Holly Bassett wins 2013 BSUPA Womens Paddlesurf Championship @ Watergate Bay

Holly Bassett competed and won the Ladies division last weekend in the BSUPA National Championships at Watergate Bay Cornwall. The Stand up Paddlesurf event draws competitors from all over the UK with divisions of men, ladies and juniors.

They have to compete in surf and get judged by a panel of trained ISA judges for wave riding style, wave selection and radical moves. Holly has been placed well in previous competitions in the junior section but has never made it through into the final heats of the ladies . This season she was very determined to do her best and get placed in the top three in the women’s division.

The heats last 20 minutes each so its making the most of the waves that come through and the style of riding the judges are looking for. Holly competed on the Saturday and won her first heat, on the Sunday morning the women’s final was held but the result was not disclosed until 5 pm at the prize giving. Former BSUPA British Champion Neal Gent was ripping throughout the event but difficult with inconsistent waves in his heat he was knocked out in a closely fought quarter final; Matt Argyle top wave Sup rider made it also through to the semis.

This year the level of riding has radically improved with new pro surfers entering the competition the SUP surfing standard is getting more radical. I had managed to get through to the 2nd round but lost against Jan Sleigh and Reuben in my second heat –the 20 minute heat felt like a 2 hour session! At the the prize giving we were surprised as the names were read out we realised she was in first place we hadn’t expected this – not only had Holly won the Junior under 16 girls, she had won the women’s and was awarded The Watergate Bay Water Women award for 2013 – “now we have a British Champion in the family it was emotional !”

Holly now has a place at the International Surfing Association World Championships in Nicagura in February .

Well done to all the competitors including new British champ Matt Barker Smith and in second place Aaron Rowe and Louis Harrow Junior champ.

Pics by Simon Bassett /Bob Berry

Learn Something New This October

October always provides us with windy conditions and with the sea still warm it is a great time of year to learn in the UK, whether it be something new in the waves, nail those gybes or learn the latest freestyle moves, it can be done, right here at West Wittering

Our 1-2-1 instructors include Tabou/Gaastra team rider James Randall. James spent last summer honing his skills in Tenerife and is now sailing very well, His forte is wavesailing and can help you improve your kit setup, body position and general sailing in waves.
If flat water and freestyle is your thing, national freestyler and 2x student freestyle champion Ollie Acton is with us throughout October. Ollie has spent many seasons teaching abroad and has spent a few summers training in Fuerteventura for the UK freestyle competitions. Ollie can help with anything from your most basic carve gybe up to the latest freestyle moves

From carve gybes to wave sailing, loops or the latest freestyle move these boys will help you progress onto the next level.

If the forecast looks promising pop in and have chat, we will be sure to help you on your quest for perfection!
We are offering 10% off any private windsurfing tuition booked for the month of October.
Book up via email, telephone or come in and chat to us on the beach…  


See you out there!
WWWC/X-Train Team.


















June Session @ West Wittering

Last Saturday, the 15th June, we had a classic weekend down here at West Wittering.

30 knots in the morning, good for the trench, flat water and kiting and a very decent session at high tide when the waves came up in the afternoon.

Good to see so many people out on the water, unfortunately we didnt get any pics in the morning at low tide but Dave Gammon took these great photos of Emile, Neal, Timo and others later in the day at high tide…

Lewis Crathern goes large at West Wittering

Lewis Crathern Kitesurf legend, Dan Charlish from Snow Camp and event organiser, Chris Bull from CBK, Rich Gowers the boss at BKSA now British Kitesports, Simon Bassett and Julia from Snowcamp were have a meeting at West Wittering Windsurf Club about The Big Charity Downwinder kitesurf event in September.

It happened to coincide with some wind check out the shots of Lewis he must have been at lest 60 feet above the water –it was hard to keep the guy in the frame he just shot upwards –amazing…

Here are details about the event

Pics Simon Bassett ..

Save £££’s on Quatro KT at 2XS – normally £1499 now £1199 (while stocks last)

The Quad KT 2013 in red neon or green neon – wave

Keith Teboul’s signature quad wave board. Hard core wave sailing has transformed, and the designs of Keith Teboul are a leading revolution. The Quad KT represents Keith’s personal preferences about what a trus hardcore wave board should be.
What has been a rarity is now the new standard. The all new Quad KT board designs move through the water like modern high performance surf boards with fast, full rail and tight radious turns. This positive rail set allows you to finish your turns completely and with speed in the most critical sections, resulting in fluid and fast lines through areas of the wave rarely visited before.
TEST COMMENTS:
Windsurf Magazine “You’ll like…..everything about this board”
Boardseeker “the best bottom turn in the business” ..

2013 Da Kine T-6 Review

DA KINE 2013 T-6

I have been using a fixed hook Ion Radium for the last couple of seasons, very happy with it and had stopped using a Da Kine T5 as I felt for my back it was a bit soft on the support side of things for my personal use.

I have to say I have always had Da kine harnesses since the first Thermo form was produced – in fact since their first Dave Kalama chest harness!

So I took the new Da Kine T-6 with me on a trip to Maui – sort of like taking the harness back to its original home.

The Da Kine T-6 waist harness has a bigger plan shape than the T-5 so when you put it on it looks a little bigger, but when you sit back into the harness when you are on the water you get plenty of support. In fact I would say it is super comfy – the larger plan shape spreads the load and for 3 weeks of daily use I had no back complaints whatsoever.

I think the light weight thermo formed shape adds some protection when you are using boardies plus you get some added warmth as it sticks to you skin when its wet. This prevents the harness from moving around and sliding up your chest. You have an adjustable velcro strap which tightens the waist band and shapes the back of the harness more into your back.

There isn’t any neoprene inside the T-6 so when its wet it doesnt get heavy plus the design has built in shape to improve the fit ( you notice this when it doesn’t pack flat in your bag!)

Not everyone is into a sliding hook- you can wrap the harness hook strap around the stainless bar to reduce movement but the theory goes if your harness is fitted correctly to your back the harness bar shifting a little prevents the harness from getting pulled or twisted out of position around your back.

I certainly found the fit to be good I used a Da Kine size large on 33 inch waist.

Check out Graham Ezzy wearing his new Dakine T-6

For further details on the Dakine T-6 check out our product page here..

X-Train Ripper to Hookipa

I was fortunate to be out in Maui last month to watch WWWC Club member, Alex Mckirgan, 15 years old take his first windsurf session at Hookipa, Maui, Hawaii.

Alex who started with the X-train Rippers – West Wittering as a 5 year old has been windsurfing with his Dad Frank, Mum Sandra and sister Georgia since then. It has been a long journey as a kid getting through the usual barriers that windsurfing has to offer – planing, carve gybing, water starting, carrying big kit to the water and the first jump, the usual frustration of lack of wind, and then having to pick your game up to sail the outside waves in deep water where you imagine the worst is going to happen.

I have been with Alex through most of this and I have to say it was a great day to see him and his coach Matt Pritchard make the decision to go to Hookipa.

Myself and Holly drove down to Hookipa to join Alex after we watched Robbie Naish pulling some big moves whilst doing the 2014 Naish kit photo shoot just outside the house in Camp One.

Alex by the time we got there was already getting into some Hookipa action with Matt who showed why he certainly is one of the best windsurf coaches in the world – when he blocked waves for Alex to ride – keeping other riders off his wave – and selected the good wave sections and exits through the channel.

I have to say it was quite emotional watching Alex who took some good sets, nearly got nailed by a few, then picked up his confidence and started to tear into a some set waves. Hookipa even on small head high with logo high sets has a hefty rip with a small launching and landing zone – shit hot locals (that’s the girls!) plus some of the top pros in the world tearing it up. It has a big reputation as the No1 windsurf wave location in the world.

Anyway, after watching for a while, I left Holly with the camera and thought I ought to get out there and enjoy the surf – came back the following day for another session and started to understand how Hookipa works. We were even greeted with topless yoga models “on the rocks” – seemed like a perfect day!

Have added a couple of pics of the previous days Camp One “Warm Up” and Hookipa session when it was so big only 5 to 6 riders were out ……

If you are planning a trip to Maui and would like to get some lessons try Matt Prichard or Shawna Cropas at Aloha clinics – get a guide to take you to Hookipa, otherwise it could be an expensive trip on the rock pile…

Watch this space – lots more Maui info coming up – 2014 kit & more pics …. ..

Frosty SUP Session – 24 February 2013

We’ve had a couple of very decent SUP session at West Wittering over the weekend – small swell, 10 secs, off shore winds and a half meter swell.

The sand banks at West Wittering beach are throwing up some great surf, loads of peaks mainly lefts but plenty of rights. The sand bars were reeling just before and after high tide – Berties Reef was ripping outer banks were starting to work as well as the Hayling Bar.

This makes the multi million pound Boscome reef look like a farce ours is all natural and cost nothing! Holly, Matt ,Adrian West, James myself and Tez all made the most of a very cold session -sea temp was hovering 4 degrees c and air temp 1 with a nasty wind chill.Have to say we all managed a couple of hours in the water –took a while for the feet to thaw out. Luckily hots showers at West Wittering Windsurf club and few cups of tea made the morning feel perfect. Pics of Matt ,Holly, Tez taken by Simon Bassett –who stood in freezing offshore wind on the beach …