38 FEATUREVASS
Club Vass is now one of the most well
stocked windsurfing centres in the world,
as far as gear goes. How much do you
spend on kit each season? Foiling is the buzz word of the moment
and Club Vass now offers this option. Do
you think this could be as popular as
some say?
A lot but we all like new toys, it’s the back bone of the business
along with the tuition. I suppose it’s several £100,000s. Good question and hard to answer. I think it needs a couple
of years for the manufacturers to work out what is the best
option, there are a lot of different set ups available right now
and they are all pretty expensive. It’s an exciting time –
watch this space.
Does all of this equipment end up getting
used in a season?
Yes, for sure, you can never have enough.
How has windsurfing changed over the
years, in general? Do you see as much
enthusiasm for the sport as always?
We do but then we run a windsurf centre. Windsurfers are a
great crowd of like-minded people, we like to sail, go on a
MTB ride and have a beer. Nothing has really changed on
that front, which is another reason so many old clients return
and just get straight back into their stride. The biggest
change is the tuition and the kit, it’s so much easier to use
and so much lighter, people learn in a fraction of the time. It
took me two seasons to learn to waterstart and as for gybing,
I was called One Tack Tony!
And what about the wider industry?
What’s your opinion on that?
To be honest I just keep my head down and concentrate on
Club Vass.
Have you tried it?
If so, what’s your opinion?
No, I had a leg op so I haven’t windsurfed for a year, but the
guys tell me it’s incredibly tiring at first but an amazing buzz,
I’m sure it’s good for the sport.
What are you looking forward to most for
the 2018 Club Vass season?
The start… I love it there!
And final mentions, thanks or praise?
As I mentioned before we have had such an amazing team
over the years, they all deserve a mention but as for the
present I have to say Ollie has done a top job running the
place over the past few years. My biggest thanks will always
be to the people of Vassiliki, I’ve made incredible friends
and without that wind I could still be working on Grimsby
fish docks!
You can find out more about Club Vass Holidays by visiting - www.clubvass.com
uk
WIND
SURFING