Glenn Micheal Sullivan
I am currently looking forward to competing in my third year of competition with the UKWA. sadly i will not be competing with the RYA's team-15 program because i have now become too old but none the less i had some wonderful memories with them. Through a lot of hard work, (and pure luck!) I achieved the 2nd place in the freestyle championships for 2007 which set me up for 'happy days'. I tried in my last attempt to stay with racing by trying to get into Zone squad last year but unfortunatly, I'm too damn old!
| Name: | Glenn Micheal Sullivan |
| Year of Birth: | 1992 |
| Height: | 178.5cm (can't forget the 0.5) |
| Weight: | 75 Kg |
| Hometown: | Bexleyheath |
| Local Beach: | Danson Park lake (if that's what you call a beach!!) |
| Sail Number: | K-319 |
| Started sailing: | 2004 |
| Discipline: | Freestyle, Wave, Course racing and hopefully super-X |
| Best Results: | 10th overall UKWA junior 2006 (first season) 2nd overall UKWA Whiteair youth camp (first season) 3rd overall UKWA Christchurch youth camp (first season) |
| Sponsors: | Liquid Dimentions Xtremity Boardsports Ocean Jack Ltd |
So far i have to admit that keeping up my windsurfing skills is hard enough with all the coursework i have to do (bored of english, so im writing here!) let alone just getting to the coast as well as saving up for essential kit. I cant thank my sponsors enough, who have guided me in the right direction for training, kit and competition in the windsurfing world. They have basically taught me everything they know, even if its only a quick word and chocolate biscuit after a bad heat. It make so much of a difference knowing that there are people there behind you backing you up when you down, helping to consolidatie your negative thoughts about the results by finding out what went wrong and what i am going to do about it. To take them for granted would be a serious taboo as i can honestly say that they have helped me so much over the past few years, i have the upmost respect for them. overall, what price can you put on knowledge?
National Competitions around the UK are the best! The event organisers gave us time as the newcomers to talk to all of the really friendly competitors who are in my position, try to get funding for this amazing sport. Don't get me wrong they were laid back but they were so talented and to see some of the windsurfing moves they were pulling off, it was amazing for me; it opened my eyes so I could see that anything is possible in the windsurfing world. Some of the larger competitions I attend such as: Whiteair and the Animal Windfest have a vast amount of media coverage boasting well over a million viewers. These sorts of events also include a massive party the night before the prize giving which IS a wonderful sight for sore eyes after 3 days of intense competition.
Attending the Whiteair freestyle camp really made me focus on what mattered for one whole week. Usually in a week I would be thinking about my timetable at school, what homework I have, where am I going tonight etcetera. Fortunately, the residential camp made me realise my priorities. (I'm at a windsurfing camp. Think windsurfing! Nothing else) Apart from the inspirational step forward (have those now and again!), the live band at prize giving where i achieved 2nd overall in the u15s, were excellent, the perfect chill out you wanted to hear after a hard weeks work. I would definitely love the idea of going on the same trip again next year.
In the mean time, i am meant to be doing my course work but after reading my initial profile i was shocked at how dodgey and condasending it looked so i though i would take a keyboard to the matter! For 2008 i will be looking forward to attending to most of the events on the ukwa around the uk (transport permitting, its still running!) Especially the freestyle seriese and the welsh and english parts of the 4 nations wave championships. For some freestyle training i will be out at minorca sailing in july for two weeks to hopefully nail those spocks! i ll probably get nailed in most of them but at least i will make some progress! for now i wish every one the best and join you all in wishing for a windy 2008!
