1st place British Championships, Raw Kite round 1 at Blackrock Sands

April 23, 2016

1st place British Championships, Raw Kite round 1 at Blackrock Sands

Today was a early start, we made the drive from the South East to North Wales, starting at 4am to miss the traffic and we arrived at Blackrock-Sands beach at about 11:30. Wow, this place looked epic (I had not been here before) it reminded me of Ireland with the mountains in the background. Craig sparks, Will rose and a few others where getting ready for a free ride. The wind was not great being directly off shore, however with a back drop like that I wasn’t going to turn down an oppertunity to get some photos.

The Saturday

We all got to the beach for 10am for riders briefing, with the wind still directly off shore. It was then discussed to run the landboard racing as with wind this lumpy, it was not the best idea to push riders to do to much freestyle. Don’t get me wrong, a few of us where still playing around doing some freestyle before the racing started.

First race

The racing started, this race was crazy with a few kites dropping out the sky just as the race started, Will Rose, Carl Kirton and myself managed to make it through the carnage. Making the most of my 17m Fury when the gusts where up, racing Will Rose to the line it was a close call as Will had the better up wind tack, I was tacking hard upwind losing a bit of speed. Will went on to take the win, with me in 2nd and fellow Peterlynn rider Carl Kirton in 3rd.

Second race,

As we started this race the wind was getting funky with it changing direction and strength. The start sounded and just as I went over the line my kite dropped out the sky at which point. I fell to the back of the race, as I relaunched my kite my mind sparked with "I’m gunning for this now!!" As I got back on my board the wind picked up just right and I got to the first marker, only to notice I had passed enough racers to be next to Will Rose who took a wide line, giving me enough room to down loop round the markers and in to the cross wind tack, by this point the wind had changed direction making it harder to keep your line. Making a few tacks I was across the finish line first.

With the wind getting worse by the minute, it was called to free ride or just chill on the beach for the rest of the day.

The Sunday

Today was looking better for the wind direction, however the wind was light. So riders briefing was held and it was decided if the wind picked up enough they wound start by running the Pro Mens freestyle. so I pumped up my 17m Fury and went for a play around in the marginal wind. as the day went on the wind got less and less, the event was called off and the presentation for the racing started.

Landboard Racing

1st Kris Beech

2nd Will Rose

3rd Graham Reed