The second round of the UKWA freestyle tour took place at West Wittering and was sponsored by 2XS,  X-train and WWWC, Boards catches up with the team from the centre and some of the pros to find out more about one of the best freestyle events to hit the UK in a while!

Pics by Simon Bassett /2XS.

With a lack of wind the forecast mid week the event was nearly cancelled but Thursday morning after a wind abyss a 25 knot South Westerly forecast was predicted for all day Saturday.

The event started around 10.30am – the legendary Wittering Trench formed up at low tide and the contest began.  Julian Du Vall, Trevor Funnell and David Bradley were judging, it certainly wasn’t tropical conditions and the heats blasted through as the wind increased.  Heat after heat went through, in the end the beach event crew did four complete rounds.

The Pros had four heats, two a piece for Bubble and Max Rowe which led them into a fifth heat, which was known as the Super Final – both of them were sailing on top form and Bubble just pipped Max in the dying minutes.

This year the amateur fleet are pushing at a really high level with big moves coming from all competitors throughout the event – even the younger kids really going for big moves .

BUBBLE:

“Wow!! What an event!! Literally the best freestyle conditions i have ever competed in! The West Wittering trench was at its best! Great to see so many people on the water having it! The level of freestyle in the UK is getting better and better and with events in places like West Wittering i’m sure we’ll see the UK’s next rising stars coming up. Great competing against Max as it really pushes me! He was ripping on his new sails.”

MAX:

“It was definitely the best conditions I’ve ever experienced at any contest. The trench is truly a world class spot so it was great to have a contest there. I was battling with Bubble all day for the first place and after winning two rounds each we had a sail off which he went on to win so congratulations to him as he was ripping. I was using the new 2014 North Idol ltd’s and the sails are feeling amazing which gave me loads of confidence.”

Saturday night in The Old House at Home, West Wittering,  there were plenty of tired bodies after a full day of competition and when Sunday came around it was decided not to run a tow in event as the previous day’s competition had been so successful.