Since Peter Hart set up the very first UK windsurfing club at Southampton twenty seven years ago, the ensuing student populations have taken to the sport quite obsessively, much has changed- kit, the number of universities attending, wind (the old boys swear it was windier in their day....) however the BUSA endorsed student nationals remain the event that every club wants to participate in. The prestige that this event holds means that students think nothing of travelling from Durham, Newcastle and Scotland in order to compete and party at Calshot beach near Southampton.
Building on the the huge success of the slalom race last year, this years individual racing is cranking up to be the most competitive yet: last years victorious Southampton team are aiming to defend their title, however against a Bristol team that now features ex-GBR racer Hugh Sims-Williams, this will be no easy task. Indeed a talented array of sailors will have already earmarked this weekend as the one to pull it out of the bag, grab those BUSA points and immortalise themself in SWA folklore.
***LATEST NEWS***
SWA Gold Sponsors Neilson have just announced that they will be presenting a voucher for £500 off a Neilson holiday to the lucky winner of the SWA/Neilson Race series this year. This can be used at any of their great centres which include top Windsurf locations such as Vassiliki and Dahab!! Neilson are specialists in providing active windsurf and wintersports holidays for all standards of people and have over 20 years experience in the business, more info can be found on their website www.neilson.com. As well as providing this awesome prize for the race series they are also supporting our SWA holidays by offering all of our members great rates on active holidays and are as committed as we are to promoting and encouraging student windsurfing.
Away from the racing, Calshot will be watching with bated breath on the Sunday as current equal first competitors: Sam Stevens (Southampton) and John Palmer (Bristol), take to the stage and do battle for the mercurial SWA/Boardwise Freestyle series top dog position, if they succeed and win this titan award, their prize will be a Cropper designed Turf Dog land board, to make even more smooth their Flaka diablos et al.
Vital points are also up for grabs in the SWA/Naish Women's series, currently Erica Phillips, Ellie Travers and Rosie Francis are waging war at the top, but with both the racing and freestyle at the nationals counting towards the title, it would be churlish to go into the weekend with any preconceptions: at this stage anyone could claim the prize of a brand new Naish Wave Sail. Perhaps the dark horse of the women's competition could very well be Vics Warner who has showed promise but is yet to deliver on the big stage.
Ladies and gentlemen there is yet more! Due to the unfortunate cancellation of the last SWA/RRD Ezzy Wave event in the series according to lack of wind and swell, the presentation of the RRD Wave board to the winner of the series will take place this weekend, alongside the yearly Most Improved Club Award and all of the results in the beginner and intermediate racing leagues.
It cannot be stressed how great this event is lining up to be, a fitting end to another excellent year of student windsurfing. Many thanks and Best Wishes to all of the SWA's sponsors whose websites you can link to from the right hand side of the site.
