In the spotlight today are three Official Test Centre Team Riders and Three questions. If I asked you these three questions, what would your answers be? What has been the toughest thing to learn? The best advice you have been given? If money was no object what would you buy? Quick fire questions that you can ask your windsurfing friends as you wait on the beach for the wind to fill in! Are your answers the same as our three team riders, three questions, to find out their answers read on...
By Emma Nicholson.
I asked three of The Official Test Centre, Team Riders what has been the toughest thing to learn?
James Hardy said: "If you mean watersports for me personally it has to be freestyle windsurfing, so much crashing and burning. Which is equally part of the fun and challenge of it, but I do find that particular discipline tough to learn."
Lilia Yelland, said: "So far the toughest thing that I have had to learn would be the foil gybe, as it is something which I have still to master. The timings, the height, the weights balance, everything needs to work together to come out foiling in the gybe, but hopefully with some good practice I will have the hang of it sooner or later!"
Scott Norman said: "Toughest thing for me was without a doubt the carve gybe, since I got first slalom kit it’s been my main focus to improve and in hindsight, learning on a 4-cam sail probably wasn’t the best of ideas, but now I’m finally making it round the other side of them on the plane it’s the best feeling!"
The second question was; What has been the best advice you have been given?
James said: "Look where you want to go, both on a board/foil or in life and go big or go home."
Lilia said: "The best advice I have been given must be 'eat, drink and sleep'. Although it may seem not that inspiring, it is crucial to have a good routine especially in this sport where in certain conditions your stamina can just drain in a instant, especially in the conditions that you find the most challenging. Usually when I’m in a focused mindset I tend to forget about what my body needs and I focus more on what I need to do during the session/races. So I now always have to keep in mind to 'eat,drink and sleep'.
Scott said: "The one thing that has stuck with me was keeping my legs bent and keeping low, then no matter what situation, you are nice and stable and can also helps when going over chop to keep the board engaged with the water."
And, the third question was; If money was no object, and you could buy ‘one’ item of equipment, what would it be?
James said: "Wow that’s a tough one! Not sure this qualifies as a peice of equipment but a boat/ski to get out and do some epic adventures with people windsurfing, winging and tow foiling.
Lilia said: "Oooo that’s a tricky one, but I’d have to say probably a Falcon 116, as I feel like this board would really bump up my speeds and help teach me the need of control. Especially when it comes to the battles that I would be within during the races speed and control is key!"
Scott Norman said: "Probably an F4 foil for racing, from what I have seen of those foils, they are incredibly fast yet still have the ability with larger wings to get up in lighter winds, and just having that potential beneath my feet, knowing what my kit is capable of would really help motivate me into getting faster and pushing myself further."
Get all your watersports kit from Surf Doctor, www.surfdoctor.com, get all the advice and windsurfing tuition you need from The Official Test Centre, 07817 717904.