Summer Is Just Around The Corner

Its been a long old winter here in the UK, freezing temperatures and little wind! On the plus side there has been a fair bit swell around. I have been pretty terrible at updating the blog but it is now time for a spring clean and a little more effort!

So far this season I have had a few good sessions, the first few were a little rusty but i’m starting to feel a little more on top of things. I have recently taken delivery on a set of MFC QS Red Custom fins fresh from Maui and so far have had only 1 session but WOW, they are pretty damn special, really really good grip through the bottom turn but nice and predictable release out of the top. I cant wait to get back onto the water with them!

This summer my time will be spent at West Wittering beach as windsurf instructor, although I will be concentrating on all aspects of tuition I hope to be providing a little bit of coaching in the waves and flat water for the more advanced windsurfer! This year I will be using Severne Blades, Severne masts and booms and Goya boards.

If you fancy some coaching or just somebody to sail with pop in and see us at West Wittering Windsurf Club the next time your down!

Winter Is Here

Winter has arrived and so have the use of a 5mm wetsuit and booties. Hopefully with the wintery temperature we will get our wintery swell which there was been sighted once already last week.

Now we have shut the centre for the season at West Wittering I though it was a time for a trip to Honk Kong to see my parents. Having never seen that part of the world before I had no idea what to expect!

I have to say its really nice, the busy atmosphere and epic views are amazing and while it never shouted out to me as a windsurfing destination I was quite shocked to turn up to a white sandy beach and go blasting on a 6.7m and a 110l slalom board.

I’m out here for just over a week so exploring everyday and doing the classic holiday maker thing and taking lots of pictures but some of them are pretty epic!

Back home on Sunday to wrap up back in thermals and thick wetsuits!

 

Freestyle Back Home

After 9-10 months being away in Tenerife I have arrived back home in West Wittering for the winter. After working at the UKWA Freestyle Event watching Tow in and pumping freestyle we were excited to see the forecast showing 3.7-4.2 weather for both the following monday and tuesday, which coincided with my days of luckily.

Yesterday (Monday) I scored Trench flat water perfection with Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers, Max Rowe, Ric Cleworth to name but a few.

I rigged my Severne S1 3.7 and my Goya Air 99 freestyle board and battled my way down to the waters edge, We had 3 maybe 4 hours of silly overpowered freestyle. Then the wind got too much so we decided to to slalom races down to the winner buoy about 1/2 mile off of the point at West Wittering.

Then it was time for a break, after an hour waiting for the tide to rise we then had a 2 hour wave session where we all just went rather mad and were going for all sorts of twisty spinny moves!

Anyway, today is another day and we are all broken but keen to have another go but this time slightly less overpowered!

See you on the water!

 

Sports Photography

It’s been a little while since I last updated the blog. In fact it has been pretty damn busy out here in Tenerife, After the World cup visited Tenerife it seemed everyone came to the OTC. Now the centre has gotten a little quieter we have had numerous test teams visiting the centre to try and test the 2013 equipment, it had been quite interesting to test different kit back to back. It really makes you understand how they work in different conditions.

As well as lots of windsurfing I have spent a fair amount of time working with cameras trying out new ideas, settings etc…

Hopefully ahead of sorting myself out a little bit of a hobby/business when i get back to the UK

Below are a few of my favourite shots from the past month.

 

 

 

PWA Tenerife Warm Up

The PWA Tenerife Warm Up Session

Since the Pozo competition finished the competitors slowly made their way over to Tenerife in preparation for round 2 of the PWA World Tour.

Last night (11th July) was yet another show from the top guys and girls on the tour, This time I was behind the lens to capture some of the best moves as they prepared for today’s start. Nothing too big or spectacular as to avoid injury before the event but some slick sick moves no the less!

The Album of a few of the best shots can be found by clicking HERE

Windy Tenerife – 14/06/2012

14/06/2012, a set on Flickr.

The past week has been pretty windy out here in Tenerife, The Centre has had plenty of smiling faces and red raw hands pass through!

With BJ, our in house photographer back behind the lens all of our clients have had their windsurf holiday snaps to take back home, with the wind being so strong (average sail size being 4.5m) the staff have had chance to play in the empty playground that is the harbour wall. Last night it was BJ’s turn to get out on the water as I had injured my back and opted for the 7D and 400mm lens to get a few snaps of the guys.

Everyone has been sailing really well recently and have been learning and landing new moves left right and centre!

Fun Filled Photography and SUP’ing…

Its been quite a quiet month (May) which has given us chance to try out a few new toys out here at The Official Test Centre. We took delivery of our Red Paddle .Co SUP’s a while back but had just enough breeze to render them useless! Since having some nice calm flat days we are very very impressed by the boards, We have both the 9’6 all water and the 10’6 ‘Barge’!! Both super easy to paddle and can catch some nice little waves and the best thing is they bounce off of everything, whether that be rocks, other SUP’s or people. Recently though we have been trying the boards out in proper waves in Medano, on head high glassy sets at the point at the edge of South Bay. With flexy plastic fins turning tight wasn’t really an option but once you got used to them they were epic! The 9’6 could throw spray in the top turn while the 10’6 could gun down the line and trim up and down the wave with ease. I can 100% recommend trying these. On another note I have spent a little bit of time behind the lens again getting some nice pictures in El Cabezo on some of the lighter wind days, This time I was let loose with a lovely Cannon 7D and a super nice 100-400 lens! Check out the shots, some really nice colours and good action for a small windless wave! The forecast is looking pretty good for the following week so i’m hoping to get some sailing in and would also like to get back out with the camera and see what I can produce!

Mid May Update

So it has been a little quite here in Medano for a couple of weeks, lovely and warm but not much wind past 16 knots! Although it has been pretty nice to get on big kit and do slalom/blasting it does somehow get a little tedious. Therefore I have been doing a lot of mountain biking which has been pretty good, the level of some of the trails here are nice, quite a few good downhill section to reward you after some hefty climbs, I have found out a few times that loose ‘gravel’ over volcanic rock is rather sloppy and have washed out a few times but luckily with sufficient padding on it was ok!

I also managed to get back to the UK for a week or so which was really nice, it was nice to have that fresh ‘cool’ morning breeze that we just don’t quite get here. And of course nice to catch up with friends and family.

Now I’m back in Medano we have tarted up our centre a little more ready for the summer and have also got ourselves some nice SUP’s for the light wind days (more news on that to come!)

Yesterday was the first day, well evening of proper wind for a about 2 possibly 3 weeks, really nicely powered 5.3 weather with little waves in the bay, with the forecast looking a little weak for the following days we made the most of it.

But as I write this we have perfect side shore wind gusting 32 knots! Lovely!

 

See you on the water….

 

Medano Delivers…

After a week or so of marginal wind cruising on big kit, the wind has finally arrived in Tenerife.

Today started off a little light most on 5.7′s but as the day went on the wind and swell get building up and up, eventually allowing us to rig the 4.7′s up which was a nice change!

With a few of us in the centre we managed to get out for a few power hours during the day followed by an awesome sail in the evening. being the first day of really wind it was packed everywhere, South Bay, Cabezo and The Harbour Wall were all full of windsurfers with the odd rogue kiter fading between waves on the inside (pain in the arse!)

Two events today spring to mind to some up my sessions today. Fist of all, the lunch time sail with our photographer BJ. We had a few waves that were about chest height which were nice and smooth over the reef at the wall which we shared, although I have done this before it just seemed to work really well this time with both of us getting nice hits followed by a good powerful bottom turn while we took it in turns to hit the lip, Perfect!!!

This evenings sail in Cabezo was also really really nice, so good jumping and some good riding to be had too. A few less people out than in the day which made life easier, I had a few lovely comfortable trips up the rocks but it turned out ok with all kit intact so alls good!

And of course, I finally managed to get out on my Goya Custom Quad 72, and WOW what an absolute dream, it turns really tight and hold really well through top and bottom turn. A much better choice for my weight out here in El Medano. Can’t wait to get a smaller sail on it and have a fully lit up session!

 

 

Who is Adam Lewis??

An epic new release from BJ Productions show Adam Lewis K516 absolutely ripping out here in El Medano.

It’s been pretty sick sailing with him these last few months, seeing him do hugeee doubles and backs over you is something else!

Heres what he has to say:

‘Here is a little video that was filmed in the first half of March 2012. Just before this video was shot I managed to completely move my Tibia bone in my leg so for filming I had tape holding my knee and leg in place! Its just been so windy you don’t get a chance to rest. Miss out on windsurfing? As if…. It is jist far too much fun not to get out there and give it your all!! I guess I will the video do the rest of the talking!’

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