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Talk us through your discovery of West
Wittering and what makes it such a
special place for windsurfing.
I first discovered West Wittering on a trip with Martin West when
I worked in Staines as a windsurf instructor. It’s a beautiful, rural
beach that the locals purchased to stop a Butlin’s development
in the 50s. The windsurfing conditions change each season due
to the sand bars that move. You have waves at high tide and flat
water at low tide. It couldn’t be better!
How was it back in the day? Has much
changed about the spot?
Since I’ve been here we have more sand. The beach was
pebbles back in the day. Now that it’s sandy we have much
better surf and longer to walk at low tide with your kit.
When did you decide to set up a
windsurfing centre and how difficult was
it to get things going?
We set up 2XS® in 1989. We were a shop in West Wittering
selling windsurfing gear, mountain bikes, power kiting
equipment and then snowboards.
To start with it was super hard. Interest rates were 15%, we
had no money but we won a competition and got some loot
and support from the Princes Youth Business Trust. We were
a finalist in a UK PYBT competition and received an award
from Prince Charles.
We took over the beach site in 1991 when the land owners
wanted to ban windsurfing. We drew up a safety plan and
beach management system to keep windsurfing there, and
keep it safe for other beach users.
What are your fondest memories of
running 2XS?
There are lots of highs and a few lows but a big one was
when Walmart tried to take our name 2XS® and trade mark.
James Mellor, a windsurfing buddy, saved our bacon and we
won our two year dispute with them.
Tell us how things are for 2XS these
days? What’s different to then vs now?
Well, we had a shop and in 2005 we sold the land for
development and took it all online. It was a big risk. The
internet back then was just starting, suppliers weren’t too
keen. Now we have a demo centre, school, club, hire and an
online shop, so you can try before you buy – we have some
great suppliers which makes it much better.
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WIND
SURFING