SUPING Magazine #24

INTERNATIONAL VERSION

SEPTEMBER 2017 | #24

Competition

Nicaragua

Maui

Iballa

Shaping Room

Maui 2 Molokai by his ultimate winner: Connor Baxter

Fred Bonnef escaping from the summer into the waves

All the tips you need to make affordible your dream trip

Get to know more about the talented canarian surfer

Kazuma brand, a hard-core surf company since 1989

EDITORIAL

Autumn lights Summer it’s already gone and we didn’t even notice, countless moments with family and friends… we mean, a lot of friends!

But as is always expected, now is time to adapt ourselves and look for the pleasure of being alone and having just tinny gaps to do whatever we want.

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Now it’s time to take advantage of every second we can spend paddling in the water.

Every day, discipline or spot is going to be perfect. Close to home in empty beaches. We know that most of you will be rubbing your hands about it!

Every free hour that we can get off our schedule is going to worth its weight in gold.

In case that you still have some vacations to spend, we have a couple of good ideas for you ;)

Why is gold one of the most expensive materials? Because it’s not abundant.

We are going to tell you how to make it to the SUP mecca. Whether is SUP surfing, SUP

John Carter

Alice Arutkin, María Andrés

racing, SUP downwind, SUP foil… Maui is the place, and it’s closer and cheaper that you can imagine!

pleasure to have her in the cover and in a nice interview where you will be able to know a little bit more about the European Champion.

through our pages and enjoy imagining life from the water with any of the photos or stories you’ll find in SUPING Magazine #24.

With the same purpose but with another destination, Fred Bonnef shows us Nicaragua.

A place that is less well known, but at the time you read the article… you will be trying to make the plan in your head ;)

In the last pages you’ll be able to come and enter to the Kazuma boards shaping room with us.

Your time is gold, make it look shinny.

Stefano Maffini will guide us inside and he will tell us about how he changed his life thanks to watersports and how he’s now part of one of the historical Hawaiian surf brands.

SUPING Magazine

In this issue we also re-introduce you Iballa Ruano. What else can we tell you about Iballa... you all know her, pro windsurfer and pro SUPer. In this issue we have the

If you want to know more, sit back, go

Keep SUPING

INDEX

14.

30.

36.

44.

60.

64.

82.

COVER

Competition: EuroSUP, Peniche.

Competition: M2M. Escaping to Nicaragua with Fred Bonnef.

Iballa, interview with the European champion.

Snapshot: Maldives.

Maui is doable, all the tricks.

Shapping Room: Kazuma boards history.

Iballa Ruano

STU Johnson

36 44 64 82 14 10

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SUPING Magazine

STAFF

EDITORS

Emilio Galindo María Andrés PHOTOGRAPHERS

STU Johnson, John Carter, Manu Grafenauer, FES, Miguel Sacramento, Karen Baxter, Rick Briggs, Sean Pearson, Mario Entero, Germán Pinedo, Alfredo Vera Pérez,Vanesa Morales, Gwen Marche, Bartolo WASP, Iván Monagas, Mike Hitelman, Ocean-Divine.com, Fish Bowl Diaries, María Andrés, Giora Koren, Laurent Masurel.

COLABORATORS

FES, Connor Baxter, Fred Bonnef, Iballa Ruano, Antony “YEP” Colas, David Mesnard, Stefano Maffini, Laurent Masurel.

TO GET FEATURED

If you are interested in collaborating with SUPING Magazine you can send us your material and / or your proposals to our e-mail.

WE ARE SUPPORTING

Surf Rider Foundation Europe CONTACT US

maria.supingmagazine@gmail.com ADVERTISING

supingmagazine@gmail.com WEB

www.issuu.com/supingmagazine SOCIAL MEDIA

www.facebook.com/supingmag instagram.com/supingmagazine twitter.com/SUPINGMAGAZINE RESPONSIBILITY

SUPING Magazine is not responsible for the opinions, comments and ideologies of our collaborators.

We believe in the free expression of each individual and we give the opportunity to express it, but we do not necessarily share those opinions.

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Manu Grafenauer

Alice Arutkin, María Andrés

COMPETITION...

EuroSUP Peniche 2017 FES / SUPING Magazine

FES, Miguel Sacramento

The Portuguese town of Peniche played host to the second edition of EuroSUP, and after the success of last year event in Lacanau the expectations were high that there’d be a continuation of both the popularity and performance levels of SUP represented by the continents finest exponents of the discipline. The opening ceremony for EuroSUP 2017 took place today in Peniche under beautiful Portuguese sunny skies.

The parade was led from near the city centre, past the harbour and up into the stunning Fortaleza de Peniche all under the watchful eye of popular town mayor and surf fanatic, António José Correia.

All the teams present contributing massively to the stirring atmosphere with the hosts putting on a truly special display.

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Peniche couldn’t have provided a better platform on which the competitors could push themselves and no one present at the event would have been disappointed by the spectacle.

From the historic and beautiful backdrop of the opening ceremony, to the truly world class beach break surf at Supertubos on the final day; EuroSUP 2017 couldn’t have been more of a success.

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Day one.

The first competitive action of the event then took place at the world famous Supertubos with round one of the mens division hitting the water with 3-4ft heavy waves on offer.

The wind was fairly strong cross-offshore but conditions were good and great surfing was on display. Moritz Mauch (GER) logged the rounds days’ highest total with some great power surfing, beating another standout Ohian Aizpuru (SPN) into second.

Other notable performances included Rui Fialho (POR) in the opening heat and Pierre Rollet (FRA) taking apart some heavy sections to win heat two. As the tide dropped out the better waves became harder to find but competitors still managed to find a few 18

diamonds in the rough. Benoit Carpentier (FRA) advanced with Casper Steinfath (DEN) finishing runner up in heat 4. Juan de Los Reyes (SPN) won heat 5 over Italian Leonard Nika, and the final heat of the day saw Portugal’s Diogo Queimada take the win over Ollie Ladddiman from Wales.

Day three.

So this day was a short one here in Peniche.

Just three heats of surfing were run due to the swell that has provided such fun surf over last few days starting to wane, and with the technical races complete and the long distance event on Friday there were no race events.

The last of the swell saw 1-2ft waves that still provided a good platform for competitors

to showcase their surfing, but ultimately would get too full to surf on the high tide.

Sofie Simonson (SWE) was a standout in the women’s first repechage round, making the most of the surf to put in a couple of good scores whilst Ollie Laddiman (WAL) and Carsten Kumis (GER) were the heat winners in the two repercharge heats of the mens division.

Day four.

Day 4 of EuroSUP 2017 was all about the long distance events, which would take in one of the most scenic routes the sport could offer.

The competitors would be ferried out by boat to the stunning Berlenga Archipelago early in the morning and would then make their way

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“ The pace of the front runners was incredible, and when Puyo crossed the line to claim gold, his time of 1hr 35’25 was a long distance record.

He barely looked out of breath. Arutkin was less than a minute behind to claim silver, and Leo Nika of Italy rounded out the top three ”.

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back to the finish line at the main contest site at Molho Leste, taking somewhere between an hour and a half and two and a half hours to complete.

As the spectators on the beach waited to see who would arrive first around the Peniche harbour the tension in the air was palpable.

Competitors were using GPS systems to ensure safety first and foremost but allowed organisers back at the site to keep an eye on the progress.

As word reached the spectators on the beach that Titouan Puyo and Arthur Arutkin, both of France, had pulled away from the pack it remained to be seen who would appear first. It was Puyo who was first into the bay, still digging in and making it look remarkably easy, closely followed by his compatriot. The

pace of the front runners was incredible, and when Puyo crossed the line to claim gold, his time of 1hr 35’25 was a long distance record.

He barely looked out of breath. Arutkin was less than a minute behind to claim silver, and Leo Nika of Italy rounded out the top three.

Casper Steinfath (DEN) who earlier this week had claimed the gold in the technical race, had to settle for fourth place.

The first woman across the line was Olivia Piana (FRA). Piana had won gold in the technical race earlier in the week and was as dominant in the long distance.

Her lead was never questioned and she was the clear standout of the womens race divisions for a second consecutive EuroSUP event. Her time of 1hr 52’13 was more than

4 minutes faster than second place Laura Qetglass of Spain. Angela Fernandes of Portugal would finish in third.

Recap.

So, this year France continued their domination taking wins in all divisions; with the exception of two (the women’s surf and men’s technical race divisions) to take home the overall team title ahead of Spain in second and Denmark third.

The French particularly dominated the men’s surf and long distance race divisions, with the men taking one-two positions in both. Benoit Carpentier and Pierre Rollet were outstanding in the men’s surf all week, making the technically difficult surf in Supertubos look easy all week.

Both were pulling off the most committed and radical manoeuvres in some pretty nasty looking sections and it certainly looked like one or the other would take home the gold come week’s end. Ultimately it was Carpentier who performed when it mattered most and took home the win in the grand final with Rollet closely following in second. Juan de los Reyes (SPN) and Moritz Mauch (GER) finished third and fourth respectively.

A fired up Ruano then put on one of the best displays of surfing of the event in the grand final with some excellent rail surfing and willingness to lay her board over in the most critical situations Supertubos could present her. At this point Dupont couldn’t match the Spaniard, who ran away with the final to win convincingly come the final horn. Sofie Simonsen (SWE) and Paulina Herpel (GER) were third and fourth respectively.

The women’s surf division saw a magnificent performance from Spain’s Iballa Ruano who took home the win over France’s Justine Dupont. Dupont had also looked strong all week and had narrowly piped a heat win over Ruano at the P2 stage in one of the finest duals seen all week, with only 0.15 points separating them.

The long distance events were all France where they took maximum points across both male and female divisions. Titouan Puyo and Arthur Arutkin finished first and second in the men and Olivia Piana claimed the gold in the women.

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Puyo finished the course, which started at the Berlengas Islands offshore from Peniche

and finished at the main event site at Molho Leste, in a record time of 1hr 35’25 and Arutkin was less than a minute behind his compatriot. The men’s division also had a first EuroSUP medal for Italy, Leonard Nika finishing third with an outstanding time of 1 hr 39’13. Denmark’s Casper Steinfath and three time world technical race champion finished in fourth.

Piana was totally dominant in the women’s race finishing more than four minutes ahead of Laura Quetglass of Spain in second.

Piana steamed ahead at the starting gun and would never look like losing her lead throughout, Quetglass and Angela Fernandes of Portugal (who finished in third place) would keep her honest but she looks like she’ll take some beating in future EuroSUP events.

The technical race event would see one of the tightest finishes you could wish for.

Denmark’s Casper Steinfath and Frenchman Arthur Arutkin were neck and neck from start to finish and exchanged the lead numerous times during the race.

When it came to the last turn on the last lap Steinfath, using all his experience, held his line through the inside perfectly, forcing Arutkin to pull back and on the final sprint he couldn’t catch the Dane; who now has the EuroSUP title to go with his three world titles.

Titoaun Puyo (FRA) would finish in third place.

Olivia Piana took home the double of long distance and technical race winner with a dominant performance over two laps. She again never looked in any danger of losing her lead and her performances should be 26

considered one of the highlights of the 2017 event. Laura Quetglass of Spain would finish second and Nicoline Rasmussen (DEN) third.

RESULTS: SUP Surf Men:

The overall consensus after EuroSUP Peniche is that the standard of SUP across the continent is without question enjoying an explosion at the moment. The conditions that were present throughout the week no doubt help push performance levels and the event couldn’t have been better presented and the deepest thanks must go out to the people of Peniche for aiding the ESF in putting on an event of the highest calibre.

The surf conditions at Supertubos were world class almost all week and the race courses were technical and set amongst a backdrop totally unique to this part of the world.

1. Benoit Carpentier (FRA) 2. Pierre Rollet (FRA) 3. Juan De Los Reyes (SPA) 4. Moritz Mauch (GER) SUP Surf Women: 1. Iballa Ruano (SPA) 2. Justine Dupont (FRA) 3. Sofie Simonson (SWE) 4. Paulina Herpel (GER)

Technical Race Men:

Long Distance Men:

1. Casper Steinfath (DEN)

1. Titouan Puyo (FRA)

2. Arthur Arutkin (FRA)

2. Arthur Arutkin (FRA)

3. Titouan Puyo (FRA)

3. Leonard Nika (ITA)

4. Leonard Nika (ITA)

4. Casper Steinfath (DEN)

Technical Race Women:

Long Distance Women:

1. Olivia Piana (FRA)

1. Olivia Piana (FRA)

2. Laura Quetglรกs (SPA)

2. Laura Quetglรกs (SPA)

3. Nicoline Rasmussen (DEN)

3. Angela Fernandes (POR)

4. Marie Buchanan (ENG)

4. Susanne Lier (GER)

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8th Maui-2-Molokai 2017 Edition Connor Baxter

Karen Baxter

This year, the 8th Annual Maui-2-Molokai is here again, an epic battle crossing the channel that is in between the two Hawaiian Islands. Connor reveals himself again as the major force in this downwind race, winning the event in his eighth consecutive time!

Coming straight from Europe after two months of flatwater racing I was jumping up-and-down like a kid ready to race downwind. I got back to Maui on Wednesday night - so only had two days to recoup before the race. I got a few warm up Maliko runs in before Saturday.

The forecast looked great - Northeast 1520mph. The morning of the race we had to get to our boat at 6:30am. Load up the boards and 30

head up to Honolua Bay from Lahaina. The race was an early start at 9:30. My dad blasted up to Honolua - for the start of the 27 mile, 3 hour paddle!

The wind was up early and I knew that there was going to be some bumps out there. I unloaded my unlimited and got warmed up for a bit before we started. On the start line I saw Travis Grant, James Casey and Kody Kerbox.

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I knew I was going to have to paddle hard and catch a lot of bumps in order to win my 8th straight channel crossing. I jumped into the water and got cooled off right before the horn blew.

“ I took off hard, but I knew it was going to be a long race and I just had to wait until the bumps ”.

The wind was up and we got into some small chop and James, Travis and I started to pull away from the group. The bumps started to get better and better the more into the race I got. After the first hour the three of us were still catching bumps next to each other and then Travis caught a massive bump and 34

just ran with it. Once he got this gap I didn’t stop chasing him until the last 6 miles. That next hour and half I was getting some insane bumps, but Travis just stayed the same distance in front. It wasn’t until I got to the Kamalo Buoy when I just put my head down and started having fun. Getting some long glides and slowly catching up to Travis.

Travis went more North - more on an inside line - closer to Molokai. Whereas I stayed outside where the bumps were just going off.

I got even with him with about 6 miles to go and I knew what I had to do. I got into my typical rhythm and just started to have some fun. Getting some insane steep glides and surfing left to right. I noticed the warehouse building at the harbor and saw that I was a safe distance in front of Travis, which gave me chicken skin knowing that I just won my

8th straight Maui to Molokai! I finished with a time of 3:09 - not beating my record of 2:55 but that day was nuking wind! I want to thank my sponsors and also a big Mahalo to all the event organizers. Aloha!

RESULTS:

Time

1. Connor Baxter

3:09:00

2. Travis Grant

3:11:00

3. James Casey

3:13:18

4. Bernd Roediger

3:18:27

5. Marcus Tardrew

3:22:19

6. Dave Kissane

3:24:22

7. Vinnicius Martins

3:29:01

8. Josh Riccio

3:31:31

9. Kody Kerbox

3:41:12

Nicaragua A wave Paradise Fred Bonnef

Rick Briggs, Sean Pearson

Our friend Fred tells us about how he escaped from the flat summer in Tarifa this year looking for the waves in the opposite hemisphere.

One of the good thing about modern life is the opportunity that we have to enjoy the wave season in one side of the world when it’s not working on the other side! Living in Tarifa, there is always a moment, when summer comes, that I miss the waves too badly.

as Costa Rica and it’s cheaper, there isn’t dangerous animals, inside or outside the water, and the scenery itself worth the travel…

There are too many reasons to go to Nicaragua!

First feeling.

Most time of my life I have been working during summer, to be able to enjoy winter swells. But this time it was my opportunity to escape from flat water and enjoy the great Pacific waves.

I guess the fact that my girlfriend has the same passion about surfing than myself helped on that decision!

Why Nicaragua?

Because there is always a wave breaking somewhere there in summer, it’s not as famous 36

We landed in Managua at night and we decided to respect one of the most important rules within the country: Don’t drive at night! It can be very dangerous there. So we didn’t think too much and booked a hotel right in front of the airport before we drove to the coast.

That morning, we already felt the warm and humid weather… But nothing too bad if you compare it to other countries, thanks to the constant off shore wind that blow on the whole Pacific coast, and makes the waves so good…

“ Then I saw that the outside reef was completely empty. It was looking big and perfect, so I decided to give it a try… When I was getting closer I realized that it was much bigger than what I was thinking! ”

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Another detail: Sun is hot of course, but is not burning so much, a bit of sunscreen and ready to go!

There were also lots of people, from 5h30 am to the night, but the truth is that you always find your wave, your moment, and there is no hostile athmosphere in the water.

We are in America Latina and we can feel it: Smiles, latin accent, colors, slower rythm, poverty as well, but less than in some other countries from South America, maybe because nature is generous over here…

“Nicas” are nice, and the “gringos” (Americans, Argentinian, Uruguayans, Canadians…) are not the worst ones I ever met!

First stop: Playa Santana / Jiquelite.

Second stop: Popoyo.

One word for the waves in Nicaragua: Consistency! We arrived with a forecast of 0.4 meters and 11 seconds period, and it didn’t look very promising for the first days of our stay. Even with that forecast, there were waves every day, one meter or more, not very long but super fun.

Popoyo Bay is amazing and beautiful, a small paradise with every kind of waves.

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Beach breaks “Hossegor style” with lots of power, quality reef breaks, smaller waves for beginners, and an outside reef that can be very radical! Popoyo has it all.

In my first time on the water there, I was using a shortboard. The forecast was giving 0.8 meters with 11 seconds period so I wasn’t expecting nothing too big, but in Nicaragua, rules are different.

We decided to try a beach break at the south of Popoyo, and we were looking at the locals surfing perfect tubes.

My first wave was, by far, the worst wipe out of the trip! The wave reminded me to La Graviere in Hossegor. I finally had some good take off at the end, had some decent waves, and most of all, I was happy that I didn’t hurt myself!

In my second session in Popoyo, I went with my SUP, with a forecast of 1.2 meter

and 14 seconds period, some of the waves breaking there were… serious! The main peak in Popoyo was working perfectly, but there were lots of people.

Then I saw that the outside reef was completely empty. It was looking big and perfect, so I decided to give it a try… When I was getting closer I realized that it was much bigger than what I was thinking!

The off shore wind was pretty strong that day, which didn’t help me to find a good positioning for the take off.

But I was looking forward to try the left, which have the reputation of being very radical. I was a bit tense. Alone in an outside reef with dark blue water, off shore winds, big waves and my small 7’6”…

At the end I had my first left: the take off is deep and vertical, much hollower than the right, lots of power and very shallow sometimes. Serious stuff here!

A good experience, I decided to come back one day with less offshore winds and with high tide.

Third stop: Astillero.

First wave, a right, serious drop, first turn with power and a long wall wrapping, three more turns with a bit less power but good for manovers. Fun!

Pigs, cows, horses, wild nature… that dirt road between Popoyo and Astillero was really nice!

Astillero is an authentic fishermen “village”, peaceful and quiet. That place offers different options: the beach break that offer some good waves, right and left, I really enjoyed the one in front of the river mouth, and a point break, Lance Left which is a long left, perfect for SUP! The problem is that there are lots of people surfing there when it’s good, most of the surfers come here with a boat, when we have to walk half an hour from the village.

Even being crowded, I had lots of waves there, just waiting my turn or surfing at 12 am when there were less people, or after the boats left.

As a reward, you have loads of turns on the same wave!

“ Playground is one of the best waves in Nicaragua.

It’s not a dangerous wave but it has plenty of power when there is a good size swell… ”

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Last stop: Playground.

30 minutes in a boat from Astillero and we arrive at Playground, one of the best waves in Nicaragua. It’s not a dangerous wave but it has plenty of power when there is a good size swell…

That wave can be so perfect, and we had a chance to have a very good session there, and even better, we had 2 photographers shooting that day, from the water and from the land!

We really loved Hotel Hamacas in Astillero.

It’s by far our favorite place to stay in that area.

Food: From my personal point of view, it is not the best around Popoyo area.

There are very good products, meat, fish, but “Nicas” eat lots of fried food, and not so much vegetables or fruits, the food can be heavy.

For sure if you move and ask the locals, you will find nice places to eat.

Tourism: Well, we didn’t go for too much sightseeing, sorry! Waves were bombing every day and we didn’t have so much time to explore, but it’s worth it for sure! We went one day to Omenetepe Island, one of the volcanoes in the middle of the Nicaragua Lake, and it was very beautiful and peaceful, plus the trip on the lake offered an awesome scenery.

One thing is for sure, I would love to come back one day on the Nicaragua Lake for a good downwind, because there is strong wind just every day there!

PRACTICAL INFO: Lodging: It’s not Indonesia, but it’s relatively cheap and you can find nice places to stay in front of the beach.

I can recommend you a place with really fresh and good food where almost every product come from the garden: Lori’s Nica Market, close from Popoyo.

Conclusion: Nicaragua is definitely an awesome trip, relatively cheap, easy, with very good waves, and for sure a perfect way to escape from the European summer!

Iballa Ruano Getting to know the SUP Surf European Champion SUPING Magazine

We all already know Iballa, the Canary girl that besides her pro windsurfing career has stepped up into the best SUPers of the world in just a few years.

Iballa is a true waterwoman, a determined athlete with endless motivation, essential characteristics for improving every day in every conditions, always with a big smile in her face.

I’m Iballa Ruano, originally from Gran Canaria, from the village of Santa Lucia, where you can find Pozo izquierdo, my home break, the famous windsurfing mecca. I have a twin sister, and I share my life with her, travelling the world and windsurfing together. We are 26 times Windsurfing World Champions, from 1999 till 2017.

I love watersports, especially those related with waves, in fact wave windsurfing is my sport since 17 years ago, and nowadays I combine it with SUP surfing.

When there are no waves I like to paddle in race 44

boards, do some workouts, cycling and spend time with my family and friends.

How was your childhood? Was it related with the Ocean?

I grew up in Pozo Izquierdo, with 8 years old, our dad bought for us a bodyboard, and we were playing with it in the high tides, jumping into the rocks of the promenade! We were breaking it all the time‌ With 10 years old we were dreaming about waves every day, when we started High School we finally moved to the beach in Pozo.

Mario Entero

Germán Pinedo

We are five in the family but Daida and me are the only ones obsessed with waves.

Our elder brother is into scuba dive, our little brother into soccer and our sister had to asume the mother role after the passing of our mum 15 years ago. Now she’s the responsible of a business association.

“ When we were little girls we were catching waves with the body boards, looking at those tourists with windsurfing gear… There were not a lot of local people doing that“.

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We heard about Robby Naish or Bjorn Dunkerbeck, but we didn’t even go to see the World Champion in the beach, because we just wanted to enjoy our waves with our friends.

With 17 years old a friend gave us a windsurf board and a sail… They were completely destroyed! Then we went to the beach, trying to recollect from the “tourists” a mast, a boom, a base… I can remember Paolo Ianetti giving us a lot of gear for making us possible to go sailing.

Between Julio, Jose and us together we were trying to go windsurfing, sharing the equipment, helping... and rescuing each other!

We were watching how the pros were doing it (even taking notes!) and then trying. Now that I think on that… it seems a little bit crazy!

But we were having an amazing time...

We remember that before SUP came, we already knew Iballa was a really good surfer…

Hahaha, well, more or less. Surfing was my dream, but living in Pozo Izquierdo it was more likely to join the wind and go for windsurfing. Then I was combining both, surf when it was glassy and windsurfing for the windy days…

It’s true that I would have loved to spend more time surfing… because I love it… Well, until I discovered SUP...

Germán Pinedo

“We are five in the family but Daida and me are the only ones obsessed with waves “.

“ For me, it’s been a dream come true being able to compete in the ISA worlds with the Spanish team this years, doing the Windsurfing World Tour at the same time, copping the first places with my sister “.

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STU Johnson (Foto de portada)

Germán Pinedo

Who was helping you to discover the SUP world?

“I was starting a little bit skeptical, I didn’t want to miss my surf sessions, so I started with the small wave days, until I was totally hooked in... uso much, that I couldn’t sleep in the night thinking in the next day surfing! “

If I remember well it was in Fuerteventura, around 2011. I was with the Lovers, Stephane and Nicole… both well-known windsurfers, but true waterman and waterwoman on top of that. I was spending some time with them in Fuerte, and they encouraged me to try that new sport.

I was starting a little bit skeptical, I didn’t want to miss my surf sessions, so I started with the small wave days, until I was totally hooked in... so much, that I couldn’t sleep in the night thinking in the next day surfing!

I can never stop thanking them for making me try this sport!

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Alfredo Vera Pérez

We know that you are in the highest level in the windsurfing scene, and that requires dedication. In which moment SUP became also part of your sport career?

Nowadays, windsurfing is still my number one sport, but the glassy days I go for SUP or surf. In fact it was helping me a lot with my training, I’m the fittest I’ve ever been!

Anyways I’m fully focused in both sports since 4 or 5 years, trying to combine the two world tours and trying to do well!

For me, it’s been a dream come true being able to compete in the ISA worlds with the Spanish team this years, doing the Windsurfing World Tour at the same time, copping the first places with my sister.

“ I’m proud, because I don’t know too many athletes that can combine such a different sports in the top of the world rankings…

It’s a great challenge for me every year, but I keep going for it, with dedication, training and, of course, being full focused and motivated! “

What do you find in SUP that you didn’t find in other watersports?

SUP it’s a mix between Surf and Windsurf…

So it’s a perfect sport for me. The speed feeling, the help that bring the paddle…

It’s a challenge, and a new sport, we learn new things every day and we develop the sport. We spend so many hours training, creating...

You and the Ocean.

It’s a little bit of everything… freedom, peace, adrenalin… You don’t think in the phone, the troubles…

You just wait with a smile in your face for the best wave to come, and then… enjoy.

“... But in my bucket list there are Australia, Tahiti, Indonesia, Portugal, Morocco… I can do all my favorite sports there! “

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Germรกn Pinedo

Vanesa Morales

Do you think that all of those watersports skills transfer into each other?

Yes, I would say so. For me, it’s clear that surfing is the base of everything.

“It’s true that I would have loved to spend more time surfing… because I love it… Well, until I discovered SUP “.

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Windsurfing is a really different sport to the other ones, the speed feeling in the wave, the sail, the boom in the hands… However, SUP and surf helped me a lot about how to read the wave, timing, critical sections, rail to rail…

“ The best for me it’s that I can combine and transfer all my knowledge in the three sports! I learn something new every day “.

Gwen Marche

Which kind of waves do you like to surf?

Are you with the big wave thing in mind?

My favorite waves have always been the hollow and powerful ones, rights better than lefts I should say, maybe because I get from then a lot of speed for the surf.

The technique that you need to generate power and speed in mushy waves is really difficult, or at least for me, because I used to ride powerful waves. Thanks to the SUP competitions I’ve learnt to enjoy every kind of conditions! So now I think “the worst session you could have is the one that you’re not having”.

I’m eager to learn in new challenges, also surfing small waves and being able to do a radical surfing.

“ Since a few years ago I want to have the opportunity to ride bigger waves... In fact, I have a whole SUP guns quiver, and also some surf guns… All of this big wave fever is because of Vilayta, who is always pushing me to go for bigger waves, and also, because of Stephane and Nicole “.

Now, every winter “the search” for the big waves starts… Always with respect and your team around. Yes, I’m enjoying a lot the big wave challenge.

Do you have any trip in mind that you can’t wait to go?

I have many of them!! I did countless windsurfing trips, always to the same destinations, and the few months that I have free to spend, I would love to travel and surf, but I can’t leave my windsurfing training in the side…

But in my bucket list there are Australia, Tahiti, Indonesia, Portugal, Morocco… I can do all my favorite sports there!

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“Now, every winter ‘the search’ for the big waves starts… Always with respect and your team around. And yes, I’m enjoying a lot the big wave challenge “.

Alfredo Vera Pérez

Iván Monagas

Alfredo Vera Pérez

Who is your best adventure partner?

Haha! I couldn’t choose only one! I think I’ve named them all already. ;)

“I would like to work in raising awareness for keeping the ocean and beaches clean. All together, we can help a lot to protect the environment; recycling, removing plastic bags…“

Who are your favorite SUP riders?

Shakira Westdorp, she’s a fantastic athlete, down to earth, and one of the best surfers without a doubt.

It is really difficult to choose my favorite male rider; the Brazilians Caio and Luis Deniz, the Australian Kai Bates, the Hawaiian Mo Freitas, the American Sean Poynter, the French Benoit Carpenter… There are a lot. I admire them all the same.

I watch all of their videos!

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Bartolo WASP

Which one is your favorite place in the world to sit down in your board in the line up and wait for your wave?

Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria of course.

Are you involved in any project or initiative?

I would like to work in raising awareness for keeping the ocean and beaches clean. All together, we can help a lot to protect the environment; recycling, removing plastic bags…

I would also love to do a SUP video about girls surfing amazing waves and telling a story. I wish that my friends from Viva La Fin productions help me with this project!

Till now we didn’t see any video about SUP girls, if you don’t count our own videos.

Something we don’t know about you?

Something funny?

Hahaha, ok, I will tell you. My friends laugh a lot about me because I get nervous when they whistle a song during 5 seconds, they do it without any reason!

We do an introduction to waves and racing, and we help to improve your performance, so… be aware of them! ;) Thank you Iballa! We wish you all the best on your next trips, projects and events! Hopefully you’ll find a lot of big waves during this winter! We will keep an eye on you ;) Follow Iballa in her social media:

Which is the best advice for a SUPer? I would say, in general, put some effort, imagination and power in it.

This year I’ve been doing clinics with Oscar Ruiz in Fuerteventura and Cantabria, and we are looking for more locations in Spain.

www.morenotwins.com instagram: morenotwins facebook: morenotwins twitter: morenotwins vimeo: morenotwins

Ocean-Divine.com 60

David Mesnard

SNAPSHOT Maldives

“You don’t see this very often”.

Antony “YEP” Colas

Ocean-Divine.com

A few weeks ago, we received an email in the Editorial mailbox, Anthony’s excitement was printed in his words and short sentences: “Hi, do you wanna use this? It was 2 weeks ago on a big swell in Maldives. You don’t see this very often in Maldives!”

We checked the images, and yes! Of course we wanted to use them! So here you have this photos of his friend David surfing dream waves and making us die of jealousy!

“David Mesnard is a French dive master based in Maldives for 20 years. In 2004, he built the most luxurious boat called Ocean Dancer, now renamed Ocean Divine.

He’s been heavily SUPing for 7 or 8 years and he’s charging any waves on a 7’10”.

Last August, the swell got solid for 10 days in a row, varying between 6 and 12ft face... ”

“ David SUPs every day in Maldives, mostly in North & South Malé atoll onboard Ocean Divine, his boat ”.

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Ocean-Divine.com

David Mesnard

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Maui

For Everyone María Andrés

Fish Bowl Diaries, Manu Grafenauer, John Carter

What could I possibly tell you about Maui that you don’t already know? The paradisiacal cradle of surf culture, cast out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

A place that paradoxically, people think is just not a feasible destination. But I’m here to tell you, you should make it happen!

Maui

For Everyone Friends ask me if they will be able to find a spot to surf or SUP on the Island if their level is not amazing and my answer is yes, there’s always be an Option B. I think it’s a cliché that the Hawaiian Islands are only to be enjoyed by expert level people with lots of experience. There is no need to be a pro surfer to enjoy the waves on Maui; there are spots right across the spectrum.

But if indeed you are one of those advanced surfers, you obviously will also have the 66

chance to get stuck into some amazing waves.

Depending on the swell direction, some places will be exposed to more swell while other beaches are more sheltered, allowing you to tour around beautiful coves on your inflatable or learn how to surf in tiny smooth waves.

Don’t think that it is only for the wealthy, I’m going to share a few tips with you that will help save a buck or two and put Hawaii comfortably back in the realm of realistic travel.

THE ISLAND. Formed by many volcanic eruptions, Maui has a unique combination of geology, shape, and location. It’s quite unique; you can find pretty much all kind of climate on the island

from tropical to alpine to desert. In accord with the orientation and the elevation of the land, and vegetation changes all around the island.

The 3,000m high West Maui volcano has the largest inactive crater on the planet, and looms over the North Shore.

From the top of Haleakala -the volcano- you can see the neighbouring islands and enjoy the purest views of the sunrise.

There are amazing rain and bamboo forests, towering waterfalls from which you can jump, lava tubes to navigate by torchlight, rainbow eucalyptus that looks it was painted by a crazy naturalist artist, an impressive lava garden covering all the south west hillside

from the tip of the crater to the beach, and of course, the underwater life is itself one on the other treasures of Maui.

The social life on the Island is a little bit special. If you come alone, you need to be proactive and don’t be shy. It is quite different to South America, Europe or Asia.

It is harder to get to know people, but you can make friends and even though there are not many places to have a drink or dance, you’ll probably end up meeting some people and going to private BBQs or house parties, which are often a lot better.

At 8pm the streets are deserted but you will be surprised of how much is going on behind closed doors.

“There are amazing rain and bamboo forests, towering waterfalls from which you can jump, lava tubes to navigate by torchlight, rainbow eucalyptus that looks it was painted by a crazy naturalist artist... ”

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“If you like to surf uncrowded spots, you can also paddle out and explore the outer reefs where you can surf down mountains of water. ”

SUPer REASONS TO VISIT MAUI.

“Everyone’s happy and sharing the waves and the moment – it’s like living in a postcard. ”

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Touring along the Maui coast is a magical experience. You paddle pristine waters over the corals with turtles popping up around you, with the view of Lanai Island one side and a palm fringed shore on the other. Watching the sunset from your board on the south west coast is mystical; the orange light cover the barren mountains and the scenery turns into a living surf art painting.

The Downwinders are famous here on Maui. You can surf nice sized bumps all along the wild and green leafy north shore, with the ring cloud hugging the summit of the Haleakala volcano and walls of rain traveling across the horizon leaving rainbows in their trail.

Whales: During the winter-spring months you can be driving the southern roads watching whales jumping in the ocean right in front of you. You can be surfing or cruising around and see huge fountains just a few meters away. That’s when you know that the greatest show is about to begin, you are lucky enough to have crossed paths with one of those beautiful giants travelling thousands of kilometers across the ocean.

They don’t come too close, so it’s not scary.

It’s just beautiful. And if you want to hear them singing, just immerse your head in the water, it doesn’t matter if they are far away; you will be able to hear their voices! I guarantee you will come out of the water with the biggest smile ever!

Little fun waves, for beginners or kids, you have plenty of options and the atmosphere is relaxed. Laughs, safe, easy… The dad with the baby on the nose of the longboard, the girl with the dog, the tiny kids, the old ladies learning… Everyone’s happy and sharing the waves and the moment – it’s like living in a postcard.

Surf: If you want action, you can find it! You have the well-known spots of the North Shore where you will find some rights, lefts, barrels, the famous Peahi’i (Jaws). And if you like to surf uncrowded spots, you can also paddle out and explore the outer reefs where you can surf down mountains of water. Just check the wave report and chose your spot. But don’t be reckless, you are in Hawaii and the ocean is powerful and can change very fast.

THE FLIGHT. Search, and keep searching!

First of all, search for your flight well advance of your departure date, the prices, except for on rare occasions, increase the closer you get. As soon as you know the dates you can travel, start looking. Do it! Switch on your PC and give yourself the chance to go to paradise!

I bought my last flights on Delta and Jetcost / Gotogate websites. Try to use a page that shows you all the possible combinations of dates.

Keep checking for it few days or weeks…and keep trying different combinations of dates and airports. Maui Airport is called Kahului (OGG), not Honolulu!

“But don’t be reckless, you are in Hawaii and the ocean is powerful and can change very fast.”

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Normally, the prices from Europe vary from 1.000 euro to 1.800 but I paid 850e for my last flight and soon after, I found a flight for 712e! I immediately called my brother now he will be coming to Maui in a few weeks. Commitment rewards, I know some friends that found tickets for less than 600.

Don’t forget to get the ESTA, it is the Visa Europeans need to enter the USA, but it takes only 5 minutes to get it online and cost around 15$.

THE SEASON. Whenever, always amazing.

If you want some wave action on the North Shore, I recommend the winter season because after April it can be too windy. But if 74

you are not so flexible on dates and want to travel out of winter, just get in early before the wind picks up. For SUPers that also windsurf or kite, those are great months.

find them on rental websites. There are also super cool cabins in the “jungle”, which can be very romantic/interesting if the cabin is well prepared!

If you just want to cruise around and surf small waves, then you can come pretty much in any season. In summer you will find some swells on the south shore and in winter, nice swell on the north with a relax atmosphere and accessible beginner waves on the south.

If you travel by yourself for a longer period (one month or longer) or you want to find a cheaper option, I recommend you to look for a “studio” or a “room” in a shared house. It’s a very common thing to do on Maui.

FIND ACCOMODATION. Rooms are an option & Facebook is a tool.

There are plenty of options, it will only depend on your budget. If you can afford it, or if you are travelling with the family, there are many beautiful houses on offer. You can

Go to Craigslist.org, click on USA/Hawaii/ Maui and then find the section for the rentals and rooms. This is also a great way to meet people especially if you are traveling alone.

The page is very easy to use and there is usually a lot of choice. Most of the houses are shared by people from all over the planet, and it is a very interesting learning experience

to live in a mix of cultures like this. You will learn about new music, places, meals… If you travel as a couple, I recommend finding a studio with a separate entrance, a cabin or a room in a big house. Often, owners accept couples (or just two friends) in the same room which keeps costs down. In the USA the beds, like most other things are quite huge, so this is definitely an option if you have a very small budget.

And remember, Facebook is a great tool for this kind of thing. Just use it! There are friends that know friends that know friends who could be renting just the place you need on Maui.

You can find studios for 1000$-2000$ the month, and rooms in a nice house for 600$ to 1200$ monthly. Maui for as little as 300$ to 600$ per month each!

LOCATION. Wild North, Sunny South/West.

Where to rent? Well, that depends on what your activities will be.

The South is more touristic, dry, mellow, but very charming, warm and sunny. The streets are alive, people walk around, there are beautiful shops and galleries, great for a family day out.

The North Shore is quite wild; you are pretty much in the jungle, it is green and alive, there are fruits in every garden, and of course, it can rain a lot. It is powerful in all aspects.

Most of the surfers and windsurfers live around this area.

Then, the Upcountry is beautiful, but you need to drive down every day. The landscapes you see on the way are pretty stunning though!

If you don’t want mosquitos and rain but you still want to be on the North Shore, Paia is a great location. But Haiku, even though it rains, is magic and a great location for hiking, it is cheaper than Paia, and is just 10-25 minutes’ drive to the surf spots.

Eating out in Maui is expensive, be careful.

In fact it is the most common way people go over budget. The portions are huge, but the prices are high. And mandatory tips are not included on the price.

EATING. Cooking and Costco.

“If you just want to cruise around and surf small waves, then you can come pretty much in any season.�

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If you are staying in a place where you can cook, the best way not to spend all your money on food and to not waste in restaurants during the day, is to be organized and cook a lunch at home to take home with you. This also frees up your day for exploring more remote spots.

If you plan to stay 15 days or longer and you are not alone, you should definitely get a Costco card for $55. Costco is a big supermarket where every product comes on ridiculously big packages, but it’s worth it for many things. Cereals, bread, cheese, frozen stuff, eggs…

For me being Spanish, eating out is part of my culture. We have amazing tapas and it is quite cheap and quick. But on the island the culture is a bit different. There are just few villages with nice places to eat, and you won’t be always close to those places.

For little things, fresh and organic or exotic food, go to Mana Food supermarket in Paia, they have everything you can imagine, but check the prices.

If you go out for dinner on the North Shore, I recommend you try the fish burgers at the Fish Market in Paia, and the Ahi Poke from Kuau Store, a local recipe for raw tuna.

Maui is such an amazing island that there is no doubt you need a car to explore and get to the different spots. There are a lot of car rentals; famous companies with brand new

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MOBILITY. You’ll want to have a car.

cars or little family business renting a bit older cars and vans for a very reasonable price.

Remember, Facebook is also a very good tool to ask friends of friends of friends, haha.

By the way, the gas is not as expensive as it is in Europe so you can drive around cheaply.

If you come for longer than two months, buy a car.

The title transfer takes just a few minutes to complete and costs around 15$ and one week before leaving you can just sell it. It is quite easy to sell for pretty much for the same price you bought it. Visit Craigslist.org to buy and sell cars.

Some people buy minivans or vans and build little camper cars to live inside, but the beach

“In summer you will find some swells on the south shore and in winter, nice swell on the north with a relax atmosphere and accessible beginner waves on the south.�

car parks often have gates and they close at nights, so for the camping adventure you will need to keep searching for permitted sleeping spots (unless you have a friend with a parking place for you). I never did it, but I know friends who did.

You can find nice minivans for 1200-2000$, and sell them for the same price. So remember, for a long holiday, the costs of having a car could be 0$.

EQUIPMENT. Rent it or bring it?

It depends on how long you are going to stay and how often you’re going in. Also consider charges for sports equipment on the airline you fly with.

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For the unrepentant paddlers, obviously I recommend to travel with your own board.

For the cruisers that come for a fortnight and plan to surf or tour around just a few times, it’s best to rent.

There are a lot of places to rent daily or weekly, where you will be able to find anything you need.

By the way, in Costco you can buy foamy mini-malibu boards for a little more than 100$…so in some cases, cheaper than renting.

LET’S GO TO MAUI! With these tips to save money and have an affordable trip to Maui, I expect you’re

probably searching flights right now. Travel experiences are something that will live with us forever, friends, knowledge, memories.

We become wiser, braver, more independent, we meet amazing people to learn from, to grow, to be inspired by. So, spending our hard earned money this way must be better than spending on material things we don’t really need, isn’t it?

See you on the Hawaiian waters ;) Aloha!

SHAPING ROOM

Kazuma / Stefano Maffini Boards with a history

We’re getting a little bit closer into the shaping world with Stefano, from the Kazuma factory in Maui. He tells us the story about how he discovered watersports, then came to Hawaii, and how he met the Kazuma board creator and how he become a part of the brand.

Stefano Maffini.

I was born and grew up in Italy, Tuscany, just one block from the beach. My mother took my brother and me to the beach every day from June to end of September and both of us fell in love with the sea in a natural way.

My brother became a lifeguard and we both 82

SM

Giora Koren / María Andrés

became good swimmers. We spent many years playing water ball and beach volleyball.

We grew up at the yachting club and we started sailing at a very young age.

In 1976, the first windsurf board arrived in Italy and we both moved straight in the windsurfing world, competing and traveling.

I opened three windsurfing centers. From there, I witnessed a lot of life changes through my passion for water sports, all connected with the wind, waves and places where I could get into in the water.

The surf culture became a lifestyle and slowly attracted me to surf. Then, in 1997 I decided to move to Maui.

� Hawaii is still our playground and main market of course, with the long history in shaping and our factory in Maui �.

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Kazuma Boards.

I met Matt Kazuma Kinoshita while surfing at Pavils (Hookipa Beach Park) and we became friends. He taught me and inspired me so much. His son, Chaz, and my son, Joao Marco, were the same age and they also became very good friends. We all were surfing together every day. Matt was coaching the kids and shaping incredible boards for them. It was impressive to see his love for surf, his love for shaping and how much he was helping young kids and people with it, it was his passion.

Matt started Kazuma Surfboards Hawaii in 1989 and he is today one of the best and recognized shapers in the world.

When and How your professional relationship with Kazuma started?

I was taking some boards to Italy during my

summer trips and many friends and surfers in Italy were asking about the Kazuma boards.

Then I connected with some surf shops in Tuscany and we started to ship out boards direct from Maui.

In 2008, Matt gave me the chance to make a business partnership and we started Kazuma Surfboards International, LLC. I put a lot of energy and passion in it and today we are an International company with distributors in several different countries (New Zealand, Brazil, Europe, Japan, Taiwan and the USA mainland) and customers around the world.

Kazuma brand is a pure hard-core surf company, Matt designs and shapes every board in Maui. He likes to make customers happy and ensure that everybody at any level has the perfect board to improve and catch more waves.

Together, we decided to open a show room which is attached to the old factory. We have a big surfboard inventory to be sure that everybody can have access to their “magic board� in stock or they can order a custom.

We started to introduce new shapes and some accessories such as leashes, deck pad leash, surf bags...

Which is your main market? How are your main customers?

I am working really hard to increase the international market.

We have participated four times at the Surf Expo in Orlando, Florida—one of the biggest international events in the surf industry, and we started to have more articles in magazines and more on line coverage. Our distributor in Europe has started to develop the brand in the local markets with events and participating in local Surf Expos.

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� We have boards for pro surfers to beginners, and every board we make needs to make the rider happy and feel good in what he is doing �.

Hawaii is still our playground and main market of course, with the long history in shaping and our factory in Maui. We supply the local surfers, surf shops and customers in all the Hawaiian Islands.

“ Surf boards are still the main Kazuma business, but our SUP and Kite board production has been increasing a lot in the last five years �.

We are shipping custom SUP and Kite boards 88

around the world, including Japan, South America, Europe or Mauritius.

customers who want a high performance board.

Tell us a little bit about your SUP boards.

We also have a line of boards made in the same style of surf boards and clear epoxy (no painting) for the advanced surfers looking for more performance and the real surf feeling.

There are different sizes for wave riding and two bigger sizes for all-around conditions. The basic line is for everybody who want to start to SUP or improve their skills while buying a board at an acceptable price.

In the last eight years, we started and setup a production board in Asia for SUP boards. We have put a lot of time, hard work and energy to be sure that the production keeps the Kazuma quality standard that Matt created and keeped for many years.

Our Sup production line is going very well, with much appreciation and good reviews from customers and we try to keep our customer happy. We have several different lines. There is a full carbon model for

Which is the special thing that makes a Kazuma board?

I think the best point of Kazuma is the love

and passion that Matt prints in every single board he shapes or designs.

“ Every board is tested by him and our riders and the final shape is decided when the board is exactly what Matt was looking for ”.

We have boards for pro surfers to beginners, and every board we make needs to make the rider happy and feel good in what he is doing. All our boards are made with the best material on the market, from the blanks (foam), resin, cloth and accessories.

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Your decorating style is very recognizable, some boards are authentic works of art ...

How was the beginning of SUP for Kazuma Boards? Those early days with a completely new thing on the water.

We are also making a lot beautiful custom boards on Maui using airbrush, resin tint and pigment. Our experienced team of glassers are the best! With over 25 years’ experience.

Matt started to shape SUP boards from the beginning of the sport, when some local guys started to stand up and ask for a different shape and a different board size. Our factory in Maui was well organized and big enough to produce them. For us, it was easy to make prototypes and custom boards quickly.

This year, I feel like there is a return in the old school tint and color pigment style. It is a special kind of colors that are mixed with the resin before laminating, we have some unique acid tinted style boards…

Our customers love to have their “magic board” with a personal special touch that can’t be copied or reproduced.

From there, with the explosion of the SUP market, we were already in weekly production and construction. We were the first ones to use different foams density, special foams without a wood stringer… we could totally customize the boards to satisfy the customer expectations.

And now with foiling... A new trend is coming, breaking the rules again and continuing to amaze people from all of the watersports. How are you dealing with this foil boom in Kazuma?

In August, we launched SUP hydrofoil boards and our foil (for SUP and surf). I think that will be a big market for the next years. We are already shipping out the first containers.

“ I think foil is becoming more and more popular, it’s something new that allows people to ride a bump and have fun! ”

“ For me, the best point of Kazuma is the love and passion that Matt prints in every single board he shapes or designs ”.

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� Matt started to shape SUP boards from the beginning of the sport, when some local guys started to stand up and ask for a different shape and a different board size �.

“We also have a line of boards made in the same style of surf boards and clear epoxy (no painting) for the advanced surfers looking for more performance and the real surf feeling �.

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For sure it’s not easy for beginners, but I can see already how many people is interested to try and to learn.

We already have our Foil and we are still testing some small changes to make it easier and more stable, something affordable and that everybody can try and enjoy.

We are now shipping the first two Sup Foil boards to Spain where our distributor and local riders will try and show it around, so if you are around Spain, I hope you can go and try it!

Do you think the longboard market community is growing?

I think the longboard market is stable…

“ Actually… this summer we had a much bigger demand for longboards! A lot of people is longboarding again and a lot of new people are doing their first steps to surf with long boards ”.

I think surfer likes to have a longboard in their quiver for small days or friendly/family beach days. I do like going to the south with my family and friends to surf on my longboard and sit in the water and enjoy the day, have a barbeque…

That’s the Hawaiian lifestyle and this is why there will always be longboard customers.

But also in Europe, our longboard community is growing… it’s an easy way to learn and improve as they work well in any wave size.

What about the women in surfing sports?

Woman are a big community in the surfing sports, from the professional to the beginner scene, we have a big portfolio of female customers.

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� I think surf and SUP will grow more and more. With surf as an Olympic sport, surf and SUP will get a big exposure �.

Matt even designed some special boards for women.

Woman is a big part of the SUP market as well. Our boards are easy to travel with, good for exercise, yoga (on sup boards) or just for cruising.

What is the future in SUP/surf?

I think surf and SUP will grow more and more. With surf as an Olympic sport, surf and SUP will get a big exposure.

The International Surf Association (ISA) has new countries joining the association… And on their social media you can see the all the aspects of the sports: new technology, SUP, foil and beach life 98

“ Now we have SUP and surf customers from everywhere, even places with no ocean! In the last 10 years you can see how people is moving or travelling from cold places to tropical places…”.

I think it is good for the surf industry and can keep the business running well.

For sure, there is a lot of competition in the market, a lot cheap brands with no history or shapers, but today, I think customers are searching more and looking for more details before buying a board.

Thanks for sharing your insights with us Stefano.

I would like to say thank you to all our customers around the world to support our brand and be so loyal for many years. Thank you to our distributors and agents who are investing money, time and a lot of energy to make grow the brand.

More info about Kazuma: kazumasurfboards.com

“I think surfers likes to have a longboard in their quiver for small days or friendly/family beach days. I do like going to the south with my family and friends to surf on my longboard and sit in the water and enjoy the day, have a barbeque…

That’s the Hawaiian lifestyle and this is why there will always be longboard customers “.

In our next issue of

Zane Schweitzer in

Tuamotu

Laurent Masurel

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Paris 2016. CrĂŠdit photo : PalacePalace_. 642 016 778 RCS Nanterre.

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