Ride the wave
River surfing promises unlimited freedom, even without the vast ocean – in the middle of the city, in Munich, Graz or Waidhofen/Ybbs. Limitless.I could hardly believe my eyes: Right in the centre of Munich, just outside the Haus der Kunst in the Englischer Garten, people were donning wetsuits. It was April, the snow was melting in the Alps. The Eisbach flows right under Munich's city bridge – the perfect wave for city surfers, reaching a steady height of up to one metre at ideal water level, is in sight. The feet on the boards, the surfers take the plunge into the water. The narrow channel is paved by stonewalls on its left and right.
Hawaii Feeling
Airs, Sprayer and Shiftys, those are the surfing tricks. Frontside turn and backside turn refer to the surfer's position during the turn . Just like surfers in the ocean, river surfers ride the front of the wave in a downward movement. The longer one is able to ride the wave, the better. Hawaii feeling! Dreadlocks, reggae and goatees included.
Master of the waves
September 5, 1972 is reputed to be the beginnings of the boom in the Lifestyle Worldchampion city of Munich, when two surfers from Upper Bavaria touched ground with their surfboards in the Isar metropolis to scour new surfing locales. In recent years, river surfing aficionados have grown in number. They have showcased their talent at championships. Munich has hosted river surf championships since 1975, under the watchful eyes of Bavarian and international juries; most recently the Munich Surf Open. In 2003, the first Austrian championships were held in Graz. A network of river surfing associations has popped up as contact point for fanciers of this new discipline. "Großstadtsurfer" (city surfers) is the Munich-based organisation, it's counterpart in Graz is "murbreak".
"Addicts" ascribe the fascination of surfing to experiencing unlimited freedom. Best to introduce the sport with a simple exercise that everyone benefits from: staying on the surface.
Désirée Schellerer
