Freestyle:
FRIDAY
The Friday night saw hundreds of students descend on the 3D centre in Osmington for enrolment. Grabbing a t-shirt and heading to the bar to catch up with those mates that they hadnt seen over that long hot summer. It was also a chance for the freshers among us to grab their first glance at what a student windsurfing event is all about meeting hundreds of like minded, up for it people desperate to get out windsurfing! In fact, there was so much catching up to do, many didnt get to bed until well into the early hours of the morning.
SATURDAY
A few hours later, for some, everyone was woken up largely to the sound of presidents drumming on their doors to get them down in time breakfast and ready to start the day! By mid morning everyone had been split into groups and was receiving top of the range tuition from the instructors (cheers, to all those guys that offered to help out you were brilliant). With everything from beginners learning what windsurfing is all about to the latest freestyle moves (some instructors got as bit carried away), to the advanced receiving first class tuition and general entertainment from Jem Hall and Jim Collis, no one was left out.
When everyone arrived at the Sailing Academy by early afternoon it was already howling a constant force 7. So, soon the freestyle comp was running - being judged by such esteemed names as Peter Hart, Jem Hall, Jim Collis, Tris Best and Jon Metcalfe. Within minutes hundreds of students had gathered to support their uni members ripping it up with grubbies, spocks, body drags, 360s, forward loops and much much more. The standard was phenomenal, with some of Britains best up and coming talent. After a closely fought out final, Mike Wand-Tetley came away as overall winner, with a fantastic display of some very impressive freestyle moves.
Freestyle comp over and everyone bundled in their vans, heading back to the 3D centre to grab their 70s Hawaii fancy dress for the party, which was held in a huge activities centre complete with Jagermeister girls, hours of comedy dancing and some very inventive costumes!
SUNDAY
Sunday morning started off a little slower with many slightly worse for wear students arriving at the Sailing Academy in a very confused state from the night before, with the exception of Bristol Uni club who were there and raring to go, all rigged up by 10:00 good effort guys!
Sunday morning gave all the freshers a chance to learn the art of mincing a crucial talent at any windsurfing event. But by lunchtime the first batch of beginners and intermediates were receiving on water RYA tuition under the watchful eyes of the UKWA rescue boats, John Metcalfe and Charlie Connelly. Down the other end of the site, the advanced were getting involved in a Slalom comp organised by Oli Woodcock, RYA British Windsurfing Team Sailor and National Coach. With the Boardwise Van on hand to offer free sailors the chance to demo the latest pre-rigged, brand new kit.
Cheers everyone for an awesome event. Well done to all those beginners that had their first ever go at windsurfing in crazy offshore, force 5-7 winds, anything will be easy, you'll be looping before you know it!
Thanks to all our event helpers, especially to the UKWA, Jem Hall, Jim Collis, Oli Woodcock, Peter Hart, Tris Best, John Metcalfe and Charlie Connelly. Thanks aswell to our event sponsors and supporters; Boardwise, Windtek, Starboard/Tushingham, Boardseeker.com, Extreme Sports Channel, BicSport, Straw House, Lodey Sails and Windsurf Magazine. Also thanks to solentsailboards for donating the prize for the 'under pressure challenge' raffle - raising money for the SWA's nominated charity - the RNLI (see the write up in windsurf mag).
Check out the event photos and the AK Forum pages on the website. Also look out for event coverage on the BBC News, Extreme Sports Channel, in Windsurf Magazine, Boardseeker Online Mag, the Times Newspaper and many more.
Also don't forget to check out the website for the list of forthcoming events the next being Cardiff University's Reservoir Dogs on 6th-7th of Nov; complete with Slalom, Supercross, Freestyle comp and off course fantastic Saturday Night Party.
The freestyle competition took place on the Saturday in front of a large crowd gatherd on the quay.
The wind was about force 5-7 offshore and very gusty. Many of the competitors struggled to launch due to the large wind shaddow.
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Mike from Falmouth coping very well with the light winds on the inside |
The level of competition was very high with plenty of vulcans, spocks forward loops and many other combo moves including advanced fall-ins.
Many thanks to Sarah, Pete, Phil for running the competition and to Peter Hart, Jim Collis, Tris Best and Jon Metcalfe for judging. Also thanks to Boardwise for their prizes.
The stand-out performer was Falmouth's Mike Wand-Tetley who amazed the crowds with vulcans very clean forwards spocks and even some ponch attempts.
Results
1st Mike Wand-Tetley (gaastra/starboard) - falmouth
2nd Adam Cropper (tush/starboard, onboard) - southampton
3rd Olly Woodcock (spot on water, 604distribution, mistral/north) - bournemouth
4th Lukie - exeter
5th= Munch (riks) - southampton
Jack - bournemouth
Gordon - bristol
Ed - bristol
9th= Tom
Henry - cambridge
Chris - imperial
Bob - southampton
