Name: Luke Raistrick

Age: 17

From: Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Years windsurfing: Seven

Favourite discipline: Wave!

Local spot: East Coast or Rhossy, always depends on the weather.

Occupation: Student

Sponsors: I joined the Juice Boardsports team a while ago now which is pretty awesome, never short of kit, Gump’s always up for a sail or to give me a hand with anything.

Luke Raistrick. Image credit BWA / Dave White

How did you get into windsurfing? 

My dad started windsurfing with the RAF, then taught me and I haven’t been off the water since.

What do your friends think about windsurfing?  

As I live in the middle of the countryside, not many of my friends really know what windsurfing is. But through windsurfing over the years I have loads of friends dotted all over the place now…

What moves have you just learnt? What are you working on now?  

I landed my first clean backloop not so long ago so I’m really trying to land it every time. I’m also trying wave 360’s at the moment, as I really want to be able to guscrew eventually.

Luke Raistrick. Image credit BWA / Dave White

How long have you been competing on the UKWA tour? And what competitions have you been to? 

I used to race on the UKWA circuit and did this for about five years as I progressed through the RYA pathway. For the past year and a half I’ve been wave sailing and have competed in two BWA events, but I’m still new onto the scene and there’s a lot to learn.

What was your competition experience like? What other youths were there? Would you encourage others to come along too?  

On the UKWA racing circuit there were many youths going through the RYA pathway racing on Techno and RS:X. But coming into BWA circuit there aren’t as many youths but the experience is great and I would definitely encourage more to come and give it a go.

Luke going GoPro!

What are your plans for the rest of this year?

To compete in the rest of the BWA circuit for this year (Tiree is going to be epic!) and continue progressing on my sailing, possibly find some more hidden gems on the east coast.

What are you longer term aims in windsurfing? 

Really want to travel around the world and sail some of the world renowned places ( Pozo, Ho’okipa, etc.) Then to go as far as possible competing in wave and work in windsurfing whether it be production or design. Looking for an apprenticeship…any offers..??

Luke Raistrick

Check out the rest of the Hidden Talents series on Boards: 

Tom Bennett-Lloyd http://boards.mpora.com/features/the-rise-of-the-youth-champion.html

Nick Hibdige http://boards.mpora.com/features/freestyles-future-star.html

Find out more about Juice Boardsports http://www.juiceboardsports.co.uk/

Check out more on the BWA tour and the upcoming events on their website http://www.britishwavesailingassociation.com/

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 June Hidden Talent is Tom Bennett-Lloyd, the 2011 BWA Youth champion, who is really stepping up his wave riding and busting out big jumps, proving he can really mix it with the best.

Check out the Hidden Talent from May – Nic Hibdige.

Tom Bennett-Lloyd. Image courtesy BWA/Dave White.

Name: Tom Bennett-Lloyd

Age: 19

From: Norwich

Years windsurfing? Maybe like 8 or 9 I think. I properly first started when I was about 10. I’d maybe had a few goes before then.

Favourite discipline? Waves.

Local spot?  East Runton, in Norfolk.

Occupation?  I finished school last year and next year I’m going to start Ocean Science at Bangor University. At the moment I am just travelling, seeing some more of the world.

Sponsors? I’ve joined the PuraVida team, which is cool! I’m going be in Wales where they are based and Jim is really positive about getting people windsurfing.

How did you get into windsurfing? My Dad was really into his surfing when he was younger, but then he was living in Wales. When he moved to Norfolk he learnt to windsurf, living in Norfolk there’s not much surf so he got more into windsurfing and then got me into it.

Tell us a bit about where you live and your local spots? Yeah it’s really good. There’s so many spots like Hunstanton which is really good for freestyle and slalom, then there’s Wells which is good for freestyle with a bit of a wave. Also Brancaster is quite good for waves but we don’t go there that often because if it’s good there, it’s probably better to go to East Runton. That’s probably my favourite spot nearby.

If you go even further east there’s Lowestoft and Southwold, which can both be good. There are quite a few good spots near me, all facing different directions, so whatever the wind there is normally somewhere pretty decent to sail.

Tom Bennett-Lloyd. Image courtesy BWA/Dave White.

When did you start getting into wavesailing?

Once I got planning really, it was the first thing I wanted to do. Dad took me down to East Runton. I remember it being about shoulder high, which I guess that would be about waist high now! I couldn’t waterstart then so was still on my 100litre board, but I loved it and it was all I wanted to do. It made me determined to learn to waterstart and get back out there on a smaller board, which I did pretty soon after. I went to one of those wave camps Trevor Funnell used to run, where I learnt a lot and soon after that went to my first UKWA event in Rhosneigr, which was awesome. I’m really looking forward to being at uni right next to Rhossy pretty soon!

Tom Bennett-Lloyd

Where have you been over the winter? Tell us about your travels…

More from Tom on page two…

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.