Two weeks ago we had a nice level on the Isar in Munich and the Reichnbacher-Wave was in. Below you see some pics of the sunny session. Just a few days after the session I crossed the bridge and what did I see, the "city-workers" had thrown in the river some tons of rocks in the process of their renaturation of the Isar and thereby created a huge additional eddy which nearly flooded the wave, made it rather small/flatt and there was no way in catching it on the fly anymore as it had shifted to the middle of the river. We´ll have to see how the wave is when there is less or more water and maybe they are still in the constructing process of the new river banks so further things might change... I´ll post pics of the "new" wave, when I get there the next time. Besides I paddled that day my new Nookie gear for the first time. Awesome snug fit of the 3/4 neo pants and really super comfortable neck and wrist seals on the Airhead Dry Shell Jacket. Last but not least I honestly have to say that the Rivermonster Buoyancy Aid of Nookie has the best fit of a life vest I have ever tried.
Same move different angle and still catching airmiles...
After the first session we had lunch. Just perfect, sun and sitting right in front of the wave with the action going on without pause.
A lot of onlookers and paparazzi whatching the show
Food, so good after a hard paddle! ;-)
Waiting to get back in the rumble
Always amazing if you see the point of take of left in the top of the wave.
Seppi enyoing the bounce or being amused that he just missed the bounce of his life. But the good thing is at la Malate the next perfect bounce is just 10 seconds away... ;-)
Even on the other bank people where enjoying the spectacle
The not surfable whole on the other side of the river
Did I already say that I love spray and air ;-)
Oh, nearly forgot one of my favorites: the helix (oh boy, on Malate it´s soo fast)
And last but not least thanks to all paparazzi, as without you we couldn´t show anything to our grandchildren
pictures by Aurelien Bruet
PS: I was doing a boat-colour-check on that weekend (red, yellow and green) and I think red won or maybe yellow...
What a weekend. The level of the Doubs was going up and we decided to hit the road. After 6 hours drive we arrived at La Scie (the upstream wave of La Malate) at 2 o`clock in the morning. We checked the waterlevel and it was already nearly optimal for the La Scie wave, which means "too high" (= not optimal) for La Malate. Therefore we stayed the night there and the next morning we got perfect level for La Scie. Besides we met again a lot of good old friends from France and Switzerland. Unfortunately I wasn´t able to bring my own Riot Astro, therefore I had to paddle different boats, which wasn´t too bad, as checking the other designs is a lot of fun as well. Besides the French TV came to get some footage about the efforts to save the La Malate Wave. Check the TV footage here: TV Clip
Here some impressions of the weekend:
Just after waking up. Tress standing in the water, in the front and in the background.
Taking a quick breakfast so we get on the water before the crowds arrive.
Also some Munich Surfers ripped the wave.
Warming up before the first session.
Getting used to the wave and boat.
Throwing a PanAm Going for the pistol-flip
Somehow looks funny. Like I just got hammered into a cream pie ;-)
Simon doing his thing.
Mathieu going big.
"Old Man Jan" doing the sidekick.
Nice profile of the other Jan.
Sunset of the first day.
La Malate auto-bounce.
Sidekicking all the way. Nice spray.
One of the best places to fly - the La Malate Wave.
On the third day the level at Malate had dropped 100m3 to around 400m3 and it was less big, less steep, quite flushy but still great. One advantage was that one could enter the wave via eddy-service and one hadn´t to worry about getting trashed in the whole next to the wave.
Much smaller but still enabling all moves.
After a sunny session it was time to head back home. All pictures by Maria Stelzig
When I first posted the story about the plans of the city of Munich to close down the Eisbach-Wave I got a lot of positive feedback out of the paddling world. But nonetheless there were also a few negative responses about helping those surfers to protect the wave they claim for themselves and don´t want to share with others. In addition I got loads of questions about the status of the situation between the surfers and kayakers at the wave and on how to prevent trouble at the wave. First of all I have to state that I think there are mostly cool surfers at the wave or at least most surfers would tolerate kayakers. But although the percentage of intolerante surfers is quite low it often is enough if one surfer is stubborn and denies you the entry. Probably I should shortly explain here that in order to enter the wave paddlers have to push themselves over two wooden planks (see in following video clip). The same planks where the surfers await their turn and if they leave no space for you on the plank you can´t get yourselve over the wood. As you see in the clip you can be lucky and there are up to 10 surfers present who are not complaining and let you enter when it is your turn. But the climate can change immediately if just one kusipää enters the sceene. Other surfers might follow his example and you wont get the chance anymore to enter the wave. In general I would suggest to not go there with a kayak if there are more than 3 surfers. On the day of filming I just got into the boat because a friend of mine needed to make a short movie for his studies. Well I got lucky, just cool surfers around. But for sure the possibility of one black sheep increases with more surfers on the water. One of the arguments of some surfers is that the kayakers destroy the wave when they hit the wood ramps on the bottom of the wave while doing blunts etc. And thereby induce more adjustment work of the wave and even the wearout of the ropes (the wood ramps are attached to ropes) is higher. Well I think most of the kayakers would be more than happy to contribute to the material cash box or help hands on keeping the wave in good shape if the result would be a friendly coexistence.
Very important are a few rules which should be followed when going to surf at the Eisbach:
1. with a kayak, never pull yourself in the wave alongside the wooden planks. As it takes ages and during that time no other surfer can enter the wave and all have to wait for you.
2. Always keep in line and just enter the wave when it is your turn.
3. Don´t stay in the wave for ages. Do a few moves and then go for a big exit move. Try to keep the wave-time similar to the time the surfers take.
4. Don´t practice flatwater stuff in the area where the surfers swim back to the shore, as they are apprehensive of paddles and boat-ends.
5. If you do vertical moves, do them airial and don´t go deep. As otherwise you might touch the wooden planks on the ground which in turn may change the wave to the worse, i.e. it starts to break the whole way and there´s no green part left. No good for wave moves and certainly not appreciated by the surfers.
How to enter the wave:
Happy Surfing and Oh, Behave - together for one cause!
Last year I was with friends twice at the la Malate wave and we had loads of fun. Because of the news that the wave is endangered I cut a small video clip:
Please take a few minutes, read the news, send the letter and spread the word to your friends!
French Information: French English Information: English Thanks a lot for your help! Markus
I just got an eMail from my friend Stephane Pion out of France with the disturbing news that the awesome la malate wave is in danger. Therefore please have a look at his letter (below) and support the cause in every way you can.
Here the official letter to print out in English: English Version
Thanks, Markus ---------------------------------------------------------------- Hello,
Please help us defend the wave of "la Malate".
For the last years, a lot of kayakers (slalom paddlers and freestylers) have been paddling on this wave, probably one of the biggest in the world (I believe so ! J)
But now, this spot is threatened by a micropower station project which will destroy the wave !!
That's why I ask for your help by sending the letter attached to this email to the city hall of Besancon in order to have an international support with a maximum of letters against this project ASAP.
We have an association and a web site: www.sauvonslamalate.org Sorry but for the moment it's in French only. ( you can translate the web site with google of course)
Please send this email to all the Presidents of the kayak club you know, all the professional kayakers and to the different forums in the world.
Last year we had awesome days at Hawaii sur Rhone (Lyon, France). First in the preparation for the worlds in Canada and later just for fun. Unfortunately we didn´t get the wall and wall B on tape, but I´m looking forward to get them on film next year.
Finally it is done, my first homemade video is finished ;-) After promising to publish the footage after the summer trip it took me some time to get the hardwear together. Well, last week I bought a new laptop and got straight to work and although it is just a really simple and rudimental clip, it was huge fun cutting it and spending the first hours with the cutting programm.
British Airways has announced that as of 6th November this year it will no longer be carrying surfboards on any flights.
For the sake travelling surfers, windsurfers, canoeists and kayakers worldwide, the British Surfing Association strongly objects, and asks for your support.
Going for the Pistol-Flip
Flipturn
All pictures by Maria Stelzig
Munich surfers, French and Munich paddlers eagerly awaiting their turn at La Scie
Stéphane aka Daron himself throwing down a huge flashback
Just above the drop in into the La Malate Wave
Nice close-up side-kick from a different angle above the wave
Same angle different move: going for the california-roll
Same move different angle and still catching airmiles...
A lot of onlookers and paparazzi whatching the show
Food, so good after a hard paddle! ;-)
Waiting to get back in the rumble
Always amazing if you see the point of take of left in the top of the wave.
Seppi enyoing the bounce or being amused that he just missed the bounce of his life. But the good thing is at la Malate the next perfect bounce is just 10 seconds away... ;-)
Even on the other bank people where enjoying the spectacle
The not surfable whole on the other side of the river
Did I already say that I love spray and air ;-)
Oh, nearly forgot one of my favorites: the helix (oh boy, on Malate it´s soo fast)
And last but not least thanks to all paparazzi, as without you we couldn´t show anything to our grandchildren
Just after waking up. Tress standing in the water, in the front and in the background.
Taking a quick breakfast so we get on the water before the crowds arrive.
Also some Munich Surfers ripped the wave.
Warming up before the first session.
Getting used to the wave and boat.
Throwing a PanAm
Going for the pistol-flip
Somehow looks funny. Like I just got hammered into a cream pie ;-)
Simon doing his thing.
Mathieu going big.
"Old Man Jan" doing the sidekick.
Nice profile of the other Jan.
Sunset of the first day.
La Malate auto-bounce.
Sidekicking all the way.
Nice spray.
One of the best places to fly - the La Malate Wave.
Much smaller but still enabling all moves.
After a sunny session it was time to head back home.
