WindsurfingUK issue 4 July 2017 | Page 40

40PROFILE CORKY KIRKHAM Sponsorship Being sponsored these days is a lot more technical and precise in what companies expect of you. In the old days you could receive pretty much loan boards/sails to compete if you were good enough. There was no social media – FB, Instagram and such like. It was just you being at the beach, sailing and pushing your supporters by having it on the water. Nowadays it’s all about contracts: what/where you go, which events you attend and basically it being a job. My new role is as international team rider for NoveNove, plus being their brand agent in the UK and here on Fuerteventura. My other deals are with Challenger Sails from Italy. We’re hoping to get these into the UK soon. Pawn Future Kings Clothing, Gecko Headgear, Hey Dude Shoes, K4 Fins, Secreto del Sur Ice cream and Coffee Shop and East Coast Airbrush all help me out as well. I showcase the kit, compete at certain events and be on call, along with Luke Wilkes. He sorts out sales visits for me. But also my job is to really spread the name, highlight the logo and band the word about on social media. This is how the world works now. To get sales and have potential punters see what the gear can do it’s all about action shots! Fuerte I discovered ‘the Rock’ when I was still sailing in Newcastle. I’d follow Gary Gibson and see his pics of insane conditions. I knew Fuerte was rough and crazy and wanted to go! All my mates went to Matagorda in Lanza, but I only ever dreamed of Fuerte. The crystal waters and pure white Sahara sandy beaches definitely drove me to come here and live. Moving back to the UK isn’t an option. I own my own home here and am very happy being 10 yards from Rocky Point. I do head back to visit though. For all my sponsors I need to be there sometimes for promo purposes. Corky’s Bar Corky’s Bar was infamous – a real colourful period of my life (and no doubt any others who visited). It was insane! I had it for 15 years but as town got busier, and more bars opened up, each one had less people in. Where I used to get 80 each night, the number started dropping. When numbers dipped pretty low it was slowly dawning on me that time had come to sell up and sail even more! I’ve had plenty of ‘names’ in Corky’s Bar. And I’ve made some great friends through it that still come and visit. Timo Mullen stays with me when he flies over. uk WIND SURFING Andy King, John Skye, Andy Funnell (RIP) and numerous others have spent memorable summers sailing Punta Blanca and other spots. One particular story I do recall was Bjorn Dunkerbeck one night stood on the pool table, shirt off, drinking Vodka Red Bulls until 4am. Bjorn being tall got caught by my ceiling fan and slashed his forehead! There are countless other stories, most of which I can’t describe here… Now I’m free sailing more, we’ve been producing drone videos of Fuerteventura breaks. Sponsors have been very keen on this alongside other social media stuff. My first drone safari video got over 6,000 views so it’s working quite nicely. Has windsurfing changed? I’d say it definitely dropped off when kiting came on the scene. Only diehard windsurfers wouldn’t look at a kite. But then so many of my friends tried it and came back to windsurfing, eventually. It’s having a resurgence definitely – all over from the UK to the Canaries. There are increasing “Moving back to the UK isn’t an option. I own my own home here and am very happy being 10 yards from Rocky Point.”