The festive and new year periods have been busy ones on the water for many UK windsurfers, especially with the truly incredible winds that have blown through the UK and the rest of Europe. With a break from their studies, the students of the SWA have been making the most of their free time.
Tris Gibbons provides the latest update from the SWA:
Happy New Year from everyone here at the SWA!
We may have had a break from the SWA series over Christmas, but our students have had anything but a break! It seems that Santa was very generous this Christmas and has sent some awesome conditions for weeks on end, just in time for Christmas. The joys of being a student is that no day is a school day – not when it is 4.2 weather! My Facebook feed has been choc-full of windsurfing over the last couple of week. From pictures of Rhossy going off, to Gwithian and Daymer absolutely howling.
I caught up with what some of our guys had been up to over the Christmas break:
Tris: Hey guys, happy New Year! How has the weather been treating you over Christmas?!
Ben Page: Hey Tris, I don’t have any photos as it’s mostly been sailing in the pouring rain! I had a great session at Avon on New Year’s day, fully powered on my 3.7 and 75, logo high ramps out the back so it was pretty insane for jumping! I was getting some ridiculous height! I’ve sailed a lot over Christmas, mostly on 3.7 as its been so mental.
Charlie Lloyd: I have been sailing my tits off since we finished for Christmas. West Kirby and Rhosneigr have been mental the last couple of weeks. One of the days at Rhosneigr was simply awesome. We had full power 4.2 cross shore which made for some great riding and jumping. Despite the lack of boots, hood, gloves and the minging state of my feet the day was topped off by landing my first pushloop!
Back at West Kirby, this whole season has been mental and since coming back from Dahab my 4.2 is my most used sail! I’ve managed to get loads of training in and I’ve nailed some new moves both on my wave board and freestyle!
Jony Price: After deciding Cape Town wouldn’t have helped much with my exam results after Christmas, I decided to head home to Ireland with the hope of scoring some decent conditions.. and the weather didn’t disappoint! I scored some nice big empty waves on the west coast, and also had some epic jumping sessions on the east coast of Ireland.
I’ve tried to focus on improving my wave riding, and starting to get some big floaty aerials. I think my jumping is starting to improve a bit too, particularly on port tack. I’ve started landing some starboard tack backies too, with the help of my K4 rockets to boost me even higher.
The UK has been amazing recently, and after a week in Cornwall, I’m kinda hoping the low pressures take a break for a couple of weeks now so I can focus on my exams!..
Jo Wright: I started my placement year in mid July – so moved to Hamble and commuting up to Basingstoke in the week! It has been great to live somewhere new and try out all the spots around here. A few highlights – Some very windy sails at Poole Harbour! Scored a few sessions at the very popular avon beach. About 5 minutes walk from the house, I can launch onto the solent. Not the most epic windsurf but brilliant for an afterwork dip! Definitely looking forward to doing a bit more of this come the clock change!
Also mixed things up with a few long weekends in Gwithian! We have got a mix of conditions from over mast high waves at Pra sands so small mush at Pendower!
I am heading down to Tushingham HQ mid January to collect all my new kit (quiver of rocks and 91 Flare) so looking forward to heading out on this! A few of us from Exeter Uni are heading out to Morocco for August for some starboard tack heaven! Hoping to finally nail a forward on Starboard tack!
Not only have people been smashing it up on the water, but there has been loads going on behind the scenes over Christmas!
Dan Lytton (President for Exeter Windriders) just managed to secure thousands of pounds of funding from various grants for his club to buy new kit from Tushingham, Starboard and Spartan! There is money out there to fund this crazy sport if you work hard enough.
WHAT ARE THEY BUYING? Please contact [email protected] if you want help with finding sponsors and funding for your club, not just university clubs!
Written by – Tris Gibbons/SWA.
Next event?
Click page two for all the info on the Rhoss Ness Monster, to be held at the legendary Rhosneigr beach…
