University: year 4, term 1

It's been a while, maybe I'll summarize it with photos, rather than my usual rambling words!

I'm president of the University of Bristol windsurfing club this year, so spent a bit of time running that with the rest of the committee, we've got lots of keen members so that's good.

Went to Stokes Bay for the last event of the UKWA National Championship series and got crowned Raceboard National Champion. Thanks to Tushingham Sails and Starboard boards for supporting me, and making the best allround raceboard kit. The only sail I used this season was the Tushingham XR Race 9.5, in winds of 4-20 knots.

2014 UKWA National Raceboard Champion and Inland Champion! Photo by Ross Morris

Fun wednesday afternoon wave session at Lyme Regis, full power 4.7, practicing table tops.

Went to Aussie Kiss XIII (Student Windsurfing festival), and had lots of fun! Bristol got 3rd in the Team racing, I got 2nd in the Freestyle with a bit of flat water looping.

University of Bristol Windsurfing club at AK13. Photo by Adam Shoreland

Vulcan in the Freestyle final at Aussie Kiss. Photo by Claire Glasby

Photo by Antonis Kyparissis

Competed in the BWA Cornwall Classic wave competition at Gwithian.

Photos by Mel Splashography.

Did pretty badly in the competition but had my best ever session downwind of the competition area, logo high down the line, perfect on my 4.7 Rock :)

Done a bit of race coaching with the Cornish Techno team. They're getting faster, watch out world!

Bristol and UWE hosted an SWA event: took a bit of organising, but worth it, amazing weekend and everyone had fun, it wasn't that windy though. I got 3rd in Freestyle, 1st in Racing, and Bristol got 1st and 3rd in the team racing.

Light-wind freestyle with the Tushingham Bolt 4.5. Photo by Lizzie Walsh

Won the first event of the SWA wave series!! Really happy to win my first wave contest in really tricky onshore conditions. Landed a forward in the final, got a few nice backside and frontside waves, a few floaty jumps and almost killed myself with a one-footed tabletop.

Then there were two windy lecture free wednesdays in a row, had some amazing starboard tack down the line conditions in South Wales.

Photos by Ben Bulson

Then the week after, the forecasted wind didn't turn up to Bigbury, but still had some fun.

Played Saxophone at a "wake-up" early morning rave in Bristol.

Had a really fun 4.7 freestyle session at Weymouth, getting my vulcans pretty consistent on both sides, looping of flatter water, landed my first spock. Decided I like freestyle, the Starboard Kode FSW 86 is a great board for learning these kind of moves: fast and compact but funner for blasting and easier in chop and better at carving than a real freestyle board.

Then came home, windsurfed a lot. Freestyle at Torpoint, landed my first grubby and got close to some spocks, looped off even flatter water. Cross on starboard tack jumping and riding at Bigbury. Port tack wobble and ride sideshore logo high Gwithian. And finally got out on my raceboard, feeling so motivated for the 2015 racing season, I might even take it to uni with me and do some training!

Tomorrow looks like perfect Siblyback conditions for freestyle and high wind race training, can't wait!