Boards will be reporting Live from Rhosneigr, and Ireland, over the coming week so stay tuned for weather updates, live heat by heat ticker, photos direct from the event site and much much more.

Who will triumph in 2013?

How To Get Out Through Waves

Laure Treboux. Image credit Dani Miquel.

Laure Treboux

“Always have a good look at the place before heading out. Observe where and how the waves break.

To launch over the shorebreak: there are always gaps in between sets, so make sure you chose the right time to leave the beach. Wait for a set, once the set has come through you usually have a bit of a calmer moment when you can head out.

Once you are out, if it’s windy enough to get planing, make sure you have as much speed as possible, it makes it easier to go over the whitewater. As you are about to hit the white water, give a little pop to your board, so you lift it out of the water slightly. The board will go over the whitewater smoothly this way and you will avoid a catapult. Non-planing, the key is to have as much wind in your sail as possible, and just before the whitewater hits you, push down on your back leg so the nose goes up and over, push both your sail and board forward at the same time.”

Jamie Hancock. Image credit PWA/JC.

Jamie Hancock 

“Launching is really hit and miss, every spot has a different launch and even the best of us receive a fair bit of occasional humiliation. I have in the past been pinned under my sail praying nobody was watching. Getting out through waves becomes part and parcel of wave sailing. Every time you catch a wave to the inside you always have to go back to where you came from. Experience is key as it is all about reading the break, timing and always a fair proportion of luck!”

Robby Swift

“The main thing to remember is to have the nose of your board pointing at the wave. If you have it side on, the wave will flatten you with its power. If the nose is facing straight at the wave, you will penetrate easily.”

Ross Williams. Image credit PWA/JC.

Ross Williams 

“It’s always best to give yourself enough room, so my top tip would be to start far enough upwind that if things don’t go to plan you have enough space and time to get out of any trouble that you could be heading for.”

Ben Proffitt

“Take a bigger sail as it means you are more likely to plane, which means you spend less time in the impact zone and can pick and choose when to go out.”

Check out more technique here in the Boards technique section or head here to purchase the print magazine and read the Ultimate How To: Wave Edition in full.

It came down to the wire, with the title winner being decided at the very last event; this just goes to show what an abundance of talent the UK and Ireland have produced of late. Any number of the top sailors could have taken the top spot, but it was Jamie Hancock who took the tile win after impressive performances at every event.

At the beginning of the year though it was John Skye who looked in a solid position after coming fourth in Wales and winning Ireland. But as family commitments took over Skyeboy  took himself out of the title race.

Sam Neal

Jack Hunt. Image credit Simon Crowther.

Chris Murray. Image credit Simon Crowther.

The likes of Sam Neal, Jack Hunt, Chris Murray and Andy Chambers performed well throughout the year to earn themselves top 10 positions on the tour, but they couldn’t quite make it into the elusive top five.

Adam Lewis. Image credit Simon Crowther.

John Skye in Ireland. Image courtesy BWA/Dave White.

Andy Bubble Chambers at Rhosneigr. Image credit BWA/Dave White.

Fifth place this year went to Adam Lewis who started off the year with a bang, taking second in Rhosneigr, but despite incredible results on the PWA this year Adam couldn’t quite follow up the success in Ireland or Cornwall.

James Cox. BWA Cornwall. Image credit Simon Crowther.

The starboard tack master James Cox shone in Ireland taking a fourth position, and then managed two better in Cornwall to finish second. Coxy has certainly shown that not competing on the PWA tour is no disadvantage, particularly when conditions like his home break in Bournemouth come through!

Ben Proffitt winner of the Tiree expression session. Image credit BWA/Dave White.

Last years champion Ben Proffitt looked dangerous throughout the year, taking two third positions and a fifth things did not come together quite as Proffitt would have wished this year. Still a stand out sailor in a variety of conditions Proffitt’s sailing is far from slowing down and we are sure he will be back with a vengeance next year.

Phil Horrocks. Image credit Simon Crowther.

It was again exceptionally tight for the final top spot, this time between the Gaastra/Tabou team mates Phil Horrocks and Jamie Hancock. Going into the final event in Cornwall Phil looked to be in a commanding position, but he knew as well as anyone that anything could happen. A very tricky draw for Phil saw him struggle to progress, whilst Jamie dominated his side of the draw. Regardless of draws we are sure all sailors agree, to win you have t beat everyone, and that’s exactly what Jamie did. Congratulations to all pro competitors this year and thank you for putting on a fantastic show.

Jamie Hancock. Tiree 2011 image credit John Carter.

Before we look forward to the 2013 tour Boards catches up with the title winner himself:

Jamie Hancock. Image credit BWA/Dave White.

Name: James Hancock

DOB: 16.09.84

Sail number: K218

Years competing: 10

Best previous results: UK Wavesailing Champion 2009, Indoor jump champion, 9th Klitmoller 2010, PWA Rookie of the year 2011.

Title you have won this year: British Wavesailing Champion

Why and when did you first start competing?

I grew up learning to windsurf with my Dad at Hill Head beach in Lee on the Solent. At the time there were loads of really good windsurfers around like Chris Audsley, Jack Hunt, James Cox and they had all been windsurfing longer; Chris was even competing on the world tour. I was loving windsurfing and wanted to be as good as them and the rest kind of followed by entering junior contests on the Isle of Wight.

How did you get involved with competition?

After going to a junior contest I was hooked. I wanted to make it to the pro event and at the time that was my only goal. After doing a junior contest then coming in and watching the pros was amazing, I couldn’t even have imagined at the time to have made it to that level.

Jamie Hancock. Image credit Si Crowther.

As a kid did you dream of becoming a champion?

Not really. Just wanted to be good enough to sail reef breaks with my friends who were better than me.

Did you love competition straight away?

I liked the events and the people. Competition is something I was quite used to as I already had a sporting background. I played a lot of sports at school and also played squash for Hampshire and had previously travelled the country to some open junior contests. I think I made it to top 20 U19′s in the country when I was 14, that is what I did with most of my time until I got on the water and windsurfing.

What has helped you progress from learning how to compete to winning a title?

I’m not really sure. I have never had a problem competing. My problem is that I think I’m often too reserved in competition and fear mistakes more than going for it, that is something I’m going to work on.

What equipment have you used on the UK tour this year?

I have two Tabou wave boards, and two sets of Gaastra sails. I like to use the Gaastra Pure’s when the waves are a bit smaller and for any onshore and then I like to use the Gaastra Manics for proper wavesailing and stronger winds. I used my manics in Wales and my Pure’s in Ireland and Cornwall.

Jamie Hancock. Image credit Si Crowther.

Why do you use this equipment?

I have been sponsored by Gaastra / Tabou for a eight to nine years and I love the brand, the people but mostly the products. They suit me really well and have never had a bad piece of equipment in all those years.

What is it about your set up in particular that you like?

I really like having two different types of sails, they give me something different and better options for whatever the conditions are. I really love the boards this year too. I have an 80 litre board which is my competition board and that really helps.

Who else would you recommend a set up like this?

Literally anybody that wanted to sail the conditions I do. I wouldn’t recommend it to my Dad because he likes blasting in the solent. The Tabou Da Curves have five fin slots so it allows anybody to have their favorite fin set up, I often change my K4fins around. The sails feel great too but I also know that equipment choice is mainly down to personal preference, what I use is good and I like it, but it can also be good and for people not to like it as much.

Check out the full Pro Quiver feature with Jamie here.

How and where have you trained for the series this year?

Cape Town. That is where the Gaastra / Tabou wave sails development and photoshoots take place so it works out really well. It is port tack and the whole tour is port tack so as a starboard tack sailor I try to be there for as long as possible each year. Ideally I would like to travel to New Zealand and Chile but financially it just isn’t possible.

Jamie Hancock testing in South Africa

Have you just trained on the water, or what do you do off the water too?

I go to the gym quite a bit when I’m at home. I did play a lot of football but I picked up a couple of injuries and decided to give it a bit of a break.

What are your plans for winter?

I plan to be in Cape Town again.

Will you be sailing here in the UK too?

Ross Williams is back and also Timo is around. At them moment I have been on a few trips with JC and those guys. I absolutely love sailing in the UK, it is my favorite time of the year!  I may also head to Ireland before South Africa.

What are you aims for competitions in 2013?

To compete on the World and UK Tours.

Follow more about the BWA tour right here on Boards and on their website http://www.britishwavesailingassociation.com/

More UK windsurfers taking top spots were Saskia Sills and Kieran Martin, who both bagged silvers at the RS:X youth worlds, click here for the full story!

Still on the competition topic, but in a very different way NWF have launched a new Facebook page and to encourage you to Like it are giving away an entry into the festival each month, read more here. 

Coming up this weekend are two huge windsurfing events. Up in Aberdovey Boardwise are running their annual Bonfire Bash with guests including Nik Baker, Ross Williams, Jem Hall and Dave White. Whilst in Weymouth freestylers unite for the first EFPT on UK waters! You can still get involved and enter for the event right here and of course follow the event for all news.

King and Queen of the Wind is on!

Ben Proffitt

Though not perfect conditions, the top sailors still shone through and proved why they are at the top. Full heat by heat analysis can be seen at the bottom of this post, (Boards will be following all the action over the weekend in the same way so stay tuned!) but it was James Cox, Ben Proffitt, Jamie Hancock and Andy Chambers that made it through to the final. The final was sailed in the fading evening light, it looked tricky to get on the set waves but all sailors were ripping; the result is yet to be announced but we will let you know as soon as it is. Who’s your tip to win?

On route to the final there were many exceptionally close heats; Andy King went out in a marginal decision over Timo Mullen and Phil Horrocks, then Horrocks lost out in an equally close heat with Proffitt and Hancock. On the other side of the draw Sam Neal almost beat Andy Chambers in a very close man on man heat, but Chambers advanced and continued his run of form all the way to the final. This only goes to prove the exceptional level of all the pros and how it really is close at the top!

Registration is currently underway for all amateur fleets so we will be able to fill you in on full entry lists tomorrow morning. The BWA are again expecting a great turn out for all fleets and with the winds looking strong tomorrow morning it should be a quick start for a fleet or two!

As well as our instagram images which you can view here,  the hugely talented Simon Crowther is around taking some exceptional shots all weekend which we will share with you as soon as possible, along with Dave White’s gallery of official BWA shots too.

Boards will continue the coverage of the BWA Cornwall Classic over the whole weekend so stay tuned for all the action!

Event plan:

Friday - 8am briefing for pro’s at Sandsifter unless another beach is nominated.  Amateur registration from 8pm till 11pm at Sandsifter.

Saturday - 8am registration for all fleets at Sandsifter, amateur registration until 9am.  Briefing for all fleets 9am.   Monsters ball at Sandsifter from 9pm – Halloween Dress Code!  BWA Awards if no forecast for sunday.

Sunday - 9.30am briefing at Sandsifter car park all fleets.  4pm Prize giving unless otherwise stated.  BWA Awards.

Check out page two for the intro to the event…

From the idyllic beauty of Tiree the BWA now heads to Cornwall for the final round of the BWA tour. Soon on Boards we will bring you a further round up from Tiree and a look at top riders in each fleet as we go into the competition, but first of all here is all you need to know about the final round of the BWA tour. 

Thursday - Online registration closes at 9pm, Pro Registration at Sandsifter from 9pm till 11pm.

Friday - 8am briefing for pro’s at Sandsifter unless another beach is nominated.  Amateur registration from 8pm till 11pm at Sandsifter.

Saturday - 8am registration for all fleets at Sandsifter, amateur registration until 9am.  Briefing for all fleets 9am.   Monsters ball at Sandsifter from 9pm – Halloween Dress Code!  BWA Awards if no forecast for sunday.

Sunday - 9.30am briefing at Sandsifter car park all fleets.  4pm Prize giving unless otherwise stated.  BWA Awards.

2011 Cornwall Classic winner Jamie Hancock

HQ for the event is Sandsifter, Gwithian where early morning briefings will take place on Friday and Saturday at 8am unless otherwise specified.  There will be no pro registration on friday so please make sure you contact Nigel by wednesday - nigel@britishwavesailingassociation.com - if you can’t make the thursday registration.  Sunday briefing will take place at Sandsifter Car Park at 9.30am unless otherwise specified.

Please note that no beach refreshments are provided at this event and it hasn’t been charged for in your entry fees, be sure to take what you need to the beach in advance.  Hot breakfast rolls will be available from Sandsifter as well as hot food and snacks all day.  These facilities are available at all the beaches we use, but please plan ahead to keep your energy levels up!

Should we experience any light wind time with the competition on hold, there will be a number of Pro Sailors offering equipment and technique clinics to all amateur riders.  This was a great success in Tiree and made the trip even more worthwhile for many of the competitors and especially the newcomers…..there isn’t much our top PWA Pro riders can’t help with!

The Gwithian goat track

The weather forecast –  Local host Ian Ross ”I’m actually very positive about the forecast! Easterlies can be great at Marazion or even Praa Sands and there is serious potential for a secret spot for the PROS on friday on the cards, if not one of the main beaches. The wind is then forecast to go around to North east which can also be awesome at Gwithian as the swell picks up pretty quickly. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to point out is there is a good pulse of swell coming in from the west (despite what windguru says!!!) on Thursday and this should provide good waves on both coasts giving us a great opportunity for various locations.  These conditions have worked here a lot lately and I have every reason to think it’s on!!”

Head Judge Duncan Coombes - “It’s great to be in Cornwall after some good sailing this week, even though the storms further afield never quite came in!  With this forecast and now two sets of judges and contest areas possible,  means we can probably get more than one full round done each day on Saturday and Sunday so everyone should get a great comp.”

Prizes - NoLimitz are providing a Mast which we will give to one of the the top Am’s, Master or youth.  Puravida Boardriders have donated a stack of clothing along with No Limitz and Sandsifter.  The biggest amateur prize is donated by Puravida Boardriders with Fanatic boards – one of the standout Youth, Women, Masters or Amateurs that has performed at more than one comp this year will be loaned a 2013 Fanatic Waveboard until the next seasons boards arrive!

There is £1000 cash prize fund for the Pro riders to battle for……and all the titles potentially hang in the balance for each fleet!

With plenty of beach space, a bigger judging team and split sailing areas for more heats we welcome you to spread the word and bring as many competitors to Cornwall as possible for the final round and best attended event of the year!

2011 tour winner Ben Proffitt in action in Cornwall

If you are looking for accommodation there are links here, as well as the easiest option of camping at the sandsifter for FREE!  The Sandsifter kindly look after the riders all weekend with basic camping facilities, parking for vans and offer breakfast rolls etc. available each day on site!  (please camp to the right away from the building) They also do awesome food so book a table for the evening to avoid disappointment – Parking here is free for competitors all weekend.

Pre register for Cornwall online to receive your discounted entry, this is our preferred method of registration and enables us to start the competition quicker and run more heats!! REGISTER NOW UNTIL 9pm thursday  - http://www.cornwallwaveclassic.co.uk/index.php?option=com_proforms&jid=1&cid=1&Itemid=10

Pros – £50 online

Ams & Masters – £40 online

Women, Students, youth – £25 online

The entry fee will increase on the day at registration, and online payments can be made via paypal.

Each entry will get a limited edition Cornwall Wave Classic T-Shirt at registration.

2011 Women's tour winner Sarah Bibby, who will take the titles this year?

BWA Competitors must bring their tour rash vests for the heats…….

Tickets for the he legendary Saturday Night Monster Ball – THE MUMMY RETURNS – (£15) will be available from Ian Ross at the registration briefings on Thursday and Friday from 8pm at Sandsifter, Gwithian.

To get your directions to the venue and competition headquarters, check out the latest Big Salty forecast and look at past years news and galleries please visit www.cornwallwaveclassic.co.uk

Stay updated on twitter with @cornwallwave2012 and please join our facebook group.  Regular daily updates will go out on facebook and twitter before and during the comp!

Tiree has an abundance of spots to chose from, meaning that virtually any wind directions can produce great conditions. To find out all about the spots the riders could be sailing, plus more about the island in general check out the Tiree Beach Guide right here on Boards. 

Want to know more about Tiree? Click the image for the full beach guide. Image credit Dave White.

Before the competition kicks off we bring you a run down of the riders to look out for in each fleet:

Pros

Ben Proffitt the 2011 Tiree winner. Image credit Dave White.

Ben Proffitt – the previous BWA champion and last year’s winner in Tiree Proffitt will no doubt be out for the win again. Currently sitting in fourth position on the tour, he hasn’t quite had things all his own way so far this year and will need to step up his game to take the title once more. A fantastic all-rounder Proffitt manages to make all conditions look exceptional; in lighter, smaller conditions he may have the edge over his competitors.

Read more about Ben Proffitt on his rider stream here. 

Phil Horrocks – the current tour leader, with a first and third position, Horrocks can surely sense that this year could finally be his year to take the title. Sailing Rhosneigr and Cape Town regularly, Horrocks excels in port tack conditions and really stands out when the conditions get hard core.

Want to know what gear the pro’s use? Check out Phil Horrocks’ Pro Quiver piece here.

Phil Horrocks winning in Wales. Image credit Maike Sakschewski

Jamie Hancock. Image credit PWA/JC.

Jamie Hancock – currently places third in the tour, behind John Skye, Jamie has shown in Ireland what he can do when great conditions deliver. Being a little lighter than some of his competitors he has an advantage in lighter winds, this combined with his incredible riding style could see him rising to the top.

Want to know what gear the pro’s use? Check out Jamie Hancock’s Pro Quiver piece here.

James Cox – The Boardseeker whizz responsible for making all the features you see look so damn good, Coxy is also the man behind www.bigsalty.co.uk AND absolutely shines in starboard tack conditions. In Ireland when conditions switched he showed exactly what he is capable of by finishing fourth, with an awesome display of riding and jumping at Mossies, if conditions play ball can Coxy do it again?

James Cox. Image credit Duncan Dumbreck.

Want to know more about windsurfing and the weather? Check out this piece featuring James Cox and in conjunction with the Met Office.

Andy King

Andy King – Absent from Wales and Ireland Andy is yet to get a ranking on the tour this year, but with Tiree and then his ‘home’ event in Cornwall he could certainly cause some upsets at the top of the fleet. Andy showed last year in Tiree that he is still one of the best British sailors, despite not competing regularly like many of the others in the fleet. We are absolutely sure Andy will be one to watch again this year.

Read more from Andy King on his rider stream here. 

Others to watch out for: Polish PWA competitor Robert Baldyga, Andy “Bubble” Chambers, Sam Neal, Chris “Muzza” Murray, Steve Thorp and Timo Mullen (if they make the trip!)

Who won’t be there? Adam Lewis and John Skye. Adam Lewis should still be in title contention as he will be attending the Cornwall event, but with baby Skye due at any moment it looks unlikey that John Skye will be at either.

Amateurs

Alfie Hart. Image credit BWA/Dave White.

Alfie Hart – The Boardseeker camera man, responsible for all the awesome podcasts, videos and interviews you see on our sister site, Alfie is a fierce competitor too. Stylish riding and good jumping, including a killer table top, make Alfie a consistent performer and put him into the lead on the tour so far.

Ian Ross

Ian Ross – The BWA judge combines competing with judging at every event, a tricky business which meant he missed his own heat in Wales! When he manages to make his heats Ian excels, (he took the win in Ireland) and if the Tiree conditions suit his style he could be up there again.

Tom Bennett-Lloyd – The youth tour winner in 2011 Tom has stepped up to the amateurs this year and is more than holding his own. After spending some of the summer on the West coast of Ireland, Tom will be looking to build on two solid results in Wales and Ireland.

Check out the ‘Hidden Talents’ interview with Tom here.  

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

Scott McDowell – a stand out in the amateur fleet Scotty has been around for a while and has been on the verge of being kicked into the pro fleet a few times. Spending time in Cape Town over winters he really performs well when the conditions get gnarly, something we could be seeing this year (fingers crossed!). Scotty won in Wales, but didn’t compete in Ireland, no doubt he will be out for the win on his ‘home’ turf.

Others to watch out for:  Jim Brookes-Dowsett, Craig Hamilton, Russ Jenkins, Will Barrett, Ed Shearer.

Women

Justyna Sniady

Justyna Sniady – the current BWA tour leader, made the last minute decision to enter after breaking her foot very badly earlier in the year. Justyna has struggled through rehab over the summer spurred on by the prospect of windsurfing again and made the brave choice to enter Tiree once on the island. Justyna has now sailed for the first time and is feeling sore but confident and as ready as she can be for the competition.

Debbie in Sidi Kaouki, Morocco this summer.

Debbie Kennedy – a previous winner in Tiree, Debbie also took the win in Ireland earlier this year. Debbie excels in down-the-line riding and in her favourite conditions is very tricky to beat. Though fourth in the the series at the moment, after a discard comes into play and already with one win under her belt, Debbie could see herself in a great position in the race for the title.

Lucy training in Fuerteventura

Lucy Robson - the winner of the Cornwall event last year, Lucy excels in high wind riding and comes into her own in jumping conditions. Having been in Tiree for the past week, Lucy should be more than ready for the competition. With a fourth and second in the series she is currently in second position overall.

Read more about Lucy in this ‘Girls on Tour’ interview. 

Sophia Gilje in Ireland. Image credit BWA/Dave White.

Sophia Gilje - a relative new comer to windsurfing, Sophia is progressing quickly in waves and has done consistently well through the competitions this year with a third and third, putting her in equal second overall, joint with Lucy.

Who won’t be there? previous entrants including Sarah Bibby and Tanya Saleh.

Others to watch out for: Rumour has it there should be a fleet of eight women in Tiree, which is the biggest fleet at this event in quite a while. A new influx of competitors could see things shaken up in the women’s fleet and the numbers should mean it’s possible to run eliminations rather than straight finals meaning the pressure is really on for the female competitors.

Youth

Luke Raistrick – the winner in Wales earlier this year is already entered for Tiree and after a summer of windsurfing is ready for the competition.

Read more about Luke in this ‘Hidden Talents’ interview. 

Luke Raistrick. Image credit BWA / Dave White

Masters

Dave White

Dave White – is the current tour leader after a win in Ireland and a score of 5.5 in Wales. Whitey has some solid riding and jumping skills, and with an abundance of competition experience is dangerous in every heat; as long as he can make it out from behind the camera that is!

Davey Edmiston – always looks good in full on conditions; a jumping specialist his local spot of Troon is a port tack, cross on playground so in any conditions that a similar to this are sure to see Davey on top form. The winner of the Wales event earlier in the year.

Mark Lloyd - last year’s winner and third placed rider in Wales Mark Lloyd is always one to watch out for.

Who won’t be there? Jan Sleigh who finished second in Ireland and is one to watch when  the conditions get big unfortunately won’t be making it to Tiree, but will be looking for a great result in Cornwall.

Others to watch out for: Depends who makes the trip up! Stu Tilbury, Johnny Greatrex, Lee Medway, Phil Bennett-Lloyd, Andy Heath, etc are all up there in the rankings, it just depends who makes the decision to head up to Tiree.

With all shots from top photographer John Carter both showcase the talents of incredible riders, in equally incredible locations.

The 2013 Windsurfing Calendar was shot on location at Gnarloo, Margret River, Spreckelsville, Esperence and Maui’s north shore; John Carter takes us on an introspective of today’s world of new school wavesailing.

Victor on the cover

Cue a style clash between windsurfing’s old guard and the progressive lines of the sport’s next generation.

Calendar Specifics:

Size: A3 (297mm x 420mm).

Format: Portrait (ring bound w/ wiro hanger at top).

Paper: 210 GSM.

Printing: Full bleed single side edge to edge digital printing.

View: 14 pages, one month per page + cover & preview page.

Photographer: John Carter.

Sailors: Victor Fernandez, Scott McKercher, Philip Koster, Nik Baker, Iballa Moreno, Ricardo Campello, Ben Proffitt, Levi Siver, Mark Angulo, Jaeger Stone and Keith Teboul.

Locations: Gnarloo, Hookipa, Margret River, Spreckelsville, Esperence and Maui reefs.

New for 2013 is the UK Breaks Calendar, celebrating all that is great about British shores. 

Timo on the cover

Ever wonder why the British Isles continually father some of the finest wave sailors on the planet? Lineage of this calibre isn’t born out of warm water and tropical beaches, it’s forged from the harsh brutality of Atlantic swells, battering low pressures and unforgiving, isolated slabs.

Littered with world class reefs and beach breaks, we blow the lid on what the British Isles really have to offer – Introducing The 2013 UK Windsurfing Calendar.

Showcasing 13 awe inspiring images from windsurfing’s homeland, shot by the lens of John Carter and digitally printed onto super heavy weight paper. The UK’s never looked so good, nor has your wall.

Calendar Specifics:

Size: A3 (297mm x 420mm).

Format: Portrait (ring bound w/ wiro hanger at top).

Paper: 210 GSM.

Printing: Full bleed single side edge to edge digital printing.

View: 14 pages, one month per page + cover & preview page.

UK Breaks Calendar Overview

Photographer: John Carter.

Sailors: Jamie Hancock, James Cox, Paul Hunt, Chris Murray, Andy King,  Timo Mullen, Ross Williams, Phil Horrocks, Ben Proffitt and Ian Black.

Locations: Kimmeridge, Bigbury, Boscomb, Gwithian, Tiree, Ventnor, Sennen + Cornish, Welsh & East Coast Reefs.

Both calendars are available to purchase at http://www.openshutcalendars.com 

If it’s incredible wave shots, from both the UK and abroad you’re looking for, make sure you check out the new Boards Autumn / Winter Wave Annual on sale now!

Thomas Traversa beats Philip Koster in the super final in Klitmoller, becoming the first man to beat Koster in a long time. The conditions were very light, meaning just two wave rides counted in the result. Koster put in one incredible wave scoring him a 7.88, but he couldn’t back it up with another or the same standard, meaning Traversa took the win with two scores in the 6point range. 

Thomas Traversa wins in Klitmoller. Image credit PWA/JC.

Watch the action Live here!

French Flyweight beats German Giant in the battle of Cold Hawaii

Thomas Traversa sent shockwaves through the world windsurfing tour by beating the double world champion, Philip Köster, in the super final of the KIA Cold Hawaii PWA World Cup on Thursday afternoon.

In a re-run of David beating Goliath, Traversa, from La Ciotat, the small French town near Marseilles where the cinema was invented, rode the wave to stardom this week, causing the biggest upset in two years on the tour with his electric wave riding.

The light 15-knot westerly breeze favoured the 60kg Traversa. Köster is over 90kg. An extended heat of 25 minutes with only two waves being counted and no jumps also favoured the Frenchman, but Köster is such a competitor that it was not over until after the last wave, which he rode all the way to shore. Traversa held on to win by just 0.87 points, scoring 13.13 to Köster’s 12.26.

Köster, the German-rider born and bred in Gran Canaria, is best known for the spectacular jumping, which has brought him two consecutive world championships at the age of 18. He was unbeaten in two years and had won the last five world cups, including Cold Hawaii, in Klitmöller, Denmark, last year. But he showed on Wednesday, in clinching the second title, that he is formidable on the waves too and had the highest wave score in the super final.

Traversa, who had beaten Köster on Wednesday morning before losing to him that night in earlier heats, set the early pace. He had a big lead after ten minutes with two accomplished wave rides, but Köster is the king of the special moves, even on the waves, and at halfway in the heat a backside aerial 360, during a nice ride, brought him 7.88.

But Traversa improved his second score to 6.38 with a backside aerial and good run and Köster was becalmed as the clock ticked down. He gybed in no wind and seemed to be sinking not surfing but with his last wave, as the clock ran out, Köster found some pressure and ran a wave all the way to the beach. The 4.3 was not enough and Traversa took the title away from him.

A super session looks set to run in epic starboard conditions on Saturday, keep up to date with more information on the KIA Cold Hawaii website here. 

Check previous write ups below…

]]> http://boards.mpora.com/features/pwa-klitmoller-live.html/feed 0 http://boards.mpora.com/news/red-bull-storm-chase-voting-open.html http://boards.mpora.com/news/red-bull-storm-chase-voting-open.html#comments Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:16:56 +0000 Amy Carter - Editor http://boards.mpora.com/?p=39961 Decide who you want to see tackle in the fiercest challenge against the elements. Just visit www.redbullstormchase.com and vote for your favorite sailors before July 15^th.

In total 140 riders from 33 countries applied to participate in the Red Bull Storm Chase from the beginning of May until the end of June. 50 of them have been nominated for the online voting stage by windsurfing legend Robby Naish and his expert companions – PWA Head Judge Duncan Coombs and leading windsurfing photographer John Carter. “We were blown away by the high level and band of sailors: prominent professionals like Victor Fernandez, Ricardo Campello and Philip Köster registered as well as hot-shot amateurs and promising rookies“, said Coombs. “This was definetely not an easy choice. Big thanks to all the riders who registered.” Now it is your turn to select the ones you want to see competing. The voting is open until July 15^th. Just visit www.redbullstormchase.com and login using your Facebook account. You have ten votes in total, but only one per rider. Make your choice now!

British and Irish Boys in the Top 50 and needing your vote are: 

Chris Murray

Adam Lewis

Ben Proffitt

Timo Mullen

Phil Horrocks

Robby Swift

Dan Gardner

Mikey Clancy

John Skye

Jamie Hancock

Some of the top PWA competitors also in the Top 50:

Phillip Koester

Marcillio Browne 

Daniel Bruch

Ricardo Campello

 

 

]]> http://boards.mpora.com/news/red-bull-storm-chase-voting-open.html/feed 0 http://boards.mpora.com/features/boards-gran-canaria-day-one1.html http://boards.mpora.com/features/boards-gran-canaria-day-one1.html#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2012 21:01:08 +0000 Amy Carter - Editor http://boards.mpora.com/?p=39897 Day One in Gran Canaria has seen some incredible conditions and a mixed bag for the British sailors.

Ben Proffitt. Credit PWA/JC

Ben Proffitt, Adam Lewis, Jamie Hancock all took early exits. Proffitt just didn’t seem like he could get the waves and crashed jumps that we all know he can make on any day, even in Pozo. Lewis has some incredible moves, as always going for broke, however he just missed out as Traversa seemed to have some better counting wave rides. John Skye went through against Hancock with a solid heat, both sailors looked good but Skye’s how knowledge put him ahead. Ross Williams took out last minute entry Peter Volwater, and seems like he has a lot more in the bag, being relatively comfortable in the crazy conditions. whilst Swift took out Sanchez and now faces Browne in the next round. Horrocks also looked on form as he faced Alonso and took the win in a close heat.

Robby Swift. Image credit PWA/JC.

On an more international perspective, the stand our sailors so far, according to Duncan Coombs, and many others on the beach have been Dany Bruch, Marcillio Browne and Victor Fernandez Lopez. Koester as always put up a great performance, but nothing compared to what he is capable on a good day. If Bruch and Fernandez keep delivering we could see a fierce battle to the top.

The end of the day brought the opening ceremony, with words from many of the key players in the event organisation, including of course the Moreno twins and Robby Swift.

Skippers meeting will be bright at early at 9am tomorrow morning, with first possible start at 9.30am and it looks likely the women’s fleet will be run first off in the ‘light’ winds. Remember this is Pozo light, so the ladies are still more than likely going to be heading out on 3.3s!

Keep up to date with the Live elimination ladder here -  http://pwaworldtour.com/index.php?id=1732

Catch up on all the action from today on the Mpora Live page here – http://live.mpora.com/pwa-gran-canaria

Head to the next page for more information and images from day one. 

]]> http://boards.mpora.com/features/boards-gran-canaria-day-one1.html/feed 0 http://boards.mpora.com/equipment-tests/pro-quiver-jamie-hancock.html http://boards.mpora.com/equipment-tests/pro-quiver-jamie-hancock.html#comments Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:10:44 +0000 Amy Carter - Editor http://boards.mpora.com/?p=38480 The next rider up in the Pro Quiver series, is third placed Jamie Hancock. Jamie appears to travel a lot lighter than most of the other pros, is this by choice? Does the fact that he is a little lighter than the others affect what equipment he chooses?

Check out the introduction to the pro quivers and profile one from fifth placed rider Adam Lewis here. 

Second up in the series was Ben Proffitt, find out what he has in his van here. 

Jamie Hancock with his Gaastra, Tabou and Body Glove quiver. Image credit Duncan Dumbreck.

Name: Jamie Hancock

Current BWA Ranking: 3rd

2011 PWA Ranking: 16th

Sail Number: K218

Height: 5’6

Weight: 68kg

Sponsors: Gaastra, Tabou, Body Glove, Finisterre, Sutsu.

Favourite conditions: I like to jump but I think riding down the line is my number one.

When your equipment works best: Works well in most conditions, travelling light is always the best!

Describe your sailing style: Consistent and all round I would say. After years of travelling round the UK and learning port tack I can happily turn up at any beach and feel pretty comfortable. I’m pretty tough on myself usually and always feel I should be better.

Jamie Hancock in Wales. Image courtesy BWA/Dave White

Sails:

IQ current production 4.0 4.5

IQ prototype 3.6 4.2

Pure 4.0 4.4

I have three different types of sails all of which I have spent time over the winter testing. Usually, I would just come with the IQ, but at the moment I also have some of the freestyle sails, the Pure, and I have a couple of prototypes for next year too.

The 2013 sails will build on the success of the 2012 ranges, but with a few key changes. There will be a new lighter weight material, which also gives a bit more power. The prototypes I am using now are great, these will see even more improvements before they they go into production.

I really like the freestyle sails for some wavesailing conditions as they have a bit more power, for example when you let the clew out in onshore sailing they will give you more power through the turn. Therefore I would pick the Pure 4.0 or 4.4 when the conditions are a bit more onshore and I need the extra power. They are also quite twitchy and on/off, which as a lighter sailor I sometimes like.

The freestyle sail only goes down to 4.0 so below this I have only the IQ. The IQ is also a lot stronger and made a lot more for the hardcore wave conditions, which means I am a lot less likely to break them when it’s really going off! Also, the fact that the Pure is really light is why I love it but this also means it is a little unstable which is why it is not recommended for wave use.

I would in the future like to have one sail range through my whole quiver, but at the moment it is really nice to swap, change and work out how the different sails are working.

My biggest sail is 4.5 and I don’t honestly think I need anything bigger! I jump from a 4.0 to a 4.4, which is quite a big jump for me, whereas for a bigger person this wouldn’t be as noticeable a change. With a bigger sail you get more power, but you also get added weight and I don’t think I gain anything more from a 5.0 in terms of early planing.

Masts:

I have my old Vandal masts, plus some newer softer Gaastra masts.

Booms:

I just have one! I am waiting for the new booms to come out in production because they look amazing.

Jamie Hancock in Ireland. Courtesy BWA/Dave White

Boards:

72  80 (both custom)

They’re the biggest I’ve ever had! I used to always have something around 65litres and then mid 70s, but now through the use of multi fins it is not an advantage to have a smaller board. The bigger boards are turning as well as the smaller boards, so it makes sense to go a little bigger as you get a lot from the added volume. I used to find I was at a disadvantage in lighter winds. In order to get great waverides I had to take a smaller board, as I found the bigger ones didn’t turn well for me, then of course I lost out with early planing. Now with the new shape and fin set ups, I can take bigger boards, turn them as well and have the extra volume that I need.

Tabou ask the riders individually what they want from their board and then produce prototypes/customs for us. Fabian then takes what we suggest and like, along with what he knows will work in production to then shape next years boards. This year, I asked Fabian for 5-6cms extra length on the boards I had last year, this automatically increased the volume to approx 72 and 80litres, but I kept the same tail shape. The boards are quite wide, a little longer but the tail is still relatively thin.

I have these over a production board, mainly I needed the tail shape to be a bit thinner. For me turning an 80litre production board is quite hard, it takes a bit more to push it through the turn because I haven’t got the weight.

Set Up:

I generally you my big board with sails of 4.0m and up and the smaller 72 litre with 4.0m and below.

Jamie Hancock in Wales. Image courtesy BWA/Dave White.

Fins:

I’ve been using K4 fins for the quads, I’m asking for some more a little stiffer as I think for the tri fins options the Tabou fins are working better as they’re stiffer. Thorpy is brilliant at developing exactly what works for which boards and which sailors, so it’s still trial and error figuring out exactly what works best.

The boards have five fin boxes so I can vary the set up. I have been using quads most of the winter, but I am now using a tri fin set up, I feel this works better for onshore sailing. If it was side off I would be using quads. In the white water the tri fins still give a bit more release, where as quads give a bit more grip.

Accessories:

Gasstra waist harness and body glove wetsuits, winter suits for here!

]]> http://boards.mpora.com/equipment-tests/pro-quiver-jamie-hancock.html/feed 1