Mission Accomplished :-D
28th October 2008
I'm so stoked!! This weekend, I won the final round of the 2008 BKSA tour at Brighton, and with my other results this year (1st/1st/2nd), I am now the 2008 British Amateur Ladies Champion!! I can't believe it - it hasn't really sunk in yet!
My aim for this year was to be on the podium so it is pretty cool to have achieved that, and finished 1st. With the problems I've been having with my knees for the past month, I wasn't expecting to win this weekend. Three weeks ago I could hardly walk so I was just happy to be able to kite, and after resting them for two weeks, thankfully my knees held up ok. The conditions at Brighton were pretty nasty! big shore dump and super-choppy. The wind was ok, but the water was pretty tough to do tricks in. It was a mission just getting out past the shore dump - especially with the wind being dead on-shore. Some of the juniors really struggled which was a shame - we all did a bit but I guess the smaller people struggled more. It was the kind of shore dump that sucked you down and washing machined everyone that tried to get out past it...pretty crazy!
There is a beach on the island that is sometimes like that, onshore wind and sometimes shore dump, so I guess I have had a bit of practice at getting out past it (body dragging upwind with the board in my hand, and diving the kite quite aggressively to get out past the worst of it, and once you're out a bit further you have a bit more space downwind to get up!)
Sheryl and Holly met in the first heat - Holly won and went straight to the final, and Sheryl went through to the losers final.
I was in the second heat against Megan and Polly, who are new to competing and this was their first event. The wind was quite light so we were all on big kites. I went out on my new pink 12m Bandit Dos - such a nice kite! nice looking and so nice to fly. I went out the heat before mine to give me time to get out past the shore dump and upwind to give me space. When the 3 minute transition period between the heat before ours, and our heat started I was in the box and just cruising around waiting for it to start. I could see Polly struggling to get out and really felt for her, such a tough day for your first comp! She'll enjoy it so much more when the conditions are a bit nicer, next year! Spoke to her Mum later on and she said she has a great time and loved it anyway which was cool, and she was glad to have her first comp under her belt. It does take a couple to get used to how it all works, and controlling nerves and chilling out about it all - I used to get really nervous, and I still do sometimes but I am a bit more relaxed now because I kite better like that :-)
Anyway! so my heat went ok, I just did my usual tricks - I didn't want to risk making my knees worse so I did frontloops, backloops, a few nice big jumps, and jump/backloop transitions. Some of my tricks went a bit wrong because the water was so choppy and kid of confused and hard to get clean take-offs! but it was the same for everyone and I just tried to remember that! I won that heat which put me straight through to the final.
So Sheryl, Megan and Polly were in the losers final, which Meg won. Shery had a shocker and got stuck in the shore dump which was a massive shame, because she is a wicked kiter, but Megan won which was cool for her. Just really felt for Sheryl. So the final was me, Holly and Megan.
About 10mins before my final, I had a bit of a shocker and last minute panic! I thought my lines were twisted I ran them down the beach, untwist them and started to re-connect then, but then I realised that actually they had just got caught round the kite and weren't twisted so had to un-do what I just did because it turned out they were ok to start with! So I wasted some time there and by the time I got someone to launch me and made it through the shore dump with 2 mins to go before the start of the final, I was pretty shattered! So I cruised up and down and tried to catch my breathe and chill.
Just before the final started I noticed Holly and Meg were struggling to get out past the shore dump, and were late getting in to the competition zone. I felt bad for them, but just had to get on with the final so tried to do as much as I could. I stacked it quite a lot, did some big jumps and big front loops but landings were so hard cos it was so choppy!! but I landed a few big ones which was cool, definitely didn't do anything fancy - just played it safe and tried to clock up as much as I could of what I knew I had the best chances of landing!
When I got off the water I wasn't sure how I had done, but later found out I had won :-) I was so happy! I spent the rest of the afternoon with my little sis and two of my three bro's who had come down to see me, and it was wicked having them there and seeing what I do and what it's like! My Uncle, Aunty and cousins came down too and it was wicked seeing everyone. I went out kiting in the afternoon, with a bit of an audience! then everyone left. My bro's and sis went to a mates house while I packed up my kites.
Aaron Hadlow was around all weekend, and went out kiting later on, which was pretty awesome to watch. Quite funny seeing him stack it and seeing him crash his kite - just nice to know even he stacks it sometimes like the rest of us! SOme of the videos you see are so amazing and you never see the crashes, so it's nice to know he is just a normal kiter than does crash from time to time :-)
Later on, Sheryl came back to my hotel and we both got showered and ready for the prizegiving which was a black tie do and everyone was getting dressed up - even the lads which I was quite impressed about! My sis did my make up (Thanks Han!) as I am USELESS at putting makeup on but thought it might be nice for a change! So when we had our little black dresses on, we picked up our boards and made our way to Brighton Pier, where it was being held, at the Fish and Chip Restaurant at the end of the pier. It may sound a bit rubbish but the restaurant is wicked and it was set up really nicely inside.
We got some pretty funny looks and people laughing at us while we walked around with our boards, high heels and black dresses. I think it's a good look actually. I'll upload some photos and you can check out the 'look' :-)
The prizegiving was wicked, we had some wine, fish and ships and a nice banoffee pudding thing, then the results for the Brighton event were announced and then the overall results for the year after that, which Aaron was presenting - it was cool to meet him and cool that he presented us with our trophies. That guy is a legend..and my trophy is cool, I love it :-)
After the prizegiving,a few of us went back to my hotel to dump our boards and trophies, then we went to the FunkyFish nightclub and danced all night :-) and had a few drinks... wicked night :-)
The next day there was no wind, and it was raining all day so they weren't able to run any of the big air/best trick comps which was a shame but was cool just chatting to everyone.
A whole load of us are going to Cape Town this winter to train so we were chatting about this for a bit. A lot of people have book their flights already and I will as soon as I know what will happen with my knees. It is looking likely I'll need as operation on both of them, so I have two solid knees for next year, so I can hit it hard! I have time, and the winter is the perfect time to do it, so that's the plan! I'm just waiting for the appointment to come through from the doctor, to see a knee specialist. They know about my kiting plans and my doc is taking it really seriously and understands how important it is for me to get away this winter, and get my knees sorted asap, so hopefully I can get an op date really soon! I'll keep you posted!
For now though, until I have the operation, I'm gonna kite whenever I can, taking it easy and being careful with my knees, but just gonna enjoy being out there! just hope it doesn't get toooo cold! might have to get out my hoody and thermal winter outfit soon! Won't be here for too long though hopefully! The wind this weekend looks good - can't wait to get out on the water. Speak to you again soon! have fun and take care out there! :-D
Last comp of 2008 - Brighton this weekend!!
22nd October 2008
Hey everyone :-)
Well since I last updated my blog, my knee has got a bit better and I am kiting again now which is wicked :-) I took a week off any kind of exercise, which was hard going for me - I am not good at just sitting on my derriere and doing nothing :-) but it seems to have paid off, for now anyway! Went kiting at the weekend, and my knee held up ok. Managed to get out both days which was wicked, and such an amazing weekend, so nice to see the sun and it still isn't that cold. I hope it stays like this for a while :-)
I kited really cautiously on Saturday as I hadn't kited for two weeks and I didn't know how my knee was gonna feel. I did my usual tricks, no kiteloops for now :-( and my knee was fine - I just made sure I landed things as softly as I could!
It was sooo good to be kiting again, miss it so much when I have to have time off the water! I was also really happy I could Kite again because the final round of the BKSA tour is this weekend (starts Friday for Ams) and I really wanted to have a good kite and not limp to the water and not do much once I got there, which was the plan this time last week!
So now I know I can do the tricks that I have been doing all summer, I may try some new stuff in the final heat/final when I know I don't have much more kiting to do. The doc and physio have said I need to be really careful, but when you're out there, it's not always the first thing that springs to mind :-)
Before I damaged my knee, I was loving kiteloops and it was wicked to be doing a new trick. I really want to do a kiteloop in the comp, it is sooo tempting to do one this weekend, I'll see it how it goes!
The pros heats start on Thursday and the Ams start on Friday, and the final day is Saturday. I had a look at the scoreboard, and I worked out that to win the 2008 Ladies Amateur title, I need to finish at least 7th at the Brighton comp this weekend, but I'm aiming for the podium :-)
The prizegiving is Sat night, and there's a dinner and a HUUUUGE party - it's gonna go off! I can't wait :-) It's a bit sad it's the last event of the year but a lot of us are going off training this winter together which will be wicked.
Forgot to say, I am now the proud owner of a 7m and 12m F-one Bandit Dos. I sent my 2008 Bandits back to Tommy at Session1 and he sent me in return two new pink/white Bandit Dos'! Thanks Tommy! :-) www.session1.com
They look so nice, and went out on the 12 at the weekend, and it feels nice too! I only went out for a short time on the 12 so I need a bit more time on it to work out how it is different to the 2008 Bandit. One thing I did notice is that it is definitely quicker which is cool, and the grafix are sweet too :-) and pink which is always a bonus. Thanks F-One! www.f-onekites.com
Anyway, I'll let you know how I got on at Brighton next week! Hopefully I'll have some good news! :-D
If you live near Brighton, or fancy a weekend again, come check out the event this weekend - there's loads going on aswell as the kiting. Below is a link for all the info, and tickets to the party!! See you there!
www.britishkitesurfingassociation.co.uk/content/view/383/39/
No pain no gain :-)
15th October 2008
Hellooo there!! I've not updated my blog for a while as I've been a bit out of action for two weeks! must be a record for me - 'out of action' is something I don't normally do!
I landed a kiteloop quite hard a few weeks ago, the day before the Littlehampton comp actually!! quite clever I know :-) Went to the physio last week, and found out I've torn the cartilage in my right knee and need to sort an op out soon, but for now until I sort that out I took two weeks off to rest it! I also had a funny incident while washing my hair in the shower last week (don't laugh ok?!!)... had a muscle spasm in my neck and passed out in the shower - kinda crazy I know and a bit scary :-s I was in quite a bit of pain for a few days but it's better now so aaaall gooood :-)
I so badly miss being out on the water so gonna try and get out this week or this weekend! I have no idea how my knee is gonna feel so just gonna have to be careful...which is something I am not very good at but will try :-) first time for everything right?!
The last comp of the BKSA tour is next week (Oct 23-26th) so I have to see how my knee is for kiting! pain killers at the ready I think...we'll see! I'm sure I'll be fine :-) Pain is weakness leaving the body...and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger :-)
I'll keep you posted!! Bye for now!! :-)
No wind at Littlehampton...
1st October 2008
...but an awesome party on the Saturday night :-)
It was such a nice sunny weekend, so although it was a massive shame there was no wind, it was still a wicked weekend and really good to see everyone. No winders give us a chance to catch up and chat :-)
On Saturday, after registering and the briefing we went to get brekky and the we just hung out on the beach waiting to see if the wind was gonna appear. I pumped up my 11m Bandit just in case anything was gonna happen, and Sheryl, Nicky and I chilled out on the top of Sheryl's new van. The day went really quick and then as the sun was going down, we sat on the beach having a few drinks as the sun was setting. It was an amazing sunset, so cool. A few of us who were on the beach were playing the popular beach game 'hit the can with a stone'. The can was sat on top of one of the traffic cones the BKSA flags were sat in. Then one of the guys, a junior called Jack Shoulder( currently leading the Junior category for 2008) picked up the cone and decided he was going to use it as a baseball bat. This soon turned in to a game which involved just throwing stones at Jack...which he seemed to enjoy. Nutter :-s
Everyone went to shower and then we hit the party. It started off quite calm but that didn't last for long - all the drinks were free, everyone was on the dance floor and on eachothers shoulders and there may have been a bit of spraying of beer..but I was obviously not involved in any of that :-)
The next morning everyone was on top form, of course, and some of us went out on Kev Maguire's boat - it's an awesome boat, he uses it for diving and has a banana boat so we went out on that. We got chucked off it sooo many times! and everytime you just don't know how you're gonna land or who on/under! Most the time it was me, Nicky, Sheryl, Tom, James, and Ali - it is quite hard to stay on it, takes a bit of technique - leaning in to the corners. Kev found it pretty amusing as we were pretty useless at it! a good crack though :-) and I have some beauty bruises on my knee now too, UBBI (Unidentifiable Banana Boat injuries). One bruise stuck out like a broken bone would - loved it :-)
Prizegiving took place for the pro's (who ran some heats on the Friday before the wind died) and the rest of the prizes were raffled off - I won a nice red Hurley bag :-) Then we said our goodbyes and hit the road.
Not long til the next one, the last event of the year! Brighton on October 23rd-25th - really hope there's wind!! and the ball on the Sat night is gonna be wicked :-)
So three weeks to nail those kiteloops and unhooked ralies...
First Kiteloop!
24th September 2008
I'm so stoked :-) went for an early morning kite this morning with Ben and Stu and landed my first kiteloop!! first time I have tried it so was so happy and so surprised too. Been wanting to do them for so so long but kept chickening out so finally with 3 days before Littlehampton comp and after a week of not kiting, I was determined to try them. I was under-powered on my 11m and Ben said it was good conditions to try them so I did, and landed my first attempt! and a few others after. When I did one I just wanted to keep doing them, they're so addictive! just gotta work on style and height now, but the cool thing is I tried them and can do them - with or without style :-)
Off for an afternoon session now, wind died a bit earlier so hopefully it will pick up a bit, I wanna do more kiteloops!! Then I can try the megaloop - yahoooo :-)
