32 PROFILEMARK DOWSON
Learnt anything specific since taking on
this role about the windsurfing media or
other?
Yes I have learnt a great deal. I am starting from knowing
virtually nothing so I can only get better. Getting quality
photographs for all the riders is really tricky and I’m trying to
line up volunteer photographers for each fleet so that people
can see themselves in action!
You managed to nail a great result at the
Gwithian comp in 2017 so will you be
defending that? What about chasing the
overall?
I’ll be at Gwithian and I’ll give it my best shot, but I’m not at
all confident that I’ll succeed in defending it as there are so
many good riders in our fleet. Any of the guys could knock
me out in a heat! The conditions will have an effect as
different people rip in different conditions. Sometimes you
get the waves and sometimes you don’t and that is what
makes it interesting. I h ave also scored some amazing sailing
in the week leading up to the competition so it’s worth going
for that alone.
For the overall masters title I am sure it will be the same
story, especially as the Avon event has been moved to
September and that may encourage some of the new south
coast faces to enter the fray! It also depends on who can do
the whole BWA tour. If you miss one of the completed events
then you cannot hope to get the overall title. This year will be
the first time I manage to do all the events. I have already
booked Tiree so won’t get the automatic 23 points added on
(I normally cannot get out of work.) For me the competition
gives you something to aim for and the final standings are
not the most important thing! Though I can’t deny it was an
amazing feeling winning in Cornwall.
uk
WIND
SURFING
Who’s your main rival (or rivals) when
doing events?
It’s a very friendly fleet and as I said previously any of the
guys can easily take a heat. In Cornwall last year my main
rival was Steve Laddiman, we sailed on the same side of the
ladder and we ended up in the super final together. Grahame
Pettit, Kyle McGinn, Justin Dennington, Jamie Bambridge
were also all up there challenging at the top of our fleet.
I’m sure there will be other faces appearing this year, Carl
Tomlinson and John Mclawrence for example. For the overall
we could see Rob Castle, Stuart Tilbury, Craig Hamilton,
Galen Dickenson or Phil Anson push into some of the top five
positions, it will depend upon who can do all the tour dates.
In one sentence sum up why other
windsurfers should do a few comps?
It’s great fun, you get to improve your sailing and sail with
some of the best wave sailors in the UK.
Any other plans windsurfing wise for 2018?
Summer training on Lanzarote and as much UK sailing as
possible before the next events!
Final thoughts, thanks and praise?
Thanks and praise must go to Nigel Treacy and Geoff
Hautman for all the hard work they put into the BWA. Also to
all the judges and event hosts who make the tour happen.
Finally all the folk on tour who make it a hoot and all the
guys who help me to improve when I free sail - Russell
Groves and Nejc Zupan, Brad White, Steve Laddiman and
Steve Thorp to name a few! Fantastic sails and boards from
Gump at Juice Boardsports & John at Moo. Finally thanks
and praise to all the family for putting up with the windsurfing
obsession.