KING OF THE GROMS 2012 – ITALY from Nicola Bresciani on Vimeo.

Adrian Beholz

Adrian Beholz (G-888):

“I’m very excited to be in the Fanatic International Team, I am dreaming about this since I´m 10 years old, now my dream came true! Fanatic for sure provides the best environment for a team rider. It´s not just about how they support their riders, it´s also about a open minded, progressive and super professional team, which really provides the environment to develop, plus they of course have a super innovative board range.”

Craig Gertenbach, Fanatic Brand Manager:

“I´m proud to welcome Adrian to our Fanatic International Freestyle team. He is for sure one of the most talented Freestylers out there at the moment and his personality also suits the rest of our team! I´m looking forward to work with him and watching him at his first event on Fanatic in Fuerteventura live next week.”

Read more about Adrian on the Fanatic website here. 

Last weekend saw windsurfers swarm to Worthing, for the latest round of the BSA and UKWA freestyle competition.

Light winds did not put off the competitors, although the freestyle competition struggled to get underway a great weekend was had by all and the slalom fleet managed a few rounds of close racing.

Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers: 

“A few gusts came through which was enough to pump into a few moves but not enough to run a full heat unfortunately.  Great turn out though and lovely weather! Top weekend!”

UKWA Freestyle Worthing

Mike Archer took part in the freestyle event and managed to score some brilliant images before the wind died. Check out Mike’s blog for the full gallery http://mikewindsurf.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/uk-freestyle-at-worthing.html

Gallery Images: Courtesy of Mike Archer and Ant Baker. 

Picture 6 Picture 7 Picture 8 Picture 9 Picture 10 Picture 11 Picture 12 Picture 13 Picture 14 Picture 15 Picture 16 Picture 17 Picture 18 Picture 19 Picture 20 Picture 21 UKWA Freestyle Worthing Picture 23 IMG_1666 BSA Worthing IMG_1693 IMG_1663 pastedGraphic BSA Pro Results BSA Amateur Results BSA Amateur Results

Boards caught up with Ant Baker to find out exactly what happened at the slalom event organised by the K66 team.

We had port tack conditions at Worthing, wind from the east, which is not ideal for building a sea breeze but we were still positive the wind would come through.

Saturday morning we awoke, hoping that some of the wind from the night before would have stuck around. First thing it was relatively calm, but through the morning the wind built to approximately 13-14knots, light but solid slalom racing conditions.

A five buoy downwind course was set, this was a little tricky in the light winds but we all wanted to make the most of the conditions. We made it onto the water at about 12.30pm and started son after.

The start was a little upwind of the beach, some finding it tricky to make it to the start in time in the light winds. But the first pro heat was set to start, before having to momentarily postpone due to unforeseen circumstances, just before the green flag. Some sailors, including Weymouth winner James Dinsmore, did not see that the start had been abandoned and sailed the full race. When the race was then actually started a few minutes later, this meant that James along with some other top names could not make it back upwind in time.

The second round of the pros then took place, with myself taking the win followed closely by Simon Cofield. I was using a 9.4m Warp and 140litre board with 50cm fin, and just about finding the speed he needed to win the first round.

The pros final then took place, with some more confusion and additional riders taking part. At the first gybe mark I was in the lead, but struggled to maintain my speed over the first reach and was overtaken by Simon Cofield. Cofield kept his lead throughout the race, proving he still has the speed in light winds. I finished in second, with Starboard/Tushingham main man Paul Simmons, finishing in third.

The amateurs got through two rounds, plus the losers final, but didn’t make it to the winners final in the light winds.

BSA Worthing

Saturday night saw a great evening for all racers, with a BBQ and movie played. Unfortunately the wind did not transpire on the sunday, it picked up and generated some excitement for 10minutes but unfortunately faded as quickly as it had come in.

The next BSA event is at Aberdovey at the end of June, and the next freestyle event will be held at Herne Bay this coming weekend. Check out the full UKWA calendar http://ukwindsurfing.com/events/

Lea Spencer of Red Surf Bus and Mike George also report from the event on their own blogs.

Red Surf Bus

Mike George

FULL BSA RESULTS 

AMATEURS

BSA Amateur Results

PROS

Pro Results

A special ONE OFF Freestyle Clinic with 4 x British Freestyle Champion Bubble will run in Vass from the 24th – 30th June. This week will run separately from the normal week at Club Vass. We will eat, sleep and breathe freestyle!!

All aspects of freestyle will be covered from the pop, all the way through to the most advanced freestyle moves known to man!! As well as freestyle kit set up and competitions. Chats from the legendary Jay Haysey from Globalshot Pictures about getting the right shot and marketing yourself. He’ll also be getting awesome pictures and video of everyone.

WARNING!! This week is not for the faint hearted with lots of adrenaline pumping activities, such as mountain biking and wakeboarding. Also, some Suping and Yoga for the chillout sessions too! But mainly the week is about having fun, learning lots and windsurfing as much as possible.

Social evenings will include meals out in the awesome town of Vassiliki and not forgetting the world renowned Club Vass BBQ and social evenings.

Video and on the water coaching will be done everyday and debriefed around the bar in the evenings (depending on wind and other social activities!) All of the video footage will be edited into an awesome action pumping movie for you to take home!

There are only 10 places available at the ridiculously low price of £599!!! If you snooze you loose!!

Phone the Club Vass office on 0844 4630191 and book on “Bubble’s Freestyle Week”

Any questions please email Bubble bubble@k540.com 07909868356

www.clubvass.com 

Probably the best week you’ll ever go on!!

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A FREESTYLE WEEK ONLY, NO GYBERS OR FREERIDERS PLEASE!!

Spin it to win it with Andy Bubble Chambers

Hidden Talents is a series of interviews, by SWA media man and Boards columnist Will Jones, uncovering both UK born riders, and those talented youngsters that now reside here. Originally, this series was on our sister site www.boardseeker.com now on Boards, we will use the series to showcase the best of British.

Our May Hidden Talent is Nic Hibdige, a future star on the freestyle scene who, who at the age of 16, is already busting out the big moves.

Nic in action

Name: Nic Hibdige

Age: 16

From: Lymington, South Coast

Years windsurfing? 

I think I first got on a windsurfer when I was about eight, but probably started to get into it properly when I was 11.

Favourite discipline?

Freestyle

Local Spot?

There’s a few around, Avon beach, Mudeford Harbour and just two minute drive away is Tanners Lane, which is pretty good if the winds the right direction.

Nic in Bonaire

Occupation?

I’m currently in my last year of secondary school, with my GCSE’s coming up. Starting my A-levels next year in biology, psychology, business and economics, and sports science.

Sponsors?

Simmer sails,  Mystic and 24/7 Boardsports. Also Starboard helped me with a board.

Nic Hibdige Bonaire 2011

How did you get into windsurfing?

My whole family windsurf and I was lucky enough to first start in Bonaire. I had been on a board with my dad a few times, he has been windsurfing since the beginning.  At first in Bonaire, I wasn’t that into it but when I met the locals out there like Kiri and Youp that got me into it massively.

My parents have a house in Bonaire now, I think when we’ve finished school my parents want to move out there. I’m pretty lucky, the house is right on the beach and we normally go out there twice a year. It needed quite a bit of work on it when they bought it, but now it’s nice. We normally go in the summer for about four weeks and Christmas about three weeks. 

When I came home after that first trip I tried a bit of racing with my local club but that wasn’t really my thing. I then got into freestyle when I was about 13, I got some more kit and started sail in the UK.

What do your school friends think of windsurfing?

Most don’t really know anything about it! I got a few friends to come and try, they quite like it and one of them has even started coming to Bonaire with us.

Nic ready for the competition

Tell us about your UKWA experience?

Last year was my first main year competing, the year before I went to a couple of events. Last year I missed the first one, then we were going to the second but the van broke down. I managed to compete at the other three though!

It is always great to see more people that are into windsurfing and it’s good to get to know people who you can windsurf with.

My first competition was at Windfest in 2010, I got third (age 14).

First 2011 event was Mumbles in Wales, I came second (beaten by Oscar Carmichael). Also that year, I got second in Worthing and at Poole Windfest I came first in the under 17 category.

This year at the first event in West Kirby I got first place in the flow style, and third place in the tow in amateurs.

Oscar has just moved from RRD to Fanatic/North/Ion. You can check out more on his blog oscarcarmichael.blogspot.com. For now, sit back, relax and enjoy this BlackLab production of the 2011 UK Junior Freestyle Champion.

Steven Van Broeckhoven, EFPT Champion 2010

Jan Andres, Owner of the Flisvos Sportclub, just informed the EFPT back-office that the Naxos Prince of the Wind has to be canceled due to a lack of financial assistance from public funds.

The European Freestyle Pro Tour 2010 ends, after 4 events, with Steven van Broeckhoven (F2/Gaastra) on top. After 2009 the Belgian rider is crowned European Freestyle Champion for the second time in his young windsurfing career. Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard/Gun Sails) becomes vice-European champion, and on third place, and for the first time on the overall podium, is Davy Scheffers (Tabou/Gaastra). Congratulations to the top 3 and all the other competing riders on the European Freestyle Pro Tour 2010.

For the European Freestyle Pro Tour now sails are set for 2011. Although the season 2010 was, talking about the number of events, a small season, we saw at every event innovation and positive development. It was the first time the tour was part of the famous Mondial du Vent in Leucate. Podersdorf was, again, pure celebration of freestyle windsurfing. The Sardinia Freestyle Grand Prix proved that the skills of European riders are virtually endless and at our very last event on the isle of Lefkada the European Freestyle Pro Tour was the first ever windsurfing event broadcasted live on the internet.

Concentrating on our core strength – letting converge the best European riders, the best European spots and the world`s leading windsurfing brands – we will present you our new European Freestyle Pro Tour dates for 2011 around the turn of the year. So far, the first talks are on it´s way. We will keep you all updated on efpt.net and on our facebook site.