PUMPING SURAZO: MATANZAS, CHILE

Words: Camille Juban, Morgan Noireaux, Victor Fernandez, Philip Köster, Lina Erpenstein, Alexia Kiefer Quintana, Sol Degrieck, Finn Mellon & Lucas Meldrum.

Photos: Fish Bowl Diaries & Jens Hogenkamp.

Reaction to the second 5-star stop on the unified PWA/IWT World Tours, which saw Matanzas, Chile, deliver world class conditions with the finals being run in pumping mast high waves and a couple of new names on top of the podiums.

CAMILLE JUBAN – 1st – FOCUSED, TAKE IT EASY AND ENJOY

MAIDEN WORLD TOUR VICTORY

I’m super happy to be able to earn my first World Cup event win competing against all the top riders. I was almost exclusively riding the dynamo 70L from AV Boards paired with my 4.6m Catalyst from S2 Maui – I was a little bit overpowered on the outside, especially in the final when the wind picked up, but the combo gave me the power and speed I wanted on the wave.

The wave is actually more difficult than it looks because the sand bar can move from one year to another and the wind was pretty gusty on the wave, so it takes a little bit of time to adapt, but it is still a great down-the-line wave. When the sets were mast high during the semis and the final, and I was driving through my bottom turn, looking at those walls of water, I experienced such an adrenaline rush right there, which is exactly why I windsurf.

KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE

My three words to record a good result at this contest were; focus, easy (to not overthink and make bad decisions) and enjoy! Because it is when you enjoy yourself that the result comes naturally!

Chile is great. The place itself is pretty raw and beautiful and on top of that the community knows how to enjoy life – especially the windsurf community. They are amazing. To celebrate we had tons of “Piscola”, which is kind of the rum cola from Chile at the Hotel Surazo and of course that was great fun also haha.

MORGAN NOIREAUX – 2nd – 360 OR BUST

It has been four years since my last trip to Chile and it was great to be back. The conditions are incredible, but the place and the people here are equally as amazing. Felipe and the whole crew organised one of the best events I’ve ever been a part of. It’s been a while since I’ve been to an event with so much positive energy. The sailors were all stoked to be here and the beach was packed with people watching who were really supportive, which was really fun as it’s not very often that happens during windsurfing events!

Matanzas is an incredibly difficult spot to sail. It changes constantly with the tide. The wave can be extremely hollow, while the wind can be a bit side-on at times and completely disappear in certain places. It’s honestly usually not my favourite spot to sail, but there are days like we had on finals day that are special. I surfed in the morning and there were barely any waves and I thought it was going to be pretty bad. A few hours later it was mast high. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a spot that can change so quickly. It was actually the easiest conditions I felt we had this whole week, it was bigger, but there were a ton of waves and the wind was fairly stable, which is rare. I found a good mental space for this event and just kept telling myself to adapt to whatever conditions Matanzas decided to bless us with and trust in my sailing. Matanzas can play tricks on you and make you feel like you’re sailing badly, while you’re actually doing really well. I spent the entire event on my 5.0 Combat and my 88L board. It looks super windy from the beach and you often end up overpowered on the outside, but with how the wave bends and the wind direction you want gear that can get you out and keep speed.

THAT 360

I’ve only ever landed one other wave 360 in Matanzas before and it was a week earlier than the one in the contest. I’ve had that image of the bowl hid in the back of my mind and I had an inkling that I was going to try one at some point. I started off the heat going on the wave and I basically ended up in the same position as I had a week prior and instinctually went for it. I have done a lot of pretty similar 360’s on Maui, but I don’t think I’ve ever done one where I’ve gone so upside down. I went so far that when I landed it I couldn’t really believe it and claimed it a little bit too much haha. I should have kept riding the wave, but oh well.

WORLD NO.1 FOR THE FIRST TIME

At that point it gave me a lot of confidence and I got a few solid waves to back that up and I had a pretty good feeling I had made the heat. For the final I tried to forget what I had done in the semis and refocus. I feel like it can be easy to have one really good heat and kind of lose it in the next. Camille had some amazing waves and earned a well deserved win, but I’m still really happy about how I sailed the final. Finishing second here felt like a big accomplishment for me. I finished fifth in the Aloha Classic last year, which was my best result last season, but I just missed out on the final which sucked and then I got fourth in Japan to start off this year, which felt good, but I narrowly missed out on another top 3, so I gave myself the goal of being on the podium in Chile. I haven’t made a PWA podium in a long time and it’s also my first port tack PWA podium, which made it extra special. I’m now also ranked first in the world which is pretty cool and it’s the first time I’ve ever been in that position. It’s a long year though.

VICTOR FERNANDEZ – 3rd – EXPERIENCE PAYS OFF

It felt incredible to reach the final in those conditions – especially when the level is so insane. I enjoyed sailing every heat and I tried to treat each heat as if it was a final. The waves were solid and very consistent and the wind was perfect for Matanzas.

EQUIPMENT CHOICES

I started my quarterfinal heat on my 5.3 SLS and my 93L D/LAB board as the wind was quite light and there was a lot of current at low tide, which made it hard work to get out and sail upwind. For my semifinal final I originally switched down to my 4.7 as the wind got way stronger, but after the first wave I rode, I changed because I needed more power, so I decided to change to my 5.0 mid-heat, which turned out to be a good decision. In the final I stayed on 5.0 and I used the same board for the whole contest.

Matanzas is comparable wave to Ho’okipa, but port tack and the wave changes a lot depending on the sand bank, tide and the swell direction, so it certainly makes it tricky, but I like it like that as I like challenging waves and I have sailed here a lot in the past, so it felt good to be back and to get so much sailing.

PURE ADRENALINE

It was pure adrenaline in the semifinals! With that size the wave gets really hollow and fast and you start to get different sections in front of you and when you hit the lip you get a lot of projection. That is pure wave riding and it is what I like the most. I was windsurfing a lot in Cape Verde this winter (starboard tack), but in down-the-line conditions and using the same gear I used here. My plan was to sail like I do while free-sailing and try to ride how I like to and go for a trick if I had the section – otherwise I’d focus on the style of the turns I want to perform, while trying to read the waves as well as I could. It was great that they extended the heat duration from 20 up to 30 minutes as some heats were a bit slower in terms of swell – especially halfway through the draw, so it gave more opportunity for everyone to perform.

I am so happy to start the season with back-to-back finals and be on the podium. My plan and mindset are the same and I will keep windsurfing as much as I can. The next event will be Pozo, which is one of my favourite spots for jumping and I am very motivated to train for that event.

GOOD TO BE BACK

It was incredible to be back in Chile after six years. Matanzas has changed a lot since then, but in a nice way. The local windsurf community is amazing, there are more restaurants, supermarkets, coffee shops, etc which makes it even more fun and very comfortable. This is one of the best events I have ever competed at in my career and it feels special to me. My first trip to Chile was in 2003 and I used to come every winter because I saw the potential of the spots – not only how consistent the waves are, but also the variety they get here.

HIGHS AND LOWS

 
The only low point of the trip was being away from my family as I miss them. High points; lots of windsurfing, beautiful surfing, delicious food and great vibes from the local community. Chile is always an adventure, driving to Topocalma, Puertecillo along the beach is so much fun with your friends, there are epic sunset sessions at Matanzas and Roca, I love it.

PHILIP KÖSTER – 4th – ON THE COME BACK TRAIL

It felt amazing to be back in competition mode after such a long break due to my foot injury, every heat was hard to make with gusty light winds and not many sets coming through. The final was fun; I would have loved to show more, but i felt a bit unlucky with my waves. Still, I take this as a solid counting result for this year, it’s gonna be a fun one!

EQUIPMENT

I was on my Pyro 93 and 5.3m Blade Pro, i would have loved to sail on 5.0m or 4.7m but there was so much current that I needed extra power in the sail to make it upwind. Matanzas is a tricky spot to sail once the waves get bigger.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

The wave is actually not that tricky most of the time, but on finals day we had to deal with chop and current that I’ve never experienced at Matanzas before, so it was challenging, but once you get the right timing, it’s one of the most fun spots you can get. Actually it wasn’t really that big; there were some mast high sets, but nothing unusual compared to a normal day at Margaret River.

APPROACH

Sometimes I think that riding the wave without risk and just doing turns would have done the job, but having landed some moves in the previous heats it was clear that they scored well too, so it was good to have a mix of both in the heat.

In the final it was nice to go for fun stuff; if I had that landed that one-handed goiter, it would have been a good score. It was a risk I wanted to take; normally I would make it, but unfortunately, it didn’t go my way this time.

HIGHS AND LOWS?

High points are always the Topocalma and Matanzas sessions, and to be honest, it’s hard to find any low points for this trip.

LINA ERPENSTEIN – 1st – THE QUEEN AT LAST

 
Winning a World Cup event has been a dream of mine for many years now. To make it come true in incredible conditions amongst a very strong women’s fleet makes it even more special. Last year especially, I felt like people were looking at me as one of the favourites, one of the veterans, while I had still never even made a winner’s final. I had come close so many times and was always missing that last bit of luck, that last bit of “Things going your way” – the final piece of the puzzle if you like. This created quite some pressure for myself and even though I had some good performances on tour last year, I was never really successful.

MAST HIGH BOMBS

To finally go all the way and take the win feels unreal. It will definitely be a day I will remember forever. The moment my semifinal started the ocean just went wild. I was waiting with the other three girls at the point to pick up the first set of the heat when suddenly the whole horizon started moving. The set came a touch early and started bombing in the transition time for my heat. I already thought at that point, “Damn, now it’s going take a long time for the next set to come”. But then I realised that the set wasn’t stopping. There must have been about eight waves in that set and the other competitors and I were playing tactical tacks outside until I had positioned well for the biggest wave of the set – just after the starting buzzer for the heat. Going down that first wave face I remember thinking: “Well, it didn’t look that big from the beach.” haha.

I made it through the semis and into the final, but it was only when I was coming back to the beach that I realised just how wild the ocean had gotten in the last thirty minutes. The sets had almost doubled in size. Next to being in the final, waves of those size made me doubly as nervous. At home we usually windsurf in hip high Baltic Sea waves, so I really wasn’t used to mast high plus bombs.

GAME PLAN

I knew I had to put everything I had into that heat and at the same time I felt quite intimidated by the size of the waves and the power of the ocean. My game plan was to get two scores on the board and then start risking more to try and improve my scores. In the end my very last wave made the difference and moved me into lead ahead of Alexia Kiefer Quintana, Sol Degriek and Pauline Katz. Coming off the water I couldn’t believe it. Finally, it had all gone my way! My first World Cup win!

Honestly, I am super proud of the whole women’s fleet for charging in those waves. The fact we had the chance to compete in these amazing conditions and bring on some solid action was so inspiring to see and I’m super grateful I could be a part of that.

Chile is such a beautiful place with incredibly good waves. The people were super friendly and when we competed for the finals there was a huge crowd on the beach watching and cheering.

ALEXIA KIEFER QUINTANA – 2nd – YOUNG GUN ON THE RISE

I have no words to describe this feeling. It’s the first time I have travelled to Chile and the first time ever that I am on the podium! I still cannot believe it. I am very happy and grateful and I already can’t wait to return next year. The equipment I was riding was my 4.2 Duotone Hero Sail and my 76L Duotone Grip 4 SLS on finals day. The wind was strong on the outside, but lighter on the shore. This board has more litres than I usually use, which made it perfect to pass the waves. In the final and semifinal there were very big waves that were not easy to ride. I am not used to these types of conditions and I had some difficulties at first. I have never surfed waves as big and powerful as here. When I entered the water and saw the sets coming in, I was quite scared. Going down those mountains of water gave me more adrenaline than I have ever experienced. In the final the sailing was not about attacking, it was more about surviving, but my plan was to do as well as possibly could.

A TRIP TO REMEMBER

Chile is an incredible place. The people, the food, the atmosphere and the waves… it couldn’t be any better! I’ve had a great time here. The organisation was amazing and the judging was very fair as well. Boujmaa [Guilloul] and the entire team have done an incredible job. And without a doubt it has been one of the competitions that I enjoyed the most!

SOL DEGRIECK – 3rd – A COURAGEOUS RISING STAR

I felt the wave at Matanzas was difficult to ride, but that’s what I really liked about it. You had to keep your eyes on the wave all the time and read the break. Out the back you could see the big swell coming from the island. That’s where I selected the waves I wanted to ride. In front of the rocks, the waves connected and it felt like you had to change your direction a bit. Then passing the rocks there is a very fast section which was hard to get around. I really had to put all my effort to make it past that section. When you make it, a very nice section follows, where you can set up your turns more easily and even find some aerial hits.

In the final I attacked the waves as I had in the prior heats. I aimed for good speed to pass the closeout sections and then went as critical as I could on the big sections. I didn’t let anything happen. I tried to make it happen and I am very happy that I claimed third place in such a big and beautiful event. An event where everything comes together, the best riders in the world, the organisation from the Chile World Cup is marvellous, and the wind and waves were at their best. I am blessed that we sailed the finals in that big swell like the boys. It was just great.

LIKE A DREAM

The whole Chile experience felt like a dream. We left Belgium on the night of my last exam at school, and after an overnight flight, I woke up in a totally different world… no schoolbooks, just the beach, wind and waves.

The organiser, Surazo Hotel, in Matanzas hosts us on the beach. The setup is perfect. There were plenty of people, kids and adults watching and cheering the riders on. There were good vibes all around. The local people are very open and genuine, which makes it a special place.

PAULINE KATZ – 4th – BEST IWT/ PWA RESULT

It was my first time in Chile, but it definitely won’t be my last! The waves and landscape are incredible, and the community has been so welcoming. Actually, I only had a few hours of sailing Matanzas before the World Cup started. Discovering this beautiful, but powerful wave of Matanzas during my heat felt a bit funky sometimes, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The final day was absolutely firing with over mast high waves. We all got a bit surprised as the swell suddenly appeared just before the semis began.

My semi was so much fun! I was on the set waves all the time. To be honest I rode quite conservatively… not taking too many risks as it was probably the biggest waves I have ever ridden in my life. I knew in the final that I needed to be more radical to make the podium and it’s probably why I finished fourth. On my first wave, I had a big wipeout which resulted in a long swim! When we were heading out for the final with Lina Erpenstein, we had to wait on the inside for a massive set to pass. I told her “Let’s have fun, but please be careful out there!”. I used my biggest gear during the entire competition window, which was my Severne Nano 67L quad setup with 13.5cm / 8cm fins and my Severne Redback 4.3 or 4.7.

FIN MELLON: SO CLOSE

I made it to the finals of the Challenger’s Round. This was basically the trials into the main event. Only two competitors would make it into the main event from the 24 challengers. I knew it would be tough given the level of the local sailors and fellow internationals competitors. The level on the water pre-event was so impressive.

I am happy with how I sailed in the earlier rounds, I was calm and composed to always pick off the set waves and didn’t waste my energy trying to force scores on little waves. This was important as for most of the heats it was very tricky to get out back due to the light winds and strong currents pulling you into the impact zone. The waves in Matanzas are very fast, so it’s a lot to navigate.

CLOSE CALL

The final was a frustrating one… unlike the prior rounds I couldn’t find a single set wave in that heat and then to miss out on the main draw when I was only needing a 3.2-point wave hurt!

For the event I was using my biggest gear, a 5.0 Goya Fringe and the 88 litre Goya Custom 4 Quad. The big gear especially helped navigating the lineup in the light winds. Finals day started off small and light, but when the first lady’s semifinal started the swell jumped massively. It was easily mast high – if not bigger in the sets. You could see disappointment on the faces of some of the young guys who had just been eliminated having been unable to find waves. The women’s and the men’s sailing level rocketed through the roof – there was now so much more on offer.

Looking back, the livestream really doesn’t do justice to just how epic the action was. The wave 360 from Morgan [Noireaux] was simply insane, everyone was screaming and jumping. I couldn’t quite believe what I’d just seen. Takuma [Sugi] came running over screaming with the live scores, everyone was so stoked. That was my highlight of the event. The finals were very exciting. Lina [Erpenstein] taking out her first event win in the dying seconds with a buzzer beater was impressive and then Camille [Juban] sailed an amazing heat hitting some big scary sections, which left the guys chasing a combo score!

The vibe was fantastic. Windsurfing really felt alive here in Chile, the locals did such a fantastic job at setting up the event and the supporting fans cheering on the riders all week. It was really impressive. Everyone was really supportive and the great action had all of the competitors watching closely all week. I think we are very lucky to all have been part of such a fantastic windsurf event that will hopefully be remembered for a long time! I look forward to coming back next year!

LUCAS MELDRUM: THE CHILE EXPERIENCE

Finn and I were lucky to stay with Victor [Fernandez] in his house. It’s a pretty ideal spot nestled in the trees on the hill and it’s only about a ten-minute walk from the main beach at Matanzas. The atmosphere in the town, and Chile in general, is super chilled out. The mornings are slow, so it gives you plenty of time to rest between sessions or go for morning surfs. There are plenty of great places for food too especially at the Hotel Surazo, we 100% recommend the coulant au chocolat!

The sailing here was actually harder than I expected, especially in Matanzas, where the wave was difficult to read and the hollow waves could give you a pretty big pounding. I think our best sessions were in Topocalma, the sand bars were pretty good this year and we had some pretty amazing clean peeling waves. It can also be tricky to catch waves as it is so gusty next to the rock but on the wave it’s predicable with turn and air sections. Finn and I had one evening to ourselves – that was a highlight for sure. After the finals I went out and it was probably the biggest waves I’ve windsurfed and it definitely got the heart pumping. Coming from the south coast I don’t have much big wave experience, so it’s definitely something I’d like to build my confidence in…

COST

For almost the month that we were there:

– Flights were around £1,000.

– Excess baggage – £500.

– We got a pretty mega deal on the car for doing some promotional stuff, but it would normally be close to the £2k mark.

– Accommodation around £500.

– Groceries / eating out and fuel – around £350.

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