Watch: Windsurfer Cartwheels After Heavy Wipeout in Fiji

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Feb 19, 2024 3:00 PM ET

Windsurfing, compared to traditional surfing, has its pros and cons.

Pros: No such thing as “blown out”; windsurfers can reach speeds unseen on a traditional surfboard (without a jetski assist); they don’t even need waves; if there’s wind, they can “surf” without the prerequisite swell or waves; that’s just a bonus.

Cons: They need wind; there’s no windsurfing without wind; there’s also a big, bulky kite attached to their boards, which, in certain circumstances, can be quite cumbersome.

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That last con might’ve played a role in this vicious wipeout above. It comes from Cloudbreak off Tavarua island in Fiji, and features four-time windsurfing champion Marcilio Browne. As posted jointly from the Professional Windsurfing Association (PWA) and the International Windsurfing Tour (IWT), they captioned the video:

“An unforgettable moment from the 2023 PWA IWT Fiji Surf Pro when Cloudbreak showed its full force against @marciliobrowne ☠️ is this one of the gnarliest wipeouts ever?”

In the video, Browne is cruising along, knifes a few hacks on the face of the wave, then, as it starts to pitch, the lip clips his torso, and sends him flying.

Like a human ninja star cartwheeling through the air.

“Sometimes you hit the lip sometimes the lip hits you,” wrote one commenter.

“That was some Cirque du Soleil spinning,” wrote another.

“If only they made a board that didn’t have a sail that gets in the way,” added another.

As for his result in Fiji, Browne placed 17th. But no matter, he still won the 2023 PWA/IWT world championship. And…the unofficial award for best wipeout of the year.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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