Kristin Boese at the KWPT Wavemasters Portugal

Posted Thursday September 20th, 2007

Sept 3rd - 9th

I always had to listen to all those crazy stories about huge waves and strong, strong winds in Guincho. It started back when I was still windsurfing and all my windsurfing friends that loved the waves went to Guincho, the European Wave Mecca, every year. It continued true all my years of Kiteboarding. Guincho (like a few more places) was one of those places where I really wanted to go one day. Now I went, for the KPWT Wave Masters Stop Number Two of the year. When I got there I loved it straight away, a beautiful big bay with very pretty-looking rocks in the background.

The first 2 days of our trip we got to kite in not huge, but still fun waves and had a great time. We stayed in a cheap little bungalow next to a horse stable and it was nice and relaxing. Just what I needed after the busy days at the PKRA in Germany. We arrived 4 days before the event started and enjoyed our time off. Then the time was up. The registration day was the same day as the first day of the competition, and it was nuking!

I rode on my 7 and was pretty powered. I really enjoyed the heat I had that day, but as there were soooo many competitors (I think in total we were about 45 or so) we did not even make it through the first round of the guys. The next few days there was no wind at all – really untypical for this place where it normally blows like hell ... but still unlucky for us. There were some nice waves and most of the competitors went surfing. They even started a fun surfing competition one day to keep us happy. I was happy ... I got a little time to relax and really enjoyed it!

Unfortunately, for the rest of the week, the wind never came back with its normal force. We rode 2 more days, always in really light winds and with small waves, but at least we rode. We all very much wished for conditions to finish the competition, but in the end it was not enough.

Teammate Clinton Bolton

For the girls, we could ride it out up until the final, but did not get any wind to actually ride the finals. So Kirsty and I ended up both in first place and were happy about that anyways.

I guess the guys were not too stoked as they ended up with 12 people in first position ... not so great for the prize money and the points, but still fair and just unlucky. What can you do. In the end, we all had a great time anyway and just hope for better conditions for next year ...

... because it actually gets super-good in Guincho and the wind and wave gods will be with us the next time!

~ Kristin