Yesterday, Pra de la Fam (Lake Garda) gave us a really nice windsurfing day, with a growing Peler wind during the morning, and with almost pleasant temperatures.

Windsurfing: Pra de la Fam, 10/12/2023: Peler is a serious thing! 

Yesterday was a day with many faces. I woke up at 6, and I saw (from the webcams) that the sky over Lake Garda was clear: a good sign. Then, starting my drive from Monza, I crossed the Po Valley under gray skies, and at times with a bit of fog, which follewed me almost up to Salò, on the lake shore (and this is not a good sign, because it is an indication of currents in the plain from the South, which can disturb the Peler).

Once I arrived in Salò, the fog dissolved and the magnificent setting of the lake, its mountains and its colors appeared in front of me, with a beautiful clear blue sky. And my heart opened up.

At Prà, around 8.30 am, I was welcomed by a nice group of riders (and around 7 °C).

Someone showed the usual cosmic pessimism.....

And instead the lake really let us have fun. It was one of the best sessions of the 10 years since I have been riding at Pra.

It took just a little patience. In this period of the year, the sun rises just before 8.00 (and appears above Mount Baldo around 9.00); therefore, the Peler takes longer to reach the spot and spread well over the water surface.

The first gusts arrived on the shore around 9.30 am (offshore, the wind had started blowing much earlier, as usual), when the sun began to provide warmth and light on this lake coast. We all stopped talking, and went to the cars to rig our gear. These moments are magical: the riders' trepidation is palpable....

Click here for the slide gallery of the day

It was difficult to choose the sail, because I was undecided for a long time between the Ga Sails Manic 4.2 2022 and the Goya Guru X 4.7 22/23. In the end, I opted for the former, and it was a good choice; I also had the opportunity to continue testing the sail. I played with its clew, fixing the end of the boom sometimes to the lower one, sometimes to the upper one. At some points, the gusts were almost good for a 3.7, for me.

As a board, I used the Tabou 3s Plus LTD 96 2019, set up with a single fin (MFC K-One 25). It's the only board I brought with me, having proven to be a real all-rounder.

6/5/4 hooded wetsuit, 3/2 socks, and mittens (with holes). In the water, I have never been really cold, and my hands (the ones that suffer the most) have never felt painful. Then, I saw a German or Austrian boy without shoes, gloves and hood.... A matter of taste...

In the first part of the morning, the currents from the south made the wind a little unstable near the shore, and it was better to stay further offshore, where, however, some gusts, as mentioned, were pretty bad. Water level initially a bit chaotic.

The conditions gradually improved, and from 11.00 a real show was on stage. The spot has also emptied out a bit (however, many windsurfers and wingfoilers present, even though it's almost Christmas time now). Therefore, it was easier to maneuver without much worry. The wind became constant, strong enough, the water surface became tidy, with nice ramps for jumping. I was in the water until about 12.30, and I left due to hunger and exhaustion. But it was difficult to get out: at every ride, I wanted to try something else. When sessions become so good to learn, it's fantastic. I really enjoyed gybing starting from the lip of the wave, and diving down into the trough. Furthermore, the Manic confirmed itself as a really beautiful sail. Perhaps, I didn't sheet enough the outhaul, but it always remained light in my hands, and it depowered well on the gusts when necessary.

In the water, as mentioned, many "colleagues". And it's nice, when you return to the beach, to see so many happy faces, a clear sign of the quality of the session. Also several riders with slalom equipment, intent on training in strong winds (and then at ther beach, with a nice glass in hand...).

And when I was back on the land, there was the icing on the cake: the car thermometer showed me 15 degrees... (and perhaps this also explains why, when the sun lights up the Pra cliffs, the Peler enters well up to to the shore). Taking off the wetsuit wasn't at all disturbing (as it was in Cannes last Saturday).

Turning to another rider, I couldn't help but comment on the session saying it was "spectacular". And a beautiful lady, named Mariella, then looked out of the window of the B&B Torre degli Ulivi, smiling at me.

At 1pm there were still people planing in the water. 

I enjoyed the beautiful sun, satisfying my hunger with a nice sandwich, which I shared with the Pra duck (be careful, I discovered that it really eats everything....).

Next weekend looks like it will still be windy. And we will definitely enjoy it!

Ciao. Fabio

Click here for the slide gallery of the day (I thought more about having fun, but I managed to take some nice photos)