Legendary Californian windsurfing world champion Robby Naish famously referred to his chosen sport as “surfing’s ginger-haired cousin”, and for many it will never have quite the same appeal as its more laid-back, flashier counterpart. But as the more discerning sports fan knows, when it comes to riding the very biggest waves – the ones of truly epic proportions – windsurfing got there first. And if it’s sheer speed you’re looking for, you cannot deny that the powerful wind propulsion of the sail adds another dimension altogether. Better yet, you don’t even have to wait on those sweet waves before you can get to work on your latest moves. All you need is a decent gust of wind and it’s time to get shredding.

Here we catch up with British-born professional freestyle windsurfer Adam Sims as he tours South Africa with Swiss freestyler and Patrik Diethelm teammate Balz Muller, and 2011 Professional Windsurfers Association world champion Steven Van Broeckhoven of Belgium, in part one of a new edit they’re calling Lit. Adam started out in the sport in 2005, and four short years later won the UK Windsurfing Association student championships in both the Freestyle and Wave events. In 2015 he became the UK Freestyle Champion and European Tow-in Champion, and if the exceptional skills on display here are anything to go by, he could soon be in for a shot at the world championship title himself.

In part two of Lit, the crew head to the pure white sands of Fuerteventura, so come back soon for more lightning-fast windsurfing mayhem.