Cape Town goes off
Howzit all,
I am lucky enough to be currently in the last week of a 2 month training, testing and time out trip to Cape Town, South Africa so I will be reflecting on this throughout, as well as highlighting any current news on clinics and action coming up. The sharks have not got me yet but I have had some great crashes and had an opportunity to break out my arm bands during numerous swims to find my kit, paddle, Sup etc. 
So I hear it has been pretty cold throughout Europe but fear not spring is on its way so I impore you to begin visualising and getting fit/ter in readiness for your next bout of ocean realignment.
CLINIC NEWS:
Perfect Prasonisi, Reliable Rhodes which over 10 years and around 40 clinics has averaged 4 - 5 days a week of planing conditions and is now booking up steadily. New for 2013, in Rhodes, is my Female Focussed clinic, called Jem's Jewels, where I will be assisted by a female co - coach, Rachel Tucker and their will be a set amount of places for ladies only, so as to ensure a great learning environment and to give you the opportunity to share rooms and keep your costs down. We will be providing a supportive, inspiring and focussed environment where ladies will have the opportunity to not only enjoy a great holiday but also seriously improve their windsurfing. This clinic is filling nicely and will be a fantastic experience : )

The Mecca of Moulay, Morocco on May 9th and 16th is currently FULL. Therefore, if you are after a wave coaching holiday and camp then please consider Perfect Punta San Carlos in Baja, Mexico. The 1st week is now sold out and so by popular demand I have opened up a second week of coaching from August 17th-24th.
 
Email me for more details on these clinics and to discuss your booking.
 
Next up for me I am kicking off my 2013 coaching season with my regular trip to Marsa Alam, Egypt for 2 weeks of peformance boosting. I will be taking the New Ezzy Legacy and Tiger out with to test and tune so I will feedback on these after the trip. The 2xs posse have already posted a review on the Legacy which is billed as 'A high performance wave and freeride collection that delivers awesome performance for more budget-minded customers.' If you fancy some more Ezzy inspiration then please check out Kevin Pritchards fine movie offering.

My mission to South Africa started well with Nick Coleman and his lovely posse hosting a fantastic New Years Eve Braii (BBQ) so a big thanks to all of them. Upon reflection Cape Town has been, in a word, amazing. January was windy for so many days in a row that I could not even keep track. These days were gratefully received as we were testing, shooting and filming new and existing products from RRD and Ezzy and it was great to work alongside chief RRD sail designer, John Skye and the force that is Dave White, whom I am much indebted too for so many of these fine pics in this newsletter.
 
The merry RRD crew travelled up and down from the picturesque waves of Platboom at Cape Point to the flat waters of Langabaan in order to get the job done. Skye boy was giving me my regular bottom kicking, coaching, that I am happy to receive from him and about time as he is very much in debt to me. Whitey was in his element as he gave us both alot of abuse and banter throughout, whilst coming to terms with the challenging conditions on offer which I lovingly call Port Tack Punishment. Not that I mind the wind from the left but the waves are pretty challenging (closing out inside sand bars as an example) and the wind is damn gusty, that said it is awesome sailing and I love it here. The variety of sailing is just immense! You can catch up on more pics from this trip on the mighty Whites site or on my Facebook page

On arrival in Cape Town I was about the most unfit I have been in a long time, 3 weeks of chest infection will do that to a big baldy like me. Add to this I tweaked my ankle on the 2nd day and this trip has been all about getting back in the game, so with this in mind I have been hitting the gym hard, taking on board coaching tips/abuse from people and keeping a sailing log where I reflect on sessions and benefit from a bit of the old self coaching. These actions have all proved very beneficial and I now look forward to my next sessions with excitement and definitely with less of the fear that I had earlier in the trip! And I am inspired to keep upping the fitness too as it really helps my sailing and behaviour breeds behaviour.

February saw the wind die down a bit and an increase in the wind and waves hunting game that you have to play out here. This is when you rely on good forecasting, previous experience, texting other people on the road and
a bit of luck too. After a windless few hours at one wave beach I decided to head to Langabaan (inland sea sailing area) for some flat water sailing and so I whipped out the New Firestorm V2 120 from RRD and just loved hammering up and down super stacked on my 6.5 Cheetah, a change was most definitely as good as a break.
 
The last couple of weeks have allowed me to do a very tardy newsletter, get this blog up online and answer a lot of emails and, of course, entice many of you to join me on a coaching holiday in 2013. The Cape Doctor joined me for a few more last sessions so I went about my very own Hall's homework with passion, focus and commitment. And i m now in transit in the Uk before I head to Marsa Alam, Egypt.

After Egypt I will be spending a good amount of time back in the UK and will be hunting some good old home sailing and SUPing and then in May it is off to Morocco. Early June sees my first trip to Sweden beckon to visit the top crew of people at Surfers Paradise for a free tips and demo weekend.

Thanks for reading and I wish you good sailing and a fantastic spring.
Focus, believe and Enjoy,
Jem
X
PS It was also a great experience to meet Antoine Albeau in the flesh and what a professional and top man he is. Soooo fast on his X fires, all over it in the waves and ripping it up on his SUPs too. His passion to get in the water every day was very infectious.
Labels: Antoine Albeau, Cape Town, Carve gybes, Dave White, Ezzy, Ezzy Cheetah, Ezzy Elite, Jems Jewels, John Skye, Marsa Alam, Psc Baja, rhodes, RRD, RRD Firestorm, Wave Cult Quad, wave sailing
Rhodes action and awesome autumn
Hi,
Well this Autumn is shaping up rather nicely with all the
wind and waves on offer and lets hope it stays this way, and temperate
too, for as long as possible. This newsletter is to give you a heads up
on what's going on, my latest toys and which clinics are booking and
selling fast. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read it : )
Rhodes reflection:
I
am just back from my from 10th Anniversary of coaching clinics in
Rhodes and off to Brandon Bay, Ireland next week for my WaterPerson (WP)
clinics there. Prasonisi gave us a few days of very light winds until
the hairdryer came back on and gave us a fine send off, hats off to the
crew for being focussed, fun and most of all relaxed about the delay in
the wind, as we all know that there are no guarantees in life and even
in Rhodes the wind needs a breather sometimes.
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Looping it up on the NEW RRD wave cult quad 92 |
Autumn action:
Since
my return it has been great to get some autumn action in and enjoy
conditions around my local breaks, and also on a road trip down to
Camber Sands. Their is something about the colder weather, the rain and
changeable conditions that seems to excite and inspire me and yes there
is no place like home : )
Toys, toys, toys - we love em:
During
my ocean realignment on my home turf I have ahd the opportunity to
really get to know my new toys and I must say I am loving my new Ezzy Panther Elites and the New RRD Wave Cult Quads.
The
4 battened Elites are lighter, easier power and more neutral for rides,
gybes and style and really allow you to throttle the power on or off,
yet they are still strong and with a huge wind range and a massive top
end.
Now that I have had some quality testing time on my New
Cult Quads, and in a range of conditions, I am happy to say that I have
them dialled in and am really appreciating their virtues. It is also
worth noting that not only am I enjoying them but so too are the people I
lend them to in order to test them and provide me with valuable
insight, same goes for the Elites. The feedback thus far on the RRD Cult
Quads is that they are earlier to plane, have more wind range and a
livelier / faster ride. Due to the narrower tails and increased tail
rocker, with more vee, they are looser and now with more drive too.
Yesterday saw my onshore wave riding performance definitely go up a
notch - I LOVE THEM! Get in touch if you want to discuss or test either
of the above.
Clinic News:
Marvelous Marsa Alam, Egypt
is now open for bookings so come on down to take a break from Winter
and get tuned up for your 2013 season on March 13th and 20th. The early booking offer has now been extended to October 31st.
Perfect Prasonisi, Reliable Rhodes
which over 10 years and around 40 clinics has averaged 4 - 5 days a
week of planing conditions and has just commenced taking bookings and we
also have an early booking offer on this too - till October 31st. New
for 2013, in Rhodes, is my ladies clinic, called Jem's Jewels, where I
will be assisted by a female co - coach and will be providing a
supportive, inspiring and focussed environment where ladies will have
the opportunity to not only enjoy a great holiday but also seriously
improve their windsurfing.
The Mecca of Moulay, Morocco on May 9th and 16th is already taking a lot of bookings and we are ready to give
you a fab holiday and an awesome waterperson (WP) / wavesailing
experience, bookings are with Oceansource.net
Email me for more details on these clinics and to discuss your booking.
I
look forward to hearing from you or indeed seeing you on the water
either on the UK's fair shores or on a clinic in the very near future.
Live
your life with passion and as my good friend Tony Tatts just said, 'You
rarely regret your experiences but you do regret what you did not do.'
Take action and always look to be the pilot and not the passenger.
Rip, Appreciate, Taste and Enjoy,
Jem
XX
Ps
please page down and check out the pics of my Rhodes rippers and there
top demonstrations of sound technique. A special mention has to go to my
Cypriot friend, Melios, who has been windsurfing for only 4 months, and
with Beginner to Winner to guide him plus his focus, passion and energy
he was able to pull off his first carve gybes on the clinic. The crew
also helped him and he worked very very hard in the light winds on his
tacks, clew first sailing and gybe fundamentals .... and when the wind
came he stepped it up another gear - huge respect.
He and his fellow Rhodes rippers are now ready to move there sailing forward as they all improved in several areas:
They are better self coaches
Tuning
Posing in front of the camera - unleash a still camera and a windsurfers competency often doubles : )
Performing skill specific drills
Target setting
Work rate
Focus
Having fun by remembering the positives and knowing when less is more, ie. not oversailing
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Great carve entrance by James Mellor |
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James M and Andy Ruby loving it |
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Marian Weller showing perfect stance : ) |
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Piers T refining his first duck gybes! |
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Jimi M carving it up on the beloved RRD FireMove |
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Halvor the ripping Norwegian Ezzy Importer about to duck it up |
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Anders B M showing perfect carve technique on the Ezzy Elite |
Labels: Carve gybes, clinics, duck gybe, Ezzy, Ezzy Elite, FireMove, Ireland, Marsa Alam, Moulay, Prasonisi, rhodes, RRD, Viking windsurfers, Wave Cult Quad
Rhodes goes off
Good afternoon from a wet but at least windy UK,
I have just returned from 3 weeks of clinics in reliable Rhodes. We enjoyed great wind wiht more planing days than I can remember and lots of fun and ripping sailors who have been moving on up in all areas of windsurfing from stance to first carve gybes, tacks to jumps, duck gybes to 360s. Thought I would send you some pics I just got from one of big windy days on last months Moulay, Morrocco clinic, courtesy of Clive 'El Toro' Boden. We had logo high waves and I was very overpowered on 4.2 and 83 Quad, whilst my main man Tony Ford was on 3.7 and Mark Pezza joined the Moroccan air force for the day with his big jumps. Bookings for May 2013 will start in September 2012 and pre - bookings are already very high ... we love Marvelous Moulay, check the video here
If you wish to check out my latest technique article, on the Moves that Matter in the carve gybe, then please click away on the fab Boards Magazine website
LATEST CLINIC NEWS:
Prasonisi, Rhodes currently has a few spaces on it for September 12th - 19th for you to enjoy some warmth, wind, good times and guaranteed windsurfing improvement.
Jeri, Brazil, November 27th - December 7th is booking up steadily for those who wish to join me. Enjoy deliciously warm waves and wind whilst savouring cocktails and fab food and moving on up in gybes, jumps, rides and, if you are up for it …. loops. The wind stats here are second to none!
Good to hear that Europe has been enjoying some good wind and long may that continue. See you on the water or on a clinic sometime soon and remember 'If you always do what you have always done, well then you will always get what you have always got,' in order fro things to change you must change and want that change : )
Rip and Enjoy,
Jem
XX
ps here are my crews of Rippers from Rhodes
Labels: Carve gybes, clinics, Ezzy, FireMove, FSW, Jeri, jumping, looping, Prasonisi, Punta San Carlos, rhodes
Marvelous Marsa & latest news
I hope this update finds you as excited as I am about some warmer and windier weather on the horizon. Some of you will be thinking about getting out for your first session of the northern hemisphere spring and wondering if it is warm enough? Well, the sea temps are on the up, the days are longer and the wind has finally returned and like you I am praying for a relatively warmer and most definitely windy weekend for you to go out and get your sea legs back - so please get your kit ready, watch the forecasts and lets get you good old ocean realignment.
This newsletter will highlight some upcoming UK events I have, highlight latest clinic availability, give you the report on my recent clinic to Marsa Alam and I will slip in lots of other juicy links and info too.
As I am enjoying some time at home on the south coast of the UK I arranged 2 local events;
1. On Thursday April April 26th I showed off all the RRD / Ezzy toys at Andy Biggs Watersports on Hayling Island, 02392 467755. I will also be talking kit set ups and handing out some top technique tips and give you a chance to ask me any questions you wish to ask.
2. I arranged on Friday April 27th a jump & loop day at West Wittering through X train / 2XS . It is on a rollover, so if it is windy will run - but alas none came - next opportunity is July now, phone 01243 513077 to book up.
CLINICS:
1. Reliable Rhodes in Perfect Prasonisi this June has the last few places so get yourself some wind, sun, a great holiday and a definite performance boost by booking ASAP.
2. Psc, Baja in August has one or 2 places left for my 'down the line pure deep joy' wave riding and water person clinic.
3. The Brazil clinic has now been CHANGED TO JERI ONLY and has lots of interest and bookings are coming in now so join me for GUARANTEED WIND, WARMTH & WAVES
For BRAZIL and RHODES please book with Sportif on 0044 (0)1273 844919. Email me to discuss your options and suitability for either of these clinics or indeed for the down the line joy of PSC, Baja.
March 2012 saw me return to Marvelous Marsa Alam after my inaugural visit in 2011 and my clients and I were not disappointed, we had 4 - 5 days planing on week one and it was full power on week 2 including one windy onshore day which was great for jumping, fun and frolics. Hats off to both groups as they both worked hard and stepped up their sailing. Both weeks saw the coveted 'most improved sailor' prize go to the relatively lower ability members of the clinic, Greg Brown worked incredibly hard and was unrecognisable from the chap in the rescue boat on the first 2 days to a full speed flying machine by day 6. In week 2 Ian 'EastBourne Massive' G. improved steadily every day and was fully working on his gybes by the end of the week, while trying to destroy my beloved RRD FSW 102 V2 : )


I would like to mention that in week one I broke my record for amount of different nationalities on a clinic, with the total being 8, hailing from Holland, Finland, French Canada, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Bermuda and the UK, of course. The centre there is very friendly and quiet, the sailing area vast and uncrowded, with flat water inside, chop and then swell outside and the food is damn fine. We will be back in March 2013 and if you want to join us then book early as this will have a very high amount of returning rippers.
In other news you might like to check out a great Interview with John Skye on the fab Boards online mag, their Spring edition bumper Mag is out now with lots of great articles and is a fantastic read. If you wish to catch up on some technique joy from my good self then catch up on my 'Moves that Matter' technique series.
PRODUCT PLUGS
Ah yes, you knew these were coming, well RRD have come out with a mighty fine Inflatable SUP for those of you that can't store these rather large items and want a very ease to use and performance product.
Next up my RRD FireMove 110 continues to blow both my clients and I away, the best I can say about this board is that after people sail it they say, I want one! It planes sooo damn early, goes quick and is easy to sail and gybes like a dream, and I can 360 and loop it too : )
Lastly, I got the chance to test and tune the Ezzy Cheetah 6.5 out in Egypt and found it lighter and faster then the previous Freeride incarnations, yet still with the same massive wind range and fabulous build quality and it sets on a 430 mast - sweet. Check out the attached advert!
COMING UP
I am off to taste and enjoy the Magic of Moulay, Morocco with Oceansource.net on my 2 wave clinics there, it will be full carnage as people move on up in jumps, rides and loops of all kinds - can't wait !!
Goodbye from me and if you don't go then you won't know,
Enjoy,
Jem
XX
ps the pics are mainly courtesy of Mary Bush - big thanks to her - page down for more pics
PPS FRIDAY FUNNY - check out this blast from the past courtesy of Dr Richard Dudley - nice shorts and great stance from me : ) Labels: Brazil, Carve gybes, FireMove, jumping, Marsa Alam, rhodes
Brazil rocks and a Merry Xmas
XMAS GIFT IDEAS:
Nah, not really - However, Sophie and I and the team @ RRD / Ezzy would all like to wish you all a very Merry Xmas and a windy ripping 2012.
I am just back from my Brazil combo clinic which went very well. Expect to get a full run down right here in the new year and Dave White is working on the video and took loads of pics.
In the meantime if you want to get your windsurfing holiday fix and guarantee to get your windsurfing 'Higher, Faster and Stronger for 2012 then please book your preferred choice of clinic before they sell out. Or get in touch with me for some advice on which venue and date would best suit your individual needs.
Pic 1; My Brazil combo clinic crew including Karel T, Roman F, Simone P, Anna R, Gary M, Stefan K, Adrian C, Dan H, Camiel L, Peter M and Crispin D.
Marsa Alam, Egypt in March has the last few places, Rhodes in June is selling fast and I have a huge amount of interest in my last 2 places in Psc, Baja for my down the line deep joy wave coaching clinic.
Pic 2; Crossing the river on the way to Jeri from Icari, lots of people, beach buggies and a small raft - nice
Thanks again for all your support in 2011 and I look forward to seeing and coaching many of you in 2012.
Enjoy,
Jem
PS. Oh, allright then here is one idea for a mighty fine Xmas present, the FYM - Trilogy, including all 3 of my coaching DVDS.
Pics: Credit to Dave White for these : )
Pic 3; Boss man Wouter finally off the sun lounger and clocking up the airtime in Jeri on his FSW 96 and Panther Ltd Edition
Pic 4; Sophie and I and RRD / Ezzy / Seasprite boss Wouter loving the Jeri sunset with the RRD FSW 84 & 96 Labels: Brazil, Carve gybes, clinics, Dave White, Ezzy, Fym Trilogy, Icari, Jeri, jumping, looping, Marsa Alam, rhodes, RRD, Seasprite, wave riding
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