Windsurfing at Lagoon Watersports, Hove

Lagoon Watersports in Hove are running some fantastic taster courses this bank holiday weekend. 

Get ready for your next windsurfing session, where ever it may be!

Words by Lagoon Watersports coach, Lucy McCormick.

I am first going to touch on why, as windsurfers, we need to warm up and cool down before and after our windsurfing session, and the importance of getting the right food inside our bodies.

WINDSURFER’S WARM UP

Most windsurfers aren’t too keen on the idea of warming up, prancing around on the beach doesn’t appeal to everyone, but it should as the benefits are massive and an effective warm up only needs to take five minutes.

The main purpose of a warm up is to prepare your body for your windsurf session, as well as reducing the risk of injury and helping to improve your performance on the water.

During the warm up you will increase the blood flow to your muscles and raise your body temperature, this will mobilise the joints and make your muscles more supple, leading to improved reactions and coordination. It will also help you prepare mentally, and put you in the right mind set to nail that new move.

An effective warm up will:

• Increases the blood flow to muscles, enhancing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients.
• Prepares your body and heart for your increased activity, whist you’re on the water.
• Prepares you mentally for your session.
• Warms your muscles, making them more supple and ready for action.
• Prepares your heart for an increase in activity.
• Prepares you mentally for the upcoming exercise.

The warm up video below can be used pre-windsurf session or before taking part in any physical activity. REMEMBER TO CONSULT A DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING PART IN ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

WINDSURFER’S COOL DOWN

It is as important to cool down, as it is to warm up and again doesn’t need to take up a huge amount of time. The main purpose of a cool down is to promote recovery and return the body to its pre-exercise state.

During our session our bodies will have been worked, certain muscles more than others, an effective cool down can help reduce muscle injury, stiffness and soreness, which will help you to be ready for your next session!

An effective cool down will:

• Assist your heart rate to return towards resting levels.
• Aid the removal of waste products from your muscles, such as lactic acid, which can build up during activity.
• Helps prepare your muscles for your next session, whether it’s the next day or in a few days’ time.
• Reduce the potential for delayed muscle soreness.

The cool down video below can be used post windsurf session or after taking part in any physical activity. REMEMBER TO CONSULT A DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING PART IN ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. 

WINDSURFER’S NURTITION AND HYDRATION

To perform your best on the water and have an effective windsurfing body you need to consider what you are putting into your body to fuel your sessions and in turn give you the energy, as well as helping you recover after.

A healthy balanced diet is a great way to keep in shape, no windsurfer wants too much fat, the lighter we are the sooner we will plane and the more manoeuvreable we will be. Our meals should consist of a good balance of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, protein and good fats, to ensure we get all the necessary vitamins and minerals our body needs.

To help you in the right direction here’s quick guide to what is best to eat pre, during and post windsurfing.

Pre Session

Most windsurfers will go for the quick energy fix – chocolate, coffee and sugary drinks are all easy to grab but are not effective in fuelling our body.

What we need to eat before our session depends on intensity, length and type of session you are going to do. Exercising on a full stomach is never a good idea; you will feel uncomfortable on the water and won’t perform your best. To avoid this make sure you eat your meal enough time before your session – this could be one to four hours, depending on what you eat.

Carbohydrates are the main fuel that powers us whilst on the water. So make sure your meal is rich in carbohydrates, and easy to digest.

If the wind hasn’t appeared and you starting to get hungry or you feel your energy levels are suffering then about 30 minutes before your session, grab an easily digestible snack before you hit the water. This could be a piece of fruit (banana is a great option) or perhaps a cereal bar.

During

It is important to stay hydrated whilst windsurfing. Coming off the water every 30 – 45 minutes to drink some water is a great way to stay alert and be at your best whilst on the water.

If you are having a long session then you may need to replenish your energy levels with a snack such as fruits or nuts.

Post Session

This is the time our body needs to recover and we can aid it by putting the right things into our body. Our post exercise snack is critical to recovery and assists us to get ready quicker for our next session.

It is important to consume a snack 30 minutes after getting out of the water; this snack should include both carbohydrates and proteins to be most effective. A good snack could be a protein filled sandwich, such as tuna or chicken with a banana.

Check out more fitness and technique features here on Boards. 

Instructor courses are run all around the country by various windsurf trainers, take  a look at the RYA website for more info and for dates check out this link.  Trainer and well known coach, Sam Ross, has recently released the dates of the courses he will be coaching in 2013, it looks like he’s got a rather full calendar!

Boards would especially recommend the courses run at the OTC Puravida Centre in Weymouth, Lagoon Watersports in Brighton and Bray Lake Watersports in Berkshire. So check out the links and get involved!

Want to become an instructor in 2013?

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.

Lagoon christmas gift voucher

This year we have a special Christmas offer on watersports gift vouchers, with an option for all budgets!

Vouchers are available for specific courses or an amount chosen by you and are valid for a year.

Special Christmas offers at Hove Lagoon Watersports:

Start Stand Up Paddleboarding – £25 Was £40

Stand Up Paddleboarding originates from the idyllic island of Hawaii, it uses a board, which you stand on, and a paddle to propel you along. If you have never been on a board, no worries! Our start Stand Up Paddleboarding course will give you the skills to get up and going in no time. The session will introduce you to the exciting world of Stand Up paddleboarding, you will be given an introduction to the equipment which will be used and shown how to: Kneel and stand up on the board, basic turns, self rescue, safety techniques and paddle techniques.  The course is 2 hours, and once completed you will receive a BSUPA “Ready to Ride” card which allows you to hire at accredited centres.

Windsurf Taster – £40 Was £50

Windsurfing uses a surf-like board and a sail to catch the wind and get you moving through the water. Modern lightweight kit, expert tuition and waist deep water makes Lagoon Watersports the best place to learn. This sport is highly addictive and once you’ve enhanced the wind there’s no looking back! Our taster session is the ideal way to get a feel for what windsurfing has to offer. The session is 2 hours long and will give you an introduction to windsurfing, showing you how to use the equipment, get you up on the board and basic windsurfing techniques.

Learn to Wakeboard + One Wakeboard Ride Session – £50 Was £62.50

Wakeboarding is one of the fastest growing watersports in the world. It provides instant fun for all. It’s exhilarating, exciting and extremely addictive. The Learn to Wakeboard course is the perfect introduction to the world of wakeboarding and will get you up and going on the board. Your session will start with an on land demonstration on how to get up on the board, and then it will be time to hit the water! In your session you will cover: Basic stance, dock starting, water starts, riding in a straight line, turning.

Complete Watersports Taster Session – £99 Was £152.50

Try Wakeboarding, Stand Up Paddle Boarding and Windsurfing for ONLY £99. This awesome offer includes a 2 hour BSUPA Stand Up Paddle Board course, a 2 hour Windsurf taster session and a 2 hour Learn to Wakeboard session. All sessions can be booked separately to fit in around busy lifestyles. An offer not to be missed!

Vouchers can be emailed or posted to you
Offer Valid till 31^st December 

Head here for full voucher details and to book!

Boards catches up with Boardwise to find out more about how the demos are run and what’s involved:

Just some of the Boardwise demo equipment set up and ready to go! Image credit Dave White.

“We run a summer demo at Aberdovey which coincides with the BSA slalom event. This is the biggest of the year with support from the town, the Yacht club and all the importers.

When someone comes along to a demo they can try all the latest kit, get advice from the people who really know about the products, but most of all just come to an event which gives them a great feel about the sport of windsurfing!

The main summer and winter demos are supported by brands including: Fanatic and North, RRD and Ezzy, Tabou and Gaastra, and Starboard and Tushingham. Not only do the brands supply top notch NEW equipment, they also bring along some top sailors too.

Demo regulars now include (to name but a few):  former PWA superstar Nik Baker, current Formula World Champion Ross Williams, master of speed Dave White, plus awesome coaches Jem Hall, Sam Ross, etc. They are all more than happy to help not only with rigging, tuning and choosing equipment but also can offer top technique tips too.

Lots of people turn up and sail on Saturday. Then Saturday evening usually involves a few drinks, before getting on the water again to blow away the cobwebs on Sunday morning.

All images from the Boardwise Bonfire Bash 2013 and credit Dave White.

We are usually fairly lucky with the weather, and the huge range of equipment on offer means people can almost always get on the water. But even if the wind doesn’t blow we all have a great weekend; there’s normally a good night out on the Saturday at least!

We also go to all of the student events through out the year; the SWA run a great series of events through the autumn, winter and into spring. They really focus on getting as many people onto the water at all levels; there is a great contingent of beginners and improvers at the student event and we are proud to support them by taking all our gear for them to use! Plus our van goes up to the local club once a week in the summer.

On Guy Fawkes weekend each year we run a Bonfire Bash, it’s a bit late in the year so it can be a little cold, but again we have a great weekend none the less with fires on the beach and an amazing firework display! Check out the full report from Boardwise on the here. 

Whilst most of our demos take place at Aberdovey, we do offer some more local ones and we are looking to do a few more at different venues next year.”

There are lots of clubs, schools, brands and shops that run demos. At Boards we always try to have the latest info on up coming demos online, but if one is happening at your local spot that we haven’t promoted then please do contact amy@boards.co.uk and let us know!

Find all the windsurfing demo news on Boards through this link.

Boards Recommended Demos

Boardwise  - based in Cannock, demos at various locations but regularly run at Aberdovey. Follow all the Boardwise news on Boards here.

Robin Hood Watersports  - based in Yorkshire, frequently run demos at West Kirby.  Follow all the Robin Hood Watersports news on Boards here.

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Juice Boardsports – based in Huddersfiled, regular demos on forecast run at Fraisthorpe announced both here on Boards and through their forum. 

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Bray Lake - based in Berkshire, run occasional demo days. Follow all the Bray Lake news on Boards here. 

Lagoon Watersports -   based in Hove, run occasional demo days (usually with Fanatic/North). Follow all the Lagoon Watersports news on Boards here.

L.A.R. Watersports - based in Pagham, run occasional demo days. Follow all the LAR Watersports news on Boards here.

Puravida Boardriders - based in South Glamorgan, run occasional demo days. Follow all the Puravida Boardriders news on Boards here.

Quayside Windsurfers - based in Norfolk, run occasional demo days. Follow all the Quayside Windsurfers news on Boards here.

Wet n Dry Boardsports - based in Basildon, run occasional demo days. Follow all the Wet n Dry Boardsports news on Boards here.

4Boards  - based in Southampton, run occasional demo days. Follow at the 4Boards news on Boards here.

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Many more demo days and information about similar events can be found on the RYA’s Project Windsurf – UK website. They even have a specific demo events page right here where many chose to share event info. Project Windsurf UK also gives you the opportunity to share what is happening at your local windsurfing spot, so head on over and get involved!

You might also like to read:

Learning to windsurf

Unlike last year, we were not welcomed with light winds and glorious sunshine but instead heavy rain, freezing waters and howling winds, however this would not deter the ladies.

After registering in the comfort of the club house the 35 women ventured outside for a very energetic warm up with coach Lucy before hitting the water for windsurfing and SUP lessons on the lagoon, which provided a great amount of shelter from the ferocious weather.

The original plan had then been to head onto the sea for the first women’s only Blue Mile, but due to the weather this had to be postponed until a later date, which allowed the wakeboarding sessions to be brought further forwards.

All the ladies that had signed up still attended even with the less than promising forecast and stayed on the water for as long as possible, so well done ladies! It was great to see everyone from first timers to national competitors all on the water enjoying themselves.

Keeping warm and making bracelets.

In between session the ladies kept warm in the Lagoon Cafe, with hot cups of tea and yummy treats, whilst making their very own Nalu Beads bracelets under the watchful eye of Lex Balladon. I am loving my new Gwithian bead, so hope you are all loving yours too!

A big thank you also goes out to Helen of Rhomboids Massage who saved some aching shoulders after the on water work out!

The wonderful KB4Girls ladies were also around offering kiting advice for all and inspiring a few of us to get onto the water in the near future, plus the wonderful Andrina took all of the great images you see on here.

To round off the day we ran a raffle in aid of the Blue Mile WWF fund, thank you to all that bought tickets and well done to the prize winners! The biggest thank you goes to the following who provided some fantastic prizes for the well deserving ladies:

Nalu Beads http://nalubeads.com/

KB4Girls

Flymount http://www.flymount.com/

Jan Sleigh and www.k172surfshop.co.uk

Sam Ross http://www.sam-ross.co.uk/

Starboard http://www.tushingham.com/

Grasshopper Foods http://www.grasshopper-foods.com/

Nik Baker, ION Essentials and Fanatic  www.k-66.com/

Lagoon Watersports http://www.lagoon.co.uk/

All in all, it was a fantastic day, but here’s to hoping for better weather for the next event in early 2013! A final special thank you to Lucy McCormick, Helen Trehane and other other staff of Lagoon Watersports for all their hard work, plus to Lex (and John!) Balladon, Andrina and the other KB4Girls for all coming along and making the day extra special.

FLOW – For Ladies Of Watersports is a group which aims to encourage more women to get on the water and active across a variety of watersports. Started by windsurfer Amy Carter, the group initially focussed on this one sport but soon expanded and begun to work alongside other women’s watersports groups to encourage women to take part in surfing, SUP, kitesurfing and wake boarding. Find out more about FLOW at www.flowatersports.com  

More info on KB4Girls – the women’s kitesurfing group – here http://www.kb4girls.org/chapters/europe/lancing–uk.html

More info on Wide A Wake – the women’s wakeboarding group – here http://www.wide-a-wake.com/

Windsurfing off Hove Lagoon

The sessions are coming to an end and after a full on year on the water with most of the time spent being in the water, not on it,  I’ve been loving it! Starting off I was thinking that I would never get it and now I am in the harness and on a sea when it’s nice and flat. I am now setting up goals for future session and I want to LOOP… but first I might need to used the foot straps and learn how to turn a board that is not the size my garden decking.

I had my first really good sea moment the other day launching from Lagoon Watersports on a Sunday afternoon clinic, with ideal conditions. The session was about getting going and into the front strap, which were bits I had attempted with not a lot of success in the past. It started on the land with a group of us being shown on the simulator with very broken down demos and coaching points with a lot of encouragement. The instructor helped with getting the right kit for the conditions and ability and we were quickly rushed onto the beach to get on the water. With rules set out and the instructor in a boat I felt happy to bear away, strap in and blast!! As we got on the water we met out by the boat and started off with a follow the leader out away from the beach. He told us to just drop our weight back and down, and just go. With most of us starbursting over the sailing area with this new found speed the instructor had the massive task of rounding us all up but with the time on the taxi boat back to upwind land we had time for some one to one coaching.

Bump and jump - this is what James is aiming for next!

On my second blast I got more speed than I had got before and felt that I needed to be in the straps so I took the leap and went for the front strap. When it was in and I was planing; it felt so alien to think I was in the first strap. It was bouncing around and still not going where I wanted it to go but it felt great for the whole 30 seconds I was committed to the board. Back on the boat on my taxi back upwind I was told a way of stopping the unpleasant bouncing around and go for the back strap as well.

Things were looking good for ending the year in the straps and blasting but I needed a couple more runs and a lucky gust to hold me up. As I started up again I was back in the front strap and shimmying the back foot back, I had no idea I was going downwind but I was flying and didn’t care!! There was a moment where the water was flat and I went for the back strap but as soon as I did the board shot into with, stalled and I fell in! Again, after that I was back in the boat being coached on the next step.

Nik Baker on the water; James is aiming high and looking to get looping in the future!

That was it, I had all the know-how but just needed the bottle to go for it and again I had my spot of flat water and the wind to be planing comfortably, front strap came with ease as all I was thinking about was the coaching points and the back strap. As I stepped into the back strap the board this time didn’t shoot up into wind and I kept going with even more speed and I just had to go with it and hope for the best. I heard the powerboat coming from the side with a very excited instructor shouting away at me to keep going, I was buzzing! I went into a lull and it was all over but the feeling was amazing and it was the biggest change in my windsurfing, turning the board around was still a small issue but I do not care, I was just planing in the straps on the sea with nothing stopping me apart from French customs that may have something to say.

The first year has been going from step to step and now strap to strap with coaching along the way from anyone willing to help a beginner, which in the windsurfing community is always easy to find. So, from a time where I was just giving it a go the sport has eaten my time and energy in the best way possible and now as the winter is coming to a start I am thinking what to do – maybe Dahab or a very thick wetsuit!!

Find out more about Lagoon Watersports:

website: www.lagoon.co.uk

phone number: 01273 42 48 42

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LagoonWatersports

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/hovelagoon

You might also like to read:

Inspired by the Olympics?

We want to offer you the chance to try some Olympic Watersports and non Olympic Watersports here in Brighton and Hove. It is really about getting out on the water and trying something new. Finding out if watersports is for you or your kids

To follow up on the Olympics we have some great opportunities for you to give watersports a go.

Sportivate Multi Watersports for Teenagers Age 14 – 16 - Just £10 ! – 6 x 2 hour sessions  trying Sailing, Windsurfing, Kayaaking, Stand up Paddleboarding, wakeboarding. The usual cost of these would be over £200. Click here for more details, dates and too book 

Sportivate Learn to Windsurfing for Women age 19 – 25 – Just £40 ! - 6 x 2 hour sessions, plus 4 x club training sessions. The usual cost of this course would be over £200. Click here for more details, dates and too book 

Coastal Sailing Taster from Brighton Marina – Just £10 ! - 75 mins sailing experience off the Brighton Coastline on our Sigma 8 metre performance sailing boats, with an RYA sailing instructor on board to give your the a hands on sailing lesson. Please click this link to book your place

Inspired by the Olympics – Watersport Tasters September 29/30 – Just £25 ! -  Why not try our Olympic Watersports Taster Sessions at Hove Lagoon. Full tuition and all equipment is provided, including a wetsuit. You get to try three sports for just £20 -

Women only – Adults – Kids

I’ve got the need for speed, but even more the need for some control! After completing my RYA Start Windsurfing and receiving my ticket that now states I have started on the drenched road to windsurfing land I have become hooked! With many friends and work mates confused by the idea of going outside in this beautiful English summer let alone going out on the water people are starting to wonder what I have started doing. I have been found going up and down the lagoon for hours on end, only wondering how I get on this drug you hear the other windsurfers craving for. I’ve been watching windsurfers coming over from the other side of the wall where the infamous sea is kept with both signs of satisfaction and frustration on their faces from either getting planing or not, but with an excuse for both! I want to be on this!

Improver Lesson at Hove

Having loved my start course and having spent quite a few hours floating around practicing what I learnt I started going to the improvers nights on a Thursday after work for a bit of assistance with my windsurfing. The first time I went out on the water after my course it felt like I had just passed my driving test and this was the first run to the shops I was nervous but so excited to be back on the water. With the lagoon giving such an easy starting point and then ongoing support I jumped straight in and got up.. then fell in! With so many things going on in my mind it seemed like I had forgotten it all but after a few minutes and some guidance from the instructor I was back up and blasting on my plastic fantastic and a sail that I only wanted to make bigger.

After an exciting sail a few days before I was back for more! While getting my kit out I saw a bigger one next to my normal sail and I just had to give it a go. Once I was on the water, before I pulled up this monster of a four meter, I looked at the others with their airplane sized wings thinking I’m almost there. The session went well on my new bigger sail and like always I left the lagoon again wanting to go bigger and faster! The next time on the water came a new surprise in the form of a board that felt like a tea tray. I was motivated by an instructor to move onto the Fanatic Viper which to move around was a lot easier but on the water it was a bit of a surprise, after being on my floating piece of decking that offered me so much comfort. With a few very wet tacks I started to stop looking at my new board and got my balance back. I was just so happy with myself that I had now moved off the start kit and onto the more colourful improver gear and I felt like my windsurfing was improving at a very good rate.

Windsurfing off the beach at Hove

With days of not windsurfing I found myself on weather and windsurfing websites waiting for the wind and work to be done so I can go back out on the water. And then it came, it was windy and I had an afternoon off to go and see if I can sail in a storm. Keeping with my new board and being on the lagoon this flat water but windy base meant I was safe to give it a go no matter what the weather. With the wind blowing I ended up moving … and moving really too fast! I was holding on and that was about it. Sailing at what felt like a hundred miles an hour for the first time was a massive rush and I could see how people get addicted and I most definitely was.

Now I am up and going and truly hooked I’m going to move on and I have been told I’m ready for the intermediate non planing course to get me out and onto the big blue. For me I feel I have improved and am loving the sport and want to continue because my next goal is getting onto the sea and going even faster!

Windsurfing at Hove

Written by James Hart

Find out more about Lagoon Watersports:

website: www.lagoon.co.uk

phone number: 01273 42 48 42

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LagoonWatersports

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/hovelagoon

All this for £25? Women only we're afraid!

We have also teamed up with the Blue Mile, to bring you the first women’s only mile.

The Blue Mile works with WWF to raise money to protect our oceans through mile events on the water. At FLOW’s Blue Mile you can paddle, windsurf, kitesurf or swim a mile, whatever your level you will be able to take part!

For more about the Blue Mile head to http://www.thebluemile.org

On the day there will be:

Windsurf coaching for beginners through to advanced

SUP coaching for beginners through to advanced

Kitesurf coaching on the water for confident kiters, plus on land kite coaching for beginners from the fantastic KB4Girls!

Wakeboard coaching for beginners through to advanced.

The first women’s only Blue Mile event

Workshops from Nalu Beads

A raffle with incredible prizes specifically for waterwomen

A BBQ to end the day in style!

More info on www.flowatersports.com very soon plus to book head to www.lagoon.co.uk or call 01273 424842. (Booking available online from 20th August) For anything else please email amy@flowindsurfing.com and head to the Facebook event here. 

If you’re in the area and fancy a bit of water time then check them out and join in.

For those into SUP then August 12th is Super SUP Sunday which include series of races and demo’s with kit from Starboard, Red Paddle and Fanatic.

Get involved!

Check out the website here

Super SUP Sunday

Learning to windsurf

Learning to windsurf is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. With a huge worldwide social and recreational windsurfing scene, I have never been short of finding a like minded and enthusiastic sailor, like myself, to share a car with and spend hours out on the water and on a beach with. It has changed my mind on this stuff that previously annoyed me because it messed up my hair or ruffled the trees at night, but now I find myself at work, spectating weather sites praying for more wind!

Before learning to windsurf myself I only really saw it as standing on a massive floating plastic board whilst holding some strange sail-like thing that somehow uses the weather to move you along the water. Now I see that windsurfing is far more than that, and a lot more attractive too! Before starting my RYA Start Windsurfing course, an internationally recognized qualification, I was feeling apprehensive about whether I would be able to do it and nervous because the closest I have ever been to doing a sport on the water is sitting on a lilo in the middle of a pool. The reason I wanted to learn windsurfing was to try something very different, I now live in Brighton by the sea whilst previously I was in London where the only exercise was a forced, once a week trip to the sweaty smelly room of the local gym because that was what I thought I had to do to keep a standard level of fitness.

Lessons at Hove Lagoon

When I got the water sports centre at Hove Lagoon there were a lot of different types of people there, learning a variety of sports and at first I couldn’t tell who I was on a course with, or who out of the people in board shorts, no shoes and sunglasses introducing themselves was my instructor. I met my instructor and the others on my course shortly after signing in at reception and was then very calmly given an outlook to what I had got myself into. After being introduced to the course instructor and the other students, it was straight outside to see the equipment that I still hadn’t quite got my head around. Our instructor first showed us the boards and told us how they were ideal for learning on, being big and stable. Then we were introduced to the sails which were all kept fully rigged and ready to go, and I was given a size that suited my height, weight and the conditions. The surprising part about all this kit was that it was so easy and simple to handle and understand. Once all the equipment was out our instructor spent a lot of time at first on the simulator, showing us and getting us to try the few positions that we would need to get up and moving on the water. These positions were all very well broken down and put across in a way that made me really want to give it a go. After getting changed into a wetsuit (a strange devise that I was told was to help keep me warm, but only made me feel like a penguin) we headed out onto the waist deep water of the lagoon to have a first attempt at this new sport. The morning was spent just standing up and going in a straight line and using the wind to move us around the water, there were some pretty spectacular, let’s say dismounts, from myself but in this safe, controlled environment it was all part of the fun. By the end of the first day we as a group were all sailing across the wind, turning around and starting to steer the board. We had all been introduced to the equipment and gained a bit of background knowledge to the sport. The instructor said to us “as long as you are moving and enjoying it you are windsurfing”, so I felt that at the end of the first day I had achieved that and I felt really good about it, and very excited for the following day!

Hove Lagoon

The next day came after a very good sleep as I had been so tired from the day before. Once again I was quickly put at ease about what we were doing and there was no time to waste, so we got the equipment out and I found myself on the simulator going through what we had done the day before. The second day was about moving towards the wind and away from the wind which, at first, I had no idea about what our instructor was saying but after a good demo with an explanation I started to pick up this new skill quickly and easily. All the way though we were told in simple words the next step, whilst always working on a bit that we had done before which made the learning feel logical and progressive.

Level 1 course in full swing

At the end of the course it felt amazing that I had achieved something that previously I had worried about doing. The myths of windsurfing about it being hard and needing a lot of strength were torn up and burnt! The feedback I got from the instructor, who obviously loved the sport and was very passionate about it, was always positive and helpful. The Start Windsurfing course is an extremely rewarding course which does not require any specific skills or previous experience. With the main part about the course being an introduction to windsurfing with the aim to get you to enjoy the sport, I could say with certainty that it had done that and also got me to a point where I can hold my own on the water with an instructor. After doing this course I will always recommend it to anyone because it is a fun, fast and relaxing sport and achieves a full body work out with some pretty amazing perks, like having your gym on the beach!

Planing action at Hove

Once you are totally hooked on windsurfing the next stages are even more exciting, the next instalment of the windsurfing journey will be with you very soon as we follow the progression of another newly addicted windsurfer. 

Find out more about Lagoon Watersports:

website: www.lagoon.co.uk

phone number: 01273 42 48 42

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LagoonWatersports

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/hovelagoon