IT IS TEN YEARS TO THE DAY THAT A NINE YEAR OLD BOY STEPPED ON A WINDSURF BOARD FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME! THAT BOY WAS SCOTTY STALLMAN. WHAT A JOURNEY IT HAS BEEN!
We look back with Scotty at his rise up the windsurfing ranks and speak to his devoted dad, along with his mum who will always be his biggest supporters! On the 9th of August 2010 Scotty was given a birthday present of a windsurfing taster at the OTC. What a gift that was! It was a gift that would change Scotty’s life forever.
The dedication and hard work from him has certainly paid off! Scotty has been rewarded for all the time and practice, as he is now training to compete at an international level with the iQFoil. He will be the first to admit that apart from his sheer gritted determination and talent for the sport, he couldn’t have done any of it without the unwavering and unconditional support of his parents and the OTC.
We started off by asking Scotty how it feels to have gone on such an amazing journey over the past 10 years with his windsurfing?
Scotty said: “It really doesn’t feel like I have been windsurfing for 10 years, the time has flown! Each year has been amazing and I have to thank everyone who has helped me on my way, especially Tris Best and Si Todd at The OTC who, 10 years ago, introduced me to such an amazing sport and I haven’t looked back since!
“Tris and The OTC have been phenomenal from day one. Tris has been, and still is, a huge role model for me and I will always look to him for advice and support for which I am very grateful."
“I’m just starting my journey with the iQFoil and I can’t believe I have been lucky enough to have a chance at competing at such a high level in a discipline which we will be seen in the 2024 Olympics!
“I am training as hard as I possibly can and learning the rules of course racing, which is totally new to me, but most of all I am really enjoying a new challenge whilst keeping it fun! “Some of the best highlights from the past 10 years have included windsurfing at some pretty cool places all around the UK and some really cool places abroad! But one of the highlights would have to be going to Mauritius in July 2019 to take part in a Mauritius Attitude Challenge windsurfing event. The whole island was beautiful and windsurfing in the crystal clear waters was just a dream!
"I also had the amazing opportunity to attend the PWA event in France in April 2019, caddying for Ross Williams. This gave me an insight into the hard work and dedication that the PWA guys put into their sport.
“The main goal for the next 10 years, or at least the start, is to pursue my ambitions with the IQFoil, but of course still keeping up with my slalom and speed sailing in-between.
“My advice to other youngsters who want to get into windsurfing is get on the water and take any and every opportunity you get and just go for it!
“One of my biggest achievements has been breaking the Portland Harbour 500m speed record at 40.66knts for the 500m run with a peak of just over 45knts! (And if you’re wondering, that’s 51 miles per hour!) The record was previously held for many years by the legend Pete Young who was the first person to put me on some full-on race/speed kit, and since then I haven’t looked back! I can’t thank Pete enough for all the help and advice he has given me that has allowed me to achieve this and other amazing records.
“Looking back one of the proudest moments would have to be becoming the 2019 British Speed Champion - after a tough week at Weymouth Speed Week with some really close results I was super stoked to come out on top with that title! Another would have to be placing inside the top three in the UKWA Pro fleet for the past two years. This is something that when I was younger I could never imagine myself achieving or being anywhere near achieving!
“Some of my best memories will have to be some of the stunning sunset sessions I have had at Portland Harbour with some awesome friends! Times like that really do make windsurfing a very special sport!"
Anyone that knows Scotty’s proud dad will know that he will always be there with camera in hand to record his son’s momentous windsurfing journey. Andy Stallman said: “Scott’s windsurfing has been such an amazing journey for us both as parents, right from the very time we visited the OTC and handed him over to Tris!
“I’ll be honest, I thought let's give this a quick try following on from a recommendation from a friend. It was initially just a trial session - a 9th Birthday present to a very active young lad. Who would have thought that would have been the start of a huge part of Scott’s life and 10 years on, he is still hard at it and still has the incredible support of Tris and the OTC!
Andy added: “We are of course so proud of his windsurfing achievements but even prouder of the person he has turned into: a focused, dedicated, hard-working young man who always pushes himself to give 100% - to anything. Something I have always said has been helped immensely by the windsurfing community ... and the sport itself”
If Scotty’s story has inspired you, why not book a windsurfing taster and start your windsurfing journey with us? Call the centre in advance on 01305 230296 or 07817 717904 and take those first steps that could change your life too!