National Windsurf Festival

This weekend was the National Windsurf Festival and it was a huge success. It brings together the whole of UK windsurfing onto one beach. Beginners, pros, racers, wave sailors, freestylers... The main event is a the 300+ master blaster. Pros and freeriders start together off the beach, pros do 2 laps, freeriders just 1. It means that everyone is out on the water at the same time, fighting against everyone else. So much fun. Plus there are junior races and night windsurfing too. This year we did night tag racing with the juniors which was a lot of fun. I was partnered with James (who finished 2nd in the juniors) and bascially he did the first lap, then I jumped on his gear and did the second lap. Only problem was his sail was a 3.8! Ben Profit had a 3.5 and we were pumping around the course with our booms around our knees! The pro night race didn't go to well, definitely needed a raceboard for that. The slalom went a bit better and I finished 4th, just off the podium, but it was a fair result since I was counting 4x 4th places! As a team RRD did really well. We were 2nd in the Team Tag race, I think we had 4 guys in the top 10 of the slalom, and 3 of the 4 freestyle finalist were on RRD too. Best thing about the whole weekend was seeing so many friends. Their were people there from almost every walk of windsurfing life. Guys from Brogborough lake where I learnt, friends from Uni, friends from the old racing days, plus loads of new freestyle kids that I didn't really know before. (the pic is actually from last years event, but you get the idea.. Lots of people, great mix of old and new gear... just great fun really).

Now I am about to leave for Klitmoller. Boujma is with me and after hopefully getting a sail in the UK somewhere today, we are off on the ferry tonight. Cant wait... first continental road trip in ages.