Double forward loops

First double front flip on BMX - Anthony Napolitan

With all the talk of forward looping lately, this video may add a little bit perspective to those who think falling into water might be a bad thing.

Is been very interesting posting about Ryan's first loops after only windsurfing for one year. Some good feedback on comments, email and phone calls from friends and people who all want to do it, but need help. There's probably a whole book in it, but I will endeavor to post something about the psychology of looping lessons.

For now though, I will finish with a quote from Aaron's blog: http://thehumancatapult.blogspot.com
"The only reason you aren't looping is because you aren't trying them"

www.surfdock.ie

little and large

I'm now on the search for a hurricane and a seriously flat piece of water to try out my speed board ;)

www.surfdock.ie

One Year old looper in 15 minutes

I got my new JP Freestyle board and Speed board yesterday, so couldn't wait to get out and try them. Luckily when I got to the beach, it was perfect for the freestyle board with small swell and cross-shore.
The main difference from last years board is the shape of the deck, and also that the board carves so much better. I think they have reduced the tail width and given slightly more tail rocker or vee, while sharpening up the rails and flatting out the mid section for speed. The shape of the deck makes it SO much easier to transfer your weight from heel to toes, so combining this with the tail shape makes carving into a pop for shaka, or even just gybing in choppy water so much easier. The shape of the deck too means that when you are in the straps, it feels like you are wearing a pair of shoes. SO comfortable :)
I'm looking now for a gale to go and try the speed board ! Its tiny !

Anyway, the point of this post... as I got my new FS board, I was able to deliver my old one to Ryan - a 15 year old windsurfer who is getting into a bit of waves and freestyle. He was waiting at Dollymount beach with his friend and sailing buddy Lewis. The two of them usually sail together at their home spot of burrow beach, which I mentioned quite a few times in this blog.

Ryan was super keen to try his new board (FS Pro 90), and had been telling me that he had tried a forward loop the previous week but got nowhere and needed help. So I started chasing him around and looping all over the place to try and inspire him to go for it. Sure enough it worked, and he pulled the trigger and went straight over the front, landing under the sail (the safest place to be).
A few top-tips later on technique, and there was no stopping him. Practically every run out, Ryan was flying through the air, and then blasting back in screaming because he was so buzzed up with joy. Sure enough, a couple of quick tips later, and he water-started away from one !

Now here's the impressive bit... next week will be Ryan's 1st anniversary of when he started windsurfing !! Sailing away from your first forward loop after 1 year... that is seriously impressive !! CONGRATULATIONS RYAN !!

I really enjoy getting a buzz from teaching loops like this. It's brilliant to see people break the fear barrier, and just get on with it. Once they get over that hurdle, they are always SO surprised to find out how easy it is to do... and the elation on their face says it all. Sweet!
Its interesting to see how teaching a 15 year old is so much easier, as they have not had the time to come up with excuses not to do it, or have no fear or bad habits.
When it comes to forward loops, the technique can take 10-15 minutes to master, but learning how to avoid all the fear and negative thoughts, and then focus on all the positives of why you CAN do it. With some people that can take longer.
But the end result is always the same... it IS possible & it IS easy.

See you on the beach!

ps - Ryan and Lewis's blog is here.

www.surfdock.ie

I made it

Well it seems like ages since I blogged, and I'm glad to say it has been down to too much windsurfing :)
I made it to Fuerte via the Holy-land (Knock airport... don't ask) and Lanzarote (I said don't ask!)... and in the end it turned out that it was good I got there a week late. The previous week had no wind and a stinking heatwave, and on the first evening I arrived it was still 38 degrees.

Seems however I did bring the wind (as usual), which meant that next morning straight away it was onto the bumpy road to Punta Blanca. Good news for Gareth (IWA President), who had been there for a week with his lovely and heavily pregnant wife Louise. Their plan was to chill out for a week, and hopefully get some sailing in too... so Gareth (not Louise obviously) booked some looping lessons with my buddy Steve Gibson ( gibboinfuerte.blogspot.com ), who is a damn fine windsurfer, coach, and... he will even cook your dinner in the evening at his restaraunt GIBSONS.

Gareth was pretty fired up as it was his last day, and he went for quite a few loops, but suffered the problem of feet coming out of the straps. It was a pretty intense session (as he had been looking forward to wind all week), and in the end I think despite his best efforts... he had to admit defeat for now, as he just ran out of time to refine his technique.
He pretty much had to jump in the car, pick up Louise and drive straight to the airport. You will get them next time Gareth!... see you in Rush for the next session!

For me and Steve though, that's pretty much how the next two weeks went. Wind every day, and on the beach at Punta from 10am till 8.30pm. On the days there was not much wind up North, we would hit the road to Sotavento, where you can guaranteed that it will be windy enough for some freestyle trickery. Some days on 5.4m, and most on 4.5m.
It was cool to see a few of the good guys still there from the PWA event, like EFPT leader Stephen van Broekhoven. He had all the tricks... spock-kono, burner-puneta, air funnell etc.. Inspiring stuff! Was also really cool to see so many young kids ripping around in Sotavento. By young.. I mean 6yr olds, blasting in 30 knots on 1.5m and 2.0m sails, on tiny boards like JP Young-Guns. I saw an Austrian kid of about 10, who was with his 'older' freestyle friends of around 17-18 who had all the moves. But the 10 year old was going for spocks and flakas. The future of windsurfing is pretty bright when kids are going straight into stuff like this.

Steve and I spent a lot of time filming with the GoPro Wide Helmet cam, and below is just a taster of the footage. We shot about 18 gigs in total from every angle... mast tip, boom mounts front and back, nose of board, helmet and in the water. I now have the task of sorting through the lot and seeing what I can come up with for a movie. Watch this space as I will post up a few frame grabs.



www.surfdock.ie

DOH

Well I should be in Fuerteventura right now, enjoying some waves on the North shore. I booked my flight on Wednesday night, and the following morning checked my passport.... 2weeks out of date!! DOHHHHHHHH! So I rushed to the Dutch Embassy... got the paperwork done, and now I'm waiting for my new passport to arrive back from Holland. As soon as it's here... I'm on a plane outta here.

Still... got a nice day wavesailing today in Dublin. The forecast was for SW winds, so I headed to Dollymount and had a long day. At first on 90l and 5.7m, and then on twinser. It picked up as the day went on, and the waves got better with the rising tide. Changed down to 5.1m and got a few nice waves in the bag. Plenty of people out, think about 20, which was cool to see.
Im sure the west coast will have been firing today.. but I didnt feel like the drive... and I'm on standby for my passport to arrive!

Best bit about the day: Ice cream van on the beach... nice :)


www.surfdock.ie

Out with the old, in with the new

Nothing to sell at this time!



www.surfdock.ie

Starboard tack Pozo & road trip west

While waiting for the wind to pick up at home, I spent some of Saturday watching the PWA Pozo event live on their webcam which was pretty cool. You can watch the live action, while refreshing the PWA live ticker and heat boards, and get a pretty good idea of what is going on.

Pretty inspired, I watched up until the quarter finals, and then went in search of wind and waves myself. Eventually we hit the water in a local spot called Low Rock, with the wind coming cross-on from the right and small waves (starboard Pozo?). Started on 4.8m fly and bigger twinser, but the rain soon kicked in with the increasing forecasted wind, and soon we were hanging onto 3.9metres :) The rain was damn hard though... so it was a pain to throw yourself into backloops or pushloops, as every time you looked upwind.... you would get your face jet-washed! Packed up at 9pm and retired home to a warm shower.

The next morning we decided to hit the road at 6am and head west in search of real waves. Most of the west coast was looking good for wind, but I wanted to try somewhere different, so hit the road for Clare. I had heard about a spot that breaks well on a rocky reef and point, so hopes were high to find some good cross off riding.
Unfortunately when we arrived, the wind was good, but the direction was too westerly for the spot to work properly. So we sailed at the other side of the bay for a couple of hours... in guess what: cross on starboard tack... like I need the practice in that!

There was a good crew of Galway guys 'n' girls on the water though, so it was good fun. Katie McAnena was the first to hit the water - she raced out and bust a perfect forward loop, which got everyone else excited to rig. She is going to be the one to watch in this Autumns Irish wave events, though I hope Noelle Doran will be back in fighting form after her bad injury earlier this year.

The wind swung more onshore, meaning the other spot might finally be sailable... so a quick break for food, we packed up and drove around to the reef. It looked OK and we all hit the water, but unfortunately still too onshore to get good rides.

It was worth the drive though, I can see how this spot can work, and have a better idea of swell and wind direction that will make it work. We hit the road home through the Burren, which was pretty cool. It's been a long time since I have been in this part of the country (usually going further North), so it's always nice to find a change of scenery. I will definately be back to this spot on the next good forecast.

PICS:
1. Nice swell, wrong wind direction to be classic :(
2. Typical Burren
3. Check out the mast bend on that back loop landing

www.surfdock.ie

Married!!!!

And here is the happy couple!!
Congratulations Helen and Andy!!

The sailing was sweet too, full power 5.4 , warm water and 24 degrees
c air temp. Not bad for Ireland!!

EDIT/UPDATE:
Later that night, Andy skipped the usual speeches and decided to treat us to his best impression of Marty McFLY.
You can check out the video from Andy's wedding here on Andy's blog: McFLY

Sail before wedding

What do you do when the wind picks up on your wedding day?

Go sailing of course!!!!!!!!

Here's Andy Radley on his way onto the water 4 hours before getting
married this evening!

I better rig up too

Andy's blog

Girls with BIG BALLS !

Ha ha, well that post got your attention, though probably for the wrong reasons !

Due to a lack of wind, most of this week I have been cruising around on a SUP, and also a lot of wake-boarding which has been pretty cool. On Tuesday we got out on the sea and found nice flat water beside Lambay Island - which is a few miles offshore from Rush Beach.
Then on Wednesday and Friday, I spent the evenings wake-boarding at Camlough lake, which is in the hills beside Newry. I was invited up to do some coaching, and who was I to refuse? Camlough is a great spot for really flat water, and the water is so nice and warm that it makes the whole experience a real pleasure. It's always a strange sensation for me to crash into fresh water for a change.

On one of the evenings, the girls with big balls turned up!
Let me explain... the ball is a giant pvc see through ball with a zip. You climb in, zip it up, and then inflate the ball with a leaf-blower. Then you are kicked into the water, and attempt to make the ball move, by adopting the style of a very pissed hampster who has just finished drinking 5 pints of vodka and RedBull. Priceless!

This weekend was spent teaching wake-boarding and windsurfing (thanks DMG) to my nephew Dubhghall (who is pictured in the first wakeboard pic) Then today I joined a SUP safari around the islands at Skerries. It was really foggy at first, but the sky cleared so we could find our way back home again.

Hope we get wind soon.... I'm getting sunburned and sore from too many crashes on the wakeboard while trying to learn Tantrums and Heelside flips.

www.surfdock.ie

New Wavesailing DVD

My Danish buddy Lars Petersen has just announced the release of his latest instructional DVD: WINNER TO WAVESAILOR.

I know how much hard work Lars has put into this project over the last few years, and just like his Free your Style video, I'm sure it's going to be the best instructional movie ever made.
Have a look at the trailer, and get yourself a copy in July!

Here's what Lars has to say about the DVD:

"Dear all,

We are proud to announce that our eagerly anticipated and last film in Feed Your Soul Instructional Trilogy is finally complete! The name is WINNER TO WAVESAILOR. Our aim have been clear: To create a wave sailing instructional masterpiece!

To read more about the contents and to see the trailer please go here and help us spread the word about the movie: TRAILER

Winner to Wavesailor is the most comprehensive wavesailing instructional DVD ever produced.
It’s aim is to guide people to be the best wavesailors they can be. From first day getting out in the waves to first loops, from down the line in cross off perfection to making the most of cross on waves, this movie has it all.

Rotations are covered both backwards and forwards right up to doubles. Forward loops, back loops, push loops and more are covered in depth and from all angles, with special live coaching sections by our instructional Guru Jem Hall. The red-hot action demos are by the JP/ Pryde international team including Kauli Seadi and Jason Polakow in footage from Brazil, Chile, Maui and Europe.

The DVD will be going out to the shops around mid July."

www.surfdock.ie

So many waves, so little time

Well I hit the road west, and met up with a local Surfer-Windurfer friend of mine. He had already done the recce mission, and discovered the wind was not quite right for the spot I had driven over for, so our first session was at this beach break in Sligo (pic 1) for a couple of hours until the tide came in.
As the wind turned more to the West, we hit the North Mayo coast, and checked out a few different reef breaks, and settled on the one in pic 2 & 3. Sailed at this one for 4 hours, starting on 4.2m FLY & 68twinser, and then on 4.8m and 76. I had not sailed this one before, and I gotta say it blew my mind! Will definitely be back along this coast in the very near future. There are so many uncrowded perfect reef breaks and point breaks, you are almost spoiled for choice!
After over 20 years exploring the Irish Coastline, it's such a cool feeling to have sailed a completely new break that is firing on it's good day.
So many waves... so little time :-)
www.surfdock.ie

Sea Breeze Slippin' n slidin'

Skerries Kono from Surfdock Watersports on Vimeo.

OK, so it's not going to make Kiri Thode worried, but it's the first Kono I have on video, so I'm happy :-)

The stills pics and video were shot at Shenick Island, just off my home beach at Skerries. It's cross-shore in a SE wind, and we have been getting a good few days in the last week where this was perfect for super smooth freestyle sliding. On the sunny days, the SE sea breeze has been kicking in around lunchtime till 5 or 6, and it's usually good enough for 6.1m to 5.4m sails if we are lucky.
I love sailing here... obviously because its right outside my front door... but also because we get a huge variety of conditions. Apart from my freestyle spot, tt's good for just blasting around, and we can get fun waves here too (especially in a NE wind) - though when it is South wind they are always better in Rush.

I have loads more video from a couple of sessions over the last few days, will have a look at putting together a new video. For now though, the swell looks sweet for the West Coast tomorrow. Time to hit the road and find some real waves !

www.surfdock.ie

Speeeeeeeed-freeeeeestyler

After wavesailing all weekend at Rush and Skerries, I sailed the burrow speed strip on Monday.... and can confirm its absolutely awesome for freeeestyle!
In went in about an hour and a half after high tide, and the sandbar was just getting exposed.
Reminds me of Sotavento, without the sunshine and blue water... but the potential for sliding freestyle is amazing (with a bit of speed thrown in!)
First run down: spock (planing), one handed spock (planing), grubby (planing), finish with 1 hand clew 1st spock 540 to exit... and there's still a couple of hundred metres of flat water to slide or speedsail on. Started working on double spocks, and was trying konos, but a little too underpowered in the end to go switch properly.
The rest of the day went on much the same.. only 2 of us out, and then more kiters appeared.... but as usual they were on the downwind side doing jumps onto the sand.
One tried to race me down the strip, so I spocked right in front of him... his shorts nearly fell off he was so suprised!
Ali B got her 1st duck gybe too, so she is loving it.
See ya next time !

www.surfdock.ie

Summer is here !

Summertime really hit us last week, with a heat wave over the Bank Holiday weekend, and for most of the week. Daytime temperatures hit an all time high of 28-29 degrees C, which is practically unheard of in Ireland !
The centre of the country must have been like a ghost town, as it seemed like the entire country hit the beach, as they were in disbelief at the non stop sun for 5-6 days.

The first couple of shots show my favourite freestyle spot, where we sail at one of the islands just off the beach where I live in Skerries (you can just see my home in the background). The water is really flat in the shelter of this beach on the island.. and we have a great time here in S or SE winds when the tide is right. The colour of the water made me think it even looked a little like the canaries (in my mind anyway!!)
The sailor is Tom Lotocki, who also lives in Skerries.

In contrast, this Saturday was back to super windy conditions from the NE, over logo high waves at RUSH, and certainly NOT green water! The day started out on 4.8m sails, but I soon had to change down to down to 4.2, and finally ended up on 3.9m FLY.
The air temperature had dropped down to about 10 degrees, and it was weird, as the water was actually warmer than the air. The contrast made it feel like you were sailing in a bath.. while standing on the beach was cold. Everyone was in shock at the air temperature, but once you got into it... the jumping was really good fun, and by the end of the day, the sets were rolling on at over mast high - which is always nice to see on the East coast ! Also got my first clean Takas on this tack.. so I went home happy :)

Today, it was back to Skerries, and sailed from about 11am till 6pm. At first on 5.7 Firefly and 99 freestyle, and then on 5.1 FLY. It was fun freestyle conditions, with some small waves good for shakas and looping, and then some super flat freestyle conditions at each end of the beach for a bit of spinning sliding action.

Looks like more NE this week too... hope it's not too busy at work!

Pics:
1 & 2. Tom Lotocki at Skerries freestyle heaven.
3. Me at Rush.
4. Dave Garvey at Rush.
5. Tom Lotocki at Rush.

www.surfdock.ie

BOARDS Magazine interview

Got a nice 3 page interview in the latest edition of BOARDS Magazine, as part of the 'Ireland Scene' by Sue Honan. Thanks Sue and Boards!
Congrats too to Dave White, who has just taken over at Boards as the new 'editor at large', while longstanding editor Bill Dawes takes a role more in the background. Should be interesting to see Dave's input in future issues.

www.surfdock.ie

Galway Ocean Race

Well we spent the weekend in Galway for the Volvo Ocean Race festival, and the arrival of the Volvo boats after their race across the Atlantic. We were invited by DiscoverIreland.com to do some demonsration racing in Galway Bay off the prom.
It went really well - on Saturday it looked windless and raining.. but the skies cleared, the wind picked up and we sailed all day on 15-18 knots of wind. We ran a load of slalom races and also had a great freestyling session afterwards.

Pictures:
1. Rusheen Bay flaka
2. Telefonica in Galway Docks
3. Racing in Galway Bay (Hannes Louet with the wirlds biggest streamer)
4. Me (with the worlds biggest Surfdock sticker)
5. Pearse Geaney & myself freestyling after the racing on Saturday

In Galway at the Docks, the event Village is set up and the whole town was buzzing !
Galway never needs an excuse to party or go on the piss... so with this event in town - the party factor was about 250%, as everyone drank on the quayside and waited for the first boats to arrive. There was live music on a huge stage, 50m from where the boats are moored, and loads of pubs, food stands, it was like a rock cooncert with errr.. yachting!

The first boats arrvied about 2am to huge fireworks and jubilant crowds, with the last boat getting in before most people were out of bed. Apparently the boats took only about 5 minutes to fly down Galway Bay, running at over 25 knots on Spinnaker. These boats are amazing!

On Sunday.. sore heads meant the windsurf racing went at a more relaxed pace, but we had better wind, so were all keen to get on the water.
I got up to 'The Puddle' for a sweet freestyle session with Tom Big Pole, who was amazed with the fun that can be had in Rusheen Bay. It is no wonder all the Galway guys are so good at freestyle !

If you are in Ireland and can make it over to Galway, the Volvo festival runs for two weeks, and next Saturday they will be Racing in Galway Bay.
www.surfdock.ie

A few Rhossy slalom pictures

A few more pictures of the Rhosneigor slalom event.
The first two shots show my preferred way of crossing the finishing line ;)
The next two show myself, Maurice Owens, and Irish Slalom Champ Pearse Geaney racing against the best the UK has to offer. Pearse and myself now share first place overall in the 'Neil Pryde - JP Irish Sea Challenge', which combined the results of the Dublin and Rhossy slalom events.
Thanks to Kathryn and Pearse from BigSurf for the pictures !

www.surfdock.ie

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