Pwllheli race report

August bank holiday weekend this year, like last year, meant venturing to the Lleyn peninsular in north Wales for two days of racing in the fantastic venue that is Pwllheli. I've written mostly about the Raceboard fleet because I know a bit more about what happened than in the other fleets. Unfortunately, there were only 9 raceboards, why don't all these inland sailors come to race with us on the sea? It is so much fun!

The UKWA camp at Abererch Sands Holiday Park

Moderate NW winds were forecast for Saturday, and we ended up with a rather gusty and shifty 11-18 knots all day (and sunshine, which makes all the difference!). This made for some really fun high speed planing races, with lots of tactical decision making as the shifty gusts came down the race course from the beach.

As usual, Mark Kay and Tom Naylor were flying upwind in the Raceboard fleet, but my upwind speed seemed to have improved since Weymouth, so I managed to hold them off most of the time. One person that nobody stood a chance of holding off upwind was Tom Dryden whose devastating speed, combined with solid tactics and good starts made him the one to beat upwind. However, we also have to race back downwind, and it was myself and Mark Kay who had the best overall speed around the course, taking 1st and 2nd in each race respecively, except for the first race, where Tom Naylor took 2nd (+ a 2 point penalty for forgetting his tally). Rob Kent was fast and consistent as always, but not quite fast enough to finish higher than 3rd in these planing conditions. Every time I saw Lewis Barnes on the first beat, he was flying, and his downwind sailing is improving all of the time, all he needs to do now is string some solid races together. It was difficult to get tactics right, sometimes a nice gust would come the course by the beach accompanied with wind shift that could be advantageous both upwind and downwind. I pulled tonnes of distance off Mark on one downwind by going there, yet on another upwind, Lewis almost overtook me with a broken harness line because I went that way! The shifts also made laylines difficult, in one race, me and Tom had to get the daggerboard up and reach to the windward mark!

Mark Kay, by Andy Watkinson

Sunday morning was rather relaxed, as we waited for the light easterly breeze to become race-able. After a load of rain, the wind swung to the south and quickly built to 11-14 knots: perfect, if choppy. It was still a bit shifty, and the start line turned very port bias during the last minute, allowing Tom Naylor to make a killer port flyer, with the rest of the fleet who started by the boat sat behind me on starboard. I won the first race, then Mark Kay then put his boom a bit higher and sailed a perfect race to win the next, before the wind dropped in the last race allowing me to win again. Rob was looking forward to a lightwind race, but didn't do enough to get ahead of Mark, crucially allowing Tom Naylor to take 3rd overall in the Raceboard fleet by just 1 point.

Pic by John Liddy

In the RSX fleet, Matthew Barton was the only 9.5 and won all the races, but not without a fight, as the 8.5's snapped at his heals, especially in the gusty shifty conditions that make upwind legs really tricky when trying to go off the fin formula style. Lewis May convincingly won 1st youth, only letting James Hatcher and Henry Bloodworth past him in a couple of races.

It was a close battle at the front of the Techno Fleet, and in the end, it was Andrew Brown who edged ahead of Josh Carey, who was racing on 7.8 for the first time. James and Ben Barnwell were racing in the new "Techno+" 8.5 open class, and took 3rd and 4th, whilst 5th placed Adam Phipps was 3rd 7.8. Isaac Lines was 1st 6.8. It was impressive to see such consistent results from the top techno sailors: not easy in such gusty shifty conditions.

Jason Clarke sailed an impressive series of races to win the formula fleet ahead of Jamie Ingram (former RSX and Raceboard star), who was impressively fast despite rarely racing at all these days. It looked like a fantastic weekend for formula racing, and Gustavo Takiguchi was 1st youth in this his second formula event.

This event also saw a masterblaster fleet enjoying 11 races off the beach, with Mike Blackgrove taking the win by just 1 point from Ted Kay.

Full results
UKWA National Championships, ranking so far...

Results summary:

Raceboard

1 Louis Morris (1st lightweight) Tushingham/Starboard
2 Mark Kay (1st heavyweight and 1st master) Demon/Starboard
3 Tom Naylor (1st veteran) Tushingham/Starboard
7 Harriet Ellis (1st lady) Demon/Starboard
8 John Pete (1st super veteran) Demon/Starboard

Formula

1 Jason Clarke Patrik/Severne
2 Jamie Ingram (1st National 11m) Gaastra/Starboard
3 Dave Coles (1st veteran) Starboard/Severne
4 Chris Bond (1st master) Point-7 sails/Gaastra board
7 Gustavo Takiguchi (1st Youth) North/Starboard

Techno

1 Andrew Brown (1st 7.8)
2 Josh Carey (2nd 7.8)
3 James Barnwell (1st 8.5)
8 Erin Watson (1st 7.8 girl)
16 Isaac Lines (1st 6.8)
18 Mollie Densley-Robins (1st 6.8 girl, 3rd 6.8 overall)

RSX

1 Matthew Barton
2 Lewis May (1st youth 8.5)
3 James Hatcher
8 Natalie McWilliams (1st lady)

Master Blaster

1 Mike Blackgrove
2 Ted Kay
3 Marcus Round

Mountains, Bridlington, Polkerris and Weymouth

I've not been so good at updating my blog lately, but a lot has happened.

For a start there was the second round of the UKWA national championship series at Bridlington. The forecast was looking pretty awful to be honest, but we got two good races in on Saturday morning; one in fairly strong wind, and one in marginal wind. I'd been doing a little bit of training before the event, and I felt a lot faster upwind than I did at Whitwell. Combined with some good downwind speed, I won both races by quite a margin. Another race was started, but the wind disappeared completely and although it teased us on Sunday, it was never consistent or steady enough for racing, although good light wind training.

Bridlington results:
1. Louis Morris (Tushingham)
2. Robert Kent (Tushingham)
3. Mark Kay (Demon)
4. Tom Naylor (Tushingham)

After that I finished off my placement in St Andrews, and went on holiday for a week, hiking in the west of Scotland (Knoydart, Skye and Glen Coe).

Then I came home to Cornwall and resumed work as a watersports instructor, now at Polkerris Beach instead of Siblyback. Got out for some fun freeride and freestyle.

Photo taken by Bob Shillito

Photo taken by Chris Bilkey

Then I went to Weymouth for the 3rd event of the UKWA national championship series. The conditions were almost perfect all weekend, with sunshine and 8 races in 10-20 knots. I hadn't been training since Bridlington, and felt slow upwind in the gusts, but fast downwind, and occasionally fast upwind (in the lulls). However Mark Kay and Tom Naylor really put the pressure on and frequently sailed straight past me upwind. In my efforts to regain the lead, I made lots of silly mistakes: got my laylines all wrong, dropped a gybe, crashed into Mark and broke his batten at the windward mark etc. The event win went right down to the last race, with me and Mark on tied points. I got a good start, but tacked a bit too early then caught
some weed, then tacked too early again, then my hand slipped off the boom gybing downwind and I couldn't catch up! I settled for 2nd (the first time I've lost a national event since June 2012), but I have plenty of time before the next event to do some training and get my racing head back on. I also plan to rig my sail correctly if it is windy next time (I'd forgotten how long my boom should be and didn't have enough outhaul).

Photo by Paul Wright

Tom Naylor was super quick upwind on his Tushingham XR-Race, Rob Kent was super quick downwind on his, and I was quick enough on mine to almost make up for my mistakes! Well done to Mark for winning, I'll be back on top next time!

Weymouth results:
1. Mark Kay (Demon)
2. Louis Morris (Tushingham)
3. Tom Naylor (Tushingham)
4. Rob Kent (Tushingham)

Inland Regional Series 2 and the legendary Rutland Marathon

All of the photos were taken by John Liddy, there's loads more of them via here.

The second event of the UKWA Inland Regional Series was hosted by the Midlands region at Whitwell on Rutland water. At times, the forecast was looking pretty awful, but in the end, we got some nice wind on both days, a lot of rain on Saturday, some sun on Sunday, and a new record for the marathon.

Rob York won the RSX fleet

Saturday morning was a bit cold and wet (I chose the wrong wetsuit), but the wind was ok, easterly 7-10 knots so marginal for most. Unfortunately a big black cloud turned up so we got sent in for an early lunch in cas of thunder.

After a lot of rain and wind shift, 3 further races were completed in a very gusty and shifty SSE wind for Techno, Raceboard and RSX. The Formula fleet were out training most afternoon, but it was too gusty for them to race.

All action in the Techno fleet: won by Andy Brown

The tactical conditions suited Guy Spreckly who spent plenty of time in front of the usual top 3 raceboards, I certainly got my tactics wrong a few times. After his first UKWA podium at Christchurch, young Lewis Barnes was also looking dangerous, especially upwind.

Mark Kay: 2nd raceboard in control of me off the startline

On Sunday, it was windier, sunnier, and generally fun! Still very gusty and shifty though, with a "P" course (upwind with a downwind slalom) giving some exciting action at the gybe marks. 

In the RSX fleet, Cameron Coghill and Lewis May had been giving the 9.5's (Matt Barton and Rob York) a hard time on Saturday, but Rob took control on Sunday to win the RSX fleet.

Youth Raceboards: Robin and Aidan

The Techno fleet was very closely fought, with mixed results for many, as it was a struggle to be consistent in both the light winds on Saturday and the strong winds on Sunday. In the end, Andy Brown just snatched the win from Matthew Carey, whilst Josh Carey convincingly won the 6.8's and Alice Read was first girl.

Chris Bond dominated the Formula fleet, winning 3 of the 4 full power races completed on Sunday. I can't find any photos though, sorry!

Marathon start

Mark Kay beat me in both the windy races, I almost held on to him upwind, but on the reaches, he just found another gear, a smaller fin helped me win the last race. Never mind, I won the event anyway. Annette Kent was first Lady, and Robin McAllister used his impressive upwind speed in the strong winds to take first youth ahead of Aidan Liddy and Emily Kent.

It was great to see the juniors having some great fun racing and training with Ali Yates.

The Marathon was great fun, and was a charity race for "Action for Children". The wind was a little light in places, but the direction meant that most of it was planing and reaching, which lead to Ross Williams 48 min record being smashed by Chris Bond in 43 minutes, with Lee Marrs taking 2nd on Slalom gear, and myself a couple of minutes behind in 3rd. Interesting to see the three different board types coming out almost even in the end!

Big shiny marathon trophies!

The next event of the Inland series is at Farmoor (Oxford) on June 7th-8th, and the next event of the National Championship series is at Bridlington on 21st-22nd June. Keep an eye out for news, and hopefully see you there!

Event results summary:

Juniors:

1st 4.5: Zoe Basset

1st 5.8 Junior: James Bulson

1st 5.8: Maya Wylie

Techno:

1st Andy Brown

2nd Matt Carey

3rd Zed Spencer-Milnes

1st 7.8 girl Alice Read (6th overall)

1st 6.8 boy Josh Carey (7th overall)

1st 6.8 girl Mollie Densley-Robins (20th overall)

RSX:

1st Robert York

2nd Cameron Coghill (first youth)

3rd Lewis May

Formula:

1st Chris Bond (Point-7 sails/Gaastra board)

Raceboard:

1st Louis Morris (Tushingham/Starboard)

2nd Mark Kay (first heavyweight, first master) (Demon/Starboard)

3rd Robert Kent (Tushingham/Starboard)

1st Veteran, Guy Spreckley (4th overall) (Demon/Starboard)

1st Super veteran, John Pete (7th overall) (Demon/Starboard)

1st Lady, Annette Kent (8th overall) (Tushingham/Starboard)

1st Youth, Robin McAllister (10th overall) (Tushingham/Starboard)

Full results here

Marathon results summary:

1st Chris Bond

2nd Lee Marrs

3rd Louis Morris

Full Results here

Blog o' Clock again!

Been a while.

I have decided to use less words and more pictures, and I have pictures this time!

Been in the mountains a lot, did my 80th Munro the other weekend.

And I got a camera for my Birthday, hence pictures below:

Cairngorms:

Ben Cruachan with mum, visited my brother Owen in Taynuilt as well

The Mamores (near Fort William)

The Grey Corries (also near Fort William)

Went on an epic trip to Islay with Antoine from Endinburgh. 4 hours driving from St Andrews and a ferry, we camped in the sand dunes and windsurfed all day in clean shoulder-overhead high cross off down the line 4.7! Very gusty but I was on the Tushingham Rock: that sail isn't bothered if it is a gust or a lull!

Antoine (by me):

Me (by Antoine):

Then the weekend after that I went to Rhosneigr for the first event of the BWA (British wavesailing) tour. Was, plenty of wind and waves, but tricky sometimes. I used everything from 3.9 and 74l to 5.2 and 86 Port tack Saturday, Starboard tack Sunday. Had a shocker in the single elimination, but came back in the double to get =9th, think there was 16 or so of us. No pics. Broke my wave fin at Rhossy, so used a big 26cm freewave fin, worked fine.

Got home, chopped up my wave fin into a freestyle fin, used blu tack instead of a fin bolt (US box, so it couldn't fall out completely), and then went and landed my first vulcans after work at West Sands St Andrews on Starboard Kode FSW 86 and Tushingham Edge 5.2 woop woop!

Next weekend I'm off to Rutland for the 2nd event of the UKWA Regional Inland series. My first time on a Raceboard since January and first time racing since the worlds last September. Should be interesting, forecast looks rainy and light winds, cant' wait!

Jazz time in St Andrews now, see ya!

Why I love windsurfing...

Thanks to Austin Davies for sending me this photo of a (crashed) loop attempt at Daymer bay in December.

This short video clip doesn't contain any amazing action, but pretty well encompasses two things I love about windsurfing: going fast and jumping! (also by Austin Davies)

Tuning the Tushingham XR Race

I have made a tuning guide for the Tushingham XR Race. Watch this video to help you get the best performance out of this sail!

Top tip: let your outhaul off and pump downwind! (pic Paul Wright)

I wished for a windy Christmas...

I couldn't really believe my luck! I flew south from Scotland on the 20th of December, the conditions had been looking pretty sweet in Cornwall for a couple of weeks, surely the wind would disappear as soon as I arrived?

Actually, no, the wind disappeared the day after I flew back to Scotland haha!

It was really nice to be back home with my family and everything, not just windsurfing but also enjoying the outdoors near my house and playing a lot of music with my parents and siblings (it seems I am the official accompanist, so lots of sight reading for me!).

My sponsors had very kindly agreed to lend me a set of wave kit whilst I was in Cornwall - then I didn't have to drive my kit down or try and get it on the train.

So the day after I got back, I packed my wetsuit into my Overboard dry bag, drove west, and I headed out at The Bluff in cross off, float and ride. Maybe I got there a bit late for the tide, the wave wasn't massive but pretty close outy. 5 minutes later I took a wave on the head whilst trying to water start, and snapped the mast and broke the 4.7, oops! At least my car keys stayed dry in my Overboard case!

Luckily (thank you for ever!) I got a new mast, and was able to sail in 4.2 weather every session! The 4.2 Rock is a pretty grunty sail with a quite wide downhaul and outhaul range so it was fine, especially with the magic Starboard Kode wave 77, which planes in nothing, stays controlled even when I can barely hang onto the sail, goes fast upwind, and for wave riding is, well... slashy and slidey! Actually it took some getting used to because I'm used to a bit of an old(ish) single fin, and the Kode slides the top turn really easily, I just had to adjust my bottom and top turning styles (if you could call my turns a "style", I'm a bit of a shoddy waverider).

Anyway, I had some really nice sessions at Wonwell/Mothecombe in Devon. Just up the coast from Bigbury, it is a perfect storm spot in a S-SWly, being in a shallow esturary, at high tide, the waves break gently and you can go further out for bigger ones.

Also Marazion for Starboard tack cross on, fun, but actually harder than I expected to line up a nice ramp. I sailed for too long on that session and missed the tide for The Bluff, which looked like it had been really good when I got there. I still managed to get some waves at the rivermouth though so that was fun.

And Daymer! I love Daymer bay! I forgot how good it was. I had two sessions there, the first was perfect, a bit gusty, but most of the time full power 4.2, head high set waves, cross/cross on port tack, sunshine, with loads of other people out. I watched the King brothers stomping backloop after backloop, and tried some myself, rotated either too much or too little, but hey, I guess I've got to start somewhere, and actually, I'm feeling a lot more confident with my jumping now that I actually just go for it. My port tack forwards feel pretty dodgy though, think I need to bring the rig more across me, the movement feels more automatic on starboard for some reason.

Not forgetting the Raceboard! Most of the time it was a bit too windy, and when it wasn't there was nothing! I had two sessions at Torpoint: one in 0-2 knots and one in 3-9 knots, and one session at Siblyback in 5-16 knots. Raceboarding is fun, and I can still just about sail with a 9.5 sail and 377cmx67cmx260 litre board, so that is encouraging for the Race season 3 months away!

Keep an eye out for my tuning video for the Tushingham XR Race racing sail very soon.
Also, I've changed my website around a bit. Click on the "Website Home" button at the top of this page, go on, you know you want to!

Pictures by Sue Walker