Duotone Magazine No. 06

“For my family and me, Lake Garda - particularly the charming town of Torbole - feels like a second home. We’ve been coming here regularly for decades andmany of our friends live there. Whether we’re out on the water windsurfing, winging or kiting, or enjoying awindless day with some excellent road cycling, there’s always something to do. With the Italian food and lifestyle it feels like a mini holiday every time, even if we’re just there for a weekend. I missed the crazy times of the eighties at Lake Garda, when windsurfing was THE sport – THE lifestyle, and Lake Garda was the epicenter of it all. But my first trip there in 1992 was a big eye opener: So many windsurfers on the water in one place, amazing! Today, with advanced and innovative gear available, making windsurfing but also kiting and winging a bit easier to do in light winds, it has become an even more attractive location. The Lake has some of themost regular wind statistics in Europe, or evenworldwide, 12months a year. You can find a big variety of spots and wind strengths as well as water conditions to choose from to match every skill level and taste. There’swind twice a day: NorthVento (also known as Pelèr) blows in themorning, which is stronger and for more experienced riders. South Ora comes in the afternoons providing a lighter breeze, sunny and warm, perfect for freeriding, winging or kiting. With a good North Vento storm there can even be some crazy swell and small waves. The unbelievable scenery with the steep cliffs plunging into the water adds to Lake Garda being an amazing and unmatched real watersports playground. It feels insane riding with this view. The solid watersports community around the Lake, once dominated by windsurfing, is now somewhat divided among the three disciplines. A lot of the localsgo for sessions in theearlymorningbefore work and even during the lunch break when some businesses close. It’s a strong local community that is joined by loads of professional and National athletes who train at Lake Garda due to the regular wind and easy access to the spots by car. All the regularweekend/holiday peoplemakeup the rest of the community, especially during summer – there is always someone you know on the water, in the bars or just chilling at the beach. The Dolce Vita lifestyle and Italian cuisine are the icing on the cake, adding to the uniqueness of this watersports destination. Sitting in themorning sun, enjoying a nice Italian cappuccino and croissant after a pre-breakfast session brings an unmatched feeling of satisfaction. Even on windless days, there’s no shortage of activities to keep you entertained: Great mountain or road biking, hiking, trips to Verona or Venice, it’s hard to beat and never boring at Lake Garda. Like any summer location, it gets a little crowded during the summer months. But generally, there is always enough space, especially on the water. It’s a huge lake if you just make the effort to explore it. And it’ll be worth it – you’ll hardly find a watersports destination that has as much to offer as Lake Garda and is as beautiful at the same time.” WIND Pelèr Wind (North Wind): Blows in the early morning (7–10 am) and is stronger, catering to advanced riders. Ora Wind (South Wind): Starts around midday (1–5 pm), offering smoother conditions ideal for beginners and intermediates. WHERE TO GO FOR… Best food: Best food has to be the Centrale in Torbole, unreal service, best quality and that’s why there is a queue from March to November. Book for inside or get in the queue outside early enough. Also, make sure to eat Tiramisu there – it’s the best you can get, probably in all of Italy. Best drinks: Conca Bar at Conca d’Ora has the best view, great Spritz and is the perfect after session spot. Getting gear repaired : Kites/Wings: For repairs with original material, you will need to go all the way to Calabria to find Max di Guzzo and his “Veleria Max”. Your gear will look like new afterwards. Kites /Wings: Raf Wind in Torbole Boards: The Lab in Peschiera del Garda Windsurf: Seatex Sails By Craig Gertenbach Rider  Rocco Sotomayor DUOTONE 100 B L I S S