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  • Writer's pictureTeam OTC

Dashing windsurfing pioneer; Adrian Bugler!

Adrian Bugler was one of the founders of the legendary Harbour Dash, now living in Spain Ade was instrumental in setting up the iconic race, that we at The Official Test Centre now organise as an annual charity fundraiser, there's something unique about the Harbour Dash and all those that take part, it is all about that individual challenge and that chance that you might be the one that breaks the record.


Starting from Overcombe Beach, the event requires the windsurfers and wingers to sail six nautical miles from the beach, in and out of the entrances of Portland Harbour and back again.


It may sound easy, but the 18-minute 35-second record set by Adrian Bugler in 1994 remained unbroken for 20 years, and with the wrong sea and wind conditions the event can become more like one of endurance than speed.


The Harbour Dash raises vital funds for The Will Houghton Foundation that are used to fund 'Well-being Windsurfing' sessions at The Official Test Centre and make profound differences to young people across Weymouth and Portland. Using the therapeutic benefits of the sea and changing lives, why don't you sign up to take part in The Harbour Dash, challenge yourself and at the same time change a young persons life!


In this blog I get to chat to Dashing windsurfing pioneer; Adrian Bugler! I hope he will inspire you to be part of the most iconic charity race in the watersports calendar and you can become part of history.


By Emma Nicholson.

Harbour Dash
A photo from the 90's of the Harbour Dash!

In 1994 you held the record of 18 minutes and 35 seconds how long did you hold this record for, was it 20 years?


Adrian said: "I think it was 20 years. Like any records it just happened that the conditions were perfect and I was the right person in the right time."


Tell me a bit of history about you being a pioneer in the windsurfing world?


Adrian said: "I wouldn't class myself as a pioneer particularly. I just loved windsurfing more than anything and wanted to be like the guys in Hawaii. And I was young. When I decided to make sails I couldn't sew. I bought a machine and all the design stuff and enlisted my father as I thought he could help as he used to mend his beach hut canvases. I soon found out that he was totally rubbish at sewing! And so continued alone! Anyway, from the first sail I always had sails to make for people for 15 years. So it just organically grew. And bizarrely I found myself in Maui in 1990 ripping with the gods that I had always dreamed about. Someone said to me once that it must be amazing looking out from Overcome and seeing so many of your sails out. But I replied that I was always worried that they might break. That's the nature of designing things. Anyway they didn't break very often luckily."

Harbour Dash
The start line of The Harbour Dash 2023 is always very exciting.

You established Adrian Bugler sails what’s your take on the new technology in watersports?


Adrian said: "What I have learnt from doing my sails and then afterwards software engineering, is that design is circular and sometimes the hardware takes a long time to catch with the original concepts. An example. Fibrespar gave me a load of needle masts as people thought it was the future. I spent quite a bit of money designing things for needle masts but they never caught on. Primarily cos they sank! But 8 years later everyone was using new 'skinny' masts. The designs refined. Also for years we were always breaking boards. But as carbon technology got better and better we started not breaking boards. My last carbon wrap board lasted for ever beaten to hell and landed hundreds of loops but never broke. So carbon fibre really has changed the game in high end watersports."

Will
The Harbour Dash will raise money for the Will Houghton Foundation, Will pictured above.

What do you think of hydrofoiling? How it’s changed the sport?


Adrian said: "Hydrofoils aren't new. Just as I said earlier the build technology was not there to support them. We often thought about hydrofoils. Some engineering guy designed one and asked my friend Henio of K Bay to make him one as he said it would be the future. But Henio thought it was too difficult and declined. But now hydrofoils are everything. The first time I saw them on the RS boards with foils when I was anchored in Portland harbour it was obvious that the sport was evolving to a new level. The only bad thing about hydrofoils is falling on them! I had a very serious injury out here in Fuerteventura three years ago with my hand."


Your record was broken in 2011 by the then Olympian, do you think the record will be broken again?


Adrian said: "I was always surprised that Nick Dempsey was so keen to get the record considering his glittering career. The Harbour Dash was really something that Rob Corefield, me and a couple of others cooked up as to have a bit of fun with friends. It became a bit iconic for some strange reason. When we 'designed' it there was no race as such and you just timed yourself and did it whenever you liked. Then we changed it to become a specific race and being on a specific day then getting perfect conditions for record breaking becomes hard. I got lucky with the long term record. Will anyone break Nick's record? Well that's what you are all going to find out! Good luck!"

Harbour Dash
The Harbour Dash briefing 2023.

If you would like to take part in the Harbour Dash, competitors will set sail across Weymouth Bay on September 21 or September 22 2024 with a Le Mans-style start at Overcombe Beach. Sailors will race across Weymouth Bay into the North shipping channel of Portland Harbour, out of the East channel, and back to Overcombe Beach. Organised by The Official Test Centre (OTC) the dash is open to windsurfers, wind foilers and wing foilers and raises funds for the Will Houghton Foundation (WHF). There is a suggested entry donation of £25.00, with all proceeds going to WHF. To enter, contact The Official Test Centre (OTC) on 07817 717904.



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