With no hesitations preventing a snappy Saturday start, the advanced racing kicked off the weekend ' s proceedings. Competitors were permitted to use any sail 7.5m or below, and any board- leading to a range of strategies from old school raceboards to modern freeride“ Skill is boards a massive. Moderate part winds but without sparse experience gusts set for an exhausted pumping battle between the windsurfing it doesn’ t matter elites. Through if you can five gruelling do more heats tricks racers than were the other tasked person to traverse.” a half kilometre beam reach course stretching out into the Bay. Amongst the main competitors were the faces of the GB race squad, as well as a couple of regulars on the student windsurf race series.
46COMP SWANATIONAL WINDSURFING CHAMPS
BUCS Advanced Division
With no hesitations preventing a snappy Saturday start, the advanced racing kicked off the weekend ' s proceedings. Competitors were permitted to use any sail 7.5m or below, and any board- leading to a range of strategies from old school raceboards to modern freeride“ Skill is boards a massive. Moderate part winds but without sparse experience gusts set for an exhausted pumping battle between the windsurfing it doesn’ t matter elites. Through if you can five gruelling do more heats tricks racers than were the other tasked person to traverse.” a half kilometre beam reach course stretching out into the Bay. Amongst the main competitors were the faces of the GB race squad, as well as a couple of regulars on the student windsurf race series.
Over the first couple of heats, the top three contenders established themselves as the ones to beat. No surprise, these were Matt Barton, Rob York and James Hatcher of the GB race squad. With perfect racing starts, smooth gybes and refined pumping, these three broke away from the pack. Forming the next cluster were the SWA favourites- Twins Ben and Laura Bulson, Thomas Sambrook and Leo Calnan. With the multiple race format it wasn’ t all plain sailing though, with Rob York suffering an unfortunate kit malfunction in race three seeing him and his Severne sail drop to the middle of the pack. Heat four saw increasing winds, and many of the sailors suddenly becoming
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WIND SURFING overpowered with their sail selection. This new dynamic was no challenge for the top sailors who used the gusts to their advantage and powered through to consolidate their podium positions. After five thrilling heats, with each competitor dropping their worst finish the results finished as follows: 1. Matt Barton 1. Laura Bulson( Exeter)( Sheffield)
2. James Hatcher 2. Julia Stankiewicz( Exeter)( Manchester)
3. Ben Bulson 3. Jane Paddison( Bristol)( Liverpool)
We caught up with the winner Matt Barton to get his thoughts on his performance,“ It was nice to( race) in quite different ways to what we normally do, everybody here has been so supportive and happy, in all it’ s been had a really great atmosphere. We don’ t get to race with this number of people normally, which was very cool, it’ s been really well run event and we were on and off the water in good time. I and Exeter University will be very happy with the BUCS points I’ ve earnt today.”
James Hatcher and Rob York were also travelling to the European competitions straight after the event, to compete with quite a different fleet of racers. James Hatcher:“ This type of event really keeps you on your toes, I got caught out on my first race and had a