Sport
Morgan Stoddart plays through the pain << Inside
Wave Jammin' in Wales Tom Wilkinson and Geoffe Brown Kitesurfing It's tough to be a host: the preparation, the expectation, the reputation hyped up and in the end whether it flies or dies is all down to how the wind blows. Literally, in our case. Cardiff University Kitesurf Club had two weeks notice from the National Student Kitesurf Association that our back garden beach, Porthcawl, was going to be where their Wave Jam competition landed. Short notice, yes, but we had a guaranteed army of home spectators and local kiters to storm the beautiful Bridgend coast, so why worry? Actually, the notice wasn't short enough: good wind only comes onto the radar four days ahead at best, so we had some trepidations. The kiters' usual daily glance at the wind forecasts became an hourly event, with wind and waves just a week before still looking tame. Suddenly it was there; thirty to forty knots – galeforce eight – of surging, sweeping, southerly wind; powerful enough to ride at 50mph or jump 30ft but safely onshore for the coastguard. The best conditions we had seen all winter. We could certainly feel that wind as we approached Rest Bay bright and early on the first day of the weekend event. But better than its buffeting we could hear the surf's crash on the neighbouring cliffs; the intensity of the atmosphere building with every wave as if they were slamming against our taxis and driving in through the win-
dows. Kitesurfers get their power from the wind and where they can, steer clear of waves in favour of a flat surface that doesn't disrupt their freestyle or wakeboard style tricks. This weekend was different though; there has been a recent boom in new wave style riding, that gives up the small, solid, rectangular board we usually strap into for tricks, in favour of pointed foam surfboards. Whereas the former are lighter for flight, and make for less of an impact on landing, the wave style boards are much more buoyant and let you stay and play on the crest of a wave in exactly the way a surfer does. Not only can a kiter skip the hours of paddling out and onto waves of an average surf session but if they lose their place on the wave they're riding they can just turn the kite into the wind and put themselves right back where they want to be.
Cardiff hockey into cup semi final << Inside The Wave Jam was going to be a showcase of the best students in this new discipline and more time on the waves was going to mean more entertainment for the crowds. First in the water was Southampton Solent's professional rider Ali B, who proceeded to throw down some of the epic megaloops that got him a sponsorship deal. A kite usually acts like a wing, with the air flowing over it giving
it lift and pulling the rider along at less than the speed of the wind, but in a controlled way; Ali's kiteloops put the kite directly downwind of the rider and use it more like, well, picture a 7sqft shopping bag in a gale: the rider feels G's something like those from a 30mph emergency stop but stays airborne twice as long and rockets downwind. Ali's throwdown to the competition was immediately answered by Cardiff's riders, new and old, spilling onto the water to reclaim their patch. And so the competition began. In true beach spirit, the event was judged by the competitors themselves so, while everyone was eager to get in the water, some held back for a bit to check out the competition. Precise manoeuvres and slick tricks were on show every way you turned, as you might expect from the cream of amateur riders in some of the UK’s best surf. While lots of the classic surf moves that wave boards allow were witnessed, the ripping wind meant riders couldn't help breaking out some of the big-air moves that make kitesurfing the sport it is. From first light until 3pm, competitors put their bodies on the rack between wind and water, before coming in to rest and then going back out for more. Finally, as the tide came in, a reverse river of people trickled out of the ocean and the beach was again left for the few lonely locals. Beaten up by galeforce winds and crashing waves, the kiters took respite in Sunday morning.
The wind had dropped a little but as the competitors returned to the water, it once again whipped up for the final hour-long heats. Eventually, the field was narrowed to a final twelve students for a half hour final. With riders both strapped on to their boards and strapless there were some technical skills on display up close to the beach, while others fought to get back out into the deep swell and cleaner waves – a winning move for Zac Andrews of Southampton who
took first place in the strapped category and Jon Cook, also of Southampton, who took first place in the strapless category.. With the prizes awarded, and the local crowd dispersed, the country's student kitesurfers said their goodbyes and headed back to their own universities – not a short journey for the Newcastle crew. All will remember South Wales' wind, waves, and hospitality as the event of this winter.
Strong winds provided excellent conditions for kitsurfers at Rest Bay in Bridgend for the 2011 Wave Jam competition
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