I decided to make full use of the cable park (I am a member after all) and hire a wakeboarding boat for 15 minutes. Wow, it's a lot more tiring than the cable, especially since you don't get a rest during that 15 minutes, unless you fall off of course.
Great fun, Kim enjoyed riding in the boat despite me making her take some photos and video. :D

I'm definitely going to make this a regular occurance.





Hacking at the wake


"Resting"


Another run

The London Kitesurfers have been meeting every Wednesday after work for a session at the cable park. Ollie just sent me this video link which is hilarious in my opinion.
(I get a brief appearance, look for the idiot in the silver helmet and white/red boardies)

Just got back from trying my new kites at Hayling island. This was the first time I'd been to this spot and it rocks!
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. One of the best spots I've ever been to.

Big waves at high tide, then a sand bank becomes exposed at mid to low tide so you get a big area of totally flat water.
Everything you might want in just the one day at the same spot. Amazing.

I was too busy enjoying myself to take photos, but next time I'm down.....

Oh, and the new kites are fantastic, it feels great to be back on classic kites again. No depower, lot's of fun.  :o)

Well, sorry it's taken so long for an update. I will do better in the future! I've mostly been wakeboarding and waiting for my new kites to arrive. They're coming in from Cyprus and it's taking a lot longer than I hoped!

Since I last posted, Kim's Dad and sister have been over for a wedding in Wales (that we all went to). The wedding was good fun and I managed to embarrass myself on the dance floor, again.

We've also been to watch the UK National Cable championships at my local cable park. Unsurprisingly, it was the local riders who dominated the event! I took a few photos

This was the weekend of the London Kitesurfer's Summer Shakedown. Ed organised an informal gathering of the LKS at Southend where we had some fun in the 12knots odd we got. Not enough for real fun but enough to have a laugh!

I won the "Best Style trick" and "Least Style trick" trophies, so I'm proud of having such an up and down day!

Click on the image for a video of me from the weekend! (More to follow, hopefully)

Well it was another week of fun and games.
I've landed a new job and I start next week. I'm going to be contracting for a design company in East London, and the office just happens to be up the road from a Kitesurfing beach. How lucky is that!
(Naturally I'll probably be too busy to get out of the office in time, but I'm hopeful)

The weekend was once again spent at the cable park and the usual carnage ensued. The weather is bright and sunny (24 degrees) but not a breath of wind so it looks like I'm turning into a wakeboarder.  :o/

Adam was 'kind' enough to post one of my stacks on youtube, so you can check out my ball bustin' efforts at

Youtube effort

I'm wincing just looking at it.

More pics from the weekend:



Jump start from Damien





They start 'em young over here



Adam



Recovering from another faceplant!

Easter weekend was awesome!
Not only did I find a house for us to live in, but I also spent all 4 days at the Cable park in Bedfont.

I did get a little sunburnt, and I can no longer hear out of my left ear, but it worth it!

I've nearly nailed a few tricks too

Ok, a little bit odd. I was on my way home last night when I came across a party at Victoria station.
Lots of booze, lots of dancing, no music.
Yep, everyone had an ipod/mp3 player and was dancing to their own tunes, in a big group, in the middle of Victoria station.

I tried doing the YMCA but I got a few looks, so I caught the 19:12 home instead.

Video of the party

We hit the cable park again and this time Magnus, the snowboarder, came along.
Sadly he turned out to be a bit of a natural so we didn't get many good faceplanting videos, but it was a good day!



Magnus



Ian



Me!



Me trying a backroll

I had a week in Courcheval (La Praz) with Ian Storer and friends. There was about 13 of us in total with another 4 guests staying at the chalet we'd booked, which was fantastic. Food and wine included, with a guide everyday and people were fun, outgoing and up for a laugh.
Only three of us were boarders, so we instantly formed a little group of "Radical Riders" and determined to pull our weight amongst the pansy skiers.

The snow absolutely dumped on the first few days and the powder was immense! Better yet, the visibility wasn't all that great which kept most people off the mountain (or lower down the mountain in the sheltered parts) Unreal!
Lots of boarding, lots of wine, lots of cheese and plenty of beer. I couldn't ask for a better week.

(We even had a beard growing contest)



The chalet



Snow on day 2 !!



Top of the first lift



Magnus in powder, powder, powder



Tania charges down



Philippa on the piste



Ian on a speed run



Ed finds some more powder



Lunch in Meribel



Ian coming down



Waiting at the top of Jean Blanc (best run, ever!)
Note  the ropes closing it off



Ian on Jean Blanc



Mangus attacks Jean Blanc



Philippa judges Ian for the beard contest



Philippa judges the beard softness



Ed judges beard style