The riders of “La Reunion Wave Classic” met again in l’Etang Salé this morning as, according to the forecast, this would be the place to ride this day. If around 11am conditions were not that good with closing out big sections and not much wind in the inside, the uprising tide predicted improving conditions later in the day. At around 1pm, +10 feet waves started to set up and the wind came back in, allowing the riders to charge hard during a free session launched right in front of the photographer and the cameraman located on a boat !
Local organizer, Pierre Godet, and the riders decided not to launch any official round today as they all prefered to focus on the images. The aim of this free session was to push the limits of waveriding to the max : pure down the line surfing, working the wave as much as possible before to hit the lip and launch a big air or another sick move on the nasty bowl !
After a 1h warm up, all the sailors hit the water again as they saw the boat setting up in the channel located on the right side of the waves. From this point of view, the photographer and the cameraman had a perfect time to shoot the boys charging hard and ripping on fat sections rising up to 12 feet ! The photographer also jumped into the water to do some watershots.
From there, the show started. The wind kicked in again and the waves started to break in a better way, offering some tight and glassy sections. Even though it was tough to ride as a very good timing was required to hit the lip, the pros and locals went off, tearing screams and applause of the public that gathered on the beach of Etang Salé. The show was definitely firing today with a non-stop festival of big aerials on as beautiful as cruel waves, delivering sometimes some insane wipeouts where nobody got hurt, fortunately.
At around 3.30pm, after a well deserved break, the organization and the riders decided not to launch any official round as they were not sure to complete it due to the late time. But it looks like tomorrow will be another crazy day as the swell forecast predicts bigger waves with a 16 sec period, and still moderate trade winds ! Just need to know if the angle of the wind will send the riders to an even more “massive“ Etang Salé or to a “super hardcore” Ravine Blanche !
Local organizer, Pierre Godet, and the riders decided not to launch any official round today as they all prefered to focus on the images. The aim of this free session was to push the limits of waveriding to the max : pure down the line surfing, working the wave as much as possible before to hit the lip and launch a big air or another sick move on the nasty bowl !
After a 1h warm up, all the sailors hit the water again as they saw the boat setting up in the channel located on the right side of the waves. From this point of view, the photographer and the cameraman had a perfect time to shoot the boys charging hard and ripping on fat sections rising up to 12 feet ! The photographer also jumped into the water to do some watershots.
From there, the show started. The wind kicked in again and the waves started to break in a better way, offering some tight and glassy sections. Even though it was tough to ride as a very good timing was required to hit the lip, the pros and locals went off, tearing screams and applause of the public that gathered on the beach of Etang Salé. The show was definitely firing today with a non-stop festival of big aerials on as beautiful as cruel waves, delivering sometimes some insane wipeouts where nobody got hurt, fortunately.
At around 3.30pm, after a well deserved break, the organization and the riders decided not to launch any official round as they were not sure to complete it due to the late time. But it looks like tomorrow will be another crazy day as the swell forecast predicts bigger waves with a 16 sec period, and still moderate trade winds ! Just need to know if the angle of the wind will send the riders to an even more “massive“ Etang Salé or to a “super hardcore” Ravine Blanche !
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| Sifferlen was certainly the most impressive rider of the day ! ©rwc2011/Calvet |
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| Great sets coming in l'Etang Salé ©rwc2011/Calvet |
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