UKWA Dahab Youth Freestyle Camp

Dahab, Egypt, Friday 8 July 2005

Eight of the UK's top youth freestylers are immersed in a week of full-on freestyle, based at Club Dahab on the Red Sea.

Coached by Mark ‘Sparky' Hosegood, who has taken on responsibility for developing youth freewave in the UK, the boys have been working hard on a range of moves all week in conditions from light wind up to force 6. Simon Hurrey, Club Dahab's resident freestyle supremo has also been on hand to demonstrate an awesome array of tricks. Simon must one of a very few people who, when asked to slow down a spock so everyone can see what's going on, says,"Yeah, sure", and then does just that.

Aged from 14 to 17, the boys on the camp come from all over the UK, with skills ranging from good to excellent. Graham Woods and Ollie Grogan are making vulcans and other wild moves on a regular basis and all have improved dramatically. The Gecko Flaka challenge has been set by the Team AirBorn boys (UKWA freewave regulars), which everyone is learning quicker than Sparky, much to his frustration!

Club Dahab provides the perfect venue and the UK-based company, which is committed to providing excellent facilities for windsurfers, has made the camp possible by providing subsidised prices and being highly supportive of the objective, which is to improve the level of youth windsurfing in the UK.

The camp has attracted interest right along the beach front in Dahab, where there are a number of other centres. Everyone has been very impressed with the standard of windsurfing and commitment shown by the boys throughout the week. They have represented UK windsurfing at its best: up for it, having a laugh and working at it with focus and determination, guided at all times by Sparky.

This camp is seen as a pilot for a regular series of overseas camps organised and run by Sparky, with the backing of the UKWA and the Andy Funnell Foundation, in addition to the UK camps such as the Christchurch camp in August and the White Air Youth week.

- Mark ‘Sparky' Hosegood K78
Is sponsored by:
O'Neill
O'Shea
White Water Fins
Reef
Walnut Grove Clinic