Cape Town, South Africa (by Peter Peterson):
Peter has created downwind videos with excellent production quality. Here are two of his best:
Maui (by Bill Boyum):
Bill is one of the true pioneers in filming downwind paddling. His early videos like the one below of Connor and Bart in Maui really opened my eyes to the potential and fun of downwinding. Doesn't hurt that he has some of the best downwind paddlers in the world to film in some of the best conditions (Maliko) in the world. His videos give you a glimpse of what's possible when everything's just perfect.
Maui (by Jeremy Riggs):
Jeremy is one of the top downwind paddlers in the world. His footwork is second to none. He's also a great downwind instructor and guide. Check out his web site if you want some downwind coaching in Maui: http://paddlewithriggs.com/
Maui to to Molokai (Josh Riccio paddling, Daniel Emnhof filming):
In Josh's words "The conditions were all time this day with the wind consistently blowing 25mph plus."
Melbourne, Australia (David John):
DJ is the Pied Piper of downwind paddling. Through his videos, I'm sure he's inspired more people around the world (including me) to get into downwind paddling than any other single source. He's been producing great downwind videos since the early days of the sport at a more prolific rate than anyone else. He's honed a great camera setup that captures the action from different angles. Through his extensive experience, he's also become a great video editor. Here are some of his videos that show some of the windier days in Melbourne.
Seattle:
I like the deft and quick footwork in this video.
Greece (Dimitris Komninos):
I especially like Dimitris' great footwork in his videos. If you want a downwind guide and coach in Greece, check out his web site: http://supadventures.gr/
Starboard Ace downwind:
The Ace is the board I use on downwinders. It's the fastest board in 15-25mph downwind conditions as far as I know - however, the narrow pin tail and raised side walls of the Ace make it very tricky to surf in bigger conditions. It's still my favourite board as it catches bumps and glides better than anything else I've tried in our local conditions.
15 year old Clement Colmas does a better job of surfing the Ace than anyone else I've ever seen. His footwork is incredible, especially on the Ace.:
Beau O'Brien, one of the top downwind paddlers in Australia provides some tips on downwind paddling and demonstrates on his Starboard Ace during the King of the Cut race- the top downwind race in Australia, which he's won in 2013 and 2014.
One more great video of the Ace being surfed expertly downwind in Australia, this time by Ryan Keck. I think the skills required to handle the Ace like this can only come from a lifetime of surfing experience. Having surfed less than a handful of times, I won't be getting there any time soon. Something to aspire towards though, just need an extra lifetime to get there!
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