A WINDSURFING WEEKEND AT THE RYA VOLVO DINGHY SHOW 2011
After a successful return last year, windsurfing will once again be making an appearance at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show 2011.
From expert talks and sailors to special birthday celebrations, this year’s show has plenty of activities on offer; all completely dedicated to windsurfing.
Talks
For those sailors who have always wanted to give windsurfing a try, check out the Windsurfing for Dinghy Sailors talk by Tris Best which can be found in the Coaching Area (11:00am both days in the Panorama Hall). Tris is the owner of the Windsurfing Centre OTC in Weymouth and Tenerife. He was also the Test Editor for Windsurf magazine and is very well respected in the windsurfing industry so is the perfect man to give advice on how to get started, what equipment to choose, and how to progress in the exhilarating sport of windsurfing.
Windsurfing Champion
The show will also provide the opportunity to get up close and personal with Team Volvo for Life and Skandia Team GBR’s Nick Dempsey who is the windsurfing RS:X 2009 World Champion and an Olympic Bronze Medallist. Nick will be giving an exclusive Olympic update at the show and will be sharing his future plans and ambitions for the upcoming games. Catch Nick’s talk on the main stage in Hall 2 at 13:45 on Sunday 06 March. If you have any questions for Nick you can submit your question by emailing [email protected].
National Windsurfing Week
Nick is also ambassador of National Windsurfing Week (NWW) and the Windsurfing 4 Cancer Research (W4CR) charity and will be officially launching this year’s event at the show (10:45am in the Panorama Hall). NWW will run from the 01 to 08 May, providing an ideal opportunity for windsurfing enthusiasts to create ways to get as many people out on the water as possible, be it from racing events to charity fundraising to windsurfing taster sessions.
Gillian Wright, RYA Windsurfing Development Officer and a key figure behind the week says “We are delighted to have Nick’s support for National Windsurfing Week this year. NWW really brings people together which is such an important part of any sport and this year we hope to see even more people taking part, whether it’s with a windsurfing school, a shop, a club or just with your mates there are so many ways people can get involved with the event’’.
W4CR – Sunrise Sunset May 1st
A very popular way to get involved with National Windsurfing Week is charity fundraising and kicking off NWW is the Windsurfing 4 Cancer Research (W4CR) ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ fundraising fun day with the slogan ‘more than just a day at the beach’. Sunrise Sunset events will be simultaneously taking place across the whole of the UK involving many RYA centres, clubs and T15 teams. The big challenge this year is to get ‘more than a thousand windsurfers on the water at midday.
David Tuttlebee Memorial Trophy
This year will have significant poignancy as David Tuttlebee; founder of the W4CR charity sadly lost his battle with cancer and passed away last year. The ‘David Tuttlebee Memorial Trophy’ has been created and will be awarded to the Team15, youth windsurfing club who put on the best fun fundraising Sunrise Sunset event, take part in helping to achieve the challenge by getting as many windsurfers on the water and their commitment to raising money for the charity W4CR.
To find out more about NWW and the Sunrise Sunset Challenge visit the windsurfing area in the Panoramic Hall at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show and talk to one of the organisers. You can also register your interest at this year’s NWW event by going to www.nationalwindsurfingweek.org
or to take part in the Sunrise Sunset Challenge go to www.w4cr.org and enter on-line.
Team15 celebrates 10th birthday
RYA’s grassroots windsurfing programme Team15 will also be celebrating its 10th birthday this year and to mark the occasion the official birthday party will be held at the RYA Volvo Dingy Show on Saturday 05 March (11:30 in Panorama Hall). Join in with the fun as we look back over the past 10 years to see how the programme has grown.
Team15 manager Gillian Wright who has created the programme and has worked on it from the beginning said “We are delighted to be celebrating our 10th birthday at this year’s show. It is fantastic to see how Team15 has developed over the years and we now have more youngsters learning to windsurf with the programme than ever before and we hope to see this number continue to grow.”
Exhibitors
Finally, don’t miss the opportunity to check out the latest gear at specialised wetsuit company Spartan Wetsuits or to visit Action Van, who offer a part or full conversion service to people with a strong interest in outdoor pursuits including windsurfing. If you fancy taking a course, the Official Test Centre will also be exhibiting at the show with experts on hand to answer any of your questions. All these exhibitors can be found in the windsurfing area in the Panorama Hall.
Get your tickets
Tickets brought in advance cost just £11.00 for adults (£9.00 for RYA members and £8.00 for RYA Gold members), children 16 or under; accompanied by an adult, just £5.00 a ticket and go free on Sunday (maximum two free of charge child tickets per adult). Children who are RYA members go free of charge all weekend.
Tickets can also be purchased on the door for £13.00 adult and £7.00 child, but if you want to beat the queues and save money then book online now at www.dinghyshow.org or call the ticket hotline on 0844 811 0409.
