It was just a bit of time that I did not ride in Northern Italy Lakes. After lots of session at sea spots during these last months, it was good to be back on Garda Lake, to enjoy a 25 kts Peler at Prà de la Fam. Season on Garda Lake has already begun!

 

Windsurf session: Prà de la Fam (Garda Lake)

Checking Meteo-Alerta (see Waterwind Wind predictions page), I realized that there were good chances of Peler for today. It's always nice to wake before dawn and to drive from Milan to Garda, while the sun is rising.

 

I arrive at Prà de la fam, about at 9,30. Lots of friend are already there. It's always nice to feel the sense of comunity with other riders, once you get to a windsurf spot, where you often ride.

Soon, it is clear that we will enjoy a good Peler, and my thoughts of rigging a 5,5 (I'm 70 kgs), immediately vanish away. It is time to test well my new Ezzy Elite 4,7, and to understand benefits you get using a sail with less battens (4). As board, my beloved Fanatic frewave 105 TE.

 

While dressing my wetsuit (5 mm), I realize, with much horror, that I left in my garage a bag with neoprene cap, and my open palm gloves. What to do? The air is at 6 °C (water maybe a little more), and it is not that warm! I decide to wear a thinsulate cap (I used it when I sailed on dinghies), and a pair of 3 mm five fingers gloves. I am a little worried for my head...

I get into waters, and soon I have the great feelings you get when you ride planing at Prà de la Fam: magnificent scenery and very good wind. The 4,7 is perfect for me. In the water, the spot is pretty crowded to be winter time (but nothing compared to summer!). 

It's not easy to maneuver with 6,5 mm boots... I long for summer time, to ride with bare feet!

My head is ok. The thinsulate is a synthetic tissue which does not absorbe water. So I am enough warm. As I feared, my hands soon go ko.... I try to make blood to reach the tips of my fingers, leaving every now and then the boom, but after 45 minutes, I have to go to the beach to reheat them! It will took about 15 minutes, before I can take my waterproof camera from my life jacket to take some pictures and videos of the day. I have the chance to chat with Roberto, a friend of mine, who is trying his new Starboard ultrakode 2017 (93 lt), and who introduces Davide to me.

 

In the meanwhile, Claudio Bertagna italian agent for Symmer style appears at the spot, and he will show some good Air jibes (and other freestyle maneuvers) just in front of my camera.

The second part of my session is much better. I close lots of power jibes (only on starboard tack.....I am right hand). On port tack, I fail some fast tacks because my frozen hand don't manage to grasp the boom on new side (again I long for summer time....).

So, I am satisfied with my session to be a winter time one. Now, things, in the next weeks and months, can only get better. For this season, I want to begin to do waverinding seriously, and to learn some new maneuvers (duck jibe for example), and to perfect others.

Stay tuned. We will enjoy very much.

Fabio

Click here to enjoy the whole slidegallery of the session (you can freely download your pictures, if you want).

 

 

The video of the day filmed with my camera