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ARE WE MAD? JC AND TIMO'S DAY TRIP TO IRELANDARE WE MAD? JC AND TIMOS DAY TRIP TO IRELANDWILD MAGHEROARTYJohn Carter and Timo Mullen, AKA the Motley Crew head out on a ridiculous day trip to Magheroarty on the west coast of Ireland chasing a monster 4.9m swell at 16 seconds combined with nuking SSW winds. Here is the timeline of how this lunacy unfolded!Sunday 2nd February 20253pm: Call from Timo Mullen. JC, I have just booked my flights to Belfast, Ive got it all worked out we can get to Ireland and back all in a day, simple! Its going to be epic.3.05pm: Are you absolutely off your rocker, I retort. That would mean 20 hours travelling for about four hours at the beach, for gods sake! No way I am doing that!4pm: We are both booked.Monday 3rd February 2025.12.30 am: My alarm goes off and the wife scowls at me for waking her up. Then I wake up the dog as well, she growls at me tooThis ridiculous mission is about to start. My trusty VW Polo is frozen up outside but luckily it splutters into action!1.30am: Bleary eyed, I catch the Red Funnel ferry from the Isle of Wight to Southamptonno going back now!2.50am: Timo arrives in his tiny Renault Twingo, a vehicle that could double as a shoe box. The passenger floor is a black hole of discarded snacks and general filth. I wedge myself in.5am: We arrive in the long stay car park at Gatwick. The weather outside is icy cold and dubious thick fog. Ideal conditions for a flight delay!6am: All checked in with EasyJet. My bag is overweight by a mere kilo, meaning I now have to lug a massive jacket around the airport. I start the day with porridge and a latte. Timo, in true elite athlete form, goes for a sausage sandwich and black coffee. The breakfast of champions!6.30am: We are on our way, both score rows of three and fall asleep for whole flight! Bliss!7.50am: Land in Belfast. I grab my bag while Timo heads to get the rental car. Small issue: he forgot to book one. Panic ensues. Thankfully, Hertz has a spare car, and we are back on track. Crisis averted.8.30am: Arrive at Timos mums house. A heros welcome: sausage and bacon sandwiches. We wolf them down, load up, and hit the road.10.30: Road diversions due to fallen trees from the last storm, delay our arrival time by twenty minutes. Not ideal!11.00am: Message from Finn Mullen who is already at Magheroarty It is small and tide too high!. Not exactly what we wanted to hear! Fabulous!11.30: Call from Jamie Hancock who is at Mullaghmore to shoot surfing. Some big sets starting to hit and it is hell windy down the coast. Maybe?11.50am: Stop at fuel station just outside Magheroarty to load up on snacks. I was almost tempted to buy some cans of Guinness just in case the conditions are a total write off!12.05pm: Finally arrive at Magheroarty to the site of half mast high sets pluming in the offshore winds.12.15pm: Timo and Finn rig up 3.7m and 4m respectively, while I change into waterproofs and wellington boots.12:30pm: After 12 hours of travel, Timo finally hits the water. Swell starts kicking in. Its go time!1:00pm: Conditions fire up. Side offshore winds make for super-clean waves. Massive aerials. Hollow bowls. This is what we came for!1.30pm: Finn has to come off the water for a work zoom calldoh but not to worry his wife Katie is subbed on to take over on the water. Katie is on a 3.7m and looked maxed out on the wave.2:00pm: More aerials, more hollow bowls and more epic ridesYou have to make the most of these days when you have travelled all this way!4pm: Lars Peterson rocks up to join the party and hits the water just as some of the biggest sets of the day start to roll in.4.15pm: Myself and Timo and locked and loaded back in the car, racing to return Timos gear and catch our 8:50pm flight. No stress at all.6.45pm: We make it to Timos mums where there is some lovely brazing steak, mash potatoes and pees on offer, followed by apple pie and ice cream. There is not much time for niceties, and we have to leave for the airport by ten past seven.8.00pm: Checked in at Belfast with Easyjet. Security done. Ready to collapse.8.50pm: Planes departs. Both fall asleep immediately for the duration of flight. 10.00pm: Land at Gatwick. Retrieve bags. Then spend 30 minutes trying to remember where we parked the car.10.30pm: Found the car in the long-term parking and hit the road bound for Southampton.11.15pm: Hit a diversion that takes us backwards 10 miles! Just what we needed!1.00am: Timo drops me at the Southampton ferry terminal where the waiting room is closed. I have not alternative but to sleep outside on the concrete until my boat goes at 3am! A true low point!3am: Finally on the ferry home. Fall asleep and am waken up by staff as we arrive at 4am in Cowes.4.10am: Back in my car and homebound. Almost there!4.40am. I stumble back into my house. Dog wakes up and barks, wife scowls againfinally home. Was that all worth it? Hmmm tough one!The post ARE WE MAD? JC AND TIMOS DAY TRIP TO IRELAND appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

GOLLITO ESTREDO: NEW CHAPTERGOLLITO ESTREDO:NEW CHAPTERFrom humble beginnings as the son of a fisherman in Venezuela, Gollito Estredo rose against the odds to become a professional windsurfer and to become one of the sports all-time greats, claiming the PWA Freestyle World Title an astonishing nine times. Now, hes embracing a new challenge: wingfoiling. Axel Reese explores Estredos bold transition to the wingfoil tour and what lies ahead in this exciting new chapter.Words: Axel Reese // Photos: Axel Reese / John Carter / Toby Bromwich / Wingfoil tour.Gollito Estredo! Hardly any other name is as familiar to us as that of the now 34-year-old wingfoil pro, which is due to the fact that the Venezuelan has won an incredible nine world championship titles in windsurfing freestyle and has mastered windsurfing freestyle and is considered one of the greats of windsurfing. Then, four years ago, the big switch: instead of the Windsurf Freestyle World Cup, he entered the Wingfoil World Cup!Axel Reese takes a look back at Gollitos career.Gollito grew up in the windy fishing village of El Yaque on the Venezuelan island of Isla Margherita.At the age of 12, something clicked for him, because in the wake of the emerging windsurfing tourism in this very fishing village of El Yaque, windsurfing was the only thing on his mind. His father had long since left at the time and so he shared a only one- room with his grandmother, mother and siblings.In this respect, it is a childhood that is hard for us Europeans to comprehend. Wishes for windsurfing equipment were purely illusory, as there were hardly any financial resources. There was only what you really needed to live, i.e. just enough to eat and a room for the family to live in.And there was really only one future, that of a fisherman, which is what all the boys in the village learnt. And if windsurfing tourism hadnt come to this small village in the early 1990s, Gollito would have been one of those fishermen, just like his father and grandfather.For the children and young people of the village, it just meant going to school for a bit and then hanging out at the surf stations along the always windy village and being able to help out a little.School and windsurfing instead!Gollito, just 12 years old at the time, would sit on the fence of the Planet Allsports centre every afternoon and watch the windsurfing tourists perform tricks and jumps, before imitating exactly what he had just seen on the old windsurfing board and sail at the surf station! And so the repertoire of freestyle tricks of guys like Gollito, Cheo Diaz, Ricardo Campello and others exploded. Of course, because on the one hand, the spots in the southern Caribbean are blessed with wind all year round and on the other hand, school was taken less and less seriously by the boys, as there was no compulsory education on Isla Margherita at the time. As a result, Gollitos seriousness about going to school dwindled quite quickly, as neither as a fisherman nor as a labourer at the surfing stations was schooling urgently needed. Gollito quickly joined the extended windsurfing team of Fanatic and North Sails and at the age of just 14! he took part in his first Freestyle World Cup in Bonaire and achieved a good result, which gave him a ticket to the World Cup team and paved the way for a great professional windsurfing career.The first time in cold EuropeGollito visited Germany for the first time during the German SURF Magazine test week in May 2004. On the island of Fehmarn, he receives his first windsurfing equipment from the sponsor as well as his first wetsuit, his first thick jacket and a warm hat!The departure into a new world, which was almost impossible for most young people of the same age on his island. For Gollito, however, it was also a challenge to have to learn a lot, such as a new language, the organisation of World Cup events, travelling with stays in hotels and, finally, the seriousness of working professionally. During a photo shoot that we did over a week in El Yaque in December 2004, either Gollito or his mate Cheo Diaz were not at the start in the morning. Normal for these guys, who were already well paid at the time, and so abnormal for serious Europeans!More and more successes soon followed and Gollito was able to win his first world title in windsurfing freestyle at the age of 17! Even back then, one of the keys to his success was simply playing in so many situations and learning even the most difficult freestyle tricks, far removed from his probably non-existent sense of pain.Gollito dominated windsurf freestyle for more than a decade and became the worlds most successful windsurf freestyler of all time, shaping the discipline like no other. Four years ago, he switched sides and joined the Wingfoil World Cup!Axel Reese Interview with Gollito Estredo:Your windsurfing career started on the beach of El Yaque on Margherita Island. That was in 2001 and we got to know each other because you spent so much time sitting on the fence of the Planet Allsports surf centre and watching the windsurfers. GE: Yes, I actually sat there every afternoon and watched the windsurfers so that I could copy their moves an hour later (laughs). I usually learnt these tricks quite quickly after a few attempts.Your parents werent able to buy you windsurfing equipment. You helped out at the centres and were then allowed to use the equipment.GE: Yes, it was a hard and exhausting time. Our family had to see that they could get by somehow and prioritise things, which of course didnt include windsurfing. I was already so full of windsurfing at the age of 11 or 12 and wasnt interested in anything else apart from school. And our village of El Yaque was also booming thanks to windsurfing tourism, which developed quite suddenly, with hotels, windsurfing centres and so on springing up all over the place.I was allowed to help out a bit every day at the Planet Allsports centre, preparing boards and sails for the windsurfers and hosing them down with fresh water after the sessions. And in return, I was allowed to pull a small wave board off the shelf and learn lots of tricks! It was a great time.Gollito dominated windsurf freestyle for more than a decade and became the worlds most successful windsurf freestyler of all time, shaping the discipline like no other. Four years ago, he switched sides and joined the Wingfoil World Cup!How did you become a professional windsurfer in the years that followed?GE: I came to the attention of the Fanatic and North Sails brands and got the opportunity to compete in Freestyle World Cups. I was able to achieve better and better results and so it took the course of a very successful career as a professional windsurfer.Between 2006 and 2018, you won an almost unbelievable nine freestyle world championship titles. You dominated freestyle almost at will, you were the almost unassailable dominator, werent you?GE: I tried to keep windsurfing freestyle at a very high level and at the same time to push it, in other words, to keep progressing. So I trained non-stop, pushing myself in as many locations as possible with epic freestyle conditions and trying to push the limits higher and higher. The goal was always to be on the podium and, ideally, to become world champion.Which you managed to do nine times! Pushing the limits further up, which freestyle moves did you invent?GE: They were the Pasko, the Culo, the Spock Culo and of course the Burner, to which I owe at least one World Championship title. There are also combinations of these moves.Which freestyle moves have you been able to adapt from windsurfing to wingfoiling?GE: Yes, thats a good question, because one of the main reasons why I started wingfoiling was that I was able to pick up so many moves from windsurfing. For example, the backloop, the frontloop and the pushloop.These are all jumps that I was able to learn very quickly while wingfoiling because I had already learnt them beforehand i.e. while windsurfing.What only a few windsurfers know is that you have also kite-surfed at a World Cup level in strapless freestyle! You took part in the Kitesurf Strapless World Cup in Prea, Brazil, and when you saw your movements there, you could only imagine what you could have achieved with even more intensity. GE: And I was so motivated at the beginning. I did it alongside windsurfing for about three or four years and then lost motivation and then pushed windsurfing in the waves, wavesailing.And to look at the whole thing. So what do you have your heart set on, windsurfing, kitesurfing or wingfoiling?GE: Its definitely wingfoiling. I still love windsurfing freestyle, but I stopped doing it so intensively about three years ago.That brings us to the here and now. From the windsurfing mecca of El Yaque on the Caribbean island of Isla Margherita, over many days in Hamburg, youve now made Lake Garda your home now as a family man. Did wingfoiling bring you to this windsurfing metropolis?GE: Yes, Lake Garda is fantastic for wingfoiling and also for windsurfing freestyle and IQ foiling. And then of course my wife and our two children, as they all have Italian as well as Venezuelan citizenship. We wanted to live in a different place for a few years.Sorry, I had forgotten that you had also been very active in the Olympic windsurfing class, iQFOiL, for the past three years. GE: That was such a good experience for me! I took part in so many international iQFOiL regattas and learnt a lot about racing, which is now helping me a lot in wingfoil slalom.As I said, youve spent a lot of time on the wingfoil board in the last two years and take part in the Wingfoil World Cups in the Freestyle and FreeFly Slalom disciplines. And here too, your skills are at an absolute World Cup level. GE: To stay on the subject of wingfoil slalom, I learnt a lot in the windsurf iQFOiL class that I can now use in wingfoiling. Its a completely different story in freestyle now, because the level is rising and rising and theres no end in sight to this development. Teenagers are doing such crazy things on the water!What are your ultimate goals in wingfoiling?GE: I have the clear goal of finishing on the podium in the Wingfoil FreeFly Slalom.Talking about teenagers in freestyle: you entered the Windsurf World Cup in 2003 at the age of just 14. Many of your fellow competitors in the Wingfoil World Cup are teenagers today. How do you feel at the age of 34 compared to these guys?GE: I see it, I feel it! And I try to beat these kids, but its becoming increasingly difficult. At the end of the day, I understand that very well, because I was just as young once and did just as crazy things, there was no fear of serious falls and the associated pain! You had to be very young in freestyle to get to the top. You have to start at the age of maybe 11 or 12 and train a lot to make it into the top 5 or even onto the podium. And the current generation in wingfoil freestyle doesnt need that much strength for the tricks.In other words, there is now also a gap to the hardcore tricks like a 1080, where you say, hey, these are tricks where I have to see if I can even keep up? GE: Let me put it another way, Ive already seen such crazy tricks that Im certainly not going to practise any more. Because you have to be even smaller and even lighter and have a mentality that still allows you to do these tricks, just like when I you said it entered the Windsurf Freestyle World Cup at the age of 14. But today? I cannot train this kind of crazy tricks now!Your mate Ricardo Campello (windsurfing pro from El Yaque, three-time freestyle world champion and four-time vice world championship in the wave discipline, the ed.) has recently returned to El Yaque. Where will your journey take you? GE: Yes, weve just moved back to Venezuela. We live here in the town of Porlamar on the island of Margherita, not far from El Yaque. Porlamar is very convenient for us as a family and we have a house in El Yaque for the weekends.What are your long-term goals?GE: We see our centre of life here on Margherita. And Im in the process of setting up a surf centre in El Yaque. I left my island a long time ago to come back to my island!The post GOLLITO ESTREDO: NEW CHAPTER appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

ROSS WILLIAMS: LIFE AFTER THE PODIUM.ROSS WILLIAMS: LIFE AFTER THE PODIUM.TRADEWINDS!Ross Williams has lived the highs and lows of international windsurfing competition and is now navigating a new direction, running a caf back at home on the Isle of Wight. In this candid conversation, he reflects on stepping away from the pro circuit, the challenges of dealing with life after competition and finding fulfilment in his life after the podium!WS: So, when was your last PWA event?RW: The last event was in 2019 in New Caledonia, I believe. I didnt have a particularly great event, but the last day was good for me. I think we had three full races; I won a losers final. I think I sailed over early in another final and won the second-to-last race.I still have that footage because there was some really nice drone footage from that! I sometimes watch that back and go wow, you know, like you could still compete at the highest level, when I kind of knew I was going to be stepping back and not doing much. I did plan to do half the tour in 2020, but COVID hit!WS: COVID kind of accelerated the end your competition career, do you think?RW: In a way, but not really, because I was already stepping back. Our daughter Sienna was born that year. COVID then happened. I was planning to do half the tour, but I was enjoying not doing it.I still enjoyed competing, but I enjoyed more being at home with my family. The fresh experience of having your first child, as opposed to traveling, living out of your bags for like the 20th year in a row, felt like the better option. So, I was kind of ready for a change, and I guess COVID, and other factors probably just made me look at life in a different way. I mean, my dad was also on his last legs as well, losing his battle with cancer later on during that year.Its just, I was just like, you know whatIm kind of done with competing. I was still involved with Gaastra/Tabou in the UK and still getting a riders salary, but I was just trying to progress onto the next stage of my career while trying to hold on to some sort of career in windsurfing, which was very difficult because I was never very good with social media.To have that extra bit of career without competing, you kind of needed to be active on social media or doing photo shoots and all that, but I wasnt really getting the budget to do that. I just kind of stayed at home. I did a few little things around the UK with JC and with Jamie Hancock. I was still going to see the shops and doing the agency side of things, but I could feel the windsurfing career slipping away. It wasnt really what I was enjoying anymore. I wasnt getting any enjoyment from it because I just felt like I dont know if relevant is the word, but I just felt like maybe it was just time to put it to bed.If I go windsurfingI wanted to enjoy my windsurfing.But it took me till 2024 before I completely stopped having a sponsorship and stopped being asked to go to places, do photo shoots, do certain things for the brand. It still took four years from that kind of drop-off-the-cliffno competing; for it to fully come to an end. And yes, when it finally happened in 2024, I kind of expected it. I felt like I didnt really deserve to have any sponsorship. I hadnt really done much. It hadnt been my focus for a long time. Id stopped doing the agency. Brexit had happened. A whole bunch of other factors made me stop.I felt like I had swum against the tide for long enough. I felt that I wasnt doing this properly and it was bugging me. I couldnt really give 100%. And it wasnt worth me giving 100% because I wasnt getting a full-time salary, which the job was, a full-time thing, but it wasnt going to provide a full-time salary. I fought for 25 years to have some sort of career in windsurfing, and I was quite happy to step away.Maybe I can come back in a year or tworight now its a precious time of life with the kids at the age they are. And its a precious time to develop my other business; Tradewinds Caf. I always envisioned going back to windsurfing, not as a pro, but to enjoy it again, like I used to.I felt more confident I could provide for the family decently through the caf than windsurfing. So, were just kind of in that process now. And every year Ive been more involved in it. Were expanding and the caf is getting more successful.Would I step back into that windsurfing life again? I wouldnt be surprised if next year I maybe do a couple of trips, if someone offered me some sort of deal. I wouldnt ask for too much, just something to help if I had a plan to go away and do a trip, maybe not Gaastra and Tabou. Maybe someone else, who knows.WS: How long did you compete for?RW: Well, I competed since I was like 9 years old. My first competition was national.I did go down the Olympic route also, one-design, that kind of RYA route. At 16, I realized I was way more gifted toward doing funboard stuff. There was a moment at Easter camp, Guy Cribb was there. It was just like, You should 100% just go down this other route. But I never really had any support from the brands. I won the youth worlds in 97 and in Australia, again in 98.Then, when it all went to Formula windsurfing, I won the U22s and I was 5th in the world in that big event in Thailand. Thats when I kind of got picked up by Gaastra and Starboard. They gave me a budget to go and do more racing events on the world tour.There were a few events on the world tour I did Brighton 97. I had a delaminated AHD and some old NeilPryde sails, but I still came 14th. I was like 17. I went to Paros in 98, again on Gaastra and from there I kind of developed a relationship with Gaastra.There was no racing on the PWA at the time and I wasnt really well-known enough in waves to take that step internationally, even though Id beaten Jamie Hawkins, Julian Anderson and Nigel Howell at the end of White Air in 1999 Id kind of got to the top of wave sailing in the UK. But I still wasnt getting support to go internationally.It probably wasnt until 20022003 that there started to be a bit more of a racing tour. I started doing Super-X racing and competing in Europe, with the Euro Cups. They were my bread and butter for 5 to 6 years. We were cleaning up. Yeah, it was great, traveling around, a whole group of us, band of brothers, doing events every couple weeks around Europe all summer. The prize money wasnt great, but similar to what it is now. If you won, youd make 34 grand and go on to the next one. That prize money paid for off season trips to Hawaii or South Africa.When the tour came back, I was fortunateI was looked after by Barry Spanier and the team. Scott Fenton left and I kind of came in as his junior. I learned more about sail development, being part of a team, working together for world titlesmaybe not for me, but helping people like Kevin and Matt. I was learning a lot. They were great times.WS: But for now, your life is all about Tradewinds Caf.RW: Yeah. In 2019, my wife Loreley and I left Hawaii. We were married a couple of years. It sucked that I would go away for eight months and not see her. I said, look, you can come to the UK. Im a tax resident here. From my windsurfing career Id saved enough to buy a house and purchase Tradewinds Caf. I just kind of threw her in hereshe didnt know how to drive on this side of the road, didnt know the area, could just about cook and I threw her into the caf to run it while I was away competing.But instead of going all the way to Hawaii, with all the events in Europe, it was easier.She got pregnant that year2019. By the end of the season, I was spending more time at the caf. The caf started out as a seasonal project but now it is open all year around. We had always planned to close in September and go traveling. But with pregnancy, and stepping away from competing, we needed to focus on the business. Then COVID came. You didnt know where you stood with the brands. Would they still commit to sponsorships? Youd hear stories of people not getting paid. Fortunately, my sponsors, Gaastra and Tabou were always very good and honoured their agreements. I used that time to step more into the caf, first into the kitchen. I had never done it before. I enjoyed cooking for myself, but now I was cheffing for everyone and learning on the go. It was trial by fire.I took the mentality of windsurfing and applied it to the cafnever give up, always be prepared. If the caf next to you opens at 9 and gets there at 8, Ill be there at 6 and ready by 8. There were lots of similarities to the way I approached windsurfing. I knew if I wanted to be successful, I couldnt rely on anyone else.WS: Youve got a successful business now, but you dont have that windsurf competition side fuelling the firehow do you deal with that?RW: When it started going into foiling, I could see issues. The number of competitors were dwindling. It became more expensive and more elitistif you didnt have the top foil, it was impossible to compete. I could see it coming. The moment we started foiling on the PWA, I kind of checked out. This was going to go one of two waysthe guys working with foil companies would be on top. And they were. You just didnt stand a chance. So, I lost complete interest. I look at the top guys in foiling and slalom today, they are great, awesome sailors, totally dedicated, but that racing no longer appeals to me.WS: Does a good day at the caf feel the same as winning a race or a good day on the water?RW: No. F*** no! Definitely not. Its more like you have a good day at the caf, get to the end, and youre just relieved. Relieved you got through the day. Youre not completely broke. Youve survived. Youve got a great family, beautiful wife, beautiful kidsthats what life is about. Windsurfing was a different high. A self-absorbed high. Its always about me! And I always struggled with thatthe constant banter with your competitors who are also your friends. It was tiring.WS: When you came back and did a UK racing eventdid you feel you had to win?RW: Yeah. I dont think I lost for a long time. Maybe in waves I lost a few, but the majority of the time I won in racing. At race events, I would be very dissapointed if I lost. In waves, we had a higher level Ben Proffitt, Phil Horrocks, Andy king, John Skye, Jamie Hancock, and Coxy! I knew my strong points and weaknesses. If it was wave riding, I could eke it out. If it was jumping, I would struggle to win. I enjoyed that part of the competing.WS: You won a PWA in Austria, right?RW: Just one PWA win, yeahone in Austria. I won another in Hungary but didnt complete enough races to make it count. It was super light winds! And then I had a string of secondsmaybe four or five seconds. I should have won an event in Sylt, but I went out and partied on the last night. When I think about it, I could have been more focused, more results driven. But I was someone who lived the lifestylethe lifestyle of a beach sport.When I was racing, it sucked when you turned up and I knew I wasnt going to win.And there were a few years that I knew our gear didnt suite my style of racing. You do lose interest when you have to do like eight or nine events and you know that your gear is not as fast as it could be. What works for me probably doesnt work for, for everyone. I think I was quite a unique rider. I felt like I did deserve to maybe have a little bit more say on the equipment side; maybe I didnt never really pushed it. You know, other people in the team were very much larger than life characters that have very much had a good way of articulating what they wanted in a board, whereas I was like a lot less pushy. Id always chuck my hat in and go testing. If anyone asked me to go test, I would definitely go test and Id definitely give me, give my feedback.I was taught when I worked with the Team to always find your strongest sailor and build the gear for those guys, give them the best equipment and they win titles. Thats the way it was. And it never came. Whether thats because of my character or whether my sponsors were just hedging their bets! They knew I would do pretty good on whatever gear I was given, but I felt it was a shame that the gear wasnt built to suite me to give me the best chance of winning more titles.WS: So how much are you getting out on the water recently?RW: I sailed two weeks ago, I think, and that was the first time since December! Ive never had that long of going without sailing. I do miss it, but at the same time, Im currently just trying to sell all my windsurfing equipment! Im ready for a new chapter! I will probably have to buy new gear, so Im going to choose what I want to ride.I would like I would like to obviously like to get a deal, but if thats not available, then Ill probably just limit my gear and buy one board and three sails and just go sailing whenever I want. I wont have to post on social media! Its nice to have that freedom and to windsurf for your pure own pleasure.WS: So, life after the podium is not too bad?RW: It has been an adjustment. I do miss, you do miss certain things, you know, the, the fun I had on touron the water, off the water and traveling around the world. I dont miss travelling with those massive amounts of equipment! It was crazythe crazy things that we were doing on tour was absolutely nuts!I still have lots of friends from the racing days but like I dont see that ever happening again. That era is over is over for me! I have the family and my caf, and I can sail when I want for fun.The post ROSS WILLIAMS: LIFE AFTER THE PODIUM. appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.

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Download or read online the FREE October 2025 Joomag digital edition of the Paddler Magazinehttps://joom.ag/Pg2dAlso available to purchase in perfect-bound and high-quality glossy print https://paddlerezine.com/printed-subs/

WORDS:SIMON HAMMONDPHOTOS:KEIRAN HAMMONDWWW.RAKKER.CO.UKKeiran HammondKeiran Hammond runs a Creative Agency called Rakker, based in Cornwall, and is always interested in an outdoor sports project.Simon HammondSimon Hammond is his Dad. He works as an international surf and sea kayak coach. Regularly runs sea kayak surf workshops from his base in Bude, Cornwall. Author of the book Surf Kayaking: The Essential Guide and former World Surf Kayaking Champion.Simon HammondFeel the force (of the Beachward Rudder)Wouldnt it be brilliant if you could catch a wave and then, without any effort, simply surf straight towards the shore? Unfortunately, the wave has other ideas. Unless you freakishly manage to catch it at precisely 90 degrees, youll likely stay in a straight line for a moment, but youll always end up being turned one way or the other. But you dont have to accept this, and you dont even have to remember your left from your right. Let the environment give you all the clues you need. As your craft starts to swing one way or the other, you will instantly have one side of your craft facing out to sea, and the other side of your craft facing the beach.Place a deep and positive stern rudder on yourBeachward Side, push outwards, and hey presto, you will straighten up!Straightening up is essential if you want to maintain and control your ride towards the shore. Without some intervention from the paddler, a wave will always try to turn you sideways. If its a green, unbroken swell, then this will lead you to falling off the back of the wave, and if its a white water, broken wave, youll end up either skimming sideways to the shore or (what everyone fears the most) catching an edge and capsizing.Sea kayakers can have a lot of fun in the surf. Sure, a Sea Kayak isnt as manoeuvrable as a short boat, but its got great hull speed, and with an accurate take-off and quick ruddering, you can enjoy and control your ride to the shore.Hull speedThe longer the craft, the higher its hull speed. So, if you put a sea kayak next to a short boat or a surfboard, then the sea kayak will always be capable of moving at a higher speed. In the surf, this means that a sea kayak can catch a wave much earlier than a short boater or a surfboarder. Catching a green wave when it is still a shallow swell gives the sea kayaker a huge advantage over other surfers, but on a crowded beach, its not something that should be overdone unless you want to be the most unpopular person in the sea.However, in the right situation, an early take-off gives you a little more time to think before you need to act. Catching a wave as a green swell is also much smoother than catching a white-water wave with all of its turbulence. In a perfect world, a slow-moving, small green swell is ideal for a sea kayaker to develop their surfing skills.Wave choiceWaves come in all sizes, and to be honest, a lot of those sizes are scary! And if youre scared, you wont be thinking. If youre not able to think, you wont be able to develop and refine a new skill.So dont practice in scary surf. If the surf is only very small, you might be able to practice on green swell from the start, but most of the time the surf is too big, and youll be much better off practising on small white-water broken waves, which have lost some of their energy. Additional benefits of riding small white-water waves are that you arent wasting loads of energy trying to paddle out through large breaking waves constantly, and if you do take a swim, you wont be far from shore; in fact, youll probably be in standing depth.Accurate take-offThere are two sorts of accuracy when it comes to taking off on a wave. The first is choosing the best stage of the waves evolution, and the second is your take-off angle.A wave will go through a series of stages as it approaches shallow water. First, the swell becomes distinct but with a shallow slope. Next, the slope becomes steeper, and then it becomes so steep that the wave crest starts to break; the whole wave then crashes down on itself. Finally, the entire wave becomes a tumbling mass of white-water, getting smaller and calmer as it approaches the shoreline.Ideally, choose a surf spot where these phases run through as slowly and predictably as possible. A shallow-sloping sandy beach will often create these conditions.Try to be accurate with your observation, positioning and selection of which of these phases you choose to catch the wave. Try to catch a wave too early in this evolution, and the waves slope will be too little to push you along. Leave it too late and catch a wave as it breaks, and youll be out of control from the start. From experience, I would recommend catching either a sloping green face that is just steep enough to catch or play safe and catch the wave after its broken and has turned into a smaller, uniform white-water wave.The second element of accuracy is the angle of your kayak as the wave catches you. We all know that youll need to paddle hard and fast to catch a wave, but often this is done too aggressively, causing the kayak to wiggle violently as you accelerate onto the wave. It is so critical that you are as close to 90 degrees as possible when the wave takes control that this wiggling can really mess things up at the very start of your ride.My advice would be to accelerate hard in front of the wave to build up speed; four to six hard paddle strokes should be enough, then, as you start to feel the wave lifting your stern, focus more on calming down your paddle strokes to maintain a smooth 90-degree angle to the wave as you are caught. Your last paddle stroke is critical and should be all about maintaining a straight take-off rather than accelerating. The closer you can be to 90 degrees, the more time you will have to control your ride before the wave turns you to one side or the other.RudderingThis is simple and so effective, but you have to be quick in deciding which side to place your paddle. Whatever craft you are paddling, the wave will turn you to one side or the other. The longer your craft, the more force the wave will apply to turning you off course, and the tighter the angles you have to play with.So, as soon as you feel your kayak turning to the side, get that beachward rudder locked in. Its best if this rudder is deep with the paddle blade running parallel to the kayak. Once its placed, be confident, hold it deep and firm and push it forcibly away from the kayak. This action will then start to turn your kayak back towards the shore, straightening it up.Ruddering on your beachward side doesnt immediately feel safe or natural. If youre anxious, you will tend to favour a rudder/support on your seaward side instead, which is another reason why you really need to develop this skill in small, relaxing conditions. Keep practising placing your rudder on the beachward side of your kayak until youre doing it without thinking.My top tip for this rudder position is to push the paddle blade deep while simultaneously leaning your head and upper body away from it. Pretend that there is something really smelly spread on your paddle shaft and that you are moving your head and nose as far away from it as possible because it smells so bad. At the same time, make your arms as long as possible, holding the paddle blade as deep under the surface as you can. As your head and body pull away from the paddle, you will also raise your beachward knee, stopping your kayak from catching an edge.Now you might just do this so well that you overdo it, and instead of being straight, you end up turning your kayak back in the opposite direction. Dont panic! Just remove your rudder from the water and chop it back in on the new beachward side. You can even play with a series of these chop rudders with your kayak, following a series of tight wiggles towards the shore.If you let your kayak turn too much before initiating your ruddering, the best you can do is to hold a diagonal angle with your most forceful beachward rudder. Dont see this stuck rudder as a failure, as its the basis of surfing across a wave face and the foundation skill of all surf kayaking.When the wave winsHowever, the wave will always win, and at some point, you will end up at an angle across the wave that is too much for any rudder to correct. With a little experience, you will start to feel when this moment is being approached.The trick is to accept that the wave has won and to change your plan. Get your rudder out of the water and keep your craft as flat as possible, adopt a strong, forward-leaning body position and add a low brace on your seaward side.Dont just collapse into the wave; instead, keep the hull of your kayak as flat as possible, allowing it to skim towards the shore, whilst you keep your upper body upright and in balance. The seaward brace should be virtually non-existent or at most very soft; its there for psychological reasons much more than for physical support.Enjoy the final stage of your ride as you skim smoothly, with firm body tension towards the shore.So thats all there is to it. You wont get it all correct on your first wave, so be patient and enjoy the process. Choose a location with plenty of space and, ideally, a nice, slow-breaking wave. Start with small, weak waves and progress gently. Enjoy being part of the surfing community and have a great time.

WORDS:DEL CLAREPHOTOS:DEL ClareDel Readhttps://delkayaks.co.uk @del_likes_kayakingFreestyle, friendships & fun The GB freestyle kayaking academy camp 2025Picture this: 38 teenage kayakers, a week of white water, and a campsite buzzing with energy. Thats the GB Freestyle Kayaking Academy Camp at Holme Pierrepont (HPP). It has become an annual summer event that blends freestyle kayaking, friendship, and pure joy. Now in its third year, the camp continues to grow, and Ive been lucky to be part of the volunteer team that runs the camp each time. Heres my behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 camp.What is the GB freestyle academy camp?As you might be able to tell from the name, this was a week-long camp run by GB Freestyle, which focused on developing junior (11-17) paddlers in freestyle. The core purpose of the camp was for the paddlers who attended to have a great time, to develop their freestyle and other skills, and to leave them with the confidence to continue growing both as paddlers and as freestyle enthusiasts.The overriding goal of the camp is to spread the love of freestyle kayaking as a sport. By nurturing the enthusiasm of these junior paddlers, the hope is that they themselves are then in a position to encourage and inspire others that they know (parents, clubs, school friends, etc) to get involved and give it a go!Paddlers who attended the camp had to be first nominated by their club and then selected by the freestyle committee to gain a place. Clubs had been invited to nominate any junior paddlers for the camp, and to nominate a paddler. It was a tough selection process, but ultimately 38 young paddlers were nominated and chosen to attend. This is the third year of the camp, and I really feel that it has grown and developed significantly since we first ran it two years ago.Week of the campDay 1: MondayAfter many months of preparations and a weekend of camp set-up, the GB freestyle academy camp officially kicked off at 08:00 on Monday. Young paddlers started arriving at the camp, laden with bags, kayaks, and paddles, ready for a week on the water.Bethan, Laura, and I did the signing-in process. Laura and Bethan dealt with important matters, such as medical consent forms and behaviour contracts. I had the fun job of finding the correct name badge for each paddler and trying to subtly get everyone to sign the first of the birthday cards. We had three birthdays at camp this week, starting with Elsies, who was turning 14.Once everyone had arrived and was signed in, we held a camp briefing to review the key points for the week. A session of kayak outfitting and tent set-up followed this.We were fortunate to have had several kayaks to loan out to paddlers who didnt own their own playboats.A mixture of the GB Freestyle Jed fleet and other playboats loaned by clubs meant that everyone had a playboat they could use for the week. Coaches were helping paddlers ensure they were correctly outfitted in those kayaks, so they had a better time on the water.Lunch followed, and those paddlers who had never attended the camp before found out just how well they get fed at the camp! If there is one thing that doesnt happen at the academy camp, it is that Em and her team let anyone go hungry!Getting startedBy the end of lunch, paddlers were kitted up and ready to walk over to the course! Thirty-eight paddlers, all geared up, are quite a sight as we walk through the campsite. We arrived, and the coaches were all ready to get started. Bibs were on, warm-ups began, and it was time to go kayaking!Each coach and their assistant coach had a group of paddlers, and each group were doing different things. Some groups stayed relatively stationary in one feature for the entire session, while others moved steadily down the course. Some started with a flatwater warm-up on the lake. Others went straight into working on specific moves in Inlet.As the welfare lead during the day, I essentially spent the water sessions wandering up and down the white water course, checking in with groups and paddlers. Anyone who needs a little time out, some medical assistance, or anything else can then come and see me. This also means that I get to see what is going on across the groups, which is really lovely.Despite there being some big showers earlier in the day, it had got very sunny in the afternoon. The warm weather, combined with everyone having lots of energy, meant that everyone seemed to be having a great time. Despite it being a 3-hour session, there were plenty of paddlers still raring to go by the end of it!Once everyone was off the water, we stored the kayaks away and then walked back to camp. Showers and snacks followed, after which coaches had a daily debrief with their groups. Whilst dinner was being prepared, the kids were encouraged to join in with some of the camp activities.Camp activitiesActivities included designing a picture for their tent. Each tent we had given a freestyle move name, e.g. Loop. Each tent group had to create a poster for their tent, which was laminated and tied to the tent. There were some excellent designs, particularly from George and Bella, who both demonstrated artistic talent.One of the activities that Em had brought with her was a nail salon set. One of the groups of girls got started and was quietly enjoying doing their nails. They were joined by one of the boys groups, who quickly got into it. None of the boys had ever done gel nails before and werent quite as practised.Luckily, young Vivienne took charge and was quite happy to direct them on how to do it properly, as well as inform them when they werent doing it correctly. She soon had them in order, and there were some beautiful gel nails across the group by the end of the night! The group gave her the nickname BOSS, which she seemed to be very proud of.A lovely dinner of lasagne was followed by some birthday brownies and singing for Elsie. We did have some birthday candles, but these got misplaced during dinner. Luckily, Becky had a small tealight candle in her van, so this was used as a replacement. Everyone was very happy with the brownies!Pete then retrieved his collection of circus equipment, and a juggling session commenced. It was lovely to look out across the camp as the sun set, to a group of amateur teenage jugglers just having fun and giving it a go! There were some quick learners in the group, and many had really grasped the concept by the end of the evening. Thanks, Pete, for loaning your equipment!Day 2: TuesdayTuesday was the first full day in camp and felt very busy! The campers were up early, had breakfast, and were geared up by 09:30. Matt led them in a group warm-up, which involved penguin impersonations among other things. If you havent met Matt Stephenson before, whilst being an incredible kayaker and kayaking coach, he is also one of the biggest kids at heart you will ever meet. Any chance to be silly and do silly things Matt will take it! He is therefore the perfect person to lead a light-hearted, warm-up on the first proper morning of camp!The white water courseWarm up over, we walked over to the white water course and got on for the morning session. The same coaches led groups as on Monday and were once again working on different skills and towards various goals throughout the course. I had brought my camera along today, so I was busy getting some photos as well as checking in with the coaches and paddlers.Different paddlers will face various challenges, and what was lovely was watching everyone push themselves to meet that challenge. For some of the paddlers, it was their first time surfing on white water; for others, it was their first roll. There were paddlers in Troll Hole trying to link moves or a group working on entry moves into features. It didnt matter what they were working on; the joy on their faces when they got it for the first time was incredible to see!When the coached session came to an end, the coaches spread out along the course, and the paddlers had some free time to paddle as they wished. This, of course, was met with great delight, and we had to drag them off the course when it was time to go back for lunch.After lunch, we headed back to the course for some swim safety and rescue practice. Swimming at HPP is quite okay, as it is pretty deep. This is one of the huge advantages of HPP compared to other white water courses. If you dont roll up, swimming isnt really that bad! However, learning how to swim safely and also how to help rescue someone in a playboat yourself are skills worth learning.The groups were joined together for this session, and it was clearly a lot of fun! With Matt leading the way, they started by swimming down through the Inlet gate, then swimming while holding onto their paddles.This progressed to pairing up with one person kayaking down and the other holding onto the back of their playboat. This did result in a few people being tailgated while going through Inlet, but that is part of the learning process. The pairs swapped over so that each one had a chance to try the paddling part.Finally, Den ended this session by getting them all to jump below Inlet for one last swim. The paddlers were ecstatic (and very soggy) at the end of the session!We ended the afternoon session with an hour of kayaking as well. Once again, when our session came to an end, we had to drag them out of the water. Confidence was really building, and it was hard to remind them they still had 3 days of kayaking to go!Back at the camp, everyone showered and was very glad of a delicious dinner of nachos! Em and the team really do spoil us when it comes to food at the camp! Evening activities then involved doing some juggling and video analysis. Being able to watch videos of a skill performance and constructively analyse that skill is a valuable skill in itself.this is aimed at applying it to watching back kayaking videos and self-coaching, it was good fun for everyone to give it a go with juggling!Day three: WednesdayHalfway through the week! Wednesday morning is a lie-in day, allowing athletes and staff to recover from the first two days and have enough energy to continue for the rest of the week. There is no paddling in the morning; instead, there is a late brunch and other activities. Everyone appreciated the lie-in, but especially coach Gav, who was celebrating his birthday today!The morning activities included designing t-shirts for the new academy camp, learning first aid, playing card games, and some impromptu guitar and singing practice. Becky and Matt had both brought their guitars out, and it turns out we have some very talented musicians in the group especially Phil!In the afternoon, paddlers had the choice to either stay a bit longer at camp or come down to the course a little earlier for some Balsam bashing with Matt. Himalayan Balsam is an invasive weed commonly found along the banks of canals and rivers, and it excels at seed dispersal to the extent that it rapidly outcompetes many of our native plants. This is a problem as it leads to a lower biodiversity, making ecosystems less stable. Matt is a big advocate for Balsam bashing and loves to share that with others.Most of the paddlers opted to do some Balsam Bashing, and so we headed down to the course at midday. After some guidance from Matt, the team got to work. There is something very therapeutic about Balsam Bashing, and the kids soon got very competitive about who had pulled up the most Balsam or who could bash it the hardest. They almost seemed a little sad when we said it was time to go kayaking instead!Different coaching stylesThe rest of the group from camp joined, and everyone got kitted up and on the water. Coaches had changed groups today to give the paddlers a chance to experience different coaching styles. I spent the afternoon supporting groups from the bank and taking photos. My role soon evolved into that of chief snack supervisor.The camp team had kindly left some extra water and snacks by the side of the course. Never underestimate how much a teenager who exercises all day can eat. The homemade cocoa bars and bananas seemed particularly popular. I think the record was four bananas in one snack break by one of the paddlers, which is impressive when they were only there for 10-15 minutes!The paddlers all seemed to be having an excellent time on the water. It was really lovely how encouraging they all were of each other. When a paddler was struggling to paddle back onto a feature, theyd all be in the eddy screaming encouragement for them to paddle back up. When someone nailed a loop or a tailee, thered be shouts of joy from the others in celebration. They might not have realised they were all doing it, but walking along the course and seeing all the groups meant I had the bigger picture, and it was a really wholesome one!Once again, by the time our session had ended and we needed to return to the camp, I was having to drag coaches and their paddlers off the water, as they were all having so much fun. We went back to camp for dinner and raspberry cake for Gavs birthday.In the evening, a virtual talk was arranged with Dr Cooper about how changes in hormones can affect our bodies and performance as paddlers, especially for women. I hadnt clocked who Dr Alison Cooper was until she appeared on the screen and I said to Becky oh, its Olis mum! Oli Cooper is a lovely friend of mine and one of the UKs most talented white water paddlers. Alison is also a phenomenal paddler, and it was great to hear her wisdom from her medical background shared with the group. Thanks, Dr Cooper!Day four: ThursdayThursday turned out to be another beautiful sunny day! Thanks to Gavs birthday the day before and Teijas birthday today, there was the option of a slice of birthday cake to go with breakfast, which, of course, everyone was thrilled about. We got everyone geared up and headed over to the course. There were a couple of paddlers staying behind this morning due to illness or over-tiredness. The option of an extra few hours of sleep was gladly taken, so they felt they had the energy to get back on the water in the afternoon.This mornings water activities involved trying out different types of kayaking. We started with a mass start down to the bottom of the course. Mass starts are always impressive, but when it is done in playboats, perhaps even more so! I particularly enjoyed watching them go through the stickiest of the features Troll Hole. At one point, I looked over to see Brendan charging through Troll Hole, surrounded by not one, not two, but three upside-down fellow paddlers. It was pretty impressive!Once everyone made it to the bottom, we headed back to the top to try out another activity. There was the option to try either squirt boating or OC1 (or both!) There was also the option to try doing some races off the ramp. This is always a fantastic spectator sport, and as I took some photos, a few paddlers came over to join me on the side to watch. Many of the paddlers hadnt had a go at a ramp start over water before, and so were a little nervous, but they all smashed it!Squirt boating and OC1I popped over to see the squirt boaters and OC1 paddlers who were also having a great time! Both squirt boating and OC1 take a little getting used to if you havent tried them before, but the group of paddlers involved looked like they were having the best time!We headed back to camp for some lunch before getting ready for the afternoon session.I decided it would be great to let the paddlers take over their warm-up whilst we rallied everyone into getting prepared to go to the course. George was happy to take on the warm-up lead and soon had everyone gathered in a circle, working through some stretches. Excellent work, instructor George! Once warmed up and sun creamed up, we walked back over to the course.The afternoon was dedicated to coached freestyle sessions, and the groups were with the same coaches that they had been with on Wednesday. It was a long, sunny afternoon as I wandered up and down the course, taking photos and checking in with the groups; everyone seemed to be having the best time.Beckys group were working on boofing through Inlet to start with. It was amazing to watch Vivienne (A.K.A. Boss) manage to get an accidental back loop in her run as well! She looked slightly surprised afterwards, but the other paddlers watching were all very impressed! Vivienne also did a fantastic job of helping her group with kayaks and paddlers. She was an assistant fisher and was really helpful in supporting other paddlers who had capsized. Well done, Vivienne!Matts group were working on a range of moves in Inlet. I stayed a little while to take some photos and was very impressed when Dylan looped so hard that he went out of the frame of my photo. I first met Dylan about four years ago when he was a very keen young freestyle skier. Whilst little certainly cant be used to describe Dylan any more at 17, he is still super enthusiastic, and it was lovely to see him having such a beautiful time at camp again this year.Gav and Tamsyn had groups working on surfing, spins and more on Jaws. Its very impressive to watch Gav coach something like this, as he is so comfortable that he can still be in the surf and fully describe the breakdown of each move to the group as he does it. Owen was thrilled to nail his surfing on Jaws and looked very happy while doing so. Owen came to the camp last year with little white water experience, and now he is so comfortable in a playboat, which is amazing to see! He is also the happiest person Ive ever met every time I saw him, he had a huge smile on his face!At Muncher, Mike and Otties groups were both working on a variety of moves, including entry moves. Muncher is a funny feature and one that people often seem to dislike. It is easy to get flushed off of it, and it can be harder to land moves on compared to something like Inlet. It was great to hear from paddlers, though, that by the end of the afternoon, they had really taken to Muncher. Mason said his opinion of Muncher had really improved that day, and he was now starting to enjoy paddling in it, which is excellent!At the end of the session, I headed back up to Inlet, where Beckys group were now practising some surfing. George was so happy from surfing in Inlet and even happier that Id got some photos of him. It was a really positive end to the session.I rallied the groups to leave at the end of the session, and we were soon on our way, walking back to the course. After dropping the paddlers back at the campsite, I returned to the course to take some extra photos for the coaches. There was a special occasion to celebrate as coach Becky had graduated! We celebrated with a little private girls photoshoot, which was really fun. Well done, Becky!Back at camp, it was busy as usual a delicious BBQ dinner, followed by my homemade chocolate ice cream. Olly had made the ice cream himself, and it was tasty, so thanks, Olly! Everyone was happy, either relaxing or engaging in various activities, such as playing ball games or board games. It was a lovely, chilled-out, wholesome atmosphere to end the last night of camp.Day five: FridayThe final day of camp was here! The morning felt slow and quiet, as both the kids and the staff were absolutely exhausted by this point. The atmosphere was positive, however, and everyone was keen to get back on for that final session.I really enjoy this point in the camp, as everyone has got to know each other quite well, and the weird friendships begin to emerge. I was treated to being part of circle time with one group, who were setting each other challenges, such as a press-up with a clap behind your back. This, of course, resulted in most people landing flat on their faces with their hands behind their backs instead. I didnt quite see the appeal myself, but they seemed to enjoy it!Once everyone was ready, we gathered for some final group photos of both staff and paddlers. One final warm-up led by Alex, and we headed off to the course. After many days of glorious sunshine, this final morning was spent in a steady drizzle. By the time we got to the course, I was regretting not bringing my umbrella. Never mind, though the paddlers were all still happy as they were getting wet anyway!The morning began with coaching, followed by free time during which the paddlers could choose to paddle whatever they liked. They were loving this, and by the time the session ended, it was really hard to get them all off the water again, which is lovely. The whole point of the camp is to develop young paddlers in freestyle and foster their love for the sport, so it was great that they all wanted to continue paddling.We then had a team effort to get everyones kayaks in a van or on the roof of a car. Luckily, many parents had come along to watch for the morning, and thankfully, several of them were happy to transport a few kayaks down to the campsite. One final roll call later, and we were walking back for the final time.When we returned to the campsite, I had to leave promptly, as I was actually headed straight to Dover to drive to Austria for a kayaking holiday. It was a shame not to see everyone properly, but I shouted my goodbyes and had lots of kids heads appear from tents as they packed their bags to say goodbye back, which was nice.The team behind the dreamThis camp would not be able to run without the considerable help of all of the volunteers involved. This was split into three main teams: the coaches, the pastoral care team, and the wider camp organisation team. There was a significant overlap between the pastoral team and the camp team, and, of course, many of the coaches also took on a pastoral role this week.The main coaches were Tamsyn, Mike, Matt, Den, Ottie, Gav and Becky. Their assistant coaches included Neil, Sol, JP, Pete, Lisette, Math and Issie. The talent within the coaching team, in terms of paddling and coaching skills, was phenomenal. The opportunity for the young paddlers to have that knowledge passed on from those coaches was huge, and I know many paddlers really appreciated and valued that opportunity.The core camp team consisted of the Walkers (Em, Baz, and Olly), who have all been involved in all the camps so far and bring a great deal to the team. Running a camp that feeds 60 people four times a day is no small thing! Without the Walker family, the camp experience would not be the same for sure!They were, of course, joined by a wider team of Nikki, Lisa, and Rob. Bethan and Laura were the pastoral leads at the campsite, and I was leading pastoral during the day at the white water course. We were fortunate as well that Laura had a medical background and could therefore lead on this. Many of the coaches were also very involved in helping to run camp life.The care and dedication shown by all the volunteers throughout the week to ensure that the camp participants had a good week were incredible. There was a great deal of goodwill invested in making things happen and taking care of all the camp members. Thank you to the entire team for all that you have given.Thank you also to Peak Paddlesports, Palm Equipment, Pyranha Kayaks and Dewerstone for donating some hats and stickers to give out to paddlers over the week.The Peak caps were given as spot prizes to attendees who truly stood out for having a great attitude during camp, and the stickers were distributed to all paddlers. We appreciate the companies that support our paddlers.A final massive thank you to River Legacy and GB Freestyle, of course, for providing the marquee and tents that are the core of the camp set-up. Camp couldnt happen without you!Final reflectionsThis is my third year of involvement in running the GB Freestyle Academy Camp, and I am glad to be back again. Whilst I am utterly exhausted whilst writing this, it was once again a fantastic experience.I love paddling, and I love the paddling community more than words can describe. Volunteering to give this opportunity to young people has been an absolute pleasure. I have loved the chance to watch them grow over the week and am excited to see what the future holds for each of them.I hope all attendees had a wonderful time and can now return to their own clubs and local paddling communities, giving back some of what they have received this week.Happy paddling, everyone see you on the water!