Especially 3/4 of the way into it

http://www.star-board.com/AutumnWinter2011/news_events/read.php?threadid=9358

throwing the rig into the air and then catching it - incredible.

"It's like dancing, or figure-skating, and the sail is like your dancing partner" - my acidic (yet lovely) wife.

Dancing is foreplay. That sail is going to get it.

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sausage said...

throwing the rig into the air and then catching it - incredible.

now we know what to do when the UJ breaks...

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evlPanda said...

"It's like dancing, or figure-skating, and the sail is like your dancing partner" - my acidic (yet lovely) wife.

Dancing with the Starboards...

Wow! I was just about to post a topic on the forum about this when I noticed it was already on!

I filmed this movie recently here in Bonaire where one of the many highlights of our trip was having the privilege of seeing Caesar Finies performing Flowstyle. He is graceful, powerful, aggressive and precise. He is inspirational and mesmerising to watch.



He came from a BMX (flat land) background and brought some of the gymnastic/acrobatic BMX-style moves into this new discipline. We couldn't take our eyes off him and couldn't get tired of watching as often as we could. When we first saw him, we felt a lot like the first time we saw the Cirque du Soleil.



I think this form of windsurfing will provide many of us with the answer to our continuous problem of what to do when the wind doesn't come up. Practicing Flowstyle is a means to practice sail handling and increase wind awareness which will improve windsurfing skills for any discipline you choose in stronger wind.

Our kids (as well as all the kids here) wanted to copy Caesar! We could see them trying pirouettes, jumps, ducks, 360s, rail rides and even throwing their sails around in the most unexpected ways. He was inspiring them all to give new things a go, have fun and mix it up, rather than just sailing out and back.

Very inspirational !!

how wide is the board a elephant could dance on that

i go down my loacl beach and there is no wind there is no windsurfers.

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busterwa said...

i go down my loacl beach and there is no wind there is no windsurfers.

If there's zero, then so be it.
But if no wind = 12-15 knots and they're no windsurfers, then that is lame.

In the last year, we've promoted lesser-wind freestyle at the local spot here. We now get 5-6 guys when there's only 11-12 knots wind. This is new: before it was all wind snobs on the beach (still are many of course).

We do non-planing 360s, duck tacks and what not. We also have couple of old longboards for railride tricks. Technically it is half-boring, two-thirds athletic, and frankly a lot of fun. 5-6 is not a lot, but it's enough to have fun.

The overall result is that the skills for those kids in the 15-25 knot range has improved drastically in the course of the summer.

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... is a means to practice sail handling and increase wind awareness which will improve windsurfing skills for any discipline you choose in stronger wind.

Exactly my point.

Just a note : to me this is not lightwind freestlye. Of course a given Tube might be right on-shore where there is little wind - that's where the camera is. Still longboard and non-planing freestyle are not lightwind freestyle.

For instance, I do know that that dude does his ware in much stronger winds (railrides and body moves yes, throwing the sail, donno), plus shortboard FS too.

The guys at the annual Gorge freestyle Frenzy are accomplished shortboard freestylers, and can do the frenzy longboard stuff in very strong winds too.

The only time freestyle took place (demo) in the Olympics in Los Angeles was in an extremely strong wind. More recently, last year some dude did a rather comprehensive longboard freestyle demo in a national championship here... in 20 knots - no harness.

Many railrides moves are easier in stronger wind (13-15 knots) than lightwind anyways. And so on.

Just me being pedantic... having said that, I dunno what to call it

Someone needs to start making a wide foam decked polyproplene board that retails for $800....

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sausage said...

throwing the rig into the air and then catching it - incredible.

Tried this out myself this morning at Dendy St. If anyone sees a blue NP Excess in and around Brighton/Sandy could you give me a call... Thanks.