What the heck is a downwinder? This was the question I had when first hearing of SUP downwind surfing, I heard rumors it was endless surfing in uncrowded waves and that was enough for me to give it a go.
After seeing this video with the cross stepping and turning I knew the rumors were true. At the same time my first downwind attempt was mostly paddling, struggling to balance, and a small very small taste of a very short ride on a tiny little bump of a wave. I certainly wasn’t hooked or stoked to do it again soon.
Over the next few years more videos popped up on the internet along with more downwind SUP boards and how to websites. Moving to Alameda we discovered there is a downwind run in our backyard, and after a run or two I had a real taste of catching lots of waves. Soon I experienced for myself how fun downwinding is and now we are hooked and stoked.
I can write all day about how amazing downwinders are, I suspect video is a better way to show what downwinding is, so below is a collection of the best downwind videos I have seen.
A new next level of Downwinding – with a foil on a shortboard, truly mind blowing:
A how to downwind video I made:
One of if not the best downwind conditions and video I have seen:
Wonderful Maui Downwinder, so fun looking and Jeremy Riggs makes it looks so easy:
Probably the first video I saw from David John that captured epic downwind conditions with long fun rides:
This video is one of the first I saw that showed the potential of downwind:
This is the best downwinder we have been on so far:
Our local Alameda run with the most spring/summer wind I have seen yet:
We can surf anywhere: the ocean, bays, rivers, ponds, lakes…
