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June 15, 2007
Sailing into the summer sun
With a little practise, anyone can take the windsurfing challenge.
FREEMAN PORITZ
Are you in search of that perfect summer sport in Vancouver that
you can do rain or shine? Are you looking for a way to feed your
body's need for an active, healthy lifestyle and an adrenaline rush
all at once? Are you passionate about water sports, but swimming
just doesn't do it for you? Then look no further – windsurfing
will fulfil your cravings and delight your senses.
The history of windsurfing can be traced back more than 40 years,
to 1965. The beginning of windsurfing has been attributed to two
groups of inventors, who unbeknownst to each other were working
on similar projects. Hoyle Schweitzer and Jim Drake were two good
friends who wanted to create a new sport by combining surfing and
sailing. Meanwhile, young inventors Newman and Naomi Darby created
a boat without a rudder that could switch directions at the tilt
of a sail.
As Newman said to Naomi in the summer of 1964, "This could
be an Olympic sport." At the time, he had no idea how right
he would turn out to be. Windsurfing allowed for a surfboard-based
water sport that was not dependent on waves. As long as there is
even the slightest gust of wind, prospective windsurfers can take
their boards out on the water for a test run. Like all water sports,
windsurfing speed times are measured in knots or nautical miles,
with one knot being roughly the equivalent of 1.85 kilometres per
hour. The sport was awarded Olympic status in 1984 and has continued
to flourish in popularity. Gal Fridman took home Israel's first
Olympic gold medal in windsurfing at the Athens summer games in
2004.
A popular site for windsurfers is the Jericho Sailing Centre. Located
at the western tip of Vancouver, the centre possesses state-of-the-art
equipment for nearly every water sport imaginable. Windsure: Adventure
Watersports operates out of the JSC and offers daily windsurfing
lessons for all ages.
Windsurfing instructor Marty Uhl, a master's student in economics
from Port Coquitlam who has been a certified instructor for five
years, explained the ins and outs of this extreme sport. Working
on a windsurfing simulator, Uhl pointed out much of the terminology
unique to water sports, such as tacks and jibes (front and reverse
turns), before letting us roam free in the water.
One of the greatest characteristics about windsurfing is the sport's
flexibility. You don't need to be big, strong and toned to be a
successful windsurfer – you just need a desire to learn. Anyone
can do it with a little willpower. The hardest thing about the sport
is simply the determination you need to bring to the table as a
beginner, in order to get back on your board after falling into
the water, which usually happens when someone tries a complicated
turn beyond their own skill level. Balance is also crucial, and
a background in any sport or activity that requires good balance
can certainly aid in adjusting to the shock of the natural shakiness
a beginner usually feels while riding on the board. Being adept
at perceiving wind direction is also a key element in successful
windsurfing.
All of this can be learned in a short time down at the JSC in either
a two-hour introductory group lesson for $49 per person or, for
people who demand more of a one-on-one approach, a three-hour semi-private
beginner lesson for $119 per person. Lessons are run throughout
the summer and the latest times can be viewed at www.windsure.com.
Once you have reached a sufficient level to windsurf on your own,
which is usually after any instructed lesson, you can rent all of
the necessary equipment. A board, sail, wetsuit and a lifejacket
are $17.70 per hour or $70.80 for five hours. So get out there and
try windsurfing for a good workout and an extreme adrenaline rush
and, before you know it, you could be the next Gal Fridman!
Freeman Poritz is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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