Q: How can you help club members improve their windsurfing?
Duncan: We tend to run sessions for beginners on the lighter days. So the days the advance guys won’t be so bothered about getting out, they can instead help out with teaching the beginners. That’s a really good way to help the beginners learn.

Time on the water is the most important thing really. For intermediates and advanced windsurfers, just being able to sail regularly with your friends and help each other out is the best way to improve. Whatever your ability people who are keen and enthusiastic to learn, learn the quickest. Those who turn up for the sessions all year round will improve the most.

Q: What have been the difficulties in setting up and running the club?
Duncan: Transport. It’s great that we can hire minibuses off the union but you have to be 21 to hire them and we are a young club. That and the water temperature around North Wales!.

Q: Do you think overall the club has been successful?
Duncan: Yes definitely. We now have a good group of regular members and are growing all the time. Windsurfing as part of a Uni club is the cheapest way possible to be involved in the sport. Also it’s a huge bonus learning with friends and people your own age. Being able to spend 3 or 4 years at Uni learning to windsurf with your friends around you is definitely the best way to do it.

Thanks Duncan

Well there you have it. The club formula does still seem to be working well. Although these are both examples from university clubs I see no reason why clubs have to be restricted to just students. It’s seems to me that the answer is simple enough. If you want to windsurf in a sociable environment at an affordable price as part of a club and there isn’t a club near you, start one.

By Will Jones – SWA Media Rep