Travelling the world, working as a lawyer, being a mum …and competing? It seems it is possible!
Lucy Robson returns to compete on the BWA tour for 2012 and beyond ……
It’s great to see the women’s scene thrive in the UK with the likes of Sarah Bibby (Puravida/Simmer/No Limitz) having progressed from the SWA at University to British Women’s Champion, and Sophia Gilje Joy (Puravida/Fanatic/North/Ion) also a student competing in Tiree 2011 for the first time and earning future support right away.
Cornwall’s Debbie Kennedy (Hotsails) has become a familiar face on the tour now and after some time out having a baby girl Marina, now two years old, and thanks to a very helpful mum….Lucy Robson is getting back into the swing of things.
Hailing from the South Coast and local to Nik Baker it was a no-brainer for Lucy to join Sophia on the Fanatic/North team with his support. As soon as she mentioned competing again Nik was happy to offer some valuable advice and coaching tips for the future.
Nik “Lucy has been sailing here for years and there is no question she rips in some solid conditions, giving plenty of the guys a run for their money at Shoreham! We talked about her joining the team with help from Puravida and I’m hoping to offer some useful help myself on making the most of the less ideal days you sometimes get on tour…basically being prepared.”
Lucy admits she is naturally competitive and really enjoys the banter with the other girls and the fun on tour….but wants to win!!
“In my first competition I had only been windsurfing for about nine months and I was pleased to even turn safely on to a wave, I was only about 24 years old and it was exciting. There was a similar size fleet back then in the girls, and I remember Trevor Funnel telling me I could be on the podium one day.”
Lucy took on the solid conditions in Cornwall last year for the podium top spot and currently sits in joint 2nd for the tour with team mate Sophia going into round three in Tiree.
“Back then I really took part just to get the experience and improve my sailing and mainly enjoy the scene. Now with more experience and with a more mature attitude I really want to do the best I can and enjoy the competition.”
“I did the UK wave tour for two years and then travelled to some great wavesailing locations like Cape Town, Western Australia and Indonesia and was stoked to come second in the Western Australia Wave Tour 2009 which gave me a real boost and stacks more confidence! That was three years ago and since then I took a break to have my daughter Marina, but not for long and got straight back in the water five days after she was born!”
So having a baby didn’t phase Lucy and what’s she been up to since then?
“I went back to Cape Town for their summer season in 2011, when Marina was five months old taking her with me and really properly getting back into my sailing with the consistency of conditions you get there. I then got the opportunity to travel to Morocco and spent time chasing forecasts in the UK at the beaches with the optimal conditions before hitting the Gwithian comp in 2011. It was a last minute decision as I didn’t plan to compete again, but all my friends from Brighton were going and they talked me into entering..I am lucky that I come from a town with a small but devoted windsurf scene and I have some very supportive friends that have been with me since I started windsurfing and never stopped helping me out and encouraging me. At the risk of sounding cheesy my friends and family make it possible.”
It looks like the training paid off?!
“Gwithian was such a great comp with windsurfers everywhere., I remember looking down at the beach from the cliff and thinking I was at a festival. It was totally epic and the most fun I’ve had in the windsurfing scene since I started out. It’s been really cool to go full circle from a newbie full of questions to just enjoying competing alongside a great group of girls. I was SO STOKED when I found out I’d won, I knew I caught some great waves and really got stuck into the conditions, I couldn’t have been more pleased to hear I got first place.”
You’ve decided to do the entire tour in 2012?
“Absolutely! It seems I’m hooked now and more motivated than ever to do everything to the full. I’m really lucky my mum likes to see me enjoy windsurfing so she has offered to look after Marina so I can windsurf and compete. She knows I get miserable if I don’t windsurf and simply I just love it. So I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to do the tour and I hope to do well!”
Would you encourage other girls to get stuck in?
“Definitely, the standard of kit has really improved and it helps that the kit is easier to use and lighter so girls can get on well without too much of a battle to control the gear. From the early days the comps improved my sailing much more than just hanging at the local beach, and with groups like Flow Watersports there are more girls around who want to do it. The locations are awesome, it’s great fun and great for your sailing skills…..do it”
With a few more trips planned and the rest of the tour ahead Lucy may even be tempted to have a shot at some PWA events so stay posted and follow her progress.
Don’t miss your chance to join the action and progress with your wavesailing among some of the best riders the UK has to offer in Tiree and Cornwall for the last two rounds of the BWA tour.
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www.britishwavesailingassociation.com
Interview Jim Brooks-Dowsett, BWA Amateur Rep
