Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Going Loopy?

Today I decided to write a post about looping aimed at inspiring those who so far have not joined the club, I hope that you enjoy it and are motivated to do your first loop in 2011.

Extract: "I have been trying to get my brother to master the forward loop for a number of years and I am determined to ensure that 2011 is the year that he sails away from his first full rotation. Learning to loop is so much easier in 2011 and my aim is to give you some confidence and also a little instruction so that you can enjoy the feeling of soaring into the air, flipping over and landing smoothly, there is something rather surreal about the feeling of ultimate control while doing something which seems so illogical.


The first thing that I will say is YOU CAN DO IT"



Read the full post here: GOING LOOPY?


More to follow...

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Why Do I Windsurf?

I bet we have all asked this question a few times! This is a great post by my brother and well worth a read, some of us should probably take note, check it out and decide for yourself;

Why Do I Windsurf?




Andy's Kona ready for some action - who cares about the wind?

More to follow...


Friday, April 29, 2011

New National Speed Record!

This blog has moved to http://www.k97.co.uk/ please update your links and feeds.

Check out my latest post:

BAHRAIN NATIONAL RECORD


This is the view of THE WALL, the Bahrain speed strip


Aloha

Chris K97

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Bahain on the Brink (and windy)

This site has moved to www.k97.co.uk

It is a difficult week so far here in Bahrain and we have no idea of what will happen, on the + side of things it is windy.... check out my full post from today....

Bahain on the Brink (and windy)


More to follow....

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Here comes the WIND!!

THIS SITE HAS NOW MOVED TO WWW.K97.CO.UK

So looks like it could be the best few days of sailing in the 4 years that we have been in Bahrain... sounds like it isn't just here though with Kai Lenny calling for some of the best days of the year in Maui too... (good news is that I have just heard that work is closed tomorrow!)

Check out the full post...

http://www.k97.co.uk/index.php/2011/03/13/here-comes-the-wind/

More to follw...

Friday, March 11, 2011

Japan Tsunami Video & Hawaii Under Threat

As a Tsunami approaches Hawaii as I type check out this video of what happened when it hit Japan... Stay safe Hawaii and we are thinking of you in Japan..

Read the full post  here: 10m Tsunami Video – Japan 11th March 2011
A 10m wave hits Japan - March 11th 2011...

I will update when I hear more from Hawaii... the first Tsunami waves are due to hit at 3.07am HST (12th March 2011)

Friday, March 4, 2011

Heat #1 Vs Robby Naish?

My site has now been relocated to: http://www.k97.co.uk/ please update your links.


Check out my lastest post: Heat #1 Vs Robby Naish?



"The big news this week for the American Windsurfing Tour is that the King himsef Robby Naish has signed up for all the events. This is great for all concerned and I know that the Tour creator and manager Sam Bittner is rather ...."

11 City SUP Adventure?

My site has now been relocated to: www.k97.co.uk please update your links.

Check out my lastest post:

11 City Adventure?





Extract:


"In recent days I have been talking with Anne-Marie & Patrick who are the organisers of the 11 City SUP Tour of Holland and I think that maybe I will give it a go. Being a complete novice when it comes to SUP racing I am starting from complete scratch. The 220km course winds its way through canals, lakes, rivers big and small, 11 cities and all in 5 days."

Aloha

Chris Freeman K97

Chris is sponsored by: Hot Sails Maui and Black Project Fins

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Comp Time 2011: Bring It On!

Well it has been a difficult week here in Bahrain, I am sure that many of you have seen the pictures and video on TV. Just for the record we have been able to keep well away from any troubles and have been able to enjoy lovely sunny weather and even some wind on our island. Hopefully all is resolved soon; it is such a shame to see this tiny nation in such turmoil and my heart goes out to those injured and killed during this past week of upset.
Amwaj GoPro freestyle (one form of competition I will stay well away from!)


I thought that this little break from work would be a perfect time to have a look at my competition calendar for 2011. We will be here until the 15th July before moving to the US so my time is rather limited but it looks like I will be able to fit in a few events (more will follow in 2012) to get me back into the routine.

The first couple of events on my calendar are actually a non-windsurf event but one that will test me to the max for sure and the training is great for windsurf prep. Later in the year I will catch the tail end of the Maui Race Series, I had hoped to compete in more events but I will only be able to be at the last two (in fact the one on the 16th is unlikely because we will not be in Hawaii until late on the 15th after a 36 hour journey so not sure that is possible but I will try). Once these are completed it will be time to get back up to speed for the Maui VMax series while the wind blows in August and then time to switch codes and get ready for some jump and wave action on the American Windsurf Tour stops in Hatteras and Maui. There is also the possibility of a trip to the UK for the British Wavesailing Association’s Tiree event but lets see how the funds go but not been there before so could be fun and a good opportunity to hook up with my brother!


2011 Calendar of Events
  • 1st April 2011: Amwaj Triathlon, Anwaj Islands, Bahrain
  • 29th April 2011: BRR Duathlon, Al Jazir Beach, Bahrain
  • 16th July 2011: Maui Race Series, Kanaha, Maui
  • 30th July 2011: Maui Race Series, Kanaha, Maui
  • August 2011: Maui VMax Speed Series, Maui (Dates TBC)
  • 14th – 17th September 2011: AWT Hatteras Wave Jam, Cape Hatteras, NC
  • 8th – 14th October 2011: BWA Tiree, UK (Dates TBC)
  • 27th – 29th October 2011: AWT Maui Makani Classic, Ho'okipa Maui 

The next stage I guess is to work on some logistics and get training. I must admit that I turned my back on competition in my early 20s as I never really enjoyed it as much as being at Ho’okipa, this I admit was probably (almost certainly) a mistake that I don’t mind admitting. A decade or more has passed I do feel ready to throw my hat into the ring again and get out there for some serious competitive action, this might have something to do with the better locations that now seem to be on offer. One thing that the 2010 Maui Race Series taught me was just how tough it was going to be to get back into a competitive position at this later stage in my life, I will be 34 this year but there is plenty left in this ship yet it is just going to be very tough to keep up but I am ready for a challenge.

  
More to follow…

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Fun FreeSTYLE

I had a fun light wind freestyle session this morning, I wanted to test out my GoPro as I hadn't used in Bahrain yet and was interested to see how it hanlded the colder water. No fogging!

With the wind rather on the light side for my 5.6m the session was short but the sun was shining so it was great to be on the water. It looks better for tomorrow so you can be sure I will be on it early. Would have been great for slalom training today. I was testintg the Black Project FreeSTYLE 19cm Proto today and I was very impressed, enough grip to get upwind in the dodgy conditions but with plenty of speed and slide on tap.


Old Skool Freestyle


Amwaj Isalnds in the GoPro lens...


More to follow...

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Sun, Wind, FreeSTYLE & GPS

It looks to be shaping up for a good fun weekend here in Bahrain with sun and wind. The weather has been a little odd recently with more rain than normal and rather cold (down to 14C over night and 18 in the days) but it looks like we'll be back to cruising in boardies soon enough.

Last weekend was fun with some good bump n jump, freestyle and a fun few speed runs at the wall. Unfortunately I only have my freestyle gear here at the moment so my 26 knots was rather below the potential. The tide was down a little too which meant that the flattest water is in a wind shaddow. This place is incredible though and will prodce serious speeds if I can get it all together.


This weekend I will be testing the latest Black Project FreeSTYLE 19cm which arrived on Tuesday, so more of that to follow...



I will try to get my GoPro out this weekend and upload some GPS tracks to map out where I go exploring.

More to follow...


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Rigmarole - still the best ever!

This is one of the most iconic bits of windsurfing video ever produced... I remember being transfixed (alongside my brother) at the Neil Pryde stand at the London Boat show, was that 1990; wow I was 12 and wore a bright yellow and pink chest harness in those days (funny seems like thats almost back in fashion!) …

There were a few other bits of video that I watched over and over again in those early years in particular one of Robby getting trashed on the rocks at Ho’okipa (I will try to find a clip) and one of Dana Dawes at Diamond Head, Oahu… Enjoy!  



More to follow...

Thursday, February 3, 2011

New GoPro LCD BacPac

When I first got my GoPro last year one of my only issues was the lack of a screen which sometimes meant that alignment was hard to set up and it was impossible to check your footage without going back to the PC, not great when you want to get the perfect shot on location.

I knew back then that the GoPro HD was set up already for the promised LCD BacPac but there was no release day. Well it is here now and at less than 80 USD you can have one too! It comes with a number of backdoors so that it fits into the housing that you already have. Looks fantastic and I can't wait to try it out.




Now you have watched the video check out some product pics...


Put quite simply, the best just got better!

More to follow...

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Windy Weekend For Some!

Well it seems like this weekend could be just what the wind starved UK has been waiting for!

This is the chart for Weymouth, anyone for some GPS speed action?

While not as windy, it will be rather warmer here in Bahrain and looks like we'll have some good action too.

Not so windy in Maui!




More to follow... 

Monday, January 31, 2011

2011 American Windsurfing Tour (AWT)

The American Windsurifng Tour (AWT) is something that is finally a reality. For many years sailors have been questionning why countries such as the UK etc. have great wave tours but the USA with so much potential had vitually nothing.



Sam Bittner has changed all that and last year re-introduced the Pistol River Wave Bash and has worked hard to develop a full tour taking in both East and West coasts, Hawaii and Mexico. This is a proper WAVE tour with stops in great locations. At a time when there seems to be only a few wave events on the PWA calendar maybe a few more pros will be tempted to compete for a title and some exposure.

Unfortunately due to prior commitments I cannot attend the early events but have myself signed up for the Hatteras Wave Jam and the Maui Makani Classic and I am hoping that in 2012 I will be able to do the full tour.

OK so what does this mean for me? Well about time to get my competition shoes on. I have for many years dabbled at best with contests but competing in Hawaii last summer gave me that buzz again and perhaps had forgotten how much the pressure of being ranked against your peers makes you strive to raise your game. And raise my game I will sure have too as I feel that I have slipped somewhat. I'll have a good couple of months bump and jump training this summer in Maui and I used to live in NC and Hatteras was my local spot so it will be great to make a week of it and maybe visit some friends too.

You can be sure I will be taking my GoPro with me!


I will document my progress in preparation for the evenst here and be following the earlier tour stops. My wife Liz and I are currently packing our Bahrain bags, we have been splitting our time between Bahrain and Maui for 4 years and we are now finally moving back to the US full time this summer so all is coming together nicely.

Anyway more soon, but I just wanted to get it out there and kick start my prep, after all making it public makes you push harder.

Wind is on the way this week looks like 25knots bump and jump so that could be great :)

More to follow...

Monday, January 24, 2011

Fin Box Talk

So what box have you got in your waveboard these days? It seems that there has been an explosion of fin box designs after it all seemed like we had all settled for the traditional US box. Personally I have my own ideas of what is best and what I think should be in productions boards going forward but I would love to hear your views/comments.

Check out this thread on the Black Project FB page:

What fin box to do you have on your waveboard?

Some Black Project Multi-Fins ready for a bit of slot box quad action!

Andres Martinez shows of his pair of Multi's to Jimmie Hepp at Ho'okipa the other day... These ones have a US box on them.

Andres again slashing his Multi's. Pic Jimmie Hepp

Monday, January 17, 2011

Fast Fins

Wanna go quick?

Well check out this article by SpeedSurfingBlog.com and Black Project which looks at the BPF Type S speed fin and possible future developments.

Black Project Fins Type S - Interview Tom Hammerton or

Check out the BLACK PROJECT FINS website

A Closeup of the Type S - mms do matter!  

More to follow..

Saturday, January 15, 2011

MAUI MISSING PERSON PLEASE HELP

It is will great sadness that I write this post. My long time friend SAGE BARRON daughter of my friend Phil Baker is currently missing in Maui. Sage is 16 yrs old and lives in Haiku. She was last heard from on Saturday 8th January via a phone call, she said that she was in Kahalui.

Sage, 16 years old, missing in Maui.

Sage Barron is the step daughter of Phil Baker long time Maui resident and windsurfer, if you have any info please email me or call the Maui Police Department immediately.

PLEASE POST THIS ON YOUR FACEBOOK AND BLOG AND LOOK OUT FOR HER.

MAUI POLICE DEPARTMENT PHONE NUMBER: (808) 244-6400

More updates will follow...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Fins

Ok so I have been rather quiet recently on this blog. To be honest I have been working hard with Black Project Fins and wanted to share this pciture of a pair of 14's that we'll be sending to 2010 UK Wave Champ Debbie Kennedy.


Nice pair of 14s ready for use.


Was great to start the new year with some sailing a couple of days back, not epic but 20C, not a cloud in the sky and a bit of fesstyle action. Jan and Feb are somewhat colder than the rest of the year here in Bahrain but still beats the cold of Europe! 

It looks like more wind is on the way in the next few so should get some decent action, will try to take the GoPro with me so that I can share some shots.

More to follow...