W4CR logo

The charity Windsurfing4CancerResearch (‘W4CR’) participated in the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace on March 5/6. Thanks to RYA and sponsor support, W4CR were able to mount a display and meet organisers and enthusiasts from many sailing centres across the UK.

The David Tuttlebee Memorial Trophy

On Saturday, a new trophy in memory of W4CR’s founder and inspiration, David Tuttlebee was unveiled (left). David, who sadly lost his battle with cancer last September, actively supported young windsurfers, and with the RYA’s help, many T15 (under 15) windsurfing clubs will join W4CR’s Sunrise Sunset event on May 1^st. The trophy will be awarded annually to the T15 venue with the best fun and fundraising event.

W4CR Volunteer Kate Atkins and Olymoic Bronze Medallist and W4CR Ambassador Nick Dempsey at the launch of Sunrise Sunset 2011 (May 1st, 2011 at 50+ venues) at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show, Alexandra Palace, 6th March 2011

On Sunday Nick Dempsey, Olympic bronze medallist and W4CR ambassador joined the launch of W4CR’s Sunrise Sunset 2011 event (May 1), which is the lead event for the RYA’s National Windsurfing Week (May 1-8). Sunrise Sunset will be held at 50+ windsurfing venues round the UK, where windsurfers participate in the sport they love while raising money for W4CR to distribute to worthy cancer-related causes.

W4CR Trustee Brian Roake and Nick Dempsey (right with Kate Atkins, W4CR volunteer) spoke about the Sunrise Sunset event on Sunday May 1st. Brian highlighted that the event is, as David Tuttlebee expressed, “more than just a day at the beach”. With the involvement of the young T15’ers, W4CR hope to have 1000 windsurfers on the water at midday. Nick spoke of his support for the W4CR charity, and will participate personally on May 1^st.

From the 2009 and 2010 Sunrise Sunset events, W4CR raised over £80,000 and for 2011, hope to exceed this amount so that beneficiaries such as Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Breast Cancer Care can receive more funding for the great work they do.

Neil Pryde, Chairman, Neil Pryde Limited presenting copy of ‘Will to Win’ to W4CR Trustee Alan Murrell

W4CR Trustees were especially pleased when leading windsurfing equipment supplier, Neil Pryde was able to join them in person. Neil has very kindly donated a full ‘RS One’ board and rig package to W4CR which later this year, a lucky windsurfer will be able to win (details will be given on www.W4CR.org). At the show, Neil presented W4CR a copy of the splendid book ‘Will to Win’ on the history of his company’s contribution to windsurfing (left).

During the show, W4CR Trustees met many visitors from RYA Sailing Centres, whose incredible support for Sunrise Sunset 2011 should increase the venue total to around twice 2010’s 26. The RYA’s support is undoubtedly spreading the word about W4CR and helping the charity make even greater contributions to the cancer research, education and support objectives as set up by David Tuttlebee in 2009.

W4CR’s website www.W4CR.org gives more information on W4CR and the Sunrise Sunset 2011 event, as well as links to cancer research, awareness and support information.

NeilPryde's new RS:ONE

Neil Pryde (the man himself) will be flying in from Hong Kong to attend this year’s RYA Volvo Dinghy Show, Alexandra Palace 5-6th March. The Show has been entertaining a greater windsurfing presence over the last few years and for 2011 show Pryde Group UK will be launching the new Neil Pryde RS ONE Racing Project! This new board and rig combination aims to bring windsurfing full circle back to its roots offering one design cruising and racing for all ages, abilities and budgets. The RS ONE with Neils backing has already hit the international scene in style with a glamorous opening event at the Asian Windsurfing Games held in the heart of Singapore’s business district, with its own TV coverage on CNN and Bloomberg! You can see the new board and Rig in the flesh, as well as the man behind the project and the world’s biggest windsurfing brand for the past 40 years on the RYA Team 15 stand and Neil Pryde Sailing (Hall 3, Stand C76)

As well as launching RS ONE, Neil will also be supporting alot of the good work taking place at the show -sharing “Neil Pryde Internationals” 40th birthday celebrations with the successful Team 15 project thats now in its tenth year!, joining in with the National Windsurfing Week preparations and supporting the hard working team at Windsurfing 4 Cancer (W4CR). Neil was really happy to see windsurfing making a comeback at the show, but as a keen sailor and successful international yacht racer Neil is looking forward to seeing all that this ever popular show has to offer as well as meeting the UK’s sailing and windsurfing public.

More at www.rya.org.uk / www.neilpryde.com

RYA Windsurfing

A WINDSURFING WEEKEND AT THE RYA VOLVO DINGHY SHOW 2011

After a successful return last year, windsurfing will once again be making an appearance at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show 2011.

From expert talks and sailors to special birthday celebrations, this year’s show has plenty of activities on offer; all completely dedicated to windsurfing.

Talks

For those sailors who have always wanted to give windsurfing a try, check out the Windsurfing for Dinghy Sailors talk by Tris Best which can be found in the Coaching Area (11:00am both days in the Panorama Hall). Tris is the owner of the Windsurfing Centre OTC in Weymouth and Tenerife. He was also the Test Editor for Windsurf magazine and is very well respected in the windsurfing industry so is the perfect man to give advice on how to get started, what equipment to choose, and how to progress in the exhilarating sport of windsurfing.

Windsurfing Champion

The show will also provide the opportunity to get up close and personal with Team Volvo for Life and Skandia Team GBR’s Nick Dempsey who is the windsurfing RS:X 2009 World Champion and an Olympic Bronze Medallist. Nick will be giving an exclusive Olympic update at the show and will be sharing his future plans and ambitions for the upcoming games. Catch Nick’s talk on the main stage in Hall 2 at 13:45 on Sunday 06 March. If you have any questions for Nick you can submit your question by emailing asknick@rya.org.uk.

National Windsurfing Week

Nick is also ambassador of National Windsurfing Week (NWW) and the Windsurfing 4 Cancer Research (W4CR) charity and will be officially launching this year’s event at the show (10:45am in the Panorama Hall). NWW will run from the 01 to 08 May, providing an ideal opportunity for windsurfing enthusiasts to create ways to get as many people out on the water as possible, be it from racing events to charity fundraising to windsurfing taster sessions.

Gillian Wright, RYA Windsurfing Development Officer and a key figure behind the week says “We are delighted to have Nick’s support for National Windsurfing Week this year. NWW really brings people together which is such an important part of any sport and this year we hope to see even more people taking part, whether it’s with a windsurfing school, a shop, a club or just with your mates there are so many ways people can get involved with the event’’.

W4CR – Sunrise Sunset May 1^st

A very popular way to get involved with National Windsurfing Week is charity fundraising and kicking off NWW is the Windsurfing 4 Cancer Research (W4CR) ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ fundraising fun day with the slogan ‘more than just a day at the beach’. Sunrise Sunset events will be simultaneously taking place across the whole of the UK involving many RYA centres, clubs and T15 teams. The big challenge this year is to get ‘more than a thousand windsurfers on the water at midday.

David Tuttlebee Memorial Trophy

This year will have significant poignancy as David Tuttlebee; founder of the W4CR charity sadly lost his battle with cancer and passed away last year. The ‘David Tuttlebee Memorial Trophy’ has been created and will be awarded to the Team15, youth windsurfing club who put on the best fun fundraising Sunrise Sunset event, take part in helping to achieve the challenge by getting as many windsurfers on the water and their commitment to raising money for the charity W4CR.

To find out more about NWW and the Sunrise Sunset Challenge visit the windsurfing area in the Panoramic Hall at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show and talk to one of the organisers. You can also register your interest at this year’s NWW event by going to www.nationalwindsurfingweek.org

or to take part in the Sunrise Sunset Challenge go to www.w4cr.org and enter on-line.

Team15 celebrates 10^th birthday

RYA’s grassroots windsurfing programme Team15 will also be celebrating its 10^th birthday this year and to mark the occasion the official birthday party will be held at the RYA Volvo Dingy Show on Saturday 05 March (11:30 in Panorama Hall).  Join in with the fun as we look back over the past 10 years to see how the programme has grown.

Team15 manager Gillian Wright who has created the programme and has worked on it from the beginning said “We are delighted to be celebrating our 10^th birthday at this year’s show. It is fantastic to see how Team15 has developed over the years and we now have more youngsters learning to windsurf with the programme than ever before and we hope to see this number continue to grow.”

Exhibitors

Finally, don’t miss the opportunity to check out the latest gear at specialised wetsuit company Spartan Wetsuits or to visit Action Van, who offer a part or full conversion service to people with a strong interest in outdoor pursuits including windsurfing. If you fancy taking a course, the Official Test Centre will also be exhibiting at the show with experts on hand to answer any of your questions. All these exhibitors can be found in the windsurfing area in the Panorama Hall.

Get your tickets

Tickets brought in advance cost just £11.00 for adults (£9.00 for RYA members and £8.00 for RYA Gold members), children 16 or under; accompanied by an adult, just £5.00 a ticket and go free on Sunday (maximum two free of charge child tickets per adult).  Children who are RYA members go free of charge all weekend.

Tickets can also be purchased on the door for £13.00 adult and £7.00 child, but if you want to beat the queues and save money then book online now at www.dinghyshow.org or call the ticket hotline on 0844 811 0409.

The official website for the all new Skandia Team GBR ‘Support Crew’ was launched today last weekend by top British sailors, Bryony Shaw, Penny Clark, Nick Thompson and Tokyo Games silver medallist Keith Musto at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace.

The concept was to create a supporters club worthy of the greatest sailing team in the world, with the new website www.skandiateamgbr.com/supportcrewproviding a platform for all the latest video, images, blogs and exclusive behind the scenes access to the world of Skandia Team GBR. Track the team around the globe through the latest Geofile mapping technology, and load your own images into the ‘Supporters Gallery’.  Each month there will be exclusive competitions, videos and blogs, and the community can vote for their “Sailor of the Month”.

While the British sailors hope to have amazing prospects for podium places at London 2012, they can be sure they have the backing of many past successful Olympians who know more than anyone what it takes to succeed.   Read exclusive interviews with past Olympians such as Ian Walker, Rodney Pattison,Adrian Jardine, and Mike McIntyre to see their views on sailing’s prospects for 2012, what their own experience of the Olympics was like, and what they are most looking forward to in 2012.

Kicking off the series is Olympic silver medallist Keith Musto, who hit the headlines at Tokyo 1964 when he and crew Tony Morgan claimed Britain’s only sailing medal of the Games; a silver in the Flying Dutchman two-person heavyweight dinghy class. A year later Keith established the Musto sailing brand and now, aged 74, he is retired from the Musto business and is more likely to be found at the helm of his motorboat than a dinghy.

Geofile Mapping

An exciting new feature on the Support Crew website will allow members to follow the team all over the world through the use of Geofile technology.  All blogs, videos and tweets will be posted live online through an interactive map, so you can stay right on the pulse of what’s going on all over the globe 365 days a year.  Supporters will also be able to load their own images in their very own supporters club gallery.

Sailor of the Month

Supporters will be able to have their own say and cast their vote on some of the outstanding achievements of the squad each month.  Skandia Team GBR managers, coaches and support staff will nominate 3 sailors/crews each month for supporters to vote for in this new interactive feature.

Runners and riders

The coaches and managers at Skandia Team GBR, including team manager Stephen (Sparky) Park, will provide their exclusive view as to the runners and riders each month, helping everyone keep up to date with who to watch and where Skandia Team GBR are going to be defending their titles in 2010.

ISAF Sailing World Cup series

2010 will see many great regattas, but running throughout will be the ISAF Sailing World Cup series. Skandia Team GBR squad members will be looking to defend their titles or improve on last year’s results, track who’s moving up and who’s moving down each month with this new feature.

Video

The Support Crew aims to bring you the very latest video reports from around the world, including all the training camps and competitions, but more importantly it will provide exclusive behind the scenes access to the team. Catch up with team members in the new “On Deck“ feature, and stay up to date with all the latest news from the team around the globe.

“This is really the start of our engagement with Skandia Team GBR’s supporters and hopefully potential future supporters in the lead up to 2012,” said the RYA’s Olympic Manager Stephen Park of the new initiative.

“We have always received a fantastic level of support from the public, but now, at this unique time for British sailing and British sport, we wanted a platform that allowed us to share our journey with them. We hope we have created an exclusive community worthy of the world’s best sailing team!”

Park continued: “It has been created with the fan in mind, allowing interaction and providing content that will be exclusive to the Support Crew.  We hope it will give a new insight into our team and will be a great tool with which to follow our progress all over the world as we head towards Weymouth in 2012.”

Show your support for the world’s greatest sailing team and sign up now at www.skandiateamgbr.com/supportcrew

Bryony Shaw to launch National Windsurfing Week at the RYA Dinghy Show!

The British Olympic windsurfing medalist Bryony Shaw, who aims to be representing the country again at the UK 2012 Games in Weymouth, will once again be supporting National Windsurfing Week by conducting an official signing at the RYA Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace on Saturday 6 March at 13:15 on the National Windsurfing Week stand (C102).

This signing will mark the official public launch of National Windsurfing Week 2010 which takes place 1-9 May 2010 across the country. National Windsurfing Week is a 9-day event which aims to raise the profile of windsurfing and introduce more people to this great sport.  Billed as a ‘celebration of all things windsurfing’, the week will see windsurfing festivals, competitions and taster sessions happening across the country including Bryony’s home town of Weymouth

National Windsurfing Week Chairman Sean Blackmore said:  “We’re really excited to have the support of Bryony once again and an official signing by an Olympian on our stand is a great way to launch National Windsurfing Week 2010 to the public. I hope that people will really make the most of it and maybe bring along their National Windsurfing Week tee-shirt for Bryony to sign”

For a full events listing and further details about National Windsurfing Week visit www.nationalwindsurfingweek.org