Richard Carter

I started windsurfing back in 1987 at Southmere Lake in Thamesmead with my old school, Eaglesfield on Shooters Hill and have been hooked ever since. I represented the local borough councils at the London youth games when I was 14 & 15 on Vinta 370’s, Remember those?

At 16 I started an electrical apprenticeship, at 21 I met Anita and we had Ellie & Jack so my sailing took a back seat and didn’t really sail at all. It wasn’t until 2002 after working in Germany and getting to go snowboarding at weekends in Austria, Cool Job Eh..!! Arriving back in the UK, I wanted to go snowboarding but the snow wasn’t just a few hours drive away. With the boarding bug back I went out and acquired some second hand windsurfing kit and went on from there. Minster on the isle of sheppy was my closest and local beach, which is where I met some really good friends, including Stuart Ord-Hume “The Master” who got me back into the racing.

Name:	Richard Carter
Year of Birth:	1973
Height:	6' 1"
Weight:	13 ½ Stone
Hometown:	Abbeywood, London
Sailing since:	1987 on and (more) off.
Disciplines:	Formula, Slalom & Free wave
Best Results:	2nd Welsh Open Free race 2004, 2nd British Open Free race 2004.
Sail Number:	GBR 140
Sponsors:	Surfkraft , Skyview Systems, Aquasphere, Elite Marketing Solutions Ltd & RiksWindsurfing (JP & Neil Pryde).

I also met Michael Nicolaides 2002 Techno Cup winner who sails with me regular at camber now. Not forgetting Dave Norman 2001 Techno Cup winner, who now lives, works and sails in Ireland. Some really good formula sessions were had at Minster and still do, so it’s well worth a drive as long as the wind and tides are right. Michael introduced me to Ian Kraft who also had a part in encouraging me to start racing and then signing me up for the Surfkraft Team. 2004 was a really good year for me being my debut season, managing to get 2nd place in the Freerace Fleet in wales and 2nd again at “home turf” Hove.

I’m really getting into wave sailing now and that’s where I really want to improve this season, Maybe I’ll give the Free wave a go this year. You can find me down at Camber Sands or as we call it “Little Maui” whenever there’s a good South Westerly. I have to thank Anita for putting up with me, sailing whenever I’m not working or supposed to be working on the house...!! 2005 it can only get better...!