Austria Graz River Surfing Club

Reini :We heard from the Eisbach surfers in Munich from their trouble with the local authorities and localism. We didn't want to have that in Graz, the 2nd river surf, and after a year we decided to form an

official club to protect our interests against the city counsel

and the kajak club, 2000. We started with about 30 surfers in the club, and now we have 55 paying members. There are about 100 surfers who surf regularly in Graz, but on a good day maximal 15 at a time. Only at contests and high tide it is fully crowded. It is never that big as in Montreal or at the Eisbach, thanksfully.

RSM :What kind of surf board do you perfer to surf in the river.

Reini:  For beginners and slow eaves we prefer mini malibus, first the big BIG 7'2" and then the NSU 6'8", and for the big wave short fat fishes or swallow tails, 5'8" to 6'4". We always take the third middle find out for easier 360°, some have special smaller middle fins to have more power with the rear foot. We also have some power surfers like the South African born Holger Hassenpflug on the foto who always surfs with a big third middle fin, to bring the full force to the back foot.

RSM: When is the best time to surf Graz what types of river waves do you have there ?

Reini : The best time for the big wave is in May and June, and sometimes at big rainfalls in fall. We had years where we could surf the big wave 50% of the days between April and November, and the last two years we only had 3-5 days to surf. But we also have two smaller waves for the beginners which are very tiny but better than nothing. They are in the very center of the town, and you can surf there the whole summer.

RSM:You have held some river surf comps over the years. Can you give us a recap of favorite events? and any future events?

Reini : In  2003 we had our first big surf contest, the only time when we had the Munich Surfers in Graz.

 We had a big budget but no

wave at all.

Reini : We had to do the contest on a rope, which was lame, and the guests did not like it. But we loved it. Then in the following years we did contests only on short notice when we had excellent conditions, and on some years no contest at all. It is a financial and buerocratic problem to organize it, the city demands a fixed date 6 weeks prior. But we don't know when we will excellent conditions up to one week prior. The official Austrian contests in the first years were on another wave in Silz near Innsbruck, Tyrol, but this wave is not running anymore. There we met the Munich surfers, and we typically won 50% of the contest, 50% the Munich surfers. This was the Pre-Gerry Schlegel Era, who won almost every contest in the last years. In the last years we did bigger contests again, with about 35 surfers typically.

RSM:Have you surfed any other standing waves in Europe, or other surf spots you woud lke to share .

Reini :We travel around a lot to surf other waves everywhere in Europe, Africa and Canada. I surfed almost all waves in Austria, in Munich and in Switzerland. Then in Montreal with our Friend Corran Addison who started in Montreal at about the same time we did, 1999-2000. The three great waves in Montreal. And now

 I'm surfing Texas and Mexico.

 Every wave is completely different. Esp. River waves. You need some time to get orientation and get accustomed to it. Also good ocean surfers have difficulties to surf our river  waves. My favorite is still the home wave the Radetzky, because is is slower then Eisbach, but powerful, more powerful than most others. The smaller waves are usually surfed with ropes. Take care of your hand.

The rope is the most dangerous thing when surfing on rivers. Best do without.