NOSTALGIA AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE!
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Nostalgia Ain't What it Used to Be
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Wave Course Update
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Beginners Lesson a Huge Success at NSC
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Stuff the End
Race in Progress
NOSTALGIA AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE
Talk about rolling back the years, it really was a scene from yesterday at Newtownards Sailing Club last week. And for once I'm not talking about Trevor Pollen's gear. Of course, as usual, it was all Wookie's fault.
As you may know, the furry one decided to do the Irish Slalom Series this year - in fact he's doing very well indeed, 4th at Downings and near the top overall this year so far. All this on a budget so he can't buy his stairway to heaven and has to rely on raw talent, determination, eating his opponents and having more hair than anyone else. Let's face it, it isn't his good looks. So he suggested that it might be fun to have some practice races at the club before the Cork event and good old Panty Lyner threw the invitation open to anyone including non members. And result was a really good showing of present and former NSC members - hence the nostalgia bit.
Wookie Tries Out New Ape Stance
Pat nipped out early and set out buoys for various courses and by late morning there was quite a crowd. The wind had rather too much north for NSC which meant it was a bit up and down, but much better if you were well out from the shore. Most people rigged 7-8m but there were a few 9+s out at times too. So it was on the lighter side, but for a good hour after lunch it blew 6m causing quite a few people to either hang on with their teeth or change down - oddly enough to 6m.
There weren't any official results, but it was pretty clear that the Hairy One was the fastest on the water most of the time. However Ming the Merciless gave him a hard time both in terms of speed and also looking mean and moody - Ming was on his black sail which does make him look like the bad guy.
Tony 'Shipman' 'Death' was racing pretty well too, just showing what you can do after major surgery. It's such a pity the operation means he'll now have to enter the ladies fleet. Perhaps we should start calling him Antonia.
We were also particularly pleased to see that Tony has mastered the lay down gybe - well, actually more of the lie down gybe. This is quite difficult to do as an important part is that your feet must not be touching the board while you carve. If you're reading this on the e-mail, go to our website to see the photograph - if you study it hard enough you may figure out how to master this difficult free style (or in his case no style) manoeuvre.
Shipman Very Laid Down Gybe
Another mean looking person whose parents are unlikely to have been married at the time of birth was Ali Tourettes Todd. Armed with 8.5m he was charging about looking like he had his usual hangover.
Todd - gybing or jumping?
Ali missed the gybe mark
The nostalgia started when Russell appeared and rigged a, for him, enormous 7.5m. He's obviously been practising hard at the car park as he was getting his gybes. And Alan 'Orange Man' Yeates also came out creating more nostalgia on the BIC Techno and getting some good speed. The Colin 'Lorraine' Kelly appeared the old boy network was complete. It was great to see Colin still sails in his Biggles aviator helmet.
Pat and Russell
Russell - hunch back gybe
Paddy pole dancing
Russell and Tourettes
Also involved were of course Pat, Gary and Tim.
As you can imagine there was a lot of mayhem about the gybe marks. I wasn't racing, my excuse being that I was looking after Sarah who was getting into the foot straps. But it meant I got a good view of what happened. My own favourite was when Shipman cut it too tight at the mark and his boom hit the buoy - which was one of those tall poles. In a desperate attempt to save himself he clutched the pole and end up with arms around it. He then slowly slid down the pole and into the water - clearly a form of medical pole dancing.
Tony vs Colin
Ming - clew in the water gybe
It was actually a lovely day, the water was warm and the sun shone. During the period of consistent wind it was just lovely. Most people came out around 4ish, but Ming and Shipman clearly decided to make a night of it. So as we all left, they were still bashing away, well towards the other side of the lough. For all I know they may still be out there...
7 sails
WAVE COURSE UPDATE
Good news and good news!
Firstly we do have enough people who've indicated interest that we should be able to run the Donegal wave course.
And even better, Jim Collis has worked a bit more magic and squeezed in an extra day. So the details are likely to be :
- Course starts PM Thursday 14th Oct
- Runs for 3 days ending lunch time Sunday 17th
- Cost to be confirmed shortly
So save the dates, tell your mates and we'll be looking for firm commitment very soon.
BEGINNERS LESSONS A HUGE SUCCESS AT NSC
You may know that there's been a few problems in running windsurfing lessons at NSC. Well this year, after a lot of work by Paddy Pants, it's all systems go. The lessons have been running since July and already a lot of people have gone through. Further instructors have also been trained up, so expect the lessons to continue and grow.
So if you know anyone who wants to do a proper RYA windsurfing course, go to http://www.newtownardssailingclub.co.uk/index.htm and check out the details.
And if you've already done your RYA course, this means that rescue boat cover is present at the club every Tuesday evening - so why not go out and get some practice.
STUFF THE END
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