T15 End of Season Free-sail Session & K007 Looping Clinic
November 4th, 2006

Calshot Activities Centre In association with ActionVan and their Sponsored Windsurfer John Hibbard-K007 hosted an end of season Looping Clinic and Free Sail for the local T15 Club, Calshot Flyers.

A good mix of kids and parents from the Flyers and Instructors from the Activities Centre turned up on the coldest day of the season so far, with zero wind conditions and a 9.00am start to learn from the looping guru. How keen can you get?

The day kicked off with John’s “Holy Grail” of windsurfing, which includes 4 top tips to help all levels of windsurfers.
The bitter cold conditions meant there wasn’t a rush to the water. Instead it kept everyone on the beach joining in with the land based explanation of the loop and equipment set up. It must have been a strange sight for passers by seeing 30-odd (very odd) people swinging booms in the air and getting into very strange positions.

As the morning rolled on even stranger events occurred with the majority of kids and then adults going through the land-based loop manoeuvre – hoisted into the air on a sea of hands to simulate the sensation of looping.

With the weather warming up everyone was keen to get out on the water and give the light wind exercises a go.

The Calshot Instructors led the way with their enthusiasm to be the first to go for a no wind loop (mentioning no names Ben Lidstone-Scott!) and were soon followed by the Team fifteeners.

John says about the day “I’m all up for promoting the forward loop as an obtainable move, it’s easier than doing a Vulcan, and looks loads more impressive too! The Team 15 guys and girls were all super keen to get involved and I am sure a few of them will be busting them out in no time.
Thanks to Calshot Activities Centre and ActionVan for putting on the day and to Drew for cooking the sausages on the BBQ to warm us all up after the on water session”