Ishii recently released a new edit, which shows the full potential of Omaezaki on a proper forecast, which you can see @ https://youtu.be/58ISedQPNxE

Josep Pons: "Epic session on the north of Fuerteventura with some friends. Big winter swell. Cameras: Tom Deburchgrave & Jesús Renedo."

The second half of my trip was also epic!!! Week 4 of the trip was not windy unfortunately, so I hang out with a bunch of great people. Week five delivered amazing days on the water down in the South of Cape Town and that was definitely a nice farewell. 

Filmed by: Geoff Hautman, Samuel Thome and myself. 
Follow Alessio Stillrich on Instagram: @Alessiostillrich"

You can see the second episode of Alessio Stillrich's Moments of My Life @ https://youtu.be/-7i31zTM_wY

That means as things stand Matoko Sato (Starboard / Severne Sails) currently leads the Women’s Wave World Tour after clinching the event title just ahead of Maria Andrés (Fanatic / Duotone), for what will be hugely popular victory for the locals. The women’s podium is completed by Jane Seman after the Australian edged out Pauline Katz (Severne / Severne Sails) in the battle for third and fourth place. 

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to complete the Men’s bracket, but the result will still count with each of the remaining 8 sailors all receiving equal first places after the opening event in Japan. Thanks again to the organisers and all the volunteers for making the event possible. 

Result Spicare Omaezaki Japan World Cup - Women’s Wave

1st Matoko Sato (JPN | Starboard / Severne Sails)
2nd Maria Andrés (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone)
3rd Jane Seman (AUS | Severne)
4th Pauline Katz (SUI | Severne / Severne Sails)

Result Spicare Omaezaki Japan World Cup - Men’s Wave

1st Takara Ishii (JPN | RRD / RRD Sails)
1st Antoine Martin (FRA | Starboard / North Sails)
1st Morgan Noireaux (USA | JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins)
1st Philip Köster (GER | Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins)
1st Marc Paré (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone)
1st Ricardo Campello (VEN/BRA | Naish / Naish Sails)
1st Bernd Roediger (USA | Flikka / Hot Sails Maui / Black Project Fins)
1st Marcilio Browne (BRA | Goya Windsurfing)

Hayata Ishii (RRD / RRD Sails), who has become a top pro already was a clear standout taking the U20 win, while local legend Yoshitaka Ikeda took first place in the Masters.

While conditions never quite materialized to finish the Pro men’s fleet, there was an impressive expression session that went down.  Riders took to the water to show their best for a cash prize from main sponsor Spicare.  Antoine Albert (Goya Windsurfing) and Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins) were the standouts taking first and second respectively. Albert took the win with a clean air chacho, while Sugi was a close second pulling a clean burner.  While it may not have been perfect conditions for wave riding, the freestyle talents were able to show their stuff.

There are still days left in the window to complete the Pro division, so stay tuned for the call each morning.  The livestream will be running to record it all.

Elsewhere, Bernd Roediger (Flikka / Hot Sails Maui / Black Project Fins) gives his update after the first day of the Spicare Omaezaki Japan Cup: "The first day of the 2023 Omaezaki Japan Cup seemed to consist almost entirely of anticipation, especially for myself and Marcilio Browne, as we waited until the last 15 minutes of daylight to compete! It was a tough heat in conditions less than stellar. However I really got into the little rhythms of the spot, and I loved seeing each rider’s approach to the nuisances of soft waveriding and finesse jumping. Omaezaki is a great place for windsurfing even in these challenging days, and I’m very happy to be here competing!

The men’s fleet had the advantage of watching the entire women’s bracket unfold throughout the day, as the conditions improved incrementally. I was very interested in the semifinal between Maria Andres and Jane Seman, two IWT riders of incredible skill. The heat brought forth two noticeable elements of the day: the inconsistency of the sets, and the unreliable wave faces even on the set waves. Most of the “big scores” came from waves ridden in a careful, passive style. Since these onshore wind-lumps broke in small wedges along the sandbar bottom, it paid to commit to one good frontside turn, then disengage and head back upwind for more sail power and board-speed; this provided the added benefit of giving the wave time to reform. It was the furthest thing from “down the line” wavesailing, more “down and then up and back down”, but it was waveriding, of a particularly technical variety. Maria beat out Jane in a tight heat.

In classic contest fashion it seemed that Seman hit her stride in the dingle final, sailing into 3rd with the power and confidence that would have likely brought her into the final. But so is the way of competition in the conditions we had, the waves and wind gaveth and tooketh away.

Motoko Sato sailed her local spot brilliantly, demonstrating a keen knowledge for Omaezaki. And as she claimed her win in the women’s final, the men were preparing to run. Interestingly, there was much debate among the sailors as to whether the Pro men should run. People were split as to whether the conditions were good enough to be contested in, and quickly formed into two camps. In one camp, comprised largely of PWA riders, the consensus was not to run. But there was a contingency on the other side, a lot of IWT riders and local Japanese sailors, saying different; while they acknowledged that the conditions were marginal and almost incontestable, there was a spirit to drive ahead and complete the event for windsurfing, particularly Omaezaki windsurfing.

The PWA riders undoubtedly held the valid stance of objectivity, in seeing the conditions for the snooze-fest that they were. Understandably, running in such conditions introduced a level of uncertainty in the result; of course the ocean is always unpredictable, thus the reason for actually sailing the heat on the day. Still, there’s a level of inconsistency in waves and wind that even seasoned competitive sailors are uncomfortable with, because the result of the heat might not reflect the skill of the rider but really the luck of ‘who got the one wave that came’.

I think that the riders who either lived in the area -who were a part of that community, or took part in the event in years prior- were possessed with a kind of sentimentality toward running, regardless of conditions. Ideally, we would have offshores and throaty shorepound rollers to punt off of in style! Regardless of oceanic energy, the communal human energy was high, and raring to go. Since the last international event to reach these shores was back in 2019, and so much had happened between now and then, there was a sense of necessity to having something, anything, happen as a result of the -not just months but years- of collective hoping and planning for windsurfing to once again shine and dazzle these waters.

These two camps debated as the wind and waves rose, proving that the sport of wavesailing is incredibly democratic, but also incredibly divided. There’s constant debate among the athletes as to how to run, when to run, for how long and what to count. This happens on a micro and macro level in the sport, whether it be small differences in preference to run on a given day, or big differences of opinion about what events should count on a World Tour. This is the first ever IWT/PWA cooperative event, outside of Maui, something that has taken years to see to fruition. While the Omaezaki Japan Cup represents a new level of unity in the sport, it also brings together the disparate ends of a sport divided into two hemispheres. The European, PWA, side; and the IWT, western/Pacific, side. These groups of windsurfers have very different approaches, careers, and styles. Of course they will not always share the same values and opinions, therein lies the new challenge we are tackling as a unified tour!

Though the ultimate decision is always up to the Head Judge, Duncan Coombs, he undoubtedly factors in the general consensus of the field of riders. The same goes for our tour directors, Simeon Glasson and Rich Page. It will come down to their joint efforts in accommodating and communicating with both PWA and IWT athletes, local organizers and sponsors to see our sport transition from duplicities to harmonies.

Ultimately the call was made to run, and I took my leave of debating on the hilltop to rig and prepare in the valley/parking lot below. Descending from that high speculative place, I walked among the people, as it were. Omaezaki is special because Japanese windsurfers are special, this contest resembles a kind of extended family reunion. Tents representing every brand are post up in the lot, underneath are little groups drinking tea together, sharing snacks; each group is a flowing and fluxing coagulation of friends and families from different areas in Japan, reps from various brands exchanging stories about their part of the country, the conditions; their businesses and personal relationships mingling harmoniously. The piles of gear (that pros bring in by the van-load) serving as enclosures for intimate gathering. My favorite part about this ‘event within the event’ is that no one is really watching the conditions minute-to-minute. They’re watching each other, this time of the year being their moment to check in on one another. I can’t imagine that windsurf retailers make up a sizable portion of the Japanese populous, and it is likely that these folks are seen as uncouth, living unorthodox lives centered around a passion amidst the strict traditions of their society.

I see my fiend, Molishan, in a gathering around a picnic table of rice cracker treats; he and his wife drove to Tokyo and back, twice, (a trip that is 4 hours each way) just to shuttle athletes and gear from the airport to the event. Molishan owns his own classic car garage, he sails religiously, taking many of the prime business hours of the day off to get on the water. He also tries to snowboard each weekend with his wife; Molishan is a hero among men, but of course not your typical Japanese working class family man. Among them he probably does not find fraternity. His people are us. He looks forward to the day when like-minds come to visit and share stories from sessions sailed around the world. As his wife drove their box truck out of Narita Airport, Molishan chronicled for me the time between the last Omaezaki Japan Cup (2019) and now. Everything that happened, the pandemic, lockdown, cancellations and isolations, a 2022 event closed to international athletes, a local community isolated from their international friends… He wears an event t-shirt from the “2020 Omaezaki Japan Cup”, that never happened, and was canceled mere weeks before it was set to run; and I can see that this is a living event that has been both missed and mourned. And I wonder if any other event is so strongly felt by its participants and organizers?

I mean, Cabo Verde made my year, my life! To be there was to realize a dream, to act out a movie I’d been playing nonstop since I was 12. But its not happening this year, and I’m ok with it, because something like that doesn’t need to happen every single year. But Omaezaki, a place where friends meet, that is required, that is of the utmost importance.And so we ran our heats, everyone jumping wildly and waveriding with spectacular skill. It was no banner day for the level of pro windsurfing, pushing the limits of what is possible for the best of the best. But, it served the fans of this Omaezaki Japan Cup, it gave them validation for the years of hard work and sacrifice that it took to resurrect this event. I am so thankful to be back here, thankful to passionate windsurfers who envision these gatherings, and commit to making them happen. This family congregation is the perfect starting point for a unified IWT/PWA tour, a place where we can reconnect with the roots of the beautiful tradition of windsurfing. It’s my hope that the rest of this year, this tour, carries with it the spirit that thrives in Omaezaki.
 
Full results on the day:

U15 Girls

1. Natsuki Wakasa
2. Nozomi Sakai
3. Cocoro Ono

U15 Boys

1. Haruto Konishi
2. Ryoma Sugi
3. Itsuki Noguchi

U20

1. Hayata Ishii
2. Ryu Noguchi
3. Yuki Takanashi

Masters

1. Yoshitaka Ikeda
2. Takashi Endo
3. Kyota Morita

Women’s

Final

Maria Andrés (Fanatic / Duotone) had been the standout sailor throughout the Women’s Single Elimination as the Spaniard made the most of the small conditions by consistently linking together stylish, snappy turns to progress into the top two. However, Andrés couldn’t quite see off local legend - Matoko Sato (Starboard / Severne Sails) - in what proved to be a close fought affair. Both women picked off plenty of small waves, but Sato was able to pick the best set wave of the final to drop the biggest score of the heat with her final effort - 5.5 points - after combining three solid hits to secure her place at the top of the podium in the Single. 

Jane Seman showed excellent wave selection and flow to see off Pauline Katz in the losers’ final and currently completes the top 3. 

Men’s

In the Men’s division only the top 8 sailors remain at the end of day one and at the close of play Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins) has marked himself as a serious contender in Japan after launching into high stylish backloops, whilst still being able to combine powerful turns despite the marginal conditions. The Hawai’ian will now face - Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) - after the 5-time World Champion edged a close duel against - Jake Schettewi (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins).

Takara Ishii (RRD / RRD Sails) is the only local left standing, so all Japanese hopes now fall on his young, but very capably shoulders. The 22-year-old claimed an impressive victory against Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde) in the round of 16 and will take on World No.6 - Antoine Martin (Starboard / North Sails) for a place in the top four. 

Elsewhere, Marc Paré (Fanatic / Duotone) was able to take down Graham Ezzy (Tabou / Ezzy Sails) to setup a mouthwatering clash against Ricardo Campello (Naish / Naish Sails), whilst reigning World Champion - Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing) - will face a tough test against Bernd Roediger (Flikka / Hot Sails Maui / Black Project Fins) in the last quarterfinal. 

Tomorrow the SURFLINE forecast is predicting early winds of15-20 knots with a moderate swell. Will we see these Pro Men progress to finals? Tune in to find out. 
 
Check out the full bracket update here: 
http://nor.pwaworldtour.com/Omaezaki_2023_Men's_Single_WEB2.htm
 
Check out the livestream link here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/SQK-Nprl2vw?feature=share
 
There will be livestream again tomorrow. Follow all the action and listen to THE CALL from Kai Katchadourian and the team right here for the Unified PWA IWT WAVE TOUR. 
 
Thank you to our event partners SPICARE, OMAEZAKI CITY and the wonderful windsurfing community of Japan with the JWA and all those amazing volunteers. Thank you Omaezaki! Thank you Japan!!!

Result Spicare Omaezaki Japan World Cup - Women’s Single Elimination
*Results may still change

1st Matoko Sato (JPN | Starboard / Severne Sails)
2nd Maria Andrés (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone)
3rd Jane Seymour (AUS)
 

Bernd Roediger (Flikka / Hot Sails Maui / Black Project Fins), who won the first event of the season in 2022 in Cabo Verde, has been preparing for the event at home in Hawai'i and has just released a short clip of him preparing for the season opener in Japan, which you can see @ https://youtu.be/71mu3AZ2WD4, let us know in the comments who your favourite to win the event is...

Thomas Traversa: "Lets continue with this little series about some outstanding sessions in Portugal.

For Episode1 I took you through a session at the notorious wave of Nazaré. Later that day, Alex and I drove to Peniche and sailed in some incredible conditions.

This wave is so heavy, fast and powerful... but so perfect! Things can easily go wrong, but when you time it well... here is a little recap of a session that i will never forget!

Filmed by Mat & Uli from SIAM Images

Jake Miller / Aerial Video Maui."

You can see episode two of Thomas Traversa's new series @ https://youtu.be/y9y1E-SgWyU

Intro: "Robby Swift and Jason Polakow scored an epic day at Jaws last month. Robby scores some of the biggest waves of his life, while Jason battles with misfortune but lives to tell the tale. 

We hope you enjoy watching their edit of this special day!

Videography: 
Jace Panebianco / Poor Boyz Productions
Slater Neborsky / Soul Creations
Jackson McMuldren / Nahoia Kai Productions
Elliot Leboe / ACL Productions"

You can see Robby Swift & Jason Polakow at Jaws @ https://youtu.be/-go7aheA2n4

Now a stunning new documentary 'IBALLA' has just been released, which takes a deeper look not only into Iballa's incredible career, but also family life etc. Daida also features heavily in the new documentary, whilst several other stars can be seen throughout. 

To view Iballa simply visit @ https://vimeo.com/806067901

Ricardo Campello: "Here are 3 of the biggest jumps of my life windsurfing !

Leave your comment and tell me which one is higher for you!

First jump was in wits ads in Capetown filmed by @koolebas 

Second jump was in hanstholm Denmark filmed by @sebastiandoerr.film 

Third jump in Pozo Izquierdo / Gran Canaria filmed by @rafasoulart"

To see RIcardo Campello going absolutely massive visit @ https://youtu.be/BWaQyHrvbMY 

Alessio Stillrich: "Moments of my life is now live! Join me on my adventures though the globe and at home.

We start off with the first episode in Cape Town, South Africa. The conditions and adventures have been on spot as usual in wonderfull South Africa. 

Filmed by: Geoff Hautman, Miguel Chapuis, Baptiste Cloarec, Albert Barroso and myself."

You can see the first episode of Alessio Stillrich's 'Moments of My Life' @ https://youtu.be/CreAqH88XyA 

Windsurfing.TV: "First up one of NP/JP longest serving riders (26 years ) who has been there and done it in nearly every discipline...  and he's still going strong today.

it is of course... Robby Swift!

0:00 Teaser
1:48 Intro, PWA/IWT merger
11:30 Starting in UK, Parental support, Sponsors
18:40 Oceans Academy, Learning to be pro and parties
33:57 Freestyle world titles, Ricardo, learning moves
45:54 Super X period, Slalom
56:21 Waves and future wave champs
1:04:22 Being a contest sailor
1:13:10 JP/NP relationship
1:17:18 Quickfire."

Three times champion of the “International Windsurf Tour”, two times winner of the prestigious “Aloha Classic” in Ho’okipa, Hawaii, and record-holder of the biggest wave ever windsurfed in Jaws, the Frenchman is one of the world’s best windsurfers.

The film SWITCH tells his story through interviews with his family and friends, as well as legends such as Kai Lenny, Levi Siver or Keith Teboul. This is the story of a true “rider” overcoming his sport’s limitations and his own, keeping his inner child alive to never stop enjoying the waves and the wind.

Production : Camille Juban - Nomis Films
Filmed by : Nomis Films - Jace Panebianco - Matteo Nvl - Fish Bowl Diaries - Jamie Hancock - Benoit Paillard 
Photographs : Pierre Bourras - Si Crowther - Fish Bowl Diaries 
Starring : Camille Juban - Kai Lenny - Bjorn Dunkerbeck - Keith Teboul - Levi Siver - Tom Juban and more..."

You can see SWITCH starring Camille Juban @ https://youtu.be/jiZ93ETAO54

You can see Nico Prien's top two tips for the fully planing gybe @ https://youtu.be/Boh-1G4o_S8

Lina Erpenstein: "One cold minute from an epic day at the Baltic Sea, beginning of February 2023. Film & cut by bulgenslag.de
Gear: Severne Sails 2023 S-1 3.6 and Severne Stone asymmetrical 72L Custom"

Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) : "After a little pause I am back on youtube! This time i will share with you a little series about some outstanding sessions in Portugal.

For Episode1 I take you through a session at the notorious wave of Nazaré. hopefully you get a bit of the feeling we had on that day!

 Huge thanks to Lourenço Katzenstein  and Francisco Pinho from team Red Herrings for the water safety! 

 Filmed by Mat & Uli from SIAM Images"

You can see the first part of Thomas Traversa's RAW series from Portugal @ https://youtu.be/x2cR5V5O0OQ

Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins): "My favorite session from this winter on Maui. The swell was the perfect direction so the waves were opening up really well which doesn't happen all that often, and it was just a really fun size. 

I was using my 4.7 Neilpryde Combat and 83L JP Ultimate wave

Filmed By: Fishbowl Diaries" 

You can see Morgan Noireaux's favourite session from the winter thus far @ https://youtu.be/sq8WwgkBIq8

To see Nico Prien's latest top tips visit @ https://youtu.be/9nwogMJGjq4

Julien Bru: "FOLLOW YOUR STOKE is a windsurfing series that tells the story of windsurfers around the world.

During the winter of 2022, wave sailors Arthur Arutkin & Julian Salmonn met in Cape Verde on a ten day trip to chase the last swell of the year, and try to sail one of the best waves on the planet...
---
SOCIAL MEDIA 
Julien Bru: https://www.instagram.com/lifeof_bru/
Arthur Arutkin: https://www.instagram.com/arthurarutkin/
Julian Salmonn: https://www.instagram.com/juliansalmonn/
---
Produced by Julien Bru Studio.
Directed by Julien Bru
---
studio@julienbru.com
All rights reserved."

You can see the second episode of Follow Your Stoke @ https://youtu.be/z4_sIqT-Hyk

Josep Pons: "Here are my 4 top tips to get out through the waves easily. What to do during the launching at the shorebreak. 

- Timing
- Stay in the shallows
- Keep your gear high
- Board pointing to the waves - 90º. 

Second part coming soon : How to cross the waves / shorebreak easily."

You can see Josep Pons' top 4 tips for punching your way through the shorebreak @ https://youtu.be/1807obTuJZo 

Sarah-Quita / Oda: "Follow us on another day in Aruba where we drive around the island doing what we love: Being in the ocean!
We hit up Barcadera for a freestyle session, dock start in turquoise waters at Roger's beach and end the day at our favourite kite spot: Boca Grandi!
Aruba is such a playground."

You can see a day in the life of Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) & Oda Brødholt (Starboard / Severne Sails) @ https://youtu.be/19BkD956tHg

Klaas Voget (Fanatic / Duotone): "What a way to finish the year! Best conditions I’ve sailed in 2022." 

Sniady is currently back in Australia where she's been hitting the road along WA's expansive coastline to score some super fun conditions @ https://youtu.be/AXnzVKuxaME

Victor Fernandez: "My latest edit is from 2 different spots I windsurfed during the same low pressure that hit the South of Spain, Almería. One of them is on the east coast with side off shore down the line conditions and the other one is my home spot in Almerimar. I sailed on 3.0 up to 4.2 and 81 & 87 lt boards."

You can see Victor Fernandez's January Sessions @ https://youtu.be/Q4DMnDn9aTk

You can see Takuma Sugi's best of 2022 @ https://youtu.be/tnmHowD_OcE

All that creativity leads to one hell of a highlights real with a combination of radical manouevers and brutal crashes. The current World No.6 spends plenty of time training at Ho'okipa and that's where his latest edit comes from @ https://youtu.be/RJCyHLKQU5U

All-In: "Back on the mythical Higer spot in Hondarribia at the end of 2022 with Thomas Traversa facing waves of sometimes 10 meters! The member of the ALL-IN team is accompanied by a jet and filmed by Mathys Fraile and Antoine Broin for these beautiful images. Windsurfing as we like it with our committed rider."

A Road Trip Adventure: “The 17th episode in the Write Your Own Chapter video series tells the story of a road trip adventure. 

It features windsurfer Marc Paré. After discovering Iceland in episode five, Marc hits the road again. Windsurfing the Norwegian coastline has been long overdue, the time was now. 

The recipe for a perfect windsurf road trip is straightforward: 

Be patient until the forecast aligns. Pack everything you can into the van, and a little more.  Study Google Maps but more importantly, immerse yourself in the local surf community. Talk to locals and gather advice. Allow yourself to get carried away by the local surf culture. Only then you will discover uncrowded but world class spots. 

Want to know more about the Write Your Own Chapter video series? 
Discover the whole #WYOC experience now.

Seek your freedom and Write Your Own Chapter.”

You can see the latest episode of Marc Paré’s Road Trip Adventure @ https://youtu.be/s74otfpADqw

As always to catch the best conditions on offer in Cape Town you need to be prepared to put in a bit of driving to strike gold, so now you can follow Flo's latest cruise around Cape Town @ https://youtu.be/jg5C_2nCUKw