DÉFI GRUISSAN 2019
48 AUGUST 2019
KARO VAN TONDER
Waking up on the 29th of May felt like Christmas. The excitement was
reaching fever pitch a day before the start of the biggest windsurf event in
the world. We prepared all our bags to catch a high speed train in Barcelona
that would take us to the windy French holiday town of Gruissan. After
spending many hours on planes, trains and buses, travelling from Cape
Town to Barcelona via Paris, I was super keen to get out on the water
alongside 1200 windsurfers. We used our layover to explore the magical
city of Barcelona on our way there for a day... a must see if you haven’t
been there yet. Taking part in the Défi has been a big dream of mine for a
very long time. For us South Africans, it is a long way to travel and careful
planning is vital. It’s also a costly exercise, but I was fortunate enough to
secure a couple of big sponsors that made it possible, Nashua Paarl & West
Coast being the biggest contributors.
Getting my gear there was a logistical nightmare, but we managed to
get to know the ropes and it turned out to be part of the adventure. One
of the funniest moments was watching puzzled expressions of bystanders as
we weaved our way down ‘La Rambla’, the famous street in Barcelona, with
people just staring at us dragging along what eerily looked like a body bag!FIRST IMPRESSIONS
My first introduction to the Défi was unforgettable. My husband, Charl
and I were engulfed by an ocean of like-minded windsurfers who all
share the same passion for the sport – a windsurfer’s heaven! On arrival,
I was warmly welcomed by the legend himself, Philippe Bru, who is the
mastermind behind this epic event. It was not long before more big names
crossed my path - Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Francisco Goya, Boujmaa Guilloul,
Pascal Maka, John Skye, and the list goes on. Meeting these windsurf
legends in person and talking to them is an unreal feeling... most of the
time it felt like I was featuring in a windsurf movie! The beach was packed
with colourful flags and windsurf stalls were neatly constructed; each one
had on display the most exciting new windsurf kit and were run by some
of the biggest names in the sport. Upbeat music filled the air and I was
welcomed by all my windsurf friends from overseas whom I hadn’t seen in
a long while and also those who I have only met through social media. It
was a surreal experience to have the privilege of meeting so many friends
from all over the world all in one place and it felt like I was right at the
heart of windsurfing.WARM UP
After sustaining a serious shoulder dislocation injury in November 2018
speed sailing at Lüderitz and a subsequent dislocation 3 weeks before
the Défi, I was rather nervous about gybing and doing waterstarts etc.
with such a very limited range of motion and muscle weakness. With my
shoulder operation booked exactly a week after returning from the Défi, I
was determined to give it all I had and used the last bit of power I had left
to experience this epic event! The wind was absolutely nuclear on my day
of arrival – typical of this spot. Eager to get on the water for a practice run
and to get a little bit familiar with the location, I rigged up my 4.2 wave sail,
with the help of my husband, Charl, and fellow South African teammate,
Louis Naudѐ. We paired it with a Gasoil 26 fin and 87 litre slalom board
I borrowed from my sponsor, Surf’n’Curve. I was fortunate to be able to
borrow all my boards and sails from Surf’n’Curve for the event and I only
brought along one board bag with my 4.2 and 3.7 wave sails as I was warned
that the wind easily reaches 50-60 knots in Gruissan. The wind strength
was about 40 knots and I was flying on my Blade Pro 4.2 - relieved that
I was able to sail with some careful manoeuvring to prevent the shoulder
slipping out and feeling a little more prepared for the following day’s racing
action. The opening night was spectacular- live music, amazing food in the
VIP lounge and a festive vibe! The Tramontana was forecast to give its last
puff of wind on day one of the event, so it was all to play for on the first day!“IT FELT LIKE I WAS RIGHT AT
THE HEART OF WINDSURFING”