"in training"
It's been a while since I wrote on my blog except for event reports, which is a shame as I like writing. I've been busy. With windsurfing? Kind of, although it doesn't feel like I've done a lot of it.
Waiting for racing at Datchet. Photo by Oscar Williams.
I'll try and think back to February, when I last wrote on here. After coming back from winning the SWA wave event at Rhosneigr with yet another broken board, I managed a really fun session at Trecco with some uni friends, and some nice wave riding at Horton with Sara Kellett and the locals.
Clew-first cutback in onshore conditions at Rhosneigr. Photo by Jim Brooks-Dowsett.
Then there was a long period without much wind or waves. However, I made the trip to Oxford to race with the London Windsurfing Association in some pretty cold conditions. It was great to get back out on my raceboard and have some fun racing with Lewis Barnes, Rob Kent, and lots of other people! I somehow managed to win back more than my entry fee in the form of wine, so if nothing else, that may entice me back next winter!
My video from the LWA icebreaker at Farmoor.
After what seemed like ages, the wind returned for the easter weekend, but I was stuck trying to coach children in very strong winds at Weymouth! I was very unhappy, just because I'd not had a good windsurf for weeks, and now I prevented from windsurfing myself. I was pretty close to wanting to quit coaching. My grump past though, and I've not quit coaching! I do actually really enjoy it, I find it very rewarding, and love seeing the kids improve, have fun on the water, and then see them during the summer having a great time in the races. I've been assisting Ali Yates with the South and West Welsh squad this winter, and it's been amazing to see the progression of the sailors, and even nicer to see just how much they love windsurfing! With Ali now in a full time job in north Wales, it looks like I'll be looking after the S/W welsh squad next winter. I feel like I've got a lot to live up to!
Some waves in east Cornwall. Photo by Laura Mottram.
I finally got back out in some wave conditions in April. First, a 2 hour mission through terrible traffic from Bath to Trecco for some really fun cross shore wave riding. Then a wet and windy session at Seaton in Cornwall, which is the closest wave spot to my home, but it needs an ESE or SE'ly, so doesn't work very often. The waves were pretty messy, but there was a good crowd out, and I landed some of my cleanest ever back loops. I just need to work on more height, and more control. After another month without a wave session, I had a tiny light wind offshore day at Bigbury, a slightly windier day of tiny waves at the rock garden, and most recently, a really fun 4.2 cross-on session at Trecco. I started trying takas, got back into tabletops, and keep working on my backloops. Pushloops next, and getting my confidence back with stalled forwards.
A video clip from my two wave sessions in early April.
I’ve been studying for the MRes year of my PhD program, and had the opportunity to do some really interesting research at the universities of Bath and currently, Bristol. I really like chemistry research, and I’m enjoying it far more than my undergrad. However, it’s hard to get in loads of windsurfing sessions. Until now, I’ve been in Cornwall at this time of year, making it easy to windsurf any spare minute. However, for me to get an after-work windsurf living in Bristol, I need to drive for well over an hour through terrible traffic. I’ve had a couple of nice after work wave and raceboard sessions though. I really wanted to compete in the first event of the BWA wave tour in Rhosneigr this year, but in the end I couldn’t go, I was just too tired after working like crazy for a deadline. It was so gutting to miss out, even though the conditions looked pretty marginal at best.
Cruising on the rail. Photo by John Liddy.
The racing season got underway at the end of April with some great racing in a mixture of light, shifty, and consistent medium conditions at Christchurch, then some more light and shifty winds at Rutland, and even more light and shifty wind at Datchet! I’m feeling confident and fast in these conditions, and I’ve done a bit of training in stronger wind as well. I think my speed is ok in the strong winds, but it always takes a bit of time for me to feel comfortable in these conditions.
Close racing. Photo by John Liddy.
I’m supposed to be training for the Raceboard European Championships in Brest, France at the end of August. There’s a good crowd of us going from the UK, so it’ll be a lot of fun. But how’s the training going? Well, I’ve been riding my bike a bit, mostly just commuting but also the odd long evening ride. Occasionally I do some exercises to strengthen my core and upper body, not as much as I probably should to. And on the windsurfing side, well, rather than not sailing raceboard at all and wavesailing sometimes (like in the winter), I wavesail hardly at all, and take my raceboard out occationally. So, I don’t feel like I’ve done as much training as I thought I might. Reminds me why I’m not trying to be a pro windsurfer, I just don’t do the whole athlete thing, I just like windsurfing and racing for fun, and doing loads of other fun interesting things as well. Anyway, I feel confident and motivated, the UKWA events are great training, and every time I compete I learn something new, and get a little bit better.
Working off the start line. Photo by Oscar Williams.
One last thing. You may have heard that Tushingham will stop making sails this year, and just be a distributor (Severne, Starboard, Red paddle, Radz, Aeron). It’s pretty sad news, especially as the Tushingham XR-Race is such an amazing all-round raceboard sail. I found the sail design aspect really interesting, and wish I was around on the team back when they were developing the raceboard sail. We had some ideas about how to improve the low end of the sail to help in light wind inland conditions and for heavier riders. So, I suppose I’m a Severne team rider now. I’ve not got any Severne sails yet, but I look forward to trying the Severne raceboard sail once they arrive in the UK. However, I’ll be using the Tushingham XR-Race at the European championships. It’s what I’m used to, and it’s too late to get tuned up on a different sail.
Back loop.
