Bordighera, on Sunday, November 18, 2018, has made us just a nice gift, with very good conditions for windsurfing. Much more beautiful because unexpected, and in spite of the catastrophic scenarios reported by newspapers, with a springtime temperature.

 

 

Windsurfing, session report: Bordighera (Liguria, Italy)

After the session in Cannes on Saturday, Sunday morning we wake up in France with the idea of checking the possibility of another session with the East in Palm Beach. For family commitments, I have to be back for dinner time at home, in Milan. So, once again, we exclude the chance to ride in the more West French spots of Cote d'Azur, some of which, then, turned out to be excellent (the less intense wind than Saturday, and the smaller waves, will give very funny and less survival conditions, in the spots of the area of Saint Maxime).

But in Cannes, the wind at 11.00, has not yet entered, and only the wave surfers enjoy themselves. As foreseen by the wheather model NEMS 4, the wind, then, will enter shortly after 12.00, at Palm Beach.

 

 

 

So, shortly after 11.00, we decide to return to Liguria, encouraged by the fact that the anemometer of Capo Mele marks a full East wind at 20 knots. Meanwhile, from Noli, on the Waterwind forum, news of very unstable wind are arriving, with crazy changes as for intensity and direction. After crossing the border between Italy and France, we start to notice some really encouraging signs: the sea is choppy in a homogeneous way, under a right East wind, never seen in these zone (usually, wind comes more from the North East) .

The friend Fabrizio, who preceded us departing from Cannes, calls us and suggests to check Bordighera, because it could be good for riding. He has read our thoughts!

We go down to the Caranca, and, once again, arrived on the spot, the image is one of those that fill your heart with joy: in the intense light of the wonderful, and warm, sunny day, the blue sea is foaming under the breath of a wind from the East (almost South East), which looks like a fan. There are no epic conditions caught here last September 25 (read report), but conditions are very funny, anyway. Probably, because of the predictions that do not give Bordighera as probable spot on Sunday (most of the models give wind more from the north in Liguria), throughout the day no more than 15 lucky surfers will be seen, who will be able to enjoy this true pleasure. And this was an added value, because after the crowded Cannes spot, the day before, an exit with the freedom to roam the sea at will, will be just fun.

 

 

Once measured 28-30 knots on the breakwaters at the east of the beach, I rig the Ezzy Elite 4,2 2018, and I borrow from my friend Michele a Starboard Kode 77, set as Twinzer (while Michele goes out with his Starboard Flare 91) . It ha been a good opportunity to try this kind of board, which has always enjoyed a good reputation. Fabrizio prepares the 3.8 Neil Pryde Wizard, also with freestyle board. At about 12.00, we enter into the water.

The conditions in the water are really amazing. The Ezzy Elite 4.2 turns out to be the right choice, and confirms to be a beautiful sail that is comfortable in sailing; on the peak of the wave, when you are hit by a gust, it opens properly in the leech, remaining soft in your hands, and it keeps the power even in the lulls, when you are in the wave trough.

The waves offshore are about 2 meters high, and decrease towards the shore. The board proves to be a rocket. It is very fast, and once you get gliding, it does not stop any more (the 77 liters require a bit of malice, especially near the shore, where the wind, as usual here, is a bit more gusty). It easily overcomes the lulls, the only thing that I don't like very much is the fact that it bumps a bit on the water surface (choppy), perhaps because of its length. In jibing, if you do not want the bow to enter into the water, it requires a more rearward stance than my quad board; thanks to its speed, even with that rearward stance, it does not easily lose the glide, anyway. In fast tack, it enters into the wind at a crazy speed, which facilitates the maneuver. During the session, I try to anticipate the side passage of the body while tacking, and I must say that in choppy conditions and with small boards is the only way to close the maneuver. The board has two fins, whci are not standard, and are slightly undersized, and I have to keep an advance stance to compensate for the tendency to go in spin out.

Here too, as in Cannes, you jump on port tack, but I often search for some steep wave on the way back, to have fun jumping on starboard tack, which is my best side. I take a break after an hour, and change board, taking my Tabou 3S 106. I want to take it to the limit and try it in extreme conditions for this board. I combine it with the Ezzy Elite 4.2.

The Tabou confirms a polyvalent board, and also supports these conditions decently (but only because the waves are particularly high). Obviously, it gets gliding more easily than the 77 liters, and it helpsme to easily manage the final part of the session, when the wind (for a rotation from North East), becomes more unstable. However, it is especially in jibing that the board confirms the limits of use in this condition, as it does not like to turn too tightly, and turning wide it leads you to drop the front wave slowing down the board during the maneuver, or often compromising the rider's stance.

 

 

In the water, it seems to me that also other riders have fun too. Fabrizio closes some Shakas. Michele, too, has a good time, and I see him often riding in switch stance, to prepare the maneuver he is working on. I see Corrado, equipped with Simmer, turning a nice forward on port tack.

In short, at 14.30, when the wind finally moves away from the spot to remain offshore, we all come out of the water with a smile. And the beauty of Bordighera is that at the beach, at the end of the session, is really pleasant, with a temperature and a sun that make you want to sit on a deckchair to sip a beer. We say goodbye to other guys (it is a pleasure to hear them expressing their appreciation for the work I do with Waterwind), and we leave to drive back home, arriving in time for dinner with my family.

Now the cold weather has arrived, but winter always brings so much wind, and we are ready to exploit it.

Aloha. Fabio

Click here, to enjoy the slidegallery of the day.

 

 

The video of the day