.

A few photos from this weekend at Daymer...

2012-01-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

A couple of photos from Hylton when we sailed Daymer this weekend. We were hoping for some good port tack jumping, but the wind died a little so instead we had some float and ride over the far side. These were from the beginning of the session when it was just about windy enough for a 4.2. Not epic, but good to get out!

Stoked to be Sponsored by NoLimitz Masts!

2012-01-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

I have been using NoLimitz masts for a while now and have been really impressed by their toughness, feel and durability. I am really pleased to have joined their team and will now use their masts all the time! They are handmade in America, with 3 mast types available. Their website is: 'NoLimitz'. I am looking forward to trying out my new masts this weekend!

Surfing Godrevy

2012-01-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we took the van down to Godrevy and surfed Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was offshore, but the swell wasn't meant to be very big, so I didn't have any high expectations. I took my Adams 6'4'' board and it was really fun, about up to head high and peeling nicely.

Sunday the swell was much better, but the offshore wind stronger. We debated whether to windsurf on the South, but thought there wouldn't be many waves there and the waves at Godrevy were looking really nice! Plus the fact, it was about 5 degrees and South Easterly-I thought my hands would go numb in an instant windsurfing but surfing I could wear 5mm gloves! So we stuck at Godrevy, taking our time to get in at mid to low tide, though perhaps we should have gone in earlier when it was less windy?!
So it was offshore, over head high and peeling right down the line, the trouble was, you had to take off super late, otherwise the wind would blow you back off the top. You also couldn't see anything when taking off-it was like being in a storm cloud! Anyway, I took my Deviant 5'10'' which was perfect for ducking the bigger waves, and for the first time the Go Pro on the front-so here are the stills and a little video of slow motion ducking!

Hylton taking off:

Bit late!

Nice and clean...

Stef taking off:

You can just about see Stef's head dropping through the lip:

A bad still of me on a wave-the spray was ridiculous so didn't really make any good shots. My best two waves I mucked up and put the GoPro on timer!

Hylton, Stef and my sister Ruth:

Forgot to add: After surfing, on the way home, my toes swelled up, went very red and became the itchiest thing I have ever experienced in my life!! I couldn't concentrate or sit still! Chill blanes apparently, though why I haven't had these before I have no idea, my feet have gone very numb before... Anyway, I ended up putting anti itch mosquito cream on them I was so desperate, and sat in the bath having self diagnosed off the internet to put cold water, hot water, cold water, hot water etc on them... It then came back the next day at work-uh oh! Got some cream at lunch and it seems to be ok now. Hope it doesn't happen again!

Ski Video!

2012-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

So here it is, our ski and snowboard video from Andorra. As I said, not amazing conditions but we made the most of what was there! Hopefully you like it!

Sarah Bibby and Stef Hilder Skiing and Boarding in Andorra 2011 >>

Had a good surf on Sunday in turquoise water in deepest darkest Cornwall! First time I have surfed in a couple of months as I had my eyes done, and I surprised myself-I wasn't as rusty as I thought I would be! So good not to be wearing contacts-it was fairly heavy for its size and I got squashed to the floor occaisionally! Also managed to duck dive and then squash my head on my board and crack my neck which was scary, but it seems to be ok! It did highlight how fit I need to be for Chile though, you forget you are launching yourself into doing at least 5 hours exercise a day for 3 weeks when you barely do a couple of hours every few days here. And its big and heavy there... So lots of gym and climbing during the week and surfing/windsurfing at the weekends!

Skiing in Andorra

2012-01-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

I had a great Christmas back home with my family, it was the biggest Christmas in a long time with my 3 sisters, brother in law, boyfriend, gran and her friend! On boxing day morning me and Stef got an early flight to Arinsal, Andorra for a holiday with Neilson. The snow in the Pyrenees wasn't great, it had had one dump and then rained just before we went, so we decided to head on a 40 minute bus ride to Arcalis instead of skiing Arinsal where we were based. The lift pass still covered it and the snow was much better there as it was a bowl rather than a face (and less slushy!). We skiied a few days there but for advanced skiers it was a little small. We headed to Gran Valira for a day instead, the other resort in Andorra, and it was sooooo much bigger! Gutted! (Should have paid more attention when booking!) The forecast was for a little more snow and then some rain, so we ended up paying for another day lift pass and a taxi to the other resort, which was much higher. Windy, but we found some powder! We had an amazing time though, even meeting up with an old uni friend, Ed Sinclair, for New Years which was great-we didn't even know we were in the same resort! I wouldn't go back to Arinsal skiing again, as it was too small for us, but Gran Valira was pretty good. It was partly due to the lack of snow though, as a few pistes were closed and crucially the lift to the other resort Pal too, which would have increased the area, its probably pretty good with a lot more snow!

So there is my review of Andorra's skiing if you could be bothered to read it! I don't want to paint a bad picture of Andorra though, it had some advantages: Very little people on the slopes-in fact the least busy resort I have been to; tax free-so less expensive than all French resorts; and much cheaper lift passes! Still, we had some really fun days and a little powder, making the most of what was there! We did go pretty early in the season, so I can't complain about the snow too much! I will put out a small video soon, but for now some photos!

In the water again at Whitsands!

2011-12-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

I was so keen to get in the water again this weekend! 5 weeks out of the water and I couldn't wait for a session no matter the weather! Though it felt cold with NW winds I was pretty surprised how warm it was (with suit, boots and hood!). Whitsands has real potential for an amzing down the line place, but it needs a good wind due to the rip and some south swell. It is a mission walking down and up the cliff though, I still have a badly pulled shoulder from the walk carrying my rig up the cliff! Its like Highcliff on steroids! Anyway the session wasn't great due to the complete lack of wind (it was coming and going), and the rip taking away any wind there was! But it was nice to be out with the sun setting. Here are some go pro shots from the headcam:

Finally, a bit late coming, but a pic of the new Simmer Icons, they are awesome and light!

Next week I am off skiing to Andorra, I can't wait! Merry Christmas everyone!

Bigbury photos

2011-12-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

More photos of other people! It seems this past month the wind and the waves have not stopped coming while I sacrificed, though everyone knows someone has to for a good forecast! So I took photos at Whitsands one weekend, then the following weekend I ran up and down the cliffs at Bigbury while everyone surfed, and this weekend took pictures of a pretty fun looking cross on session at Bigbury! Jealous! I also went to the student windsurf event party in Exeter, which was epic! So here are some photos of Stef and Will Rodgers at Bigbury on Saturday. There was about 20 guys and girls out, nice to see! Looking forward to getting back on the water soon!

Also, here is the official Franklin and Marshall and Puravida BWA Wave competition video in Cornwall from Boardseeker.com!

New Eyes!

2011-11-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

Wow-I can see amazingly! I've had my surgery, and my eyes are now 20:20 in my right and better in my left! Absolutely incredible! I had it done at Centre for Sight in Kent, so a bit of a trek from Plymouth. They gave me a sedative before to calm me down and some anaesthetic eye drops, and luckily some happy squeezy balls to squeeze while I was having it done! The worst part was the rings they push into your eyes to hold them open while they are lasered-there is quite a lot of pressure and its pretty uncomfortable. I couldn't feel the laser at all though, just a faint smell of burning eye, nice! It also worryingly sounded like a tattoo pen! The process was over in 5-10 minutes though and then I got given some funky goggles which I have to wear for a month in bed and for the first 24 hours to stop me rubbing my eyes and disloging the flap they had cut. I have lots of drops to put in and can't go in the water for a month, so this weekend I took photos of Stef and Doug surfing at Whitsands:

Stef:

Doug:

A bodyboarder:

My sisters came and visited for the weekend too which was really good, so we ended up playing around with funny photos on the beach!

News, Polzeath and Laser eye surgery...

2011-11-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

After the Gwithian event, a guy called Sam Fleet has made it his personal mission to get me as much publicity as possible! Its good for me but even better for the sport-windsurfing is not very well known, so the more it is put out there the more people will find out what its all about! So I had my radio interview, have been in a couple of local papers, and also had my first ever BBC news article on their site! Thanks Sam!

I also went to an XSWA event at Polzeath, where about 50 x-students gathered to do our own Aussie Kiss and celebrate the SWA. Awesome party and some nice clean but small surfing at Polzeath. Rob Nunan's photo of me catching a small wave:

Finally-I am having my eyes lasered on Friday! So things will be a bit quiet as I have to have 4 weeks off the water, after which I think it is time to go skiing! yay!

Oh, and another thing-I'm on the Radio!!

2011-11-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

Quick one: I am on BBC radio Devon tomorrow morning at 0630, early I know but I start work at 0730! Its with Gordon Sparks. Tune into 103.4 FM or 95.7 FM if you want to listen to me chat about windsurfing!

UK Wave Champion 2011!

2011-11-01T13:21:00.001-07:00

Lots to report! So having not windsurfed for a while due to wind not coinciding with time of work, and getting a black eye from hitting my cheekbone with my surfboard pretty hard, I finally got a couple of really good windsurf sessions in!

First, at Aussie Kiss last weekend, a massive 500+ strong student crowd that gathers every year in Bude Holiday park and Roadford Reservoir. I spent Saturday at the lake holding a girls windsurf chat for FLOW with Jo Wright and Kirsty OCallaghan. There were about 25 girls, and I managed to convince one girl (Katarina) to do her first BWA comp at Gwithian last weekend! Success! We partied hard at the X-rated party then headed to Widemouth on Sunday in the SE winds and got 5 hours of gusty cross-off sailing and surfing in, it was pretty fun! We were exhausted afterwards!

Second windsurf: BWA Cornwall. There were a record amount of entrants, especially girls! 13 entered, with some convincing from Amy Carter in the pub on Friday! This is the most I have ever seen at a competition-in fact this is the same amount as was in PWA Gran Canaria this year! Conditions were good-cross off 4.2 weather with head to mast high waves at the end of the day. Unfortunately low tide brought some dumpy waves midday, but either side the riding was great. I had a bi on my first heat so only had two more heats and ended up coming 2nd to Lucy Robson-well done Lucy! I did well in my first heat but the second got windier and I was a bit overpowered on the wave, but it was fun all the same and great to see so many women into wavesailing! We went to the monsters ball on Saturday night then Sunday brought big waves but no wind. Thanks to Puravida, Franklin and Marshall and all the other sponsors and organisers!

All pics from Globalshots' Jay Haysey:
Gwithian BWA event:

The only windsurf shot of me I can find!

1st Lucy Robson, 2nd myself and 3rd Jo Wright:

Globalshots pics of a Franklin and Marshall sponsor shot! Pretty funny!

Firefly Energy Drinks sponsor:

The Chocolate Brownie Company sponsor, YUMMY!

So with a second in this event and first place in Ireland and Wales, it makes me Female UK Wave Champion 2011! I am very happy as I have trained hard this year!

More sunset surfs!

2011-10-11T14:13:00.001-07:00

These photos are from Gordon Allison taken at Crantock on a beautiful sunny evening a few weeks ago. Thanks Gordon!

Sunset Surfs

2011-10-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

So far, this autumn has been pretty good for surfing, I am getting out about twice during the week and most weekends surfing or windsurfing. The wind forecasts haven't really come through, hence I have done far more surfing than windsurfing. I have improved a fair bit over the past month and I'm really loving surfing at the moment! Mainly we have surfed Crantock/Newquay/Watergate after work until last week when a good SW swell came in and Whitsands worked pretty well with overhead waves rolling in. I have just bought a new 5'10 board off ebay so really looking forward to trying that when it next pumps!

Here are some photos from a guy called Nick Turley at Whitsands. His flickr site is here if you want to see his other shots. Thanks Nick!

Moved to Plymouth!

2011-09-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well its been a month since I got back from Fuerte, and I have been so busy travelling around the UK seeing family, going to weddings, moving to Plymouth and going to Cornwall! I am really happy to be living in Plymouth now, only an hour and a bit from some of the best waves in the UK. I have been making the most of the conditions before I start work as an engineer for Babcock on Wednesday, spending 5 days last week and this weekend at Mexico's and Godrevy.

Last weekend I surfed 3 days, nice head high offshore and mostly sunny. My foot is still sore as I can't put loads of pressure on the toes so I sat out on the windsurfing taking pictures of Stef and Ed, (see below).

Saturday we surfed Mexico's for about 4 hours-I came off the water dizzy as I had a cold and think it took it out of me! The waves were good though, a nice head and a half and clean. The others windsurfed but the wind was super up and down and it was hard work getting out! Yesterday was winder so me, Stef, Ed, SJ and Andy King (and another) had most of the beach to ourselves riding head high waves. The wind was gusty from nothing to planing but a really fun session! I had to make my straps really big so as not to press on the top of my foot as its pretty bruised still but it was fine otherwise!

Looks like the winter swells are coming in from the hurricanes so hopefully it should be a good autumn! I will surf and windsurf most weekends and after work when it looks good, as I finish at 3.45 every day, woop!!

Finally, a couple of pictures of our van, which thanks to Trago Mills (a massive shop down here that everyone raves about and seems to sell everything), we have made a second double bed/bench seat/table-so we can spend longer at the beach in comfort!!

Pozo and Fuerte video

2011-08-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

Here it is! We didn't quite get the jumping conditions in Fuerte we hoped for, in fact a lack of powered up sessions, hence less footage and more Go Pro stuff. Anyway I hope you enjoy it!

MPORA Action Sports >>

Back home and a damaged foot...

2011-08-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

So I am back home now after finally an amazing day sailing Lajas. Our last day we managed to sail about 3 hours in the morning with logo to mast sets rolling in and 4.2 to 3.4 weather cross offshore. Finally Lajas worked so that some of the waves came into the bay and you could get up to 8 or 9 turns on the wave! Unfortunately we had to leave early to get to the airport, but not before a keen few photos being taken-where I managed to crash an aerial and twist my right foot in the footstrap pretty bad. Its not as bad as I did my left foot a year ago but has still swollen up pretty bad-I hope it doesn't take ages to heal!
Anyway after a rather marginal Fuerte trip with not that many waves, and hardly any jumping as we wanted, this day made our trip and we went home happy (and limping..!). Here are the last of the photos, I will be getting a video out soon of Pozo and Fuerte combined.

Photos taken on the smaller waves in the bay as the break was too far away:

Elephant foot!

Stef playing on the inside:

Wind is back!

2011-08-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

After waiting about a week with no wind and not too much swell, the wind is finally back! Punta Blanca picks up wind swell pretty well so even though there isn't much about we have had some head to logo sessions, nothing too big yet! We had a good overpowered session the other evening on 4.7 where the wind blew in from nowhere. It was great until the tide forced us to come in unless we wanted urchin spines over our feet and bashed fins! I had another session at Punta doing some loops and trying backloops, so I am keen for a good session today to get them better! Yesterday we sailed the reef break again but the swell was too small for it to work and I was so stacked on 4.7 I couldn't have wave ridden if I'd wanted to! I practised vulcans and downwind 360s, vulcans aren't easy on a 68l board, it sinks immediately on sliding!

Punta Blanca:

Learning Backloops:

Downwind 360:

Trying to vulcan my 68l:

Very overpowered bottom turn on the tiny waves!

FLOW rider

2011-07-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

I am really happy to be part of Amy Carter's website For Ladies of Watersports (FLOW) riders. FLOW was created about a year ago with the aim of increasing the number of females in watersports by putting up various articles by ladies: training, fitness, competition and sport specific articles, and also organising various events for ladies to get into these sports. The riders section has a few riders from each sport's profile, with contact details and specific areas they would be happy to answer questions on. To see my profile visit this link and to see the other ladies profiles visit here. I hope you enjoy the website!

Lack of wind!

2011-07-26T04:11:00.001-07:00

So Fuerte isn't really windy at the moment, and by the look of the rest of the Canaries, neither are they. We have done a fair bit of surfing, but the waves are fairly small unless we go to onshore North shore. Yesterday we hired a SUP and paddled around which was a lot of fun! Lets hope the wind returns, Saturday is looking promising... We are off to Sotavento soon to see if there is some wind there, but I would prefer some waves!

Fuerteventura

2011-07-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

So we have been in Fuerte for over a week now and have had a mixed set of conditions. We are staying in Cotillo which is really great as we can check outside our front door to see the wind and the swell. The first few days we sailed Punta Blanca, we had waves from waist high to logo high, but always 4.7 weather for me, and sometimes underpowered, so the sessions have mainly been riding rather than jumping. We have also sailed Cotillo once, one hit wave/shorebreak but pretty fun, and a tiny reef break on the East of the island twice. This break is cross-off port tack riding, float and ride, really fun and great practise for my riding. Yesterday was a really fun day there, we need more swell like that or bigger! We also went to Sotavento and sailed centre 2, but I was on my 3.4 and 84l tempo, which was too big for the chop there and hard to do freestyle on, so I didn’t really enjoy my session. Today the wind was really light and Glass beach was really busy so we surfed Esquinzo-a fun beach break that was over head. The next week looks light with the swell dropping off, so more surfing and then maybe Sotavento again-but hopefully it will change!
The pictures below are from the reef break: me bottom turning around Stef sharing the wave; Punta Blanca; and the other is from John Carter: the girls on the PWA Pozo tour at the closing ceremony party.

13th in the World!

2011-07-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

The event is now over with an amazing show in the finals and semis by Philip Koster (1st), Victor Fernandez (2nd) and Dario Ojeda (3rd) in the guys and Daida Moreno (1st), Iballo Moreno (2nd) and Karin Jaggi (3rd) in the girls. The wind is still blowing 40-50 knots with the waves picking up to logo to mast on some sets so well done to them!

I had my double heat yesterday against Karin Jaggi at probably the windiest part of the day, about 50 knots! It was the hardest heat I have ever sailed and I felt so overpowered and out of control on my 3.4 Icon and 68l Quatro Rhythm! I just didn't have the kit for the heat and felt like I was being blown all over the place in the air! Anyway some girls had the same kit and we all managed to sail though very overpowered! My heat got off to a good start with a flat water forward straight away (I didn't actually realise how low a forward I did until I saw the photos!) I was afraid of doing them in that wind so I went of the tiniest ramp and still made it round! Followed by a table top (more like donkey kick) and a big jump. I struggled with my waves a little as whenever I went frontside I was so powered I couldn't hold on on the top turn and I struggled to turn my board tight. I did do some big airs though and some reasonable table top attempts, and also got a backside air. I did get really tired arms really quickly though due to the wind so I didn't have the strength to muscle the kit and I should have tried another bigger forward. I came away happy though, I did the best I could have done given the conditions and my kit and didn't mind losing to Karin who had better waves and bigger forwards, afterall she came 3rd overall!

Things I have learnt from doing the comp: Well definitely how to play safe in the heats, stay upwind first, take the smaller waves to get the points then go for the bigger ones downwind (first mistake made in my first heat). Also do lots and lots of jumps to make sure you get the best scoring ones. Get a custom! I will sort one out when I am back in the UK as it is definitely holding me back. I also need to work on my port tack jumping as I haven't really done much at all.

Landing the forward on my first run:

Donkey kick:

Backside hit:

Super windy!!

Backside air:

Overpowered frontside:

The double elimination draw:

Out to Laure Treboux!

2011-07-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

First heat against Laure Treboux: Well I am out! It didn't go too well either, I was at least hoping for a reasonable heat to go out in! All morning the wind was ok, a little light on the inside but nicely powered on the outside, 4.2 weather. So I de-powered my 4.2 and it should have been perfect, with about waist to maybe head high waves, but choppy and messy. Finally after being postponed for a long time the girls were up, our heat of four first: Laure v me and Silvia v Karin Jaggi. The wind dropped in our heat, and I really wasn't very powered. I struggled to find a wave, managed a straight jump, then took what was a nice head high wave from the outside. I did a nice backside hit but on coming down I landed on the whitewater and pretty much nose dived and wiped out. This would have been fine if there was wind to get out again, but I was on the rocks with no power and wasted loads of time trying to get out again! Finally I made it out but I was downwind where the wind strength was less and there was only a few minutes left. 2 jumps and 2 waves to count, 15 minute heat (which is long!) but I still managed to muck it up and I didn't even do a forward as I just wasn't too powered. Karin went in to change up a sail and I guess the others were powered as they stayed upwind. Lesson learnt-don't go for the big waves downwind at the beginning of the heat!! I have the double next, but I think I have Karin Jaggi, who came 3rd last year, so I am not having too much luck! I just hope I can redeem myself in my next heat and sail how I have been sailing recently! Anyhow, here are some photo stills from my heat and one from the PWA site I am guessing taken by John Carter?

The four girls:

The backside fall that made me spend most of the heat downwind!

Day 1 and 2, PWA Pozo

2011-07-06T08:09:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Really windy! I was going to be stacked on my 3.4 as a small French guy called Antoine was sailing his 2.8m! The waves were good too, logo to mast on the bigger sets, so the guys put on a pretty impressive show, with doubles, massive backloops and stalled forwards, forwards of the lip, nice wave 360s etc - you can imagine in about 40 knots of wind! The judges got through about 17 heats of the Mens single elimination before the wind got lighter and the waves backed off. I went out on 3.4 during the postponement but wasn't powered up. The ladies were meant to run after heat 20 but we never got that far!

Day 2: A late start after last nights opening ceremony, 11.30 skippers meeting. However this was postponed hour by hour until about 2pm they called off today for a 12.30 start tomorrow. The waves had backed right down to about knee to waist high and I was barely powered on my 4.7.

Tomorrow is looking unfortunately similar to today, but Friday is more windy anhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifd Saturday and Sunday are going to be nuts with big swell and really strong winds! I am up against PWA regular freestyler Laure Treboux, who has been doing PWA wave and freestyle for years so I need a lot of luck! I'll let you know how it goes!

Here is the link to day one's video on the front page of the pwa site:
PWA site

Entered PWA Pozo!

2011-07-02T03:50:00.001-07:00

After loads of time thinking 'Do I enter? Don't I?' Finally I have paid for the event, too late now I am doing it! I think it would be really good for me to enter and a great experience. As it wasn't really planned I have had to extend my stay in Pozo by 2 days and I will be missing the Tenerife event as we are off to Fuerte. No bad thing though, I have never sailed Tenerife. Here I will focus on sailing my best, I think I will be soooo nervous! If I don't come last I will be really happy for my first event.

As for training here it has been a little hard. Yesterday I was so tired I only managed to get on the water at 4 and it was so rammed I got a little angry as I couldn't practise anything I wanted to, especially going frontside! I also forgot that the next three days before the comp it is the spanish competition, so I don't think we can sail much now-or when we can everyone will go on the water... So not as much preparation as I wanted. However if I can pull together all the good moves I can do in one heat I should be ok (though this is unlikely under pressure!) We will see, I'll keep you updated!

Sore hands and full power 3.4!

2011-06-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

Back to normal Pozo again, windy all the time! I wake up so stiff and tired everyday but somehow make myself go out for a session or two! Todays was really good-it felt like everything I have been practising came together in one session. Finally landed a forward again, getting my frontside riding a lot better after struggling to get all the way round and I got some nice backside airs! (Still working on the shuv it technique though). All in all, a good day sailing and I have footage to proove it thanks to Stef! Looking forward to tomorrow! Here are some stills from the video:

Backside air:

Bit of frontside:

A forward:

More frontside:

P.S It is ALOT busier than it seems from these pics, I just happen to be close to the bunker!!

Pozo Day 1

2011-06-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Me and Stef arrived in Pozo after another lucky kit blag on to the Thomas Cook plane. £40 for 120kg (4 bags) worth of kit. Sweet! We also managed (with some dodgy spanish) to squeeze those four bags and us into basically a people carrier, with me squashed between the window and the bags. The taxi ride to Pozo was interesting, with the taxi driver talking spanish politics and wind turbines and telling us his grandfathers advice about the economic situation here. Needless to say, I didn't understand all of it.

Anyway, we are staying at La Ola-the little surf bar in town. We have the apartment to ourselves for now but two italians will be joining us soon. There has been a fog over Gran Canaria for I don't know how long, but it has made it extremely hot and killed the wind somewhat. So yesterday I managed one sail (with sorting out kit and food shopping etc). Nice waves for Pozo, but only 4.7 weather and sometimes a little light. I was just getting my sailing comfortable again here, so nothing special that session. Today the wind was light again, and I expected it to build, so we waited. About 4 it completely turned off so we got ready for a swim, then as soon as we came out it was back again. It was really on and off though with only about 5 people on the water at any one time, most floating around, so I ended up giving it a miss today. Tomorrow I will be on it whatever the conditions!!

Here are a couple of photos from Day 1. First a couple of backside photos, I am working on getting the sail lower and getting more vertical:

Our friend Mikey Clancy is here from Ireland. We shared a wave (unintentionally), him going frontside and me backside, not ideal! I ended up having to follow the wave in with his kit following me after he crashed, and ended up coming in too far down wind and having to walk up.

Looks like the wind will be back properly on Wednesday-bring on 3.4 sailing!

Witterings, and POZO!!

2011-06-19T04:08:00.000-07:00

About 5 weeks after Ireland has finished, I have windsurfed a total of 1 time. That's not due to the lack of wind-I have probably missed one of the windiest periods for a long time! But working in London everyday, various weddings, parties and birthdays have meant I have only got on the water once, yesterday, to East Wittering. It was a fun session, me and SJ, and quite a few other windsurfers and kiters. Cross-onshore starboard tack with waist to (occasionally) head mush really, 4.2 weather. Slightly different to the conditions I have been having abroad (I think I am getting spoilt!). I was a bit disappointed about the lack of riding-still managed some but the waves don't form in lines, more like chunks that form and reform-but that's witterings. The jumping was quite good though.

Anyway, it was great to get on the water again before my next trip, I've now saved all I need to go to Pozo for 2 weeks then Fuerte for 4! Really looking forward to it! Pozo will be really busy as there are 3 comps while we are there-Redbull rockets, Spanish competition and the PWA. I am not sure we timed it the best to sail there but it will be great to watch! In Fuerte we have a little apartment in Cotillo, so I am hoping for some good evening surfing as well. 2 more days of work then we head off Thursday!! :)

A couple of photos!

2011-05-22T03:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of photos taken by Mikey Clancy-Thanks Mikey!! The only ones of me sailing in Ireland! This was the best day of the week, just over head by midday cross shore changing to cross-onshore head high by the evening.

Not much else to report-I haven't windsurfed since Ireland, firstly because I am working in London and secondly as I am not allowed to wear contacts before a pre laser eye surgery appointment. I have finally decided to go for it after many years contemplating! I'll let you know how it goes!!

First place BWA Ireland and Wales!

2011-05-15T07:56:00.001-07:00

The competitors area at Rhosneigr:

A flat looking Rhosneigr, there were more waves later on!!

First, the 3 day Rhosneigr event in Wales. I travelled 3 up with Mike Archer and Stef Hilder on Thursday-a 12 hour trip for Mike who had driven from Ipswich to Surrey to Hayling (to pick up a board) to South Wales and finally to Bangor. Luckily Duncan, a Bangor student, provided a student house to stay in for the event. Friday had reasonable size waves, but no wind, and Saturday similar conditions, so both days we went for SUP. After 3 times ever SUPing, I finally managed to get the hang of it and not fall over the front everytime I paddled out over a wave! Handling a 12-14ft SUP is a little more tiring than a short board and inevitably I winded myself after falling off in front of the board on a wave and the rail nailing my ribs! Despite that, I enjoyed it. Sunday brought some conditions, though a little light wind and unfortunately smaller waves than the Friday. It was fun sailing, the 3 girls (including me) had two heats with I think 1 jump and 2 waves to count. I won both with some onshore riding and a forward. The pros continued late into the evening finishing around 8 when most people had left to catch a ferry! We caught ours at 2 in the morning, took 3 hours sleep in a cabin, then drove the 5 hours to Brandon Bay arriving just in time for the first heats! Wow we were tired!

The first 2 days heats were port tack cross onshore, 2 jumps and one wave to count. The only female entries were myself and local Katie McAnena. Having sailed more onshore conditions than Katie (coming from the South Coast), I won the first two heats. The third day had cross shore riding, about head high with the wind varying from planing on 4.7 to float and ride. Katie took the next heat with her riding, putting me under pressure to get the next one at the end of the day. Both freezing we had put on our wetsuits again to fight it out and it was really close but I just got the win. I also managed a big superman endo forward where I took off on too steep a ramp, my feet came out and flew way above my head and I went all the way round still holding on to my boom! I think we amused the judges... The final heat was a super onshore quite light day, with a lot of backside riding. I took this one making the final score 4-1. Well done to Katie she was tough competition and made me sail my hardest to win! The Friday prize giving was an epic party started early by 'beer pong' so inevitably a messy night, but what goes on tour stays on tour...

I am now back working again until the 23rd June, when I am off to Pozo and Fuerte! Here are a few photos of Ireland, taken by Simon Crowther-thanks Si!! I didn't take any photos myself this time and unfortunately there aren't any of me sailing!

Me taking the title with Katie second:

Lovely Ireland (well, bit of a big rain cloud actually...):

The heat flags and judges car:

No pictures of us sailing-but here's one walking to the beach!

Mmmmmmm Guinness!

The girls!

The judges and photographers-thank you guys for making the event happen!

Brandon Bay:

Windsurf 4 Cancer!!

2011-05-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

So the event has finished! What a day! We arrived at Llandegfedd at 7.30, only a handful of us keen people there. Rigging was a nightmare, I forgot how long it takes to rig cammed sails and find a long enough boom, put a fin on etc, let alone carrying all the kit-its massive! I used a 155l starboard formula board and a 6.5 sail. Using a 155l after a 68l was very weird, I could practically dance on the thing! After Mike Walkin had been first on the water (he was doing first on, last off and teaching 4 complete beginners well enough they could participate in the event); me, Stef and Matt set off straight away on the marathon while the wind was good. I had a GPS to measure the distance, which because of the wind direction meant annoyingly we would do reaches across the narrowest part of the reservoir-back and forth 52 times! So 104 times turning around! That was tiring! Mid way through I was getting tired, and my knees really ached from being still locked down on the board, its not like wave sailing where you are moving the whole time! Me and Stef carried on non-stop while Matt had a few rests and rigged different sails. Stef, (we estimated as he didn't have a gps), completed the 26.2 miles in 1 hour 45 while I did it in 2 hours. I blame this on my slower board ha ha (He used an isonic slalom rather than formula). Still, a great time and a lot faster than we both expected! Matt carried on with a few breaks to complete it in just more than 4 hours.

The rest of the day we were on and off the water until 6pm, when the wind died. I was so glad to be out of my wetsuit after 10 hours of soggyness!There were still some guys out on the water until 8, making sure there was someone windsurfing for the whole 12 hour period, with Mike being the last off. At midday I reckon there were about 30-40 guys out and a lot of spectators-a great show for the event and a really fun, (but tiring) day!! So far I have raised £145 and Stef £201, much more than we were expecting, so thank you for all the generous donations! If you feel we deserve it and still want to donate to cancer research, the link is:

Just Giving!

I will try and post some photos when I get hold of some, I didn't take any being on the water most of the day! On Thursday I head to the Rhosneigr and Ireland BWA events with Stef and Mike (Turfdog) Archer-bring on the wind and the waves!!

Back in the UK, Maui video, and Windsurf 4 Cancer!

2011-04-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

Home now! We were sad to leave Maui but have the windsurf for Cancer and Wales and Ireland competitions to look forward to at least! Our last week was pretty uneventful, not much wind and not many waves, in fact pretty flat apart from our last day where we managed to squeeze in a head to logo session at Ho'okipa. Amazing trip though, we managed to sail or explore the island every day! Here are the last of the photos and a video I made of the trip. Enjoy!

Sunday I am windsurfing from 8 until 8 at Llandegfedd resevoir in Wales, and it is slowly dawning on me how hard and how cold it will be sailing for that long in an Easterly! If you can donate to cancer I would be so greatful, my page is: http://www.justgiving.com/sarah-bibby1

More Windsurfing Videos

2 Manta rays I saw whilst sailing at Kanaha. Pretty scary at first as they kept lifting their fins out of the water and I thought it was a big shark!

Mast cam whilst crashing a forward-thought the water looked cool!

Chris Duarte's photos from up the volcano and at Ho'okipa beach park-Thanks Chris!

Snorkelling, windsurfing and Sunrise at 10,000 ft!

2011-04-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

Busy week! We made the most of the no wind days by visiting Lahaina (a nice little surf town) and snorkelling at Molokini, a volcanic crater just off the coast. The snorkel trip was amazing, we saw so many tropical fish and at the second stop, 'Turtle Town', saw about 5 turtles! The day was perfect for it, no wind and such clear water-amazing! We also had a trip up Haleakala-the 10,000ft volcano. True american style you could drive the whole way up! But we were grateful as we left at 2.30 in the morning after 3 hours sleep! It was a full moon with a little cloud, perfect conditions. We returned from the volcano at about 7.30, so went back to bed and got up later for breakfast, very surreal! Here are some pictures from the trips:

Swimming out at Kuau, hair still dry!

Catching a few waves-this day was really gusty and I was pretty overpowered on the wave! Not the best day we have had at this spot...

Full moon up the volcano at about 4 on the morning.

This was still night time, but the longer exposure on my camera picked up quite a lot of light and some blue, even though we could only see darkness!

Wrapped up in a duvet watching the sunrise. It was way colder than I thought and I stupidly only brought flip flops. Was rocking the flip flops and stripy socks look but still had numb hands and feet!

Skating off the edge of the world!

Stef kick flipping

The massive tree in Lahaina!

A crab shot on the beach. It took me so long to get as the crab was so skittish every time I moved it would run back in its hole!

The snorkel trip to Molokini-again an early start, about 7 in the morning! Soooo glassy!

Drinks on the boat on the way home:

Some snorkelling shots from Molokini and Turtle Town:

You can just make out the turtle bottom left:

Sprecks, last of wind and Hana!

2011-04-14T01:42:00.001-07:00

The last 2 days of wind we tried to sail really hard to make the most of it! Two days ago I had a session at sprecks on 3.4, but unfortunately it really wasn't 3.4 weather and I had a pretty frustrating session! It was definitely windy when we rigged but seemed to drop right off as we hit the water, classic. Despite that I had a few fun rides and some forwards. Yesterday we had a double session, Kanaha first then Kuau. Again it wasn't the best session as the wind direction was quite offshore, so super gusty 3.4 weather to wobbling! The Kuau session was fun but difficult as the swell was small, it was gusty and the sun was low. Anyway, I think I made the most of the wind, we now have a few days of adventures/surfing before it comes back.
First day of no wind: trip to Hana. This is a tiny town on the East side but the journey is through long, winding roads with plenty of waterfalls, caves to swim in, jungle and scenery! Amazing trip fuelled by banana bread and smoothies along the way!

A few shots from Sprecks:

American red cups!

A waterfall we found along the way. We were the only people there as you had to climb your way up some slippery, muddy rocks to get there. The water is pretty cold too.

Scenery along the way. This was a graveyard with loads of Japanese grave stones:

The worrying signs saying not to swim in the water! I haven't seen these on the North shore so I guess we are safe when we windsurf? This was before we swam in some caves, but they were freshwater.

Windsurf for Cancer!

2011-04-11T23:47:00.000-07:00

So the Annual windsurf for Cancer event is happening on Sunday 1st of May and this year I have set myself a challenge to raise as much money as possible for Cancer! The idea is to get as many people as possible to Llandegfedd reservoir in South Wales and windsurf from 8am to 8pm non-stop. We have set ourselves a challenge to compete within that time-to windsurf the distance of the London Marathon as a race-oldies against younguns! This will happen whatever the wind, on SUPs if there is no wind (which I am imagining is going to be extremely hard so I am praying for wind!). So this is a plea for any support anyone can give,

Please donate here

I would be so greatful for any donations to Cancer Research! This challenge will be hard, especially if it is cold with no wind! -hot chocolate in a Camelback maybe?? Anyone who wants to join the challenge is welcome, turn up at Llandegfedd early on Sunday morning with kit, the more the merrier and we can raise more money for a great cause!

THANK YOU!!

I need a tiny custom!

2011-04-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

So today I had two sessions. The first was super maxed out on 3.4 Icon and my 68l Quatro Rhythm in mast high at Kuau; the second at Lowers, still on 3.4 but comfortable this time! I love my Rhythm, but as I have improved it has become more my 'big' board, being 10 litres more than my weight. I always thought I wasn't good enough to get a custom, as I would need to know all the details about what kind of board I want, but actually I am not sure thats the case and my main reason to get one is that 68l is the smallest production board I can find and its just too big!! The waves were epic at Kuau today, and I think I would have had so much more fun on a 55l ish board. Instead, any wave I got I was bouncing around so much I just couldn't control the board so I ended up sailing pretty badly! There are photos below from stills from video I got. The video shows how much I am bumping around!! I guess waves will always be choppy in 3.4 weather but it would be cool to be able to improve my riding by having a tiny board!
Anyway, enough ranting! It was a super fun session but I came in pretty early as my rides weren't all that great. I then sailed Kanaha for about head high waves to improve my riding and have a little jumping. We have 2 more days of wind until there is a spell for surfing only, so its full on for the next couple of days!
Aside from windsurfing, we have visited a blowhole on the West side of the island and the Twin falls, both amazing trips.

Fuelling up before windsurfing with a one man american size baguette (which we could barely finish between 3!)

Kuau session:

Blow hole:

Twin Falls mucking around!

Big swell and the Valley's!

2011-04-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

So the past few days have been fun, we have still sailed every day but my arms are lasting less and less time, I really need a rest! I think tomorrow might be rest day as the swell isn't too good-Volcano time?! My riding is slowly improving but there hasn't been so much jumping the last few days. Anyway a big swell came in and it looked pretty knarly at Kuau, wasn't sure I was ready for a massive swim! So we sailed Lowers and Uppers at Kanaha which has been fun, logo to mast on the biggest day. The swell dropped off pretty quickly but there are still some good waves around. We took a trip to the Valleys today which was really picturesque and the water was pretty cold and refreshing!

A lesser known spot near our place during one of the bigger days. The swell direction at the moment means the waves are peeling left but hopefully next week when the direction changes this place should be sick! Nice photos I took of people slightly braver (or more skilled!) than me!

Hookipa heli shoots:

Nice aerial from Brawzhino:

The Valley trip

My 24th!

2011-03-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the last few days. The wind has dropped off a little and the waves are smaller too but there is a good swell forecast so we are waiting for that! Even still, I have windsurfed every day but one. Not bad!
I had my 24th birthday yesterday, and couldn't have asked for a better day (other than some waves!). We started in Paia for some shopping and coffee, then windsurfed Sprecks. A fun but light session, but really good to be in the warm water! After that and a few cupcakes later we headed to the south side of the island, where we drove through a lava field behind the volcano and tried snorkelling with our really cheap goggles we bought! Found out there were a few more urchins than we thought! I'll put some volcano photos up when we do it properly and go all the way up. We then headed to Little beach where every Sunday, loads of people gather for a party. Lots of hippies, quite a few naked people and lots of fire! We swam in the sea at sunset, listening to the whales under water while everyone cheered when they jumped up-amazing!! There was drumming and fire poi all evening, some naked fire dancing, and one topless lady with a hula hoop on fire doing the hula!! It was a great atmosphere, definitely going again!

Firstly, from shopping the other day-the BIGGEST onions I have ever seen!!

Scenery on our drive to the beach:

Rainbow at Hookipa:

Our local beach behind our place, Kuau. This is the narrow launch spot:

More of Kuau:

Top of Big Beach for the beach party:

The gathering at Little Beach:

Awesome fire poi:

MAUI!!!

2011-03-24T00:47:00.000-07:00

Finally, we are here!! I have been looking forward to this trip for such a long time and finally we are here in paradise! It is really warm and great to sail in just shorts and rashie after the cold neoprene covered UK. Our first three days have been 4.2 weather then 3.4 stacked! We are taking it easy first at Kanaha beach but I think tomorrow we are going to sail Kuau down from Hookipa. Weather is looking good all week I am so glad to be here! We have an awesome apartment by Mamas Fish House and a big SUV as we were upgraded on our rental car-sweet!! Here are a few photos from the past day or two:

First, my first pushloop attempt. Not too bad, I was pretty stoked, but did land on my face on the sail! Here is a video of the Go Pro footage!

Nice top turn:

Watching the pros at Hookipa:

More waves:

A forward:

Kanaha beach paradise:

SWA Cardiff Wave

2011-02-28T12:36:00.000-08:00

This weekend delivered the goods for a great student wave event. The forecast was looking very dodgy for wind all week but with a good westerly swell with a good period, so surfing was always on the cards. On Friday morning just before I left the forecast improved to 17 to 20 knots cross offshore for Trecco in Porthcawl on Saturday! I managed to somehow get 2 wave boards, a surfboard, 2 masts, 2 sails and a boom all in a Fiat Punto and made my way to Wales. There was meant to be wind on Friday so me and Stef headed to Porthcawl for a windsurf but ended up having a surf at rest bay in very foggy dark and rainy conditions! The waves were a bit dumpy but had a good size. We ended up heading in when we couldn't see the beach anymore due to fog and were surfing infront of the cliffs guessing if the tide had come in or not! Not the safest... Friday night we met with all the students and had a few drinks until 3 in the morning at the Union.

Saturday we all got up pretty enthusiastically bearing in mind the night before and got to the beach for just after 9, for pushing tide. Worried the waves would completely flatten off with dropping tide like the day before, me and Stef got out straight away in really light wind. A little too light really. But the wind picked up and the waves got better and I had a really good 3 hour session! I only came in because my arms had given up and the student competition was under way. The sailors did great, there were some dodgy drop ins on the surfers waves (which weren't too pleased), and some aerials from the top sailors. The winner was Southampton's SJ, second Seb Willis from Cardiff, and third Carlos from Cardiff.

Everyone celebrated in the evening after HUGE pizzas-literally the biggest I have ever seen! at the Union again, all dressed as circus theme-LOTS of face paint!! Sunday we dragged ourselves down to the beach again and I had a really nice clean surf at Coney beach, which was a little too busy, but it normally is. Nice cross offshore wind held the waves up but I got cold really quickly. I had an awesome weekend and it is great to see so many keen students going for it and throwing themselves at the waves!

Here are a few photos from Duncan Dumbreck's camera taken by Javier Choi, not so many from when I was sailing as the students were still arriving at the beach!:

SJ and James checking out the waves!

Me and Mike with our Simmer Icons

Catching some waves:

Helping judge the competition with my sponsor Jim from Puravida:

SJ the competition winner:

How many people can you fit in a bus?! 5 apparently...

A little surf at East Witterings

2011-02-20T13:16:00.000-08:00

Its pretty hard to motivate yourself to get out of bed and drive one and a half hours to the beach when someone calls in the morning waking you up. This is what happened this morning. SJ called at 9 (not early I know but its my first day off in ages). He said the witterings webcam was looking pretty amazing (for witterings) and he would be on his way soon. I checked it out-it did look good, but pretty busy. 3-4ft at 16s apparently. It took me a while to decide if it was worth it before driving down from Surrey with my 6ft retro fish. On arriving it looked a bit of a spectacle with loads of surfers and a lot of the public screaming when the waves broke against the wall and splashed them all! And as clean as I have seen witterings at about head high. Only trouble was I was a bit late and the high tide made the surfable waves dump on the beach and you had to dodge the groins! I saw some guys taking a chance and surfing over them then landing on the beach as the wave sucked up and the better ones diving off before hitting them. I decided to wait as the forecast was meant to be ok all day. Me and SJ went to a fish and chip shop in our wetsuits, spent some time with the heating on in the car and sitting around the beach-quite normal for a Sunday?! The waves got worse and worse, smaller and smaller much to our frustration. I had driven all the way from Surrey and SJ Southampton so we went out anyway. I caught quite a few waves but they were tiny (now about waist) so it wasn't the most successful session after seeing how big it was when we arrived.
Lessons learnt: GET TO BEACH EARLIER FOR SURFING!!!

Big shorebreak at high tide

A guy surfing the shorebreak where most wouldn't...

...and exiting before the groyne!

Our surf in the afternoon, pics taken after I got changed!

Boom Surgery! and Camber Sands

2011-02-06T03:43:00.000-08:00

After breaking my boom in Brazil I searched for a 135cm boom to fit my 3.4 sail. Considering many companies sell tiny sails, there are hardly any booms out there to fit! I did find a few, but I wanted a hybrid, skinny boom for a reasonable cost! I ended up buying a Prolimit hybrid 145cm boom-really nice, stiff and light. Here are some photos of the shortening process:
3.4 rigged on 145 cm Prolimit boom. The clips were so tight they couldn't be twisted off so 10 cm of the boom arm was cut off.
Due to the nature of the clips you couldn't hold them tight to twist them as the clips would be pushed into their holes. Therefore I had to saw a section out to be able to get the aluminium out.
It was pretty hard, especially the second cut as the saw kept diverting! There was a little damage to the plastic in order to saw through all the aluminium.
Finally the extra piece came out, I could crush the tube and twist off the clip. The old piece was used as a template for the new holes.
Marking and cutting the holes accurately was the hardest part. They had to be exactly in the right place vertically and horizontally before hammering the clips back on as they couldn't be moved again. As you can see I didn't do the first ones so well and had to file the holes a lot bigger to fit the clips. After a few hours the boom was finished, now 135cm! The clips are a little stiff as the alignment isn't spot on but it does the job!

Camber Sands:
I decided to sail Camber Sands on Friday with Ed Chapman as I'd never sailed there before and heard it was good! I have to say-I wasn't massively impressed. For a 1 hour 45 drive it was much like onshore witterings but with a big rip and more mushy waves. It was still fun though and really good for jumping, it would be good to go back again when it is slightly less windy. I was told not to judge it on that day though as it was 3.4 weather and can be amazing apparently! Having only sailed once after Brazil (due to working the whole time when it seems to be windy), I sailed pretty badly to begin with due to so many layers, the cold and being gusty 3.4 weather! I got a bit better towards the end getting some good jumping in. At one point the clew on my boom broke-luckily not to far out and I managed to body drag in. I found the knot on one end of the clew rope had come undone and pulled through-how that happened under tension I have no idea! Anyway it was a fun session and I'm looking forward to more wind. Unfortunately I couldn't make the most of the rest of the weekend as I had bar shifts to do! 6 weeks until Maui!!!

The Brazil Video!

2010-12-19T08:41:00.001-08:00

After 2 months of putting footage together bit by bit the final video is here! As always with footage you never quite get exactly what you want as we aren't lucky enough to have a dedicated camera man with us and we always want to sail instead of stand on a beach! But this is what I have made with the little footage we collected and I hope you enjoy it. I had a few problems rendering in the right format so apologies for any bad quality and although rendered in HD, Mpora seems not to be able to play in HD, not sure why?! Anyway here it is:

More Windsurfing Videos

2010-12-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

I'm home! Wow what a journey too... We left Ibiraquera at 11 in the morning, way too early for our evening flight but that was the only time we could get a lift. TAM airlines were amazing, they put us on an earlier flight to Sao Paulo so we could wait there instead of Florianopolis as there is not much there, and kept hold of our four 32-34kg kit bags and a suitcase. The best thing: they all went for free! We had a 6 hour wait in Sao Paulo in which chocolate French Crepes kept us happy, then the long 12 hour flight home. We were delayed an hour as they had to search for a guy's suitcase that hadn't got on the plane-a little worrying!
So, what did I think of Ibiraquera? Well, firstly, it is an amazing, beautiful place that so few people know about! I couldn't believe that the average number of windsurfers on the water was about 5 and the kilometres of sand had no one on save but a few families at the weekend! This was the same as the surfing there; we had many sessions of just a few of us scoring all the waves, with maybe double the people at the weekend. Of course this all changes after Christmas, the Brazilian Summer, but that isn't when the best conditions are.
So the conditions: we didn't have as much wind as we had hoped or was written on websites, but as with many places the locals said it has changed recently, and this year was also a cold year. However, the wind we got coincided well with the swell, giving us maybe 6-7 amazing big mast high days. Unfortunately for us these were mostly at the beginning of the trip when I was still learning port tack riding. October was definitely the best month. We also had all conditions varying from waist to mast high, cross off to cross on, port and starboard tack. I haven’t heard of a place where the wind switches 180 degrees and you can get a port and starboard tack session in the same day!
We had equal amounts of surfing and windsurfing, which I am happy about as they complement each other and it definitely helped my wave sailing. We could have surfed more at the beginning had we known the rips, and the days we neither windsurfed or surfed we could haved SUPed, kitesurfed or done slalom had we the kit. Basically there is an opportunity to get out everyday at Ibiraquera if you have the right equipment (hiring from Clube Kauli Seadi helps here!).
I will leave you with these pictures of a boom mount Go Pro of me doing a (rather wet) forward. They made me laugh as you see my facial expression progress, and until that footage I didn't realise I closed my eyes-must work on that!

A windsurf video is coming in the next few days, but for now here is our whale trip video that we made back in October but couldn't upload due to poor internet! We knew we couldn't miss an opportunity to do a video to Mr Scruff's 'Shanty Town'! Hope you enjoy it!

Lots of pictures! and another logo-mast high day!

2010-12-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Heading out for a surf:

Backside shot from markus swimming with the GoPro:

Sunset surf:

Another mast high day in our last week!

Wave sequence:

Aerial sequence:

So it has been a pretty good week! We had some more really glassy surfing, nice head high earlier in the week to play with then bigger before the big swell hit for windsurfing. We were praying for another mast high day before we left and we got it! Some waves were over mast and we saw Christian get the wipeout of his life when one closed out on top of him out back! The wind wasn't ideal, really light in the morning 5-10 knots, making getting out all the more challenging, but the waves were really smooth. The afternoon brought 5-20 knots so it was easier to catch the waves you wanted, but you had to dodge a lot of kiters! I was working on hitting the lip really vertical on my waves causing a lot of wipeouts and swimming, but was super stoked to get my first big aerial (unfortunately not landed), on a logo high wave!

Lots of surfing and some freestyle!

2010-11-30T11:36:00.001-08:00

Glassy surfing:

Stormy, rainy weather while running down the beach for drinks at a friends!

Sailing on the flat water lagoon:

Two vulcan shots:

A funny crash:

The view from Markus and Emma's place, (renting from Yann), of the lagoon, beautiful!

Stef's results night for his MSc, which he very greatfully passed well!

Stef with big a cute Romano, Christian's dog:

Any excuse for a caipirinha!

It has been a while since I last posted so thought I would include some lifestyle pictures from the last ten days. We had a week of really good surfing with sets over double-overhead and the glassiest waves I have seen. The Go Pro footage was showing a mirror image of our boards on the surface of the water it was so clear and still! We surfed every day getting up early and having some double sessions, and my surfing has improved a lot. Surfing is harder to take pictures of though as no-one wants to sit and wait for everyone to catch waves, hence the lifestyle pictures this post!

We then had a day of freestyle which I really enjoyed! We were on the lagoon by a grassy area so the water was super flat and only a little over knee deep with a really soft sand bottom so there was no danger of damaging our boards. I landed my first vulcans on a wave board (having done some on a freestyle board), so I was pretty happy as it slides so much less and you have to be really quick.

Yesterday we had a head high port tack day which was great to practise my riding. Kauli is now back and sailing here and its amazing to see him rip in such small waves! We are looking forward to another big day forecast in a week, please let the forecast stay!!

Starboard cross off and surfing

2010-11-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

Since my last post we have had a couple of port tack float and ride sessions and one evening session which was literally about 6 knots! It certainly teaches you about using the wave! We also had a really good starboard cross off riding day. Most of the starboard days have been jumping so this was the first cross off day. We sailed down at Praia do Luz by the Island, which meant wobbling out through the channel (with waves and swell bouncing everywhere!), then making it out just past the sets but unfotunately in the wind shadow of the island. So it was tricky to say the least and the waves were head to logo, some bigger. Wobbing almost dead downwind is certainly a skill! Anyway the waves were worth it, really smooth and great to ride. Unfortunately due to the almost a km walk downwind with our kit, mine and Stefs arms gave out pretty quickly and we couldn't sail as long as we had hoped. The photos below are stills from the video so not great quality sorry!

This morning we had a dawn raid surfing, which was well worth it as the waves were head to double overhead and really glassy. We also came across macroplankton, quite large blobs of see through goo which you could feel through your fingers when you paddled, very off-putting! Stef also saw a penguin! The photo below shows the waves after we just finished surfing.

The next weeks forecast doesn't look great for wind, but good for surfing. With only 3 and a half weeks left we are praying for some big port tack days!

More port tack and a starboard day...

2010-11-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

Forward clip from the Go Pro:

Jump still from the video camera:

Why not have the beach all to yourself?!

Me after a top turn:

A photo I took of Stef top turning:

After our epic day on the 29th we had a couple of days chilling out followed by some surf days. We had clean head high surfing for 3 sessions before another port tack day. It was about waist high, nice float and ride, and due to the small size, it meant I could practise my riding and catch way more waves than the big day, where you had to take care not to get smashed! So a good practise day in preparation for another big day. The afternoon session got super windy and choppy waves, so we decided to have a go at freestyle in the lagoon. Unfortunately by the time we walked round there the wind dropped a little so we weren’t really powered!

Next day: port tack again 4.7 weather with waist high waves. Got some loops which was cool! The weather here is pretty weird and it went from 4.7 weather port tack to 4.7 weather starboard within about ten minutes! We rigged again for another session of starboard tack which was short lived as a big thunderstorm came over!

The past 3 days have been pretty good too. Port tack 4.7 weather again, waist high. I almost landed quite a few vulcans on my wave board which was great, until I twisted my bad foot again, (its still pretty weak), so I gave up on those for now. We had another day of float and ride port tack, then yesterday which was super windy starboard tack with head to logo waves coming in. Only trouble was although it was almost powered 3.4 weather, there was quite a rip downwind so I went 4.2, not always powered due to the rip but when I was, I got some good jumping in and backside riding.

Finally a good day surfing and another mast high day!

2010-10-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Two days ago we finally had really good surfing conditions for me. The waves were a lot smaller than normal (about head high instead of mast!) and it was really sunny with no wind. As it was Tom’s last day we swam to the island playing with the Go Pro, and from there realised it would be perfect for a surf! Me and Stef went, with only about 5 people on the water. It was good but the sets were quite far apart. In the evening Christian came round and we went for another surf, this time the waves were bigger, really glassy and there were only four of us! We surfed until nearly sunset and I got the longest wave I have ever caught! Finally I am enjoying surfing here! A great day was finished with another Churrasco (BBQ) with our friends.
Yesterday was another mast high, epic day here. We had to use the channel by the island to sail out as the wind was fluky and lots of timing was needed! I admit I was pretty scared to go out this time as the waves were pretty heavy and barrelling, not like the other big day. I didn’t want to break anything. But, I managed, it is all about timing and I was absolutely fine, getting some great waves! It was pretty tiring as you can ride the waves for a long time then you have to walk upwind. Through the session it got windier and the waves got choppier and my big board was too much, I should have been on 67 litre! My arms gave up in the end so we called it a day.
Here are some pictures we took in the afternoon of the others sailing after our session. It was windier and the waves were choppier and messier so I think we chose the right time to sail!

Yann Rifflet scoring two aerials:

Marcus:

Yann Rifflet:

Best day yet and I break my boom!

2010-10-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

22nd October, as hoped, was amazing! Logo to mast high, cross offshore, 4.7 weather. We were woken up by an excited Tom and rigged up taking all the camera equipment to the beach. There are only really 5-6 windsurfers in Ibiraquera and half of them were out already. It’s amazing to have so much space to yourself! The morning session was big, we had lots of wave rides and a lot of timing was needed to get out without being closed out and having a big swim! After a few hours we were all pretty tired and hungry so went in for lunch and to re-charge the cameras. The afternoon session was slightly smaller and windier. A few more windsurfers had driven down from Florianopolis making the total number about 15. Still no shortage of waves to be had!
I was enjoying the session loads when I had just gybed on the outside and heard my boom crack. It had bent near the boom clamp and was half split. I managed to sail back in and just as I jumped off it split into two pieces! I guess I was really lucky it didn’t happen on a set wave or while going out because it could have split my sail! So I was pretty annoyed, it happened out of the blue and we didn’t bring a spare boom. Getting hold of a 135cm boom for my 3.4 is also pretty hard in the UK let alone out here, where the nearest place is Florianopolis 2-3 hours away! Annoyed to be missing the best day yet, kindly Lars from Kauli’s centre has lent me a boom, so I carried on sailing until I just couldn’t use my arms anymore! What a day! Tom broke his UJ and had a big walk upwind and another guy broke his mast. Other than that everyone was so happy and tired and the day finished off with an amazing meal in the local restaurant. Happy days….
The 23rd we had a surf and found out where to paddle out by the island making it a lot easier! Still lots of paddling though so not the best place for me to progress, at the moment its more paddling than wave riding! Yesterday we took a walk to the sand dunes at the end of the beach and found some amazing drop offs to soft sand which you can launch off! Go Pro came in handy there, some cool footage!

Whales and mast high cross offshore goodness!!

2010-10-21T13:20:00.001-07:00

So I haven’t written for a while as it’s been a bit quiet on the wind front. We had a couple of amazing mast high cross off days which I stupidly missed. I somehow managed to catch a horrible cold (must have brought it with me from the UK!), so the first big day I took pictures of Tom and Stef: (See Stef’s blog www.stefk782.co.uk). Then the next day we basically got up a bit late and as soon as we touched the beach the wind died, so another day missed-gutted! We have also had a bit of surfing, but lots of paddling to contend with! And a good float and ride day the other day.
Somehow we managed to have a 2 hour conversation with a stoned fisherman on the beach who didn’t speak any English… It involved a lot of Spanish, miming and drawing pictures in the sand! And we have also met some people who speak English!! Some Swiss, Swedish and Danish guys and an Argentinean (most of which are here for the same amount of time as us!).
We had the most amazing day yesterday - whale watching followed by a Churrasco. We were taken to nearby Garopaba, which is a really beautiful sea fishing town, and taken on a boat with about 15 people. There was massive swell yesterday and you could see the swell lines rolling in on the boat, so about 5 people were seasick! We felt fine though. We drove for about an hour up the coast then we saw lots of mother and baby whales, just outside of the breaking waves. They came so close to the boat! Mostly we saw their backs and tails, then when we were about to head back, one came and breached right by us 3 times! It was amazing! They are so huge it was really unreal! So we headed back after that and all of us were so happy, they said it was quite rare to see that! After we went for a buffet lunch which was amazing after our diet of rice, pasta, eggs and potatoes! (We are trying to live cheap!). In the evening we had our first proper Brazilian BBQ with some friends and it was one of the best BBQs I have ever had! This is what I imagined Brazil to be like. 
Today, it was mast high, cross-offshore, port tack, 4-15 knots. Difficult conditions to get out in but lots of fun and lots of swimming!! Tomorrow should be smaller and windier.

The Big Swell! and some surfing...

2010-10-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

Surfing testing the Go Pro on Stef's board.

Apparently I look like supermario according to Tom and Stef!?

Starboard tack with some wind! Lots of white water...

Me bottom turning...

Me getting munched in a close out!

Forward gone wrong, thought it was a funny photo!

My low backloop attempt...(which looks like a forward?!)

Heading in...

Tom:

So the last few days weren't quite what we expected... The big swell came and we were soo excited for some amazing riding but it turned out the waves were big and there was just sooo much white water! I think the southerly swell and wind don't work as well here as the northerly, which was really clean when we arrived. The southerly wind is cooler and even today, 4.7 weather, there were no windsurfers to be seen but us!-I think we are missing out on some secret spot?! We will have to find someone who speaks english and ask!! Anyway, without a car we made the most of it here. We went surfing the past two days, mainly for fitness as there was a lot of paddling! But tested the Go Pro and it worked pretty well! We have taken to putting the housing in the fridge before going out to pro-long its life before it mists up. The misting is pretty annoying...
So today was 4.7 weather for me, pretty intense and tiring as it was a long way to 'out back'! I decided on just gybing on waves on the inside as a few of them would reform. I was glad to hold on to one backloop attempt (* a little low) but was happy as the crash landing didn't hurt and I have been worrying about landing them since I did my foot! So all in all, bit of a messy, big day, but had loads of fun!
Tomorrow-offshore early morning so were getting up for a surf!

Ibiraquera-First few days...

2010-10-07T10:43:00.001-07:00

We flew with TAM airlines, who allowed two 32kg bags to be flown per person. Amazingly, due to confusion at the airport as to whether we should be paying more or not as our bags were pretty big, a notice on our reservation meant we got 4 windsurf kit bags and a suitcase on for free! That’s never happened before! Due to having to collect our luggage at Sao Paulo and check in for the next plane within two hours, combined with the longest passport control queue ever, inevitably we missed our flight to Florianopolis. TAM put us in a hotel for 6 hours where we had food before flying to Florianopolis and meeting Moacir with his pick-up truck who had been waiting nearly 10 hours!
The journey to Ibiraquera was really slow due to huge amounts of rush hour traffic from Florianopolis. It was also pouring with rain and pitch black. We arrived 28 hours later to a tiny little village in the middle of nowhere it seemed! The language barrier meant we couldn’t really explain that we wanted to buy some food, I think the shops in the village were closed. So we decided on a rum and coke dinner!
The next day we woke up to the most beautiful place, lushious green hills, a blue shallow lagoon and perfect long sandy beach with waves, and WHALES!! On our first day we all spotted whales! The village is very small, we have yet to meet any English people so we are speaking a mixture of Spanish, English and a tiny bit of Portugese that we are learning daily! There are two shops (that we have found), not loads of food in them and all a little more pricey than we hoped. The first day was surfing, waist to head high waves and perfect blue sky.
Yesterday was 4.7 cross on port tack weather and got windier through the day. The waves were head high/over head for some, and this is the smallest swell-3 foot and 8 seconds. The next few days are saying 10 foot at 11 seconds!! Yesterday I caught so many waves and we were all stoked! It’s going to be amazing being here for 10 weeks!
Today we woke up to a massive thunderstorm and rain-it is wind switchover day! Starboard tack for the next few days with big swell!

Ibiraquera, Brazil on Sunday!!

2010-09-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

WOW I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!! Me, Stef and Tom fly to Ibiraquera Sunday night, 15 hour flight! So I have a couple more days of work left and am busy packing lots of kit, repairing my surfboard and taking lots of spares to Brazil. We fly with TAM, in which we are allowed 2x 32kg bags, which includes windsurf kit! Might be the first time ever I have not paid for kit in an airport! Don't want to jinx myself though...
I had a small windsurf session at Calshot at the weekend to see how my foot was doing, still sore but hopefully another week will make all the difference? Anyway, super stoked to get some good waves soon!....

First surf in ages!

2010-09-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

On Saturday evening me and Stef went for a surf at Coney in Porthcawl. Not amazing conditions, the waves were pretty small when we arrived but ended up being waist to head high. But it was sunny, warm and we surfed until sunset. I was glad to be in the sea again since my foot injury. My foot was relatively ok, but still sore when I put a lot of weight on the ball of the foot, i.e. turning. But I think it is just sore and I should work through it now, I guess the muscles and ligaments are still repairing themselves. The physio I saw said it takes about 6 weeks for bones and 12 for tissue to heal, which I never knew-thats a long time! Lucky I did it with about 12 weeks to spare before Brazil! I don't think it will be right for a while but at least I can surf, and only the jumping in windsurfing worries me. I really hope I don't get the fear and it holds me back...

Pozo Video Is Here!!

2010-08-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Josh Willmot and Adam Sims of Black Lab films for making my Pozo video, I hope you enjoy watching it! Countdown of 7 weeks to Brazil too, foot is slowly getting better.

More Windsurfing Videos >>

Still injured and can't do any exercise

2010-08-01T06:30:00.000-07:00

2 and a half weeks on and I still can't put much weight on the ball of my foot, which means no driving. I am commuting in to London everyday for work, with a 20 minute walk each way from Victoria station-its hard work limping everywhere and trying to keep up with the rush of people!
I went to Worthing yesterday to watch my dad windsurf and give a little help. Even walking on uneven sand hurts.
My rib is still not fixed either, so I can't think of any exercise I can do that doesn't involve your arms and chest or your foot! No running, no cycling, no sit ups, press-ups or pull-ups, no swimming... I am losing all my fitness I built up over Pozo. It sucks!

Fanatic Allwave for Sale!! £490 ono

2010-07-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

I have a 2009 82 litre Fanatic Allwave in almost brand new condition sat in my sponsors shop in Cardiff being sold for £490 ono. This is last year's board with no damage (just a few scratches on the rails), so is an absolute steal for this price! (It is being sold for £940 at surfstore). Great board, I got on with it really well. Single fin so quick at planing and great for jumping. Its riding is also really good and is great for not so perfect waves as well as down the line! If you are interested message me (sarahk349@gmail.com) or comment. It can be posted for £15-20.

What next?! And a forward loop video...

2010-07-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

Me graduating, with sensible flat shoes for the bad foot!!

So I am a graduate in Aerospace engineering! What now?! Well, this seems to be my plan: I have a job with Babcock Marine in Plymouth, not for this year, but deferred until September 2011, which is great because I can do a whole year focusing on windsurfing! I am really looking forward to starting the job, and it will also be great to live in Plymouth and be near good waves when its going off rather than in Guildford like I am now. Lots of surfing and windsurfing after work and weekends I think!

So for this year, I have already booked flights to Brazil for October 3rd to December 14th. We are going to Ibiraquera, South of Florianopolis, for hopefully some great wavesailing and surfing! After that, the plan is Maui March/April time, then the Canaries for Summer and hopefully PWA Pozo. Inbetween trips I'll be working as hard as I can to afford all this and also doing the BWA events. So a busy year! But I am sooo excited...

VIDEO!! Now this isn't the full video, I have two friends helping me out with my Pozo video as my computer is way too slow! So that will be coming soon. But here is a compilation of me learning to port tack forward, with lots of crashes so I hope you enjoy it!

Foot is getting better!

2010-07-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

I had 4 days on crutches; 2 of which was my cousin's wedding and I had a lot of champagne and enjoyed dancing on crutches and needless to say my foot was sore the next day! Anyway, I have my graduation tomorrow and really didn't want to be hopping along the stage and it seems I don't have to, (though I will be limping). I have full movement in my ankle now and though still swollen, my foot has gone down, but I still can't bend it. This makes for an interesting limp but at least I can carry a cup of tea now!

Uh oh-carted of in an Ambulance...

2010-07-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

I didn't think 2 days after Pozo would be 3.4 weather again, but the forecast couldn't be missed so I got up pretty early to drive to Shoreham to meet Sam Darkin for a sail. I arrived a bit late after my car wouldn't start and most people were packing up to go to Sea Lane Cafe Worthing, so I followed. It looked pretty good, cross on, some nice waist to head ramps and I was stacked on my 3.4! Trouble was, my chest was causing me grief from the mast slam in Pozo; I thought it was better but obviously not and I was getting sharp pains holding on. Maybe I cracked a rib or something? So I couldn't make the most of the session, but decided 'one last run', its always the case. Crashed a backloop, think I overrotated? Felt a bit like a push loop, but not sure what happened it was so fast, then I was in the water screaming. A kitesurfer called an ambulance and I drifted/swam in and some windsurfers caught my kit. I couldn't stand on it so was carried to a bench. I took a trip in the ambulance to hospital in my wetsuit and stayed there being moved about and having xrays. First they decided my metatarsel was fractured and was about to put a cast on up to my knee, then decided after another xray that it wasn't, and I had bad tissue damage. Taking my wetsuit off was an effort, and of course I had no clothes! So I got in a taxi with a hospital gown and a blanket and some crutches, back to my car to get a wallet, then hopped to a cashpoint, and back to the car again. I must have looked a sight! At Worthing I waited a couple of hours for my parents to come and drive me and my car home.
Now my foot is pretty swollen and I can't really move it much. Hopefully the swelling will go down soon and it will get better really quickly, fingers crossed! Thanks to Lewis and Geoff for helping me!

Last Day at Pozo

2010-07-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

I think sailing every day for 3 weeks with only 2 days rest has taken its toll on my body, and no matter how much sleep I get I always feel tired. We went for a coffee to wake up and then I was really psyched for my last session at Pozo. 3.4 weather, head high waves. It looked good, and it wasn't busy! The trouble was, the evening before I had the fastest catapult of my life and was swung full pelt into the mast, badly bruising my elbow and my ribs, so I wasn't really going for it on my last session. Maybe it was the coffee or maybe I was just exhausted but I felt all wobbly sailing and basically didn't have much strength! So my last session was short and frankly pretty rubbish. Oh well, I am home now and sort of glad for the rest! I think Pozo has taught me a lot and hopefully if I come back to do the PWA next year, I will be sailing a lot better! Now for finding a job which will pay for Brazil, leaving the 3rd of October.

PWA finals and more Vargas

2010-07-10T03:45:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days have been really inspiring watching all the guys competing in the PWA. We sat on the beach with music and commentary and watched the double elimination as Koster and Fernandez met in the final and the Moreno's for the womens. Sick jumping, it was so good to watch! We had a session at Pozo after the finals were finished but unfortunately its still really busy and this weekend there is another competition so we will sail Vargas again. Here is a sequence from Vargas:

Vargas and lots of forwards!

2010-07-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Today is the second day of the PWA competition at Pozo. Yesterday (and the day before), there was no wind at all! We went for a drive up to the North Coast of Gran Canaria to find pretty good glassy waves, and frustratingly no surf boards and the only hire shop we found seemed to be on a long siesta?!
Though only 13 girls entered the PWA and I guess I could have entered (if I had had about 140 euros), I decided to wait until I am better at port tack, so I can guarantee getting through the first heats and maybe win some prize money! Hopefully next year I will enter? I would like to see the standard of the bottom fleet girls...
So today the four of us decided to sail Vargas as Pozo would be closed for competition. There wasn't too much wind at Pozo today, everyone was on 4.7 pretty much and we were expecting less at Vargas. However, I was powered up on 3.4 all day!! It turned into a bit of a looping day, I think I did about 20, with Mike yelling at me with his GoPro on his head following. It makes you go for them!! When you don't land them all the time it is pretty tiring, and my body is feeling it! I will sleep well tonight...

Past couple of days

2010-07-04T14:06:00.001-07:00

The wind has been up and down a fair bit, blowing its socks off then dissappearing mid day to come back later! I have been on 4.2 mainly. Today the waves came back, about head high/overhead for me! But it was the busiest its ever been, really hard to do a move you want to as you are constantly trying to get out the way of everyone! We have a car from tomorrow so will hopefully sail Vargas or something. Today I tried some backloops but its pretty obvious I need to work on being alot higher! Here are some photos including one of my eye, which luckily didn't go too dark! But still a little sore.

Hit in the face with a mast!

2010-07-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

So today started with hardly any wind at all, and swinging directions. Then at about 12 it built up and then by about 2 when i went out, it was full on 3.4 weather and some waves for once! I was so stacked and did alot of crashed high jumps! My session ended abruptly when some guy on the inside hit my eyebrow (thankfully not my eye!) full on with the tip of his mast. I was waterstarting to go out again and I guess he tacked or something and fell in. Well I went in and my eyebrow got a nice shaped egg on it!! Its gone down now but is slowly turning grey-oh dear!! I got some ice on it and couldn't miss going for another session this evening. Even more windy, absolutely stacked on a 3.4 but managed 5 forward attempts, 2 of which I water started out of. Not bad for 40-50 knots!

Strange wind at Pozo

2010-07-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

The last few days have had strangely little wind (for Pozo anyway!) and tiny waves. The wind is really gusty so one minute really powered on 4.2 then the next wobbling on my 68l! The wind is coming and going all day. Today I went out on 4.7, not very powered but was a fun session anyway! I am trying shove its on the way in and managed to get a photo today from Adam Sims. The lack of wind led to a few beers and then going out in Maspalomas last night, a very tacky touristy place full of bars but a pretty funny night out!

FLOW - For Ladies of Windsurfing!!

2010-06-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Amy Carter has set up a new website for girls interested in windsurfing to try and encourage more women to get into windsurfing and provide a resource for sharing information. Its pretty cool, featuring hints and tips, a hunk of the month and an interview from myself and Maeli! Check it out here

Meanwhile in Pozo: The waves haven't been to great, well pretty small actually. Still, I have sailed everyday mostly 3.4m and one or two times on 4.2, so can't complain! Still trying forwards and crashing a fair bit! Also improving my backside riding and jumping but could really do with some better waves!

3rd day of Pozo, port tack loops!

2010-06-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

3rd day, still 3.4 weather! Thought I'd go for some loops, and got round 2! This is a sequence of one of the ones I waterstarted out of:

Today, 3.4 weather again slightly underpowered. Getting my backside riding a lot better though!

POZO!! First day, stacked on 3.4

2010-06-22T13:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I arrived in Gran Canaria for the first trip of my year's training in windsurfing before getting a 'proper' job. Me and SJ arrived in the evening to see a few people sailing late but there wasn't time for us to sort the kit out. We woke up today pretty eager, but I was a little nervous, first day full on 3.4 weather! First session was about 2 hours at 11 o'clock, underpowered to start with but the wind soon kicked in and I was pretty stacked! Just getting used to sailing port tack as I have hardly done any port tack being on the south coast. This evening's session was windier, very VERY overpowered! But great fun, I was a little more comfortable so was going for some backside turns and bigger jumps. Bring on tomorrow!! :)

Finished Uni! 5 days surfing in Cornwall...

2010-06-07T04:26:00.000-07:00

4 years of a Masters in Engineering degree finished, and what better way to celebrate than go for 5 days surfing in sunny Cornwall! Stef and I took the van to Perranporth Wednesday night for an evening surf after stopping off at Boylos shop in Colyton, Devon. It was reasonable size and a pretty hard paddle out, certainly improved my fitness!

We had a meal out and a couple of beers then headed to Gwithian/Godrevy for the evening for an early surf the next day. Over head high offshore force 3-4 perfection! Surfed all day.

Thursday night we headed to Lands End to watch the sunset and have a few Rattler ciders-good stuff! Friday there was no swell so we took the coastal walk to Sennen Cove for the day and chilled out! The beach hardly looks like England, but the water was certainly cold!

Friday night cooking pasta overlooking the sunset and sets rolling in:

Saturday the swell was good again, no wind so really glassy. We met up with our old housemate Mark for a surf, Cornish pastie lunch, another surf then a 'super dooper hot chocolate' from the cafe to finish a perfect day! Finally, a few surfing photos taken on the Thursday evening session. The waves had backed off a bit but still really fun.

Saturday evening we randomly bumped into some friends from Exeter in Co-op carpark of all places! So we had a bbq and some cider and then camped in the vans overlooking Godrevy. Sunday we woke up to hardly any swell and onshore winds, so after a trip around the tiny lanes of St Ives in two massive vans, we finally found a car park and a coffee shop, and had coffee and pastries overlooking the bay before making the journey back to Southampton.

Highcliffe 29/05/10

2010-05-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

Finally some waves! Only small ones though, up to head high/just over, but can't complain as all we have had is freestyle recently when there has been a bit of wind! So 5 of us went out at Highcliffe on pushing tide hoping for some larger waves. It was quite fun, cross/cross on conditions so improved my cross on riding and got some jumping in. Tried two forwards not so successfully -hopefully there will be a better day to try again! The rip was pretty annoying, we must have all walked 1 to 2 miles with kit on our head trying to get back up the beach, and being the longest wave session in a long time I am really stiff today! A great workout!

Still in exams at the moment, have had 2 and have 2 more to come. I finish Wednesday morning so me and Stef are driving straight to Cornwall to catch some surf, forecast is looking good at the moment! Fingers crossed! Now back to work...

Nationals Video

2010-05-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here it is! From Expix. Also more details on:

Nationals photos and write up shown on Expix website

Winter 09/10 Video

2010-05-14T03:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I made from November and January Hayling and Kbay. We didn't have a great winter this year so I was hoping for more footage but unfortunately this is all we got as everyone wanted to sail whenever there was a chance of wind!

Freestyle at Calshot after the Nationals, 3rd May

2010-05-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos taken from our session on Monday after the Nationals. Thanks Maeli! They are: Vulcan, sailing, really bad Flaka attempt! and gybe.

2010-05-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

More photos! First from Louise Adams: me team racing.
Second picture: party on the boat dressed as sailors! (from Ian at Expix)

2010-05-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

First picture: team racing Sunday morning.
Second picture: Me after one lap of the course race, not looking too happy!
Third and Fourth: More course racing.
All pictures courtesy of Ian Edmonson at Expix, thanks!

Student Female National Champion 2010!

2010-05-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

We has the BUCS championship the past weekend at Calshot. It involved a lot of racing on Saturday on Imco's and a 7.5 mainly, then team racing Sunday. We arrived Friday for a freestyle session as it was pretty windy. Pretty good but we had to sail around the whole spit chasing deeper water as the tide was going out. After a few drinks with registration on Friday night, we woke up early Saturday for the full day racing. Starting on an Imco and 7.5 in light winds I was doing fine. Then the wind picked up and combined with massive spring tides dragging everyone upwind, I just could not make the board go downwind! I changed down to a techno, managed another course race very over powered, then changed down to 6.5 for the slalom. Much more fun, but typically wind died off as I had changed down.
Saturday night we had an epic boat party with 'sea' theme, so Southampton uni all went as Navy sailors. We continued the party in a hangar afterwards with DJ Crowdy and Yates with a drum and base set...
Sunday morning everyone was hungover and it was raining so it took alot of effort to put a wetsuit on and do the team racing. It was great fun though as it was pretty windy but pretty cold being northerly.
Finally prize giving at the end and I won overall as female champion (this was a culmination of the year's racing, freestyle and wave, so I was pretty chuffed), and I also won the girls racing for BUCS too! I now have a nice mast for sale to cover the cost of my 3.4 sail for Pozo.
Amazing weekend and absolutely shattered afterwards!
The freestyle is above. More photos of racing and party to come when I can get hold of them!

Also a link to the boards article below:
Boards Nationals Article

2010-05-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

Weekend in Devon and a Weymouth Freestyle session

2010-04-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

Me, Stef and a few other guys from Cardiff drove down to Devon for the weekend to see the opening of 'Boylos' watersports shop in Colyton. Great weekend, shop looks amazing and we had a bbq and drinks all day in the sun! The next day we went to a 'secret' beach and played fetch with Archie, Murray's labrador. Me and Stef drove through Weymouth to meet a few friends on the way back and discovered it was reasonably windy (on the verge of planing freestyle), and had a good unexpected session as the wind picked up! A couple of photos shown, one of Al Bentley going clew first for something and the other Boylos shop. None of me as I was the one taking the photos!

Wales, ION wetsuit, and Trecco

2010-04-02T10:37:00.001-07:00

I went to South Wales for the past couple of days to see Stef and get a sail in. Tuesday I sailed at Llandegford reservoir on an Imco and 5.0 sail! It wasn't too windy and as I was waiting for Stef to finish work I thought I might as well get some practise in for the Nationals coming up soon!

Wednesday we sailed Trecco, in NW turning N, 4 degree weather, meanwhile it was snowing elsewhere in Wales! Was super windy so went out on 3.7 and 68 rhythm. Good side shore sail with shoulder to head high waves but really rippy. Then the wind swung offshore and down to about 10 knots and before I knew it I was really downwind about to land on the rocks as the rip was like a river! I couldn't sail with so little wind it being with the rip, I just kept sinking! So decided to bite the bullet and swim in in the 8 degree sea. It wasn't too cold and about half an hour later I was onshore! Picture shows Trecco after we finished. The waves dropped off quite a bit after we had finished due to tide/rip.

We also visited PuraVida's new shop in Penarth, and got my new ION suit which looks amazing! Yet to try it. Jim's shop looks great and won't be long until its up and running!

True Wales style I had a kick around in the rain and sleet with a rugby ball before driving home and taking ages on the M25...

Turfdog video and Portsmouth write up

2010-03-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure whats going on with the forecasts right now, packed my car for a 30 knot session and its 7 knots. Rubbish! So I'm sat here instead adding light wind stuff to my blog!
First a video made by Mike Archer (Turfdog), of our light wind and no wave antics at 'Portsmouth Wave' a few weeks ago:

Video of Turfdog at Portsmouth Wave

The second is the writeup on the SWA site of Portsmouth wave:

Portsmouth Wave writeup

SWA Cardiff Event, 1st and 2nd place!

2010-03-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

About 100 students turned up for the event at Llandegfedd reservoir in South Wales for a sunny but not very windy weekend. Typical student style the parties Friday and Saturday were massive and jumping in the 4 degree lake on Sunday morning did clear my hangover! The racing was first, out of the ladies I came 2nd and then lightwind freestyle on SUPs was next and I won! The prizes were a Severne skinny extension and a T-shirt, so pretty handy! Thanks goes to Jim at Puravida for lending me kit and the party at his bar 'Submission' in Cardiff on Saturday night, and John from Severne for the extension!

More photos 26th feb

2010-02-27T11:46:00.001-08:00

Wind is back!! Kbay and Highcliffe 26th Feburary 2010

2010-02-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

Forecast was about 30 knots NW turning to W, so being keen to get out after a rubbish winter we got up at 6am (yes extremely early for us students!) and drove to kbay. It unfortunately had already swung more westerly so we had a 2 hour session there with cross on jumping ramps and onshore riding. Still fun but not massive. Then drove to Highcliffe where the pictures were taken courtesy of Guy Reece-thanks! The wind was on and off all day and was about force 2 once we had rigged! But it came back for a fun cross shore riding and jumping day, pretty good apart from the rip wrecking the waves a little!

Surfing Boscombe

2010-02-27T03:28:00.000-08:00

This winter we have been pretty unlucky with windy warm weather and had lots of north north-easterlies and snow! We did have a good swell and a 15s period at boscombe which is pretty rare! Here are a couple of photos, not very good ones but oh well, better than nothing!

2009 Fanatic Allwave 82l for sale!

2010-01-23T02:29:00.000-08:00

Hey all, if anyone is interested I have my 2009 Fanatic Allwave for sale for £599, with boardbag. It is an excellent board, especially for UK waves. Its really easy to control and hold down in high winds and carves really nicely on the wave. Its in excellent condition, only one small ding on the rail repaired until almost invisible and completely water tight. If you are interested email sarahk349@googlemail.com and I can send more pictures. Thanks!

No wind, freezing cold=skiing!!

2010-01-04T15:36:00.000-08:00

So there has hardly been any wind since November, its northerly after northerly with the odd bit of snow and loads of ice. Far too cold for windsurfing. So instead, I went skiing with my family, boyfriend and sister's fiance! We went to Morillon, France in the Grand Massif and had a great chalet in the village and 2 great days of powder! Didn't manage to get any actual action shots but here are a couple of the place. Hopefully the warm South West winds will come back soon!

SWA Cardiff Wave Event November 09

2009-12-24T07:19:00.000-08:00

The Cardiff Wave event was held at Newton, Porthcawl. Wind and swell for Saturday was disappointing so students did what students are best at-'mincing!' Saturday night's party was held at Jims from Puravida's bar- 'Submission', in Cardiff, after a good house party with bucketfuls of punch. Sunday mornings weather was much more promising and after sending poor Scotty away in an ambulance after dislocating his knee, the conditions went from mediocre to actually pretty fun sailing, and not too cold! Jim held the Winter Wave Series that day too, making there about 50 sailors on the water! I was pleased to come first lady, and Maeli Cherel-my Southampton windsurfing friend, second. Images courtesy of Simon Hobbs.

New Quatro Rhythm 68 arrives!

2009-12-24T07:09:00.000-08:00

So I was pretty pleased to get my new board the day before another super windy day, in time for an evening session at West Wittering. How fast does that board go?! I loved it! Was so overpowered on 3.7 again it was scary but got some massive jumps and backloop attempts!

SWA Exeter Wave Event

2009-12-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Exeter wave event had a massive forecast, and it did not disappoint. We all arrived Friday evening, had a couple of drinks, but went to bed early in anticipation of the next day. Up at 6am (the earliest a student event has ever been), and straight to Lyme Regis. Only about 10 of the 20-30 students went out as it was gusting 40-50 knots and over mast high sets were coming in, with no 'out back' to get to. I had a go on my smallest sail- 3.7! I definitely needed a 3 metre! We packed up at lunch to go to the competition beach (as the jet ski couldn't launch at Lyme). This time Exmouth. Still nuking, the wind didn't drop till late so we all went out anyway, and got some good jumping on the sand bar, until I managed to dislocate a finger-ouch! Anyway I still claimed a first as I was the only lady to go out! Despite being the windiest day of the year yet, I didn't manage to get any photos!

UK Wave Event in Tiree, Scotland

2009-12-24T06:39:00.000-08:00

After having gone to Tiree last year for the UK event I definitely had to go again. Tiree is the outer most island of the inner hebrides, a massive 12 hour drive and 4 hour ferry from Southampton. Because of its location, it rarely fails to get good wind and swell, and there are loads of sandy beaches to choose from. This years wind wasn't quite as good as the previous year for the competition week, but luckily going a few days early proved worthwhile and there was really clean surf to be had too. The competition day had good waves and cross off shore starboard tack-perfect! For the ladies heat it beacame tricky as the wind dropped to nearly nothing and swung more offshore. I came fifth this year-a result I definitely want to improve on for next year! Images are from the competition day, the first courtesy of John Carter.

SWA Aussie Kiss 09

2009-12-24T05:33:00.000-08:00

So this is a little backdated as I am just starting the blog...

Aussie Kiss - massive student event in October, the first one of the year. Held in Bude holiday park and windsurfing on Roadford Lake. The wind was super gusty, one minute stacked on 4.7 and the next nothing, but still really fun and a massive party with all 50 Southampton students dressed as super teds! I came 2nd female in the freestyle. Image courtesy of Jamie Willets