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West Coast Escape

Sorry I can’t fill you in on the big project I’ve been working on the last 2 weeks with Max Matissek, you’ll have to check our your local windsurfing magazine in the next few months to see that…

Phil Soltysiak with the Escape Campervan - Photo by Lawrence Stewart
Phil Soltysiak undercover with the Escape Campervan – Photo by Lawrence Stewart

Besides those secret adventures, I’ve been cruising in my rented Escape Campervan and windsurfing a lot. I had a couple of freestyle sessions in the Bay Area at Candlestick park with the local crew. They are all extremely good freestyle windsurfers, motivated, and a ton of fun to sail with. I always look forward to joining them for a session! I also cruised over to the Delta at Sherman Island, which will host the Rio Vista Grand Slam June 17th – 19th and got some decent winds there.

Phil Soltysiak feeling small windsurfing on the San Francisco Bay - Photo by Kipps Zygarewicz
Phil Soltysiak feeling small windsurfing on the San Francisco Bay – Photo by Kipps Zygarewicz
Phil Soltysiak bottom turns at Pistol River - Photo by Lawrence Stewart
Phil Soltysiak bottom turns at Pistol River – Photo by Lawrence Stewart

To keep my slalom legs going I took the gear out for a couple of sessions in the San Francisco Bay including a race I did last Friday; the Crissy Field Friday Night Slalom. It was a local slalom race, perfect to practice a bit before the slalom at Rio Vista and Hood River. I won 4 out of the 5 races using my 8.6 Sailworks NX and Starboard ISonic 114. It was a great combination that was very stable when the wind kicked in on the outside marks and start line, and powerful to get me out of those tricky wind situations on the inside marks.

Phil Soltysiak windsurfing the Oregon Coast - Photo by Lawrence Stewart
Phil Soltysiak windsurfing the Oregon Coast – Photo by Lawrence Stewart

I’m now up on the Oregon Coast in Gold Beach, where I scored 2 good wave sessions on Sunday and Monday until the wind shut off today. Tomorrow is the start of the AWT Pistol River Wave Bash, so my fingers are crossed that the wind returns before the event is over on Sunday.

Keep an eye on my social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) for updates from Pistol River, and check back soon for a write-up when the event is over.