Changing plans & Essex session with Global!

So I was supposed to go out to Egypt a few weeks ago but have had a hectic stressfull time of making new plans. I'll start the story from the beginning. So during the summer fellow instructor Ric and I decided to split the work contract out in Dahab so he did the first three months he would work and I would do the rest and I was promised the job HOWEVER... As I'm sure a lot of you are aware Club Vass has been owned by the Tui group for the last few years on a loan basis and for the last two years we have been in the same operating group as Sunsail. Well as of May, 2010 Club Vass is going back to the original owners Tony & Rodger who first started the company and ran it very successfully for a long time.

So pretty much the job I was promised was taken away by Sunsail over some petty dispute over a board, not even a dispute just apparently an e-mail was in a un-approved of tone!! I had presumed their reluctancy to give me the job was that they knew I would be working for Club Vass again in the summer! Instead of just telling me they had no plan on giving me the job they made me jump through all the hoops applying online and even leading me on the hole time I was rushing around saying goodbyes making sure all my kit was here driving to Shoreham and back collecting the final bits so I was all ready before they had the decency to tell me!!! Colin Dixon who is managing out there and a very close friend of mine fought my corner the whole time but it wasnt enough! I had already left my current job and missed out on a ski holiday!! So winter plans ruined what was I to do???? Looking on the plus side- Exciting times coming up this summer with Club Vass back with Tony & Rodger all 100% brand new kit and some exciting new gadgets to help push the instruction up another level!! Very excited!!

So as there was the PWA event happening over in Vietnam in February anyway I decided to join up with Phil Soltysiak & Bryan Metcalf Perez and head over there for a month and get some practice in before the event! We both agreed that it felt like a waste going to a part of the world we had both never been too only for a week and also not looking around a bit. Well the plan now is to go via Bangkok on the way for a few days and leave our board bags at the starboard factory where due to some unfortunate circumstances Phil needs to collect some new kit!! Check the link for more info - http://issuu.com/philipsoltysiak/docs/stolen_equipment_2011_soltysiak

I have managed to get out in Essex however not quite the warm blue waters of Dahab but was good fun all the same. Jay Haysey (Globalshots) and Ed Sinclair came down the night before and it was great to catch up with them again, so after feeling not too clever the next day we headed to Clacton.
It was awesome to get out on my new gear- Skate 90 and 5.0 Ice. We had Si Crowther with a remote control flash set up on the beach to make up for lack of sunlight.

Globalshots

Globalshots, originally uploaded by Max Rowe K448.

One shot from the other day at Clacton! Just testing the Flickr photo stream though really!

New sponsors, pictures and more!!

So havent updated much recently mainly because I've been busy at work over the christmas period. Also because I've been in the middle of changing sponsors and waiting for the press release from them confirming the news! But now its all done and I have my new gear I just cant wait to get back on the water.

This sponsorship change is a massive step forward for me and also a bit of a dream come true really to be supported by the top brands in the industry and getting to sign an international contract. No more worrying about how Im going to pay for my kit at the end of year etc. Its what I was really hoping I would get after funding my own way around the PWA tour last year and hopefully this year I can prove myself even more to go on and be able to carry on doing it for a few more years!

Fanatic and North have made a big impact over the last year in the UK since Nik Baker along with his brother Ant have been behind the importing side of things. They really are one of the only brands making an appearance at every event and therefore one of the only ones really pushing windsurfing as a sport. When I first met Nik and Ant I could see that it was going to be a great team to be a part of, especially having these two windsurfing legends backing, supporting and hopefully helping me lead a successful career as professional windsurfer like they both have.

Some of you may have of noticed that I didnt actually spend that much time riding my sponsors board last year as they were unable to get round to registering them for the PWA events. This meant I have already spent a lot of time riding that Fanatic boards and I really believe that they are the best possible boards available for freestyle. When I first used them it instantly felt like a board I had been sailing my whole life! I have had a few goes on the Norths as well and they feel sick. I have been so impressed with how the rig fits together with all the North components and cant wait to get out on the water with it!

There were a few hard moments moving away from my first ever sponsor Spartan wetsuits but Mark was really understanding that I needed to keep on pushing my career forward and I cant thank him enough for the support he's given me over the last few years!

So its over to Ion wetsuits, clothing and accessories for me and I hopefully should be getting my gear in the post some point today. The gear really does look sick and I couldnt believe how flexible and warm my new strike series 5/5 semi dry suit was when I got out the other day.

Big thanks also to Farrel at Simmer and Ian & Doug at Boardwise for all their support last year!

So hopefully now I will be heading out to Dahab to work at Club Vass for a few months and also attend the PWA Vietnam event! Will get some pictures up very soon.

Pictures by Dave White. Except the dodgy ones taken by my Dad!