The Swedish windsurfer Markus Rydberg from Varberg released the 13th episode of his “Viking Diaries” video series. Markus talks about cold Sweden during winter 2015/2016. The conditions weren’t that epic as in the previous winter, but he made most out of it. It’s always hard to watch the pros sailing at the warm spots, when it’s freezing cold and there isn’t any chance to make it on the water. Markus had to work at home and as well worked on his fitness level, what helps him a lot for windsurfing. But when the wind and waves were pumping he made it on the water, even when the temperatures were below zero degree. That’s definitely tough, walking in the neoprene booties through powder snow to the beach.

Markus Rydberg: “The spots I sail in the video are Läjet and Apelviken. They are located in Varberg which is my home town.  The coldest air temperature I went out in this winter was around -2° degrees I think, but I remember a session when the water was at 0,5° degrees only. When I crashed in that temperature it felt impressively cold! My whole body pretty much felt frozen after the first crashes before I got used to it. My sessions are around three hours when it’s this cold, with a warm up break in between…”

Markus still goes for double Forwards, big Backloops or Takas in this hardcore winter conditions, when the days are short and the nights endless. And we are are sure he will land all these moves even better when the temperature will rise again and the sea temperature will increase.

Big respect Markus, you are a real Viking!!!

Filmed by: Mikael Linder, Markus Rydberg and Emma Häggström, In to fire and water crew