Boardseeker forum

Fuerteventura Day 1
Ok so like I did when I was in Lanzarote last month I will be continuing my own personal report on the event over on the Boardseeker forum. Please take a look and get involved with the discussion! http://www.boardseekermag.com/forum/read.php?3,5314

Vass, Matadors and now the journey to Fuerteventura!

So me and Bubble made it back to Gatwick last night and I am now currently sitting at home back in Essex. The last few weeks out in Vass have been awesome! My first week back I spent in the Dungeon that is board repair at Club Vass which was rather itchy but meant I was on top of the sailing rota everyday so got loads of time on the water and managed to land Gollitos new move the "Matador"

The last week we have had Dave White out for his legendary speed week. Check the Video out here- http://boards.mpora.com/videos/featured-videos/speed-week-club-vass-2010.html

It was my turn this week to take the prokidz which is always a good challenge! Most of the kids I have taught quite a lot over the last 3 years but there were still a few new faces. The group ranged from kids wanting to plane to kids learning loops and vulcans. Luckily I had an assistant so we mananaged to split the group a bit in terms of when we were teaching them which was good as i got to spend lots of with everyone in the group even though there was a big range in ability. All the kids did awesome with the lighter winds at the beginning of the week really helping get their confidence and by the end of the week all of them were planing in the harness. The two that were learning to Vulcan and loop also did really well and improved a lot.

So after a bit of a last minute panic when it came to booking some very expensive flights we are finally off tomorrow morning. My flight ended up coming in at 120 more than Bubbles when half way through boking I realised I'd forgotten my bank card so quickly biked home to get it and by the time I got back ahhhhhhh 120 pounds!! And we arent even flying direct to Fuerteventura we have to go back to Lanzarote rent a car get a ferry then drive down to Sotavento. Not complaining to much it should be good fun and this also means we get a few days after the event to hang around in the canaries.

Photos by Scott Perry

Boardwise blog!!

Ok Boardwise have just set up their new blog site where you can receive news from what all of the team riders are up too! I will be posting on there aswell from now so keep an eye out. You can also sign up to receive info about some exclusive deals that boardwise have to offer.
Check it out - http://www.boardwise.co.uk/blog/

Twitter

Well sitting around in Lanzarote feeling pretty hungover has led to one good thing! Twitter.. Just getting to grips with it and seems really good for more regular updates. Check the box down the left hand side. Also got bored so decided to change things round a little bit.

Lanzarote!

Ok the rest of the blogging from Lanzarote is going to continue exclusively over on the boardseeker forum- http://www.boardseekermag.com/forum/read.php?3,5116

Clips from Lanzarote day2

Lanzarote Day 2

Just got back from the beach after an action packed day here Lanzarote! after it looking so unpromosing this morning with all the signs saying it wasnt going to happen today it was quite a shock that straight after lunch it filled in perfectly. I was in the second heat so rushed straight out on my 5.4 Simmer Blacktip. The heats were 7 minutes with the best 3 moves on each side counting with a maximum of 6 attempts!

Before I knew it I was at the upwind buoy wishing I had my 5.1. I was up against the German Adrian Beholz G-888 who has had some good results this year including a 2nd place at the efpt in Leucate. I sailed a solid heat opening with a massive shaka that I was pretty happy with and found myself looking for my watch at the end with a few minutes left after I had done all my moves so I threw in a no handed flaka, must of been at bit to far downwind though as all three of the judges wrote it down as 1 handed!! We knew it was close as we were stood waiting by the elimination board for ages. It was then announced that Beholz had advanced on a tie break decision. I ran to check the score sheets and what happens when its tied is they take the best score from the technical difficulty points above the other scores so even though I had more style points he passed the heat. Throughout the day the difference between the guys winning and losing was mostly the ability to do the moves even when they are hardly planing! I can do those moves when im fully powered on 4.8 but definitely havent been training them enough in crap conditions!!

Bubble was up against his team mate the Brazilian Ian Mouro Lemos. Straight away you could tell Bubble was overpowered on 5.3 and struggling to make the moves quick enoughwhere as Ian on his 4.9 was flying round some of his! It was pretty close but the decision went with Mouro Lemos!!!

Main upset in the first round was young Bonnare hot shot Bjorn Saragoza knocking out current tour leader Taty Frans!! Saragoza advanced until the last 8 when he then met Canadian champ and good friend of mine Philip Soltysiak (or Saltysack as we call him) Saltysack was on fire after just knocking out local boy Antxon Oetagui at his home spot. He sailed the heat of the contest so far against Saragoza and completely nailed all his moves including Culos, Burners, konos and a triple flaka!!! For me it was more exciting watching Phil on fire and clearly winning the heat than any of the England matches this world cup!! I almost felt that he was on my team and we were winning!!

On the other side of the draw in the fight to get to the last 4 was Steven Van Broekhoven up against Tonky Frans. For us sitting on the beach it looked pretty close but I we were all certain that Steven had won the heat. Next thing we know Tonky is heading back out to sail in the semi final and Steven Is pretty angry walking over to the judges box. Steven was annoyed that in the split decision two of the judges had missed named one of his moves and when questioning them it turned out that they didnt even know what it was!!!!!! To be fair this "skopu" that he did land was a bit sketchy but still eveyone was a bit shocked by the decision. This Meant it was Gollito, Kiri, Tonky and Saltysack left in the battle for the top however the wind dropped leaving this heated battle for the morning!!!

On the ladies front Laure Treboux was looking super stylish as per usual and after passing Nayra alonso in a close heat she was then up against current womens chap Sarah Quita Offringa!! Due to Laures seeding she was unlucky to get Sarah this early on. Sarah won the heat looking as dominating as ever to the be up against the Venezuelan Yoli de Brendt! Because the wind had dropped by this point again another battle that will have to wait until the morning.