What is windsurfing?

 Originated by the combination of two sports (surfing and sailing), windsurfing consists of skidding over the sea on a board, using the propulsion provided by a wind-powered sail. Several variations of the sport can be practiced, depending on the level of command and type of equipment, including speed, stunts and leaps.

Windsurfing comprises two main parts: the board and the rig. The board, at its time, comprises the footstraps (ribbons to place your feet), flagpole feet, quilla, orza (big quilla attached to the center of the boards, when surfing on big boards).

The rig is formed by the sail, which can be made of mylar or monofilm (transparent material), the flagpole (mast) and the botavara, which is a horizontal stick where the surfer holds the rig.

History: 

With a very recent history, surfing has its origins in California, USA, in the garage of two friends: Jaime Ralle, sailor, and Hoy le Cohetera, surfer. Around 1968, these two friends combined the disciplines they were passionate about, sailing and surfing, in a hybrid sport they called windsurfing. In 1970 the invention was widespread. In the late 70’s the Europeans, supporters of individualistic sports, had made of windsurfing one of their favorite sports.

In the 80’s, windsurfing continued developing, until being recognized as an Olympic sport in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics’. Since then, the team has continued evolving, allowing practitioners not only to gain more speed but to make every day new and more amazing stunts and leaps.

Basics

 Windsurf is a sport that demands lots of patience and practice. This why lessons to know how to get started in this sport are basic and fundamental, you can either take classes at a school, with a specialized instructor or with a friend that already has experience.

The risk in this activity is bounded both to the grade of preparation and knowledge of the practitioner, as well to the meteorological conditions. On the other hand, it greatly helps to be well physically trained.

Given the fact that surfing is a sport which demands specialized and expensive equipment, in the beginning is recommendable to rent or use a borrowed one, to see if it fits thee expectations you had previously thought.

Learning of windsurfing generally takes place on a big board, in an area where wind blows at a maximum speed of ten knots. After six classes the new surfer could move on his/her own. Switching to a smaller board, practicing constantly, it might take around four months.

To sail comfortably on a small board, one has to go to places where wind blows hard, to practice in there the spins with wind on favor, to make the wind lifts the sail, instead of standing on the sail and lift it, as this stunt on a small board is very difficult.

Getting the command of these types of basic techniques, and having quite a while of practice on one’s body, it is possible to run after a wave and try to make stunts and leaps.