TEAHUPO’O – CHARLES VANDEMEULEBROUCKE

After a few poor seasons with many windsurfing sessions in Tahiti, Charles Vandemeulebroucke finally scored an epic session at Teahupo’o, alongside Camille Juban who was visiting the Island. Here is the story of the session as told by Charles.

Photos: Léa Hahn.

The last two years had been really poor in term of windsurf action in Tahiti, they say it is La Niña phenomenon, but it should end soon! Fingers crossed because I’ve been sailing less than twelve times in the past two seasons. Actually my last consistent windsurf week was at the Fiji Pro thirteen months ago!

So slowly you get into a different mode, surfing, training, work has taken a big step up and other activities as my windsurf skill had become useless. Spiderwebs in the straps, ants in my sails, and depression is close!

But today is different, I flew my favourite white cat for a month of hope. Camille Juban been staying in my house for few weeks now, he needed some help to finish to fix his broken foot (as I am a physio) and I needed some help to bring windsurfing back in my life. That was the deal!

After few days of rain and home work we finally saw that one of those possible epic forecast coming

That is how it goes with this guy. He seems to be very lucky!  On Wednesday 13th sept, a 3.1m swell and gusty wind hit Teahupo’o. I Pulled out my Excalibur Quatro blade and my 4,7 fringe X which appeared to be the wrong choice! I should have choose 4.5m. The gusts were strong and lows are lows. I would have save my hands for my come back and make turns easier, that was a beginner mistake! Understandable today!

There was a pack with a national surf team at the peak and you get the perfect combo to feel comfortable. I am getting use to that as the 2024 Olympics are bringing more and more team training camps

Anyway, today is about getting back in the straps after five months and sailing with my bro! Camille was trying to get shots of his new sails for sponsors you won’t see them here but as usual he was going for it, though I got the two bombs. He was mad …. Hahaha captain priority Mimi!

We did not crash even if we tried and we did not interfere with any pro surfers. Plus Camille got his shots. So all in all it was a pretty epic day.