Team Dawg

Comment on (Image: Peligro!)

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:01:15 -0700

this move should be named "shitting my pants"

Comment on (Image: Berkeley @ night)

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:25 -0700

sorry, chris, that's a cheese roll, not a forward loop...

Comment on (Image: Berkeley @ night)

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:04:59 -0700

nice! I'm glad you used the flash, otherwise it would have been an all-black picture

Image: Berkeley @ night

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:09:32 -0700

Riders: Christian Thiel Moves: Forward loop

Image: Peligro!

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:14:04 -0700

Riders: Enrique Benede "er gallo"

Image: Chillin'

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:58:14 -0700

Riders: Kevin Kan

Blog entry: PSC Baby

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:08:59 -0700

So, we're back from Punta San Carlos. Managed to get by just with my 74l board and 4.5 sail :-D More details later, but it was a great trip as usual. The surfing was insane! Er Potro, Deth, and Heidi got held up at the border for trying to smuggle contraband into the country LOL.

Blog entry: All is quiet on the west front...

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:16:36 -0700

Seems like not much is happening on your side of the continent looking at the recent post to the forum back in...August!!! Yesterday, we had what is probably one of the last few sunny, warm water/warm weather sessions at Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré. The swell was great in the channel, and both sides of the river were buttery smooth. Something for every taste! I did some really fast runs (no personal records but close to), and really enjoyed my afternoon off work. The colors are changing quickly, and the scenery is beautiful. I'm not getting tired of Quebec's countryside just yet. Driving around, even when I'm going to work is a delight. I might not say the same in a couple of months when cars will be skidding at every slippery street corner, but... We have about one more month of windsurfing ahead of us before it's really too cold to go out. Guys have sailed until the end of November last year, and on December 24 the year before that, so everything is possible as long as you wear booties, a hood, and a 5/4 mm. We have not had any big days yet since early August (3.5 conditions), which seems to be quite unusual. The weather patterns are really messed up this season! La Nina has been real bad... I'm looking at buying a windski, and honestly can't wait for winter to come (crazy huh?). Apparently there are more people on the St-Lawrence River during wintertime than in the summer time. No chance to drown I guess:-) Will keep you posted, Have a great hibernation! Isa

Blog entry: Phelps show

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:17:48 -0700

Back in 2004, a few dawgs (who weren't aware of being that yet) got themselves a TV at Best Buy to watch the Phelps show at Mika's, just to return it after the show ended - getting the whole thing refunded "no questions asked." I remember voices saying back then that "next time" (=now) we should get a flat-screen fancy TV to watch it. What happened to that plan? How come no-one has congregated to watch some silly competition in an abstruse sport such as handball??? It worked with the Euro Cup - why doesn't it work with the Phelps show??? Any comments, suggestions, plans welcome!!!

Tip on the Forward loop by Matt Harvey

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:23:22 -0800

Yeah, this seems to be the popular one, and I have yet to capitalize on a free cocktail, sangria or otherwise. If I watch Sofy then I notice that he stays pretty much back over the straps during the whole process, since he knows the sail has tons of power. Getting close the the mast is the way to get yourself called cheezy. The day I ditched work a few people were giving me extra kudos, and what I was doing differently was to stay farther back and to take a smaller board. Enough with the fine points. I heard that some people are trying to loop for the first time. I left something out in my first explanation. In your head, it MUST be over before it starts. One of the people trying hard has mentioned that by the time he thinks of sheeting in he's hitting the water again. That's exactly the problem. You have to land it in your head, or at least land on your back in your head BEFORE you leave the water or you will not be able to sheet in soon enough. And back to what I said earlier, by the time you leave the water it's best not to be thinking anything at all: only doing. Breathe deeply. Focus on your heels or the sun, Saturn, or something way outside, and forget all the crap. Do I still remember to forget? I think we get another chance tomorrow morning.

Tip on the by Juan Vargas

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:36:09 -0800

If you are contemplating whether to try the willy skipper or the vulcan next as your next level of progression as an aspiring freestylist, you can definitely benefit from my mistakes. I learned the willy skipper before the vulcan, mainly because I knew how to jump jibe and I thought it would be logical to try the willy skipper next. there are two problems with this approach. First, while the vulcan might be a bit harder to learn, it is the port of entry to most other new school freestyle moves. second, the vulcan is A LOT safer. With 3 kids and a mortgage to pay, I worry about injuries and accidents (a little bit at least). In my over 1000 vulcans attempts (I didn't keep track, but definitely close to that at any rate) I have never hurt myself with the vulcan except maybe some sore ankles for 10-15 minutes. Conversely, I ended up with with stitches and other injuries that require medical attention with the skippers. But the willy skipper is a really fun move and every once in a while you get this long sliding back ride that it's just an awesome sensation! If you are still here and want to try it, the one piece of key advice that worked for me came from Kevdawg: stay completely centered on top of the board and as you jump, pull up with the clew hand a little bit. this action allows for the board to rotate around and keeps you centered on top of the board. This move is easier to do when planning slightly under powered and bearing off the wind a bit. Find a small ramp (very small, just a ripple) and don't lean back! Don't attempt when overpowered (all of my injuries occurred in this setting).

Tip on the willi skipper by Juan Vargas

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 12:31:51 -0800

If you are contemplating whether to try the willy skipper or the vulcan next as your next level of progression as an aspiring freestylist, you can definitely benefit from my mistakes. I learned the willy skipper before the vulcan, mainly because I knew how to jump jibe and I thought it would be logical to try the willy skipper next. there are two problems with this approach. First, while the vulcan might be a bit harder to learn, it is the port of entry to most other new school freestyle moves. second, the vulcan is A LOT safer. With 3 kids and a mortgage to pay, I worry about injuries and accidents (a little bit at least). In my over 1000 vulcans attempts (I didn't keep track, but definitely close to that at any rate) I have never hurt myself with the vulcan except maybe some sore ankles for 10-15 minutes. Conversely, I ended up with with stitches and other injuries that require medical attention with the skippers. But the willy skipper is a really fun move and every once in a while you get this long sliding back ride that it's just an awesome sensation! If you are still here and want to try it, the one piece of key advice that worked for me came from Kevdawg: stay completely centered on top of the board and as you jump, pull up with the clew hand a little bit. this action allows for the board to rotate around and keeps you centered on top of the board. This move is easier to do when planning slightly under power and bearing off the wind a bit. Find a small ramp (very small, just a ripple) and don't lean back! Don't attempt when overpowered (all of my injuries occurred in this setting).