What a week! I have just woken up from a daze after a busy week in Cornwall. Myself and 5 others kitesurfers hit a great holiday house in Newquay making it our base to explore many different kitesurfing beaches around Cornwall. The 5 kitesurfers were of all different abilities. Some busting their first big jumps through to others who were unhooking and going for surface handle passes.
The 2010 Crew: Nick Fox, Rob Lay, Owen Hargreaves, myself, John Belvedere and Chris Ellis
We began the week with south westerly winds blowing pretty light at around 15mph at Marazion in the deep west of Cornwall. It was a good start for becoming more independent with kitesurfing learning the safest ways to self launch and self land. Everyone hit the water to get into the conditions and all with their goals for the week in mind. I meanwhile could check out the level coaching each person on their way to achieving their own goals. With the wind being light the people who wanted to learn kite loops could begin on the journey with little to fear, but as the wind picked up in the middle of the day Chris pulled off what remained the biggest wipeout of the week. You’ll have to check out the video to see what I mean.
Chris tweaking out a tail grab
The next day we headed to Daymer Bay where the wind was blowing a little light but enough for the lighter riders to work on their popping for bigger jumps and also a great opportunity for Nick to throw down his first surface handle pass. Daymer Bay is beach further north in Cornwall where the wind blows up the river providing extra knots the the wind as the wind blows down. The wind against tide effect makes it easier to stay up wind plus as its a river the water stays nice and flat.
The week is fast paced and hectic and being based in Newquay there are lot of different things to do all to help your kitesurfing and one afternoon we hit the Flowrider to take on a shed load of water being shot out at full speed. Perfect for progressing balance and fine tuning curves we all launched ourselves at the standing waves and found a true wipeout machine. With a hot tub right beside and wall to wall sunshine the spent the afternoon dropping into the wave, rolling down it, being blasted up it, body surfing, somersaulting, eating s**t intermixed with soothing each wipeout with the hot water in the tub! Winner!
Rob lining up for the somersault
Early each morning we piled out of bed before breakfast to hit the wake up exercises and stretches to ease out the kinks of the previous days action. In Newquay there are plenty of headlands and beaches most of them quiet where you can wake up slowly watching the surfers while easing the body back in to shape for another day on the water.
Owen sending his 6m
Over the course of the week we checked out Marazion twice, the Bluff, Gwithian, Daymer Bay and Hawkers Cove. At Hawkers we had our best day. The wind came in at approximately 30mph, we pitched up for 9am and didnt leave the beach until 6pm. everyone kited their socks off and watching Nick throw down a surface handle pass in the strong winds was pure entertainment.
Nick makes the pass followed by a whole can of carnage
With such strong winds I mixed up the kitesurfing coaching spending half the time on the water on my 8m. I spent time with each individual firstly showing the the trick they were working on then talking them through what it was they had to do. The second half of the day I spent on the beach filming the action ready for an end of course video oh yes and the video analysis once back at the ranch.
Getting down and dirty: Showing Rob how to get inverted for his rotations
Overall the last day was by far our best with wind. Each rider overcame the initial concerns of busting tricks is such strong winds. Hawkers Bay delivered us some beautiful flat water and by the end of the day we were 6 broken kitesurfers ready to hit the town for some good old Cornish Cider.
John cruising the flat stuff at Hawkers Cove
Thanks to everyone for all their energies and hard work. Hope to see you all back on another course soon. Awesome to see Damien the designer of Naish kites and also Sam Light for hitting Hawkers hard with us for a session. Thanks to Rob Perry for the photos.
My next course will be running in South Africa in February. Give me a shout if you would like to find out more.
Thanks, Jo
