Club Vass Divas

Name: Bethany ‘Betty’ Mercer

Instructor level: Intermediate Planing, but taking my Advanced course this summer.

Years coaching: 4 years – this summer will be my 5^th!

My favourite level to coach has to be Intermediates; in a week you see such a transformation in ability! It’s wonderful to see a guest start their week of coaching non-planing in lighter winds and then by the end of the week absolutely loving the sport when they discover planing, speed and confidence. I love teaching the harness and footstrap techniques as I think once you have cracked these skills your attitude towards the sport changes massively – you become hooked!

Bethany Mercer

I have windsurfed from a young age, I think I first stepped on a board around the age of 6. My dad has windsurfed for years and introduced me to the sport, however learning the basics in a thick wetsuit with old school kit on the South Coast didn’t get me hooked straight away. It wasn’t until a watersports holiday in my teens that I thought I really want to give this a go. I decided to do my Flying Fish course in Vassiliki after I finished my A – levels. Then I discovered Vass and saw other girls windsurfing and decided I wanted to become just as good….Vass meant no thick wetsuits only boardies and bikinis, brand new kit and amazing like-minded people. I have been back every year!

I work in-between the UK and Greece. I spend my time working at Pendragon Productions – a Creative film agency in London as a Creative Producer, travelling and windsurfing and spending my summers teaching at Club Vass in Greece.

…and on the water!

I absolutely love teaching a sport that I am so passionate about as each day is as exciting as the next. I love meeting new people, encouraging and seeing people progress within a sport I love so much. It’s fun both teaching on and off the water. The Club Vass beach team are great fun to work with – there is never a dull moment!

Teaching new and old friendly faces, meeting new people, windsurfing everyday and developing my own skills (I have high hopes, need to crack the Vulcan and try a loop!) as well as teaching others, a well deserved mojito after a day on the water, my favourite tzatziki apple, walnut and avocado salad at Stellios and of course Diva week!

I have been involved in the Diva Clinics ever since my first summer working on the beach at Club Vass. The atmosphere that week is amazing – quite a lot of girl power around. Each year I seem to progress in the level I teach therefore am so excited for this summer!

This year I will be coaching alongside the wonderfully talented Amy Chambers, Emily HR, Maisie Squibb, Laura CH and Emily Smith.

Not only is Vassiliki the most incredible place for wind and improving your skills but Diva week is especially non intimidating for women – there is something comforting about having a female instructor who understands different problems women tend to have when learning. For instance we understand when it’s time to have an afternoon off to read your book or sunbathe after a full on morning of tuition!

It’s also a great opportunity to meet other likeminded women – we tend to swap email addresses and home windsurf spots at the end of each week, many women discover a windsurfing buddy for when they get back to the UK or a friend for life!

Also, if you have children or a keen bean windsurfer husband/friend it is fine to all come along for Diva week – we have childcare facilities; a kids club and crèche and our usual classes will also be running that week so there is something for everyone.

Club Vass Divas

Diva weeks are for any female whether you are a COMPLETE beginner, have dabbled in the sport a couple of times, or you are comfortable planing in the harness to absolute pro! We have female instructors teaching all levels.

The week is designed for women not only to improve their skills but also to meet and socialize with other like-minded female windsurfers. During the week you can windsurf as much or as little as you like but definitely expect to be sharing achievements and cross-shore stories over a mojito at the bar in the evening.

Expect windsurfing all day, optional fitness in the morning along the lines of Yoga, supping on the tranquil water in the morning, and then enjoying the Greek cuisine and cocktails in the evening. Everyday and evening there will be activities and partying to suit all including the legendary Club Vass BBQ with dressing up themes.

• Windsurfing is a sport you really have to pursue to begin with – it can be tough when first learning as it is a sport like no other but I promise after all the clambering on and off the beginner board and finding your balance it will suddenly click and you will learn to love it!
• Never be put off by thinking you have to be physically really strong to be able to go out in high winds – look at me: I’m 5’’2 and not the strongest looking and I love going out when it is howling. It’s not about strength it’s about believing you can do it and practicing your technique.
• Don’t be put off by thinking it is a male dominated sport – I mean there may be more guys that windsurf however come and join us for Diva week and you will realise how many other woman are passionate watersports lovers. However, it’s not all so bad windsurfing with tanned topless boys!

Club Vass Diva weeks will be taking place 2^nd – 9^th June and the 1^st – 7^th September. No extra charge for Divas! See the Club Vass website here for more details.

Top Coaches and Guests

As it’s our 25^th year, we’re making Speed Week extra special this year. Join the Mighty Dave White, special guest Dutch speed record holder Jurgen Van Der Noord and top Club Vass coaches including Colin Whippy Dixon for an unforgettable week. As well as a phenomenal week of windsurfing, there will be plenty of 25 year celebrations – don’t miss it!

est the Top Gear – Leader Board & Jurgen’s Winning Sails

Jurgen Van der Noord will be bringing along the actual Severne Sails he broke the record on in Luderitz speed canal, Namibia. You will be able to use these sails with specialised speed kit including the Starboard Isonic and Futura. As well as various slalom events we will have a Top Gear style Leader Board so you can pit your skills against Jurgen, Whitey and the best of Club Vass.

More than Just Speed – the FAST Track to Success

Why FAST Track? Many previous ‘Speed Weekers’, including girls & kids can attest to the massive all-round progress they have made and how much sheer fun they’ve had. As Dave says, it’s all about getting comfy on your kit – the key to developing confidence and control that will help all aspects of your sailing. If you feel like you’re on a plateau, struggling with getting planning, carve gybes or other moves, this week is for you.

Dave White ‘’Confidently fast’ sums it up for me, it’s the key to planning gybes.”

Coaching Aids

The team will use coaching aids Go Pro, video and GPS speed guns to help bring out the best in your sailing. Dave will also be behind the camera alongside our resident photography force globalshots.co.uk to record all your best moments on and off the water.

For more info check out the Club Vass website here. 

Ric Cleworth

Name: Ric Cleworth

Age: 24

From: Sutton, Cheshire

Years Windsurfing: 12, maybe more!

Favourite Discipline: Freestyle

Local Spot: Where ever I’m working!

Occupation: Joiner/ Carpenter/ Windsurf Coach

Sponsors: Fanatic UK, Boardwise, Ion, Globalshots

How did you get into windsurfing? 

When I was maybe 9 or 10, my parents put me on a multi-activity course in the summer holidays; to keep me out trouble at a guess!

It was at Astbury Sail Sports, I did all the usual water sports but I knew straight away windsurfing was for me! I owe a big thank you to Ali Yates the owner of this centre for making me watch lots of Jason Polakow videos to show me what and epic sport it was I was getting into; as well as being an inspiration herself of course.

What do your friends think of windsurfing?

Well most of them when they first hear about it think I probably nip backwards and forwards on a big white thing, hanging onto a triangle like thing. However, I think now thanks to the power of the internet and online media they are all pretty clued up on what windsurfing is and think it’s a really amazing sport! I would say most people are shocked and ask how can they get involved.

Shaka!

What is your experience of competitions so far? And your future aims for competition?

I came through the RYA racing scheme, so these were the first competitions I did. Starting out with Team 15 where I competed around the north west, I then went onto competing representing the north west in the zone squad and having won the Eric Twiname title with a lot of help from my parents and coaches at the time Ian Roberts and Ali Yates I was selected to represent Great Britain. I was in Team GBR for three years, training daily in the gym, on the water at the weekends and competing all over the world with great friends and coaches; it was a truly fantastic way to spend my teenage years.

Now competing in freestyle, I have competed in Greece, Egypt and the UK. My aim in 2012 was to finish in the top 4 of the Pro Fleet; I managed to finish 3rd overall, which was really great! My aim for 2013 is to attend all the freestyle events again and I would like a team Fanatic podium, Max, Oscar and I.

Ric Cleworth

Ric Cleworth

Ric Cleworth

Have you always been into freestyle, if not when did you move across into this niche?

As a racer, I never got much time to short board as we spent as much time as possible on the race gear. There were times when it got simply too windy for the race gear and I got to a point where I could vulcan my Evo 74 for about three years but I didn’t get to focus on freestyle properly until I left Team GBR when I was 18 and went to Egypt with a good friend Scotty. Here, I met the guys from Club Vass who offered me a job and having worked with them for three years back to back I would say I’m well into freestyle!

Night time action

What is your most memorable moment in windsurfing?

Arghh there’s too many! A couple of years ago in Vass it was about 2.00am and Wildwind, the sailing centre next door, were having their party night. We noticed it was getting windy, which is unusual for Vass once the sun has gone down; of course with some liquid persuasion and 4.2 weather it didn’t take much for us to get rigged up and out there, the moon provided just about enough light and we had a truck on the beach with its head lights on and the speakers pumping! With a good sized crowd on the beach cheering us on we did all the moves our slightly boozy minds would let us! It was a great atmosphere and all though a couple of us landed the moves on the beach and if I remember rightly Tommy ‘two pumps’ did sail into someone, we all had a very memorable windsurf!

Enjoying the waves too

What’s next in store for you on and off the water?

Obviously, like all of us I hope to sail whenever it’s windy here in the UK and I would like to maybe get to Jeri again at the end of this year, if not Cape Town in the new year!

As for off the water, I just this week qualified as a Joiner/Carpenter and I plan to work hard and save hard so I can get those trips to nice countries!

Check out more Hidden Talents, and other interview here on Boards.

Edd Seater, with his shiny new North Sails and Fanatic set up! Image credit Georgina Craig Harvey.

How did you get involved in windsurfing?

I have been windsurfing for just under two years now. I got into it after getting a job in the restaurant at Club Vass. A combination of epic hours, lots of wind and tips from some of the best instructors in the world meant I could progress quickly.

Where are you now?

I am now an intermediate planing instructor and getting ready for another season!

What have you been up too this winter?

I have been out in Dahab since October, gaining more teaching experience and improving my personal sailing. It’s been great…sunny and windy all winter, happy days!!

Any sponsors?

Yes! I have just got my first sponsor, Drift Innovation. They are a company that make extreme sports based action cameras, similar to GoPro, however they are more user friendly. The newest model, the Drift Ghost HD is the one I use, and it is epic!

They are waterproof so you don’t need to worry about water housing’s, they also have a small LCD screen on them which allows you to change settings and view your last recording or photo whilst on the water!!

You can check out all the info on the Drift camera here, and with Tech Trial you can even try before you buy!

Edd Seater. Image credit Georgina Craig Harvey.

Drift HD Ghost

What are your plans for the future?

I’m heading back to Vass this summer, so will be pushing to get my advanced teaching qualification. I’m planning a trip out to Brazil in October for six weeks which, hopefully, will be where I can really improve my personal sailing.

Also now that I’m working with Drift Innovation, I want to use my new camera equipment to teach with. The simplicity and versatility of the Drift Ghost HD will allow me to get great angles and footage of my students windsurfing, giving them the opportunity to view and analyse their sessions throughout the week.

Saskia Sills. Image credit Dave White.

This week kicked off with the news that top youth racer Saskia Sills had scooped another award, this time being crowned the YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year. More young windsurfers were then in the news as Fanatic and North take on the talents of Arthur and Alice Arutkin, Maxime van Gent and Caesar Finies.

There are many offers and deals on at the moment, our top picks being: 2013 early discounts from Club Vass, the RoHo january sales and Wet n Dry snow offers.

Also in travel news Windsurfing Into the Unknown have released their Jeri video guide and Neilson are inviting you away for a summer of sun!

Staying a little closer to home our favourite video this week showcases the abilities of a 2 year old windsurfer, loving his new Goya board.

And finally we can’t finish this weekly news round up without mentioning the upcoming SWA wave event run by Plymouth and Exeter universities, it promises to be a weekend and a half!

Until next week….

Don't Let Go, hitting screens soon!

The next two videos that caught our eyes came out at the end of the week, firstly it’s amazing to see Zara Davis on the BBC here and if you fancy something totally different check out Brawzi and Levi shredding in Maui here. 

Coming up the Christmas there has of course been a lot of penny saving present ideas and competitions around too: Lagoon Watersports in Hove have some great voucher offers, Tech Trial are selling the Drift Camera at an insanely low price, the Baker Academy are running a competition to win 8 hours of coaching, Juice Boardsports have vouchers with 10% extra free, Tushingham are running a competition to win a Starboard fin bag,  Ocean Elements are running some early bookers deals for 2013, as are Club Vass (with holidays to both Vassilki and Dahab centres)! Now that’s a whole lot of offers!

Finally in this weeks news, our sister site Boardseeker are proud to announce that the shiny new site is now up and running, so if you haven’t checked it out already head on over there now for more of an international windsurfing fix.

Club Vass Special Offers

Save £100 for June 2nd and June 9th departures if booked before the end of December – be quick!
Offer includes return Gatwick flight, local transfers, accommodation at either Andromeda or our Hotel, sport and group tuition.

2012 rates being held for 2013 in Andromeda Studios and Apartments!

Club Dahab Special Offers

£50 off for Jan 5th to Feb 9th departures if booked before the end of the year!

Summer 2012 rates being held for 2013 – don’t miss out!

Any Day  – Any Length of Stay

We can also offer fully flexible holidays in terms of arrival date and duration of your stay – feel free as the wind!

Check out Dahab in the Boards travel guide here. 

PLUS don’t forget the Club Vass are still running a competition to get a FREE holiday for two in June! All you have to do to enter is head to the Club Vass Facebook page, like and share the images!

There's still time to win with Club Vass!

Its one of the easiest competitions on the internet with one of the best prizes in the world…

Simply LIKE AND SHARE on to your profile one of the 3 competition pictures that you see here.

The Prize:

A holiday for 2 to Club Vassiliki on the 2nd June 2013, including flights, accommodation, airport transfer, the best windsurf tuition in the world, equipment hire of windsurfs, SUP’s, mountain bikes, awesome Apres Surf & loads of sunshine.

Good luck and spread the word, 2013 will also see us celebrating 25 years of perfecting the ultimate in windsurf and active holidays.

Head over to the Facebook page here

LIKE Club Vass

Club Vass Calendar 2013

“Coming soon, the limited edition Club Vass 2013 wall calendar. Celebrating 25 years of perfecting the ultimate in Windsurf and Active holidays. Stay Tuned for the release !!!”

Keep up to date with all Club Vass news here on Boards, plus head to the Club Vass Facebook page here. 

This first thing that caught our eye this week was the awesome video released from the King of the Wind in Weymouth; it was a hugely successful event and brilliant to have such a great show on British shores as you can see!

The records continue to fall in Ludertiz, first we caught up with Zara Davis and then Antoine Albeau smashed the record again taking it over 52knots!

Boards also heard that Olympic silver medalist Nick Dempsey will be campaigning once more, for the 2016 Games in Rio now it is confirmed that windsurfing has retained its place.

Christmas is coming up quickly now, which means fantastic offers are around from many shops. Robin Hood Watersports and Zero Gravity both have fab offers on in the lead up to the festive season, whilst Club Vass have announced they’ll be running a competition to win a holiday for two! Plus, Boardwise have a Black Friday deal running for today only!

“Coming to this page on the 1st December is the easiest online competition to date…. With the greatest prize in the world. A FREE holiday for two to ClubVass on the 2nd June 2013 includes flights, accommodation, the best windsurf tuition in the world, SUP’s, Mountain bikes, BBQ’s, awesome Apre Surf, Professional photos, fancy dress parties, & the celebration of ClubVass 25years !!!!! Stay Tuned ”

For more info stay tuned to all Club Vass news here on Boards, or head to the Club Vass Facebook page here. 

This could be you in Club Vass! Image credit Global Shots

Aktes Villas, Vassiliki

The Aktes luxury villa complex comprises of 4 detached villas (x2 double storey and x2 single storey), located on the beach next to Club Vass hotel.

• 60m² swimming pool, children’s pool
• Large master bedrooms with vaulted ceilings
• En suite bathrooms with bath & shower
• Double storey villas – 2 separate bedrooms & open plan living room/kitchen/diner (up to 4 adults & 2 kids)
• Single storey villas have 1 double bedroom with open plan living room/kitchen/diner (up to 2 adults and 1-2 kids)

Call 0844 463 0191 for availability and prices of the villas

Find out more about Club Vass and the windsurfing holidays they offer here. 

• For more info: Aktes Villas

Find out more about Club Dahab here.