IWC/SHQ - JP Australia, NP Caravan of Horror

Well just another brilliant weekend. Where do I start - BIGGGGG thanks has to go to SHQ, JP Australia and Neil Pryde for putting together this great concept with the trailer and lovely lovely toys to play with. Big thanks to Luke and Krystal for the time they spent with IWC members in coaching and discussion about equipment. Also special thanks to WV and SHQ School for loaning us some extra equipment

Even bigger thanks goes to the great IWC members that gave up heaps of there time in running and organising this event. To the coaches KATO, Simmo(BMC the First), Dan(BMC the Second), Mick, Pete and Krystal(are you a member yet!) excellent job and it was fantastic to hear the buzz from all the students as they came off the water.
To our photographer - Robbie K who is just doing a brilliant job and his quality and ability to capture those special moments is just getting better and better. To Tash, Cara and Roy giving up heaps of your time to feed the hungry hoards for breakfast and lunch. Lots of happy well feed campers. Thanks to Tash we added cake to the menu - yummy.
Sorry if I have missed anybody.

Saturday was a brilliant day for the beginners as we saw 25 male/female and kids hit the water with enthusiasm. The ease our coaches had students up and going and
turning was brilliant to see as lots of happy smiles appeared on our students faces. Lunch was taken with the suggestion of a relay race out to the sand bar and back.
5 Teams of very competitive speed sailors and beginners where choosen with a challenge to bring back a cup of DRY sand from the sand bar. A lemans start was used to get the race going. Luke's team with the RS1's seemed to have an unfair advantage so EL Presidente was employed as a sea anchor Luke came out on a second RS1 and tried to remove the barnacle from Pete 's board to no avail. Dan's team forged ahead but Lozza was employed to sit on their board to slow them down. Krystal employed a two team member crossing to help get them in the leader pac with Kato's team in serious trouble as their first sailor drifted off coarse with the tide. Dan's team got bragging rights with first place and last goes to Kato who had to paddle in when the wind dropped away.
The afternoon session saw the famous, much talked about, 30 year old Jet longboard hit the water. This was El Presidente's most expensive purchase off Jerzy on ebay at $55 . It was one of the most ridden boards as the wind was 5 kts and it left the RS'1s, SUP and Light Wind boards in its wake as it glided through the water with great ease. Luke and Krystal both jumped on it together for a spin.
Sunday, everyone woke with great expectations as storms where forecast with wind of 25kts. Another 15 beginners where pushed through in the morning session as we kept a close eye on the weather fronts coming through. As we broke for lunch El Presidente stuck his neck out and predicted a 3pm hit of 20 - 25 kt winds. As 3.04pm hit and still winds of 12kts a revolution was under way, threats of mutiny, keel hauling and de throning where being discussed as El Presidente held his nerve and luckily for him as cutlasses where being drawn at 3.30pm 25 kts WSW hit the Inlet.
Beginners where quickly dragged off the water and then the intermediates and advanced came out to play. It was like Bourke street as guys and gals rocketed up the speed strip.
Highlights for me - Luke and Krystal on the Jet, Kato flying up the speed strip, Kato doing 20 kts on his Wally, Fei and Wendy holding their own in 25 kts, Flip jumping the RS1 out of the water in 25 kts, Anne learning to beach start and doing 3 in a row, kids just rocketing along and Rupert joining the club after all these years!(now to work on Matt) The weekend saw 40 beginners go through and the same number of intermediates. All in all another successful IWC event

BIGGG THanks to all - haven't laugh so much
Love to see some of the photos

Here's a couple more shots from the IWC weekend..

Here you go...

Well done Salty One. You guys have some great windsurfing stuff happening down there in Inverloch.
Enjoyed a chat with Kato, & will come back.
As usual the wind did not co-operate for most of the weekend, but good for the beginners. Would loved to have a sail but didn't quite work out.

Might have to get back for the Inverloch Jazz Fest on March 9-12 [}:)]

Peter

its great to see you had a olympic sailor and a world champion there

Folks.. some more photos from last weekend.

Note - IWC members can view all the 111 images on the IWC Facebook site.

I hope you like 'em...