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Jimmy Diaz personally wrote the official citations.

Alice Arutkin: "Your commitment and dedication to competition this year has been admirable and your performance, particularly in the Slalom discipline, has been exceptional for a young sailor, especially when you take into account the level of competition you were up against. To do so well whilst also putting in a strong performance in the Wave discipline is to be congratulated!"

Philip Koester: "Through your performances on tour this year, you have displayed not only incredible natural talent, but also incredible courage and confidence in tough conditions. To find these attributes in such a young sailor is unusual to say the least, but to find them in someone so unassuming and courteous is a true testament to your character."

Following a string of podium finishes on the French national windsurfing circuit, Alice Arutkin made her PWA debut in 2007 at the Sylt World Cup. Fuelling her thirst for competition, she went onto compete full time on the World Tour in 2008. Defiant from the outset, her immense natural ability coupled with a mature and tactical approach to competition, steered her to fourth position overall in slalom, and ninth position overall in waves. Sixteen years old, and her name has already been firmly carved into the world of professional windsurfing. At just 14 years old, Philip Koester is undoubtedly one of the most exciting new windsurf talents to emerge in the last decade. Having honed his sailing in the relentless winds of Gran Canaria, this young prodigys fearless yet calculating approach is already having devastating consequences on the world tour. After finishing ninth in the Pozo wave Grand Slam, and having already defeated the some of the PWAs most respected wave sailors, Koester has shown he is an opponent to be taken very seriously.

After hearing of their awards, the newly crowned rookies commented:

Alice Arutkin: "I am really happy and very honored to receive this award alongside Philip Koester, for whom I have a real admiration. He is really talented in waves for his age, and seems to have a big will to succeed. I have so a lot of satisfaction to have been chosen this year, especially to join the likes of previous champions; Junko Nagoshi and Sarah-Quita Offringa."

Philip Koester: "I feel astonished, proud and very happy. It's a real honor to get this title. My first reaction was, 'why me?'. I feel I have achieved something very special in my life." Our congratulations to both athletes, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds in store for them.

source: PWA / Andrew Buchanan

		wTuesday, December 30, 2008
		Wind Surfing, REALLY Cool!! Have a look at this excellent website from Finland, featuring almost any kind of windsurfing on ice and snow! Including construction tips for sledges and infos about the Winter Windsurf European Cup 2009 in Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Poland and the Czech Republic (photo: Marcis Baltsk): www.winterwindsurf.com posted by editors at 12/30/2008 11:29:00 AM \| (0) comments

		wSaturday, December 27, 2008
		Alice Arutkin PWA Rookie Of The Year Alice Arutkin and Philip Koester are awarded the 2008 PWA Rookie of the Year titles. Unveiling one of the most prestigious accolades to be awarded by the PWA, Jimmy Diaz, the associations President has formally awarded the 2008 Rookie of the year awards to Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North Sails) and Philip Koester (Starboard, NeilPryde). This time-honored tradition recognizes outstanding achievement by newcomers to the Professional Windsurfers Association. Jimmy Diaz personally wrote the official citations. Alice Arutkin: "Your commitment and dedication to competition this year has been admirable and your performance, particularly in the Slalom discipline, has been exceptional for a young sailor, especially when you take into account the level of competition you were up against. To do so well whilst also putting in a strong performance in the Wave discipline is to be congratulated!" Philip Koester: "Through your performances on tour this year, you have displayed not only incredible natural talent, but also incredible courage and confidence in tough conditions. To find these attributes in such a young sailor is unusual to say the least, but to find them in someone so unassuming and courteous is a true testament to your character." Following a string of podium finishes on the French national windsurfing circuit, Alice Arutkin made her PWA debut in 2007 at the Sylt World Cup. Fuelling her thirst for competition, she went onto compete full time on the World Tour in 2008. Defiant from the outset, her immense natural ability coupled with a mature and tactical approach to competition, steered her to fourth position overall in slalom, and ninth position overall in waves. Sixteen years old, and her name has already been firmly carved into the world of professional windsurfing. At just 14 years old, Philip Koester is undoubtedly one of the most exciting new windsurf talents to emerge in the last decade. Having honed his sailing in the relentless winds of Gran Canaria, this young prodigys fearless yet calculating approach is already having devastating consequences on the world tour. After finishing ninth in the Pozo wave Grand Slam, and having already defeated the some of the PWAs most respected wave sailors, Koester has shown he is an opponent to be taken very seriously. After hearing of their awards, the newly crowned rookies commented: Alice Arutkin: "I am really happy and very honored to receive this award alongside Philip Koester, for whom I have a real admiration. He is really talented in waves for his age, and seems to have a big will to succeed. I have so a lot of satisfaction to have been chosen this year, especially to join the likes of previous champions; Junko Nagoshi and Sarah-Quita Offringa." Philip Koester: "I feel astonished, proud and very happy. It's a real honor to get this title. My first reaction was, 'why me?'. I feel I have achieved something very special in my life." Our congratulations to both athletes, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds in store for them. source: PWA / Andrew Buchanan posted by editors at 12/27/2008 10:44:00 AM \| (0) comments

		wSaturday, December 13, 2008
		Sylt 2008 Slideshow (photos by Anne-Kathrin Stevens) Newsflash: Anne-Kathrin Stevens (G-200) from Quatro to Exocet Anne reports: "Because I do not have many chances to visit big wave spots like Maui, it was suggested to deal more with boards which are designed for European Windsurfing spots. Exocet is exactly the label which offers me boards like that. I'm pretty stoked that I will be able to use Exocet boards to rip the waves of the Atlantic and the North Sea as a new team member from now on. Not only my board Sponsor has changed, you will also find my homepage http://www.annestevens.de/ in a new look." posted by editors at 12/13/2008 01:00:00 AM \| (0) comments

		wWednesday, December 03, 2008
		DIVA Clinics 2009 Jo Scott has been a windsurfing coach at various global locations for the last 9 years and is one of the very few female RYA qualified "Advanced Plus" instructors around. Jo pioneered her Diva weeks, a dedicated girls-only, windsurfing programmed, which has gone from strength to strength over the last 5 years and has recently started running girls youth camps as well. Jo's Diva Clinic Locations for 2009 include... El Yaque, Margarita - 18 Jan 09 Sotavento, Fuerteventura - 21 Apr 09 Golf de Rosas, Spain - 20 Jun 09 Samos, Greece - 17 Sep 09 Mauritius, Indian Ocean - 27 Sep 09 Marsa Alam, Red Sea - 18 Nov 09 Each clinic is tailored for individual progression, in clinics for all abilities, from beginner to advanced wave rider.All arrangements are organized and can be booked through Sportif on 01273 944919. Call for more details or look online at sportiv.travel. Jo's Diva clinics are an entire week experience based around windsurfing tuition and her philosophy on windsurfing is "Fun, fun, fun!" Not only does she deliver top quality coaching tailored to your specific needs but she also organizes extra activities such as yoga, biking or horse-riding. Your sailing will come on in leaps and bounds and the week will be a blast with cocktail evenings, meals out and organized trips. It is a great week to learn from one of the best instructors in the business who has pioneered all girl coaching weeks. Info and source: http://www.star-board.com/2009/pages/news/news.php?readmore=463 posted by editors at 12/03/2008 02:07:00 PM \| (0) comments