June 2007 Diaries

Date: 23/06/07

Location: West shore

Mission: Backloops

I have been so desperate to get out since I got back from egypt. So my first day off work with only a little wind at westy meant that I was off to play.  There was just enough for me to get out on my 10.5 but I was happy just riding up and down.  The tide was all the way out and I managed to ride out to the back before it got too shallow but was out there by myself which wasn’t much fun so I wandered back in to play in the channel with Britney ;-).  The wind was light so I thought I would give unhooked riding a go again, see if it was still as much fun as in Egypt.  I was happily having a ball and even convinced myself that unhooked popping was a good idea until I tried it and face planted into the water. lol.  I think maybe a few more evenings of advanced progression before I try that one again!  Instead I gave my back loops a go, but I wasn’t landing any.  I just couldn’t get round and ended up drinking more of west shore than a girl really should.  But the wind dropped off some more and I had to come in L.  A 20 min break and the wind picked up a little, enough for me to steal britney’s 12.5 to go out.  The wind steadily picked up and within 20 mins I couldn’t hang on any more meaning Britney could have his kite back and I could get back out on mine, yippee.  Everyone came out to play then, had a brilliant time, and testament to the versatility of the ion 2’s, zo was out on 8.5, me on 10.5, Britney on 12.5 and rob on  14.5, how’s that for a good wind range.  Tried my back loops again, reckon they look a bit messy, there is a very definite splash at the end which should be a nice ride out but will work on that next time.  And think I did my biggest jump yet, no where near the height of jo’s but enough for me to worry about whether I was ever going to land (well it seemed like that at the time!)  really can’t wait for this week, forecast good for the next few days yippee

Love

Sheryl xox

Date: 22^nd – 24^th June ‘07

Location: BKSA Round 4 – Skegness

Mission: To win the Ladies Pro’s in Round 4 and maintain the lead of the tour!

The forecast wasn’t looking great!  But I’d heard some promising rumours that sea breezes had been known to happen in the area so was optimistic!  Was strange as the other Angels were on other missions this weekend so it was just me and Saki in the van.  So much space I kept thinking I had left something vital and had the urge to fill it with more stuff!

Arrived in time for a drink on Thursday evening, reunited with the BKSA crew that had hung around Norfolk from the weekend before!  Friday morning brought the promised tease of wind all day.  A couple of the juniors occasionally managed a run but ended straight back on the beach.  It was ideal, however, for teaching beginners on the beach.  A group of school girls had arranged with the local Flexifoil dealer to come and have some taster lessons.  The kite school got out their training kites but when I emerged with the Punk Stings the girls were fighting over who was going to use them!  We took them in groups of two and spread out along the spacious beach.  All the girls did really well and were getting very confident flying varying sizes of the Stings.  They had a great day out and all went swimming in bikinis – brr!  And got to try the skate park and climbing wall on site as well.  Lewis, Sjouke and I then took the representatives of the event sponsor to have a go on the Big Buzz.  The company is Centrica involved in wind power so loved the whole concept and had a great time! The evening brought live bands and pool in the local pub Whisky a Go Go. 

Saturday was even less wind so a group of people made a sneaky exodus to the cable tow 10 minutes down the road.  I was a little nervous the wind might suddenly pick up so just popped down to have a laugh and take some pictures for half and hour.  There were definitely some sore limbs after that session!  Another evening in Whisky a Go Go followed by some local fun clubs!

Sunday morning was promising.  Everything was set up and the wind picked up just enough.  The order of running the heats was changed a little as the Pro’s have a few results already from the year and the Amateurs have not.  The Pro Ladies heat was about 7 heats in.  There was just Helen, Sjouke and myself so it was going to be best of 3 heats.  The first heat went well and I won with Sjouke 2^nd and Helen 3^rd.  The vibe between us now is great and we just have a really good laugh it’s excellent.  We really enjoyed watching the Pro guy’s heat as they annihilated each other!  Within the 1^st minute of our 2^nd heat the wind totally switched and dropped!  It didn’t come back!  I we stood shivering huddled on the beach just in case for a few hours until Richard Gowers called it off and said he would count our 1^st heat so I had won!  Wow!!  So now am in the lead by about 400 points or so J We then packed up and watched the horse surfing and their little show!!  Prize giving took place on a podium of hay bails then we all said our good byes and were on our way in a torrential down pour!

Jo

xx

Date: 14 – 17 June ‘07

Location: Round 3 of the BKSA, Hunstanton, Norfolk

Mission: To win the Ladies Pro event and take the lead on the British Tour!!  And party the night away 

So we’d got back from Egypt in the early hours of Wednesday morning.  Brains struggled to work on the next packing mission ready to head to Hunstanton on Thursday evening.  I collected a load of surf type boards off Adam at the shop to deliver to a supplier at the event and headed to Zoë’s to pack her and the kids in the already full van!!  Amazingly, yet again, the van door’s just about shut with everything in!!  Two arguing kids and a dog in the back for 5 ½ hours!!  Got to the Hub club at about 11pm where John Malone kindly led us to his caravan down the road which he was lending us for the weekend.  So lovely!!  So we snuggled in hoping for a big kiting day the next day.

We dashed down for me to register to find zero wind.  A really, really warm day followed so we mooched around, catching up with people and watching the kids on the trampoline.  Late afternoon came with a dark cloud and a telephone call from up the road saying it was blowing 20 knots!!  A dash of people of vans and we were up the road at another beach!  The wind was gusty but looked like it was there to stay for a while so they set up the comp area!  I had 7m and 9m Atom set out, Zoë’s 8.5 Ion2 and my 12.5 Ion2 set out!!  Well you really don’t know what it is going to do!  I did my heat on the 7m Atom and qualified through into the finals.  The wind dropped before any more could be done and we headed off for a shower.  The Hub club had done a wicked BBQ for everyone and some free beers which was cool J

Saturday morning brought very strange weather with squalls coming through.  I changed in and out of my wetsuit 3 times until the final was eventually run!  Sjouke and Annalisa were on 12ms but here was a huge dark cloud on the horizon with loads of white caps.  So I took a gamble and went on Zoë’s 8.5Ion.  Was a little underpowered but it meant I had the confidence to go for stuff.  Did couple of F16s, surface pass and down loop railey which wasn’t very good but landed it!  Got off the water and wasn’t very confident!  Ah well! Watched the boys’ final heats which are always spectacular.  Robyn Snuggs was hassling Richard Gowers for our results until he said I’d won.  Wahoo! Couldn’t believe it!  So now am in the lead overall!  Wow!  The tide was coming in quick so everyone was packing up to move to another beach.  Packed up kit in a bit of a daze and headed to Tesco before the next beach to get some celebratory cocktail ingredients!  No wind there so drink on the beach, shower then back for another BBQ at the Hub club.  Made Turbulence cocktail glasses then proceeded with the evening!!  All very entertaining, excellent bands and we partied through the night until day light so decided might as well stay up!  Had to get Craig Sparks to take me to pick Zoe and the kids up from the caravan as they had got a lift back at about 1am and I didn’t think I was sober enough to drive yet!

No wind so tired dazed day until prize giving at 4pm.  Got presented with cheque from the mayor, said our good byes and we were on our way!  Not a bad drive back with the kids and dog flat out in the back all the way!!

Absolutely AWESOME weekend in every way 

Johara

xx

Location:  Hunstanton

Date: 15^th-17^th June

Mission:  BKSA Event

We haven’t been home long and we were on the road again heading to Hunstanton for the 3^rd round of the BKSA, the Bongo yet again packed floor to roof with kit.  Only getting lost the once we arrived at the Hub Sailing Club late Thursday night, where we met a very tired event organiser John M who had very kindly given us the use of his caravan for the weekend.  Friday was a beautiful sunny day, the sea was like a pond with no sign of the wind but there was plenty going on at the event to keep entertained.  It was good to watch riders practicing their moves on the trampoline and I especially enjoyed watching Marcus practicing handle passes and backloops which he had been shown by the other junior riders.  The wind suddenly kicked in late afternoon and an excited convoy of kiters rushed to the beach and the competition got on its way. I was so buzzin when Jo won her heat qualifying for the final.  We took it easy Friday night and got to bed early to ensure Jo was fully recharged for the final heat.  The weather on Saturday was really unsettled with heavy squalls and the wind being really up and down but the Pro heats were finished and Johara took first place! Im really proud of her.  It was really difficult for her to choose which size kite to compete on as the wind was so up and down but she competed on my 8.5 Ion2, which now makes my kite a champion!!!  We had a few cocktails on the beach to celebrate then went to a BBQ at the Hub Sailing club where we continued our celebration! There was a buzzing atmosphere in the marquee with some awesome live music so we danced the night away till the music stopped and the after party began.  We laughed so much throughout the night with a great crowd making fantastic company.  Sunday didn’t bring much wind and surprisingly didn’t bring a bad hangover either although the journey home seemed to take forever with my bed calling me from around 6!!

Date: 5^th-12^th June

Location: Egypt

Mission: Paint the world pink

5^th June

Well the trip started a little shakily with the minibus not turning up but we managed to rope some of the hubby’s in to drive us the short distance to Manchester airport.  We just about had time to re-pack the bags so that the men could lift them (hmmm), before we had to dash through check in and onto the plane.  The flight was good and when we got to egypt all my prayers were answered, it’s warm…very warm…and windy……very windy YIPPEE!  The bus driver didn’t know what had hit him when 16 girls and all associated kiting kit started to load up, and the minibuses ended up being piled sky high for the 4 hour trip across the desert (we only had to stop once to re-tie). 

We arrived about 4 in the morning, the hotel staff very friendly and helpful, and the rooms great (except missing a vital bit of kit..a kettle, how on earth am I going to survive the week without coffee?) 

6^th June

Managed to make it to breakfast fairly early today and was amazed at the quality and amount of food that was on offer, so filled myself up before the golf cart ride down to the beach.  The sea looked crystal blue and warm, and the beach golden yellow, the wind was strong, and the centre cool, what more can a girl ask for?  And to make the whole experience even better, local guys on the beach to help pump up kites and launch and land them ;-) fantastic!

So my realistic goals for this week are to properly master popping as it seems I still don’t really understand the principle, to master toe side, and to try back loops and maybe front loops.  And my ‘I so want to be able to...’ goals were unhooked raileys and F16’s (hmmm) think jo is being a little ambitious there ;-).  We had great wind for my 10.5 ion to start so went out on a popping mission..and something clicked.  All those frustrating sessions at west shore with lots of people telling me what to do must have sunk in;-)! As the wind picked up I had to change to my 6 so I thought I would give back loops a go… I was so surprised that I landed the very first one I tried that I then just crashed and sunk!  Unfortunately I didn’t manage to land any after that L but amn going to try again tomorrow. 

My second new trick that day was mastering the shee-sha, which made me splutter and cough on the first attempt having never smoked before in my life!  (well you have to try these things don’t you?)

7^th June  

Today was backloop day, which I’ve just about got down to landing them half the time, and I tried a few big air jumps which I land about half the time as well, it’s so so scary up there ;-) I’m not entirely convinced i like it....and it all seems so much higher than it actually is ;-).  I’m loving the shallow water at low tide but at high tide am getting really fed up with trying to bodydrag upwind against the wind, it’s stopping me trying new tricks cause i’m having to wait for the boat to come and give my board back to me, maybe i should superglue it to my feet?

8^th & 9th June

I spent yesterday in bed with a bad case of Egypt belly, I watched advance progression on and off whilst dozing and decided in my fever ridden state that unhooked was my next challenge. Today me jo and zoe went to moon beach, I am still very very poorly and had to make an urgent pit-stop behind the beach hut!  We played beach twister and did an interview for a charity DVD, answering questions which really shouldn’t be asked!  I’ve also had a visit from the local doctor who hooked me up to a drip, stuck a big needle in my bum and dosed me up on pills.  He did the same to a couple two other girls too, and gave tablets to another 4!  I so so wish I had called him sooner, I felt right as rain after that, ready for my next session on the water.

10^th June

Day 5, and unhooked is on the agenda but the wind decided to go awol L.  Probably best as my stomach is still cramping a little but i def feel soooo much better.  We spent the day in the pool, doing wind dances on the beach and camal riding! Please please please let the wind return tomorrow!

Day 6 dawned and the wind returned, and how cool is riding unhooked, how much fun is that?  I am def going to start to try stuff unhooked more often, just a couple of scary moments when I seemed to be very high in the sky, but the wise recommendation to hang on for the ride going through my head or plummet like a sack of spudsseems to be true.  I’ve given railey’s a go.... but no matter how hard i talk to myself i still can’t convince myself that an F16 is a wise thing to be trying!  

12^th June

Which just leaves the last day… Surface passes! Well the thought was there but the skill and expertise most certainly isn’t.  I got very good at the double boob out whilst doing underwater railey’s but never managed to get anywhere near the trick (oh and nearly killed zoe in the process (bad bad bad bad bad). But one for when I get home i think ;-).

And now I’m on the way back to sunny Wales and the thought of wet-suits and rain, :-( when are we going away again?

Sheryl

xx

Date:    5 – 12 June ‘07

Mission: Take all girl trip with fellow Angels to inspire girls to further their kiting.

Location: Ras Sudr, Egypt.

Had been really excited about the trip for a long time.  Was so excited to get so many girls together who are all passionate about kiting and getting to practice new tricks in the lovely warm water.  I couldn’t have hoped to enjoy it more, making so many good new friends!

I really go t to grips with the 12.5 Ion2 on the lighter days and loved the boast it gives. I had a good try of Zoë’s 8.5 Ion2 as well which I really fell in love with!  I had just been given a deal with Jimmy Lewis for boards and had been allowed to take the demo Jimmy Lewis Sister with me.  This was super exciting as its such a manoeuvrable board with loads of pop – such a pleasure to ride!

I was really pleased after my session on Zoë’s 8.5Ion2 as I had eventually plucked up the courage to really go for downloop raileys again after damaging my ankle trying them 9 months ago.  I was landing a lot more surface passes, I think with a little help from Jimmy Lewis!  I also rode unhooked blind and was doing some rather sketchy unhooked grabs for the first time.  Must work on arm strength!

All in all, it was an awesome week!!

Jo

xx

Date: May-June 2007

Mission: Promote Girls Kitesports

Location: Uk to Egypt

So far the summer months have been very busy for us Angels and we are loving every minute of it!  Soon as we arrived back from the Hebrides we were busy putting into place last minute plans for the Angels weekend, which was so much fun.  The weekend was so well run by the people who had given their time to help us that we had a lot more time to talk to the girls who had taken part which was very rewarding for us, as we got lots of positive feedback and enthusiasm from them, it defiantly gave us more drive to continue our mission to promote kite sports to women.  One of the girls who attended on the Sunday having never flown a kite before phoned me the following morning and booked to come on the Egypt trip the following week, she is now up on the board and planning to relocate to Llandudno!  After the Angels weekend we had a week to prepare and pack for Egypt and managed to get a couple of sessions in on the water too.  Jo and I organised a BBQ on the beach on the Saturday night where we packed our kites down really small ready to be packed, we were kind of relieved that there was no wind the following day as we would have had to have unpacked them.  I didn’t sleep much on the Monday night half excited and a bit worried.  It was a mission in itself getting all the luggage booked, 19 bags! With only mine and Jo’s being over the 32kg weight limit, luckily a few of the girls only had 20 odd kilos so we did a bit of a repack and were soon on our way to check out the tax free goodies!!!  When the announcement came over that our flight was boarding I hurried to the counter to pay for our sun cream and goodies whilst Jo rushed off to change our currency-bit last minute I know but we have been busy!!

The girls on the trip made it fantastic from start to finish. With several girls perched on the edges of the other girls seats and others sat in the isles, we all chatted the whole of the flight and were already on our way to forming some great new friendships.  Everyone was a little quieter during the 5-hour minibus transfer and we finally arrived at 2am.   Every day of the trip was fun and we made the most of the no wind days with camel rides, pool volleyball, twister and general socialising.  Most of us got the infamous Egypt belly with the Dr needing to be called out for 5 of us, even when we were sick we were still laughing at each other having to have injections in our butts and calamities the Dr did, like dropping the bag of water on the drip on Sheryl’s head! 

Some girls managed to get on the board for the first time, others nailed anything from backloops to S-Bends but one thing we all did was have an amazing holiday.  It was sad to say goodbye to everyone but yet again kitesurfing has taken me to an amazing place and I certainly made many good friends this week.