Chile 2007/08

One of the Swiss guys ripping Topocalma

Above pictures is from Punta de Lobos. not an unnormal size !

Windsurfing La Puntilla !

Sunset at Pichilemu surf Hostal !

Myself at Topocalma

Killian going big ! all windsurf pics by Jen V. Meteren

Bottom picture is Playa Topocalma

Not much to report surfingwise here on Norways west coast. the autumn lows havent arrived yet. i decided to post some pictures from my trip to Chile in winter of 07/08. Chiles must have some of the best and consistent surf in the world.. the conditions the pictures show were nothing out of the ordinary ! Unfortunlately the wind was kind of bad, and i only sailed abot 40 % of the days. might have scored some more sailing but i was sick from foodpoisoning/chilean bugs for about 2 weeks. also the surf was a bit too big for me on a ordinary surfboard !

However i scored some epic sessions at Playa Topocalma ! its among the best spots ive ever sailed. its situated inside a huge private Hacienda and they only let a few people in every day(keeps the crowd down. i have actually sailed there alone !).once inside you drive through to most beautiful scenery,before parking in the shade of a small forest sheltered from the wind. you rig and walk 15 yards to the bank of a perfect flatwater lagoon with waist high water and sideshore wind. here its possible to warm up and check your rigging before you hit Topocalmas perfectly peeling hollow fast point break waves with strong side off winds !

Travelling Chile can be challenging, but there are rewards.. i will definitively go back,preferably when my surfings gotten better.

Lista Pisserenna Sun Side DTL !

Enjoying myself ! these photos are taken by Sigurd Klippenberg. hes a blogger too ! check it out here http://www.wavesandpowder.blogspot.com/ !

thomas wessel is a good rider. he actually threw a Goiter later in the afternoon !

Markus turning. Pisserenna is a rocky spot. keeps the kiters away !

Jørgen throwing up some spray

The weather was warm for a change !

Sigurd going DTL

Julys been a really bad month for windsurfing as usual. However there was a really good windforecast for Lista this Saturday. Lista is a really good area for windsurfing, and its usually pretty consistent and strong winds there. luckily its only 2 and a half hours drive from my place,so its doable as a daytrip. in the summer the northwest wind there acts a little as the wind in Maui or pozo. it gets a thermal kick and geograpichal acceleration and a 15 knots forecast can turn into 4.7 sailing.

With a swell its Norways Cabo Verde and Lista can throw up Starboard tack sideshore point break, over mast high perfection !

Yeasterday a good crew showed up and enjoyed 4.2-4.7 sideshorewinds,and despite a bad swell forecast in the afternoon, the ocean actually started to produce some really fun 3 foot faces !

Studio Fun !

Im member of a photoclub here in Stavanger and today some of us had the chance to borrow a photo studio fully equipped with flashes and studio gear. it was a really good learning experience for me, as i dont know much about lightning and the use of flashes. got a couple of half decent portrait shots.

Big thanks to andre for letting us use his studio ! You can check it out here http://www.studio88.no/ !

4.7 Side On at Sele with new board !

The swedes can waveride as well !
Usual Swedish freestyle position



Erik is a really good sailor and surfer. Hes been spending a lot of time in WA, but handles starboard tack as well. he always uses 1m2 smaller sail than everybody else.

Sailed a spot called Sele today. its our "bread &butter" north west spot. its a point break with usually smaller but well formed waves. needs a ground swell to work well,but even on smaller windswell days its possible to practise some turning in mellow conditions. i was out on my new board today after some idiots stole my trusty 06 Da curve 85.. got a used 08 79 l now, and despite being a size smaller it seems to handle lighter winds quite well ( typical of the Da Curves)
my old board worked well in waves,but would stall and loose speed very easily if not pushed by a good wave (or good sailor) the 79 l seems to keep up speed much better in the turns, even if its smaller. it kind of floats on the rail through the turn ! seems to be snappier as well. quite happy with the new board, but i will be on the lookout for somethingh between 85-90 L as well.

Never Summer !

Decent nr. 1 skiers right top bowl

Top part decent 2. skiers left top bowl upper part

bottom part decent 2

In Norway you can Snowboard year round. theres 3 summerski resorts and if youre willing to drive to some of the alpine ranges like Jotunheimen etc. theres Glaciers and permanently snowcowered colouirs for Randonne. my closest high mountain area Haukelifjell offers good summer boarding and after good snow winters theres good riding on offer until mid July. longer if youre willing to trek further in to the Mountains. this year its unfortunlately almost over due to heavy snowmelt. did have a good trip the other day though. this peak is called "Stavsnuten"

4.0 Sun and Sideshore !

We just had 3 days in a row with 4.0 sun and sideshore ! the waves have been bigger at Sele,but it was fun and the good guys made the most of the conditions ! even the Norwegian born PWA sailor Ørjan Jensen turned up ! only downside were the temperature.. this wind blows down from the North and even in my 5mm i got a bit cold after a couple of hours. some guys were even wearing gloves.. still not much beats blasting over open sea fully powered on a small sail :)