The second round of the UKWA freestyle tour took place at West Wittering and was sponsored by 2XS,  X-train and WWWC, Boards catches up with the team from the centre and some of the pros to find out more about one of the best freestyle events to hit the UK in a while!

Andy Bubble Chambers

Pics by Simon Bassett /2XS.

With a lack of wind the forecast mid week the event was nearly cancelled but Thursday morning after a wind abyss a 25 knot South Westerly forecast was predicted for all day Saturday.

The event started around 10.30am – the legendary Wittering Trench formed up at low tide and the contest began.  Julian Du Vall, Trevor Funnell and David Bradley were judging, it certainly wasn’t tropical conditions and the heats blasted through as the wind increased.  Heat after heat went through, in the end the beach event crew did four complete rounds.

The Pros had four heats, two a piece for Bubble and Max Rowe which led them into a fifth heat, which was known as the Super Final – both of them were sailing on top form and Bubble just pipped Max in the dying minutes.

This year the amateur fleet are pushing at a really high level with big moves coming from all competitors throughout the event – even the younger kids really going for big moves .

BUBBLE:

“Wow!! What an event!! Literally the best freestyle conditions i have ever competed in! The West Wittering trench was at its best! Great to see so many people on the water having it! The level of freestyle in the UK is getting better and better and with events in places like West Wittering i’m sure we’ll see the UK’s next rising stars coming up. Great competing against Max as it really pushes me! He was ripping on his new sails.”

Max Rowe

MAX:

“It was definitely the best conditions I’ve ever experienced at any contest. The trench is truly a world class spot so it was great to have a contest there. I was battling with Bubble all day for the first place and after winning two rounds each we had a sail off which he went on to win so congratulations to him as he was ripping. I was using the new 2014 North Idol ltd’s and the sails are feeling amazing which gave me loads of confidence.”

Saturday night in The Old House at Home, West Wittering,  there were plenty of tired bodies after a full day of competition and when Sunday came around it was decided not to run a tow in event as the previous day’s competition had been so successful.

Ollie Acton

Ben Lee

For more on Nic, check out his Hidden Talents interview here. 

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.

Nic Hibdige

Nic Hibdige, aged 14 of Priestlands School, claimed 1^st place in the U15s Flowstyle and 2^nd place in the U15s Freestyle events at this year’s Starboard IFCA ProKids Windsurfing World Championship held at Sorobon Beach, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, 28^th July to 1^st August 2010.

Light winds prevailed for the whole event and Nic took full advantage of these conditions beating last year’s champion Amado Vrieswijk in the Flowstyle and narrowly being pushed into second place in the Freestyle.  Bonaire is world renowned for its beautiful warm waist deep water and the constant trade winds, and has produced several world champions.

Now in its 6^th year of being hosted in Bonaire, this IFCA (International Funboard Class Association) sanctioned event, attracted some 60 competitors, aged from 9 to 19.

Results:

U15 Flowstyle

1st Nic Hibdige GBR700

2nd Mathias Verploeg ARU20

3rd Amado Vrieswijk NB20

U15 Freestyle

1st Amado Vrieswijk NB20

2nd Nic Hibdige GBR700

3rd Stephen Max ARU888

Brother Sam Hibdige, aged 17 of Brockenhurst College, excelled in the slalom category, gaining 3^rd place in the Men’s and 2^nd place in the U20’s.

Results:

Slalom Men

1st Jeager Sint Jago NB107

2nd Richard Cicilia ARU39

3rd Sam Hibdige GBR111

Slalom U20

1st Hendryck Balentien NB52

2nd Sam Hibdige GBR111

3rd Jeath Koeks NB

www.prokidsfreestyle.com