Temporarily escaped from studies the windsurfing students of the UK have been busy! Tris gibbons has all the news!

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 ariels. 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!..

Photo courtesy of Mel at Splashphotography.com

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." data-mce-href="mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you want help with finding sponsors and funding for your club, not just university clubs!

Next Event

With all these great conditions there have been plenty of opportunities to get some practice in for the next wave event of the series! 24^th-26^th January we are off to Rhosneigr for the second wave event of the series. Run by Bangor University it is set to be MASSIVE. Home to the BWA Wales competition and some epic conditions. There will be clinics on how to get out and catch waves, how heats work and how scoring works. As well as a huge SWA party (obviously).

This event marks the return of the Bangor event and we are all super excited to see what they have in store for us.



SWA Holiday

As many of you guys know, the SWA are going to be hitting up Kos this summer with Seafarer holidays. We are are off for a week between 14^th and 21^st June 2014. 
Seafarer are giving us a great deal with prices for the 7 nights with flights, half board accommodation, tuition and 2014 kit rental from only £555!
If  you are interested in coming along with us then email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." data-mce-href="mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she will sort you out!
For more information click here!

 

2014 is going to be great. Keep your eyes peeled for new articles on Boards and on the SWA website.

See you on the water!