Blog

Destination: Baja, Punta San Carlos, Mexico

Posted on 23rd August 2012 by Emile Kott

Frank and Alex McKirgan returned recently from Baja Mexico from the perfect father and son windsurf trip to Punta San Carlos with Solosports. This place is a great wave sailing destination, and also good for surfing kiting and mountain biking.

Frank and Alex (14) joined Matt Pritchard on one of his wave sailing camps and then the second week the American Wave Sailing Tour in Punta San Carlos (Alex has been windsurfing since he was 5 years old and started out on one of our X-train rippers west Wittering)

You can see by the pics this was a epic trip; not only the master coach himself, Matt Pritchard, but also for legends of the sport including: Brazinho, Grahame Ezzy, Wyatt Miller, the king of Ho’okipa Levi Silver, Kevin Pritchard, Keith Taboul (Quattro) and Bernd Roediger.

Alex took some good beatings in mast high waves in the first week which unfortunately took him off the water with a suspected fractured arm – luckily after a quick flight back to San Diego all was good.

First look: RRD Cult Wave 2013

Posted on 23rd August 2012 by Emile Kott

2013 RRD Cult Quad LTD at 2XS
Just had delivered the first in country 2013 75 RRD Cult quad ltd to the RRD test centre at West Wittering. Looks very different to the previous model – on first impression it is lighter, has a new fin set – (ultra fin style – more upright), a new outline – narrower rails and much thinner in overall thickness than previous cults. The new RRD cult Ltd 2013 has a flatter rocker line with more vee into a double concave and a narrow pintail.

You will notice each model is wider this season (approx 1 cm) so the concept here is thinner overall thickness for improved handling and early planning and a more surfboard thinner rail style for better grip and control.

Specs are as follows for 2013 models:
RRD Cult Wave Quad Ltd 75 Litres: 229×57, 83Ltrs X 230 X 57
RRD Cult Wave Quad Ltd 92 Litres: 231 X 61,100 litres 233 X 62

You notice the contest line is now called the LTD and is made in the super light contest construction. The RRP on these are £1650 and delivery is 15th September for the 92l, 75l, and 100l and then the 83l will be arriving 30th September.

If you need any more info please send me an email simon@2xs.co.uk

We looking forward to testing this board over the weekend as it look like it will be windy – call Chris @ the windsurf club on 01243 513077 to book your test ride.

Wittering Charity Paddle Race Results 2012

Posted on 23rd August 2012 by Emile Kott

The 8th Annual Wittering Charity Paddle Race organised by West Wittering Windsurf Club and Shoresurf Club held on Sunday 29th August has more than doubled the amount raised over 2011 for The Snowdrop Trust. This year we raised the entry fee a little this year to £15, and all of this amount was given to the Snowdrop Trust, which also helped raise the overall amount. We also encouraged people to raise a minimum of £15 in sponsoship money, and Simon Bassett pledged to ride with an inflatible crocodile on his back, which more than doubled the amount he raised. Next year we are looking to including a ‘teams’ category and a ‘fancy dress’ category.

Due to strong onshore force 6 winds the event was shortened and an upwind course was laid at West Wittering beach. The 32 competitors battled through the chop, paddling into the wind around a marker buoy then headed directly down wind back to the beach and ran over the finish line.

There were riders on surfboards, standup paddle boards, prone surfboards and kayaks – the ages of competitors ranged from 7rs old (Ollie Holland, Prinstead) up to 75yrs old (Roger Wilson, East Wittering) who brought a 1930s kayak made by his father.

On the beach we had a BBQ organised by Dicky Dale and Oliver Chipperfield and supported by the lovely ladies Sandy, Kate and Charlotte . To add to the atmosphere we had some great live music from the youngsters at the Chichester Music Academy who played all afternoon.

This year the overall results were combined with the total amount raised for the charity so the winners were:

Kayak class
1st Pete Dalaway
2nd John Watts
3rd Roger Wilson

Standup Paddleboard Class
1st Simon Bassett
2nd Paul Burgess
3rd Jamie Hawkins

Ladies Surf Class
1st Mary Rotterman

Prone Surf Class
1st Adriano Roldan
2nd Graham Taplin
3rd Brian James

Juniors Kayak Class
1st Theo Burley

Juniors Prone Surf
1st Miles Piper

Juniors Surf class
1st Lucy Howell

Junior Standup Paddleboard Class
1st Holly Bassett
2nd Poppy Holland
3rd Ollie Holland

Simon Bassett event director “We had hoped for no wind all week, Sunday morning we were ready to cancel the event, but we decided to shorten the course and run the event. Our objective this year was to increase the amount of money we raised for the charity we have doubled what we raised last year to £2270.00. I had to ride an inflatable stand up Padddleboard with an inflatable toy crocadile on my back to get some more donations”

We also like to extend a huge thank you to all the helpers, volunteers, and sponsors (total prizes donated £450)

Shore Surf Club (Adriano, Will, Graham, Adrian and Sarah)
WWWC donated jetski/fuel/2 staff members
X-Train (Chris, Luke, Angus and Jack) – staff for the event
2XS (Jane and Daisy) – donated all the event t-shirts, and event photography and posters/flyers/forms
Puma safety (Martin and Neal) – donated boat/2 crew/fuel
West Wittering Estate (David, Marcus and the lifeguards) – donated boat/fuel/lifeguards
Richard Dale & Oliver Chipperfield – donated all the food (with the help of Wallace Butchers & Splits Bakery) – donated
Indoboard (Adriano, Mary) – donated medals/prizes
Wittering Surf Shop – donated prizes
Ion – donated prizes
O’Neill – donated prizes
Prosport Suncreen – donated prizes
Supglobal – donated prizes
The Beach House – donated prizes
Lazy Days (Tiggs) – donated the inflatible crocodile!

And below are listed the finish times of each competitor:

SUP Mens Race
1 – Charley Grey – 07:14
2 – Jamie Hawkins – 07:38
3 – Matt Argyle – 08:03
4 – Paul Burgess – 08:26
5 – Jay Manning – 08:31
6 – Kevin Nind – 16:19

SUP Mens Open
1 – Bart Gay – 09:25
2 – Giles Barley – 09:41
3 – Russel Taplin – 09:46
4 – Simon Basset – 11:18
5 – Ken Harmer – 11:21

SUP Ladies
1 – Julia Toms – 11:02
2 – Lauren Osbourne – 17:05

Surfboard Ladies
1 – Mary Roterman – 10:41

Prone mens
1 – Adriano Roldan – 08:27
2 – Brian James – 09:42
3 – Graham Taplin – 09:43

Kayak
1 – P turnball/J.Achelleyl – 06:18
2 – John Watts – 06:39
3 – Roger Wilson – 07:18
4 – Mark Turnball – 08:48
5 – Peter Dallaway – 16:52

Juniors SUP
1 – Holly Basset
2 – Poppy Holland
3 – Ollie Holland
4 – Bertie Burley

Junior Surf
1 – Lucy Howell

Junior Prone
1 – Moles Piper

Junior Kayak
1 – Theo Burley

Ezzy Panther Elite 2012 4 batten wave sail

Posted on 23rd August 2012 by Emile Kott

Ezzy Panther Elite 2012 4 batten wave sail

Wouter from Seasprite sent me over a a 5.3 Ezzy Panther Elite for me to test out. Having used 5 batten sails for the last 15 years I looked at the sail with some uncertainty. For 2 weeks I put off using the the 5.3 just because of the unstable and backhanded feel I expected to get from the the 4 batten sail (this was my perception from previous 4 batten models from other brands ). But in fact I am so happy with my 5 batten Ezzy panther Ltds I was really not in the mood to change my sails at all.

I tried the 5.3 in 20 to 26 knots of wind side on shore conditions at West Wittering with waist to chest high waves – I rigged my 5.2 panther ltd too just in case I didn’t enjoy the the elite – I had pretty much convinced my self I wasn’t going to like the 4 batten sail(!)

After 2 hours of of windsurfing, getting some monster jumps and good riding I had one of the best sails I had for ages. The 5.3 didn’t over power or get backhanded –I just increased the out haul when I need less power and more control. It felt super light in my hands –perfect balance –not shifty and gives a real boost when you take off –different to the panther LTD. What I also liked was the back hand power in bottom turns you get some real controllable acceleration from the back hand when your riding. The Ezzy Panther Elite when riding or turning has a more noticeable de powered feel but also when you sheet in turns the power back on just when you need it.

When I took the 4.7 Elite out the wind kept building all day I started at high tide in around 30 knots all seem very good by the end of the day I was holding the 4.7 in 40 knots of wind on flat water –I increased the downhaul to the high wind setting and tuned the out haul and was stunned to find the sail held its shape and I felt in total control. Like all the Ezzys I have owned the wind range per sail size is massive when you use the correct Ezzy mast.

Each person who also tested the sails on the beach both in flat water and in waves we very impressed with the performance its not just a performance wave sail its great in flat water –if your not sure why not test one for yourself please contact me at 2xs to arrange a test -simon@2xs.co.uk 0774 775 8883

So I have just sold all my Ezzy panther Ltds and the rest of my set Panther Elites are arriving this week.

First look: Cabrinha 2013 Kite Gear

Posted on 11th July 2012 by Emile Kott

I attended the Cabrinha 2013 dealer launch last week in Poole. It was good to see all the usual team from Cabrinha including Chris Martin and Simon from the Pryde group. Also I met up with Susi Mai and Dre (team riders from Cabrinha). All the new toys were on display including the new surf board range in both PU and Epoxy. The boards have a combined wood and cork top sheet in the new models (a subwoofer, re tuned s-quad and skillet, the trigger and Pete Cabrinha’s own signature model).

Mike Rapier explained that Cabrinha have their own factory to make kites and now have a new factory making boards – the first boards are the beginning of a new project that they hope will push Cabrinha to the top of the board pile. The new twin tips look decent too with a stack of new models with refined existing models including Dre’s ‘Custom’ which has retuned channels/rocker, new tronic quad concave bottom, caliber and spectrum.

Susi May has developed a new line of ladies products in the ‘Siren’ line. The kites and boards have been tuned for women, and include narrower widths, a new bar with less through for depower, kites tuned for lighter riders who still want performance and yet they look good.

Lots of work has gone into developing the kite bar/lines/pumps –a complete re design for the switchblade. Work has been done on the bridles, foil shapes, material, colours and even the pumps have smoother action. (The pumps are see-through (!) so you can see the sand gathering inside). The drifter and vector have had a re fit with new material, lines, and tuned bridles. There is a redesigned X Bow which is faster for course-racing and a full bridled C Shape kite. And this year the Chaos which replaces the Nomad as the freestyle kite. The bar had had some tune ups including new lines, and detail work on the quick release with new ergonomic trim adjusters.

We will be having a Cabrinha demo of 2013 at West Wittering so watch this space ask simon@2xs.co.uk for details.

Action Photos from 15th June

Posted on 4th July 2012 by Emile Kott

Big thanks to Stuart Holland for sending in his GoPro footage from the 15th June.

If you have any photos from last weekend (30/1st July) then please drop an email as we would to showcase your footage and action photography.

Have a look at the action shots. The GoPro Camera takes watersports photography to a new level with amazing high definition – just look at the detail in the water droplets in some of the photos for a brief insight into the camera’s capabilities. And in the 2nd photo, who is the windsurfer in the background!?

If you want to create photos like this, then have a browse through our GoPro Products. Stuart mainly 3 mounts: the helmet mount, the line mount, and the surf board mount. They all create different angles of view – question is – which one would you buy?

Action Photos from 22nd June 2012

Posted on 26th June 2012 by Emile Kott

Another hard charging weekend started with a 40 knot Friday third one in a row used my 3.7 again in June .

Seems like we are getting some full on weather this summer and with maybe more coming next weekend.

Thanks for all the photos that are being sent in. This week Mark Rutherford, Craig Leroux, and Mark Perry’s GoPro took a sand blasting on the beach to get these great shots, and I also took a few of them.

If you have any decent photos or video, then please send them to me: simon@2xs.co.uk.

It was good to see so many people out – including a couple of Pros Andy bubble chambers &Timo who were going for some large moves.

And then Neal, Emile, Kyle, Justin were seen doing some nice stalled forwards. Other people I spotted were: Goodwin, Hatton, Da Perry’s, Mike Chesnut, & Westy…

SAM ROSS – Loop Rollover Course

Posted on 20th June 2012 by Emile Kott

SAM ROSS – Loop Rollover Course

1 Day (possible dates: 23rd or 24th July 2012) – £120

This clinic combines all the things you need to get those loops sorted, the right conditions, a like minded group of windsurfers and the coaching that can break this move down and make sure your skills and ambitions match.

We will spend the day, building skills, understanding how the move works and then putting into action.

If the loop is a move you have been pondering or dabbling with then this course will help you make the jump from “would like to loop” to “I am looping”.

As long as you are already sailing a board around 100ltrs in coastal conditions and can jump then those are the only skills you need. ..

To book – call 01242 513077

The New 2012 Ezzy Panther Elite.

Posted on 20th June 2012 by Emile Kott

The new Ezzy Panther Elite, four battened wave sail, has just arrived into the 2XS Office – you may of seen the pictures of the prototypes we put up in a 2XS news feature about a month ago of KP and Graham Ezzy.

The word is that this new sail has been worked hard by Dave and the R & D Team in Maui and they have evolved this new four batten sail so that when using it it feels as controllable as a five battened sail with a lighter feel and more manoeuvrability.

You know we don’t always believe in all the hype, but I have to say, Ezzy is a bit like Ronseal “it says what it does on the tin” – so its going to be exciting to try out this new sail. We have a 5.3m which we will have on the beach this weekend – and wind is forecast for Saturday so it looks like we can put it through its paces.

Availability will be end of July/early August – prices are expected to be between the current Panther Ltd and Tiger sails – we will have all the specs on the 2XS site as soon as we can. Prices TBC.

Call Simon if you want to check it out this weekend 0774 775 8883 email: simon@2xs.co.uk

A change in weather

Posted on 20th June 2012 by Emile Kott

These certainly aren’t the most typical weather conditions that we usually experience in June. However, being typical Brits, we make the most of all the conditions and still pursue our love of watersports despite the rain…

The rain started on Sunday night… and didn’t stop until late Tuesday night. West Sussex was issued with a severe flooding warning and only essential travel was advised. Simon took heed of this warning and took to his paddleboard to get around the 2XS office and car park.

Do send us any photos you might have of field surfing or paddle boarding/kayaking in urban locations.

With all the rain, last weeks windy weather seems like a long time ago. With gusts of well over 50kts, there was a lot of action to seen on the water.

Stu Holland took his new GoPro camera out on a surfboard mount and shot some great photos and interesting angles.