Rhosneigor rocks

Well the final day at Rhosneigor started almost calm and windless, and produced some very nice conditions for SUPboarding, with a light offshore breeze holding up the 3ft swell.
The wave event was cancelled, as it was clear we would not have the conditions to get the double elimination done, so that meant waiting to see if the wind would improve for the remaining slalom racing.
And sure enough it did pick up, with Ant Baker being the first to take to the water and plane around on a 9.0m. He's not one of the lighter guys, so it was clear there would be enough wind to race... so the boat was launched, and a course quickly set.
I rigged up a 7.8m RS Racing and JP Slalom 76 and joined the fleet for a more 'moderate' days racing.
The start line was on the water this time in small surf, with the outside gybe being in rolling swell out the back. But of course it turned out the wind was actually pretty light and gusty, and the first heat had to be abandoned due to wind dropping mid race - and half the fleet not event getting planing.
And that's how it ended. Despite waiting a couple of hours for conditions to improve (as the slalom guys were keen to race on their more 'regular gear'), eventually we had to call it a day and pack up.
It left me in 4th overall in the slalom, with the following results (and pictured above with Dave from Funsport)
1st Mat Pearch
2nd Jamie Hawkins
3rd Alan Jackson
4th emm, that would be me.

And also leaves me in Joint 1st in the 'Irish Sea Cup' with Irish buddy Pearse Geaney, when the results of the Dublin slalom and the Rhosneigor slalom are added up.

Thanks to BOARDSEEKER for the pictures. Action one shows myself, Richard Jones and Jamie Hawkins in one of the starts.

Next up, the VOLVO Ocean race is coming to Galway on the West coast of Ireland this weekend, and a buynch of windsurfers have been invited up by discoverireland.com to be part of the festival and event with some demonstration type racing in Galway Bay.

www.surfdock.ie