Just how long have we been hearing about the Eisbach river wave in Munich? How many of us have been to surf it? I reckon unless you are local or going that way for Oktoberfest, not many. It is a bit off the beaten track for many European surf visitors, and even for most European surfers. Is it somewhere you could go for a week's holidays and get some waves in? How are the crowds? What sort of board do you need? What happens if you drop in?
To answer all these questions and more, Nico from Buster Surfboards has agreed to give you guys some of his time. Nico actually makes and sells boards specifically for surfing the Munich river wave, so who better to ask.
SB: Hey Nico, thanks so much for sparing us the time, I know you must be super busy.
Nico: Actually, at the moment it's kind of prime time in Munich. During summer the wave is surfed nearly 24 hours a day (with floodlight at night) and we’re selling a lot of boards these days.
SB: So where were you born and where did you grow up Nico?
Nico: I was born in Munich, but lived there only for my first three years. I grew up in Münster, which was the capital of skateboarding in Europe in the 80’s – some of you may still remember the „Münster Monster Mastership“. Toward the end of the 90’s I came back to Munich.
Airbourne Buster.
SB: When did you first pick up a surfboard and start surfing?
Nico: That was maybe 20 years ago in Corsica. It's not a classic surf destination, but we found some waves there.
SB: About the Munich river wave, do you know who first discovered it? Who started surfing there first?
Nico: There are more river waves in Munich than the famous Eisbach. As a beginner, you start at one of the easier waves that can also be found in the city. I can’t remember when I had my first ride on a wave called 'Flosslände', but I started to surf there frequently around 1999. River surfing in Munich started in the early 70s by Arthur Pauli.
SB: Honestly, how difficult is it to surf and how much different is it from surfing a regular beach break?
Nico: In general it’s easy to start, because you don’t have to paddle in and you don’t need a takeoff. You can simply jump onto your board and start surfing. But the wave is very fast and bumpy and will usually kick you out very quickly if you’re not used to it. A good and experienced surfer will be able to do a few turns after a few hours of practice. If you’re a beginner you should not try at the Eisbach – there are flow-breaking rocks that the stream's builders set into the concrete of the riverbed behind the wave. Impacts on the rocks are painful and happen easily after uncontrolled falls.
The technique of surfing is similar to surfing a regular wave. You can control your position in the wave by shifting weight between your feet. If you pick up a good speed, you have better control of your line. But you don’t really do cutbacks and bottom turns, it’s more comparable to frontside and backside turns when snowboarding.
SB: How do the boards that you shape for the river wave differ from normal boards for the ocean?
Nico: The boards are quite similar to those that you surf in small summer surf at beach breaks. They are short, wide and have a flatter rocker line. The perfect board length is between 5’2 and 5’10, the width is between 19’’ and 20’’. Most boards are surfed with a Thruster setup, but with a smaller center fin or without the center fin.
SB: When did you first start Buster surfboards and who do you take inspiration from when in the shaping bay?
Nico: When we started with the company, the average skill level of German surfers was very modest. One reason for that was that most of the surfers didn’t know a lot about shapes, and if you have the wrong shape you can’t improve your level in your usually short vacation stay at the ocean. By doing a lot of river surfing, we learned a lot about the dependencies that drive the performance of a surfboard. We also learned that the landlocked middle European surfer needs other shapes than the surfer who lives near the coast.
SB: When would you say is the best time of year to come and surf the Munich wave?
Nico: It’s similar to many other places. In Summer you have a lot of crowd pressure, but it’s warm and the city is full of life. But there is no special swell season. The wave works 24/7, almost 365 days per year.
SB: Is there any sort of localism there?
Nico: If the locals discover that you are not really up to surfing the Eisbach, they will send you away. Surfing here is dangerous, and accidents could force the city to permanently close down the wave. Consequently, all beginners face severe pressure from the experienced locals to get lost and to injure themselves at a different surf spot.
SB: Can you remember your first surfboard? Do you still have it?
Nico: Sure. In Munich we have the ISPO, the world's largest sports trade show. One year, the Australian beer company Fosters had a 7’6 Mini Mal for decoration at their booth. It was fully branded with the Fosters logo. I learned to surf with that board, but sold it later.
SB: Thanks a lot for your time Nico. Is there anything else that our readers should know about the area and riding the wave?
Nico: Even in summer you should bring a wetsuit because the water is always cold. There is no board rental in Munich, and boards get damaged quickly because the wave breaks between concrete sidewalls. You should bring your own board and a quick repair kit. A good place to meet local surfers and get any questions answered is the SantoLoco surf shop and café in the city center.
SB: Feel free to check out Nico's boards at http://www.buster-surfboards.com/en/
Image Credits
Title (c) Dieter Verstl
River Swoop (c) Alex Förderer
Airbourne Buster (c) flohagena.com
River Air.
River swoop.
Airbourne Buster.