Poole Windfest

Poole Windfest was a bit different this year for me as I was not competing in the actual event!

I cannot say that I was too upset when I watched the boys battling it out in barely planing conditions and freezing cold wind and rain! I didn’t get off too lightly though as I had to do a clinic for some aspiring freestylers in the same conditions. I have to say that the rain, wind and gusts are a lot easier to bear when you don’t have the pressure of competing on your shoulders.

It was actually really fun seeing people listen to what I had to say and then seem to improve by trying it! I have never really tried teaching before, and even though I only did three one hour lessons, I really started to understand how rewarding it must be for Cribby and those guys who teach all the time. It is great to see a smile on peoples faces and to see them trying stuff that they would never normally try just because you tell them to!

I don’t think that anyone actually learned anything right away during the clinics but they all pushed each other to try stuff and I am sure that they are all a lot closer to the things they wanted to do than they were before. No one can expect to learn a new move in a one hour freestyle clinic, but I think that the knowledge and confidence that they got from it might help at least some of them to progress in their sailing!

The party was fun as usual. There was a mix of emotions going around as you would expect with it being the first Windfest without Andy (Funnell). We all had a few Strawpedoes for him though, and a couple of Bacardi Cokes too many, so he was truly remembered in the way he would have wanted to be and will continue to be.

PWA Sylt Wave (what waves?)

There is not much to say about Sylt this year from a wave sailing point of view.

We only managed to get through two of the brackets of the single elimination on the first day and after that, there was no more wind. The forecast was tantalising enough to make them run the skippers meeting at 7:30 in the morning on a couple of occasions. But all we got from that was the opportunity to hang around getting bored on the beach for 5 or 6 hours more than we normally have to do.

So that meant that there were 16 of us left to share equal first. We were all called up on the stage and given a bottle of champagne each which we used to douse our newly crowned Wave World Champion Scott McKercher! After that, we all went into the VIP area in the tent for a little more celebration and that got a bit out of hand! I am not sure who started it, but seeing as the event was sponsored by Nivea, we had loads of shaving foam and shampoo and stuff laying around so we had a massive fight with it and annoyed just about everyone else in there! All good fun though, and a fitting celebration for our new world champ.

The racers on the other hand had plenty to do! I was staying with Ross Williams who was sailing incredibly well, even though he was rather annoyed that he had to compete in at least two races almost every single day while I was doing nothing!

They did 14 races over the whole week, actually doing five in one day. I think he would say it was worth it though, being 6000 euros richer now and, once again, noted as one of the very best Formula racers in the world.

Skyboy makes the PWA Management Board!

We had lots of constructive talks and meetings about what is going to happen with the PWA next year. Skye boy was voted onto the PWA management board and he is trying really hard to make some important changes to take our sport forward!

So that’s it for competition this year. I am pleased with my freestyle result but not so with my final wave ranking (25th).

Let’s hope for more wave contests at better locations next year. Skyboy has promised me that now he is in charge!

I am now in Denmark hopefully to get some sailing in at Klitmoller. Then I am back to Maui so will miss out on the Tiree Wave Classic. Good luck boys, wish I was there to see the showdown between Proffitt and Skye!

Bye for now…

Robby

Shock, horror, Robby in a wetsuits!

Josh & Robby raffling their girlfriends away at Poole.

Robby enjoying the flat water conditions of Poole Harbour

Robby battling it out with the seagulls

Robby and one of his admirers