WINDSURF MAGAZINE 51celebration of this sport rather than a race against each other.
Gruissan is such a unique windsurf destination with kilometres of perfect
offshore winds that allows you to sail all along the coast for huge reaches.
After a long day of epic racing I was on a windsurf ‘high’ for the next couple
of days and danced it all out every night to the music of live bands and DJ’s.
During days 2, 3 and 4, there was no wind, but an ongoing festival vibe
with foil races, music, windsurf stalls and a crowd of like-minded people all
out and about to have a great time. Every day lucky draws were made and
big prizes, like boards, sails, foils, fins, etc. were given away and the crowd
was kept thoroughly entertained by the talented presenter who was on the
stage 24/7 with lots of enthusiasm and energy. I also had the big privilege of
representing my fins sponsor, Gasoil, on stage. It didn’t matter that the wind
had stopped blowing; we had an awesome time browsing through the stalls,
watching the foil races, socializing, meeting new people and dancing every
night until the early hours of the morning!
GRUISSAN
Coming all the way from South Africa, we were curious to see the old town
of Gruissan and spent an afternoon on day 3 exploring the beautiful marina
and coastline by boat. We climbed up to the fort where we got a 360 degree
view of the area. The town is picturesque and has a festive atmosphere and we
were treated to a live band performance in the marina plaza while enjoying
tapas and ice cream. When the Tramontana doesn’t blow, the temperatures
are summery and you can wear shorts and T-shirts all day long. The best part
was the long daylight hours that had us time-confused, as in South Africa it
is dark by 6 p.m. at that time of year.“IT FELT A LOT MORE LIKE A
MASSIVE CELEBRATION OF THIS
SPORT RATHER THAN A RACE.”