BWA Cornwall and Monday session

Having stated to hobble around again after my knee operation. I was invited to come and judge the BWA Cornwall event. I was pretty impressed with the massive turn out.  Judging the pros, lady's and amateur fleet, the level and commitment of competors really impressed me.  I was please to see the new format of two sets of Judges implemented in this event. This allowed two fleets to be run alongside each other and will be the the best way to run BWA competition's at future events.

 Stand out sailors/fleets for me were:

Ladys Cornwall champion Lucy Robson.  With a top turn that could easily hold its own against many of the male competitors.  

The Lady's feet.  A massive turn out form all the girls, with a very high level. 

Lewis Merrony of the amateurs fleet. Not shying away form some wave tricks, to further his already high score's.  I look forward to seeing him in the Pros next year 

 Jamie Hancock and Timo's aerial battle in the first single of the Pro fleet.  Along side Adam Lewis's top turn  into taka.

 

Monday morning session 

While waiting for a lift home on Monday. I decided to take some photos of what turned out to be a pretty good session.  With Muzza and Jamie Handcock being the stand out sailors, pulling off some huge aerials in front of the gwithian lifeguard hut. Jamie later said they were some of the biggest aerials he had ever done.  Pity my I forget spare SD card and was taking photos like a bit of a specialist! Consequently I didn't get the hole sequence of most shots.  I have however put some of the best shot up on facebook.   Follow the link below. 

Monday session photos

Busy last few months of the water

The last few months have been lacking in windsurfing for me. After dislocating the top of my leg form the knee joint in Pozo, damaging there out of 4 ligaments in the knee I have been very busy couple of months physiotherapy! Thankfully the knee has recovered well, only needing one of the ligaments replacing, the ACL.

I am now recovering for the operation. This involved taking a couple of my hamstring ligaments to replace my ACL ligament and clean out some loose cartilage for the original damage. Recovery is going well, I am hoping it won't be the full 6 to 9months off games predicted after the operation!

The length of time before the operation has provided the opportunity to work on my company, Turfdog. A new prototyping workshop has lead to a new range of boards, coming out later this year. We have even been producing some custom boards at the request of the heaver users. These have reinforced tucks, carbon stringers and larger back wheels and trucks. See pics.

The longer wheel base also provides better high speed control and a smoother gybe. Combined with a dropped stance (lowered deck), giving a smoother feel.

We also with be shortly releasing some new equipment for other sports. Hopefully see you back on the water soon.

New Video about the 30th anniversary of F2. Enjoy

Pozo 2011, a short trip

I was pretty excited it get some training out in Pozo this year. Rather annoyingly after 5 days of marginal 4.7 Pozo weather, I bailed form an over rotated backy and got my foot stuck in a twisted front foot strap (Which I was going in to tighten after one more run!!!), leading to my knee getting bent in all sorts of wrong ways! Not being able to do much after this I flew back home to have it checked out. The results say I have at lest a couple of months off the water with ligerment damage, just waiting for a few more results to make there's not any more damage!!!!

While sitting with my leg up and Ice with a good old bag of Peas. I put together some clips I had on my computer of 2011/2010. Was hoping for a few better jumping shots but these will have to do.

Clips are form Hosseger France, Cape town South Africa and Pagham in the UK,Enjoy.

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New sails

After missioning it back form the BWA with about a million people kit in my van. I got a phone call to say me new kit was in. I proceeded to drive back from the east coast down south and picked up my new sails super light and really nice.

Itching to get out I had a typical Sunday, usually family stuff then taken girlfriend shopping. I managed a cheeky little session at East witterings around 19.00. Conditions weren't amazing but was one of the best sails I have had in ages really good fun no pressure session.

After heading Back from ireland and evtually gett

Bank Holiday

It been a pretty good bank holiday weekend on the east coast, sailing Friday to Monday, with sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. Very strange UK weather? Managed to find some good waves up at Walberswick near my house, an added bonus of a short drive un-like my usual treks to the southcoast or Cornwall.

I also got to sail a new spot which I have been wanting to sail for ages, Bawdsey. It was really good with much bigger waves than the other spots near me. I have been a bit hesitant to sail it because of all the second world war debris, pillboxes and rather large metal spikes hidden by the lovely brown east coast water! No problems though.

Picture of Bawdsey on a lighter day

You can seee what I mean on this blog.

http://pillboxesinsuffolk.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html

After sailing for the last 5 days in row I am knackered, but ready for my trip up to Rossi and Ireland for the first of the BWA wave events. Hope the weather's as good for those trips.

More Pics of Bawdsey

Walberswick

Photos by Kate Hartley.

Hayling Freestyle event

Not much wind this weekend. Should be perfect for some Turfdog action. I'm going to bee down at the Hayling Freestyle event this Saturday the 23rd. So Come and try the Turfdog demon boards. There may even be an impromptu tufdog freestyle even and a sneak peak at some new prototypes.

Cornwall

The start of this week was not to good. Getting back to Turfdog HQ only to find that my supplier had sent the wrong parts!! Having six boards to send out I was less than happy, however it seemed to work out for the best. Unable to build any boards until the next week, I powered down to Cornwall for Thursday/Friday session.

Thursday started with an average Marazion session, with the wind dropping off at the end. Not so pleased withhaving driven down, the pub overlooking the bluff near Gwithinan was the next best thing. I watched a few guys go out but the sets didn't seem to be forming right. As the evening progressed the sets started to clean up, leading to a light but really nice little evening session.

Aerial during my evening session at the bluff.

Taken by Scott Perry

Friday was good Gwithian session. I sailed from 10 until 8 then driving back to the student nationals at Calshot, to demo turfdogs. At both gwithian and the student nationals it was good to see loads of familiar faces with a good crowd at both places. I did discovered I defiantly am not a student anymore, really struggling with a hangover on the Sunday. Made even more pleasant by seeing the pics form the Saturday night of me in my rubbish my fancy dress!!!

One of the less embarrassing pics

End of my South Africa trip

Its been a while since my last blog update as Turfdog has been keeping me really busy while I have been away.

I had a really good first trip to South Africa and am defiantly coming back. There was good wind for most of the month and plenty to do if the wind was light.

On my way up table mountain with lions head in the background.

One of my favourite parts was testing the new F2 sails which were really light, responsive and powerful. Can wait to get mine at the end of the month.

http://20111.f2.com/surf/sails.php?L=1&o=/surf/

I also did some cage diving with white sharks. Sadly no pics of sharks as my go pro was lost surfing!!! I was not to scared until Scotty, floating in the cage next me grabbed my leg in a pincer action, scaring the S##t out of me much to the amusement of everyone else in the cage and on the boat!!!

Me, Scotty and Ian Gibson In the shark diving cage.

I was also really impressed with the number of different spots you could sail, with my favourite parts of the visit being couple road trips up and down the coast.

Milnerton

Melkbos

On one trip to elands bay, a few hours north of north of Capetown. We managed to get a bit of surfing for the first day and a half, before windsurfing in the afternoon of the second day. We decided hide are windsurfing kit in the rented house, as local surfers do not like windsurfer one bit. It not being uncommon for windsurfers to have a couple of tyres slashed by the local surfers

Getting up early 5.30 to surf on are final day before the wind kicked in. Me and Ben checked the surf to find the swell had come though in the night. Several gnarly looking older surfers came up to us to have a chat, saying how pissed off they were with the windsurfers at the break the previous day. We kept well quite but on walking back notice the guys were in the house next to us. There were a lot of dodgy stairs as we loaded up are windsurf kit onto the cars. Probably best to get back to cape town rather going to surf farmers (a spot which worked in small swell) and leaving are kit pretty much a big sign. Slash are tyres please!!

Surfing Farmer Burgers on the first day.

I was also luck enough to finish off my last day at cape point. With some nice wave riding just in time to rush back with and put my very wet overweight kit in the plane, thanks for letting it on Virgin!!

Pics of cape pont on the last day:

Cape point was a little tricky getting out as sometimes there was very light winds and reasonably big sets on the inside at the point. A fun day to finish a good trip on.

New Turfdog Promo Video

Hears the new Turfdog Promo Video. Enjoy

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South Africa and Turfdog video

It's been pretty chilled since I got to south Africa at the start of Feb. Not much wind at the moment, but it's nice to be in the sunshine. I also got to try out the new 2011 F2 rave twin fin. I was really impressed with the smooth ride and how tight you could turn on a 77L combined with the new Chinook one piece carbon boom(super stiff), I'm really happy with my kit.

New board and flexing trying to bend my boom!!

If there hasn't been any wind there seems to be always somewhere to find some surf. Once the wind kicks in next week wee should have plenty of kit to play with, take a look at the garage pics.

Pulling a lovely face after a duck dive.

Are Garage, with kit still in the cars.

I have also been working on some turfdog videos with a short clip below, with a longer one out soon.

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