UKWA News

Calendar for 2007

The calendar is now finalised (barring acts of God, or local authorities!), it's all in the events section. Also don't miss the chance to feedback on Tenby plans, or attend the Defi wind. More on the Calendar for 2007.

New UKWA Phone number

The UKWA has a new phone number: 08454 10 33 11, calls are charged at a local rate.

The number is courtesy of a certain Mr Chilvers, for a free Business Telecoms Health Check contact: Guy Chilvers at Chilvers Bosch Telecoms. guy@chilversbosch.co.uk, 08454 10 30 50 or 07785 30 30 42

Nick Dempsey still ranked 1st

Nick Dempsey has retained his No. 1 world ranking for the third successive time following an outstanding 2006 series. The 26 year old Olympic Bronze medallist is currently training in Palma and is looking forward the World championship in Portugal where he will hope to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Bryony Shaw is currently lying in 4th position.

Speed Gun Challenge

To help promote speedsailing the UKWA will also be having a speedgun at a number of UKWA racing events to measure your speed.

Speed Class joins IWA

Speed windsurfers have taken the next step forward in the development of their class. The Speed Class becomes the 7th member class of the International Windsurfing Association, more details on the IWA website.

UK Ditch Project uncovered!!

On a dark winters day in deepest Somerset (UK) windsurfers Kevin Greenslade and Dan Ellis discovered a piece of water that will have the French shaking in there boots.

Ellis wins Cape Town dash

After much hype and anticipation Saturday the 16th of December saw Dan Ellis win back his honour and a bit of cash too! For some more pix and a map of the course check out Dan Ellis's website. To find out about other SA races check out WindsurfingAfrica.org and to see all the pix including a great jump on a speed board go to Capesessions.com.

Records & Trophies

Quite a few UKWA sailors are staying active in the off-season:
Zara Davis from the broke the 500m national speed record, at the Namibia speed event. Dave White, got the top speed of the day at 42.91knots on his Tabou production board. (Story on Boardseeker.)
Dan Simpson won the RYA Thames Valley Young Sailor of the Year, with an impressive array of results this year.

BBC honour Keith Atkinson

The BBC honour Keith Atkinson in a glittering ceremony held at the Priestfield Stadium in Gillingham. It was the BBC's annual evening honouring the South East's sports personalities of 2006.

UK Formula Champion Keith Atkinson gets BBC Sportsman Nomination

The BBC has again nominated Keith Atkinson, the UK's 2006 Triple Formula Windsurfing Champion, for the BBC South East sports awards. The ceremony is to be held on the 4th December will be filmed for Broadcast on BBC South East and Southern counties radio and is also televised on the BBC South East news.

End of year Prizegiving

The pictures from the end of year prizegiving & party are now up, and for those who took part in the racing earlier in the day Rod Davis wrote up the event report on the LWA site.

Techno Open Race Training - 2-3 Dec

Please note this is a date change from 18th /19th November due to UKWA Ball now being held on this date. We have to book coaches and RIBs in advance so late entries may not be accepted. Further details from: technosupport@ukwindsurfing.com.

Prize Giving Dinner

The year end Prize Giving and Dinner will be held at the Queen Mary Sailing Club on Saturday the 18th November. There is the LWA icebreaker during the day if you fancy racing, and the sailors meeting on the Sunday at 10.30am. Download the form.

New leech tech on display

It's been a while since we've had any new developments in windsurfing technology, could this be a new one? Supposedly the leech "automatically adjusts its shape in gusts and turbulent conditions and as the sheeting angle varies during maneuvering and course changes such as reaching or running." More on deepfried.

Dempsey's clean sweep

European Champion Nick Dempsey took a clean sweep of race wins at the final RYA Olympic Classes National Ranking Series for 2006, held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy this weekend (28-29 October). Full story on RYA.org.uk.