Boards in Wales - BWA Day One
Day one in Rhosneigr and we are greeted with north westerly winds. We are reporting LIVE from the event all day so scroll down to check the updates below…
BWA Wales 2011.
At the moment the forecast for Saturday isn’t looking too good, but Sunday could deliver classic Rhosneigr conditions. With a south westerly running, if the wind comes in early we could be treated to some brilliant conditions and a true jump and stunt fest here in Wales.
Stay tuned for the latest info!
Well that’s it for today by the looks of things! There is a social tonight at Llandudno Ski Centre where a few lunatics will be on the Jump Ramps – we will update you tomorrow on any mishaps!
Check back here tomorrow for more LIVE updates from BWA Round 1 – Rhosneigr. Thanks for watching!
Duncan Coombs – Conditions turned out a lot better than we though they were going to be and a great first day of the year. Some of the up and coming sailors like Lecky and Marroney really proved themselves against the pros which was nice to see. Chris Murray had the highest wave score of the day knocking out Hancock which for me was a surprise as you would expect these conditions to be Hancocks conditions. The final looked to be slightly worse conditions than the rest of day and I like the final to be as good if not better, so I made the decision to cancel it. After 8 mins, we only had one sailor scoring over 5 points for a ride and that isnt right really, We have a forecast for wind so I think its best to wait for the wind to come back. Looking forward to it coming back over the next 2 days!”
Dave Buckland – Event Host (Funsport) – “It’s unusual for a contest in Rhosneigr to be run in Starboard tack conditions, but considering the forecast wasnt great, I think it turned out well! Down the line head high and sunshine isn’t too bad! Shame we didnt quite get the final done, but its looking good for Sunday on that one…and you never know what tomorrow might bring!”
Adam Lewis – “It was pretty fun conditions when you got a set. It was all about waiting for the sets and choosing the right wave. I have been working pretty hard on the sails this winter and I was using a 4 batten Salt 5.2 and a 95 litre LS Quatro Quad with K4 fins (8 & 16cm). I have a 5.6m sail and I nearly took it, but coming from Tenerife, the biggest sail I have been on most of the winter was a 4.4m, so a 5.6 sounded like a terrifying prospect! Haha! The Boards have got quite a lot of drive so you can get away with less power from the sail. We actually get conditions a bit like this in Tenerife when we get south winds, so I wasnt too phased by the Starboard tack. I reckon it was a good call to bin the final as there pretty much no wind. Am looking forward to getting some real wind on Sunday! Haha…!”
Ben Proffitt – “Well local knowledge got it wrong! I thought it was going to go to nothing, but it held up and if anything got better. It actually got pretty fun – starbord tack down the line in the sunshine – cant complain! The wind went more offshore later, which made it lighter but gave more power on the wave. I was using 85 Flywave and 5.3 in the final. I dont really need a 5.7 as when you are on the wave I have anough speed and a bigger sail isnt as manouverable. My Blacktips have quite a bit of pull, so I am happier using a smaller sail. I was using 9.5 & 14 cm quad fins. It was a tough call in the final. It was sort of alright as the wind got very light but as it went more offshore, there was actually more power on the wave. But I guess they made the right decision to postpone it”
John Skye – “Pretty tough conditions. The wind was quite light, there were some alright sets coming through but it was difficult to find them. If you got a wave with a gust it was really fun, but it was pretty tricky if there wasn’t any wind in the sail. I was using the new RRD 90 wave contest twin and was working great with a 5.7m four. I was using KT 165 MFC fins for a little more looseness for small waves.”
Some words from Mr Horrocks – “Earlier on there was some nice little waves, the swell got better, but wind sung a little more North and got sheltered by the sand dunes on the high tide. I dont think we will be back on the water today, but who knows.” Phil was riding a Gaastra Manic 5.7 and a 91 Tabou Quadster with standard fins (set in the middle).
15:28 – It’s not looking good at the moment to finish the final. The wind has dropped a lot and the waves are also looking smaller…The sailors are heading back from the other end of the beach, so it doesn’t look like we will be finishing this for the time being…
15:20 – Ok…Final is postponed due to a lull in the wind and waves….they will try again shortly..
Yep, that’s when I launched. Sorry guys
There is a definite lull in the wind and waves at the moment, but skye pulls a nice one out of the bag…
Lewis gets his first wave of the heat, but it peters out on him after 2 turns..
Wind is looking pretty light at the moment…Horrocks looks to have had a great ride but follows it up with not such a good one…
We are off…Proffitt and Skye get the first 2 waves….quite a range of equipment with Proffitt on a 75 & 5.3m and the others on 90+ boards and 5.8m’s…Proffitt is 80kg’s, so not really much lighter than the others…
The sailors have had a short rest before the final. and the we start in less than one minute…
15:01 – Final will be a four man show down of Adam Lewis, Ben Proffitt, John Skye and Phil Horrocks…
14:59 – Proffitt and Lewis advance.
From the beach, conditions look really nice. It’s sunny, the swell looks around head high, its cross shore, full front side riding and in the gusts sailors and getting some jumps. On the water, its much harder than it looks! The waves are quite soft and with the light winds, its hard to keep power and get good turns. Never the less, the top guys are still managing to get aerials on their best waves…
14:52 – Heat over. Muzza sailed well, but it looked quite tight, so we are going to have to wait for the results on that….
14:46 – Now up – Lewis, Proffitt, Cox & Chris Murray….could be a tight one this and wind is actually looking a little light…
Wind is pretty much the same, but the waves have got a little better. John Skye and Phil Horrocks progress through. John is using a 5.7m and 90ish litre RRD Wave Comp..
So no results yet, but…looks like Horrocks did well, but the other 3 looked tight…
Yep, thanks Andy – 2 rides and no jumps. In the gusts, the guys are getting jumps easily, but sometimes the lulls are lasting the whole 15 minute heat duration so they have decided to focus on rides only…
Ps. Why aren’t you here Andy – you are missed?!!
I have an injured knee – after a nasty wipe out on a mast high wave at Fistral … was hoping it would be recovered but hasn’t healed in time… wishing I was there …
what with Southampton getting promoted and Portsmouth getting relegated Hancock thought his life couldn’t get any worse .. that is until now … beaten by Muzza !!
Next up Skye, Phil Horrocks, Merroney and Chambers…
what’s the judging criteria 2 waves no jumps ?
Big Upset as Hancock is knocked out by Chris ‘Muzza’ Murray. ‘Muzza’ has spent all winter in Maui and it has really paid off with a standout performance in the waves. No surprises for local boy and current tour leader, Ben Proffitt as he also proceeds with solid waveriding. Steve Thorp is the 2nd sailor to be eliminated in that heat..
If you have any questions, feel free to post…
14:19 – Phil Horrocks, John Skye, James Cox and Adam Lewis are the standout sailors of the elimination so far…Phil clearly knows the spot well and has great wave selection…
14:18 – So…I have just been in the judges wagon and got a bit of info so far…
First heat was a pretty close to the limit (Thorpy vs Potter) and very close between the two sailors. After that the conditions have improved somewhat and with 15 minute heats the best riders are getting between 5 and 7 rides – with just the two best counting
Adam Cox and Adam Lewis now advance. Next heat on. Hancock, Chris Murray, Steve Thorpe and another local sailor and big name Ben Proffitt.
Conditions now looking much better. Wind increasing and waves looking about shoulder-head high out there.
Now battling it off we have Sam Darkin, James Cox, Local sailor Dave Horrocks and Adam Lewis. All big names with big skills!
Lewis Merrony has definitely done well. Coming second in the Amateur fleet in the 2011 tour and now progressing through his first Heat in the Pro’s. Where as Young Aleksy Gayda the winner from the ams last year knocked out, looked a very tough heat for aleksy though.
The local boy Phil Horrocks and Lewis Merrony advance to the next heat.
Skyboy and Andy Bubble Chambers through. Lewis Merrony, Horrocks, Shillito and Hunt now on. Conditions definitely increasing.
Thorpy has knocked out his windsurfing buddy Potter! Heat two now going off! Young Lecky in the pro’s against Bubble Skyboy and Sam Neal! Waves looking like they are building slowly!
Thorpy and Potter battling it out! Two waves to count. Conditions looking okay. 15-18 knots on and off planning.
All the competitors are out on the water. The waves are better further down the bay than in front of the shop so the Judges made the right call. Just waiting for the flags to be raised and competition will start!
The Judges are now working their way down to Cymyran beach in the 4WD with the north-westerly winds producing more waves down that end of the bay. Looks like competition will start before 1pm.
11:52 – Everyone is rigged and ready, most sailors rigging 5.3m, 5.7m. First heat is Steve Thorp .v. Rich Potter. Second heat sees John Skye out on the water against Sam Neal, Lecky Gayda and Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers. Skyeboy has rigged a 5.7 and 5.3 RRD sail on a 90litre RRD Wave Twin Contest Addition….
11:41 – Still looking border line, but it looks like we are going to give it a try. Rich Potter full planing on 5.3m and getting jumps on waist high waves. Others up the top of the bay getting small rides.
11:11 – Head judge Duncan Coombs says first possible start 11:30am. Quote: “It’s looking borderline at the moment, but it could be possible to start on time”
10:57 – And another local man Ben Proffitt (and reigning UK Champ) gives his prediction: “If they want to push it through they probably can. We have got enough wind. The waves are a little small and inconsistent and I cant really see them getting much bigger..”
10:56 – Local man Phil Horrocks gives us this prediction for the day: “Best chance of it happening is between now and an hour before high tide. At high tide the wave will get too fat”
Rhossy Web Cam link: http://www.funsportonline.co.uk/default.aspx
10:26 – Sailors are registering at the moment. Conditions are actually looking reasonably good considering the forecast and there is definite potential for some good competition today. Wind is NW which means Starboard Tack and down the bottom of the bay (to the right of the web cam view) there are some nice waist to chest high swell lines coming in and wind is side to slightly side off at the right hand end of the bay. Tide is out (which is always the worst for waves at Rhossy), so as the tide comes in, we would expect the waves to get better. Wind is gusty with typical NW squalls coming through. Everything from wobbling 5.7m weather up to to full power 4.7m in the gusts by the looks of it….
10:24 – Good Morning and welcome to sunny North Wales (well it is at the moment!) We will be reporting live from the event through the next 3 days, so keep an eye on these updates. If you have any specific questions, feel free to post them here! Today (Friday) is pro’s only…