American Windsurfer is about people. We believe that personalities and achievements of those individuals are the inspiration of the sport and deserve a proper forum. If you have interesting news or stories, we’d love to hear from you!
Makin’ Waves
Makin’ Waves
In Search of Secret Service…
By John Chao
After giving his acceptance speech for winning the New Hampshire primary, John Kerry came up to me marveling at the number of American Windsurfer magazines he had been asked to autograph.
Makin’ Waves
Whirlwind of Festivities
Makin’ Waves
Woman to Woman
By Gina Lalli with Laurie Nadel
Windsurfing is in my genes. Even though I was born and raised in New York City, I used to love looking at pictures and movies of windsurfers and sailboats, dreaming of the day when I would get my chance.
Makin’ Waves
Show Me The Money
By Will Harper
Newman Darby may have invented windsurfing, Bill Hansen the chop-top sail, but who, it occurs to us to ask, invented the windsurf swap meet?
Makin’ Waves
Kids Rock
By Christopher Ford
We were young windsurfers and we remember what it was like to be ignored, so we are going to include a junior category and offer prizes to the winners to encourage young people to compete. After all, you remember what happened to the Shaker’s, right? No children, no future!"
Makin’ Waves
Dakine of Art
By John Chao
He took a low-paying job as a stock boy in the basement. Eight years later, he is credited to be the force behind the biggest selling harness—
Makin’ Waves
Woman to Windsurf Across Pacific Ocean
By Laurie Nadel
Rapheala le Gouvello, the forty year old Frenchwoman who made history in April 2000 by windsurfing solo across the Atlantic Ocean, is planning to windsurf solo across the Pacific next year.
Makin’ Waves
Surf Sitters
By John Chao
Anouk Raaphorst came to Aruba for a vacation and never left. To make a living, she started making souvenirs out of pottery and shells and sold them at the pool side of hotels. There the tall blond from Holland attracted attention...
Makin’ Waves
Jacques: Man with Ladies
By Glenn Fuller
To the local windsurfer, Jacques is the “cheers” of Maui, A place where everyone knows your name. Instead of “hello Norm” it’s Robby or Josh or Bjorn. A place where the mortal windsurfer can see, and be seen with the biggest names in the sport.
Makin’ Waves
Profile: Dr. Christine Brooks
‘There must be something more to life than this,’” recalls Christine Brooks, 52, the new Executive Director of the U.S. Windsurfing Association.
Makin’ Waves
CIVIC wind DUTY
By John Chao
“If one believes, however, that things happen for reason, well, that reason for me has been windsurfing. Who would have thought that it would be Boston where I discovered this sport!”
Makin’ Waves
Xtreme Awards
Germany and the Euro Commonwealth have introduced the NEA Awards with all the glitz, hype, and attempted glamor as the Academy Awards. If this catches on, Europe will have claimed a turf that is rightly theirs.
Makin’ Waves
Fresh Air Bonaire
Recently, twenty-four kids from Bonaire were sent to a windsurfing event in the United States. The competitors, ranging from six to twenty-one years of age, raised money and sponsorships around their tiny island off the coast of Venezuela.
Makin’ Waves
William Abeel 1917-2000
By John Chao
The reality of a recent transition puts a question mark to the theory. A friend of the magazine and one of our contributing editors from San Francisco, Bill Abeel, was killed by a hit and run vehicle on New Years Eve.
Makin’ Waves
The Times They Are Really Changing
NEW WORLD CHAMPION: American Kevin Pritchard takes over as the PWA Overall World Champion from Bjorn Dunkerbeck. Only two other people in the history of windsurfing have held the title.
Makin’ Waves
A Tribute to Christian Marty
By Laurie Nadel
Pilot Christian Marty is hailed as a hero for steering the blazing aircraft away from a densely populated center of town. The crash killed all 110 people aboard the supersonic jetliner on its way across the Atlantic.
Makin’ Waves
Heads Keep Rolling from the Top!
Makin’ Waves
Gebi on Gavin: A Hero’s Hero
Makin’ Waves
Real People at Sea
By Laurie Nadel
Why would anyone choose to take this on, when he could be drinking a cold one, instead, and watching the highlights on CNN or ESPN?
Makin’ Waves
Racin’ Waves
Makin’ Waves
The Waves They Are a’ Changing
Well, if this trend continues, windsurfing in the middle of the Atlantic might be the only place left. Don’t even think about it. But the next TransAtlantic Windsurf Race is heating up.
Makin’ Waves
The Windsurfer who could have been… President!
Citing financial difficulties to mount such a campaign, Kerry announced to a disappointed Bay State press conference that he will not be a potential candidate for the upcoming 2000 race. Privately, Kerry told American Windsurfer Magazine that it was a difficult decision not to run.
Makin’ Waves
…There’s a Rumbling in the Sky
Bob Dylan might have been watching a few of us in the windsurfing world when he wrote the beginning lyrics to his song, Trying to Get to Heaven.
Makin’ Waves
Sowing Seeds with BIG Waves
HOW BIG of a wave do you need to have in order to make it to the November cover of National Geographic Magazine? The answer is a pretty Big Wave.
Makin’ Waves
A Winner Combination!
The addition of Ken Winner to the American Windsurfer Team on July 1st, 1998, will have great implications for this magazine and the sport. With a three year contract, the signing of Winner is a major commitment to the future.
Makin’ Waves
Boardhead Inventors
By John Chao
ROGER JURIEN says he is a typical lazy windsurfer; YVON CHOUINARD is a voice crying in the wilderness for ecological accountability, they are both Boardhead Inventors.
Makin’ Waves
Into Deep Water
The TransAtlantic Windsurf Race (TAWR) is an historical journey in the making for both sailors and the sport.
Makin’ Waves
Trojan Horses and World Titles
What a great idea you say? A great way to grow the sport? Well, great ideas are many. Didn’t your mother tell you that the road to failure is paved with good ideas? . . . or was it hell and something about good intentions? Anyway.
Makin’ Waves
Don’t Get Mad… Get Even…
It seems that Douglas drove 18 hours to a race in Hatteras, and on arrival, found out it had been cancelled.
Makin’ Waves
Groping for Global Peace
Beauty Queen with a propensity to chase wind and windmills: Writer Linda Grover’s passion for windsurfing has put everything on the line...
Makin’ Waves
Making Waves of Amber Grain
What do Forrest Gump, Luke Skywalker and Yvette Jackson a have in common?
Makin’ Waves
$35,000 or THE ULTIMATE PRICE?
By Patrick McFeeley
“Men will always strive and push their limits if you put money in front of their faces” says Kilborne.
Makin’ Waves
Aung San Suu Kyi
By Svein Rasmussen
Starboard founder and former pro racer from Norway, Svein Rasmussen, recently forwarded us a letter from Thailand, sharing with us a unique adventure where he met Nobel Peace Prize winner...
Makin’ Waves
Punkers–Parking–Peace & Prizes
With all of the hype about the influence of the media on our social behavior these days, we at American Windsurfer can’t help but to feel partly responsible for contributing to this phenomenon.
Makin’ Waves
Ups and Downs in’s & out’s!
Makin’ Waves
Back to Basics: Extreme Interests!
The big wave had formed long before the shows even opened. The news spread and soon most … Continue reading “Back to Basics: Extreme Interests!”
Makin’ Waves
If you Build it, They will Come… and they did!
Makin’ Waves
How the Grinch Stole the Aloha but Couldn’t Steal Chirtmas
Makin’ Waves
Markus Bohm and the Cabarete Kid’s Team
Markus Bohm moved from Germany to Cabarete in the Dominican Republic for windsurfing and to start a sail repair shop. When he arrived on the island his finances ran short and he struggled to make ends meet. He remembered the kindness of the island natives
Makin’ Waves
Trends in Racing, Strap Surfing, and Fart Books
Makin’ Waves
Water Access, Water Stars, …Wedding Dreams?
Windsurfers from all over the world know the magical image of sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Makin’ Waves
On Wings of a Sea Gull & other feathers in a hat
Makin’ Waves
The Biggest Catch in Maui… and other fish stories.
Spear fishing has become a lucrative passion for brothers Greg and Alex Aguera. With fellow windsurfer Don Vitarelli, the Agueras helped land the largest Ulua (jack Trevally fish) caught in Maui county, according to the record.