I really wanted it. After the controversial last Ligurian weekend, I came to cure myself at Lake Garda. The therapy worked. The Pra' de la fam, today, gave 3 hours of Peler at over 30 knots and a finger-licking windsurfing session....

Windsurfing, session report: Pra' de la Fam, Lake Garda, 8/10/2020. A therapeutic Peler at over 30 knots

As reported in the Waterwind forum, the forecasts were excellent, and so I played the bonus, and I spent a day off. I woke up in the parking lot at Pra', around at 7.00. And immediately things got in the best way: a dawn with beautiful colors. Meanwhile, the parking lot filled up by 8.30.

Someone tried to sow pessimism as the wind still did not reach the Pra' after 8.00. But the anemometers in the northern part of the lake made it clear that the a strong blow was coming. In this period, the sun rises later, and emerges from Monte Baldo around at 8.30. So does the wind. You just have to be more patient and wait. 

And in fact, at 9.00 we entered into the water. I rigged the Ezzy Elite 4 2 2019 and the Tabou Pocket 94 2016, matched with the k4 fins (Scorcher 18 central, and the Stubby 11, as side fins). The wind was quite strong in the first hour, but did not exceed 30 kts yet, and it was a bit gusty near the beach. However I turned out to be rightly powered. The Ezzy Elite proved to be a truly wonderful sail (read review). The Tabou Pocket also did its duty, especially with the K4 fins, which make the board pleasantly soft underfoot. The Pocket is truly a versatile board (read review), at ease in small to medium waves, at the sea, and with the Peler in bump and jump conditions, at lake.

In the middle of the lake, I shot some clips to Michael Silgoner from Bolzano, in the water with a freestyle board, which showed a nice repertoire of Shaka, Downwind 360, Flaka, Duck Jibe, and other freestyle maneuvers that I didn't recognize, and every now and then, to stretch out...., did forwards one after the other (even 2 in 50 meters!). Bravo, bravo, bravo! He is the kind of rider that I like, elegant and fluid in the water. I make some videos of him in the water (which I will study to steal some secrets ...).

In the last few sessions, I went back to make videos even from the water. It is not easy to balance on the floating board, while the Peler chop tries to unseat me. But I must say that the results justify the effort.

Click here, to enjoy the rich and full slidegallery of the day.

After 10.00, the Peler definitely increased in intensity and spread at its best all through the spot water surface, very strong and regular. It clearly exceeded 30 kts, allowing planing at full speed up to the beach. It kept on blowing like this until 12.00! And, even after that, I could still have got gliding easily, with a 4.7 (If I would have remained in the water).

After 10,00, I was slightly overpowered, but not out of control. Every now and then, I went out from the water to rest and take the opportunity to shoot some photos and videos. Many talented riders in the water. Among them, Mattia Fabrizi (Severne/Patrick), a professional freestyler (see beautiful maneuvers in the video). Mattia is getting better and better every time I see him in the water. The competition is strong, but he will certainly get results too in the next races. Simone Grezzi (Goya equipped), a local guy, performed a wonderful and high speed loop, just in front of my camera (see video at the end of the article).

A good number of Austrian riders, who love this spot, was also at Pra', as well as a group of riders from my club, the Windsurf Club Valmadrera (Lake Como). 

I stayed in the water as long as I could, and as long as I resisted. I have to solve a problem with the speed jibe on starboard tack, which I try and try again. But at 12.00, fatigue winned.

I went out really satisfied at noon, a little healed from some stress of life, and also procured by windsurfing, which sometimes, due to the whims of the wind, drives me crazy. I relaxed a bit by lying down at beach, to take a sun that is still nice and warm, and then I went to Detour shop in Peschiera, to have the board, sail and boom taken care of, too, since they have come out a bit battered from the last Ligurian weekend....

Aloha. Fabio

Click here, to enjoy the rich and full slidegallery of the day.

Below is a selection of photos, and the video of the session