Martin van Meurs
Martin van Meurs
1. Get used to speed at real life spots, learn how it feels to go broad over the back of the waves and learn to seek the right path.
2. Speed is more of a mental game than anything else. Overcome your fear by daring to crash. Learning to crash the right way is vital to get up to higher speeds when things truly get scary.
3. Don’t blame your gear when not going fast enough. First learn the limits of the gear in use and be happy with each personal best on a given set.
4. Speed starts when you start planing. Learn to balance yourself and fine-tune your gear in every given condition. Use the GPS, also in light windspeeds.
5. Check each run, also the ones which feel slow. The fastest runs are mostly the ones that don’t feel fast.
6. Go as broad as you can/dare in stronger windspeeds and feel the power slowly leaving the sail. Wait…wait…wait… and then slowly push the fin up to the point the power returns. Now you’re flying.
7. Make sure you understand the way the wind works, in relation to the speeds you’re getting in and gear you’re using. Lighter riders need to sail different courses and need to use different set-ups than heavier riders.
8. When ready for fixed and fast speed courses make sure to watch the lines the experts are following and check the sail trim that experienced riders of about the same weight are using.
9. Take things slow, you will be faster in the end.
10. Respect the forces of nature and try to go with the flow.