Off to France…

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Sep 08

Sorry guys, no blog in a week…grrrr, bad bad Gabi !? However, I have a decent excuse, here it is:

Last week, after a serious autumn-attack on Vienna (grey, greeeey, drizzly, cold, depressing days) I decided very spontaneously to join a good friend of mine, Johnny Nesslinger, President of the Austrian Surfing Association – check out www.austriansurfing.at – and to travel to Southern France in order to take part in a one week course that would qualify me as an ISA (International Surfing Association) Surf Instructor.

I’m planning on organising ‘wavekite intro & advanced clinics’ in the future; surfing is not only my biggest passion beside kitesurfing, it also represents THE perfect no-wind alternative and I felt the official ‘license 2 teach surfing’ would come in very handy together with my IKO (International Kitesurf Organisation)-qualification in the future.

So I got myself a train ticket and off I went with my surfboard from Vienna’s Westbahnhof with the ‘Orient Express’ (hihihi, yeah funny, that’s no joke, that was the name of the train that I took) via Strasbourg and Bordeaux to Hossegor, in the South of France.

Johnny Nesslinger is organizing courses (Level 1 and 2) at various spots around Europe all year long in cooperation with Wavetours – check out www.wavetours.com – not only for wave freaks who aspire a career in the surfing industry also for all other wave enthusiasts who strive for knowledge of the ocean and safe surfing practice.

Originally I had planned on blogging you the 7 day training all the week through, however, I have to admit it turned out way more intense and time consuming than thought. Although we were accommodated in a super cool bungalow-residence right at the spot, internet connection was only available in a snack bar nearby that unfortunately always only was opened just when we were busy in the water and classroom.

The week was extremely interesting and I certainly not only improved my knowledge of all theoretical aspects related to surfing (equipment, safety & dangers, surf awareness, etiquette & rules, weather systems, training issues, rescue techniques and way more…), also my skills in teaching and competence was boosted seriously. Last but not least also my own very personal skills and level of surfing went to the next level through lots of water training, video analysis and more !

I was the only girl in a group of 7 guys and every day was packed from sunrise to sunset. Yeah, I really have to say Austrian Surfing and Johnny did an amazing job and I’m highly impressed with the organization as well as the top set-up that Wavetours provided us with!

Wavetours operates several surf camps in the area around Hossegor and Biarritz and I can only recommend the team, equipment and professionalism they offer !!

I managed to break my board even before the course had started, however, no panic, Uli Scherb the founder and GM of Wavetours was incredibly kind and helpful. Not only did he take my baby board to the best repair-dude in the neighborhood, he also lent me a board for the whole week, THANX !!!

At the end of 7 exciting days, the group still had to pass a written exam of 30 questions. It took about 2 hours and certainly wasn’t a walk in the park, however, after all the energy that Johnny had put into the course and the respective script, everyone passed … what pleased him a lot, as all of us terminated with top score, nice !

To anyone hooked on waves and not only for the ones who aspire a career as surf instructor, I can only recommend the training. There’s so much interesting stuff that will be helpful in many situations. You can also find a more comprehensive report on the 7 days in German in my column ‘Wave of Life’ on www.massivemoves.com.

I’m super stoked I did it and have a couple of days left here in France before I’m off again by train back home to Vienna, where my brandnew 2009 North kites should arrive any day…YEEEEEAH !!!

POSTED IN : chitchat, travels