immediately broadcasted to the judges as a factor for best trick, to spectators at the beach, and to the web for anyone, anywhere to check in on the action.

The extended forecast for Pozo looks sick. The tech is tested and ready to go. The riders are ready, the format set, and 10,000 euros are up for grabs. Check the EpicSessions.tv facebook page and website for updates as we get ready for the big event!

Riders:
Philip Köster
Víctor Fernández
Kauli Seadi
Jonás Ceballos
Darío Ojeda
Kai Lenny
Eleazar Alonso
Marcilio Browne
Ricardo Campello
Yannick Anton
Danny Bruch
Klaas Voget
Robby Swift
Josep Pons
Marcos Pérez
Bryan Metcalf Pérez

Format:

16 Riders. 4 Sessions, split into 2 groups, 8 riders each

Each group gets 20 minutes on the water per session, with a 10-minute transition in between.
In order for a jump to count the rider must still be in control of their rig when they hit the water. A mid-air bailout will not count. However, if the rider lands soaked, but is able to keep the sail somewhat up and quickly sail away, the jump will count.

Highest Air will go to the rider who lands the biggest jump of the day, measured with realtime 3D motion tracking technology provided by EpicSessions. 3,500 euros

Best Trick will go to the rider whose tweak and style at maximum amplitude leaves the best impression with the panel of judges at the end of the day. 1st - 3,000 euros. 2nd - 2,000 euros and 3rd will take home 1,000 euros

Best Wipeout will go to the guy who eats it the hardest going big and tweaking it just beyond the point of control, as decided by the panel of judges. 500 euros

The final preps for the Red Bull Rockets contest are coming together and in 48 hours the EpicSessons.tv team will jet over to Pozo where we'll commence the 7 day holding period for the contest. The location for the event is just around the corner from the beach that the PWA wave event is held at and this location was chosen to maximize the wave/wind angle to enable the competitors to get the highest jumps possible. Its a little off the beaten path from town, so infrastructure is being installed - scaffolding, stage, PA system, helicopter landing pad, etc.

Get ready for Liftoff with Red Bull Rockets and EpicSessions.tv!

Ready for LiftOff!?!

2011-06-02T15:20:00.005-05:00

Pozo. Just the thought conjures up images of nuclear winds, out of control crashes, mind blowing jumps and arial antics.

The EpicSessions.tv crew is totally stoked to be headed to the Canary Islands - Pozo to provide Red Bull with our 3D motion recording/broadcast system to track 16 of the best Spanish national and international riders as they compete for the highest jump, best trick and best wipeout.
Red Bull "Rockets" is a winner take all Jump Off style event being held from June 24-30 ; right at the new moon, to measure just how insane the world's best sailors can push the limits in the best that Pozo can dish up. We've all seen the videos, now its time to find out just how massive those boosts are!

More information to follow soon - you can keep track of this event at RedBull.es/Rockets, on the EpicSessions.tv website and the ES Facebook page for daily updates.

Epic Maui Test

2011-05-25T17:41:00.004-05:00

As the month long holding period for the Oxbow Ride The Sky - Presented by Naish, drew to a close, conditions didn't present themselves to hold the official event. That didn't stop the EpicSessions.tv crew on Wednesday April 27th from holding a live test of the realtime jump data system and we opened up the livestream video to the world as we let the world's best windsurfers get wired with the latest in sports motion capture technology.

The concept is simple - take the best sailors and cut them loose on the water with the goal to hit the highest jumps possible. The technical challenge is anything but simple. EpicSessions.tv had to equip the riders with technology that measures their performance in realtime and transmit the jump data to our servers back on the mainland and then world-wide to the audience online.

It was an amazing day. We were scheduled for 2 hours and ended up broadcasting for 4+ hours and the riders had a gas doing what they do best. Going big, hanging with their friends and just having fun. No worries about getting screwed by the judges. After all, if you wanna win, you gotta go bigger than anyone else. Its objective scoring at its best, and it showed as the riders were relaxed and stoked when they went big, or their buddies boosted even higher.

We have a lot more in store this summer, not only in Windsurfing, but in other amazing sports as well. We invite you to stay tuned as we venture into uncharted territories with this groundbreaking technology.

The results are as follows :

Leo- 28.2ft
Jesse- 25.3ft
Jukno- 15.7ft
Levi- 21.6ft
Brawzino- 30.9ft
Patrick- 21.76ft
Bernd- 20.51ft
Fillippi- 28.39ft
Francisco- 25.53
Ricardo- 31.32ft
Kai K.- 18.39ft
Polakow- 35.8ft
Nico- 26.58ft
Glen- 21.34ft
Diego- 24.54ft
Timo- 20.8ft

Huge props to all the riders for their patience, feedback and stoke about our little project. Their stoke feeds ours and in turns, drives us to create products that enrich their experiences and spread their stoke across the globe.

EpicSessions.tv Hookipa Livecast ALERT - Wednesday April 27

2011-04-27T02:18:00.007-05:00

Hey folks, Oxbow's Ride The Sky is still on hold, but EpicSessions.tv is going to be livecasting tomorrow (Wednesday) from noon HST to 3pm HST of our on site testing of the realtime jump data system. To note - Jake, Casey and Dave will be on shore running the cams and the data sysem. The riders will be both pro and am riders who we're letting try out the system. This isn't the Ride The Sky event, rather this is the next stage of trials for the new EpicSessions.tv broadcast data system.

Tune in to EpicSessions.tv from 12 noon HST to 3pm HST and watch the worlds best sailors experience the EpicSessions.tv motion tracking/broadcasting system. You'll see live video from Hookipa in addition to realtime jump data from all the riders on the water. They jump, you'll watch them and when they land, you'll see their jump height pop up on the real time jump display system.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE LIVECAST PAGE

ps - this totally badass photo of Jake is from Jimmie Hepp. Thanks Jimmie!!

Oxbow Ride The Sky update!!

2011-04-22T22:43:00.004-05:00

Ok folks, its been a looooong month, but it looks like on Wednesday, April 27 conditions will come together to hold the Oxbow Ride The Sky.

This is a preliminary alert as event officials are still evaluating the forecasts from WindGuru to make sure we have proper conditions to enable our competitors to toss 'em big.

While this is a true event to see who of these twenty sailors can jump the highest, many of the competitors have their sights set on claiming the World Record jump height - so picking the best day is of utmost importance to the event officials.

So stay tuned to EpicSessions.tv, our facebook page, Oxbow's Ride The Sky page and Continent7 for updates as we draw closer to April 27.

Ride The Sky update

2011-04-15T16:17:00.009-05:00

Its now April 15, and we have the second half of the month left for Maui's fabled trade winds and winter swell to come together to hold the Oxbow Ride The Sky event at Hookipa. Competitors have been busy testing their gear to go big, and we'd like to give a shout out to Boujmaa and wish him a speedy recovery from his accident earlier this week.

The EpicSessions.tv crew has also been busy testing our groundbreaking realtime 3D motion tracking system - Jake and Casey have been up and down the north shore testing the system in all sorts of conditions so that when the event day happens, we'll be ready to beam realtime competitor jump heights around the world as it happens. Its pretty wicked to be 5,000 milwas away and watch the guys boosting air and when they splash down, seeing their jump height data pop into the realtime leader board moments after they land. Super cool stuff that we're stoked to share with the rest of the world with the Ride The Sky event!

For updates on the event, please sign up for our email alerts on EpicSessions.tv and stay tuned to our Facebook page. We're posting daily updates on the website and on Facebook now.

EpicSessions.tv is gonna Ride The Sky!

2011-04-07T20:51:00.039-05:00

The crew here at EpicSessions.tv is stoked to announce that Oxbow has partnered with us to livecast the Ride The Sky event, and to also provide the on-site technical support for the jump height measurement technology. We're also going attempt to do something that's never been done before in a board sports contest...

Real time performance data broadcasting while the event is happening.

Yup, that's right. When you tune in to EpicSessions.tv to watch the livestream of the Ride The Sky contest, you'll see a leader board which is updated with jump heights IN REAL TIME during the heats. When a rider jumps, their jump data is transmitted upon landing to our servers. The leader board will be updated within seconds of the jump and you'll know who's in the hunt for the cash from Naish!

But wait, there's more...

Since we can provide realtime leader board information to the viewing audience, we can also transmit it back to the competitors so they'll know their placement in the heat. A quick glance at their personal onboard display and they'll know their rank among the nine other guys in that heat. Just imagine how hard they'll push themselves and their equipment knowing that they're not in first place or just shy of advancing to the final heat. Think about it....

There's never been anything like it before...

It is going to revolutionize windsurfing contests...

We're utilizing brand new, never seen before technology from a new company which not only measures the sailor's 3D performance much like products we used in 2010, but this new product is more accurate and also broadcasts their jump height data in realtime.

For the first time, sports performance broadcasting is coming to consumer level sports. At this time, this technology isn't available for purchase, but you can bet that it will be available soon at an online retailer or sports shop near you. We can't talk anymore in detail about the product at this time, so don't ask. Just know we've been testing the crap out of these things since we got our hot little hands on them, and Jake nailed a 57.4 foot jump while wound up on a 3.7 at lowers just the other week. ;-)

This technology is going to change many sports outside of the sport we love of windsurfing. We're stoked that the company has exclusively partnered with EpicSessions.tv and the Jump Off format that we pioneered in 2010 to showcase the possibilities and lead the charge in what will be a radical shift in how sports contests are run and sports are consumed by viewers.

Now we just need mother nature to give us some wind and epic swell!

Friend EpicSessions.tv on Facebook for updates or sign up for our email updates on the EpicSessions.tv website.

The Future is in Motion!

Amazing year

2011-04-05T14:02:00.004-05:00

A year ago, March 31 2010, we pulled off the first ever "Jump Off" at Hookipa. The riders were stoked to give this new contest format a try even though there was no prize money on the line. They did it for the stoke and the love of the sport. Levi cranked off a 52.7 foot back loop and Boujmaa boosted to 62.3 feet on a stock air. Everyone had an awesome time and we took the show on the road to Pistol River and was amazed at the top 10 riders all being 15 INCHES in height to eachother for their jumps. (that's a heck of a statement for the consistency of the waves and wind at Pistol!)

We then cleaned the sand out of all our gear and headed to Hood River for the Team Gorge Jump Off where we gave six teams 10 days to scour the Gorge in search of the best conditions to capture video and rider data that would be judged on 10 metrics. The Gorge delivered and so did the teams.

Here and there we also did the first ever live webcasts from Hookipa, Jaws, Arlington and had an epic time in Baja at the Lord Of The Wind Showdown in Los Barrilles where we learned just how far you can run a DSL line to the beach and keep it working enough to get a decent livestream signal out to the rest of the civilized world. A little duct tape can go a long way in Baja!

Since then, we've been quiet. But we've not been idle - heck no! We've been quietly working on the next generation of Jump Off's, new livecasting and new contest broadcasting technology. While our hearts are in Windsurfing, our sights are set on changing the way not only boardsports are covered, but also how these dynamic sports are consumed by viewers worldwide. We're mindful of the sponsors, the viewers, and most importantly, the riders - both pro and am. We're tackling the issues around consumer level products and services that amplify not only ourselves as athletes, but also raise up the sports that we love so much.

I'm exited to have added Casey Hauser to the ever expanding EpicSessions.tv team and also stoked about our new relationships with our partners. 2011 is going to be another ground breaking year for us, and everyone here is soooo stoked about the plans that now we're able to begin to bring to light.

I hope that what were doing here at Epic positively impacts your life, lifestyle and your experiences in, on and high above the water that is our playground.

The future is in Motion!

David

Lord of the Wind Windsurf Freestyle

2011-02-04T19:49:00.002-06:00

Check out the windsurf freestyle action from the Lord Of The Wind contest!

Lord Of The Wind Full Video

2011-01-24T20:51:00.002-06:00

Check out EpicSessions.tv's full video from the Lord Of The Wind event in Los Barrilles. We had an awesome time and can't wait to return next year with more livecasting, more coverage and more tequila!

Lord Of The Wind First Days video

2011-01-17T09:15:00.000-06:00

The wind Gods bless the Lord Of The Wind!

2011-01-16T09:06:00.008-06:00

Yet again this morning there's a wind line on the horizon to the north as the El Norte winds begin to fill in for the sixth day in a row for the the last day of the Lord Of The Wind here in Los Barrilles. Yesterday saw Kevin Pritchard stomp the kiters in the winner take all Lord Of The Wind windsurfer v. kiter race taking home $3,500 for his effort. The Shadowbox crew finished the Kite Big Air heat with the highest jump 34.6 feet. Complete event results to come.

A big shout out to the event organizers Dan and Chris! This is their inaugural event and its been one of the best events that the EpicSessions.tv crew has been involved in. Its not easy to pull off video streaming on the beach here in Mexico but with the dedicated crew working with us for our connection, power, and literally anything else that we needed, we made it work with minimal issues.

Super special thanks to Chucky VanWormer who not only put up the bulk of the prize money, but also housed the entire EpicSessions.tv and Shadowbox crew at his resort. If you want an amazing experience in Baja, then stay at Chucky's resort. Its awesome.

Today will be full on kite/windsurf expression sessions provided we have the winds. Keep an eye on the EpicSessions.tv facebook page and/or the EpicSessions.tv livestream page.

We can't wait to come back to Los Barrilles next year!

(photo credits : Mariah Rose Photo)

Live from Baja!

2011-01-14T09:24:00.003-06:00

Today is day two of the Lord Of The Wind Kite/Wind event in Los Barrilles Mexico. Yesterday saw raging winds for the windsurfing freestyle, the kite big air and wind/kite slalom. The mens' kiting slalom was amazing with some super close finishes and carnage on the course. The livestreaming started at 10:30am and went until 5:30pm with full day one coverage. We're doing the best we can with the limited internet speeds at the beach - and some glitches happen and we appreciate your patience as we push out our signal from south of the border.

Today will be filled with kite and wind slalom and early reports from the kite big air event have the top jumps around 35 feet! We should begin streaming around 10am MST.

You can view the livestream here. Just click on the image and the stream will fire up. Join in on the chat and enjoy the action!

If you are here at the event, please stop by our tent. We're together with the crew from Shadowbox just to the north of the center stage.

Live from the Lord Of The Wind!

2011-01-12T23:58:00.002-06:00

We're going to be livestreaming from Los Barrilles, Mexico starting Thursday at 10am MST. Tune in for our coverage of the international kite/wind/sup AND bikini contests! We'll also be posting daily video recaps of the action.

More information to follow shortly!

Jake Proof

2010-10-16T12:06:00.004-05:00

The new mast mount is "Jake Proof". Its also "Dave proof", but trust me, my stress testing isn't half the G loading of Jake's. ;-)

Baja bound

2010-10-14T14:59:00.002-05:00

EpicSessions.tv is excited to announce that we'll be livecasting the 2011 Lord Of The Wind Showdown Kitesurfing/Windsurfing event January 12-16. Held in beautiful Los Barriles, Mexico, this dual sport event has over $19,000 in cash and prizes.

Ready to go!

2010-10-09T07:41:00.005-05:00

Check out our exclusive interview with Mark Angulo as he sits down with EpicSessions.tv and discusses his recent clew first 360, the history behind the move, and a little insight into what's next.

First Epic Winter Maui Swell

2010-10-03T22:28:00.002-05:00

EpicSessions.tv captures the first massive swell of the 2010/2011 winter season on Maui. Also - we'll be posting an exclusive sit down with Mark Angulo soon, so stay tuned!

Gorge Jump Off Results and video!

2010-07-11T12:50:00.002-05:00

Alright, here's the video and results from the Gorge Jump Off. Thanks to all the competitors for their awesome job, especially Nick Allen who is sidelined with his ankle. Thanks to Casey and the crew from Shadowbox, Bill and the crew from Dakine, Waucoma Club and our very own video guru, Jake Miller who slaved for countless hours putting all the awesome video together.

Men
Biggest Backloop- Bryan Metcalf-Perez 32.7ft
Biggest Forward- Whit Poor 16.4ft
Biggest Shove It- Bryan Metcalf Perez 19.6ft
Hardest Impact- Nick Allen 18.8 G's
Biggest Stock Air- Whit Poor 29.9ft
Biggest Shaka- Bryan Metcalf-Perez 10.4ft
Biggest Pushloop- Whit Poor 23.6ft
Biggest Double Forward- Nathan Mershon 16.6ft
Fastest Spin Rate- Whit Poor 587 deg/s

Women
Biggest Invert- Temira Wagonfeld 16.6ft
Biggest Stock Air- Ingrid Larouche 14.2
I'd write more but we're all headed to the Hatch to sail. ;-)

Jump Off Viewers Choice Winners!

2010-07-11T09:21:00.006-05:00

First we'd like to thank everyone for voting in the Viewers Choice awards. When the voting closed, we clicked on the "random winner" button, and the online winner of the GoPro HD Wide camera is Sierra from Maui! Congratulations Sierra!

Congrats to the Poor brothers for their sweep of the EpicSessions.tv Viewers Choice Awards from the 2010 Gorge Team Jump Off! Whit Poor claimed the prize for the viewers choice Best Crash award with his massive air which he rode all the way down to destruction at the Wall. Best tweaked air goes to Tyson Poor with his super stylish push loop.

For your viewing pleasure, here are their jumps in full HD.

Tyson

Whit

Jump Off Viewers Choice Awards!

2010-07-09T12:47:00.003-05:00

With all the amazing action from the Jump Off contest, we thought we'd take a little departure from the cold hard measurements of the Shadowboxes and get the viewing audience involved with a viewer choice award for the best crash and the most tweaked jump.

We combed through all the video and selected four videos for each category and want you to vote for the best in each. We'll award the winners at the Jump Off awards party Saturday night at the Waucoma Club and you too can win! With voting, you'll be entered to win a GoPro HD Wide camera from EpicSessions.tv!

So, go clicky clicky and vote right now! Voting closes at 7pm PST Saturday July 10.

Gorge Jump Off video update

2010-07-08T11:46:00.004-05:00

We've had killer conditions for the Gorge Jump Off the past 10 days including an amazing 3.3 day at The Wall. Mother Nature gave all she had and took a rest on the final day with light easterlies and blazing temps.

The EpicSessions.tv and Shadowbox crew are busy cranking through the hours and hours of video and Shadowbox ride data, so the break in the wind comes at a great time for us! The awards party is this Saturday night at the new Waucoma Club (formerly River City) starting at 8:30pm. If you can't make it, we'll be posting the entire video online after the party, but until then, here's the last video update to keep you occupied until we release the results.

Be sure to check back here tomorrow (Friday) as we're going to give everyone online the chance to vote for the best crash and most tweaked move. You're votes count as we'll be awarding prizes based on your votes and also, everyone who votes online is automatically entered in our drawing to win a GoPro HD Wide camera!

Jump Off Video Update

2010-06-30T19:10:00.006-05:00

We had almost 400 people at Arlington watching the Jump Off competitors tear it up in their evening session yesterday! Actually there were only a handful of people actually there watching, the other 346 were tuning in to the livecast on EpicSessions.tv from around the globe.

After a bit of waiting, a few false starts and a fickle wind, our Jump Off competitors were able to get a decent session yesterday evening. Special thanks to our livecast viewers for their patience as we all waited for the wind to cooperate. (especially the folks from Europe!)

There are seven days left for our competitors to rack up more jumps before they turn in all they're backpacks. Then we'll all hook up at the awards party on July 10 at the Waucoma Club.

ALERT! EpicSessions.tv Gorge Webcast

2010-06-28T12:10:00.009-05:00

UPDATE - Webcast from Arlington today at 3pm PST. Click here to tune in!

Conditions are setting up for a big day tomorrow (Tuesday) in the Gorge and the EpicSessions.tv crew will be headed east from Hood River to chase down the wind and webcast some of the insane action for ya! Tune in to EpicSessions.tv on Tuesday - we'll be announcing the location and time for the webcast here, on our Facebook page and also on EpicSessions.tv.

We're just kicking off the Team Edition of the EpicSessions/Shadowbox Jump Off series today and the Gorge will be delivering awesome conditions today in the corridor (Swell/Hatch) for the teams. Check out Temira's forecasts to get the daily Gorge forecast low-down!

What is the Team Edition Jump Off you ask? Take our same simple formula of highest jumps, but throw in TEN metrics instead of two and pair 12 awesome sailors into six teams of two. We give them each a backpack full of all the gear needed to record their sessions and give them 10 days to go and rack up the biggest and baddest jumps, crashes and antics. Then we'll all meet on the evening of July 10 at the Waukoma Club (the old River City) and party like rockstars as we award the teams based on the ten metrics, and also team combined awards. We'll also be webcasting the party and having some viewer choice awards so you can participate with the crowd at the party in voting for the sickest moves!

Still not sure? Just watch Casey and Jake explain it all.

Pistol River Jump Off Results and Video!

2010-06-25T11:54:00.013-05:00

Wow, what a place! Amazing conditions, beautiful scenery and friendly people. What more could you ask for in a remote windsurfing destination? Pistol River, located just south of Gold Beach, Oregon is a truly awesome location for the die hard wavesailor who doesn't mind going down the line on a 3.2. Yes, it really cranks in Pistol. ;-)

We held the Pistol River Jump Off in conjunction with the Pistol River Wave Bash from June 17-20, and once the final between Kevin and Francisco was over, we released the first heat of Jump Off riders after quickly putting Shadowboxes and GoPro's on Keith and Francisco's gear. (someone likened us to a NASCAR pit crew with the equipment swaps between riders)

We did two 20 minute heats of 7 riders per heat and took the highest stock and inverted air jumps from those heats to determine the winner after confirming that the rider sailed away from the jump(s) in order for those jumps to count.

Its interesting to note that in the Hookipa event, the stock airs were higher than the backloops, but in this event, the inverts were higher than the stock airs. Take note competitors of future jump offs - good strategy will be needed to hit the highest airs!

Special thanks to Richard Hallman for his awesome photography, and the Oregon Surf Shop for the Jet Ski and driver for Richard.

Tyson Poor takes the top Jump Off spot with his 30.8 foot backloop. UK sailing sensation Timo Mullen was sticking everything he tossed and jumped into second place and beat out the amazing style of Francisco Goya by only 5 inches!

2010 EpicSessions.tv/Shadowbox Pistol River Jump Off Official Results

INVERT JUMPS

1) Tyson Poor- 30.8ft

2) Timo Mullen- 28.5ft

3) Francisco Goya- 28 ft

4) Nathan Mershon- 27.8ft

5) Kevin Pritchard- 27.5 ft

6) Whit Poor- 27.3ft

7) Jesse Brown- 24.8 ft (Pushloop)

8) Kevin McGillivray- 21.7ft (Pushloop)

9) Russ Faurot- 21.1ft

10) Zane Schweitzer- 20.3 ft (Pushloop)

11) Skyler- 19.9 (Cheese Roll)

12) Sven Esslinger- 19.4 ft

13) Diego- 11.8ft (Forward)

STRAIGHT AIR JUMPS (Stock Air)

1) Tyson- 26.3

2) Timo- 25

3) Kevin Pritchard- 24.3

4) Kev Mc- 20.9

5) Jesse Brown- 19.6

6) Nathan- 17.8

6) Russ- 17.8

8) Whit- 17.6

9) Sven- 17.4

10) Skyler- 17.1

11) Cisco- 15.2

The Jump Off contests are a collaboration between EpicSessions.tv and Shadowbox. On the EpicSessions.tv team you've got myself and Jake Miller. On the Shadowbox side there's Casey Hauser. We're in the Gorge this summer and getting ready to launch the Jump Off Team Edition which will run from June 28-July 7. After the event, we'll be throwing a do-not-miss awards party on the evening of July 10. There will also be more individual Jump Off events this summer, so stay tuned here, on our Facebook Page (search for EpicSessions) or on EpicSessions.tv. Want to see how high YOU can go? Visit Shadowbox and order your own Shadowbox today!

The Pistol River EpicSessions/Shadowbox Jump Off

2010-06-15T13:03:00.004-05:00

Date : June 18-20 in conjunction with the Pistol River Wave Bash

Registration : Online registration is closed, on-site registration will be daily at the EpicSessions.tv vehicle (its got logos on it so you won't miss it) in the Pistol River parking lot. Entrance fees are $25 per rider, payable in cash only. (same for the bribes)

Classes : Men, Women. (Minimum 3 riders to create a class.)

Schedule : Elimination heats will run with 5 riders, with the rider with the highest jumping metrics moving on to the next round. First heats will be on Friday, weather permitting.

Metrics - (1) Highest back loop (landed), (2) highest forward loop (landed) and highest stock air (landed). Determination of landing for jump qualification will be done by the Shadowbox/EpicSessions.tv on site staff. (so keep your bribes handy!) Women's class will consist of highest stock air only.

When in the gorge...

2010-06-12T11:38:00.005-05:00

...you need to check out Temira's forecasts. She's got a sixth sense when it comes to wind, and when there's no wind, she's got 20+ other things you can do while your windsurfing gear dries out on a windless day.

If you happen across Temira while out sailing, she's easy to spot with her custom painted helmet, super stoked smile and her Hot sails are usually in some sort of contorted attitude of re-entry.

Her website, TheGorgeIsMyGym is a great guide for all things to do, see, stay and eat while you're in the Gorge. We'll be working with Temira on integrating her forecasts into the EpicSessions/Shadowbox Gorge Jump Off website so you'll know where to go and also we'll be keeping track of the teams daily as to where they're sailing. (unless they hit some super secret spot, then we'll put them into stealth mode).

Thanks to Temira, you have no more excuses to be well rested.

2010 Jump Off Series announcement

2010-06-04T15:07:00.014-05:00

Hey folks, we're pleased to announce the 2010 EpicSessions.tv/Shadowbox Jump Off Series!

The format is simple, the action is insane and the parties are epic. (what more do you need?)

The first mainland event will be held in conjunction with the Pistol River Wave Bash June 17-20 at Gold Beach. Competitors will compete in elimination heats for three measured metrics, 1) highest stock air, 2) highest forward loop and 3) highest backloop. Jumps must be landed to count.

The second event will be held in the Gorge between June 28 to July 7. This is a Team Edition event with six teams of two riders getting the biggest and sickest air based on 10 metrics over the ten day even with the awards party on July 10th. Each team will have a backpack with Shadowbox units, GoPro cameras, HD video cameras and all the supporting gear needed to record their epic sessions over the ten days.

Award Metrics

1.	Highest Jump (vertical)	$100
2.	Longest Jump (horizontal)	$100
3.	Highest Forward	$100
4.	Highest Backloop	$100
5.	Highest push loop	$100
6.	Highest shoveit	$100
7.	Fastest rotation - push or forward	$100
8.	Fastest double loop	$100
9.	Highest Shaka	$100
10.	Highest G loading impact	$100

Best of all, you'll be able to follow the teams on the EpicSessions.tv website with daily updates, sms alerts and live video from the action as it happens on select (ie., totally sick) days. The event party on July 10th is the party of the summer with sick video, tunes and entertainment.

The third Jump Off is for August in the SF Bay Area, followed by Sylt in September and then our second Maui Jump Off event in October. So stay tuned!

You can register for the events on the EpicSessions.tv website in the short term until the new website is ready. We're all stoked to see everyone at Pistol in two weeks!!

Jump-Off extended video and upcoming announcement!

2010-04-19T10:17:00.002-05:00

Here's the extended Jump Off video. Lots of killer new GoPro video in there that really lets you get an on-board feel for the heights the guys were getting.

Everyone loves our new contest format, and we're excited to announce the 2010 contest schedule later this week, so stay tuned!

How high can you go?

2010-04-07T12:56:00.004-05:00

It was a simple idea - how high can you go? Ok, that was too easy, so it turned into "How high can you go and land a backloop?" With all of the riders equipped with cameras from us at EpicSessions.tv and Shadowboxes, and cameras on the beach, we'd record the contest like no other in windsurfing history and award the winners based on REAL height data from the Shadowboxes.

Mother nature was pleased with the concept as she delivered some of the most insane winds and waves to combine into an epic jumping ground for the event.

Levi went 52.7 feet with the winning backloop and Boujmaa boosted to 62.3 feet for the highest overall jump. SWEEET!

Expect to see more events like this soon from the best windsurfing spots in the world!

Special thanks to Casey and Jake for pulling this off while I was stuck in Wisconsin. You guys rock!

Spring cleaning sale!

2010-03-25T08:00:00.015-05:00

Hey folks, wanna score some great gear cheap? I'm cleaning out the garage and I've got some great gear for sale. I'll list out the gear here, and photos (click for hi-res) are below.

2009 Goya Wave3D quiver 4.7, 5.0, 5.3, 5.7, 6.2, 6.8 - All the same color (pictured here)
$200 each, or $1000 for the entire quiver. All in excellent condition! (4.7, 5.3, and 6.8 are SOLD)

KA Kult Sails Quiver - 4.7, 5.3, 5.8, 6.4, 7.0 - all orange. $150 each or $650 for the whole quiver! All in excellent condition! (ALL SOLD!)

RRD TwinTip 110 Freestyle board - fin, straps $500 (excellent condition)

RRD Freestyle Wave 86 - fin, straps $500 (used, but great condition)

RRD WaveTwin 99 - fins, straps $750 (excellent condition) SOLD!

RRD X-Fire 98 Slalom board - Fin, straps $750 (new condition)

RRD X-Fire 75 Speed trials board - Fin, straps - $800 (new condition)

Email me if you are interested. dtroup at epicsessions dot tv

From left to right - WaveTwin99, TwinTip110 and FSW 86
Ka Kult's

RRD speed trials boards. 75 on the left, 98 on the right. 45.84mph on one of them. Which one?
Wave3D on the TwinTip 110
Wave3D and TwinTip 110
WaveTwin 99
Shaka! LOL

Webcast archives

2010-02-28T19:36:00.003-06:00

If you missed the webcasts from Jaws and Hookipa last week, we're putting up the archive videos for you to view. So, kick back, get some popcorn and enjoy the action!

Note - these files are LONG and unedited. You're looking at the EXACT frame rate and resolution that we broadcasted in. We'll get to editing the hours and hours of raw high res video down to a highlight reel, but until then, enjoy the archives!

CLICK HERE FOR THE ARCHIVES! Check back often as we're in the middle of uploading them - and we've got 6+ hours of archives being uploaded.

Ride Like The Wind

2010-02-28T09:52:00.003-06:00

Some video from Hookipa, boom mounted GoPro video on Jake, Whit and myself plus some Kuau action from Russ.

Monochromatic fun

2010-02-27T19:15:00.002-06:00

I know neon is all the rage, but I gotta say, this monochromatic setup I rode my first day was a sweet setup for light winds and a growing swell.

First, the rig. Since its introduction, I've been a fan of the Goya Eclipse. Levi's signature sail offers amazing low end power, fingertip handling yet you can tune it down in when the wind fills in. Lots of sails claim low end power with high end handling, but the Eclipse delivers. Compared to my Goya Wave3D's, the Eclipse has the power and handling of the W3D's, but with the added softness of the Guru's. Jason has created one of the best sails I've ever ridden, hands down. (gee, ya think I'm impressed?) Rumor is that the 2011 version will be lighter and more responsive.

I picked the 92 liter Quatro Wave for its float, but also its longer rail line for the larger swell that was inbound. You'd be hard pressed to find a better big wave, light air board out there. This board drives the line with power and control, but you don't get this performance without a compromise somewhere. And that somewhere is speed. Its like driving a truck in 4W low. Its powers up, and then stops accelerating. This board ins't made for jumping and planing upwind, its made for pure down the line wave performance. Period. Typical of Keith's boards, its very well balanced to give the rider amazing turns on the lip with the power to get in and out of deep wave sections with confidence. It doesn't quite have the snappiness of pocket power of the quad, but it offers big wave turns that quads have difficulties with. Interesting to note, that with its slow board speed, it loads the rig up with the unused power. This has an interesting side effect in that you can run with a smaller sail than you'd think giving you better handling on the wave with the smaller sail. A sweet design outcome indeed!

One wave : Kuau

2010-02-23T21:35:00.001-06:00

Sometimes, all you need is one wave. Sometimes, all you get is one wave.

And then you have to take what you get. (including the swim into the cove)

Jaws Webcast success!

2010-02-23T16:58:00.003-06:00

I'd like to thank everyone for not only tuning in to the 4 hour webcast today, but also for your patience as we dealt messed with settings, etc. in order to make the webcast viewing as smooth and high resolution as possible. From what we can tell, this was the first ever webcast from Jaws, and its not gonna be the last!

We had viewers from around the globe from the UK, France, mainland US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. All tallied - we had visitors from 51 countries for the webcast! (I think I saw that Alex had the stream on the projector in his Astronomy class of 300 students. Thanks Alex!)

Special thanks to the data center guys (Mark and Mike) for keeping everything running.

And super special thanks to our EpicSessions camera operator (pictured here), and professional sailor Jake Miller. Not only does he look good on camera, he is amazing behind the eyepiece as well.

We're working on the next webcast which looks like Thursday as the trades return to the north shore and the swell will still be pumping.

Mahalo!

Jaws Webcast - ITS A GO!

2010-02-23T02:57:00.004-06:00

Hey folks - the NWS is forecasting that..."Surf along north facing shores will rise to 20 to 28 feet tonight and Tuesday."... and we're all loaded up and ready to hit the bluff early tomorrow morning. After a late night Walmart run for some last minute odds and ends, we're all loaded up and ready to go. Some of the locals have been checking in with us, and we should have a good crew for tomorrow's webcast. Not quite true epic Jaws conditions by their standards, but I'm sure we'll get some killer rides for our worldwide viewing audience.

We'll be doing some video testing in the early morning (HST time) and we'd like some feedback on the quality of the webcast that you're seeing not only for our tweaking on the VERY remote bluff at Peahi, but also for our intrepid data center operations team who will be minding the video clusters back on the mainland.

If you are on the island, we'd love to have you stop by and say hi to the crew tomorrow.

And we'd like to give a special shout out to Troy and Cindy at Spreckshouse for our awesome accommodations while we're on the north shore. You can save 10% off of your Maui bookings just by telling Cindy you found Spreckshouse on EpicSessions!

We'll see you'all on the webcast chat tomorrow!

Jaws webcast update

2010-02-22T07:05:00.004-06:00

The EpicSessions.tv crew will be on the bluff at Peahi early on Tuesday morning. The swell should be fading throughout the day with the best sets before noon HST. We should begin broadcasting around 8am HST, though you should check back often in case we start early with good lighting and surf conditions.

There is another swell event for later in the week, peaking on Friday that has the potential to be larger than Tuesday's event. Stay tuned as the forecast firms up later in the week for this one.

On Thursday, we'll be webcasting live from Hookipa and Lanes for some epic windsurfing action and possibly from kite beach earlier in the day. Let us know in the comments box below and be sure to join our page on Facebook!

Alert Status!!

2010-02-19T06:56:00.008-06:00

Theres a massive swell inbound for the Hawaiian Islands for early next week, and if the forecast holds, Jaws could fire on Tuesday. If that happens, we'll be livecasting from the bluff at Peahi in the first ever live webcast of a major swell event at Jaws.

The webcast will be at EpicSessions.tv, and more information will be posted here and there as we get closer to the event.

UPDATE! There's a second, bigger wave event now on the forecast for later next week! And the trades will be back as well so there's some AMAZING potential for truly epic conditions. STAY TUNED!

Some of the cameras and gear needed for the webcast....

Destination known

2010-02-16T21:21:00.003-06:00

Four letters...

Mahi burgers.

Awesome surf.

Unlimited options.

Incredible adventure.

What more can you ask for?

Destination unknown

2010-01-21T09:40:00.004-06:00

I was very surprised this morning to discover that the opening spread for the high wind board tests in the newly redesigned Windsurfing Magazine is a shot of me!

Funny thing - since the day that shot was take in October, I've only sailed once. How pathetic. I should be stoked about the shot, and I am, but the harsh reminder of my lack of TOW (time on water) is kinda depressing.

Time to start searching for tickets - destination? Perhaps something a little more off the beaten path is in order. Hmmmmm....

Any suggestions?

ps - you can get a free trial issue of Windsurfing Magazine here.

pps - just found out my wife knew about this for weeks. Damn you Josh! LOL

No posts

2010-01-18T13:09:00.002-06:00

We're iced in here. Looking to escape to Maui in a few weeks.

Need. To. Sail.

Need. To. Surf.

Storm warning

2009-12-10T19:49:00.001-06:00

We had a blizzard this week, and while we got 17 inches of snow, the snow was not the problem. 50 knots out of the north east pushed a ton of water into the bay and raised the water up a few feet, bringing the waterline 30+ feet closer to everyone's boat houses, boat lifts, docks and assorted water toys.

The Gales of November

2009-11-10T23:18:00.004-06:00

No, I didn't forget. I just am a little late.

34 years ago today, November 10, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank with all hands.

My backyard is still. Only the call of the gulls and the lines of migrating geese interrupted the somber silence that had settled over the water this evening. In a replay of last week, the winds will clock back to the south and increase Thursday into Friday where they'll peak with gusts to 40mph.

While the voice in your head tells you that this is just a lake, the voices of the dead remind you that caution is an attribute of the living. I've learned to never turn your back or rest your eyes when dealing with her. She'll strike fast, hard and without remorse.

Video test

2009-11-07T19:37:00.003-06:00

I've been working on some configuration changes to the video encoder and playback, so I could use some feedback on the viewing of this video in terms of smoothness, speed of download, etc.

This is just some random video from the board test that I pulled off of a larger video that I'll be uploading once I get these encoder issues worked out.

Enjoy and gimme some feedback!

Quick Sheboygan video

2009-11-07T11:12:00.002-06:00

Great day yesterday at Sheboygan. Super powered, lots of sunshine. The Elbow was firing and the surfers were putting in at the outside ladder since the waves were breaking way outside.

I must have had old batteries in the GoPro's, since after 3 hours of sailing, I only had a few minutes of video. No matter - that day is seared into my brain. ;-)

Real quick

2009-11-05T08:16:00.004-06:00

Nice GoPro HD review here.

Mine are en-route. Hope to have them before tomorrow when the lake goes 8-12 feet, but I doubt it.

Next post will be FULL of GoPro video goodness. (Carl - this ones for you!)

Flying... (home)

2009-10-20T00:28:00.004-05:00

Ah, another annual high wind board test finished, my final thoughts on the boards committed to paper, the final de-rig and packing of wet rash guards, harness and proto booms.

Today was a casual day, blasting on an overpowered 4.7 at uppers going big and sometimes paying the price. Jake was spot on nailing everything and anything he went for. Russ must have been feeling better with a few forwards on the bad ankle. Francisco hung out for a while - always good to see his smile! Keith brought by a freestyle wave proto for 2010 that looked great, but he is making a few more tweaks before it goes to Cobra. Testers were making their final runs on the boards, and some were plotting how to smuggle their fave home.

Ray crashed big - video to come soon - and messed his knee up for the rest of his trip. Kinda like last year on the Red Rhino, eh?

Anyway, I'm committing this post to the blog, and then its off to the airport for my flight to the mainland.

Aloha!

Ps - and yes, I can fly. Not for very long, but I can really soar! ;-)

Killer!

2009-10-19T14:53:00.003-05:00

Sunday was awesome. Spectacular. Epic. Pick your word for it, it killed. Everyone was on fire and the winds were jacked.

Hats off to Carl for getting around his first four forward loops! He's totally stoked to be 44 and learning to go over the bars - he can claim it as Ray saw one and the GoPro's caught them all (video forthcoming).

Sorry for the lack of video - there's just too much to go through as I've been running 3-4 GoPro's on the gear generating a lot of video and too little time to go through it.

Today's my last day on the island. I'm stoked to sail, and very ready to head home back to the family. Its been another good test trip, one for the books.

Great day!

2009-10-18T13:32:00.006-05:00

Wow, what a day. The wind was looking great, and the light was perfect for photos. The crew was a bit slow from the night before, having enjoyed sake and sushi at Jacques followed by marathon sessions on the dance floor until the lights came on (gasp!). Some piled on the Advil, one jumped in the ocean and the remedies seemed to work and we hit the water to warm up before Erik and the helicopter arrived.

I gotta say, having a helicopter 15 horizontal feet off of your mast tip while you're blasting across the water is way cool. I sure hope the photo turns out. The pilot had the chopper right on top of me to the point that I could read the make and model of Erik's camera gear. Yeah, it was that close. If I would have bore off, I'm sure my mast tip would have hit the skids. (I hope there wasn't a huge booger hanging off my nose! LOL)

An hour later Erik was back to take some more photos of the team from the water with his fisheye lens. This is always a blast as you have to literally sail on top of him to get the shot. As last year, I stuck a GoPro on his helmet and got some good video that I'm still going through. Everyone was tearing it up and I know there's a pile of great shots in there.

I spent the bulk of my day on the 2010 5.3 Goya Guru, and I was super pleased with it. The new model has way more low end power (which I need) and handles like a dream on a wave and in the air. My only complaint is that I noticed that the 2010 Goya's don't have the pocket in the mast pad for your downhaul line like last year. That's it. That's my only gripe. ;-)

I'd bet that I end up on the 4.7 Eclipse today. It was already crankin at 7am - always a good sign. I've got a super busy schedule planned that includes running the entire fleet to uppers for some head to head wave testing. If I get that done before the wind quits, I'm gonna grab my favorite board and have a little personal fun time in the waves. Carl is planning to learn to loop today - which has Josh a little apprehensive. Not sure why, since Carl will be wearing his helmet. ;-)

Aloha!

Wind? Really?

2009-10-16T16:01:00.003-05:00

Today there's a stirring in the trees as the trade winds return to the north shore. Everyone's pretty stoked to get back on the boards and get our testing mojo on.

We've been spending our last few windless days surfing, SUP'ing and recovering from the flu that's been having its way with a few members of the test team. Josh is back to 100% and Aaron is almost there as well. I think I've successfully fought off the yuck with the medicine bombing of my system and fingers are crossed that the rest of the crew doesn't succumb this weekend. ;-)

The coming weekend looks great for some solid back-to-back sailing days with some really decent winds that should get everyone onto small sails and give these high wind boards a real run through.

See you next post with some meat!

Get a grip!

2009-10-14T02:24:00.007-05:00

In addition to new boards being tested, I've been sailing some prototype booms this trip. Now I'm kinda particular about my booms. Specifically in diameter, stiffness and overall user friendliness with the front end, rear pulley and cleat, and easy to use size markings.

And most of all, they need to be strong. I'm a big guy and I sail hard on my gear. One summer I taco'd so many aluminum booms the manufacturer stopped replacing them and strongly recommended to rider their carbon model. (I liked the aluminum one for its reduced diameter). I have to admit that I was a bit sceptic about the survivability of these booms when I was asked to test them. But hey, thats part of the deal, right?

That said, I like these booms. So much that I forget I'm sailing aluminum. But alas, they're stiff and crisp when sailing. What's so special about them? The grip. There's a pronounced "V" on the inside of the boom that makes it super easy to grip the boom, especially when wave sailing. Take a close look at the photos, but keep in mind that we used a wide angle lens to accentuate the view of the "V".

In normal sailing, the grip was less taxing on my forearms. When doing tricks, it was easier to snag the boom with a few fingers and on some near misses, I pulled it out because of the "V". I really noticed the "V when wavesailing - it was super comfy when working hard on the rig going down the line.

Items to note - the diameter was large for some of the women or people with smaller hands, but the production version of them will be about 15% smaller and with a less pronounced "V".

The locking pins for the adjustments were user friendly and beefy, but I wish they'd mark the extension with overall length cm and not just cm of adjustment. The head was nice, though I think there's a more refined version in the works.

The best thing about these booms - the price. I'm not going to disclose MSRP, but in today's economy, these booms are priced right, perhaps even below what I think the value is for them.

And if you've never heard of the brand, rest assured, while they may not be a household name in the North American windsurfing market, these guys have been around the block and then some in Europe. No worries there at all.

Check 'em out, give them a try and get a better grip on your sailing.

Intermission

2009-10-13T16:50:00.003-05:00

The trades have backed down today and while the team is scattered around the island, here's a little video for the home audience to enjoy.

This is from last February 15 at Hookipa. Low clouds, rain squalls and a dirty lens make this video less than stellar but Robby, Roberto and the rest of the Hoo crew make it worth watching.

Sit back, go widescreen and pass the popcorn.

UPDATE - Kihei is windy (15-27) - rounding up the crew to head over and get wet!

Kihei crash

2009-10-12T15:40:00.002-05:00

Of special note - after the gear settles, you can see me swimming back to my gear. ;-)

Fins!

2009-10-12T10:45:00.009-05:00

One thing that has everyone's attention in this year's test fleet are the number of fins on the boards.

We have a tri fin board, a quad fin board, twinzers, twinzers with thrusters, and of course, a few single fin boards thrown in for good measure. One board can be set up as a quad, thruster or single fin depending on your conditions or emotional state of sailing zen. Imagine the fin quivers you will have owning one of these sticks!

A common confusion by passers by is that one of these two boards isn't a quad. But they are - just two radically different takes on the quad concept.
The Quatro in the foreground is more of a twin with thrusters and the Starboard in the background is almost the exact reverse with the main power fins up front and outboard of the rear directional fins. The boards actually have a similar tail and volume distribution shape, but the drive delivered by the fin position makes the boards handle very differently. Of course I can't go into detail about how they sail, you'll have to wait for the board test issue of Windsurfing Magazine for that, but its safe to say that this year's fleet offers sailors a diverse set of boards unlike any in past years. Check out the latest issue of WindSurfing for a great interview with Keith on the Quatro Quad!

Oh, and BTW - Pascal is the shizzle!!

Day two

2009-10-12T03:35:00.004-05:00

Yeah, we've got a bit of gear to test. (and this is only one of two vans)

Damn. Maui, even when it sucks, its good.

The morning dawned with the promise (or lies - take your pick) of wind with a nice NW swell. We had laundry lists of crap to do before 11a, and I gotta tell ya... we were motivated. Big time.

As the clock ticked over from 10:59 to 11a, I launched to lowers to score some of the sweet waves we were drooling over for the previous hour. While I can't tell you what board I was on, my 5.7 2010 Goya Eclipse was treating me fine as I dug into my first wave of the sesh.

A board switch and 2 hours later, I was back on the beach after two amazing sessions in chest to head high waves at lowers. After the rain squall passed, the wind puked and I lucked out and got a puff to waterstart my ass back to the beach as everyone else swam for life with the thoughts of the 10ft tiger shark that was hanging out in the break yesterday.

Back on shore the consensus was to bail and head to Kihei and get some sailing, albeit without waves. But hey - sailing is better than sitting on the beach TALKING about sailing, right? ;-)

A quick refuel and a drive across the island and we're in Kihei where I've not sailed since my first trip to Maui back in 1987. Yeah, I'm an old fart. ;-)

Now I got to experience the 2010 4.7 Eclipse. I had a front row seat to Jake on his Eclipse prototypes this summer in the Gorge, and now I had one of the final items all to myself and I was tickled pink with it. Yeah, I know, regardless of what sail it is .. being on a 4.7 rules. Period. (more about those sails later)

Back in the day, I hated Kihei. Today, a bit past 41 years on this planet, I was loving it. Overpowered, rocking it with some friends, letting the boards run as hard as we'd push 'em and going for broke on some of the worst voodoo chop known to man. Yeah, it was a gas.

Full of Advil and knee brace tightened almost to the point of pain, I was no longer 41 years old, father of three, now CEO. I was a young sailor, stupid in all respects, going for broke with no regard to the outcome of my behavior.

I think I'll call the move the "TNT" .. after all, it was a bit of an explosion. Ask Ray, it was kinda spectacular since my gear almost hit him.

All in all, a great day. In the grand scheme of things I've had better days on Maui, but this day stands out for the unique events that made the day epic.

A quick survey of the crew proved smiles across the board, and what more can you ask for?

We have a bit of video to go through, look for most detailed posts soon. ;-)

Josh is on the mend - He's got the H1N1 at bay. Can't you tell??

Oh yeah, Sam had fresh brownies. Yum yum!

Day one

2009-10-10T22:15:00.005-05:00

We had a super nice day surfing and SUP on the southside. Waves galore and smiles all around. Many thanks to Dave and the Naish crew for hooking us up. (and to the Odwalla guys for the drinks and energy bars)

There's a big NW swell coming in overnight and wind the next two days to get some testing in before the doldrums set in mid week.

We've got quads, twins with thrusters and tri fins. These boards are just begging to be ridden. The vans are full of '010 sails, prototype booms and all sort of fun water toys.

Hopefully we'll have video, etc. for tomorrow. The HD's and GoPros' are chrged and the crew is very ready.

Stay tuned!

UPATE - Its 7a sunday morning and there's wind in the trees, and all spots are showing normalized trade wind direction and speeds. The stoke is high for some testing today. ;-)

Should I stay or should I go?

2009-10-07T21:28:00.004-05:00

Ug. The Maui forecast looks terrible. Don't get me wrong, the SWELL forecast looks great, but the wind forecast... bleh.

So, I'm debating about holding off leaving for the island until things firm up. Then again, the Gorge forecast looked even worse this summer and I ended up sailing 3.7 three days in a row in truly epic conditions.

I'm not worried about sitting around doing nothing. That's impossible on Maui. There's world class surfing, stand up paddle surfing, longboard windsurfing, snorkeling, SCUBA, deep ocean fishing, hiking, and on and on and on.

Still, I'm there to sail. Specifically sail the collection of 2010 high wind boards 80-90 liters. Catapult is thinking he'll work on his schlogging - I think he weighs like 160lbs wet, and I can't imagine what I'll be doing. Perhaps a U-Boat captain impersonation?

So, should I stay or should I go?

Maui on my mind

2009-10-01T13:24:00.005-05:00

I'm a week away from returning to Maui for a week of high wind board tests with Windsurfing Magazine and I'm already starting to get the Maui twitch. They've been enjoying a lot of great swell the past month, and I just hope that this is a sign of what we might get for this year's test.

I'll be blogging daily about the goings on, antics, injuries, etc., so check back often. There will be plenty of video and photos, and perhaps...just perhaps, some live streaming action if conditions warrant it. ;-)

If you missed last year, you can find most of the posts here, just scroll down to the bottom to catch all the entries.

Ok - time to get back to work and stop thinking about Maui. Really.

GoPro HD footage

2009-09-29T07:13:00.003-05:00

GoPro is finalizing its much anticipated HD version of its popular wide angle action sports cameras and has released a video and some info about the HD Wide camera system.

A few notes :

- 30fps at the full 1080p
- 60fps mode at 720p
- 720p footage is recorded at 170 degrees wide
- 1080p footage is recorded at 127 degrees wide
- much (!) improved audio

Check out the HD action here.

Sure would be nice to have one for the upcoming Maui board tests in two weeks... ;-)

Lake cam

2009-09-28T13:17:00.002-05:00

We're socked in with rain here, but here's a quick grab from a cam on Lake Michigan. Note the spray over the pier from the previous wave.

UPDATE - I did get out for about an hour on a 4.7 OP in my backyard around 3p. Now you'd need a 2.7. Its insane out there!

Nice day on the lake

2009-09-27T22:01:00.004-05:00

Today was an amazing day for the end of September. In advance of the ballistic winds tomorrow, we had nice southerly winds 20-25 and killer warm temps. I wasn't prepared for the warmth and only had my 3/2 convertible - when I could have easily sailed in a shorty. The sun was out, the winds were nice - what more could you ask for?? Ok, I would have liked some bigger waves. Though by the end they were head high, I still can't complain. (tomorrow they'll be 15 foot - so I'll get what I ask for)

I was taking it easy on account of my knee (see photo below), and I'd like to go to Maui in two weeks ready to sail, albeit with that knee brace. Still, the sesh was awesome ... ok, it was epic. Its been a dry summer for good lake action, and everyone scored big time.

Make a bet with your life

2009-09-27T08:48:00.005-05:00

We've had a rather windless fall season thus far, but thats about to come to an abrupt end.

Today (Sunday) South winds ahead of the front will bring us mild temps and winds 20-25 knots in the afternoon. Monday winds will switch to the Northwest and blow at storm force strength of 55 knots with higher gusts. Lake Michigan will be pumping waves 14-18 feet.

Winds subside on Tuesday and clock northerly at 30 knots.

Fall sailing on Lake Michigan is some of the most technical and challenging of places I've ever sailed. While the waves are big, they're close together and when you go down, its not like the ocean where you have time to recover. I've gotten mauled by 24+ foot waves on Maui, and while it was a challenging 45 minutes of swimming with trashed gear, it doesn't compare do getting pinned down on the Lake in the fall with its cold water. I've gown down on the outside break with my gear ripped out of my hands and being forced to swim 200 yards to the beach where my gear was waiting for me at the high water mark. There's no lifeguards with jetski's to pull you to safety. There's just you, the Lake and perhaps lady luck.

Its true survival sailing. Heading out and picking your way through the Greyhound bus sized waves I can't help but hearing The Gambler by Kenny Rogers in my head. "You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em. Know when to walk away, know when to run."

Skate + BMX + urban jumper

2009-09-09T22:14:00.001-05:00

I've seen some impressive riders, but this guy kills it.

I'd like to post about my Epic Sessions...

2009-09-09T08:01:00.005-05:00

But its been flat. Dead flat. No wind whatsoever in the past 10 days. I'd like to be optimistic about the upcoming 10 day forecast, but there's nothing in it to give the slightest inclination of a worthy breeze. Its actually been negatively windy. Its been so dead that the spiders have built spider webs on my wind meter. (sigh)

On the plus side, I'm gonna lock in my October Maui board test plane ticket today. ;-)

UPATE - Maui is booked. Stoked.

New issue

2009-09-04T14:10:00.003-05:00

The new issue of the Mag is out. Emmy's favorite article was Aaron's. Actually, she liked the pictures the best. Go figure.

Meaty!

2009-08-30T09:05:00.004-05:00

As they say, good things come to those who wait. We drove an hour through the rain up north to Ephraim in Door County and after a big of checking, we headed to Eagle Bluff point in the state park. A place I've not sailed since I was 16 or so.

The point was taking some amazing waves, but early in the sesh, you didn't wanna get caught inside as the wind was picking off the water to get over the bluff onshore. 30 minutes into the sesh, the wind jacked, and so did the waves. Mike and I sailed over to the island to add some downhaul since there was no way to make it back to the rocky beach where we had launched from. We had other options for when we had to make it back, but for now, we were gonna stay out and tear it up.

We'd been sailing for 2 hours now, and the waves were head to logo high with the occasional mast high set. Our 5.3's were WAAAY too big, but since returning to rig down wasn't an option, we stayed out. Its about this time that some friends of ours finally made it out to us on their small kites having launched from another protected cove.

The waves were super meaty - lots of pitching and pounding with very little room for error as if you went down, you'd be on the rocks in no time at all. I got hammered by a medium sized one and barely, BARELY made it out of there. Way sketchy, but worth it.

We packed it out just before sunset and I enjoyed a little post sailing carnivore delight. 24oz of local prime rib (photo above) to feed my body for a job well done. ;-)

Anyone for a road trip?

2009-08-26T13:14:00.003-05:00

Anyone up for a little road trip? Looks like newly formed Danny is gonna make a visit to the outer banks.

To the victor go the spoils!

2009-08-18T09:40:00.002-05:00

Last spring when Catapult and I were visiting our good friends Chris and Heather in the UK, a little wager was put between Chris and Catapult as to who would do a forward loop first. They each put 20 quid on the bet, and I tossed in an additional 20 to bring the pot to a healthy 60 quid.

Now Chris had been trying a few on the previous Maui trip in October '08, and tried a few more on that UK trip when we had a nice day of sailing on the NE coast of England. (gotta tell ya - sailing with castles in the background is pretty damn cool!) I was thinking that Chris had the upper hand, but Catapult just posted this video.

Well, that settles it. Catapult gets the 60 quid. Congrats Aaron!!

Quit yer bitchin!

2009-08-17T07:55:00.011-05:00

Earlier this summer I was sailing on the west side of Green Bay with a few friends of mine who were kiting. It was super flat and the wave angle really sucked for jumping, but it was warm and windy and I was happy to be sailing. As much as I was frustrated with the wave angles, I was still smiling, but kinda grumpy. I just couldn't shake my frustration with the lack of waves...

While I was in for a break, an old sailing friend Paul shows up at the beach. Mind you, this is a guy I've not sailed with in 25+ years. Really. He lives nearby (I'd not known that) and was stoked to see someone sailing as he usually sails alone.

"Should I get my gear and come sail with ya?" he asked.

"Hell yeah! That would be awesome!" I replied with enthusiasm.

He got a worried look on his face, "Uh ... my gear is kinda old."

"Who cares? It worked then, it will work now, right?"

"Ok!" he smiled. "I'll be right back!"

In 15 minutes, he showed up. I could NOT believe my eyes. He rolls in with his Windsurfer Rocket 103, circa 1985!!

Duuuude! I was in amazement. Minutes later, we were on the water, all smiles just as we were 25+ years ago. And just like back then, he was blazing on his '103 having a blast.

Next time you're bitchin' about your gear or the conditions, think about this story. Suck it up and get out there and smile!

Classic Hatchery Action

2009-08-09T18:02:00.004-05:00

I love the Gorge. I love sailing big swell at the Wall and rocket ramps at Arlington. But gimme a killer day at the Hatchery, and I'm in Heaven. On this day (July 11), I had some downtime with my elbow so I parked on the rocks for a bit and caught some of the action. I was getting killed on a 4.0 that I borrowed from Casey - and most guys my size were on 3.7's.

Ride with Jake!

2009-07-30T11:18:00.001-05:00

Take a ride with Jake Miller on a wicked 3.7 day at Arlington. Yup - the same day as the video from two posts ago.

HD on board?

2009-07-23T08:45:00.002-05:00

This is something I've been waiting for - GoPro is FINALLY going to sell an HD capable GoPro WIDE camera. Not only does this baby do 1080p at 30fps, but also will do 720p at 60fps. Anyone who's used the GoPro's will tell you that they eat batteries like candy - and in this new HD version they'll finally ship it with a rechargeable battery for 2-3 hours of recording time.

Me. Want. Now.

The Gorge delivers!

2009-07-14T14:04:00.004-05:00

I have to admit - when I arrived on Friday, the forecast didn't look all that good. They were calling for Easterlies on Saturday, and light westerlies Sunday, etc. But early Saturday morning, Temira called and exclaimed "Its 25 at Hatch!". I didn't believe her. Not one bit. A quick check of the HatchCam and I was shaken back to reality as it was a solid 25-27 and building. That was four days ago - the past 3 days I've been overpowered on a 3.7 every day.

Shot a lot of video, but we've been sailing too much to get through it all. This is from Monday (yesterday) at Arlington. Enjoy!

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In Da Hood!

2009-07-10T18:47:00.003-05:00

Just arrived in the Gorge and all sorts of interesting thing going on. First off - hard to not notice the barge stuck on the sand bar right out front of town! Seems an errant barge driver managed to get 1/2 mile out of the channel last night a 3:30am and plowed his barge full of GASOLINE onto the sand bar. They've raised the water level (via the damn) up 3+ feet, but alas, she's still stuck like glue to the sand bar.

Ran into Francisco Goya over at Windance where they're doing some GOYA product demos this weekend when the wind returns. And of course, we don't need wind for the BBQ Saturday night!

That's all for now - I'm off to do a quick SUP sesh on the river. Catch ya'll tomorrow with more reports, photos, videos, and possibly.... possibly.... live action! ;-)

Really warming up!

2009-06-27T07:05:00.004-05:00

Nothing like a week of 90 degree temps and sunshine to crank up the water temperature here in the bay. Overall, the Great Lakes are really warm for this time of year. (except for Superior - which never really gets warm ... those surfers and sailors up there use their drysuits year-round!)

Its supposed to crank for the next few days, and I hope my freestyle board survives enough so I get my fill.

Yes, I'm ALIVE!

2009-06-20T08:32:00.003-05:00

Yes, despite the rumors to the contrary, I am alive. And yes, I'll be blogging again.

;-)

New shape in town

2009-06-20T08:26:00.002-05:00

Check out the hourglass design on this longboard. Way cool.

Fins fins fins!

2009-04-15T11:15:00.002-05:00

At the photo shoots last week on Maui, there were lots of fins in the water - and I'm not talking Tiger sharks! RRD was fielding a really nice looking tri fin - from what I could see, the fins were all the same size, but don't take that to the bank.

Here we have Kauli's quad finned JP. Sure it might not be for most riders out there, but it sure works for him.

You could tell by the cutbacks which riders were on twin or quad finned boards by the way the board rotated on the lip - single finned boards just don't snap around like these mutants do. It requires a different stance not only how you handle the board, but also in rig control as the board comes around quickly to point back to windward. Personally I really like the handling, but when it gets big, I prefer a single fin board with more rail drive and control.

What say you?

Hookipa Tuesday highlights

2009-04-09T22:12:00.003-05:00

Big and beautiful. Lots of swimming - lots of carnage on the rocks. Enjoy! ;-)

Monday webcast highlights

2009-04-07T15:11:00.005-05:00

Here are the highlights from Monday's webcast. This is directly off of the webcast camera and I've kept it in chronological order. We had some visitors who stopped by to say hello, many of whom you'll be seeing in future webcasts and in other EpicSesh videos. Also of note - Jake spent a lot of time swimming .... not sure if thats part of training, but still, he swims like a fish! ;-)

Enjoy!

ps - I've still got a TON of HD video from Monday that I'll post shortly. Of sad note - I crushed one of my GoPro's mounted to my booms yesterday. ;-(

Sunday, bloody sunday

2009-04-05T23:50:00.001-05:00

The good news - the WNW swell arrived. The bad news? Rain showers squelched the wind at Hookipa, but that didn't keep the crew off the water.

Enjoy some dark Hookipa sessions!

Friday's Hookipa video

2009-04-05T00:16:00.011-05:00

I shot this prior to the webcast on Friday. Of note - Josh Stone on the red Goya sail. Seriously, Josh rips. I've had a few sesh's with Josh on the Cali coast and one things for certain - no matter where Josh is - he rips. Period. And even if the day totally sucks, he's smiling. After all, even when you think things suck, its still an amazing life we lead.

Today (Saturday) was kinda funny. I was late to the webcast due to the fact that I didn't wanna come in as I was having way too much fun sailing with Jake and Pascal.... Anyway, I did go in, and get the webcast set up - and the wind backed off (as you all saw on the webcast) but while I was dealing with technical issues with the webcast, I noticed GP on the webcast chat. "Damn," I thought ... "Why the hell isn't he here?" 10 minutes later GP shows up and says, "I wasn't sure about going to Hookipa, then I saw the webcast and so-and-so was ripping and I bailed and drove here ASAP" ... or something like that. Anyway - it was cool that the webcast got GP to come out and rip it up. ;-)

Enjoy Friday's video. The next few days are gonna be amazing.

Friday's webcast archive is here.

Friday recap

2009-04-04T12:17:00.005-05:00

Yup. Friday rocked. The weather was perfect, and the crew was on fire. The forecast is looking interesting, very interesting. GP had some nice shots - check 'em out!

The pros were out 'en force as their all on the island for their respective team photo shoots, and the action on the webcast was awesome. We'll be webcasting again today and I'll also put some GoPro's on some riders to get some extra action for everyone.

I'll be posting HD video and also the archived webcast video from Friday later today.... I'm off to Hookipa now to get some sailing in before the webcast. Catch ya'll online around 2pm HST!

Click here to watch the webcast at 2pm HST.

Perfect score

2009-04-02T23:56:00.003-05:00

Since my first Maui trip in 1987, I've been scoring amazing conditions on the island without fail. At the risk of jinxing my current trip, here's the current forecast.

FRIDAY
East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. Mixed swell northwest 3 ft and east 4 ft. Scattered showers.

SATURDAY
East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. Swell east 4 ft. Scattered showers.

SUNDAY
East winds to 25 kt. Wind waves 8 ft. Mixed swell north 3 ft and east 4 ft. Scattered showers.

MONDAY
East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 7 to 8 ft. Northwest swell 5 to 6 ft and north 5 ft. Scattered showers.

TUESDAY
East winds 20 kt. Wind waves 6 to 7 ft. Northwest swell 7 ft and north 5 ft. Scattered showers.

I'm supposed to head home Sunday, but I have to admit that the swell for Monday/Tuesday is really making those plans difficult.

Really...

Anyway, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. We have our webcast tomorrow (Friday) and I know the crew is stoked to tear it up at Hookipa. Hopefully I'll get someone to run the cam while I take in a sesh or two in front of the lens.

I'm back, and gone!

2009-04-01T11:21:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. I've been busting ass at work, and traveling (for work) is ramping back up again. I did manage to get a quick afternoon sesh at Chrissy Field with Catapult and Kevin (who has a new blog - check it out!) one day while I was in San Francisco last week. It wasn't anything spectacular, but I'd never sailed Chrissy and it was cool.

Nothing going on around here - though the ice is FINALLY breaking up and I awoke this morning to open water past the 100m or so of ice still locked into our shoreline. Spring is winning! ;-) I hope to be sailing in a week or two, but first...

...I'm off to Maui tomorrow! Late notice, and its a quick trip. I'll be webcasting again this trip, so stay tuned for more details. Webcast days will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The wind forecast looks good, waves - eh, so-so, and I just hope we get more sun than the forecast predicts.

So, the next post will be from Maui.

Aloha!

Wasted resource

2009-03-10T07:18:00.002-05:00

You know its funny how sailors look at the weather, even though its impossible to sail. You'd think we would know better and just ignore it, but there's something in my mind that can't leave well enough alone.

I awoke to the little voice in the back of my head saying, "Hey, its gonna be windy today. REALLY windy..." Checking the weather and whoa! We do have wind today ... 25-35 with gusts to 50.

Now I just need to find some water thats not frozen over!

Asymetrical fins

2009-03-03T13:00:00.004-06:00

I had a good conversation with Keith Teboul and Jake Miller about twin fins, and both Keith and Jake pointed out that they're not only fond of twins (Fins! We're talking about fins!), but they're running different sized fins on each side to maximize turning or grip performance for wavesailing. For more turns (at Hookipa), they are running a smaller fin on the starboard side.

This stemmed out of a conversation about Keith's latest board that he was sailing at Hookipa, and if you watch the Hookipa video down the page on this blog, you'll notice its short length and how super snappy it is when Keith gets in (and out) of tight wave situations. The board for its length has a fair amount of rocker, but Keith feels that because its short he can ease the rocker a bit without sacrificing turning ability and still amplify planing,top end speed and control during bottom turns. Of course, the board still needs a capable driver, and Keith rips. Being a shaper with sailing skills such as his, its no wonder his boards rock. ;-)

At any rate, I'm looking forward to trying out some asym fin configurations on my boards this sailing season. My boards are plenty loose, but I'm interested to see just how further they can be pushed.

Economic Stimulus Sale!

2009-02-27T09:43:00.008-06:00

I'm selling my entire quiver of KA Kult sails. Its a great quiver of powerful sails that's been used very little - some of the sails used hardly at all!

7.0, 6.4, 5.8, 5.3, 4.7

All are orange and black, all with original bags, etc. $200 each, or you can take the whole quiver - yes, all five sails for $900 and I'll pay for ground shipping anywhere in the U.S.!

Want to sweeten the deal? How about a matching RRD FreestyleWave 86 with straps and fin for $650??!

OMG - can it get better? Heck yeah! How about a Nolimitz 430 mast for $100 and V10 carbon boom for $150 in on the package?

Lets review -

Full quiver - $900. 86liter RRD - $650. Toss in the mast for an additional $100 and add a carbon boom for $150 (heck, it even has harness lines on it!) ... That's $1800 for a complete setup.

Buy the whole thing and I'll throw in a chinook mast base and universal for FREE and drop the package price to $1650. DUUUDDEEEE!

Hurry up before I change my mind!! ;-)

Kanaha lost footage

2009-02-24T10:55:00.003-06:00

Its amazing what goodies you can find on missing SD cards in the bottom of my bag.

Note - look for the background action and the surprise I had way out on the outside at Kanaha. ;-)

Just the guys skiing

2009-02-23T09:51:00.000-06:00

Hookipa Sunday, Feb 15

2009-02-16T10:48:00.000-06:00

Color commentary

2009-02-15T13:07:00.003-06:00

Today we're gonna up the webcast experience with color commentary from Giampaolo. This should be interesting to say the least. We're gonna get things started around 2:30pm HST - after all, GP and I need to get some sailing in before we camp out on the bluff. ;-)

So, if you have time, pop on over to EpicSessions.tv and check out the action at Hookipa.