Boardwise held their annual Aberdovey demo at the weekend and were pleased to see a good crowd on the water. Check-out Dave White’s great galley below.
See www.boardwisecannock.co.uk for the latest offers.
The post BOARDWISE ABERDOVEY GALLERY appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
OVERVIEW
Gaastra – or GA Sails as they’re re-branding themselves – have two twin cams on the market. The Phantom – a racier 7-batten number and this 6-batten Cosmic. The Cosmic and Phantom are accompanied in the GA race/freerace range by the no-cam Savage freerace sail (tested in April 2014 issue) and the all-out PWA-level Vapor slalom/race sail – as tested in the May edition.
BRAND POSITIONING
‘The Cosmic is our 2 cam freeride machine. The new LUFF CURVE CONCEPT delivers more low end and great handling. Its a 6 batten freeride sail for the camber fans, who love that locked in feeling that keeps the profile more stable. The relatively wide sleeve with zippers make it super easy to rig the sail with the method of popping the cambers on the mast later when the sail is already rigged. The rotation of the cambers is super soft and smooth. With the improvements on the 2014 design we were able to increase the performance and make the Cos- mic more efficient for a wider wind range.’ (Sic.)
PERFORMANCE
The best thing about the DNA that filters down from Gaastra’s racing programme is the undisputed low-end push and the control that the deep-bellied draft provides. As obvious as the grunt is, it’s not raw or physical as the power delivery’s beautifully refined. Like a lot of Gaastra’s race, freerace and freeride products there’s a definite presence of ‘gears’ as you accelerate from standing to full-tilt. The draft is steady and predictable with a slight element of flex from the 6-batten frame and the depth of camber really pins down the livelier, racier boards that want to fly and hydrofoil over the rough water. As you’ll read elsewhere amongst this selection, the control the draft lends is very confidence-inducing and we found this to be one of the sails that we didn’t notice much during head-to-heads, simply because it’s just naturally reliable and really brought out the intricacies of the boards instead. If you’re thinking of some recreational racing then this characteristic can’t be underestimated. An ‘invisible’ sail that’s actually pretty powerful – yet still so easy to control – is a gift. The handling in gybes is pretty good for a 7.5 cammed sail and the rotation smooth and slick. Speed-wise the Cosmic is strong and the comfort will only help to maximise that. Although it’d be a good match for a freerace or performance freeride board, we think this is a sail that will allow you to progress straight onto a dedicated slalom board if you’re ambitious and want to experiment with fins and become familiar with the levels of acceleration and step-up in gybing ability required. Later on you’ll then perhaps be tempted into sailing a dedicated race sail fully overpowered, but who knows, with this level of control perhaps you won’t need to?
THE VERDICT
A perfect example of how a classic twin-cam sail’s control can now deliver the performance of an accomplished freerace model. Deep and drafty and capable of pinning-down quite advanced, racier boards, the Cosmic has a sophisticated engine with strong acceleration and excellent high-speed potential..
Other sails in this test:
The post GAASTRA COSMIC 8.0M 2014 TEST REVIEW REPORT appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
PRESS RELEASE
Living by the sea in Castlefreke, Clonakilty in West Cork in the south of Ireland, Kieran Coffey, a design engineer and water sports fanatic has been inspired by his surroundings and his life long passion for wind and water sports to create a land based wind-thrill experience in
Use your own sail with KazeCar to extend the use and enjoyment of your windsurfing equipment and ride with the wind on land as an alternative to water and waves….
Over time,Kieran has been testing and perfecting his design and is delighted to be at the stage where he is ready to manufacture this product and bring it to an international market from his base in West Cork..
He has enjoyed testing KazeCar on many beautiful beaches in Ireland. KazeCar fits right in on any beach anywhere in the world. The perfect beach with the right wind conditions combine to give an unforgettable wind sports experience. Whether you are in the driver’s seat or observing from a distance, KazeCar is one to watch. Check out his videos on the website:
He is launching a world-wide fund-raising campaign through the international IndieGoGo
Crowdfunding platform on November 3rd 2014,to finance the manufacture of KazeCar in West Cork , Ireland. Crowdfunding has become a powerful tool for the support and development of creative work and the realisation of many fantastic products. So many amazing ideas and products have been successfully created through IndieGoGo and other Crowdfunding platforms. There are some fantastic rewards on offer for the support of KazeCar in this Crowdfunding campaign. Find out more on November 3rd at www.indiegogo.com.
There has been a lot of interest in KazeCar from all over Europe and the UK and a FaceBook page has just been launched … join up and check out progress in the campaign, videos and photos at
Check out KazeCar on IndieGoGo … The campaign begins on November 3rd… lots of great rewards and perks for all supporters of Kazecar…
KazeCar, High Octane, No Petrol.
The post KAZECAR WINDSURFING ON LAND appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
TEAHUPO’O – KAULI’S BARREL MISSION // BEST OF BRITISH: THE BEST SAILORS, THE BEST BEACHES
BIG JUICY READS
EVENTS
GEAR SHED
THE LINE-UP
FANATIC TRI 95
GOYA 94
JP THRUSTER QUAD 93 PRO 2015
QUATRO SPHERE 95
RRD CULT QUAD 92
SIMMER QUANTUM 95
STARBOARD QUAD 94
TABOU POCKET 94
TEKKERS TEKKERS – CARVE GYBE SPECIAL
SITTIN’ ON THE DUNNY
Get your copy by App or in Print now!
The post NOV DEC 2014 ISSUE – ON SALE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
With winter closing in, this mission would have to run with military precision, so JC kicks off the story with a 2 a.m. wakeup call!
Words & Photos
(This feature originally appeared in the June 2014 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
EARLY HOURS
2 a.m.: I hate the noise of that stupid alarm on my phone! What makes it worse is I’ve been half awake for the past three hours in fear that it won’t go off and I’ll miss the ferry and mess up the whole day. Looking at the map, the distances, time of sunset and all the other factors, the only way to make this work was to drive through the night up to Yorkshire, so it’s the 3 a.m. ferry or nothing.
3 a.m.: Yep, I made it on board, slugging all my camera gear up onto the car ferry in the pitch black, what a pain in the ass. At least I’m all on track! Time for first coffee of the day, I doubt ‘Hunty’ is even awake yet!
4 a.m.: After a quick re shuffle of equipment, myself, Timo Mullen, Paul Hunt and Jamie Hancock are all aboard in Timo’s van and ready to roll – and so the banter begins. Timo and Hunty are all excited about the days sailing while poor Jamie will have to sit on the side lines and film while his broken leg goes through the closing stages of rehabilitation. Fair play that he’s come along for the ride!
DECISIONS
6 a.m.: Three hours drive time so far with four of us crammed into Timo’s van. Essential food stops at McDonalds and Marks and Sparks are made for breakfast, coffee and our days provisions. The 6 a.m. shop at M&S, is a pressure one. Our choices for the day have to be made. Snacks sandwiches, crisps, drink and chockie bar indulgences are all part of the decision making process as we each try to out trump each other. There’s nothing worse than finishing all your treats and then have Jamie come out with a surprise Toffee Crisp just when you’re feeling peckish …
8 a.m.: At first light as we pass these huge industrial chimneys shaped like giant flower pots to the side of the road, bathed in the warm light of a wintery sunrise. Smoke bellows from the spouts in the crisp morning air almost like a scene from a science fiction movie. We soon leave the motorway, head past York and carry on towards Filey, just south of Scarborough.
FILEY
10.15 a.m.: After a six-hour drive we finally roll into the traditional seaside town of Filey, North Yorkshire. I’m always a bit excited when I first get a glimpse of a new spot, treading into unknown territory is always part of the fun of breaking away from your home patch. As a photographer, I look out for the opportunities to work with the landscapes and foregrounds while for the sailor new sailing venues present a gateway to ride in a different playground, hit steeper ramps and draw new lines on waves, all while taking in the natural surroundings. Located just north of Bridlington, Filey boats a population of a mere 7000 and was traditionally a fishing village before becoming a popular tourist resort. The bay is bookmarked by Filey Brigg to the North and the awesome Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head to the south. First view of the beach is promising as we look down on an amphitheatre of swell lines pulsing into the bay, with gale-force winds hammering plumes of spray from the tops of the waves. It’s decision time. The swell’s forecast to pick up through the day, so we make the call to head down the coast to Fraisthorpe in search of bigger waves with a plan to return later.
FRAISTHORPE
11 a.m.: We pull into Fraisthorpe, one of the strongholds of windsurfing on the east coast and there’s already a decent local crew scoring half-mast, down-the-line, out on the wild seas. Fraisthorpe faces east and works all the way from north winds, to west (for speed sailing) right round to south easterly – and can provide excellent conditions to suit all levels. The water’s relatively shallow for a decent distance out to sea and the bottom mostly sandy. Fraisthorpe is a recognised windy spot helped by the low-level cliffs that cast less of a wind shadow than surrounding beaches close by. Not that we have to worry about the strength of the wind today. We struck lucky on a hard-core forecast with wind howling from the north, shedloads of waves and a strong current headed towards the south. Enough exploring, we need to score some sailing while the sun’s still shining and this wind is full power. Just as we pull in we spot the unmistakable Whippy Dixon customized wagon roll into the car park. He’s also onto this forecast and hungry to score an east coast session. We soon find out Phil Horrocks, Mike Archer, Aleksy Gayda and Steve Thorp are already sailing down at a spot called Barmston, hopefully we can hook up with them later.
En-route to the water, half submerged relics of the battlements from World War 2 line this brash coastline – defences once placed at the top of these cliff tops to thwart a German invasion. Out to sea, there’s another kind of encounter to be won or lost – 30-40 knot gusts, along with choppy, half-mast-high waves, make for some pretty tough sailing conditions. The outgoing tide’s probably not the best for the swell to build, but later this afternoon we should tap onto the prime conditions. Anyways, its time to ride!
11.30 a.m.: TIMO
“I’ve sailed Fraisthorpe quite a few times before. If there’s a good N/NW blowing, particularly in the summer, this spot normally produces some worthwhile conditions where everywhere else in the country is flat. Today was looking pretty good, if anything a bit too windy. I was going for my 4.2 Severne Blade to cope with the big gusts. A lot of the other crew had headed to Barmston, which would be bigger, but not such a good direction, we were looking at perfect cross-offshore, down-the-line, logo-high on the East coast – I think we made the right call!! The sailing was as good as any beach break in Cornwall. Peaky throwing lips the whole length of the beach, you could literally ride a wave for half a mile if you wanted to! The wave here is perfect for boosting aerials. The inside section’s super hollow – a play park for busting out the moves, I had a couple of sweet goiters and 360s, so I was already happy and we hadn’t even made it to Filey!”
2 p.m.: It’s actually quite tough work just walking back up the beach. Flying sand is burning my eyes as I stagger into this full-force gale. With the swell jacking up fast, we head back to the van to de-rig, fuel up on snacks and head to our next port of call. A quick stop at Barmston reveals slightly more side-shore conditions and bigger waves, but it looks like the guys have already scored the best of it and are packing up ready to head up to Filey. In hindsight maybe we should have checked this one last spot before sailing Fraisthorpe, but Timo and Hunty were gagging to get out on the water and the clock was ticking?
FILEY ON FIRE
2.30 p.m.: We’re back where we started on the Royal Parade at Filey now and the conditions look like they are about to turn on. With the tide pushing back up towards the sea wall and the headland at the top end of the bay helping clean up the swell nicely, it’s all setting up for a cross-off, down-the-line late session. With British Champion Phil Horrocks, Timo, Hunty, Steve Thorp and Aleksy all out on the water, Filey has a full house with the swell starting to pulse through nicely.
3 p.m.: TIMO
“I’d never sailed Filey before, I’ve checked it out heaps but never really saw the potential as the swell direction and tide have all got to combine to create the perfect day. Filey Brigg is the main problem as it blocks the swell at low tide from getting into the bay. As soon as the tide builds over the Brigg and the swell begins to push through, this place starts to work – and this day was working good! Conditions were perfect, cross/cross-off and head-to-logo-high waves, when the wind swung side-shore the jumping was epic and then, five minutes later it would swing cross-off again to make perfect down-the-line wave sailing. I loved my session at Filey, I nailed some of my best moves I’ve ever done, without a doubt I landed the best goiter I’ve ever done and Jamie captured it on film – I’m just not quite sure JC did! We were told that, once the spot passed mid tide, it would stop working as the backwash from the sea wall messes up the waves, but it didn’t seem to affect it too much. I was gutted to have to come in, but we had a long drive ahead of us and had set a time limit to be off the water so that JC could make his ferry home. To be fair I was knackered after the early start and sailing all day too!”
PAUL HUNT
‘I don’t what it is about these trips, when I miss them I have such a sense of uneasiness, more because on these long drives the banter is amazing. So as soon as I got a green light from the wife I was on my way, at the expense of Adam Lewis I think. JC and I were folded up in the kids’ seats in the back. Jamie was still faking an injury, so he rode shotgun. Sure enough we went through all the normal craic, slagged off everyone in the windsurf world, ate junk food and speculated about what the hell the beach was going to look like? We had 6 hours to wonder! I’ve been to Fraisthorpe, a long time ago for a Severne demo, It was glassy. Today looked a hell of a lot better. Good waves and lots of wind. I took a 4.2 Blade and my 76 Fanatic tri fin. Not being a huge fan of wave riding in lots of wind I was itching to get back to Filey, but to my surprise ended up having a good sail, it’s a massive beach with loads of room, so you can find a peak and have it to yourself. Filey had some better waves, more power and more cross off wind. I sailed until I almost passed out. In my books that was a good day.’
LOW LIGHT
4.30 p.m.: One thing I hate about winter is the short hours of daylight that usually tally when we have the best conditions. It’s not just the narrow window of opportunity they present, but also, once we fly past 2.30 or so in the afternoon, any sign of cloud can pretty much blot out the sun for the rest of the day. The action was hot, but the light was not – at least aside from a couple of glimmers between low flying clouds out to the west. None of the riders were too fussed about the lighting as they charged hard, with Timo nailing a sweet 360, goiters and some heavy hitting hacks while Hozza threw one or two pretty sick tweaked-out airs and few sick tweaked pushies.
ANOTHER SIX HOURS
6 p.m.: Back on the road again weighing up the pros and cons of five hours on the water against 12 hours of driving and £150 worth of diesel. Well, with the south coast registering nothing but bolt offshore northerlies, I guess you can say we were onto a winner. One day away from home isn’t going to harm any sailor and it was cool to see we weren’t alone out exploring on this east coast mission. It’s an easy call just to check your local forecast and stay blinkered from what the rest of the country has to offer, but a day out with the boys on the road, searching, exploring – and of course windsurfing – can be a welcome breath of fresh air!
9 p.m.: Fuel up one last time on the Motorway as we make rapid progress back down south.
12 p.m.: Just make that midnight ferry with two minutes to spare. Five minutes later and I would’ve been stuck out in the cold for the next three hours. Finally Lady Luck is on my side!
SPOTS
FILEY
Close to Scarborough, Whitby and Bridlington, Filey is a traditional seaside town. The long sandy beach stretches from the Brigg at the North to Bempton Cliffs to the south.
N/NNW/NW wind.
Mid tide.
Town beach so expect to pay for parking. Toilets, plenty of accommodation available, pubs and places to eat.
FRAISTHORPE
Four miles south of Bridlington on the A165.
Low /Mid tide.
N,NW,WNW wind.
S, SE winds good too.
Watch out for the WW2 concrete pillboxes in the water.
Parking (with honesty box £1).
BARMSTON
Six miles south of Bridlington.
NW/WNW wind
Low/Mid tide.
Accommodation:
Barmston Beach Holiday Park.
BLACK BULL INN and Caravan Park: open 1st March to 30 October.
WINDSURF SHOPS IN THE AREA
JUICE
juiceboardsports.co.uk
Located minutes from The M1 motorway junction 38 and 39 in Huddersfield, you’ll find Juice water sports. Owned by Graham (Gump) Turner and run along with Ben Hall, Juice has been open since 2009 and claims to be the friendliest windsurf shop in Yorkshire. Call in for a chat and a cup of Yorkshire’s finest tea, or phone 01484 860640 for any enquiries and advice on equipment.
ROBIN HOOD
roho.co.uk
Located 10 minutes from Junction 25 and 27 of the M62, Robin Hood have been established since 1981 and stocks a huge range of new and used windsurf and water sports equipment. Phone Rick Finlow 01924 444888 for all enquiries.
The post COAST – YORKSHIRE ON STEROIDS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
Anything Could Happen from Tam Mullen on Vimeo.
It all came down to the wire on the final day of the
The post ALOHA CLASSIC – ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
WATCH LIVE – ALOHA CLASSIC 2014
The post WATCH LIVE – ALOHA CLASSIC 2014 appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
Juice Boardsports have updated their site, check out all the offers and save yourself 10% by quoting the following discount code:
The offer runs for a limited period so don’t delay!
Check out all the juicey goodness at
The post JUICE BOARDSPORTS 10% OFFER appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
THE LOW-DOWN
The Firestorm sits alongside the Firerace (freerace) and the Firemove (freemove) at the heart of the RRD freeride collection. This newly added 129 comes with an MFC 44-cm. RC 2 CNC-foiled G10, Powerbox fin. Available in either LTD. or wood constructions.
BRAND CLAIM
“The firestorm program is been redefined in technology and expanded with two new shapes. Based on the scooprocker of the X-fire boards, the thinner volume configuration and the narrower tail allow these designs to be competitive boards with burning accelerations after jibes, but also great pleasant comfortable freeriding machines! The real GranTurismo line of windsurfing! New sizes available 101 and 129 lts. Each board has different length and width to accommodate the appropriate balance of the average rigs you are going to use on them. Simple V with double concave bottom and a slight flat vee tail release bottom simplify the water dynamics and create a very effective, sharp feeling of compact and fast boards in any conditions.”. (Sic.)
PERFORMANCE
If you’re a regular reader of our tests you may have noticed we’ve loved the Firestorm in the past couple of seasons – namely the smaller 111L version (as tested in the June 2014 and July 2013 issues.) So, after frothing on the universal ‘wave-slalom’ nature of the 111, we were really interested to see how the 129 would cope on our first outing in very challenging, hectic conditions in Tenerife. The smooth, easy ride characteristic is still there and very similar to the little brother, but with added glide in the lulls. All of the boards in this test planed pretty early in the rare lighter wind sessions, but it was the acceleration of the 129 that stood out. We’re always saying it, but the RRD boards all seem to have a super-positive, ‘up-on-your-toes’ stance characteristic – and this larger model is noticeably easy to get into the straps early as well. In the rough water, even with 7.8s and up to 30 knots of wind, we felt completely at ease – as did various guesters of intermediate ability – which is a testament to how this hull performs. But it’s the carving nature that’s the most special and it’s amazing the variation of arc you can achieve with both the sizes of Firestorm we’ve tried. It really is incredible for being able to suddenly change the radius and hook or widen turns without losing much speed at all. Although this board will deliver excitement to more accomplished sailors – as well as be a viable freerace option – the Firestorm 129 would also make a great match for improvers looking for some growing room as they progress. Well done RRD.
THE VERDICT
A smooth, easy, modern-stanced ride with outstanding gybing qualities, the Firestorm 129 will appeal to entry-level freeriders and more advanced sailors alike. Lightning-quick acceleration and superb glide add to the stress-free fun and performance. Suitable for all sail types.
Other boards in this test:
JP AUSTRALIA X-CITE RIDE PLUS PRO EDITION 135
The post RRD FIRESTORM LTD V2 129L 2014 TEST REVIEW appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
Words & Photos JOHN CARTER
(This feature originally appeared in the July 2014 issue of Windsurf Magazine. To read more features like this first, Print and Digital subscriptions are available. Prices include delivery globally for 10 x issues a year!)
“ Boujmaa is now, without doubt, one of the most stylish, radical and innovative windsurfers on the planet and always pushes the sport to extremes ”
We finished my part of the trip with a water session that proved much harder work than I was bargaining on. The swell seemed to pick up right as I hit the water and the low tide proved to have far more rocks in the water to navigate than it looked like from the beach. That said, I eventually made it out and it was cool to be out there in the water with the likes of Kauli and Boujmaa jumping high above the waves around me.
One last delicious fish Tajine to finish the trip in front of a blood-red sunset on the terrace with a good group of friends and the trip was complete. For me, that was just a small taster of Morocco that’s made me hungry to return. Down south, the point breaks towards Agadir are in an area I’d love to explore on the right forecast. Now I know how easy it is to head to the African coastline during the winter on a late call, my radar will be tuned in next season for my next Moroccan sojourn.
The post MOROCCO – ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
LUKE SMITHS TOP 5 REASONS TO INSTRUCT ABROAD
The season is finally over now in Ortakent and I’m back in the UK. It has been a super awesome season with the wind staying pretty much till the end. Even the sun hung around to see us off.
The post LUKE SMITHS TOP 5 REASONS TO INSTRUCT ABROAD appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
(PRESS RELEASE)
14 riders windsurfing 500 kilometres downwind along the Brazilian coast over the next 6 days.
Please follow our progress with this live online tracker 4pm GMT/ London time Nov 10.
Please see photo updates and news at Guy Cribb Windsurfing INtuition on Facebook
Viva INtuition guests… GC
(ENDS)
The post INTUITION – WINDSURFING BRAZIL 2014 appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
Phil Horrocks kicked started his tour with a good win on his home turf of Rhosneigr back in May. Adam Lewis bagged a second whilst Phil’s nemesis, Ben Proffitt, collected a third. The event then moved to Brandon Bay, Ireland where Proffitt quickly regained ground with a win against Horrocks and Lewis taking third. By this point the leader table was close and with a long summer ahead the competitors waited patiently for the Tiree and Cornwall Wave Classics.
As it turned out the pros were unable to complete a round in Tiree although Phil did go on to win the first ever ‘Quickening’ contest. Whilst this was a ferocious knockout-based battle for Tiree Wave Classic sword, the points would not factor in the Championship. There was now only 1 point between Proffitt and Horrocks with Lewis trailing 1.3 points behind that.
By late November the battle lines were drawn and with a great forecast in Cornwall the title was within easy reach of any of the three. However, the forecast tightened to allow only one day of quality competition and it was to come right down to the wire in a final that featured Phil and Dave Horrocks, Proffitt and Lewis. In the end it was solid waveriding from Phil that was to reward him with a very well-deserved win. Proffitt and Lewis came a close second and third respectively with Dave Horrocks taking a very impressive fourth, not too shabby for a ‘part-time’ pro.
For the first time ever the final result in Cornwall mirrored the final result for the tour. Phil picked up the Championship trophy for the second year on the run. His only disappointment being that he had already driven the 10 kilo trophy once down the M6 and was in for further mileage costs in driving it back home!
Pro Fleet
Champion Phil Horrocks (Gaastra, Tabou)
Vice Champion Ben Proffitt (Simmer, Simmer, Funsport)
3rd Adam Lewis (North, Fanatic,ION)
4th Dave Horrocks (Gaastra, Tabou)
Women
Champion Justyna Sniady (Simmer,Simmer)
Vice Champion Sara Kellett
3rd Ping Ling
4th Megan Gayda
In the women’s fleet, hot favourite Justyna Sniady in the first event of the year fell to third with Sara Kellett in second and Amanda Beenan in first. But this wobble was soon remedied as Justyna then went on to take three solid wins in Ireland, Scotland and England. This was an impressive performance considering it was not long ago that Justyna was told by doctors that she would never windsurf again following her 2012 injury.
Kellett also looked impressive with three second places and one third to ensure her title of Vice Champ. Ping Ling was delighted to take her first third overall and a special commendation must go to Megan Gayda who came a half point behind Ping. Megan will surely be one to watch for the future.
Amateurs
Champion Mike Archer
Vice Champion Mike Wand-Tetley
3rd Ben Page
4th Will Barrett
Mike Archer scored two firsts in Wales and Scotland ensuring he took the title for Ams Champ but the race remained tight for the year between Mike Wand-Tetley and Ben Page. Wand-Tetley missed the ferry for Tiree and Page was able to take a comfortable second place. But disaster struck Page as he suffered a broken arm leaving the field open for Wand-Tetley to steal the Vice-Champs trophy in Cornwall. Of note, 2013 youth Champ Tris Levie ended his tour with a very credible fifth overall Amateur place, another one to watch for the future. The BWA rules allow the top two Ams to proceed to the pros fleet in 2015 but with only 0.3 points between second and third places this year, the committee are considering extending this to include Ben Page.
Youth
Champion Jack Petit
Vice Champion Finn Mellon
3rd Freddie Ide
4th Dan Slater
Heading to the final event of 2014, Jack Petit, Nial Melon and Freddie Ide were sitting neck and neck in joint first position. Freddie was hot favourite having already destroyed most of the Ams fleet in Tiree. But in Cornwall it was Jack Petit and Fin Mellon who shone head and shoulder above the rest. Fin has trained hard for this title on his home break of Brandon Bay but on the final heat of the day it was Jack Petit who stood out just enough to take the Championship title. The judging team are confident that it won’t be long before the UK has another PWA Champ from this youth stable.
Masters
Champion Craig Hamilton
Vice Champion Kyle McGinn
3rd Geoff Hautman
4th Dave Ewer
The fact that this fleet is for the over 35’s can often leave you with the impression that it is a sedentary affair. Make no mistake, on the water these guys don’t hold back. Kyle McGinn made a big impression in his first BWA tour with a second in Tiree followed by a third in Cornwall. Geoff Hautman scored a first in Ireland only to meet with disaster in Tiree when he disqualified himself for running Anson off a wave. Hautman still racked up enough solid performances take his second third overall. But it was the experienced sailing of Craig Hamilton that was to see the RAF star take the Championship with McGinn only 1.5 points behind to take the Vice trophy.
Report by Nigel Treacy
BWA – Chairman
UKWA – Wave Director
The post BWA WAVE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014 RESULTS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
Beautiful after movie about PWA Indoor Event in Poland, thanks to Maciek Rutkowski for this cool flick 
The post NEW PWA POLAND INDOOR VIDEO appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
The main aims are as follows:
Coaching, low level racing, clinics theory and practical, nutrition, demo equipment, ability groups, plus the facility to hire equipment on site.
The proposed dates are as follows:
15-16 Nov 14
13-14 Dec 14
17-18 Jan 15
14-15 Feb 15
14-15 Mar 15
In the case of insufficient wind. There is the potentially for one roll over to the following weekend.
Additional Info through FB National Watersports Festival & www.nationalwatersportsfestival.com
Book direct through info@otc-windsurf.com
The post THE NWF WINTER SLALOM SERIES appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
JEM HALL TOP TIPS JUMPING GYBING STANCE LOOPING
Jem's top 100 tips continues with jumping, gybing stance and looping to keep you motivated and progressing !
jumping
gybing
looping
stance
The post JEM HALL TOP TIPS JUMPING GYBING STANCE LOOPING appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
NIGEL TREACY RETIRES FROM BWA TOUR DIRECTOR ROLE
Report by Geoff Hautman.
Nigel Treacy, announced his retirement from the role of Tour Director at the start of the year. After five years of dedicated service Nigel hands the Director’s role to Geoff Hautman (me!) but has agreed to remain as BWA Chairman. A two-times former Masters UK Champion himself we may yet see him return to compete at future events for that elusive third title.
The more I get involved the more I appreciated the vast amount of his own time and effort that Nigel has put into the BWA. The energy, inspiration and professionalism he has brought to the BWA is priceless. I for one am very grateful that he has agreed to stay on as Chairman. I have learnt much from him, more than I expected in fact, and am relieved that I will still have his experience to call on.
I asked Nigel some questions about his time as Tour Director:
Geoff: Are you sad to leave?
Nigel: Of course. It has been a rollercoaster ride for me but I am incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. In 2009 the tour was very much under threat. We worked hard with the support of the industry pool to put British wavesailing competition back on the map. We have rebuilt the judging teams, engaged with local communities but most importantly built a competition format that is of the very highest standard. We have a close relationship with PWA and AWT and it warms my heart to hear how well respected the British tour is around the world.
Geoff: What is your proudest achievement?
Nigel: In 2009 with a falling global economy and diminishing support from government grants our aim was to simply survive the next five years. We consistently grown participation numbers with 1,133 entries, sent more UK talent to World events and continued to gain world exposure through all media including broadcasting events through 28 TV Networks to 137countries.
Geoff: Final thoughts?
Nigel: A mate once told me “never do anyone a favour free…they will only criticise you for it” He was so right. The role is voluntary and has come at great personal sacrifice. I am very much looking forward to actually windsurfing for myself on my future annual leave. But I wouldn’t change all the friends I have made along the way and am immensely proud that I leave the tour in great shape for the future.
The post NIGEL TREACY RETIRES FROM BWA TOUR DIRECTOR ROLE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
OVERVIEW
The Hornet has quite a streamlined luff tube and just 6 battens and 2 cams. (Their no-cam freerace model has 7 battens for reference.) The Hornet sits alongside the RS:Slalom (tested in May 2014 issue), the wide-sleeved H2 Racing twin cam freerace, the Hellcat no-cam freerace and of course the PWA-winning RS:Racing EVOVI slalom sail in their go-fast, flat-water range.
BRAND POSITIONING
‘Hornet is the sail of choice for sailors looking for easy planing, user-friendly handling and great performance. Six battens support the sail and two IntegraCams hold the profile in place and ensure high stability levels in gusts or when overpowered. The IntegraCams de-load during the rotation of the sail in tacks and gybes making them feel as though they’ve been removed from the sail. The result is cam-free handling in manoeuvres combined with cam-sail straight-line performance and low-end power. Hornet features the revolutionary Forceline Frame construction for dynamic load and shape control and even more durability.’
PERFORMANCE
This 7.7 is noticeably light with a nice, tight sleeve that’s easy to rig and eliminates unwanted water penetration after a fall. Although this trip mainly tested the extreme top-end of most of the gear, in the rare lighter air sessions we were impressed by the early-planing performance that was particularly pleasing to the heavier testers. There’s plenty of power on tap and a pretty wide tuning band too. We’d recommend using an adjustable outhaul, even a basic one, on most sails, but this sail really does like to be deeper at the bottom-end and trimmed flatter for heavier going – but remember we were sailing in around 30 knots of wind on hellish rough sea for most of the trip. The cam rotation action is notably smooth and slippery – it’s super easy to kill the power/backhand entering turns – and the general throwaboutability very good. Pryde say this size can work on both 460 and 490 masts but we strongly recommend only dealing with a 460, even if you’re a heavyweight, as the 490 over stiffens the reflex in our opinion. In general the draft is nice and locked and, even past what is a reasonable upper wind range for a sail of this size, the profile stayed steady and very well behaved indeed. Although pretty pacy deep off the wind, the Hornet’s seems more set up to prefer straight-line reaching and promotes a nice upright stance to, literally, keep you on your toes and agile and ready to deal with messy water or to prepare for gybes. If you’re interested in some racing then we’d suggest maybe trying their 7-batten twin-cam – the H2 racing – or even the no-cam Hellcat, which we proved to be capable of a massive wind range and blistering top speed both off and across the wind.
THE VERDICT
An excellent across-the-wind blasting sail with smooth and unintimidating cam action and impressive wind range. The early-planing power will appeal to heavyweights and the tuning band can cope with wide range of wind strengths. Good match for performance freeride boards and as a step-up pick for intermediates.
Other sails in this test:
The post NEILPRYDE HORNET 7.7M 2014 TEST REVIEW REPORT appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
LE MORNE, MAURITIUS – MICRO GUIDE
Season:All year round. Best time May to November.
Why Go?: Mauritius is an Indian Ocean paradise island offering one of the widest range of conditions in one spot. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Le Morne in the south west of the island has idyllic sandy beaches, shallow turquoise water and one of the most spectacular backdrops for a windsurfing holiday,
Wind Factor: The southeast trade winds blow for over 300 days a year above Force 4, strongest from May to November and usually side-shore from the left. Warm water between 22°C and 27°C.
Riding on Offer: Le Morne has a full range of easily accessible flat water and wave conditions that suit all levels. The offshore reef is just 600m off the beach with ‘Little Reef’ perfect for wave beginners and ‘Manawa’ for the more experienced. In the lagoon there are flat water conditions ideal for slalom, gybing and freestyle. In the right conditions, there are some World Class wave breaks at ‘One Eye’, which is for experts only.
Where to Stay: The newly refurbished 3*+ Indian Resort & Spa has direct access to the lagoon and wave spots from its long beach. For luxury choose the 5* LUX Le Morne Hotel with kids club, the brand new deluxe St Regis Mauritius with butler service or the Paradis with 18 hole golf centre. All are based at Le Morne.
Flight Factor: Direct flights from Heathrow and Gatwick with British Airways and Air Mauritius 5 times a week take just under 12 hours.
Local Centre: Club Mistral centre is based on the beach, in the grounds of the Indian Resort. They have 70 current and brand new 2014 Fanatic boards & 90 North rigs with 100/75% carbon masts and junior rigs from 1.0 -4.5m². The centre offers windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing and SUP group and private lessons with discounts for combination rental and instruction packages. 2 boats provide safety cover.
Flat Day Fun: SUP, surfing, snorkelling, diving, fishing , shop at the markets in the capital Port Louis or trek up the Brabant Le Morne.
Agents
Sportif Travel
www.sportif.travel
+44 (0)1273 844919
info@sportif.travel
International bookings welcome
The post LE MORNE, MAURITIUS – MICRO GUIDE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
JERICOACOARA, BRAZIL – MICRO GUIDE
Season:Best time July to January.
Why Go?: Since 1997 Jeri has become a winter windsurfing paradise for flat water, free ride, freestyle and wave conditions. Best suited forintermediate to advanced windsurfers, non windsurfing partners will enjoy the laid back and social atmosphere. The Club Ventos centre has sunbeds, bar and a restaurant right by the main windsurfing beach. This is a winter training ground for many world class windsurfers and UK pro coaches such as Peter Hart and Jem Hall.
Wind Factor: Excellent daily wind conditions during the season (July to January) with wind blowing between 25 and 35 knots. Wind cross shore from the left. Water temperature averaging 26°C.
Riding on Offer: Directly in Jeri Village is The Point with smooth waves and where the majority choose to sail. Super flat on the inside you can jump on the way out, tack, surf a wave on the way back and freeride back to shore with some freestyle thrown in to entertain the crew on the beach. Sunset Dune has a large, freeride flat water area just in front. Waves conditions depend on the tide, swell and time of year, peaking in December. January has smaller waves and is less crowded. Experts head to Malhada with starboard jumping ramps, where you’ll find the likes of Marcilio Browne and other PWA stars training. Watch out for rocks though.
Where to Stay: There are basic to luxury local lodges called Pousadas offering B&B accommodation or boutique and small hotels with pools some overlooking the beach. All 10-15 minutes max to the centre.
Flight Factor: Air Portugal flights from Heathrow connecting in Lisbon to Fortaleza airport. Service 6 times a week taking just over 11 hours total. Transfers take 4 hour each way the last 2 hours by 4WD. Book before you go to guarantee availability.
Local Centres, Tuition and Equipment: Club Ventos offer 100% pro equipment (carbon boards and RDM masts) to all rental costumers (except beginner fleet). Latest JP and Starboard and a huge variety of NeilPryde rigs. The centre offers instruction for all levels with great conditions for freestyle and freeride. If you are into wave sailing then go to Jericoacoara. Their 2nd Centre in Icaraizinho (2 hours away) has smaller waves, more flat water and will combine flexi rental across your stay.
Flat Day Fun: There are SUP, surfing boards and kayaks at the centre with mangrove or lagoon excursions. Tour around on quad bikes or dune buggies. Chill out at the centre on sunbeds with local Bands & cinema nights.
Local Contacts
Sportif Travel
www.sportif.travel
+44 (0)1273 844919
info@sportif.travel
International bookings welcome
The post JERICOACOARA, BRAZIL – MICRO GUIDE appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.
