Lina Erpenstein and Dieter van der Eyken score a magical day in Chile
There’s something magical about rocking up to a place for the first time, especially when it’s as legendary pumping wave around the coastline of Chile. For Severne rider Lina Erpenstein, her first trip to this South American gem was nothing short of mind-blowing, specially when guided and coached by Dieter van der Eyken.
Accustomed to the onshore Baltic Sea waves, Lina bumped into a new world of perfectly clean offshore waves in Matanzas and Topocalma.
The Adventure Begins
“This was my very first trip to Chile and since I’m more used to sailing tiny onshore Baltic Sea waves, it did take me a few days to get used to the perfectly clean offshore waves of Matanzas and Topocalma,” Lina recalls. The excitement and anticipation were palpable as she and her coach, Dieter Van der Eyken, arrived early at Topocalma to catch the first waves before the crowds.
A Day of Learning and Growth
The wind conditions seemed promising, prompting Lina to rig her S-1 4.0. However, the reality of the light winds on the inside soon became apparent. In need of a bigger sail, she turned to Dieter, who was quick to lend her his 4.4. “Dieter Van der Eyken, who has been coaching me throughout the last year, was on the water with me and when I asked him if I could borrow his 4.4, he had to laugh a little, since I was already riding his board. Of course I could lend it!”
Adjusting to the larger sail came with its challenges. Lina almost broke Dieter’s mast on the first wave. But persistence paid off. With the extra power in her clew, she began to engage her rails and put power into her turns. The control and drive she felt on the 4.4 were spot on, making every second of the session unforgettable.
A Memorable Session
As the wind picked up, Lina switched back to her 4.0 S-1. The experience with the larger sail had significantly improved her technique. “With the experiences I had on the 4.4, I could now really drive my board through my turns and throw quite some spray” Lina mentioned. The session, filled with countless waves and increasing wind, was amazing.
Reflecting on the Experience
After a day of pushing and fine-tuning, Lina felt a good sense of accomplishment, in her own words; “I think Dieter was more than happy to see his sail come back to him in one piece. Nonetheless, one could say the coach was a little proud of his student.” The day’s experiences and the “click moment” she felt were key, significantly increasing her confidence and translating into improved performance in the PWA – IWT Chile World Cup competition. As a result, Lina left Chile with her first World Cup event win.
DID THE CLIP SPIKE YOUR ADRENALINE TO IMPROVE YOUR WAVE SAILING OR GENERAL WINDSURFING SKILLS?
Then check out Dieter’s windsurfing coaching camps all over Europe on his website: https://www.dieter-b35.com/windsurfcoaching/
LEARN WITH THE BEST – JOIN SEVERNE CLINICS
MORE SEVERNE NEWS
Decided in Decimals: Two Seconds and a Junior Title for Team SEVERNE
Team SEVERNE closed the pro fleets of the Tenerife World Cup with two runner-up finishes, a fourth, an equal fifth, and a Pro Junior Girls title. At El Cabezo, the results came down to fractions of a point.
Brittany to Sotavento: Benoît Merceur’s Slalom X Week
Severne-supported French slalom racer Benoît Merceur on his Fuerteventura Slalom X week, fit around a full-time job in Brittany.
Team SEVERNE at the 2026 Fuerteventura Freestyle World Cup
Team SEVERNE lit up the 2026 Fuerteventura freestyle World Cup: Lennart Neubauer champion, Balz Müller’s maiden podium, four men in the top seven, and Maaike Huvermann runner-up.
Philip Köster wins ninth Pozo title
A backloop in the last seconds of the final gave Philip Köster his ninth Pozo Izquierdo title, 0.61 points ahead of Marc Paré Rico. Sol Degrieck won the women’s Under-21 title and finished 4th in the pro final at 16; Takumi Moriya took 3rd in U21 Boys.
Two Fastest On The Planet: team SEVERNE Locks Out the Nautical Mile Record
At the Prince of Speed in La Palme, France, two team SEVERNE riders hold the two fastest nautical mile times in the world. Antoine Albeau set a new mark at 44.97 knots; Cedric Bordes sits second at 44.42. Both rode the same setup, the Monster and Fury they co-developed together.
Jaeger Stone at Cloudbreak: The Wave Before the Break
Jaeger Stone returned to competition at Cloudbreak and rode one of the best waves of his life. He also broke his foot. In his own words: the high, the low, and why he competes against himself now.
Bombs at Cloudbreak: Seman Wins Fiji, Kenyon Breaks Through in Second
Jane Seman won the Women’s title at the Fiji Surf Pro, reclaiming Cloudbreak in twenty-foot conditions; her second crown there after 2022. Sarah Kenyon took second. A SEVERNE one-two, and a champion who left hungry for more.
Defi Wind 2026: Severne brought the building
Four days at Gruissan. Tramontana 25-45 knots. 1,400 competitors. Blanca took silver, Antoine finished fourth in Foil Unlimited, and Monster and Fury hit the table publicly for the first time ever at Revolution HQ — voted best stand of the event.
Federico Infantino: Main Break and the Desert
Federico Infantino’s 2025/26 Western Australia season, filtered through the surf-style approach he has been refining: small sail, board-led, let the wave do the work.