With the risk of over egging the pudding, we have yet more great stuff from the Aberdovey BSA. But bear with us, this isn’t a story of who won, who came second and who repositioned their fin by two cms.

This is a story you ALL need to read!

Have you ever lost your windsurfing mojo? Felt like you weren’t getting what you wanted from the sport, progressing, or even loving it as much as before? Most of us have been there, but getting your mojo back, well, that’s a special moment.

This is a blog post from 18 year old Jack Trollop, who this year has moved from the amateur fleet into the pro racing. Whilst all might not have gone to plan to start with, he shows how one good race or session can get the love back and have you on top of the world. 

Anyone thinking about racing that doesn’t think they are their equipment is quite good enough, have a read. THIS is why we race. For the pure love and personal accomplishment. Winning every race and having the latest top of the range fully tweaked gear would be nice, but that’s not what it’s all about….

“I know that I have been quiet for the last few months but I do have reason. Between Christmas and now I have been doing my A levels. Some would argue that these are the most important years of education so the pressure was on. With racing, training and learning all to think about and test me, the stress levels hit the roof. Thinking back throughout my two years at sixth form, my level of racing seems to have declined, which had a massive negative impact on my motivation and self-efficacy when it came to racing. Ok, I joined the Pro fleet at this time as well but knowing that this was going to be a big step up I didn’t expect to do really well. The thing that annoyed me was that I wasn’t improving. With all of this in my mind and the thought of exams looming after a few bad races at Weymouth earlier this year, I hit rock bottom. Suddenly I didn’t want to race at all and I just wasn’t having fun. After speaking to a few people at the event, Andy Freeman (Black Project) said that I had lost my racing mojo, and thinking about it now I think that he hit the nail on the head!

“The following months after the event I don’t think that I even touched my race kit. I focussed on my exams, went to the gym and when it was windy I took out my oldest kit and just relaxed. The love for windsurfing and being out on the water came back but I still didn’t want to race. I was always going to miss Worthing due to exams but shortly after I had Aberdovey to think about. Exams were done, but it is the furthest event, last year was a disaster and I was ill….. with all these thoughts I had two choices, fight or flight? Previously I had been talking to Dave Peak from Fluid Lines who had said ‘all you need is one good race and you will get the buzz back’.

I chose to fight.

“We got to Aberdovey on the Friday and everything just felt good. I was relaxed and just going to have fun. I got out on the water and with a load of others and had a great sail. I was feeling fast and not to mention strong from the training in the gym (The Loft Gym). I was feeling good!

“Saturday saw no racing but a great party in the evening from which I went back to the apartment with an aching face from laughing so much.

“Sunday had a good forecast and it was right. The wind built over the day and ended up being about 20-25 knots. Racing was on! As there was very little water races lasted no longer than two and a half minutes. We raced heats with the top three going into the winners final. My first race I had a great start and was first to the mark. I went too wide and lost a place to Michael George I then found myself trying to hold off James Dinsmore (easier said than done). After nearly dropping my second gybe he had caught up and then passed me at the third mark. But it was a heat and I was in a comfortable third… I was in the winners’ final for the first time in my life! A bit star struck I had a bad start in the final but I managed to make up a pace and finish in 5th. Two good races and yes I had the buzz again. Sure the rest of the racing was awful for me which I wasn’t happy about but I had proved to myself that I could do well. The fire in my belly is back.

“I got home and found out that my mum had filmed every race. I must have watched each video three times taking notes on each race. The same reoccurring problem was my gybes, I had speed and consistency but every time I was coming out wide and losing places. I know what I need to work on! I now have two months until the next event and you can guarantee that I will be training hard, let’s hope I see an improvement in Southend.

Mojo back!

Jack Trollope – K998