Battle of the Hunks: Jo vs Muzz
Reigning Champion...
Name: Chris ‘Muzza’ Murray
Date of Birth: 26.01.1988
Main watersport: windsurfing
Years on the water:15
Watersports level: Pro
Home town: Fareham
Current Location: Fareham
Relationship status: taken by a Flow rider Ellie Ross
The Challenger...
Name: Jo Ciastula
Date of Birth: 09-02-1986
Occupation: Rider and Sales Rep for Airush, Animal and Starboard SUP in Spain
Main watersport: kitesurfing, but as many as possible, any excuse to be of any form of H2O
Years on the water: since birth
Watersports level: Promoted recently to Rubber duck status
Home town: Tarifa, Spain
Current location: Home
Relationship status: Single
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Hi, how are you?
M: Brill, thanks!
J: Not so bad thanks, yourself?
A bit of background information, Muzz when and where did you start windsurfing?
M: I’ m from Fareham town which is in-between Portsmouth and Southampton, near to
where Chris Audsley, Jamie Hancock and Paul/Jack Hunt live. This made is quite a good
place to start to windsurf, as there were a lot of good guys to watch when I was growing
up. Before windsurfing I was into roller blading and trampolining haha, which I think has
worked out well when learning to loop, as I had an idea about being upside down in the
air!
I started windsurfing when I was 12, at Hill Head and have never looked back since. I
always wanted to be a wave sailor like the local guys and Josh Stone, therefore I didn’t go
down the racing route. Instead I headed straight from the harness and foot straps, into
trying loops and willy skippers before thinking about gybing fast or any thing like that. I
soon realised I wanted to be a pro, I started competing at junior level and seeing all the
guys having so much fun I knew instantly that was what I wanted to do, and am now just
starting to achieve the dream.
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Jo where did you grow up? And how did you get into kitesurfing?
J: I moved to Spain from the UK when I was 6 and grew up in Tarifa. Came over because my Dad is a shaper and Tarifa was a great location for the family.
Took me a while to get into kiting, but when I was 16 Tarifa held the famous Red Bull Skyride where all the big names like: Robby, Flash, Lou, Oru were there. I watched the competition and I was hooked, I couldn´t believe how high these guys were going and I wanted to do the same.
Muzz what was it about windsurfing that made you stick with it over other sports?
M: Windsurfing is a great sport that is full of fantastic people all doing it because they love
the sport. Up to the highest level and at the top end of the spectrum you can see people
doing some crazy moves jumping up to great heights using the sails like wings and the
waves as jump ramps to soar up to incredible heights, then angling their sail like a
sycamore seed in the wind to spin and loop down to the raging ocean below. Riding big
waves without the aid of a jet ski, just using natures power to the highest level, it really is a
spectacle not too be missed. Get to your local lake or sailing club, pick up a board and
sail, once you feel the rush you wont look back!
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Jo how did you get into competing? Are you still on the tour or have you side stepped out of pro competitions?
J: Tarifa has been the breeding ground of alot of great kiters. There were always riders over here and Spain has alot of competitors on tour. I grew up with Cesar Portas, Alvaro Onieva, Mallory de la Villamarque,Gisela Pulido, Angela Peral so every event was like a family road trip . Now any given day you have the top riders here. Youri Zoon is always here because he dates Angela. Alex Pastor, Gisela Pulido, Cesar Portas live here all year round. Tarifa might not be the best conditions, but you are guaranteed four days of kiting a week all year around and in peak season the night life is insane.
I stopped doing the tour this year and have become a Sales rep for Airush, Animal and Starboard SUP. Got offered the job last season, decided it was time for a change and loving it. I´ve been riding for Airush for the last 5 years and Animal since I was 17, so it was the next step up and great to do it with people I pretty much consider family.
Sometimes I miss all the travelling, but I take my hat off to those guys who do the tour because I can´t say I miss living out of a bag from airport to airport. The tour was great fun, I loved every minute and have so may great memories. All of us are so lucky to of travelled the globe and to be paid doing something we love, but I am actually really happy staying put in one place at the moment. Let´s see how long that lasts!!!
Muzz why do you think more women should get into windsurfing?
M: I love windsurfing because it’s awesome feeling the power of the wind and waves. I
love the sea and it means I can travel loads, more people should do it because it’s epic!
Jo who has inspired you both on and off the water?
J: My dad, he´s been there with me every step from my first swim to my last competition. Still remember when he would get me to grab onto his surfboard leash and he would paddle me out the back because I couldn´t make it out. Nothing better than sitting out back waiting for a set with your dad, priceless. Now he is kiting and I am getting him out there, it’s payback time!
What valuable lessons have you both learnt from the women in your life?
M: They are the boss usually haha!
J: Can´t live with them and can´t live without them.
You must be surrounded by some very talented windsurfers, what women have you
seen out there recently that were really ripping?
M: All the flow girls where at Cornwall (BWA) and Poole (British freestyle champs), they
where shredding it up!
J: Living in Tarifa our local water woman is Angela Peral. Spends more time in the water
then a fish. Anything that has to do with a board under her feet she kills it.
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Time to boast, why are you better on the water?
M: It’s been proved I am better than George, and now you’ll see I am better than Jo
because his guns are painted on too….
J: Guess I don´t have to spend so much time making sure my wetsuits is color coordinated with my hair band, board, kite hehehehehehe.
(Ed ‘I think this comment was relating to why guys are better than girls on the water, but is equally apt for Muzza!’)
Aside from modesty, what personal qualities put you above your competitors?
M: If I’m having fun I sail better, so have to be having fun to sail well.
J: Man trick question, guess in Spain it´s the English. Having both language gives you the possibility to speak with loads of girls from different countries and lie to your mates when the girls are asking about them hehehe
How would you impress a waterwoman?
M: We’ll go surfing, would be fun waves followed by awesome beach bbq some pina
coladas, mojito, may be a sex on the beach, all names of great cocktails we could have
before disco hahah.
J: Wouldn´t be the typical idiot that tries to kill it in front of her, that doesn´t work. Best way
is to treat them as another rider, motivate them, congratulate them when earned and give
them shit when deserved. I wouldn´t expect any less back.
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Guys might be stronger than girls, but girls are.....
M: Better looking, got style and smell great.
J: ....trick question...girls are more graceful hahahha. Girls are great fun on and off the
water and keep us on our toes. As for kiting they are killing it and are giving us guys a run
for our money. All you have to do is watch Bruna Kajiya or Gisela on the water and they
don´t hold back.
Also what would the beach be like if there were no cute girls around in bikinis, boring!
One thing you will never understand about women..
M: Buying jewellery seems illogical, and creams, you use so many creams, what are they
all for?
J: Only one thing hehehe hummmm shopping how do they do it for hours on end.
When you realise the person who bottom turns cleaner than you is a woman you
think......
M: epic
When you realise the person that jumped higher than you is a woman you think......
J: Hummmmm nice view
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Would you rather have endless wealth but nobody to share it with, or be head over
heels in love and totally broke?
M: Think broke if I lived on a beach not in a city, not great in cities.
J: Wealth has many forms, so as long as you’re happy all is good. A man in love is a wealthy man in my book.
Which of the following would you give up if you had to sex or windsurfing/kitesurfing?
M: Sex
J: Gotta go with kiting guess there are other sports to pursue.
If a girl asked you for some help sorting out her kit would you:
a)jump at the chance and have the kit tuned up and ready to go before she can get her
wetsuit on
b)give her a helping hand, while chatting to her about windsurfing
c)be talked into it with the promise of copious amounts of beer
d)ask her to stop winding you up as you know she is more than capable of rigging up
herself
M: it usually starts with D but ends up with A every time as its easier and faster to do it
myself!
J: Gotta be option C
The last month has been windless, flat and raining, Saturday is fast approaching
and the forecast is looking awesome, windy, perfect swell, and sunshine, but then
your computer calendar pops up reminding you there is a very important family
gathering on the same day. What do you do?
a)give wind/kitesurfing a miss, family are the most important thing
b)get up ridiculously early, go for a sunrise windsurf and make it just in time
c)get a decent wind/kitesurf session in, but cut it a bit short, turn up fashionably late, your
family know you well enough to understand
d)call up on Saturday morning, put on your best ‘I’m really sick’ voice, while hoping they
haven’t checked the weather forecast
M: C
J: C – To be honest I reckon my Dad would be there surfing with me so if the shit hits the
fan at least I can blame him.
Jo (left) Muzz (right)
Watersports girls rock because....
M: They’re so much fun woo yeah!
J: Because they can ride hard, party even harder, are babes on and off the water and give
us as much stick as we do to them.
Why do you deserve to win the battle of the Hunks?
M: Because George's photos have been photo shopped from 300 the movie honest
hahah! (Ed ‘Or an equally funny put down directed at Jo’!)
J: Possible all-inclusive holiday to Tarifa.
Muzz is sponsored by: Tushingham, Starboard, Franklin and Marshall, Spartan Wetsuits.
Jo is sponsored by: Airush – www.airush.com Animal – www.animal.co.uk
GET VOTING!!!!
