JOB VACANCY INTERMEDIATE WINDSURFING INSTRUCTOR BRAY LAKE WATERSPORTS
Job Vacancy Intermediate Windsurfing Instructor Bray Lake Watersports
Wanted
Intermediate Windsurfing Instructor
To work full time from March to October or April to September. We will happily consider a Start Instructor who is capable of doing an Intermediate Instructor Course (we will be running a course on the 7th 10th April). Must have a car and be an enthusiastic windsurfer who is keen to get out on the water on their days off. This role could for the right person be extended to include helping to run the on-site water sports shop.
Would ideally suit someone with a couple of seasons experience but everyone considered.
Other water sport qualifications are a bonus but not essential and accommodation can be provided if required.
This job is a short season contract that can be extended for the right person.
Contact
Simon or Lucy at Bray Lake Watersport
info@braylake.com
01628 638860
As part of their 50th anniversary celebrations, Clamcleats Ltd have a competition to win one of three Topper Taz dinghies.
Clamcleats Limited have been providing performance rope holding solutions for 50 years. An early distinguished customer was Sir Francis Chichester. His vessel, Gipsy Moth IV, was fitted with ten CL201 cleats, which helped him to set the first speed record for single handed circumnavigation in 1966-67.
The first Clamcleat® rope cleat was manufactured from engineering plastic. Aluminium cleats were introduced in 1972 to cope with the higher performance required for racing and the Clamcleat® Racing range was born. Many designs are now available in both materials.
The range has expanded and there are now over 125 models, for use in mid-air or fixing on the deck or sailcloth. Innovative accessories are available for a number of cleats, such as the Keepers, which were a category winner in the 2005 DAME Design Awards.
The company is still family owned and now run by the third generation of engineers. Clamcleat® rope cleats have always been produced at their factory in England, using state-of-the-art processes and materials. So why not join in the celebration and enter the competition at www.clamcleat.com/50years
There´s only a few places in the world worth flying to for one single swell. For this one Brawzinho traveled for two days and the swell held for less than that. This is what he got for his effort.
Zara Davis travels to El Medano in Tenerife for some winter Slalom training for the upcoming season and tune her new RRD, Simmer, AL360 and Sonntag gear. She was joined by some old friends and made some new ones. Trained with Coach, Mark Hosegood from Pro X Training. Enjoy some on and off water action.
JP AUSTRALIA THRUSTER QUAD PRO 93L 2015 TEST REVIEW
JP AUSTRALIA THRUSTER QUAD PRO 93L 2015 TEST REVIEW
THE LOW-DOWN Same shape as the 2014 Single Thruster but with 5 fin boxes. JP provide you with three fins to get you going; a 21cm US box center fin and 2×10 cm mini tuttle thrusters.
BRAND CLAIM “In the thruster setup they are perfect for conditions where you need a fast, early planing, powerful board that turns well and launches into the sky like a rocket. In the quad setup you get a board that is super loose and provides radical turning and heaps of control on the wave. So you can shift the focus from an onshore rocket to a side shore ripping machine. This suits our riders on the PWA tour as well as any wave rider wanting a versatile wave board”.
PERFORMANCE Werner Gnigler and the JP team have been tweaking and the 2015 thruster Quad 93 is the largest but one of the 4 board range. With 5 fin boxes there is the option to have single, thruster, trailer, twinser and quad setups! That’s a lot of possibilities to get the grip set up you want.
This year the JP was the first board to arrive and had a much more comprehensive workout than its predecessor last year. Robbie Swift had a hand in the modifications to the fin configuration and recently achieved his first podium in Klitmoller. In thruster mode this is an extremely accessible, easy going board that is really stable at rest. Early planing, it would keep all but the most specific riders happy with the huge grip in the turns that allow you to push very hard with total confidence. In the Medano slop its speed and hold made it fun for all with an excellent throw about nature coupled with a smooth, low-energy ride. It has a smaller feel than its quoted 93L and when it got a bit windier it still felt small but with great control. Such are it’s abilities that some of the less technical sailors found it very easy to maintain speed on the wave and link two or more turns. The flattering nature had two of the test-team ranking the JP in their top 3 boards. If we had the fins to explore more options it may have slotted in even higher. It manages to combine the ease of use of a freestyle wave, with the grip and turning ability of a dedicated wave board in a similar way to the Fanatic TriWave but possibly fulfilling the role for lighter riders too.
THE VERDICT An easily accessible board that will tick most peoples boxes with its smooth ride, versatility and control. Flattering wave ability to keep speed in on-shore surf. Its small board feel and acceleration make for demon jumping abilities. Wish it came with 5 fins but well worth a demo.
In case you missed it, the South of England lit up this week from Cornwall to Witterings with a rare groundswell and NW winds. Check out our round up of the action with JC shooting at Kimmeridge and some local reports from around the coast.
Words John Carter / Photos John Carter / Steve Clarke
Timo Mullen: K Bay.
Black blob swells do not happen that often through the winter, so when I saw this one incoming across the Atlantic I was pretty excited! I had a couple of options planned, Ireland looked like it was going to cop the most of the swell so I had already booked my flight to hopefully share these huge waves with my brother Finn. As the Tuesday grew closer I could see that the wind in Ireland looked like it was going to swing too offshore right when the tide would be perfect so I had to change plans and start looking at closer to home. As luck would have it the same swell was pushing a 10ft @ 18 seconds swell up the English Channel, this is huge for the South Coast of England which would mean Kimmeridge would be cranking, especially with the combination of a NW wind. Ideal really as Kimmeridge is only 20 minutes from my house. The only spanner in the works was that the best wave at Kimmeridge is Broad Bench, a perfect hollow right hander that breaks a lot like Punta Preta would be closed by 9.30am as it is within an Army firing range. This meant our own military precision operation to score some sailing before our curfew! Myself and JC arranged to meet James Cox at 0630 at Kimmeridge this would give us just over two hours sailing hopefully, more than enough in the winter cold
On arrival at Kimmeridge there were not much signs of the epic swell, the tide was a little bit too low but as we bowed our heads in despair a few bomb sets started to appear with the pushing tide, I could not get on the water quick enough, soon I was up on Broad Bench with James sharing some good sized waves but still nothing epic. The sun was shining it was windy, any other day this would be epic but as our expectations were so high for a monster swell it just wasn’t hitting the perceived stoke levels! As 0930 approached sure enough the swell really started to kick in, a few mast high and bigger sets started to explode on the reef but the swell was just not what we were promised, it did not seem to line up in a long wall like Kimmeridge usually does, so it was more of a big drop into one solid section.
On any other day this session would be classed as epic but as we had built it up to be massive and ‘best ever’ we kind of walked away from the day feeling slightly short changed! I had so many people ring me to find out if it was going to be good, as Broad Bench was closed all day I had to put most of them off, I advised them to stay at the Witterings which by all accounts was the place to be! As with all forecasts nothing ventured nothing gained and it was still good fun to be dropping into some mast high bombs with just five other keen and hardy souls in the morning rush hour!”
James Cox: K Bay and Milford on Sea.
As early the middle of last week a large area of swell had popped up on the Bigsalty swell charts showing an extremely high period swell with a solid swell height combined with a NW wind. I was cautiously optimistic that the swell would materialise but kept expectations under check. There was only one place I had in mind – Kimmeridge Broad Bench. Only a day or two prior to the event, the conditions were still looking sure as hell is hot. Blood pressure was rising. Once before I had forgone an amazing Broad Bench forecast and lived to regret it. I received a call that sorrowful day from Timo and JC tell me to get my ass down but alas, I had a work meeting that at the time could not be rearranged. Let’s just say I should have kicked it to the curb. On this occasion work wasn’t the complication, child care for a 3 month old was.
Fortunately I managed to arrange everything in time to agree a meet with Timo and JC at 0630 Kimmeridge bay the next morning. Woken up by a hungry baby at 0400 I was offered the perfect opportunity to get the hell out of dodge and make a head start for our destination. Arriving in the dark over the top of the hill I could make out the faint trace of a lot of white water in the bay leading me to think that the swell was as anticipated – truly epic. I arrived in the cold and windy car park switched on the head torch and headed to the shore to recky.
As the light arrived it became apparent that the cause of the white water was simply the effect of the low tide. Slightly concerned and tired eyed, I was reassured to see what appeared in the gloom to be a bomb set land on the Broad Bench. It appeared the swell period was toying with us as it knew we had a time limit before the MOD closed off the area. Without wasting time I rigged as best I could in the dim light and began the light-wind slog up the bay. Eventually making my way up the channel I looked over to the break to see another beast lurch on to the reef. It was sort of breaking as a narrow wave and wrapping in on itself with concentrated force.
With due excitement I lined up for my first wave to make the drop and find my feet. Soon enough Timo was rigging at the base of the cliff and heading out for the offering. Every so often the sets would surge through reminding us what the fuss was about. In the back of my mind I had expectations that exceeded the size of the swell but I soon discarded these to gratefully take what I was given. The efforts in getting here early were justified with impressive waves and a splendid sunrise. Wave after wave were being ridden, some illusive and fading out some with big late drops and sections that dazzled. Snapshots of memories from the day included going over the falls and enjoying the underwater roller coaster; dropping in to some drop out sections; ground up view of Timo lay down bottom turn right in front of my face; a shared wave with Bubble (who also made it to the party) and staring down a vertical wall with the sunrise in the background.
Leaving at the point when the artillery was ready to launch I windsurfed back content and reflecting on the good bits and how I might have made the good bits even better. Time was against us that morning due to the closure of the firing range and the post session hot chocolate was enjoyed over a view of the Bench coming alive as the full force of the swell appeared to hit the lonely reef. We left wanting more but grateful for what we had.
Cornwall:
Down in Cornwall Andy King and a hard core crew endured icy but sunny conditions at Marazion, while Ian Black ventured down the coast to score a south coast reef break doing its thing. The swell just off of Lands End was recording over 20 feet all day although it seems like the brunt of the swell was wrapping deeper down the Channel. Photo Steve Clarke
Ian Whittaker: Witterings
Looking at the forecast on Tuesday night, it looked epic for Wednesday. So myself, Emile Kott, Jamie Hawkins, Dan Macaulay and Paul Metcalfe arranged to meet at my house at which is just off Joliffe Road. As we were deciding which sail to use it was mid tide coming in and the sets were booming head to logo high, I opted to go with my 5.0 combat on my 94 Goya. Sailing out I realised I it was not a normal Witterings day and the wave had decent power coming from a 16 second period. My first wave was probably the best, I had a big aerial then six turns. The swell just got bigger as the tide came in, and it was awesome sharing waves with my mates. There were just five of us out and we had the sea to ourselves. I scored so many waves I lost count and now I have the blisters to show for it!
The windsurfing world has been shocked this week by the sad news that Alberto Menegatti passed away. A young man who was widely loved and respected in the windsurfing world, he was one of the few in recent times to really challenge the established big guns in Slalom and reach the top of the podium in PWA slalom. Our thoughts at Windsurf go out to all his family and friends at this difficult time and we will always remember this sailor’s talent, dedication and contribution to windsurfing.
Rig Component and Accessory Brand Unifiber Have Teamed-Up with Some Fresh New Faces.
For 2015 the Unifiber crew will focus on bringing fun content from their windsurfing lifestyles while testing product and enjoying time on the water.
Here’s who’s onboard and what you can expect from them in the coming season.
STEVE THORP – ROAD TRIP WARRIOR
British wave-chaser Steve Thorp – the man whose plastic-engineering background is behind K4 Fins and Harness Mounts – is renowned for putting in insane amounts of miles chasing forecasts for speedsailing and scoring surf around the U.K.Unifiber are fully behind Steve’s mission to track down – and capture the action of – pumping swell and blistering speeds on the beaches and speed strips of Britain and Ireland and maybe even further afield!
‘I’m really looking forward to sailing with the Unifiber gear. With my love of heavy waves I need kit I can rely on and for speed sailing I need masts that will get the optimum performance from my sails.‘Mainly I’m just excited about improving my performance with their massive range of hardware and soft accessories’ frothed ‘Thorpy’ on signing-up.
MATTEO IACHINO
With a top-10 PWA Slalom ranking, the 25-year-old Italian is no up-and-coming competitor on the World Tour.Matteo joins Unifber primarily to test the travel bags range as well as wavesailing masts and booms, so look out for some interesting coverage of how the Unifiber soft goods and hardware stand up to a year on the road!
MIRIAM RASMUSSEN
An inspirational figure – especially for ladies – worldwide, Norwegian racer Miriam Rasmussen is motivating tonnes of moms, younger girls and a healthy dollop of guys to give the sport a try via her attention-grabbing blog and Social Media posts.
Aiming for a solid performance on the PWA Slalom Tour this year, Miriam’s also giving Unifiber’s soft goods range a thorough testing over her hectic 2015 travel schedule and her fun clips of hauling a stack of gear are sure to continue throughout the season on the racing circuit and events such as the Defi Wind challenge.
NICK VARDALACHOS
Undisputedly the fastest man in Greece, Nick Vardalachos has a busy schedule on the speed circuit, including the Dunkerbeck GPS Speed Challenge and a return to the Luderitz canal where, in 2014, he became one of only 8 people that joined the 50-knot club.
Nick’s swapped sail sponsors for the coming campaigns and has selected Unifiber masts to power them, along with a range of soft and hard goods to achieve his 2015 goals.
FABIO CALÒ
Perhaps Italy’s most energetic windsurfer, nobody loves the sport more than 4Windsurf Magazine’s editor who’s also a Technique Guru and all-round wave and freestyle sailor.
Whether he’s holding clinics in the South African surf, sliding around on Lago di Garda or interviewing a star in some far-flung paradise, Fabio’s always heading for the water.
DAVID JESCHKE
An exciting young talent out of Germany, David Jeschke’s turning heads in Hawaii and Cape Town with his radical wave sailing style and really pushing the Unifiber masts and booms to the limit. Also signed on with Unifiber’s sister brand, Attitude Sails, David is a perfect role model to the kids and newcomers he teaches through the summer at his family’s busy Surfschule Wasserburg on Bavaria’s Bodensee shores.
Pic Jimmie Hepp.
DENNIS LITTEL
With a stunning 10th consecutive Dutch Formula victory in 2014, Dennis Little has nothing to prove on the racing circuit.
For 2015 he’ll once again use Unifiber masts to make sure his sails can challenge for that all-important 11th successive trophy!
About Unifber Unifiber have been manufacturing aftermarket rig components such as masts and booms, spares, accessories and soft goods since 2002. With a belief in high standards of service and after-sales care, Unifiber – owned by Equipe Trading B.V. – sell direct to more than 250 stores worldwide from their base in Gilze, The Netherlands. www.unifiber.net Enquiries via support@unifiber.com
The 2015 Jem Hall Windsurfing clinic is back to Le Morne, Mauritius for 11 days with pro coaching from Windsurf technique editor, Jem Hall. If you book by this Friday you’ll get
£50 OFF!
“The windsurfing in Mauritius has absolutely everything you could need: flat water on the inside and a variety of different wave breaks will give you the opportunity to choose your playground. From gybing to wave sailing you are sure to progress whilst windsurfing in Mauritius and enjoying all the luxuries of the Coral Hotel.” says Jem.
The package includes 10 nights All Inclusive Hotel, return airport transfers and 11 days windsurf board hire and 8 days Jem Hall Performance Boost Clinic from £,2,049pp. Flight inclusive packages from £2,849. To book call Sportif on 01273 844919 or see
It has been a pretty cold winter in Ireland, most of the big low pressure systems have had snow as well as the usual big waves and wind. The cold weather really does make the wind in Ireland pretty unstable and gusty. I made this trip to the West Coast to hunt out a perfect point break that only works on huge swells and very specific wind and tides. I booked my flight at 2330 the night before i flew meaning just 2 hours sleep before i grabbed the red eye flight from the UK to Ireland. I arrived at the break at 1pm to be greeted by small but perfect waves but the wind was that 5 degrees too offshore to be sailable. I was gutted!!!. I drove off for 20 minutes to check another beach break nearby but still i wanted to try the point break as the waves would be getting better all day. Sure enough on driving back the wind had swung just enough to sneak out, but it was really light and still really offshore. Every time i have sailed this spot i’ve always needed my biggest wave board, my Starboard 94 Quad, it is a life saver here but for sure i’d love to take this spot on with a smaller board as the wave is so fast and perfect a smaller board would be ideal! My father gave me a lift to the spot and got behind the camera to catch some video in between the snow showers. Hope you like the video!!
THE LOW-DOWN As part of a 7 board range the 94 comes with a MFC 4 fin set up that will suit almost all conditions perfectly. The thrusters are mounted in mini tuttle boxes and short US boxes allow little movement of the centre pair.
BRAND CLAIM It’s a very compact board with a fast progressive rocker that keeps you driving forward at all times. Since it’s so compact we suggest you pick one size bigger than your normal choice as the new Custom feels very small, and a higher volume will allow you to go with a smaller sail, making it that much more enjoyable. “I feel so much more connected to the whole board, it’s fast and intuitive to the point that I wonder if I even need footstraps. I have never experienced the similarities to surfing as I have with these shapes.” Francisco Goya
PERFORMANCE Plug and play is the nature of the Custom. Straps set at full spread works for most heights, mast track in the middle and go. With this set up and a 5.3 rig connected we were off. The Goya has a very friendly demeanor that flatters our sometimes clumsy footwork. The small nose does mean you can easily stay in the straps whilst not planing but as with the Fanatic, this is a board that will dive if you get too far forward. The more power you put into it, the more it responds. In the very marginal conditions on test the board did not feel as lively as others but this is more a reflection of the composed nature and balanced ride. Truth is that this is such a low energy board to ride that in slack conditions a bigger rig or possibly an experiment with a twin fin set up (as used by Marcilio Browne in Klitmoller) will give the freer lively feel synonymous with stronger conditions. In the super marginal conditions on test it was out planed by a number of boards but once powered its fast and easy to get where you want and just feels like a small board that will do as it is asked and not end up taking you for a ride. Last year we commented on the speed and turning ability in onshore conditions particularly given it’s down the line prowess. It is pretty fast and effortless to sail upwind and in and around the break. The Custom has more challengers this year but it remains just about the most all-round and straightforward natured board that allows you to focus entirely on where you are and where you want to go. It takes some beating for ease of use and all round ability.
THE VERDICT Last year’s test and PWA wave winner continues to define the parameters of a modern wave board. The forgettable nature of the board provides the most invisible feeling that you “wear” rather than ride. It really is a board for anyone and anywhere. This 94 is a genuine one board quiver that would work brilliantly in all but hurricane conditions. Well recommended!
With strong north easterly winds blowing again, and a dwindling swell forecast, the call was made by head judge Chris Freeman to bring the pro riders back to ‘Little Ho’okipa’/’Secret Spot’. By midday, the lines of swell were starting to roll in. If a little smaller than yesterday, they still had enough power and size to send the pros back out and begin the countdown to the epic final.
And finally, it was on to the head to head of the Pro final, featuring previous world title holder Kauli Seadi and previous AWT overall champion Camille Juban. The heats were at this stage a longer duration, giving the riders a chance to wait outside for the larger set waves, and also to rake up a wave total of 10-15 waves per heat. This final was a showdown of 2 very different styles but very similar abilities. These guys are class acts and both had an arsenal of maneuvers to draw from. Kauli as usual rode his boards with his fluid, in-the-pocket tight style, and added some phenomenally technical goitres and aerials into the mix. Camille responded with his own unique power-house fluid style of wave riding with one of the highest, most critical goitres we saw all day. It was a genuine battle royale, and throughout the event it was anyone’s guess as to who took the win. But ultimately it came down to Camille Juban linking some amazing turns and maneuvers to take the win, with Kauli Seadi in second place!
THE LOW-DOWN The 95Triwave TE is the largest but one of the 6 sizes in the range and comes in Fanatic’s premium tough TE – Team Edition Innegra Carbon, light weight construction. 2x 12cm slot box thrusters and 1x 19cm US box Maui Fin Company provide the grip.
BRAND CLAIM ‘’With a wide, more compact outline, rest assured that you will be first on the plane. The TriWave is undoubtedly a solid performer in all conditions. Versatility is the name of the game and with the adaptable fin setup option, you can fine tune your TriWave to suit your style and preferences. Ridden as a Thruster you will get the full radical Waveboard experience. Switch it to a single fin and you’ll have maximum planing power and drive when going down the line. The outline features a slightly wider fishtail for better low end performance and sharp, snappy turns delivering pure fun.”
PERFORMANCE The TriWave 95 is corky and stable yet maintains a compact outline. All sizes of tester remarked on its confidence boosting stability, particularly in non-planing, float-out conditions where you don’t want to be tense balancing through the surf. Its boasted early planning is right up there rivaling the best in this class, but it has big-rig compatibility to go even earlier and match the most power hungry beasts among you. Upwind in planing or non-planing conditions presents no tough challenge and in the small, soft Medano surf we brought the fins as close together as we could to tighten up the turns. The riding feel is light and free with virtually no drag meaning swift acceleration and top speed. The TriWave remains composed in all water states and the only attention you really need to take on first outing is to keep your weight back to compensate for the flatter rocker line but this is just advice for your first run and you are soon dialed in. These attributes and the chunky fishtail make the TriWave an eager jumping machine. We always seemed to be able to find a ramp with this board to jump. On the wave, some commitment and practice was required for some of the team to keep speed and nip tighter harder turns in the pocket, but this is rewarded by the easy slidey, skatey turns that could be made. This Fanatic is not the most hard-core 95L as they have the Quad TE for that job. This 95 is a forgiving and confidence boosting board you can just get on and go. It’s a genuine alternative to a FSW in planning performance but with real wave riding skills.
THE VERDICT A safe real world wave board that will really cover all the bases. Big boys with 4.5 as their smallest rig will find it a possible one board solution that comes close to FSW performance in lighter conditions. The more power you give it the better it is. Well worth a test ride.
”Hear Ye, Hear Ye People, lend me your ears..we mean eyes sorry !, as you may know Windsurf HQ is in Great Britain and we are proud of our island nation ! What better way to show it, than our completely made up, absolutely scurrilous and potentially libellous homage to all things British and some of our best windsurfing characters and beaches. Read on while we disconnect the phones and hide behind the filing cabinet – PS – anyone know any good lawyers ??”
Let’s face it, the UK isn’t the rest of the windsurfing world’s normal idea of paradise. Our beaches aren’t lined with palm trees, we don’t sail in turquoise water or have warm constant trade winds fanning along any stretch of our vast coastline but here at Windsurf we like to think, North, South, East or West, British is still best !
Words & Photos JOHN CARTER
We don’t need those superfluous prerequisites that the less intelligent conjure up when dreaming of the perfect playground. Our windsurfing scene in the UK may not resemble Hawaii or the Caribbean but nonetheless we are an Island surrounded by water, albeit mostly brownish and instead of day in day out boring trades, we have wild gales and sea breezes that blow in all directions, plus if you don’t mind driving, it is fair to say we have the quality and variety of waves, speed strips and blasting conditions on par with anything the rest of the world has to offer. Yes Britain stand up, hold your harness high and wave your tea bags, Union Jacks and copies of Windsurf proudly as this is our time to say just how blooming brilliant Britain is. With tears in our eyes and Rule Britannia on loop on the office ipod, here at Windsurf Towers we decided it was time to pay homage to a few of our National Treasures. So without any further ado, its time to salute some of the inspirational characters in our sport; drool over Britain’s finest beaches and revel in some of our nation’s finest traditions and idiosyncrasies that we think put the Great into Britain.
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT
First off, we want to say bravo to some of the characters and unsung heroes on the UK windsurfing scene.While many key figures are on the front line, several of these guys are down in the trenches behind the scenes quietly going about their business and genuinely being involved and promoting the sport for all the right reasons.
DUNCAN COOMBS
Some say he was born in the ice age and invented the first windsurfer out of a dug out log, a bamboo boom and cow hide as a sail. Some say he invented baked beans and that he can out run a race horse over a hundred metres. Some say he was raised by wolves and lived in a cave in Brandon Bay for three whole winters. We all know him as Duncan Coombs one of the pioneers of British windsurfing and now the most respected wave and freestyle judge on the planet. Duncan learned to windsurf on Highcliff Beach back in 1981, was one of the early winners of Tiree and was one of the first Brits to compete on the World tour. Claims to fame include teaching Barbara Windsor how to windsurf, meeting Jenna De Rosnay as well as messing up the prize giving in Tiree one year after one too many drams before he hit the stage. A wry old character, like an old fisherman Coombs knows the weather, the tides and the storms and still rips it up in Cornwall when the conditions are firing.
DAVE WHITE
Some say he never sleeps and that he has webbed feet that allow him to outswim Dolphins across the lagoon in Sotavento. Some say at the very same location he flooded a hire car, left Peter Hart to take the blame and on the very same night danced on the bar with Bjorn Dunkerbeck after doing tequila slammers. Some might say he can do a monkey gybe (Essex Duck) at the ‘Ray’ going flat out at 60 knots, he never blinks and he is wanted by the CIA. Believe whatever you want but the Mighty Whitey is without doubt one of the greatest ambassadors for UK windsurfing of all time. His unwavering enthusiasm for windsurfing and to promote the sport is second to none. Always delivering with 200% effort and 300% passion, Whitey’s story has been one of broken bones, a brush with cancer and numerous attempts at the world speed record. When Whitey gets knocked back he always come back stronger and is currently working for RRD, taking awesome shots and loving every minute of it.
JOHN SKYE
Some might say that he wooed his wife Nayra in a nightclub in Sylt and that he has a secret fetish for Morris dancing. Some say he has got eight toes on his left foot which help him bottom turn with more drive on port tack and he only windsurfs every third Friday during leap years. Some say he has worn padded pants ever since he tried his first double loop and that his daughter Lilly beat him in an arm wrestle at her first birthday party. Anyone who knows John Skye will be aware of his devious side! We heard he steals sweets from his own daughter and even stooped as low as stealing Monopoly money from poor Nayra last Christmas so he could afford Park Lane. Seriously, John is one of the nicest guys in the business, he has won multiple British titles and he really is one of the best sports in windsurfing. Skyeboy never misses out on the NWF and despite living in the sunny Canary Islands, loves nothing better than a cross onshore jump me up at West Wittering in a howling gale!
NICK DEMPSEY
Some say all the taps in his house are made of real gold and that after missing the medal places at the Beijing Olympics he filled a whole swimming pool with his tears. Some say that if he clicks his fingers all the lights in Weymouth will flicker for over a minute and that he does two hundred one handed press ups first thing every morning. With bronze and silver Olympic medals to his name Nick Dempsey will be looking to upgrade to gold come the next games in Brazil. Besides the bit we all saw on TV and in the magazine when he gloriously won his silver in Weymouth in front of his home crowd, behind the scenes Nick works incredibly hard training and is a professional in every aspect of his game. Nick is totally devoted to the sport of windsurfing, a true Brit and fingers crossed he can bring back gold from Rio.
NIK BAKER
Some say he once tried to bulldoze JC’s house after a feature called Toy Story in Windsurf back in 1998 and that Robby Naish let his tyres down the first time he lost to him at Diamond Head. Some say that he once stared at a box of orange juice for an hour because on it was the word concentrate! Some say he shaves with a chainsaw and he can use his ears to fly. All we know is that during his professional career Nik Baker re wrote the record books as far as achievements in British Windsurfing are concerned. Beating Robby Naish in the final of an Aloha classic back in 1999; that was the stuff that dreams are made of, even if it meant Robby was in a terrible huff for the next six months. As for Indoor Windsurfing, Baker is King and blew the competition away at pretty much every event around Europe while the scene was in fashion. After twenty years on the PWA world tour, racing, freestyling, supercrossing and wave sailing, all to the very highest level, Baker has switched to being the UK Fanatic distributor which he runs with all his usual professionalism, drive and energy. He still sails at ‘Shorekipa’ whenever it’s firing and there is barely a weekend during the summer he isn’t out on the road at a demo or helping promote windsurfing in any way he can!
PETER HART
Some say after his illness a few years ago he came out of hospital with new hydraulic legs and that in the autumn his arms go brown and fall off! Some might say he has a secret vault buried below his house full of twenty years worth of articles on how to Gybe. Some even say he once got the ‘shanks’ when playing Carter at golf in Maui and later in the same year was beaten by JC’s short game tactics in the Tiree table tennis championships. Jokes aside, according to his web site he has been voted as the third most influential windsurfer in the world, whilst also being elected onto the ‘windsurfing hall of fame’. Since 1990 Harty has been passing on his considerable knowledge via his coaching clinics and various media from beaches all over the UK and around the world. Punters signing up for a course with Peter Hart obviously want to learn from the wealth of his experience but just as importantly, Harty is a lovely character, funny, entertaining, full of words of wisdom and always has a story to tell. Peter has been a contributor to Windsurf magazine since 1983 and that alone deserves an OBE in itself.
BYRONY SHAW
Some say she eats wavesailors for breakfast and can downhaul her race sail with her little finger while signing autographs with her toes. Some say she once got arrested for speeding in the Thames on her RSX on her way to meeting Prince Harry for a date. All we know is that Byrony was the first British women to medal in the Olympics for windsurfing and is one of the most passionate racers and windsurfers out there. Known for wearing her heart on her sleeve, most famously in a post race interview for the BBC !, No one trains harder or is more deserved of success and we wish Byrony the very best of British luck in her campaign to claim Gold for Britain.
ANDY KING
Some might say that he never goes under sixty on a windy day in Cornwall (one of the useful bonuses of being a PC in the west-country) and that his board once landed a triple loop although he wasn’t attached to it at the time. Some might say that he eats soup with a fork and has never seen the end of a movie. Some say that he operates 27 hours a day and can fall asleep in the middle of a back loop.We prefer to know him as Andy King one of the most talented and dedicated wave sailors in the country. Andy works for the Police force but still rarely misses a decent forecast. Now based in Cornwall, so he can live closer to the best waves and catch the biggest storms, Andy lets his sailing do the talking and occasionally competes on the BWA tour when his job allows. Put him out on the water when its blowing 35 knots cross shore with ramps and you’ll see some world class jumping display on par with the best in the world.
STEVE THORP
Some say he has a 1m sail in his shed in readiness for the perfect storm and that he has big wave forecasts transmitted direct to his brain via a self-built router. Some might say that his van has racked up over a million miles between Leicester and West Kirby on the same set of tyres and that his dog Izzy can do the Times crossword in less than two minutes. Some even say he once paddled across the Irish Sea to save cash on a ferry ticket and he never got wet because he was too busy taking selfies to put on facebook. All we know is his name is Steve Thorp and he is one of the UK’s most adventurous and fearless windsurfers. From double mast high ‘Cribbar’ to perfect cross off ‘Thurso East’ to banging out a 50 knot run at Kirby, Steve is an out and out adrenaline junky and will drive the length of the country to score a fix. Riding Moo custom boards, Hot Sails Maui, his self-designed K4 fins and using his own go pro harness mounts to film himself, check out Steve’ s website for an amazing blog of his adventures on the road. www.stevethorp.co.uk
GUY CRIBB
Some say he still has a full sized poster of himself on his bedroom wall and that he thinks the credit crunch is a breakfast cereal. Some say he once tried to pay a hotel bill with postage stamps and that he has a full sized tattoo of his own face on his face! Some might say that he once dressed all of his clients as Cheerleaders and took them into a pub full of beer swilling male Aussies in a pub in Lancelin. Not that he is vain or anything but rumour has it he has more pairs of shoes than his wife and every wall in his house is mirrored.We know and love him as Guy Cribb; one of the most enthusiastic, energetic and fun loving windsurfers in the country. Artistic, intuitive and devoted to his passion, Guy has delivered exceptional windsurfing coaching, social experiences and memorable courses for his guests all over the world since 1990. Did you know he was also 13 times UK windsurfing champion?
DAVE HACKFORD
Some say he once hacked into Roger Tushingham’s bank account and managed to steal 20 pence without him ever noticing and that he shared a room with the Brazilian female volleyball team at the 1984 LA Olympics. Some say on his stag night he was stripped to his underwear with his Y fronts stuffed full of Mongolian stir fry in a posh restaurant in Brighton and was later bundled naked and penniless onto the last train to Arundel. Some say that he has a Tushingham tattoo on his left buttock and once had an obsession for Bingo alongside Barrie Edgington, Peter Hart and Woodsie. All we know is that Dave was our first Olympic windsurfer way back in 1984. In fact he met Princes Anne in line at the opening ceremony, grasped here hand and said ‘You have brought the wind with you’ to which she replied ‘The Mexican food is not that bad’ Hackers almost collapsed in shock. A multiple British racing champion, Hackers has been a devotee to the sport and after joining up with Roger in 1992 has been a vital asset to Tushingham’s success story in the UK market.
PHIL HORROCKS
Some might say that he is banned in the town of Bangor on weekends and he can’t eat mashed potato. Some say he breaks into people’s house and leaves two extra mysterious keys in their kitchen drawer. Some say that he can rig up in less than twenty seconds using only a pair of chopsticks and can run a three minute mile backwards. Some say he reads the latest Windsurf magazine cover to cover every night before he goes to sleep and he once counted to a million just for fun. All we know is that his brother once locked him in the shed and he was later found hanging from the window by his underpants that were caught on the latch. Brotherly squabbles aside, he spent five years working at the Welsh National Watersports Centre where he fell in love with windsurfing and never looked back. A late starter in the sport his natural talent for wave sailing was soon apparent and he hit the pro circuit on both the BWA and PWA world tours. Last season his hard work paid off after he stole the show and secured the British wave sailing title in epic conditions down in Cornwall. Phil and his wife Maike now have a beautiful daughter but that doesn’t seem to be slowing him down and we now have the next generation of Horrocks rippers to look forward to.
THE MULLEN BROTHERS
Some say they were both born underwater and they are both die-hard fans of Girls Aloud. Some say they once stole Robby Naish’s rash vest at a PBA event in Tenerife and they never sleep, they wait. Some say that they eat bats for breakfast and they are both scared of clocks. Hailing from Northern Ireland, the two brothers are some of the most obsessed wave sailors in the country with a host of British and Irish titles to their names. If there is a solid forecast anywhere within a thousand mile radius, Timo will think nothing of driving to score a decent session. Yes we know that is slightly demented but you can’t deny that he is lacking in passion and is fully committed to promoting his sponsors Starboard and Severne. His elder brother Finn usually sails alone on the west coast of Ireland and his passion is to track down the biggest and gnarliest waves even in the depths of Winter. Separate or together, there is never a dull moment at the beach when a Mullen is around and during those rare moments when they are not out sailing there will always be plenty of craic!
ROBBY SWIFT
Some say that he can open a bottle of beer with his left eye socket and that he can walk twelve lengths of an Olympic size pool while dragging a one tonne weight. Some might say he resembles an energizer bunny on steroids and that he is totally bionic from the knees down. Some say he can hold his breath for half an hour and that he was once arrested for flicking grapes at Finian Maynard. All we know is, despite his bad luck with injuries the ‘Swift’ has been delivering incredible results throughout his prolific career. A fearless windsurfer, named after none other than Mr Naish himself, Robby has conquered many big wave spots round the world and has been a solid ambassador for JP Pryde for as long as we can remember. Never write Swifty off as a future world champion and don’t forget you heard it here first!
CHRIS MUZZA MURRAY
Some have said he is confused by stairs and that he once posed in a pair of boxer shorts on a Tiree beach after being rubbed down in chip fat by a female press officer. Some might say that he danced in his underpants with Miss Scotland at a wild Scottish party and that he recently wrestled a Bengal tiger on a trip to India. We affectionately know him as Muzza, one of the most upbeat and friendly characters on the BWA circuit, helping bring events to life with his charismatic personality and very own breed of windsurfing energy. One thing for sure is that there is never a dull moment when Muzza is around, from fancy dress parties to encouraging others at demos and from charging mast high waves to promoting his sponsors, Tushingham, Starboard and Franklin and Marshall, Chris will always be in the thick of the action with a big grin on his face!
BEN PROFFITT
Some say he once beat Bjorn Dunkerbeck in a left handed arm wrestle and he is the only man in England to buy a DFS sofa when there was not a sale on! Some say that Ben can hypnotise sheep and he knows two facts about ducks, both of which are wrong. Some say he was the one who pulled Excalibur from the stone and that he is the rightful King of England and that if he could be bothered he could swim the Atlantic…underwater. We all know him fondly as Ben Proffitt, one of the UK’s most talented wave sailors and PWA commentator extraordinaire. Never stuck for a word to say, Ben is one of those rare people with the confidence to go on camera and deliver his obvious passion for windsurfing seemingly on auto pilot. While many know him these days for those uncanny skills in the commentary box and his infamous ‘training diaries’ don’t forget Ben is a British champion, talented PWA competitor and of course the PWA Poland slalom indoor champion. Always up for the craic and ever supportive of events at every level, Ben is undoubtedly of the UK’s most valuable and prized windsurfing assets.
JEM HALL
Some might say that Jem is afraid of bells and that if you tune into 104mw you can hear his thoughts. Some say that he is banned from Tesco’s on Hayling Island and that he wears a wetsuit with built in six pack armour. Some say he sleeps with an RRD Firemove in his bed at weekends and never wakes up on Wednesdays. We like to think of Jem Hall as the ‘Mr Motivator’ of UK windsurfing. Jem’s philosophy on life is to deal with and overcome problems and never be negative or give up when faced with hurdles in life. His energy, passion and love of windsurfing is second to none and the fact he wants to share this enthusiasm with his clients help make his courses remarkably popular and successful. A master at bringing out the best in people, Jem’s infectious personality has helped thousands of sailors to improve their windsurfing skills and feel like champions.
ROSS WILLIAMS
Some say he won the lottery without buying a ticket and he only eats with a knife. Some say that he has a secret cupboard in his van full of cheese and onion crisps and that his tattoos on his right arm are there to cover up an original Tattoo of his own face. Some might say that he once had his shorts ripped off whilst surfing Jaws and had to crawl back on the jet-ski naked and that he charged thirty foot waves at the Cribbar having downed 10 pints of 6% Rattler Cider the night before. Brought up on the beaches of the Isle of Wight, windsurfing and surfing with his dad and brothers, Ross Williams has never been far away from the water ever since he first stepped into the straps of his first board. Multi-talented, Ross is not only one of the best wave sailors in the world but is also a formidable force in slalom and formula racing. Ross is now spending winters at home in the UK, promoting Gaastra and Tabou and constantly on the hunt for the most radical conditions.
JAMIE HANCOCK
Some say he still supports Portsmouth Football club even though they have not won for the past seven years and that there is an airport in Morocco named after him. Some say that he once stood between a raging Pompey fan about to throttle John Carter after celebrating a Chelsea goal in the heart of the Fratton End and pretended to have no association with his long term friend. Some have even said he demands a front cover from our editorial crew every month without fail and he eats wasps for breakfast. Jamie or ‘Mini George’ is one of the unsung heroes of UK windsurfing. Twice British Champion, Winner of Tiree and member of the infamous Motley Crew, Jamie loves to spend time in the UK exploring and discovering new places. He is not bad behind the lens and on the edit desk either. A man of many hidden talents, shame he supports Pompey really!
WINDSURF MAGAZINE
It is not often we blow our own trumpet here at Windsurf; but we have been around for three decades and 334 issues so I think it is fair to say that we have done our bit to help promote our sport, our characters and show off the fantastic locations around our country. Rumour has it that Windsurf’s spell checker was a redesigned version of an Enigma Code breaker that developed a glitch when Dave White tampered with it on one of his early visits to the office in the late eighties. We can thank Graeme Fuller for the first ever issue of Windsurf back in 1980, but it wasn’t long before Mark Kasprowiz took over the reins with Peter Hart joining the team at the same time. Harty’s first article was on ‘post sailing moustache grooming tips’ although rumour has it he is about to shock the windsurf world with his 278th technique piece about how to get in the footstraps!
THE PUB
Where would we be without the Bucket of Blood in Hayle, The Tiree Lodge, Spillanes in Ireland (yes we know it is in Southern Ireland but we wish they would open one in Britain !), The Inn on the beach at Hayling or the Old House at home in Witterings. What better place to head après sailing than a traditional British Pub. That roaring log fire, the horse brasses on the old wooden beams, that oldieworldly flagstone floor and that mouth-watering pint of ‘Ye Old Thumper’ as you send texts to all your mates who weren’t at the beach about that triple back loop attempt you almost nailed. The boozer is where us Brits often brainstorm and come up with our best ideas; it is a vital part of our heritage and a cornerstone of British traditions.
BRITISH BRANDS
Everyone has owned or sailed a Tushie right? Tushingham Sails can be seen on the water at just about every beach in the UK on any given windy day. They do just what they say on the tin, quality, no nonsense build and marketing, attention to detail and excellent performance. They have been in the business over thirty years and given thousands of hours pleasure to the UK windsurfing fraternity, well done Roger and Dave! Spartan began making wetsuits way back in 1958 so with half a century of knowledge under their neoprene we think it is fair to say they know their stuff pretty darn well. With the likes of Peter Hart, Chris Muzza Murray and Zara Davies on their team, the crew at Spartan benefit from tried and tested feedback to constantly improve their already outstanding wetsuit range. All r&d is done in our home waters and Spartan strive to make wetsuits that are warm, flexible and made with the best possible materials and construction techniques. Holy Cow! Moo Custom Boards are making some great designs right here in the UK and are built to your very own specifications. Run and owned by passionate sailors who care about the sport, each board is made with epoxy glass and carbon and vacuumed at every stage in the build program.
TAKING THE PISS
Peter Hart “The British tradition I treasure the most is our penchant for taking the piss. Where other nations like to big up their friends, associate with success and bathe in reflected glory, the Brits (well the ones I associate with at least) seek out your shortcomings and that is the means by which you are identified. It’s not mean if someone takes the piss, it means they’re comfortable in your company. There’s no posturing. Taking the piss is a great leveller. The day any of my windsurfing friends say something nice about me is the day I book myself into a home!”
BAKED BEANS ON TOAST
The fridge is empty, the cupboards are bare but there is always a tin of beans and a couple of crusts left in the bread bin. Heinz are pretty much the ‘Rolls Royce’ of Baked Beans and a staggering 1.5 million cans are sold in the UK every day! Beans are cheap, contain good nutrition and are high in fibre, protein and vitamins. Grate a bit of cheese on top and ‘ooh la la’ the perfect meal after a tough day on the water.
AFTERNOON TEA
Cup of tea and a custard cream? Ooh yes please. Imagine life without a decent brew first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Even out of a polystyrene cup out of that skanky beach hut at your local break there is no better common ground where a bunch of sailors can warm up and converse during a break in sailing than over a decent cuppa (even if it’s a cheap tea bag squeezed into three week old boiling water from a rusted tea urn!). At the higher end of the scale we recommend Yorkshire Tea but only if it is drunk from pure china tea cups and brewed in a warmed tea pot for three minutes and 18 seconds!
THE ROYALS
God save our gracious Queen, yes we still love her despite her obsession with Corgis, horses and wearing ridiculous hats!. Some might say they cost us taxpayers a fortune but how could we possibly live without an occasional Royal Wedding or the traditional Queens speech every Christmas and besides Prince Charles once tried windsurfing !
FISH AND CHIPS
You are rushing back after that extra hour on the water and the wife has texted two hours ago to pick up dinner on your way home. There is no time to cook up roast beef and Yorkshire puddings but the good old fish and chip shop will get you out of jail. Oh Cod! Close your eyes and imagine the taste of that deep fried greasy batter as you work your way through to the healthy bit inside? Come on admit it, we all know it’s the naughty bits that are the nicest; throw in a couple of sausages in batter and go large on the chips, salt and vinegar and you’ll guarantee to have blown your diet for the next few weeks. Health and fatty issues aside, fish and chips is one of those treats that is one of the foundations of the British diet and on the way back from sailing it’s a quick and easy way to feed yourself after a three hour session at your local break. Shame they don’t wrap them in newspaper anymore!
THE NATIONAL WINDSURFING FESTIVAL
Let’s hail two birds with one stone here; praise must go to ex-army Alan Cross for coming up with this vision to bring British sailors and industry together under one united banner ‘The National Water sports Festival’. Where else would we have ever been treated to the sight of three hundred windsurfers charging head on into the Hayling shore-dump and all getting simultaneously demolished. Simon Bornhoft even treated the crowd to a thirty minute solo display determined to beat that ‘Hayling rinser’ with fellow instructors Guy Cribb, Peter Hart, Jim Collins and Jem Hall all cheering him on from the beach as their fellow compatriot received the pounding of all poundings. If you fancy an event where you can party on down, learn from the best and charge into carnage with over several hundred like-minded windsurf addicts then get on down to NWF and enjoy the best Windsurfing event in Britain.
THE BWA TOUR
From the stunning beaches of West Wales, across to the pounding waves on the Irish Atlantic coast, up and over by ferry to the remote island of Tiree and finishing off at ‘Gwithians’ one of England’s most consistent beach breaks, the BWA wave sailing tour really does deliver the full package.
Youths, masters, amateurs, ladies and of course any aspiring pros are all more than welcome, its all good friendly fun where you can rub shoulders with the stars as well as the chance to make a name for yourself on one of the most competitive windsurfing tours in the world.
WALES
It’s a tenner to cross over the Severn Bridge but they let you out for free. Once across the border then there are endless reefs, beaches and point breaks awaiting in some of the most scenic coastline in the country. From the Gower to the Pembrokeshire Coast all the way up to wind ravaged Rhosniegr you’ll find some of the best wave sailing and freeriding conditions in the country and you might even bump in to locals Phil Horrocks or Ben Proffitt and then you really will see an amazing show on the water.
OUR BEAUTIFUL COASTLINE
Over the past five years we’ve sent John Carter on a mission to visit virtually every single nook and cranny round the British Isles for our Coast series. Amongst missing countless planes, trains and ferries, he’s managed to take the odd snap here and there of our beautiful shores while also testing out boozers and looking for his lost keys. We mentioned at the beginning of this feature Britain is no Hawaii, but our varied coastline serves up waves, speed strips and bump and jump conditions to suit every level of sailor. From stunning chalk cliffs to sweeping dunes on Atlantic beaches, blistering speed strips, jumping playgrounds, slabs, point breaks and reefs; we really do cover all angles of windsurfing with some incredible scenery to boot.
CORNWALL
From Gwithians, synonymous with down the line wave sailing in the UK, to the stunning beaches of Marazion and Daymer Bay, Cornwall really does boast some amazing conditions and locations for the UK windsurfer. Anytime a low pressure hits the UK it’s a pretty safe bet to head to the West Country to top up on your wind and wave fixation. Throw in a few pints of Doonbar at a traditional Cornish pub, a pasty or fish and chips and you have the best of British all served up in one.
KIRBY
Who needs a man made trench in the middle of nowhere in Namibia when there is already one ready to roll just outside Liverpool. On its day, even in a force 13 gale, this mirror flat runway of almost transparent turquoise water is the most deadly speed venue on the planet. Throw in a couple of dodgy scousers who will leave your trusty van up on bricks and you could end up stuck there for weeks; you can’t ask for more than that can you ?
THE WITTERINGS
One of the stalwarts of UK windsurfing, the Witterings, have been one of the favourite locations on the south coast for many years. Set in unspoiled rural bliss, the range of conditions run from bump and jump to cross off wave sailing when a north westerly blows. Members of the WWWC (West Wittering Windsurfing Club) can benefit from a clubhouse, hot showers, hire packages, tuition and jet-ski rescue from March to October. Don’t be surprised to see the likes of Nik Baker, Jem Hall, Peter Hart or Timo Mullen flying around if it’s a classic Witterings forecast, anything from the south west force six round to the north west with a ground swell and its game on with pretty much guaranteed waves and a perfect windsurfing playground.
MAGICAL MYSTICAL IRELAND
Yes we know strictly speaking the Atlantic beaches of Ireland lie outside the realms of what is technically Britain but it is our magazine so we can bend the rules here and then when we want !. From the majestic Dingle Peninsula, to the wild winds of Belmullet or the stunning reefs and beach breaks of Magheroarty, Ireland can certainly deliver the goods for world class wave sailing along with amazing culture, scenery and ever changing weather. It is not unusual to experience four seasons in a day on the Emerald Isle but stick round long enough and you are sure to score some amazing uncrowded conditions. Follow up your session with a few pints of the black stuff and you’ll soon realize why Ireland is such a magical location and such a popular destination for UK windsurfers.
NORTH EAST
The location of some of the sacred reefs in the North East are best left out of this feature. There is gold to be found if you look hard enough. Enough said!
TIREE
The famous shores of this stunning Scottish island play host to Britain’s longest running wave event, the Tiree Wave Classic. Careers have been launched by winning the coveted trophies and swords, while the legendary nightlife is second to none. With beaches facing every direction on the compass, Tiree has all angles covered and also happens to be the sunniest place in the country, a UK treasure and a must do for any British windsurfer.
SHOREKIPA
We heard Robby Naish has been thinking of moving to the UK so he can ride the infamous waves at Shorekipa. Home to the gnarliest shore dump on the south coast at high tide on a force nine gale. It’s Nik Bakers home patch and where he learnt to be one of the world’s best. He even has his own beach hut there and it just goes to show what is possible if you’re a young aspiring sailor with dreams of making it to the top, you can do it and all from the comfort of your local British beach.
TRIVIA AND FUNNY STUFF
And so we finish this tribute to the Best of British with a few fun facts and figures, the sort of borderline intellectual trivia that our country thrives on. We’re all off now for a cup of tea and digestive biscuit before we hit the beach and then some Pie and Chips followed by a game of scrabble down the British Legion afterwards if we’re lucky ! Cheers from all the windsurf crew! Henry and Joyce Blackwell who live in Church Flats Farm in Derbyshire are slightly unlucky. They live at the furthest possible point in the UK from the Sea, around 70 miles!
The strongest wind ever recorded in the UK was 173mph on Cairngorm Summit on 20 March 1986. The phrase ‘rule of thumb’ is derived from an old English law which stated you couldn’t beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb. In 1647 parliament abolished Christmas. No words in the English language rhyme with orange, purple, month or silver. In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes which could be tightened to make the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase; ‘Goodnight, sleep tight!’
In Chester you can only shoot a Welsh person inside the city walls with a bow and arrow after midnight. The military salute comes from Medieval knights raising there visors to see each other. East Peckham in Kent has a unique claim to fame: it’s where the first-ever speeding ticket was issued, in January 1896. Walter Arnold was spotted doing 8mph in a 2mph zone, but was easily apprehended by a policeman riding a bicycle. The last ‘witches’ to be hanged in Britain were three women from Bideford in Devon, in 1682. There was no evidence against them, but other villages accused them of sending the devil to their enemies’ houses, in the form of a magpie and a tabby cat. JC
Suzie Cooney, legendary Maui Trainer, shares her tip !
”This total body windsurf training video offers everything from strength, balance, core and endurance; all in one simple exercise. This exercise is for all levels of windsurfers.
All you need is the Indo Board Gigante Flo Cushion and Indo Board. I always select the most challenging board and in this video I have Tim on the Pro Kicktail. Also you will need the TRX Rip Trainer with the heavy chord affixed to a sturdy object at chest level.
Cushion is inflated at about 30% for faster action. The board is placed horizontally and there is just enough tension in the TRX chord to mimic a fully powered sail.
I have Tim do 4 one minute reaches with the TRX Rip Trainer or “sheet ins” on one side with three positions, 5 reps each. Each position is first standard reach, then high angle for like a duck jibe, and then lower as if he is closing the sail no the deck for maximum power.
As he sheets in he constantly has to stabilize as if on choppy water. It’s like pressing the rails if you like. This requires all the tiny finer muscles of the ankle, knee and hip joint in conduction with the core; to adjust accordingly to that action above.
Be careful not to over grip the TRX Rip Trainer to reduce forearm pump. Keep your yes forward and go!
Hope you find this training tip helpful for more days of fast sailing. Thanks Tim for sharing your strength.
Should you wish to train with me, you don’t have to be on Maui. I also offer SKYPE training via high speed internet. It’s a blast and it works. Contact me through our site.
I trust you are now educated, inspired and enthused as to how to add some gusto to your gybes and duck gybes and perhaps now it is time for you to take this ‘forward’ and unleash the ultimate trigger move, the forward (speed/ front) loop. Be reassured that a lot of the focus and precision you have invested and enacted in your gybes will really help you nail the forward. Namely these are preparing early, focusing on the key stages and setting a higher standard.
I will cut to the chase here, you must want to forward, it needs to consume you and be of the utmost importance. Courage, persistence, technique and embracing fear as your friend are the keys to this move, which, once nailed will open up so many other moves as you will feel ‘bullet proof’ after claiming a few. Believing you will achieve starts here. I strongly suggest you follow the pathway I recommend in my ‘Winner to Wavesailor (WTW)’ DVD, this being, be great at popping the board, then progress to tail grab jumps and in light to medium winds embrace the wymaroo as the ultimate loop steering drill. This is the painless way to amass the skills required to forward and believe me as I have taken many many people through this on my coaching holidays. The wymaroo and the other moves will be covered in a future piece as here we will concern ourselves with the main tips on flat water / small chop forwards.
// Hands down the boom and get over the board with the sail open’
Flat water? I hear some of you balk at this, well if you can do it on smaller chop / waves then you can do it anywhere and you will also then be able to learn delayed forward loops in the future as you will have a fast clean rotation and heaps of aerial steering skills but more on this later. The other thing about the lower rotations is it is less scarey and you have to go downwind to actually get round!
My mantra in WTW is pop, throw, look and pull and I would now like to extend this to; Believe, Prepare, Pop, Throw, Look and Pull. I will now impart the tips to get you moving forward from the above sections. Please be aware that I knew barely nothing about the forward when learning it back in ’96, I just went at it and all my crash test dummy work and my last 12 years of coaching have revealed the keys to unlocking your looping potential.
Believe!
You should get to know what it is that motivates you to do this move and then take this momentum forward. We are all different and all have different triggers to get us where we want to be. Competition, peer group pressure, setting a new standard or it could even be boredom with your current level. For me, I set a date to do it by or I would walk away from teaching windsurfing and guess what? I achieved it on that date after about 10 sessions.
I suggest that if you equip yourself with the above skills in the pathway and add to these super early planing, awesome tacks and a fast stance in all winds then you will have all the tools to unlock the move and actually get plenty of attempts in. Furthermore, visualise the move, and actually see yourself doing it. I believe in you and now you must BELIEVE IN YOU! I will present the relevant tips for each of the areas of the move and then you should choose the ones that ‘ring your bell’ and only focus on a few tips at a time.
// Check out how much the rig goes across and the work the toes and legs are doing to steer the board’
// Tuck up and keep pushing and pulling.
Prepare
By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail, just as great gybes make great wave rides then similarly this focus on precision and passion in the forward is paramount to
learning this liberating move. On to the top tips.
• Early preparation is the key. About 20 metres before you bear off get those hands back
• When I say back I mean way back, next to the boom adjusters is your target. The wymaroos (and gybes, light wind gybes) will already make you embrace and realize this.
• The front hand must also move back too. This assists the rig moving forwards and across, be warned you will need long lines to sail with your front hand back.
• Get over the board before take off. All your popping will make this a bit more intuitive. Being over the board helps you to get a great pop and send the nose high and it means the rig can already be across you in readiness to steer in the air.
The kit I suggest is fast wave boards, freestyle boards and fun freestyle waves as these all keep you upwind and planing fast with less sail power and go for a smaller fin (under 30cms for sure). The sail should be under 6.0 for learning but as you progress the limits you set are the limits you attain.
Banging out medium powered loops on a 6.0 and a 110 will add dynamism and pop to your forwards so get on and round it in all winds please. Lastly, wedge your feet into big straps so your feet can wrap and connect to the deck pads, tight straps will see you losing the board in the air.
Pop
Many of the above tips will come to the fore here, being over the board and having your hands back etc. Lets give you some more insights:
• Push down hard on the tail like you are aiming to ‘snap the tail off the board’. This sends the ‘nose to the sky’. So there are 2 great pop mantras for you.
• Get the nose high and then you will have the height to then drop the nose and steer aggressively in the air.
• Start the pop with the tail pushing down and continue it with the front leg and front arm lifting the nose.
• Amazing hold trinity skills (early planing, fast stance in all winds and staying upwind) will give you more attempts. These also mean you can get the pop and rotation in proximity to the beach so you have less time to think and **** yourself.
• Pop off the wind and this will often be over the back of a bit of a decent sized chop. This helps take off some of the distance you have to rotate through and also means you have to commit to the move.
• Pop off your toes like you are springing into a jump on dry land as this hugely aids aerial steering and draws the wind under the board.
• I rarely say don’t, however I will make an exception here, do not take off into the wind in to supposedly seek more easy height, this will end badly!
Throw
We are now fully committed and looking to take our amazing downwind pop around and steer the board through the rest of the move.
• Your nose is skyward and you are pulling the kit up further with the legs so now it is time to ‘draw the rig forwards and across you’ in readiness for the aerial steering. Moving the rig forward helps turn you downwind like in a light wind gybe.
• With your hands back you have a huge amount of leverage and can really get the rig forwards.
• Imagine pulling up on the front hand and then reaching forwards and across you with it, towards the nose of the board.
• The legs should be working hard here, as they are now lifting the tail up and bearing the board away through extending the front leg and bending the back leg.
• Herein lies one of the cruxes of the forward,‘you take off over the board and then in the air you steer it by moving your body back and out’ and ‘your rig forwards and across’. Lots of pops and wymaroos makes this part much more intuitive.
Look
Why do we focus so much on looking behind us in this move? Well it is firstly to keep your wetsuit clear of debris and stop you looking forward at doomsville. It also helps our body to rotate and roll through the move and lastly, it protects our ear drums – hoorah !
• You might choose to replace look with see, so aim to see the back of the boom, or the clew, or the water behind you.
• In the wymaroo I tell people to fall outboards and pull in and see just how much of a splash they can make with the clew being pulled in so aggressively.
• The looking behind you will assist you in pulling in hard with that back arm, and because your back arm is way back you can really sheet in, lets not get ahead of ourselves here though.
// Keep the rig flying on extended arms upon landing to pop up for an efficient waterstart ending’
Pull and Push
Okay so I have cheated here and added another word / tip and that is Push, or pushing in addition to the pulling. There can often be a heavy focus on the Neanderthal style, ‘just jump up and sheet in dude’, however there is way more going on than this so please begin to imagine the front half of you actually pushing the kit round and back half pulling you and the kit around and through the move. Lets examine this further:
• The pulling phase is the back arm ‘pulling the boom UP AND IN.’This really turns the board fast and gets the nose round.
• With your hands back you have huge leverage and your tail up jumps make you instinctively pull the back leg in hard and this keeps the nose rotating those extra precious few degrees more.
• Now for the pushing. It is an often understated part of the forward, so really focus on pushing away hard on your front leg. Your more outboards position gives you the leverage for this.
• I often suggest people to feel the deck pad with their toes and this can often only be achieved by straightening your front leg and having bigger straps. This scissoring action is akin to bearing away out of a tack.
• The pushing does not stop there as not only is your front leg working but so too is your straight front arm. So really push down hard on your front arm to fly the nose round and get you further around for an easier and cleaner landing.
// Believe, prepare, pop, throw, look and pull!
Throughout all these sections I have given you some food for thought in all the stages and some key mantras and tips to focus on. So I now implore you to find the keys for you to understand this move and more importantly to pull the trigger and get it done. Of course, if you need some help with this and many other moves then you can have your attempts recorded and the toppest of tips given to you on one of my overseas coaching holidays.
I will leave you with a few landing tips. If you rotate with a straight front arm and land near / on the gear then thrusting the rig across and up will assist you in catching some wind to pull you up and keep the rig out of the water. If upon landing you are in the likely position of being ¾ round and in the straps yet cannot waterstart then merely paddle round the last part by dropping your front foot out of the front strap, whilst keeping the rig flying, and steer round to an easier exit from the water.
Believe, Prepare, Pop, Throw, Look, Pull AND Push. You shall, you will and you can.
RRD
boards, wetsuits, softwear, Ezzy sails and Pro Sport Sunblock sponsor Jem Hall. Get him live and direct on one of his highly acclaimed coaching holidays– see www.jemhall.com for further details. You can also follow him on twitter / Facebook.
THE LOW-DOWN The all new Pocket range builds on the attributes of previous years and takes the “real world “ tag to a new level with a very even outline shape.
BRAND CLAIM The Pocket Wave is the “ace up the sleeve’’. Early planing, it gets you up and going through the break with ease, allowing you to pick the ramp of your choosing and blast into the air with solid pop, while the compact outline delivers excellent control in the jumps. On the wave, the all new rocker-line and modified outline shapes ensure smooth bottom turns with excellent drive and with a great ability to use either front or back foot turning. The thruster setup offers a surfy feel with slashy turns.
PERFORMANCE The all new pocket 94 is about the easiest planing wave board we have come across. Proving the point that volume alone cannot define a boards planing performance. The pocket has one of the larger plan shapes in the group but is opposite in its approach to the Simmer Style by being about the thinnest of all and having one of the smallest fin sets too. It planes early, keeps accelerating and glides through the holes efficiently. The speed and drivability of the board rivals many a freestyle wave design for thrashing around. Establishing that this board really goes early is only part of the story. It feels slim and smooth underfoot when underway whilst never getting unbalanced and disturbing your secure ride. Acceleration in the gusts is effortless and it keeps building pace until you decide to sheet out. Upwind was a doddle and the Pocket rivaled the Fanatic Triwave and Simmer Style Quantum for top honors. All this talk of early planing and charging about may have you thinking that it all must come at a price with a big sacrifice in turning. Well simply put, no it doesn’t. The ride is loose, fast and lively from the low-resistance hull and when you get it into the surf, it stays that way, offering solid bite and squirt in the bottom turn. Off the top you have a slashy choice or the option to pop some air when you didn’t think it possible. The footpads have thinned down a few millimeters from last year which aids the feedback and response a tad. As El Medano resident Alex Mussolini states:-“I am a massive Pocket fan. Key for me is how easy this board deals with very tricky conditions. I am planing earlier and faster than everyone’’
THE VERDICT The maximizer. Earliest planing, fast and tracky to fly around from A to B, coupled with a lively reactive wave performance that keeps speed no matter what. The Pocket is a clear champion in this environment, getting the most from the least. A worthy winner!
Back in December 2014 Jamie Hancock, Ross Williams and Paul Hunt scored a festive session at West Wittering. With winds blowing a solid 25-30 knots ramps galore and the likes of Damon Hill most likely watching from his beach front residence the challenge was on to go big for the camera. John Carter compiled some of his favourite shots of the session for this exclusive windsurf gallery!
For local info, current weather conditions and Wittering webcam go to
To celebrate Graham Ezzy joining team Tabou the nice folk at
4boards.co.uk are giving away a free board bag and an extra set of K4 fins when you buy a 2015 Pocket Wave or DaCurve and if that’s not enough to buff your plums they are also offering free mainland UK carriage on all offers over £100 until April 1st!!
