CORNISH COLDWATER CLASSIC - WRAP UP AND GALLERY

CORNISH COLDWATER CLASSIC – WRAP UP AND GALLERY

BREWING UP A STORM!

We dispatched John Carter down to the Cornish Coldwater Classic to brave the wind and rain to get the lowdown on the event. After seven hours on the beach on Sunday he came back soaked to the skin, cameras on the blink and almost crippled by walking up the death dunes at Mexico’s. On the bright side his memory cards were full of crazy images from over the weekend. Of course, there was even time to squeeze in a few icy cold beers at the St Ives Brewery which slightly delayed the editing process. Here is a bit of a summary and some insights from a few of the pros who survived the storm!

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After a picture-perfect lay day on Saturday, with blue skies and light winds, Sunday brought a dramatic shift—wild weather, strong winds, and an action-packed day of competition at the beach. Amateurs, masters, and the women’s fleet took on the powerful waves at Mexico’s, delivering incredible performances despite the challenging conditions. As if that wasn’t enough, the event concluded with an electrifying expression session, where the pros put on a spectacular display, charging logo-to-mast-high waves. It was the perfect way to cap off an unforgettable weekend!

While every participant was a winner in their own right, the official champions were crowned at the prize-giving ceremony at the Bluff Inn, where they took home cash and prizes from Duotone.

PHIL HORROCKS

We were up early doors and it was pitch black when we arrived at Gwithian. The wind was blowing so hard we had to hang onto the van doors and it was driving rain just for good measure. When it was finally light enough to see, we make out the huge waves and white caps. I was in the first heat. Normally the top seed is in the last heat, so I was hoping it would be that way around. So, I didn’t get a chance to watch anybody. There was no chance to see what was going on. I had to guess the right equipment and I am not a local at Gwithian so didn’t really know where to take the waves when it was that size. I had to take a punt. I went on my 4m Black Tip Simmer sail and went for it. I was riding my 84L Simmer, Flywave set up as a quad. It is a nice super thin rail board and it really grips in the wave. When you turn tight it can hold lots of power and pressure from the sail. That was great because the wind was so strong.

I think that is the biggest Gwithian I have ever sailed. It was actually not crazy out there. The tide worked in our favour, because it was a little bit high it took the edge off the waves. I came down here last Spring and I sailed with Steve Thorpe on a day a bit smaller, but it was way heavier. It was nice to have big clean waves to ride. I really enjoyed it. I wanted to keep going. It was a shame we did a Dingle format because that meant it was over so quick. I was in the final after three heats and then that was it. I was just starting to get into it and then it ended. It was pretty wild out there.

Down from the beach we could not really see much. We did not get to see the action like normal from the car park. All you could see were the tips of the masts between all of this white water. When I got back up on the cliff, I realized how big it actually was.

You had to be a bit wary out there. I made sure I got upwind before my heats. Anybody could have been taken out by a set and that would have been game over. I have had that board quite a while and I usually ride it when it is side off. It is basically a board for really sticking the rail in and getting in nice and tight. I am trying to work on getting the nose in, and then back upwind when you turn. It doesn’t always work but to really crank it and chuck a load of spray is what I am working on. I had K4 fins in this one. They were 14.5cm and 8cm in a quad set up. I go with the quad set up because they are fast and they give me quite a good bit of control in the chop. Generally, I don’t use in waves as big as that. I use it in logo high waves where it is really tight and snappy. The fins are quite flexi, so they are good for holding when you put a lot of pressure on them. They still dig in and bight, they don’t break out and release. It is quite nice to use it in that set up. I also use it with the stock fins as well and in the tri, fin set up.

BEN PAGE

I was pleasantly surprised when we showed up at Gwithian. The original forecast looked ridiculous. It was clearly pretty big, but it looked doable. There was still a luck element to it still. If you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, you would just get eaten. The conditions were just epic to be honest. I really enjoyed the sailing. Occasionally I was a bit scared but on the whole, it was really fun. Some of the big waves were so choppy. I was really focussed on not crashing from the chop, rather than what was going on behind me. I started the day on the 3.7m and it was knee to waist high chop on the big ones. You could hardly do anything. It was like moguls everywhere. At the end I changed up to a 4.2m. I was riding my Goya 84L quad. I only just received my new boards so rode my faithful as I had not had time to get used to the new ones. I took that size so I would not bounce out from the chop. It was the same board I used in Tiree last year. I had to stick with what worked that I knew already.

I think I have only very recently started getting decent results. I feel like if I am just having fun I do way better. I feel like I just go windsurfing for twenty minutes during my heats and not worry about the tactics or anything. I felt I used to put more pressure on myself. Now I am stoked just to be out sailing over mast high Gwithian with three other people.

It was a good as we could have hoped for with the conditions. It was almost perfection. For a role of the dice, it was definitely a six! We have lucked out for sure. It was also amazing for the other fleets on Sunday.

ANDY KING

I was first on the water and figured I might as well get out there and break the ice. We had all see the forecast and there was a lot of anticipation. We were all a bit nervous at 4.5m swells and strong winds. The stronger wind actually helped. I’d rather it be windy than 5.3m weather when it is that big. The small sails can be a bit twitchy when the lulls come. I was a bit relived when I first got there to be honest. It was not as big as thought it might be. There is a size where it is still sailable, and you have to be a bit mindful.

I have been there before when it is just Ian Black out on his own and everyone else is running up the coast looking for somewhere smaller. I wanted to get a few runs under my belt at the beginning. I thought it might go a bit wild later. It actually stayed manageable. In the heats I played it a little bit safe. A couple of times I looked at the lip and thought ‘is the juice worth the squeeze?’. If you got it wrong, it could be hectic on the inside. I was looking for an escape route a lot of the time. I didn’t fancy losing my gear on the rocks as it would be heat over. That was probably about the fifth time I have used that board and the first in waves that size. It held the rial and gave me some confidence to turn. I initially went on a 3.7m Goya Banzai. The sails are just really easy to sail. They are so high performance you don’t have to think about the sail. It is just easy using them. I was on the 84L Custom Quad. That is a small board for me. It gave me enough float that if there was a lull I was not up to my knees on it. On the last heats I went 4.2m just because I wanted a little bit more power. I would rather be overpowered than under in those conditions. I wanted to be mobile. I did not want to be a sitting duck out there. With the 4.2m if you get a lull, you could pump it and keep the board moving.

I managed to throw a few jumps in! I love jumping. There were some big lumps out there. The bigger the take off you have more time to go high and rotate. You don’t go as high when it is side off but when it is offered you have to take it. I was looking for the jumps all the time. It was a lot of risk doing the jumps as you never knew what would be looming up behind the wave.

LUCAS MELDRUM

I thought it might be too much out there at first. It was so windy and wild. The combination of big waves and big wind made it a bit intimidating. I think I have only ever had one session as big as that.

It was definitely tricky. I was a bit scared about my knee before the competition. I sailed on Thursday and it felt fine. I think I had so much adrenaline kick in on the day of the competition, I didn’t even think about my knee. I don’t know if I enjoyed it. It was challenging for me. I felt it was a bit more a survival than enjoying it. Every wave I rode I was looking for an exit strategy to get back out and get another wave before the heat finished.

I did not want to go on the rocks, but I went there in one heat. I was riding my 69L Duotone Grip Quad, with a 3.7m and 4m in the later heats. I could have been on a smaller sail on the wave but to be able to get back out, I took a bit bigger. I have the new D / Lab sails which are a bit lighter, you can hold them down and they have a bigger range. That helped me hold onto a bigger sail in those conditions. I survived the storm and am happy its over. Sunday was more fun and rippable.

JAMIE HOWARD

It was absolutely mental. We came straight from Cape Town from the airport. We slept in the camper van in a little layby about 40 minutes from Gwithian. The van was shaking all night in the wind. I was pretty nervous about the forecast, with that swell size.

The first day was a different ball game to what I have done in the past really. I think it was the best wave sailing conditions that I have sailed ever. Better than Cape Town! I loved it. Once I got out it was not as intimidating as I first thought. It was epic. You could not ask for better conditions. To be honest, wave riding isn’t something that I am that competent at.

I have a little go but normally I am going for jumps or freestyle moves. With the cross off down the line, it was a bit different for me. I thought if I am going to have any shot at going through then I needed to go for the section, try hit it late and hope for the best. That was my game plan. I was riding a 68L Severne Pyro, with the quad set up. It is my favourite wave board I have ever had.

It turns so nicely, and it is so fast. Coming from a freestyle background it has that sort of freestyle feeling about it. I guess because Philip Köster has developed it to do the tricks as well. So, for my style it was perfect. It was fast and turned sharp; I loved it. That day was just epic. I am so glad we came down. We came straight from the airport and I was pretty tired. The forecast was too good to miss. I am so glad we put in the effort.

SARAH HILDER

After having two children and four years out of the competition scene, the Cornish Coldwater Classic was the opportune moment to get back into competition at my local beach. I was nervous and excited, with quite a few new ladies now active on tour and ready to give me a run for my money. The conditions did not disappoint! The Bluff gave us silky smooth down the line float and ride after the hectic and impressive Pro Men’s Fleet ran at Gwithian in the morning.

Then after a day’s rest we ran at Sandy Acres from 8am. After a 5.30am start, arriving at the beach I was pretty nervous going out on my Simmer custom 63l board with K4 fins and 3.4m blacktip sail. Big sets were rolling in and were dumping powerfully on the low tide sandbank, to cheers from the competitors and judges.

The heats were gusty and proved absolutely exhausting, between wobbling and full power down the line, but I managed to get some great waves (not without a few wipeouts too!), which proved to be enough to clinch the win!

Huge respect to all fleets sailing in those conditions all weekend, it was certainly the biggest and windiest session that I have sailed in cross-off for many years! A huge thank you to judges and organisers too, who managed to organise the event and socials impeccably, gain great sponsorship and prizes, provide superb media coverage and of course somehow the best conditions in years of competing!

JOE VERNON (EVENT HOST)

Event Host Joe Vernon was thrilled with the success of the CCC. “We set out to create the ultimate wave sailing event, and with the incredible conditions and the amazing support from the BWA and the competitors, I think we achieved that,” he said. “We’re already looking forward to next year and making it even bigger and better!”

SUNDAY GALLERY

EXPRESSION SESSION

OTHER FLEETS

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RESULTS

Full Results:

Pro Men:

1. Phil Horrocks

2. Ben Page

3. Andy King

Ladies:

1. Sarah Hilder

2. Izzy Adcock

3. Corrie McFarlane

Masters:

1. Ian Gibson

2. Tim Watson

3. Alex Roads

4. Emile Kott

Amateurs:

1. Ollie Randal

2. Arthur Fox

3. Max Metcalf

4. Rob Loescher

 

 

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