Windy Weekend & Lord Birkett Race

July 19th, 2010 by in Surfstore News

Over the 3rd & 4th of June, we saw great wind throughout the North.  Saturday was good, but Sunday is another story.  A few of us from the shop (John Mac, Mike Birt and myself) managed to get outand

Jamie - Start of the Gybe

enjoy the good weather and long awaited South West/Westerly breeze.

Over on the ‘westside’ in the Lake District, Ullswater Yacht Club was holding their annual Lord Birkett memorial race, over the Saturday and Sunday.  The race is only open to dinghies although in the past it had allowed windsurfers.  The race takes 2-4 hours depending on how quick your boat is, and John Mac was man enough to compete in a K6 with a hangover from a heavy wedding the night before.  We’ll not tell you his results…

I also took a trip over there for the weekend as my dad was competing.  Obviously with the forecast as it was I couldn’t resist taking some gear and leaving my girlfriend on the shore (I Joke!).  So ended up with quiver from the shop including a 7m NCX, 6.5 NCX Pro, 6m Gator, 5.6m S1 and a 4.7m S1.  Boards were John’s Futura 122l Wood Carbon and a 94l Kode Wood.  Along with a couple of NP Booms and Severne masts.  All epic in their own right!

The Saturday was epic with a moderate (20/25mph) South Westerly running cross shore to the club, I’ve been told - the place to be.  I rigged the 6.5m NCX Pro and Starboard Futura 122l and set off for a couple of hours with the GPS on.  An electric session, really windy and well powered with the gear feeling superb, controllable and super light.  The super light gear made for good jumps off the ferrys 1m wake!

The Sunday was extremely windy, over at Ullswater it was chucking it down too.  With the day’s racing cancelled, the tent to take down and the boats to pack and put on the trailer… It’s safe to say we were wet by the time we set off.  Meanwhile over on the East coast it was going off – both Mike and John were out on their tiny gear.  John on his 76l baby Kode with a 4.3  and Mike on a Starboard Quad which was found in the back of John’s van after a weekend away… Nice!!!  They were both stacked too over at Redcar!