UKWA: WEYMOUTH EVENT REPORT
UKWA: WEYMOUTH EVENT REPORT
UKWA: WEYMOUTH EVENT REPORT
The UKWA kicked off their racing season in style this weekend in Weymouth, with great conditions and plenty of smiling faces out on the water. The atmosphere was lively, the competition was tight and the wind delivered just enough excitement to keep things interesting.
Scott Harrison reports:
Photos: Watershots_uk
Scott Harrison:
“The weekend of 12/13 April saw the UKWA return to Portland Harbour for the first slalom event of 2025. Boasting shallow, flat, clear waters it is an incredibly popular windsurfing spot and the location where the 30 knots barrier was first broken in the 1980’s. Around 30 competitors arrived to test their skills against the course and each other.
In the International fleet, where foiling is fully integrated all eyes would be on PWA pro Scotty Stallman, however, with the current speed world champion Jenna Gibson, new member of the 50 knot club Simon Pettifer, and recent podium placer at the BWA south Wales event Nick Welsh there would be no easy heats!
Similarly in the national fleet, where the focus is fully on the fin, with light wind foiling if the conditions don’t deliver, the field is wide open with pretty much anyone capable of talking a top 3 in a heat. Saturday morning saw glorious sunshine and a teasing easterly breeze, which by lunchtime had filled in enough for some figure of 8 foiling racing across both fleets, in the international fleet Scotty Stallman completed a clean sweep ahead of Nick Welsh and Jenna Gibson, who had super tight racing, and by the end of the day were only separated by 1 point. In the National fleet Mitchell Vickers won every race convincingly followed by myself, Richie Hill and Andrew Twinn scrapping it out behind. For most the conditions and the course were perfect, windy enough to foil at will, but easy enough that the gear didn’t get out of shape.
Sunday had a decent forecast of 15-20 knots of south west wind, but, would it appear in time? After teasing the crew all morning it turned on straight after lunch and never turned off, after 3 foil races the international fleet finally got onto the fin, Scotty Stallman winning every race, ahead of Simon Pettifer and Nick Welsh respectively who were separated by the closest of margins. The National fleet had it pretty much their own way with 6 back to back 3 buoy downwind slalom races I ended up in a super tight scrap with last year’s champion Alastair Campbell and Elliott McCreery, managing to squeak it ahead in the end.
Massive thanks to Intego Pro sports sunscreen, OTC and SurfDoctor for sponsoring the event and putting up some great prizes. Portland delivered in style and as I drove back across the causeway the locals were still out blasting full speed.
The Next event is 3/4 May at Steamer point, Christchurch, it’s a stones throw from Avon beach and, as such has some of the finest sailing on the south coast, with a large grassy camping and rigging area, toilets and a decent cafe.
4BOARDS have committed to sponsoring the event so there will be good prizes. This is a conditional event, meaning that if we have 30 plus pre entries by April 24th it will go ahead. So make sure you sign up asap!”
Sign up today at www.ukwindsurfing.com
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