Bijou Shahmirian, 2023
Starboard Team, Freestyle Worldcup
Joining the Starboard Dream Team was a huge step in my Windsurfing adventure. Followed by competing for the first time at the PWA Freestyle Wordcup in Fuerteventura (7th place overall women) was an overwhelming experience, which I documented in my first VLOG.
I managed to overcome my fear to practise Forward Loops for the first time in Fuerte. Throughout the light wind season I was still able to land Spock 540s, Flakas and just in time one Funnel on the last summer day.
Would be really nice to see more youth Freestyle events scheduled for young guns to push the next generation.
Starboard Dream Team Member
News on Youtube
Bijou Shahmirian, 2022
Practise Burner, Flaka, Shove it, Spock
Randomly taking part at the King of the Caribbean Freestyle competition in BonAire with 14 years was a cool experience. I am looking forward doing more competitions, but need to practise new tricks e.g. Shove its, working on landing Spocks and Grubbys more consistent and achieve more air time in SW Konos. After landing my first Flakas on the windskater I managed my first one on the water. Also get more into the power moves like Burner and Funnel. Unfortunately this season we had many low wind days, so I started low wind activities like Foiling and ended the season at lake Garda passing my VDWS licence. I am very greateful for all the people I have met this year.
Waiting for wind
2021
With 13 years nice clean Grubbies. Geckos are fine, landed some Spocks and started to get into ducking the sail for Switch Konos and Burners. This year I have made my best progress so far thanks to the Windsurfing Queen Sarah Quita, Oda, Maaike and Andraz. It was so nice and special to sail together with World Champions! Next moves on my list are Flaka, zero control Skopus, whatever, as long as I am jumping higher than my father.
Switch Stance Blasting
2020
Freestyle Windsurfing with 12 years - Vulcan, Switch Stance, Reverse Duck Jibe, Spock/Gecko attempts
Switch Stance Blasting
2019
Bonaire: Here I have learned my Upwind 360s in footstraps and started looking into my next move "The Flaka". Also met Windsurf heros like Lennart Neubauer and Preki. In Summer I met Oda Johanne and started to practise Vulcans.
2017 - 2018
Duck Jibe, Jumping, Helitacks and Upwind 360. I started to practise Freestyle moves. I always dream big and want to learn the Flaka. At this stage I started with Upwind 360s in footstraps, which works fine and hope to jump the Flaka soon :-).
2016 - 2017
Continued by fully blasting in footstraps and waterstarting with 8 years, I was dreaming to sail alone in deep water. I finally managed to sail in Devils Bay in 2017 with safe waterstarts in both directions.
2013 - 2015
My next steps were Beach Start and using the harness. That was fun, now I could spend more time on the water.
2012
It took a while before I had enough power to hold a sail.
With 5 years I started Windsurfing. I loved it, but
my parents were worried.
I really did well. It only took
a couple of minutes and I enjoyed these nice downwind
runs. Just getting back was not so much fun. As I
started to practise Duck Jibing my parents did not
want to teach me anymore. Katy Hammond,
the best instructor ever, took over and taught me
how to tack, stay upwind and sail independently
without the need to swim back anymore.
Early Days
I was born in St.Kilda in Melbourne Australia.
It was easter 2008 as I got in touch with
the first sail (Neil Pryde Expression 5,7) with 6 months.
To be honest, I can't remember that day in Inverloch, where my parents were Windsurfing and put me on a sail the first time to feel the nice Kevlar reinforced monofilm. I just know, it was relaxed lying on a 5,7 square meters sail (plenty of space) and that it is beautiful there ...
