Magst du dich unseren Lesern kurz vorstellen?

Ich bin Lukas Schuler, 33 Jahre alt und Vater von zwei Jungs. Ich wohne in Landsberg am Lech.

Was waren deine Wassersportarten, bevor du zum Foilen gekommen bist, und was hat dich dazu gebracht, wo du jetzt bist?

Tatsächlich habe ich vor dem Foilen überhaupt keinen Wassersport betrieben. Als ich in die Nähe des Lechs gezogen bin und bei meinen Spaziergängen am Flussufer mit meinem Hund Manfred unterwegs war, dachte ich oft: “Wie cool wäre es, hier vor meiner Haustür im Lech zu surfen?” Zuerst habe ich klassisches Bungeesurfen ausprobiert, noch ohne Foil. Das funktionierte aber nur an sehr wenigen Tagen, und ich fand es nicht sonderlich spannend, da man nicht endlos surfen konnte. Dann habe ich es mit dem Foil ausprobiert, und es war die perfekte Kombination!

An wie vielen verschiedenen Spots in Flüssen warst du mittlerweile mit deinem Foil, und wie würdest du einen guten Spot definieren?

Bisher war ich nur an “meinem” Spot vor der Haustür. Hier haben wir jedoch gleich zwei Brücken, an denen es möglich ist. Ein guter Spot zeichnet sich durch ausreichende Strömung aus, jedoch nicht zu viel, da dies gefährlich sein kann und man schnell abgetrieben wird. Außerdem ist ein guter Einstiegs- und Ausstiegspunkt wichtig.

Wie viele andere Menschen hast du bereits für das Foilen begeistert, und wie groß ist die europäische Szene, die auf Flüssen mit Foils unterwegs ist?

In unserer Region gibt es eine kleine Gruppe von etwa 5 Personen, die regelmäßig mit dem Foil am Bungee unterwegs sind. Ich habe bereits einige Bungees in die Schweiz, nach Österreich und sogar nach Kanada geschickt. Es gibt vermutlich nur in bestimmten Höhenlagen passende Spots, da hier die erforderliche Strömungsgeschwindigkeit erreicht wird. Die genaue Anzahl der Spots lässt sich schwer abschätzen. In der Schweiz gibt es eine vergleichsweise große Bungee-Surf-Szene, jedoch sind auf dem Foil noch nicht viele unterwegs.

Gibt es irgendwo auf der Welt Wettbewerbe in deiner Disziplin?

Leider gibt es noch keine Bungee-Foil-Wettbewerbe, jedoch meines Wissens nach bereits Bungee-Surf-Wettbewerbe.

Du verwendest bei deinen Instagram-Videos oft den Hashtag #riversurfing, obwohl du (bisher) keine Wellen abreitest. Warum bezeichnest du deine Sportart als Riversurfen?

Riverfoilen oder Bungeefoilen wäre sicherlich passender.

Es fühlt sich allerdings auch eher wie Surf-Foil oder Wake-Foil an, im Gegensatz zu beispielsweise Wingfoilen oder Downwindfoilen.

Welches Wachstumspotenzial siehst du für deine Disziplin in Deutschland?

Ehrlich gesagt verstehe ich nicht, warum nicht viel mehr Foilsurfer auf Flüssen unterwegs sind. Vielleicht ist es für viele eine Hürde, eine weitere Disziplin lernen zu müssen, oder der passende Spot fehlt. Aber es macht unglaublich viel Spaß und funktioniert auch an wind- und wellenlosen Tagen.

Möchtest du Wachstum, oder siehst du auch Vorteile darin, als Soulsurfer in deiner Nischensportart, in der du absoluter Vorreiter bist?

Natürlich ist es von Vorteil, wenn der Spot nicht so überfüllt ist wie beispielsweise die Flusswelle am Eisbach in München.

Dennoch freue ich mich sehr über mehr Wachstum und Mitstreiter. Contests oder Events wären definitiv spannend!

Welchen Einfluss haben soziale Medien auf deine “eigene Karriere” in deiner Sportart?

Ich liebe es, mich über Instagram mit der weltweiten Foil-Community zu vernetzen und Erfahrungen auszutauschen.

Die Community ist großartig! Wir teilen unser Wissen und unsere Erfahrungen sehr offen und wachsen gemeinsam.

Hattest du bereits unschöne Erlebnisse am Fluss, wie Konflikte mit anderen Wassersportlern, der Polizei, Passanten, etc.?

Glücklicherweise hatte ich bisher keine unschönen Erlebnisse. Wir legen großen Wert auf Sicherheit und geben die Vorfahrt für andere Wassersportler wie Stand-Up-Paddler, Schwimmer und Kanuten. Die Polizei hat mich bereits beobachtet, aber scheinbar keine Beanstandungen gehabt. Die Passanten und Zuschauer auf der Brücke applaudieren uns sogar regelmäßig. Offensichtlich sind wir mittlerweile eine echte Bereicherung und Attraktion für viele. Die meisten sind fasziniert, wenn wir lautlos über das Wasser fliegen.

Bisher gibt es nur wenige Foilsurfer, denen es gelungen ist, Flusswellen zu surfen. Was sind die Schwierigkeiten dabei, und welche Ambitionen hast du in dieser Richtung?

Eine stehende Welle, die man mit dem Foil surfen kann, wäre großartig. Ich vermute jedoch, dass dies nicht einfach zu finden ist. Die Kraft ist weniger das Problem, da bereits die kleinste Welle ausreichen würde. Allerdings sind die meisten Spots nicht tief genug, und man könnte schnell sein Foil beschädigen.

Wenn jemand dorthin kommen möchte, wo du heute bist, hast du Tipps und Hinweise auf Fehler, die du gemacht hast?

1. Ein passendes Bungee ist entscheidend. Nach vielen Prototypen und Fehlversuchen haben wir schließlich unser eigenes Bungee entwickelt, was die Sache deutlich einfacher macht.

2. Verwende ein großes Brett und ein großes Foil, auf dem du stabil stehen kannst.

3. Beachte unbedingt die Sicherheitshinweise!

Was sind die Grenzen deiner Sportart? Welche beeindruckenden “Stunts” werden in den nächsten Jahren möglicherweise ausprobiert?

Ich habe bereits mehrmals Balz Müller (@Raduculo) zu meinem Bungee eingeladen. Nach einer Session mit ihm werden wir wohl besser wissen, was alles möglich ist. Ein Backflip oder 360 sollte sicherlich machbar sein.

Möchtest du den Lesern noch etwas mit auf den Weg geben?

Folgt mir auf Instagram @FOILONLY

The post Beyond the Wave: River Bungee Foiling with Lukas Schuler appeared first on Riverbreak.

Please vote for Tom at: shortcircuit.movementmag.com/video/29

Hi Tom, could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Hey my name is Thomas Paterson I’ve been pushing the sport of freestyle riverboarding for 9 years. I grew up in Oakville Ontario Canada, I’m 27 years old. I now spend the majority of my time in Quebec on big volume rivers looking for giant river waves. I’m very passionate about rivers the outdoors and wildlife. A couple years ago I introduced the sport of riverboarding to my brother Jon and ever since we have been on a mission to find the biggest river waves. Bigger the waves bigger the tricks!

Would you consider yourself a pioneer in riverboarding?

My focus has always been on freestyle, I like to stack up and get airborne. I have invented a whole assortment of different tricks that are super fun to huck on big waves. Some riskier than others.

Are you the first man doing flips on a river wave?

I think I am the first person to do flips on a riverboard. The front flip is probably the hardest to land but also one of the most fun to throw. The board flip, insane flip, and board blunts are the riskier tricks because in order to complete the trick I have to release my self from the board. If I don’t reconnect with the board it generally means I have a big swim to do. Some of the easier tricks include airscrews, board whips, and spartas.

What is your relationship to river surfing?

Before I started riverboarding I bought myself a surfboard to try river surfing on the Ottawa River. It was fun on the wave but really wasn’t practical getting down the rapids though, I broke all the fins off the bottom of the board. At this time I was a raft guide at horizon x rafting on the Ottawa River. Through HX I started riverboard guiding and I instantly fell in love with the sport. I realized this was a great way to get down the river to the waves I wanted to surf.

Do you think that your sport will influence river surfing ?

Sure I think freestyle riverboarding can influence river surfing. I think more so if river surfing grows, and more people are introduced to river waves, freestyle riverboarding will grow as well.

Where do you got your inspirations from?

I have always loved adventures and the outdoors, freestyle riverboarding allows me to go places very few people go and experience nature on a different level. I’ve learned a lot from pro kayakers like Ben Marr, Nick Troutman, and Joel kowalski, by watching their videos I have adapted there techniques to riverboarding. Another one of my inspirations is Jacky Chan, I always loved his films and his stunts, and I think he has influenced a lot of what I do. But the biggest thing for me is just to get out there and figure it out; I prefer to make my own rules. By spending hours and hours and hours on the river, the water teaches me so much. I would say the river inspires more then any one person can.

How do you prepare for surfing these waves? Are you worried about dying in the water?

Riding big waves is a progression; I started on very small waves and as I’ve grown as an athlete I’ve been able to work my way up to bigger waves. Some of the river waves I’m planning on surfing this year are over 20 ft tall. A lot goes in to surfing waves this big. I do a lot of scouting, just looking at the river, climbing trees to get different perspectives. A lot depends on what’s down stream of the wave. If the wave has allot of down river consequence (holes, waterfalls, strainers…) then I will only throw tricks I’m confident I can land and keep in contact with my board. if the wave flushes into a big pool or a lake then I’m willing to go big and try tricks I know I might not land. I know there are risks to what I do but if I take my time to piece the puzzle and never jump into something I’m not confident or not comfortable doing then I’m sure I will be fine.

Where do you think will riverboarding go?

I’m not sure where the sport of freestyle riverboarding will go … all I know is my tricks are going to get bigger and more flashy … I have some new tricks I’m working on that will hopefully blow some minds. I’m just going to go with the flow and see where it takes me. I’m so passionate about the river and riverboarding that I’m just excited to see what happens.

Why don’t you stand up on your board?

I do occasionally stand up on my board. But do to the fact I use fins it makes it not very practical. Also the boards that I design don’t have fins on the bottom. Also the style of tricks I’m throwing all are initiated by starting on the kneesI think in the future I will be practising standing up more. What not! Haha!

Please vote for Tom at: shortcircuit.movementmag.com/video/29

The post Riverboarding Pioneer Needs Your Vote appeared first on Riverbreak.

Ich bin Paulo und komme aus Peniche in Portugal, einer Stadt, die direkt am Atlantik liegt. Mit neun Jahren habe ich mit dem Bodyboarden angefangen. Eigentlich wollte ich surfen, konnte mir aber als Sohn eines einfachen Fischers und einer Schneiderin kein Shortboard leisten. Aber egal: Hauptsache zu den Wellen, auch wenn das kalte Atlantikwasser kaum auszuhalten war. Mit Bermuda-Shorts und T-Shirt, abgeschnittenen Taucherflossen und einem selbstgeschnitzten Bodyboard aus Styropor machte ich mich Ende der 80er Jahre jeden Tag auf zum Strand. Mit von der Wasserpartie war mein Cousin Helio Conde, genannt “Laranja” – die Orange. Er hat, es später bis zum nationalen Meister gebracht und war sogar einige Male Teilnehmer an Welt,- und Europameisterschaften im Bodyboarden.

Für uns drehte sich damals alles nur ums Surfen. Es war unsere Zeit.

Für uns drehte sich damals alles nur ums Surfen. Es war unsere Zeit. Nach dem Surfen gab es immer eine Schüssel Müsli für den Magen und selbstkopierte VHS Bodyboard Videos aus den USA für die Seele. Die inspirierende Musik und die Tricks der Stars der Szene, Mike Stewart, EPPO, Tamega und Wingnut, allesamt Weltmeister, zogen uns in ihren Bann. Wir hatten das Gefühl, es gäbe keine Grenzen. Kein Weg war uns zu weit, denn wir waren getrieben auf der Suche nach der besten Welle – und dann noch einer, bitte!

Antonio Paulo Ferrao bodyboarding the Eisbach Wave.

Unseren Eltern erzählten wir, wir seien bei der Oma, dabei waren wir oft alleine bis in die Nacht draußen auf dem Meer. Als sich meine Eltern 1995, ich war damals 14 Jahre alt, entschlossen nach Deutschland zu gehen um sich eine neue Existenz aufzubauen, war ich sehr neugierig auf das was mich hier erwartet. Doch bald spürte ich die Sehnsucht nach dem Meer, den Wellen, den Freunden und der Unbekümmertheit früherer Tage. Wo waren Sonne und Salz geblieben? Ich wollte wieder zurück nach Peniche.

Du musst zum Eisbach in den Englischen Garten, erklärte er mir.

Dann, ausgerechnet während eines Urlaubs in meiner Heimat, erzählte mir jemand, es gäbe irgendwo in München eine Welle. Kaum zurück, machte ich mich auf die Suche. Meine Eltern meinten, im Germeringer Freibad gäbe es Wellen. Sofort machte ich mich auf den Weg, aber welche Enttäuschung. Es war ein ganz normales Wellenbad! Später erzählte ich auf einer Geburtstagsparty einem Freund namens Stefan von meiner Surfer-Leidenschaft. “Du musst zum Eisbach in den Englischen Garten”, erklärte er mir. Also machte ich mich wieder auf die Suche. Wir wohnten mittlerweile in Gilching. Mit meinem alten dicken abgeschnittenen Camouflage Taucheranzug im Rucksack machte ich mich in Mai 1996 mit der S-Bahn auf den Weg. Im Englischen Garten angekommen, hörte ich plötzlich das Rauschen eines Baches. Meine Schritte beschleunigten sich. Ich erreichte eine Brücke auf der viele Menschen standen.

Ich hatte das Gefühl, endlich angekommen zu sein – von da an wurde der Eisbach mein zweites Zuhause.

Dann sah ich sie – die Welle. Völlig überwältigt von diesem Glücksgefühl musste ich mich erst einmal setzen. Dann lief ich hin und her und besah mir die Welle von allen Seiten. Auf einmal spürte ich so etwas wie das Gefühl, endlich angekommen zu sein. Ich sah jemand auf der Welle reiten. Wie ich später erfuhr, war es Walter, genannt “der Hausmeister”. Ich musste ins Wasser. Zwischen seinen Rides fragte ich ihn jedes Mal, ob ich mir sein Board einmal ausleihen dürfe. Anfangs war er sehr skeptisch, da er sich für die Sicherheit der Surfer verantwortlich fühlte. Erst als wir näher ins Gespräch kamen und ich ihm von meiner Heimat und vom Surfen in Peniche erzählte, erlaubte er mir, sein Board zu benutzen. Ich habe erst später verstanden, dass das eine wirkliche Ausnahme und Ehre war, denn wer leiht schon sein Brett an einen Unbekannten? Wie dem auch sei, mit dem Board in der Hand war ich natürlich sehr aufgeregt, mein Herz raste, aber ich war irgendwie auch glücklich. Von da an wurde der Eisbach mein zweites Zuhause. Jeden Tag war ich dort. Ich bin dann dazu übergegangen, mit meinem Bodyboard zu surfen.

Am Anfang war es der nächste Sprung ins kalte Wasser. Es war so anders als Surfen im Meer, da man die Umgebung mit den Menschen wahrnimmt. Man muss alles um sich herum einfach vergessen, um sich wirklich auf die Welle zu konzentrieren, denn erst dann wird sie Deine.

Ein bisschen Show gehört dazu.

Da man außer für 360er, Drop, Knee, Standup und Cutbacks viel mehr Speed und Lip für Back,- Frontflip, Rolls, Aerials und ARS braucht, ist es wichtig, diese Tricks mit Styles zu kombinieren. Dann kann man sich sehen lassen, und denen auf der Brücke echt was bieten: Ein bisschen Show gehört schließlich dazu!

Mit der Zeit habe ich viele Eisbach-Surfer kennengelernt. Gerry, Günter, Walter, Dirk, Jorg, Stephan, Raphael, Quirin, Henrik und Christian (Obelix), um nur einige von ihnen zu nennen. Mit Henrik zusammen habe ich 1997 sogar ein Lied geschrieben. “Going South”, das ein wenig das Surferleben beschreibt.

Hier könnt ihr in den Song reinhören: Going South Demo 1997

Und wenn ihr mich heute fragt, warum ich nach fast 25 Jahre immer noch als einziger dem Bodyboarden treu geblieben bin, dann liegt es wohl daran, dass beim Bodyboarden die Nase immer noch ein bisschen näher am Wasser ist als beim Surfen und dass es mir auf das “cool sein” nie so wirklich angekommen ist.

Antonio Paulo Vitorino Ferrao – Eisbach München

The post The Eisbach Bodyboarder – A Silver Lining On The Horizon appeared first on Riverbreak.

Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

What’s up everyone! My name is Ben Gravy, I am a novelty surfer on a mission to surf in all 50 US states & any waves that are weird & quirky!

Why did you start Vlogging?

I started filming my life when I was 8 years old. I used to film onto VHS tapes & edit surf videos with 2 VCR’s stacked on top of each other, but I started making YouTube videos documenting my life & surfing online in 2006. Then in January 2016 I started my official Ben Gravy VLOG channel.

Why did you choose the name “Nubnation” for your fan base ?

When I was a kid my best friend Mike Nesspor and I started a skate & surf magazine called NUB. NUB was an acronym for “nobody’s unliked buddy”, which meant we were going to feature unknown skaters & surfers in the magazine, instead of big name pros. The idea of accepting and promoting everyone no matter of their “status” has been a steady ideal in my life. Mike happened to pass away from a motorcycle accident in 2013 and I keep the NUB nation alive in his honour.

Tell us a bit about your story, how did you get into river surfing?

After I had realised that I surfed in 14 US states and that maybe 50 states was possible I started investigating ways to surf in landlocked states. When I found out about river surfing in Colorado on a road trip out to California, the game changed.

What were the biggest changes in your VLOG in the last years?

Since the beginning of my VLOG I wanted to create a series of videos that was honest and empowering. Sharing the ups & downs as I go. Some of the biggest changes has been the fact that I now bleep out the curse words haha.

What’s your view about the current North American river surfing movement?

River surfing in North America has blown up in the past three years! I know people have been doing it forever, but since social media made it a more noticeable and discoverable sport it’s really taken off.

When will it be possible for professional river surfers in North America to make a living from the sport?

With the way social media works in this day and age it’s possible to make money as a professional river surfer now! Start promoting what you do and make a splash!

A really fundamental question Ben: In your opinion, should river surfing seek to become a professional sport like ocean surfing?

Yes, why not? It’s fundamentally a different sport so the events and characters would be completely different and I think it can be it’s own awesome sport!

There are famous snowboarders in America who are river surfing. Bryan Iguchi and Travis Rice are filming surf videos in their hometown Jackson Hole. What’s your opinion on this? Good for the sport in general or only good for the sponsors of Bryan and Travis?

As long as it’s promoting the sport I think it’s rad!

Even ocean surfers like you, Dylan Graves and Jamie O’Brien star in river surfing clips. Why did it take so long until famous ocean surfers start promoting river surfing?

Whenever I mention river surfing to people they usually think I’m joking or that I’m riding down the river through rapids and trying to stand on my surfboard. It’s a hard thing to comprehend until you can relate to it. I think because we’ve taken our boards that we use in the ocean and shown that they can be used on the river it helps people understand that it’s realistic to try it!

Two Canadian men are showing insane action on big river waves … speaking about the bodyboarders Tom Peterson and his brother. What is their impact on river surfing?

I haven’t seen any of their footage, but I’ve seen some pretty gnarly stuff go down on bodyboards in the river. Definitely using the wave to do new and crazy stuff.

What will the future in contest river surfing bring?

Competitive river surfing will push the athletes to get more creative and innovative!

Where do you prefer landlocked contests? In rivers or wave pools?

A natural river wave event would be SICK! Maybe Montana!

Today, river surfing contests are at a stage where ocean surfing was 20 years ago. What can river surfing learn from the mistakes that happened in ocean surfing?

I think the river surfing community should just focus on what river surfing is and not worry about comparing anything to ocean surfing. We have a very unique and cool thing here!

Are we going to see you participating in river surfing comps in the future?

I’m so in there big dog!

What are your personal goals in river surfing? Which tricks do you want to get dialed in the future?

My goals right now are to find a wave in Missouri and Nebraska! Kick flips are an ultimate goal!

Which other river waves would you love to ride one day?

That big dog monster wave up in Canada!

Are you involved in any wave building projects? Which waves do you see coming in the future?

I’m seeing Nebraska coming on the scene HEAVY! It’s NEVER been surfed…

How do you want American river surfing develop in the future?

I’d like to see a lot more young people trying it out and enjoying that fun it has to offer!

Some last words?

Whatever you want in life, go for it 100% do it for the DREAM!

What is the claim for your future?

I’m claiming that it’s nuking boys!

The post Ben Gravy – On a Mission to Surf in Every State appeared first on Riverbreak.

Even though the four contests were held independently from each other, we were curious about what’s going to happen, if we sum up the individual rankings. So we assigned 100 points for the first place, 90 for the second etc. and calculated the total points for each rider. This is an unconventional approach, but it leaves us with a ranking of the Top 10 river surfers for both Men and Women. All results are given in the table below. Congrats to our winners Rahel, Jan and Vinzent!

The 2018 Top 10 River Surfer Ranking is based on the results of the following four river surf competitions:

• Bad Ischl, Crown of the Trown (AUT)
• Bratislava, Riot River (SVK)
• Bremgarten, Bremzgi River Jam (CHE)
• Thun, River Surf Jam Thun (CHE)

Always keep in mind: River surf comps are not about the waves as much as coming together and supporting one another!

MEN

WOMEN

The post Top 10 River Surfers 2018, Europe appeared first on Riverbreak.

Silvia, are you already planning to participate in the Olympics in six years?

Wait a sec? China winter Olympics is in 4 years! Or … are you really asking me about in 6 years? You mean … SUMMER Olympics? Holy shit!! What an epic thought. To be honest it hasn’t crossed my mind but the thought is so wild and beautiful that I’ll keep it in my head to cheer me up through this current Olympic’s knee injury recovery period.

Let’s imagine, for a moment, river surfing is an official discipline at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Would you swap your snowboard against a surfboard?

As I said before, I haven´t dared to think these kind of thoughts before, my surfing skills would definitely need a big upgrade to keep up with the amazing ladies river surfing already has in store. On the other hand, I´ve always loved a big challenge and a big dream. Those things are what makes life exciting. Especially right now while facing 5 more weeks of wounded warrior life before I can even just walk normal again… I´m down with a new and additional dream, and even the thought of trying this, no matter how far I could get with it, makes me stoked already. Thanks for brightening up my day with new dreams!

Tell us a bit about your story … how did you get into river surfing?

That was quite some years ago on the most chill one of our three Munich river waves, the “Flosslände”. I had tried my luck with real ocean surfing several times before, but only got rare chances when I was snowboarding in California already anyways and managed to do a quick additional stopover with friends on the beach or did the classic German camping& surfing vaca in France for a week. Great experiences but I never got enough of it and the only realistic way to get more surfing into my fulltime snowboarder life was to get on our Munich river waves. So I started on the Flosslände many years ago. Great times while the Flosslände ran, but then it shut off for a bit so I tried to transition straight to the Eisbach but I was quite scared of the rocks behind the wave, really couldn´t afford to hurt myself in the river and that way be out of the snowboarding. Also I didn´t know any of the Eisbach crew at that stage and it’s intimidating if you´re just a scared kook Eisbach beginner with no connections.

There are people on our river doing turns in ways I could probably try all my life and never be able to do it like that.

I felt I had no business being there so I went to the second Eisbach wave instead. It´s a smaller, weaker wave and kind of tricky if you aren´t very light weight, but it worked for me. I spent as much time there between my snowboard trips as I could and once that wave stopped running well I finally went to the classic first Eisbach wave. Got to know lots of people over the course of time, got over my fear of the rocks and kind of figured out how it works there after all. From a technical surfing point, I have lots of room to grow, but just being able to enjoy the surfing there makes me so happy, and in the end that’s what it’s all about – to feel good and comfortable with the wave and people and the huge amounts of watching tourists, to spend your time there with a constant smile adding your own little share of happy vibes to the accumulated good energies of Munich city.

Photo: Zach Faulkner

What would you say if future Olympic surf comps would be carried out on river waves, in cities far from the ocean?

Obviously the real surfing belongs into the ocean. But that makes it exclusive, only a certain amount of people have the luck to naturally have access to a surf spot, it´s quite comparable to good snowboarding locations and the reason why I have moved a lot of my life to the USA throughout my snowboard career. River waves and wave pools are an opportunity for many people to experience the joy of (that other kind of) surfing without living on or moving to the beach or being limited to your vacation time. I think there is no question about it that the primary Olympic surf event will always belong to the ocean, but adding a second surf discipline in the river or wave pool could be a sweet addition. Not only as something for the landlocked surf community to connect to, but also as a chance for technical trick surfing to improve in an additional direction. Especially if the wave pools or river wave constructions improve to new heights as well. Hate it or love it, it can definitely broaden the whole big picture of what surfing is and can be.

It’s up to yourself to figure out what exactly makes your heart scream from joy.

I can only compare it to the snowboard world, where backcountry never made it to the Olympics (I don’t think it should – snow gets tracked out, water stays the same), but slopestyle did in 2014 and then they added Big Air in 2018, also on those in-city-ramps that take snowboarding to downtown cities where it otherwise could never be. No, that´s not “real” snowboarding to me, but yes, big air was amazing to have in the Olympics this year and it does add a big slice of new excitement to the aging Olympic vampire as well. Generally I believe it´s good to be open to new additional directions and not only limit yourself to what you have known so far and cling on to the size of box you have packaged your passion into so far.

What would a river wave need to qualify as “Olympic”? What would the river wave of your dreams look like?

Wow, I only know my three home waves here in Munich so far. The main Eisbach wave is for sure the best one of those, it´s the tallest and has the most pressure and people are doing amazing things on it. So that´s the best I know, but I don’t feel I have enough experience with different waves to really say what should be different to make it the best it could be. You’ve got to ask those boys and girls with the big bag of tricks and many years of Eisbach experience, I´m not one of those, at least not at this stage.

Photo: Julian Dörr – kn12.de

Today, river surfing contests are at a stage where snowboarding was 20 years ago. What can river surfing learn from the mistakes that happened in snowboarding?

Wow. This interview is definitely one of a kind. I´m really enjoying all this crossing over between snowboarding and surfing, it´s broadening my own horizon of imagination and understanding along the way. Thanks guys!

Generally I don´t believe much in mistakes.

Generally I don´t believe much in mistakes, everything that happens is a chance to learn from it and evolve. So in my eyes, it’s not so much the things that happen themselves, it’s more our perception and judgement of them, our ability to let things happen with an open, fearless mind and soul. The only constant in life is change, and no matter how much you love something at a certain stage, time will go on. So in the context of boardsports and Olympics, Terje Haakonsen definitely comes to my mind, with his strong anti-olympic attitude back in the day. Olympics are clearly not 100% of what snowboarding is, there are many more perceptions and ways of living snowboarding, but the Olympics have clearly broadened the horizon of what snowboarding can be. It´s still up to the individual to only care about pow, to be a part of producing core snowboard movies, to compete in alternative events or chase an Olympic dream. It´s up to the individual to be on the mountain 2 or 200 days a year, on a freestyle-, race- or pow-board and it’s up to yourself to figure out what exactly makes your heart scream from joy.

So I´d say the important thing for the future of river surfing (as well as lots of other things in life) is to stay open and fearless and give things a try in order to figure out how to do them better. Resistance against change and growth is usually a waste of energy as long as the change and growth don’t destroy nature or hurt living beings.

A really fundamental question Silvia: In your opinion, should river surfing seek to become a professional sport like snowboarding?

I don´t think this is a question of “should” or “shouldn’t”. It kinda of goes back to the question with the mistakes in a way. No matter what happens, the individual will always have the choice to perceive riversurfing in whatever way makes them the happiest. If stationary wave surfing turned into an olympic discipline in 2024, whoever would like to spend time hating on that could save that energy and just keep surfing the same way they always have, not watch any of the events or care about it. I think the question is not to judge if it’s good or bad if stationary wave surfing became “official”, it’s more the question if it will happen or not.

I´d say the important thing for the future of river surfing is to stay open and fearless.

I do think there is a future of more river waves, city waves and wave pools because people enjoy using them. Consumers create the market, market creates chance of making money, chance to make money with something sweet as surfing creates people who will want to take advantage of that. So yes, I do think there will be a growth in that kind of surfing. More people doing it creates events, and the question is how popular and official those will get, and if the Olympic vampire will get hungry for more fresh blood as well. So bottom line – no resistance against whatever the future brings, just curiosity for what’s to come!

Who should be in charge of carrying out the qualifications for the Olympics? Do you think this should be left in the hands of national (ocean) surf associations or should river surfers have their own associations?

Wow this thought goes far into the future! Different federations and organisations have been a big magnet for wasting energy with fighting in snowboarding, but after many years, everybody has somewhat found together and two different tours have been united in a combined ranking list and a quite respectful co-existence. Coming from that experience, we know how important it is to include everybody involved and have vivid communication to create things together. So ocean surfing and stationary surfing would need to work together with respect in the shared goal to do what’s best for surfing overall. Ideally money and sponsor interests are secondary behind the interest of the sport and it won’t be a fight over who owns what but more joining forced to take it all onto a higher level together. This might sound rather dreamy-naive, but the more everybody involved can see the biggest picture, the better it will be. But obviously with human´s monetary system we also need budget to make things happen.

Photo: Zach Faulkner

What are your personal goals in river surfing? Which tricks do you want to learn in the future?

Surfing has mostly been a treat for me, a change of scenery, a chance to have a good time with lower expectations than those I have on the mountain. In snowboarding I´ve gone through all emotions of the pain and pleasure of trying and learning tricks, of scaring and pushing yourself, succeeding and failing with consequences. I haven´t gotten to a stage of putting any pressure on myself for surfing, I just go with it and am happy cruising no matter what. In that one summer on the little second Eisbach wave I sometimes got to a stage of being so comfortable I wanted more, so I started with little ollies and got alright at surfing switch (might help that I skateboard regular all my life, and I´ve been skateboarding longer than snowboarding actually) but once I transitioned to the bigger wave I was just stoked to feel comfortable cruising there. It would be sick to learn some 3s eventually, to pop above the water and see if the switch surfing also works there, but first I need this knee to heal again, keep up with snowboard life, and then I´ll possibly ask some of the good guys and girls for trick advice this summer, once the time has come.

Which other river waves would you love to ride one day?

In terms of river waves I´m lucky to come from Munich! We have some of the best, most consistent river surfing there is. So far if I travel somewhere to surf, it would be to be in the ocean and not in another river. But if there´s a river along my journeys, I surely love to try it out. This summer, when we were snowboarding in New Zealand, I was really hoping to join my Kiwi friends on their local (Hawea) wave, but while I was there that wave never ended up being surfable. That made me realize how lucky we are in Munich. Eisbach always runs except those 2 weeks a year when they clear out the river. I also have a friend who surfs in the great lakes in the USA which would be a sick experience if it worked out along the way – and we had the luck to get waves.

If there´s a river along my journeys, I surely love to try it out.

My next “new” stationary wave experience will be our 4th Munich wave – the indoor wave at the Jochen Schweizer arena. I’ve been wanting to try it ever since it opened, but in the summer the Eisbach was too fun and I didn´t want to go indoors, then I was in AUS/NZ for snowboarding, then ended up crashing so hard on snow that I had brain bleeding and wasn´t allowed to do sports for six weeks, then the snowboard season and Olympic qualifying kept going, taking me to Olympics eventually – where I hurt my knee. So it´s going be a little while until I can surf again, but once that time comes around I´m really excited to try that clean indoor wave and compare it to what I know so far.

Are we going to see you participating in river surfing comps in the future?

Coming back to the beginning of this interview – I haven’t really thought of it yet since I don´t think my skills are quite there yet. But who knows – if my body stays healthy and I have enough surf time this year and get lucky with some Eisbach crew advice on learning stuff – never say never. :) I´ve always loved a challenge and honestly I´ve thought about it how sweet it would be to learn surf tricks. It must help to have board feeling from doing tricks on a snowboard and skateboard? So far I just never really knew where to start so I just kept cruising. And actually just that is an eternal task in itself. There are people on our river doing turns in ways I could probably try all my life and never be able to do it like that. And in the very end, what matters is that it feels good and makes your happy. No matter if it’s a contest day or any given day. It´s just like snowboarding.

What can popular athletes like you do to help build more river waves?

I don´t really know. But if you can tell me, please tell me how, and I´m happy to help. If there was a smooth way to add waves to existing rivers without fucking with mother nature too much that would be huge! I´d love to support it in whatever way I can.

Thank you for your time Silvia and we wish you a speedy recovery!

The post Silvia Mittermüller – River Surfing from a Pro-Snowboarder’s Perspective appeared first on Riverbreak.

Monkey grew up on the St. Lawrence river in Montreal, Quebec. Home to the rapids that ended the journeys of Canada’s early explorers. After losing his entire fleet of ships Samuel de Champlain said you would have to be mad to go back in those rapids (in french of course). What would scare the pants of an average river surfer is the wave playground Monkey calls home. Enter the jet ski. Monkey probably has as many hours on a ski in the St. Lawrence as he does on a surfboard. The ski was the best way to access the most gnarly surf waves and he would trade turns with his surf partner at the time, Jean-Louis St Arneault. Basically if you wanted to surf, you had to learn how to drive ski.

The ski is a game changer when it comes to safety.

2005 and 2006 were milestone years in river surfing. The WRSA (World River Surfing Association) was in full swing as Elijah Mack traveled around the world connecting the river surfing communities. New videos were popping up weekly on a new video sharing website called YouTube. In the rapid explosion and progression of the sport all eyes were on Montreal. The Goon Posse showed off a badass aggressive style similar to the FUS Crew in Munich but they were surfing monster waves that no one even knew existed in rivers. Their use of jet skis and giant bulky underwater housings was iconic to their big water scene and unmistakable up against the other communities the search results would render.

Fast forward more than 10 years and the rest of the river surf scene is just now starting to catch up. Jet Skis allow surfers to access not only the biggest green face waves but are primarily there as rescue support in what is sure to be a treacherous swim behind. Monkey now joins us at Skookumchuck Narrows as a friend, member of our crew, but more than anything else as jet ski support. The Sunshine Coast is far from home but not the first time Monkey has been hired to lead the rescue team (including surf icon Donavon Frankenreiter). Justin Gullickson, a river surfing veteran of Alberta, bought the ski after a couple trips to Montreal to surf with Monkey, realizing how much the ski is a game changer when it comes to safety. Justin is learning to drive support for the other traveling surfers: Neil Egsgard, Tristan Gaudet, Ryan Richard, Brittany Parker, Luciano Mariani, Matthew Robertson and myself.

Photo: Luke Morstat | @outlier.riversurf | www.outliersurf.com

Skook is a crown jewel when it comes to river surfing. Found in an ocean inlet, it is the tide rising and falling that runs salty water over underwater bedrock much the same way a river would. This rare synergy between saltwater and standing wave is far different from the one you and I are used to finding in mountain fresh rivers. The sea lions and jelly fish make it feel even more dream like. As the moon circles closer to the earth and the inlet exchange grow larger between low tide and high, the water rushing over the drop reaches speeds of 14 knots and faster. The 40 foot spread of whitewater loved by the world travelling kayakers greens out to form a clean, glassy head high wave. It’s hit its “peak” and the kayakers, no longer able to paddle into the green wave, sit back in their boats and wait for the foam pile to form again on its way down. Luckily for us surfers, the jet ski can drop us in the sweet spot and Monkey is fired up and ready to show off his moves.

When I’m on his ski, he is in charge of my life.

The whirlpools and huge crashing waves at Skook are enough to make any one of us seriously consider getting in for another run but when Monkey is on the ski he is fearless. Surfing waves with the “bike” as he calls it, dodging hazards and throwing this weight all over the ski to balance as he launches 10 feet into the air. He does it all with a sense of style and comfort that allows us to rest easy and put our life into his hands. “Ok Jacob, when I say go, you go.” Monkey explains there’s no room for hesitation. When I’m on his ski, he is in charge of my life. “Three! Two! One! Go”. I release from the sled and sling shot down the giant green face. The wind blows the tears out of my eyes and stretches my smile from ear to ear. What was once an uncatchable wave that we gazed at with awe was now under my feet and it’s all mine.

I caught up with Monkey after the craziness of Skook settled down to ask him a few questions about how the jet ski fit in with surfing back home, his experience with safety, shaping boards and some of the stories from his time in Montreal.

Hey Monkey, first off thanks for taking the time to share some thoughts with the Riverbreak audience. You’re a legend in the scene and most don’t know your story so it’s cool to get a few words from one of the original gangstas. First just introduce yourself. When did you start surfing?

Ok, my name is Eric Chretien, AKA Monkey (that’s my nickname from when I used to break dance). I started surfing in late 2005, 2006. Jean-Louis St Arneault got me into it. Back then he was a rafting guide and one time in a bar I heard he was surfing and I was like ‘yo! I’ve been wanting to do that my whole life’. He was like, come next time and I was like, when’s next time. Tomorrow. Yo, I’m there. He hooked me up with a terrible Budweiser display surfboard all taped up with duct tape so it could kind of float. And that was it man, I was hooked. Snap.

We didn’t know what we were doing when we started. First Jean-Louis used to do it boogie boarding, with the fins, and would climb up on the board. There wasn’t many of us in the beginning, maybe seven. We didn’t know how to catch a wave, we figured it out. Didn’t know where the rocks were, figured that one out too. And now it is what it is today.

When did you start using a jet ski in the river?

I was using jet skis in the water way before we used them for surfing. When I grew up on the St. Lawrence my family, my father, was part of a motorboat club, VMBC, so I was raised on those waters but never in the rapids. The rapids were strictly forbidden. My first jet ski was a stand up jet ski. I explored the river but stayed away from those rapids. Rapids were for rafting not jet skiing, you know? The surfing came and I guess that brought it to another level.

Photo: Justin Gullickson | @justingullickson

We didn’t put the two together right away. At the start we would kick it old school and paddle in, the jet ski would just be there for you when you would fall. It would bring you back up to the wave but it was more for transportation. Then we started to tow into the wave using a rope. And this one time we were using Bob’s standup jet ski and I was surfing in the wave and Jean-Louis brought the rope back into the wave and then I would tow out. That was pretty cool back then, when we didn’t have to paddle at all.

After being in the scene for more than ten years, you’ve seen a lot happen in your local community and around the world. Do you see the jet ski as a tool that can be used in our sport?

A lot of times you don’t need the jet ski. Like normal waves. Like if I go to your place Jacob, I don’t need a jet ski. If you go to Ottawa river, I wanted to bring it after I had been but it’s reserved for the pretty hardcore. Like Skook, you end up getting pushed so far from the wave, in the middle of nowhere. There is a danger to that. Like, sea lions, do you know for sure they aren’t going to bite you? And then what? Without some way of reaching your friend, you’re just on the side with your surfboard wondering what’s happening to your buddy. In the Ottawa, the recovery time is short so it’s like a lot of places, you don’t need a jet ski.

Can you see the jet ski as a tool for new wave exploration?

It’s important that the people are already comfortable with a jet ski before taking it into rapids. Anybody can just hit the throttle and drive a jet ski. It’s easy to drive a jet ski but if you go in the rapids that game is changing. It’s like driving a jet ski in the ocean with good sized waves. You gotta learn how to drive or you’ll get pounded. Same thing in the river. If you fall, you’re going to fly off and you’re crashing that bike. I mean, I’ve seen bikes go down, like expensive jet skis, washed down river and showing up in the next town days later. It’s more of a luxury than a tool to have and if you’re dealing with big waves you gotta familiarize with the area. Like my first day at Skook I’m being cautious. You know, I’m taking big circles, I’m getting familiar with what’s happening in that water. You can’t just jump into a river, you could hurt yourself.

If you fall, you’re going to fly off and you’re crashing that bike.

When you talk about it being like a tool to unlock some big wave, you’ve got to be careful. Cause that thing you unlock… it could be bigger than you thought. There’s some big scary stuff out there, trust me. And sometimes it’s best to be left alone. Like I remember I dropped Jean-Louis into Monster wave and all I can remember is how tight I clenched my butt hole, Haha, like ok, we’re scared. And for good reason, he got beat up. I was right there to grab him as soon as he fell but he got beat up. He would have loved to have one of those Spare Air things. He was like, no way I’m doing that again, haha. It is what it is, there’s some nasty stuff out there.

There’s so much out there to explore. You don’t need a jet ski, you just need to explore more. Me and Jean-Louis, we loved to surf big stuff but we would surf the smaaaallest thing. And we would stay there until we surfed it good. Like we did a trip to St. Catherine’s, where Jeff Brooks is, there was a canal there. I don’t know how far, it was like six or seven hours, like stupid ridiculous. And the wave wasn’t surfable. It was so trashy and small. But we spent the whole day there. We didn’t surf once but you know we had to do it. We tried paddle in, we tried acid drop, we tried with the rope. We filmed it, we got a video up. That’s good because everybody puts up their best stuff but some time you have to put up the sh*tty stuff. It was a great trip but we didn’t surf.

There’s lots of stories like that. Tiny waves. Some of them on private property too. We did it because we wanted to be the first people to surf that wave. We surfed a lot but there’s still so much that haven’t been surfed. There’s still more to find.

So the jet ski is supposed to be used for safety but does it present any of it’s own safety risks? For example have you ever crashed?

Haha, I crashed today! It was big one too! It’s like a fire truck – It’s made to save people but if you don’t look before you cross the street you could run somebody over.

The river is always going to be the boss. The river is very unpredictable. If you lose focus you’re going to do an edge cut. An edge cut is when the edge of the jet ski hits the current in a way that instantly flips you and sends you to swim with the fishes real quick.

The approach on a rescue needs to be practiced a lot. There are certain ways to approach the surfer needing rescue. You don’t go straight for the person. It’s a pick up not a run over, haha. The jet ski could fall on your head. It could hit other surfers. Best example, when they do tow in on big waves in the ocean, it’s life and death. As we bring the ski into the river the risks are the same.

The approach on a rescue needs to be practiced.

I have a story. One time we were towing with the rope (before we knew any better). Something you have to watch for is if you pass over the rope with the ski it can get pulled up into the engine. Well that happened and the turbine is pulling in the rope AND my leg! So I got pulled under the jet ski and the engine is still running. If the throttle was engaged it would have squeezed my leg like a yogurt to go. Luckily I was pulled away from the controls my leg tied up in the rope was enough to stall the engine. If things were different one way or the other I wouldn’t be surfing today. And hold up! That’s not all, then I’m floating down into the rapids tied up under a jetski. I fought to pop my head above water to get air meanwhile working at my leg. I managed to pull my leg hard enough to loosen the rope and unwind it from my leg. I had Jean Louise there to help. It took 45 minutes to get through that one.

Jet Ski will definitely save you time if everything goes good. But if something f*cks up…. Ooooh Boy! It’s going to be a very long day. Just like at Skook, right Justin Gullickson? And a long evening.

It’s a tool. It’s not a toy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of fun but sitting in that driver’s seat comes with a big responsibility. It’s like the river, don’t underestimate the Jet Ski. Know your limits. Respect.

I understand you are also shaping boards now, that’s awesome. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Ehhh, f*cking shaping. Uh. Haha. I shape because I love it. That’s about it because it’s not about the money. There really isn’t any money in it. I put so much work and so much time and so much love into what I do that at the end, it can never sell for the price that it costs. And everyone wants to get a deal but I don’t think they see everything that goes into a labour of love like that.

Photo: Luke Morstat | @outlier.riversurf | www.outliersurf.com

I still have a lot to learn. There’s a lot that goes into it with all the different techniques and materials but I know what works when I surf it. It makes me smile when people surf my board and say it’s their favourite shape. It’s a big thank you. It makes my day, when I build something that people enjoy. When you look at boards, you know you see that slick design or those flashy colours but then you look at the line it makes in the water and it sucks… I don’t care how many kitties are on that board if it sucks. If you want to make something for people to enjoy, you have to enjoy doing it. Not for the money.

Do you have any advice for the next generation of river surfers? Maybe the young groms starting out or anyone else new to the sport?

First off, rule number one is to have fun. The surfer having the most fun wins.

If you look up to an older surfer, he will look out for you. Like if you come out to a wave and try to act like a know it all, it comes off being disrespectful. Especially if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll look like a damn fool. I have a hard time with telling people about ropes but instead of hearing me out they think they know everything. It’s a lot different when I’ve seen people held under until they turn blue or come out of the water crying because of ropes.

Ask questions and show respect to the people at the wave. If you show them that you want to surf they’re going to give you tips, they’re going to warn you about things, they’ll tell you unwritten rules. It’s about respect. If you respect that, you’ll get their respect.

What the f*ck, baby Jesus. But I didn’t stop, I wanted to surf!

The older guys there may not really want to talk to you at first but keep giving them that respect. They have so much knowledge, they’ve seen a lot. Basically, stay humble, surf as hard as you can and the more heart you show the more respect you’ll get. In the river, if you don’t swim hard, you’ll have to swim even harder later. Trust me.

Another thing about surfing hard. At some point it does get easier but it’s hard in the beginning. And if you want to give up right away, I’m sorry, go back to badminton or go snowboard. Catching the wave… it is a logic. Practice swimming, swimming equals surfing. Learn how to actually swim. I remember the first time I went to Habitat, the current took me back and forth and all over the place. If you pet the water (like petting a cat or something) trust me, you’re not moving. You gotta get in there. If you dig in your hand and paddle like you want to get somewhere. My first time at Habitat, I wanted to die coming to shore. I was like what the f*ck. It was like ten minutes and I’m floating further and further but not going anywhere. Spinning through whirlpools and thinking, What the f*ck, baby Jesus. But I didn’t stop, I wanted to surf. It took me three days of intense swimming just trying to figure it out but I wanted to surf. At some point you build your back like an ox.

The most important rule is to have fun. If you lose sight of that, you lose everything.

Fun Monkey Surf Edit

Monkey would like to do a shout out to all the Goons: Jean-Louis St Arneault, Alexandre Ouimet, Jeff Mackay, Dave Short, Daniel Castillo, Étienne Lavertue and Elijah Mack.

The post River Rescues With Jet Ski Legend Eric Chretien appeared first on Riverbreak.

For me river surfing is a different sport than ocean surfing. I can’t compare the two and simply say that one is better than the other, however I love the fact that in river surfing some things are more constant than in ocean surfing. You can have a lot longer rides and there is no need to wait for sets to come in. You fall off and then you can get straight back on the wave and try that turn or manoeuvre again. I feel it’s a lot more progressive and has really helped me learn new turns.

I especially see potential for river surfing in the South of England.

In my local area there isn’t an enormous surf culture. When we get a big swell there will be 10-15 guys out spread across a long beach. But half an hour drive away there is a large scene in Bournemouth. Despite this, I know of no one here who has tried river surfing except me and my friends.

We named the wave “Granny’s” because of where it is.

I especially see potential for river surfing in the South of England. If we find more waves in this area I think the sport would grow in popularity, especially during the summer (we rarely get waves in the winter let alone summer). I think that there is a chance river surfing could become popular here, but for now it’s just me and my mates.

Other than river surfing I love to ocean surf, obviously! That’s where it all started for me and I love the ocean. I also sail in summer and skateboard (mostly downhill).

Get out and explore, you never know what’s on your doorstep.

There are different people who inspire me in different parts of my life. First, there is my dad, he is so devoted to making my sister, mum and myself happy, he is incredibly selfless and I admire him for this. There is also my great uncle Keith, he flew helicopters in the navy, moved to Australia, competed in sailing races such as the Sydney-Hobart Race. In this race he and his crew stopped to help another boat that was in trouble — and this sacrificed their chance of a good finish but they helped fellow sailors in need. Today he runs a yacht charter company in Sydney called “Too Up”.

I’m also inspired by pro surfer Jamie O’Brien (this one was a close call because I also love John John Florence and his surfing influences me greatly) but I adore Jamie for his lifestyle. He and his friends just have fun and I love that.

My message to everyone out there: Get out and explore, you never know what’s on your doorstep, the hours of fun you may have, simply get outside and live your life.

The post Ben Anderson on River Surfing in South England appeared first on Riverbreak.

Full name: Annie Carrier
Age: 26
Years river surfing: 2 years
Homebreak: Montréal
Favourite board: My 5’6 Alanie model from Boréal Surfboards
Favourite trick: roundhouse cutback
Sponsors: Boréal Surfboards, June Swimwear, Rip Curl, Kiteforce, Best Kiteboarding

So you’re from Montreal Annie … there is a really vibrant surf community at the St. Lawrence River and most of the surfers are men, right? Are you one of the few women surfing in Montreal?

I mean there are more men than women in the water but I’m “fighting” against that movement. I’ve taken at least 15 of my girlfriends this summer in the river for the first time. I’m also seeing more girls taking lessons and I am really proud of that. But the boys are super nice to us, they don’t see us as women, they see us as surfers and that’s my goal too.

Are there other girls that you’ve been surfing with consistently? Who are your favourite female river surf-buddies?

My best friend, Audrey Frégeau. We learned together last year and we just can’t get enough now. The second we are out of work, we are in the river. We sometimes go surfing before dinner with friends or before meetings. We always try to make room on weekends for the river. It’s funny because I traveled with Audrey to many cool places to surf in the ocean. We got back to Montréal and we were like: let’s go surfing in the river. We couldn’t figure out how to surf in there and it was really frustrating because we knew how to surf in the ocean. So we encouraged each other and at the same time, we caught the wave and surfed it like never before. It was the best moment. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle; once you have figure it out it’s priceless.

Photo: Sébastien Chartrand

Which waves do you surf in Montreal and which one is your favourite wave?

I surf the wave in the St Lawrence river behind Habitat 67. It’s awesome when it becomes all green. It’s sometimes all foamy but I still surf it anyway because I like to paddle out and get wet. The community is also super friendly and fun to hang out with.

Is “Shore Wave” still on, or is the wave gone at the moment?

Unfortunately Shore Wave at Habitat 67 is dead ☹ It happened last winter. We don’t really know what happened but it doesn’t break like it used to. At the moment, the wave is not surfable at all.

What is the surf culture at your home break in Montreal?

The community in Montréal is super tight and friendly. I’ve brought out a lot of girls this summer and everyone wants to help. Everyone is happy to have new surfers in the community. We saw how tight our community was when the city of Montréal wanted to dump raw sewage. There are also private groups on Facebook that are made for organizing surf trips, wave report (we post ONLY when the wave is bad) :P, sell stuff, etc.

Photo: Sébastien Chartrand

What was the reaction of the local river surfing community on the city’s plan to dump raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River?

We were outraged. We couldn’t believe that it was the only solution in 2015. We decided to do petitions, organise a paddle out.

Think of the first time you went river surfing … How did you get into it?

I first went river surfing when I was about 12 years old. I was into my “Blue Crush” mode and begged my dad to bring me to the river. We didn’t really know what we were getting into. I had a surfboard that wasn’t appropriate at all. I bought it online and it was a gun from Hawaii. My dad also told me to wear my bike helmet in case something happened. I asked few surfers how to get to the wave. Turns out I took the wrong current and I was going “offshore”. I ended up crying because I could see everyone at the shore yelling me things and doing signs and I didn’t know what to do. I took a long break after that horrible session and went back 12 years later!

 What’s your advice for other women who want to give river surfing a try?

Don’t be scared. It looks more intimidating than it actually is. It’s also really important to take lessons before going on your own. Or go with someone you really trust if you have been surfing before. It also helps if you work out your upper body. It can get tiring for someone who is not used to paddling.

Photo: Sébastien Chartrand

What makes river surfing so special for you?

What makes it so special is that I can go to work during the day and go surfing at night, in the city. I’ve always been used to choose surfing or working because the closest surf spot from Montréal is 5 hours away. I could never do both in one day and I thought it was super hard to choose. Now that I have discovered river surfing, I can enjoy having both in one day and that makes me so happy. I can also enjoy it with all my friends from the city. It’s like all my life I had to choose between working, having my family/friends around or head to the USA to get my surf fix.

Tell us about one of your river surfing highlights

One of the highlights I have in mind was a sunset party wave with 2 of my best friends. We just couldn’t stop laughing. We couldn’t even stand up because it was too funny. I am also super proud of one article I did about river surfing with my buddy Pascale Marcotte for the magazine Elle.

Have you been surfing river waves outside Montreal too? If so, what was your best river surf tip you ever did?

Nope! I usually travel to surf in the ocean.

Have you won any contests that you’re really proud of? Tell us about them!

I have never done a river surf contest but if I hear of one in Montréal, I’m more than keen to participate!

Photo: Sébastien Chartrand

 What are some of your “high hopes” for the future of river surfing?

I really hope that our water in Montréal stays “clean” (it could be much more cleaner). I also hope that more and more ladies will get into the sport. I love it when we are more girls than boys at the wave. Makes me feel proud of us!

Besides river surfing, what hobbies do you find the most pleasure in? 

Surfing of course! I also really enjoy kiteboarding, skateboarding, karate, snowboarding, skiing. Any sport that sleds haha!

3 people who inspire you the most?

Ronda Rousey for her determination and focus; Lakey Peterson for her perseverance and talent; My boyfriend/coach/shaper for his patience and perfectionism.

Anything else you want to pass on to our readers?

Show me the river waves you surf and I’ll show you ours!! ☺ I want to live the search.

Fill in the blanks

• I’ve always wanted to ___ surf everyday.
• You’re not really a river surfer unless ___ you don’t get sick because of the cleanliness of the water! Hahaha
• My favourite river surf buddies are ___ Audrey Frégeau, Pascale Marcotte and my brother, Benoît Carrier.
• Happiness is ___ surfing. I know it’s cheesy but it’s true!

Thank you Annie for your time and keep spreading positive vibes in Montreal!

The post Women in River Surfing: Annie Carrier, Montreal (Québec) appeared first on Riverbreak.

Full name: April Zastrow
Age: 27
Years river surfing: 1
Homebreak: Boise River Park
Favourite trick: So far all I have been able to pull off are simple ollies. I plan on progressing into more air type of moves and 360’s.
Sponsors: Peterson surfboards, Roxy

April, who’s to blame for your passion for river surfing?

A friend and I were trying to figure out something to do and they told me that they river surfed. I never knew there was such a thing, but the second they told me about it I said I was going and knew it wasn’t going to just be a one-time thing. I immediately bought gear the day after my first try at river surfing.

Do you see river surfing as a typical male or female sport?

I do see it as more of a typical male sport, simply by the amount of men that do it compared to women. But I do not consider it being a sport that is predominately more of an advantage for men compared to women. I have competed in motocross for 15 years and have found motocross to be a lot harder as a woman compared to men. MX takes way more strength being one of the most physically demanding sports out there, but surfing involves a different type of strength. As a female I have found that my style in sports is usually smooth and effortless looking and I think this translates well into surfing.

Photo: Tanya Pavlis / Sidewayz Films

Are there other girls that you’ve been surfing with consistently?

There is a small group of core girls that consistently come out and surf: Kiley, Lucy, Katie, Katy and Ciam before she just recently moved. There is a lot of skill and heart between these girls and I love watching them all surf!

What’s your advice for girls who want to get into river surfing?

There is nothing holding you back except self-doubt. I think it is far worse to not try something than the fear of failure. Failure is necessary before you can experience success and the harder you fail, the greater the success feels. And of course do not give up if it’s something you are truly passionate about.

What makes river surfing so special (compared to ocean surfing)?

One major thing about river surfing is the sportsmanship. Everyone gets a shot at the wave no matter what skill level you are or how much time you have put in at the wave and people are courteous about taking turns and keeping the flow going. When someone who has been struggling for days, weeks or even months finally gets their first turn or finally stands on their board; you will hear every surfer cheer them on.

What is the surf culture like where you live?

It is a very small culture here, but everyone is so friendly and it feels like a family. There is an interesting diverse group of people who can all get together and have the same froth over the wave. We also get together occasionally for chill parties, gatherings or events.

How large is the river surf community at your home break?

I am really bad at guessing numbers, but on a crowded night there can be about 20 and have even counted up to almost 30 people. It is somewhat of a small community, but I like it small.

Tell us about one of your river surfing highlights (scariest, greatest, funniest…)

I have had to take one trip to the hospital already. Last year the board shot up out of the water and the rail pulled an uppercut on me. I had lockjaw for about a week, but there wasn’t any major damage except maybe a small fracture or something.

Photo: Tanya Pavlis / Sidewayz Films

What is the best river wave you’ve ever ridden?

I have only had the opportunity to surf our wave. I did have a trip planned to Munich this summer, but it fell through. I do plan on hitting some other northwest waves this fall or spring though.

Best river surf tip you have personally applied?

Never give up. I went a long time before I got more than a turn or two at the wave and there were many days that I thought I would never get it, but I kept trying and eventually it clicked one day. One guy made the comment “I never would have thought a year ago that you would be one of the smoothest surfers out here.”

Have you won any contests that you’re really proud of? Tell us about them!

I have yet to compete for river surfing, I have only heard of the Payette River Games locally and will maybe compete if they make the wave more fitting for surfing rather than SUP/Kayak.

Photo: Tanya Pavlis / Sidewayz Films

What are some of your “high hopes” for the future of river surfing?

I see a lot of potential in river surfing. There are so many people like myself who have always been landlocked and dreamed of surfing, they just don’t know about river surfing yet. There are also more river waves popping up around the states, that I can only see it grow from here. Maybe one day there will be an actual river surfing championship series that people can compete in around the states, but right now it is just fun to do without being too serious about it.

Photo: Tanya Pavlis / Sidewayz Films

Besides river surfing, what hobbies do you find the most pleasure in?

I have been a professional motocross racer since I was 15, but haven’t raced the last few years due to a change in the series with it taking a major step back in our progression as professional athletes. I am also a graphic designer for a motocross apparel company, Fly Racing. I have recently started painting (my boardshaper has even let me paint all of my boards) and picked up the guitar to help keep me busy when our wave gets shut down in the winter. I will occasionally road bike or snowboard. Just love to be active and have fun as much as possible!

Final shout outs?

From the late Kurt Caselli “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Fill in the blanks

• I’ve always wanted to ___ be as rad as possible.
• You’re not really a river surfer unless ___ you have chased your board down the river and have been held down long enough to spark some fear in you.
• My favourite river surf buddy is ___ the core group of regulars at the river, they know who they are (can’t just pick one).
• Happiness is ___ to love and be loved.

Thank you April for your time and all the best for the upcoming season!

The post Women in River Surfing: April Zastrow, Boise (ID) appeared first on Riverbreak.