Catching the Baltic wind

  • 2008-08-06
  • Julia Zalutskaja

Surf culture Tallinn style.

TALLINN - What looked like hundreds of butterflies with limpid wings stretched along the coast line of Pirita, ready to flit away into the sea. When the starting horn howled, windsurfing sails headed off into the water splashing.

The windsurfers were clutching see-through polyester sails, manipulating them to catch the wind. The athletic sailors were moving like whirligigs, imitating the sea waves, and a few of them collapsed like a house of cards at the very beginning of the race. Gladly, most of the windsurfers managed to speed up and whirl away.
The traditional Estonian Aegna Marathon started this year with one hour delay as there was a dead calm in the morning at Tallinn's beach, Pirita. "The wind is a requirement for good surfing," explained Aivar Kajakas, a windsurfer at the Hawaii Express.

Regardless of the very short Estonian summer, surfing has recently become quite popular here. When winter begins, most of the surfers train in Egypt, Spain or South Africa which have better weather conditions, curly sea waves and sand beaches.
Kajakas has been surfing for more than 10 years. This year he bought new sail equipment: an excellent Italian surfboard fin and a unique sailboard designed by an Olympic champion. Surfers have to wait for almost six months for the surfboard fin. The cheapest fin costs 250 euros and the cheapest sailboard 1200 euros.
Aegna Marathon accepts two types of boards, but three-meter longboards are the most common because they are optimized for lighter winds and course racing.

Windsurfing combines surfing and sailing, using a single sail to propel the board across the waves. This type of surfing is one of the safest and easiest. It is essential for every windsurfer to train muscles, build stamina and develop excellent balance in order to become competitive. 
By the late 20th century, surfing had created its own industry, with its own music, clothes, lifestyle, accessories, equipment and competitions.

"It is a very positive type of sport. The feeling of freedom and the wild splash of adrenaline is guaranteed. Estonia is one of the European countries where surfing is popular and our sailors participate in international competitions," said Kajakas.
Surfing theory and practice is available for professionals and amateurs at the surfing school at the Pirita beach. Experienced windsurfers teach the lessons. The sailing equipment can either be hired or bought.

There is more information athttp://epl.surf.ee.