This month we proudly introduce Philip Soltysiak from Toronto/CANADA as river ripper of the month . Philip is a world-class freestyle windsurfer, he is currently ranked #6 on the PWA freestyle world tour. After finishing the event at Lake Neusiedel/Austria in 6th place, Philip stayed in Vienna where we had the chance to meet up with him at Danube River.Read more...

This month we introduce Katie Crafts as river ripper of the month. She lives in Hood River / USA, is an addicted & well know Gorge Ripper and director of the Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association (CGWA).Read more...

Guillaume Durand from Lyon in France is a professional photographer and Rhône River windsurfer. In an interview he tells us about his passion for photography and windsurfing.Read more...

InterviewPlease introduce yourself in a few sentences. My name is Nick Allen, I grew up in Ohio and moved out to Oregon in my van when i was 17 to windsurf every day! Been here ever since. :: Nick Allen video clip - (C) by coldwater productions ::     How is life in Hood River with the Columbia River Gorge as your local playground in summer and nearby Mt. Hood in winter? Now (13 years later) life has improved alot, I have really grown to love it here. I work in the snow sports industry, allowing windsurfing every day in the summer, and snowboarding every day in the winter. The mix of seasons will keep me from ever getting burned out of one thing. Plus there are a ton of other hobbies outdoors i love here, fishing, mushroom hunting, golfing, the list goes on... :: shove-it - (C) photo Jock Bradley ::     Please tell us a bit about your passion for freestyle windsurfing, why you love & practice the sport and if you have any idols on the water? Well i have to say the feeling of learning new tricks windsurfing fuels me everyday to go out there and practice. It really doesn't get any better than a day out there with your buddies throwing down tricks in each others faces!! haha :) thats what keeps us all motivated out there. My friends are my biggest idols on the water because they are always down to load up the van and organize a fun day on the water! :: Flying high at the Pistol River Wave Bash 2010 / Oregon Coast (C) photo by Richard Hallman - FreelanceImaging.com ::     What are you favorite freestyle moves and what moves are you currently working on? My favorite moves are anything that you come out of fully planning, although as of right now I love to try burners every reach if i could!     What boards and sails do you ride and why? I am really stoked, I just got on RRD sails and boards!!! for the newer tricks the gear has really helped me progress, and it looks rad on the water too! :: stylish cliff drop with the Gorge in the background - (C) photo by Richard Hallman - FreelanceImaging.com ::     Your favorite playgrounds are? Hatch, Bingen, Dougs, Avery , Wall , Arlington. Especially in the cold offseason when its just you and your buddies on perfect untracked water! thats when we learn the most!     Your latest magic moment while windsurfing the Gorge ? The first day on my new RRD gear with all my friends on the water!     Either/or? Twinser or Quad? twinser river, quad waves Kauli or Gollito? Kiri Barefoot or booties? If i had a choice barefoot, but booties save me all the time if its cold, i have an annoying cut, or slippery duck tape on my foot RAP or Rock? Miike Snow/Pandora - try it out Tatoo or not? not Mac or PC? Mac, but normally i have a cheap-o pc     What goals and plans do you have for the near future - any trips, contests etc.? All the local contests for sure, really focusing on unique places for photo and video opportunities with my new gear this fall. :: Nick is riding RRD boards & RRD sails - (C) photo by Nick Allen::

Interview Please tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from and how come you started windsurfing?  Hi everyone. I started windsurfing at 17 on an old board of my uncle's. It was just messing around at first, but then I couldn't stop. This sport is so cool! Nowadays, I surf on the River Rhône and in the South of France at Coudoulière.  Bonjour à tous, j'ai commencé le windsurf à l'age de 17 ans sur la vieille planche de mon oncle pour rigoler et finalement je n'ai jamais arrêté ... ce sport est génial !!! Je navigue maintenant sur le rhône et dans le sud à la coudouliere.       Your are a professional photographer & film-maker. Can you provide an insight into your passion and tell us about your windsurfing projects so far ?  I filmed my first flicks along the Rhône to document our windsurfing sessions on this powerful river. From then on I knew, that I had to go on and make this my life's work. Later, I set up a project with Jérome Houyvet, the French photographer, Keith Tebooul, Carine Cambooulives and Manu Bouvet, filming backstage on a windsurfing trip. This led to production of a film called "THE TRIP".

After this film, I worked for the French clothing brand OXBOW, with whom I was able to enjoy a series of superb surfing and windsurfing trips on top of the world ;-) For some time now, I've been approaching the world of photography as an amateur and, once again, I started out taking photos of windsurfing on the Rhône!

 J'ai tourné mes premiers rush au bord du Rhône pour immortaliser les sessions de sud sur le rhône. j'ai continué et j'en est finalement fait mon metier. J'ai ensuite monté un projet avec jérome houyvet (photographe français) Keith Tebooul Carine Cambooulives et Manu Bouvet pour filmer les coulisses d'un windsurf trip, cela à donné naissance à "THE TRIP" paru dans le wind anniversaire des 30 ans. le film à plutôt été apprécier du fait de l'angle un peu particulier qui n'était pas fixé sur l'action mais plutôt sur le travail du photographe et de la recherche des conditions pour naviguer. Suite à ce film j'ai travaillé pour la marque de vetements français OXBOW ou j'ai pu enchainer trip surf et windsurf...au top ;-) Depuis quelques temps je me raproche du monde la photo en tant qu'amateur et encore une fois je commence avec des photos de windsurf sur le Rhône !       The Rhône River in France is your local playground. What is so special about sailing the river ?  I've had the chance to sail in Tahiti, Maui, Morocco, Portugal and these are totally amazing spots, even though I haven't always been good enough to take full advantage of them. But, even after surfing at such spots, I've always adored returning to the River Rhône. River ripping is so special; you have to be pumped up with energy and constantly on the look-out. The Rhône's also the place I started windsurfing. In the future, I'd like to discover spots in Oregon. The more photos I see, the more I want to go there and rip the currentl ... we'll see.   J'ai eu l'occasion de naviguer à Tahiti, Maui , Maroc, Portugal et vraiment ce sont des supers spots même si je n'ai pas toujours eu le niveau pour les exploiter à fond mais même apres des spots comme ceux la j'ai toujours adoré revenir sur le Rhône. Naviguer sur un fleuve c'est tres particulier, il faut etre tres tonique et toujours à l'affut. Je crois aussi que c'est le lieux ou j'ai commencé le windsurf. Dans l'avenir j'aimerais bien découvrir les spots de l'Oregon. Plus je vois les photos et plus j'ai envie d'y aller pour tremper l'aileron... affaire à suivre.  :: shove-it on the Rhône::       Your favorite aspect of sailing ?  First and foremost, just sailing!!!! But also, everything surrounding windsurfing... meeting up with frineds, going on trips, sharing experiences, travelling to extraordinary places thanks to windsurfing. It's simply a great excuse for moving and meeting people.   Déja naviguer !!! Mais surtout aussi tout ce qu'il y a autour du windsurf, retrouver les amis, partir en trip, vivre des expériences communes, voyager dans des lieux extraordinaire grace au windsurf. Le windsurf est un prétexte pour bouger et rencontrer des gens.  ::air-time on the Rhône::       Your other favorite playgrounds are?  Mountaining biking increasingly, when there's no wind I go mountain biking! My region is a bit like the Maui of mountain biking... we're so lucky to be next to the Alps. I have spots in the Mont d'Or hills near Lyon, about 10 minutes from my home.It's really incredible!  Le VTT de plus en plus, quand le vent n'est pas au rendez vous c'est VTT !!! En plus dans mes région c'est un peu le "MAUI" du VTT, à coté des alpes ont est vraiment gaté. A lyon j'ai des spots dans les monts d'or à 10 minutes de chez moi. Je retrouve de plus en plus de senations comme en windsurf, c'est vraiment terrible.       Either/Or!? Favorite Music? Them Crooked Vultures Favorite Food?  Meat and sauce with sliced baked potatoes in cream (French touch)  Viande en Sauce gratin dauphinois (French touch) Ocean sailing or river ripping? Ripping the Rhône River Forward or backward loop?  Forward. I'm trying, but I've already ruptured an ear drum!  Forward. J'éssaie... je me suis brisé un tympan déja! Girlfriend or single? Girlfriend       Your latest magic moment on the water ?  Each instant on the water is magic! The best moment is when you've just arrived at the spot and you feel the wind's strong enough to get into planning...you know you're going feel so alive again.  Chaque moment sur l'eau est magique! Le top c'est quand tu viens juste d'arriver sur le spot et que tu sens que le vent est assez puissant pour te porter...tu sais que tu vas te sentir vivre encore une fois.  :: shove-it on the Rhône ::       About your life and your future?  The more I look at photos of Oregon, the more I want to combine a windsurfing and mountain biking trip over there. It's a superb & spectacular region and I adore that. So, why not make it the subject of a forthcoming photo-reportage?  Plus je regarde les photos des spots de l'Oregon et plus j'ai envi d'y aller. J'aimerais mélanger un trip windsurf et VTT la bas, c'est une région magnifique et grandiose , j'adore. Pourquoi pas l'objet d'un prochain reportage photo !!!  :: underwater fun :: please visit Julien's websites:  www.picturgliss.com www.js-photovideo.com

InterviewPlease tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from and how come you started windsurfing?I am a dental hygienist and I live in White Salmon WA which is 10 minutes from my favorite windsurf beach. Originally I am from Calgary Alberta but after a couple of trips to the gorge my husband Scott and I were hooked and moved to Oregon shortly after that. We have never regretted that decision. I started windsurfing because Scott, my boyfriend at the time, windsurfed some. He had a Bic 250 (12' board that was a tank) and a floppy sail. I thought it looked really 'cool'. copyright by Scott Hazenboom   Your favorite playground is?The Hatchery in the Gorge.   Can you give an insight of the female windsurfing scene at the river, especially when it comes to freestyle windsurfing?There are tons of awesome female windsurfers here in the gorge and many of them are interested in freestyle. However, you don't have to be an awesome windsurfer to learn freestyle. No matter what your level is there is always a 'trick' you can learn. I have been helping to teach the women's freestyle clinic at 'Windfest' for the last few years because I love teaching freestyle and I know that women have so much potential to learn it. The sense of accomplishment I get when I learn a new move is really incredible so I always like to encourage women to try new moves and I hope I am able to inspire them by being out on the water working on my freestyle.   Your signature move / best move you can do?I love the shov-it. It is the most incredible feeling move I have ever done.   What is your favorite gear combo for a typical day in the Gorge?3.5 sail with my 80L Tabou freestyle board.    :: roxanne :: (c) image by Trudy Lary   Short question/short answer! Favorite food ? Icecream Favorite music ? The song Crazy by Gnarles Barkley. Most difficult windsurfing move ? I am working on the flaka and it seems like it is going to be a hard move to learn. Married or single ? Married to Scott. My biggest fan.    Any other sports you practice besides windsurfing?I love mountain biking and snow skiing, especially powder skiing.   About your life and your future?I love my life right now and wouldn't change a thing. It feels like we are living the dream being able to live and play in the gorge. :: roxanne :: (c) image by Trudy Lary