Windsurfing on an Artificial Wave

: Riversurfing in Munich

: Fotos Defodi / Sebastian Schöffel

To surf ride on rivers by now is known and practiced all around the world. The “standing” waves can emerge naturally or through building procedures – wanted or unwanted. The system is simple – a modification in the course of the river, like an abrupt ascend of the bedrock, can be sufficient to create a standing wave, which thus can be surfed on.

Famous Standing Waves

The supposedly most famous river waves “stand” right in the middle of the mega-city Munich, in the Eisbach River in the English Garden and at the raft landing stage in Thalkirchen. In Austria, Switzerland and Italy stream courses can be found with similar features. However, those waves normally emerge only after heavy rains and as the result of flood water.

The never-ending Ride on the Waves

A standing wave theoretically offers surfers a never-ending ride on the waves without having to paddle, in contrast to the ride on a wave in the sea, which normally ends after some seconds. Whereas surf riding on rivers, at least in Munich, has become an every-day sight, windsurfers on standing waves have hitherto not been seen.

Windsurfing in the Wave – The Crown Discipline

That windsurfing is not a shallow-water-sport is a common fact. Thus, riding the wave is seen as the crown discipline in windsurfing. But to mount a standing wave without wind in a narrow stream course together with canvas and board is new! Therefore, it’s high time for a premier. After some preparation with regard to the choice of material (installation of a mast step in a very short surf ride board to fix the canvas) the “virgin windsurfing” of the standing wave in Munich, Thalkirchen (next to the zoo), could begin.

A lot of Water and no Wind!

Ideal outward conditions facilitate windsurfing on a standing wave. While wind is normally the essential element in windsurfing and ensures the run, windsurfing on a wave is possible only through the thrust of the wave of the water, which counts for the standing wave as well. There, wind is even hindering and embodies a disturbing element.

The Munich River Surf Pioneer

When the Munich local hero in the windsurf discipline freestyle, Fabian Weber, set about conquering the standing wave at the raft landing stage in Munich, Thalkirchen, in summer 2007, almost ideal conditions prevailed. The water barrel had reached a height of almost one meter due to sufficient water level, and there was almost no wind – ideal conditions to concentrate only on the thrust of the wave without disturbing factors. Thus, Fabian was able to use the wave in all its breadth and even to do some “turns”.

Successful Premier without Incidents

However, if you risk too much, you’ll be swallowed by the wave and washed away. For this case, Fabian had placed an assistant at the shore, who was able to pull the material out of the danger zone by means of a security lead. The “maiden trip” of a windsurfer on a standing wave ended without any injuries for the brave pioneer. At this day, not the surf riders or kayak pilots were the center of attraction at the Munich raft landing stage…it was a windsurfer.

Windsurfing around Munich

It must not to be feared that large quantities of windsurfers will now populate the standing river waves of the world. The feeling of unlimited freedom to glide over the water, whenever, wherever and as long as one wishes, is the central element which composes the fascination of windsurfing. And especially the regions around Munich offer a variety of fantastic windsurfing estuaries for everybody like Lake Ammer, Lake Starnberg and Lake Chiem. Therefore, whoever wishes to see Fabian doing his tricks on the windsurf board doesn’t have to visit the Munich raft landing stage, but instead should go to Herrsching at the Lake Ammer on a windy day.

Links

Info about Riversurfing (German)
Info about Riversurfing in München (German)
Snapshots of Riversurfing with Surf Riders
Initiative to save the "Eisbach Wave" in Munich (German)
Info about the planned artificial wave "Tube6" in the Munich River Isar (German)
Website of Fabian Weber