On Monday Andre Paskowski joined us for a LIVE CHAT, while Sam Ross sung us his mantra ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ and Boards own freestyle coaches, Phil and Danielle from GetWindsurfing, shared their upcoming plans.

Tuesday saw the Boards print editor, Amy Carter, taking the reins on the website too.

In competition news, the weekend wind provided results for both the BSA in Weymouth and the Irish Speedsailing Championships, and we received a great report from the last SWA event of the season. The BWA are set for Wales and Ireland, which starts a week today.

The top news story of the week has to be from W4CR, with SunriseSunset this Saturday, windsurfers across the country will get together, for what is a worthy cause and an event to make all windsurfers proud.

And W4CR ambassador, Bryony Shaw, is live on Sky Sports Radio today (don’t worry she will upload the mp3 for those who miss it) a great opportunity for our sport to get some mainstream media coverage in the lead up to what should be a very successful year for the Olympian.

And don’t forget we have Dan Ellis reporting every day, from the PWA in Korea look out for this first update tonight!

George Shillito at SunriseSunset 2011

Remember it’s ‘more than just a day at the beach’.

To take part go to www.W4CR.org and find a venue nearest to you and come along and be a part of the biggest fundraising event in windsurfing! Remember get sponsored and help us to raise funds.

A great day, for a great cause, for all ages.

We hope that in 2012 our Olympic year we can once again show that windsurfing is very much alive and well and that through the kind generosity and support of our sport we can through the fundraising reach our SunriseSunset target of £50,000

The David Tuttlebee Memorial Trophy will go to the T15 team who put on the best fun/fundraiser event and create a short video to capture their day. Last year this honour went to the Polkerris Pirates.

The Polkerris Pirates, victorious in 2011.

At the 24 venues we have a range of windsurfing, SUP and other water sports companies supporting some of the events; with prizes being donated, kit for hire or testing and coaching clinics all to help with the fundraising, and it’s not too late to get involved!

W4CR ambassador, and British Olympic hopeful, Bryony Shaw will no doubt be on the water this weekend;

“W4CR’s annual fundraiser SunriseSunset for Cancer Research and Cancer Support Care, takes place on Sunday May 6th as an ambassador to the charity I will, wherever I am on the day, be taking to the water to help support this event It’s all for such a great cause so enter, remember get sponsored and help us to make a difference! Thank you.” Bryony Shaw

Dan Aze, taking a well deserved break while windsurfing for 15hours straight for W4CR

‘The tide is turning’ W4CR has made a huge difference to the lives of those living with cancer, the fundraising from events has allowed us to help fund specific cancer research projects, provide funding for cancer care and we have helped individual cases and special cancer equipment needs. Most importantly it’s only possible through our fantastic supporters and their fundraising which enables us we provide help to those who need it, W4CR is today and will continue making a difference!

Thank you to all our supporters and fundraisers. Please join us in 2012 and be a part of SunriseSunset.

More on W4CR at Llandefedd Reservoir 

Ready to go

Preparing to hit the water

Fun on, and off, the water

Fanatic getting behind W4CR

The crowds gather

George Shillito's marathon

W4CR Rutland poster

Rich at Dave Nobles in Loughborough has been in touch to let us know about their Windsurfing4CancerResearch extravaganza next month: This year I have got involved with Gordon Roach from Nottingham Trent Windsurfing Club www.trentwindsurfing.co.uk to help run the W4CR event at Rutland Water, we put our heads together back in December and came up with a plan for a fun filled day on the water with the aim of raising as much money for the charity as possible, we wanted to do something a little different to the sunrise to sunset sailing as we can only hit the water from 9am till 6pm, so we came up with running fun races throughout the day.

First off we decided on doing Master Blaster Races which is great fun and anyone can get involved, as all you need to do is sail out round a mark and back to the beach, we then came up with a Tandem Race, problem was we only had one tandem Which Belongs to Trent Windsurfing Club, within two phonecalls we had 3 Starboard Gemini tandem boards thanks to Rutland Water Sports and Nott’s County Sailing Club www.ncsc.org.uk

Last of all we came up with setting up a GPS speed ladder for the day as we have a lot of windsurfers that just love going fast.

Once this little plan had come together we realised we hadn’t figured out how we were going to make money out of this, so we will be charging £2 a head per race which all proceeds will be passed straight on to the charity, and £5 for the hire of a GPS for 30mins, if you have your own GPS there will be an entry fee of £2 to get onto the ladder.

Since then I have been contacting suppliers to donate a little something for us to give out as prizes, so thanks goes to Naish Windsurfing for the two waist harnesses, O’Shea Surf for the two hoodies and two Tees, and Pat Love for two Mast Bags, we also have small prize donations form Dave Nobles Windsurfing www.nobleboards.co.uk and Rutland Water Sports.

Last of all I was chatting to a customer in the shop and he mentioned that he was good friends with the Mighty Ant Baker from Baker Windsurf Academy www.baker-academy.com with in a week I had a call saying there was a chance that Ant would be coming up to the event, with this I jumped up and got emailing, we now have 2 clinics being run by Ant Baker one at 10am and one at 1pm, hoping to get donations trough the day,

If anyone wants any info on the day and how to get involved please contact myself rich@nobleboards.co.uk or Gordon Roach windsurfing123@aol.com

Windsurfing 4 Cancer Research…..More than just a day at the beach

Dave White, Fred Willis and Nick Dempsey

Olympic bronze medallist and Team Volvo for life sailor, RS:X windsurfer Nick Dempsey encouraged people to dust off their boards and get out on the water for the event which brings the whole windsurfing community together, National Windsurfing Week 2011 (NWW).

Launched today (06 March) at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show, NWW will take place from 01 to 08 May and provides the perfect opportunity for windsurfing enthusiasts to encourage as many people as possible out on the water whatever their ability.

“Windsurfing is something that I have always loved and enjoyed and there are so many people who feel the same” explains Nick Dempsey, one of NWW’s ambassadors.

“National Windsurfing Week is a really good excuse to get out on the water with your friends and is the perfect way to open the season. We also hope that people who have never tried it before will give it a go too.”

Fred Willis from Boards Magazine who has helped to coordinate the week with the RYA added: “It’s all about increasing visibility of the sport as well as introducing newcomers at the start of the summer season. We hope it will encourage those existing windsurfers to dust off their winter blues have a great time out on the water.”

One very popular way to get involved in the charity is to take part in the ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ challenge which marks the first day of NWW (May 01).  The fundraiser encourages entrants to spend a full day on the water to raise money for the Windsurfing 4 Cancer (W4CR) charity. This year the Windsurfing 4 Cancer aim to raise £80 thousand on the day for cancer research with many schools and windsurfing hotspots from all around the country already signed up for the challenge.

Kate Atkins who volunteers for W4CR said: “I only started windsurfing last summer and I came across the Sunrise to Sunset challenge. It is a brilliant first event of the season which gets everybody involved even if they have never been before and the money all goes to a really good cause.”

National Windsurfing Week was originally set up in 2008 by a group of windsurfing volunteers who were keen to attract more people to the sport. It is currently coordinated by the RYA, Spartan Wetsuits and Boards Magazine who are working with clubs, training centres, and windsurfing retailers to host local windsurfing events during 01-08 May 2011.

To find out how you can get involved and to register your event in National Windsurfing Week visit the website http://www.nationalwindsurfingweek.org/

To find out where you can take part in the Sunrise to Sunset Challenge visit http://www.windsurfing4cancerresearch.org/index.php

Sam Ross - not strictly speaking a loop, but you get the idea...

Club Vass centre manager John Palmer, and BOARDS Test Team member Sam Ross have come up with a novel ‘spin’ on the Sunrise to Sunset day this Sunday 2 May 2010. John sent us this:

W4CR – Windsurf 4 Cancer research Dahab. We shall be windsurfing from 5.30 in the morning (sunrise) until 7pm (sunset). We will video the event and get some photos for you to check out the action here in Dahab, Egypt. We are planning to do the most flat water forward loops in a day with 50 each being the target. Sam Ross and I will be competing to raise the most money. The person with the most raised will have to windsurf the whole day in speedos…. If you want to see me do this and give some money to a worthy cause W4CR then please donate generously.

If the wind isnt good then we will both be windsurfing from sunrise to sunset on the water all day. Again whoever raises the most money will be in Speedos for the whole day.

I currently run Club Vass here in Dahab and we will be doing our best to get everyone here involved and raise as much money as possible for W4CR. Please check out Club Vass /  W4CR for more information, and donate generously!

Rye Watersports

An important event at Rye Watersports this year is WINDSURFING4CANCER RESEARCH ‘SUNRISE TO SUNSET’ SUNDAY 2nd MAY. Rye Watersports is a host venue and you can get all the information you need and make a gift aid donation by logging on to www.windsurfing4cancerreasearch.org. Please try and participate as it’s such a worthwhile cause.

Windsurfing for Cancer Research marks the start of National Windsurfing Week, and on the same day, Sunday 2nd May, Rye Watersports are offering windsurfing taster sessions from 10.00am – 4.30pm. Give Maggie or Steve a call on 01797 225238 to book a slot.

Meet up with friends, participate in the events, and enjoy some yummy food from the BBQ that will be on the go all day.

Rye Watersports

Tel: 01797 225238

Email: team@ryewatersports.co.uk

www.ryewatersports.co.uk

W4CR founder, David Tuttlebee

Windsurfers are taking to the water in a charity event entitled ‘Sunrise Sunset’ on Sunday 2nd May on Hayling Island, west of the Inn on the Beach.

Havant Borough Council is continuing its support for this event, after the enormous success of the launch last year, when the charity raised £25,000 for Cancer Research.

Brian Roake, trustee of W4CR (Windsurfing 4 Cancer Research) and organiser of the Hayling Island event said; “We are delighted to have the support of Havant Borough Council again and are very excited to make this year’s event even bigger and better.

“You don’t need to sail from Sunrise to Sunset – it’s not an endurance test.  It’s an opportunity to get on the water, have fun and raise money to help beat cancer!”

Those interested in this event can find out more information at www.W4CR.org or contact Brian Roake mobile 07917 414491 or email brian.roake@w4cr.org

Windsurfer, David Tuttlebee, age 58 from Hampshire, is not only fighting cancer himself but set up the charity W4CR in 2008.  The charity raises funds for Cancer Research, education and support of cancer sufferers.