Robby Swift’s Blog

Maui Sail Testing

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:43:59 -1000

I have been back on Maui for about a month now and we have had wind almost every day so we have been able to get out on the whole range of 2011 wave sails and I have been especially loving the fly 5.4 featured in this video clip that Kevin Pritchard very kindly filmed and put together for me!

Thanks Kevin and I hope you all enjoy it!

Click here to view video.

Sylt Video UPloaded

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:57:28 -1000

I have just finished uploading the video from this year’s spectacular world cup in Sylt.  Heidy did almost all the editing on this one, and I think she did a very good job!

I hope you like it!

3rd Overall Waves 2009

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 22:35:55 -1000

After three years with no podium finishes since I broke my foot in 2005, I was very happy to be back in the coveted top 3 of the waves for 2009.

We had some of the best conditions ever in Sylt this year, we managed to finish a double elimination of freestyle, a double elimination of waves and four rounds of racing.

I had my best result ever in the slalom, finishing in 7th place, hopefully a result I will be able to repeat and improve on next year.

In the waves I was unlucky to break a mast doing a double forward in my last heat against Danny Bruch, leaving me in 7th place for the event and unable to move any higher than 3rd in the overall for the year.

Nevertheless, 2009 turned out to be my equal best year ever in waves, repeating my podium finish from 2005 and I was extremely happy to stand up there alongside a very deserving Josh Angulo and Kauli Seadi.

Let’s hope that 2010 will turn out to be even better!

I would like to thank my sponsors NeilPryde, JP and Harry Nass for supporting me through the last few years of recovery and of course all my family and my girlfriend for standing by me the whole time!

Now it is back to Maui for some much needed rest and relaxation, sail development and training for next year!

Wishing well for Baptiste

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:44:10 -1000

The thoughts of everyone in the windsurfing world go out to Baptiste Gossein at the moment after the horrible injury he suffered while surfing at Teauhopu last week.

I haven’t heard the whole story but from what I have read, it seems that Baptiste suffered a horrible wipeout on a small, building swell at Teauhopu while surfing at low tide.
 Apparently he was launched over the falls and landed on his head on the reef. His friends who were surfing with him at the time rescued him and rushed him straight to hospital but he had lost all sensation in his lower limbs, and the doctors fear for his recovery.

Having attended the Maui Ocean Academy with Baptiste and known him since I was 15, I count him as one of my very special friends and obviously wish him all the best in this terrible time.  Everyone is praying for you to get better Baptiste and I am sure that you will have the strength to keep on enjoying life no matter what. All of our thoughts are with you. Good luck my friend.

Final Day In Egypt

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:03:19 -1000

This year’s Harry Nass Slalom Clinic in Dahab was an undeniable success.   The whole group were shattered by the end with many holes in their hands and exhaustion etched on their faces but every face bore a smile and it was an absolute pleasure for Micah and I to have helped teaching such an enthusiastic and attentive group.

I personally had a fantastic time in Dahab. The conditions are so good for freestyle that I learned loads of new tricks in the four days I was there.

In the end, Josef won the coveted prize of a 2010 JP board of his choice and he selected a Freestyle Wave 85 after trying all of the boards at the centre.

Heidy and I had one last chance to get out sailing the morning before we left and on only her 5th day of windsurfing ever, she planed around for about an hour, which just goes to show how easy it is to learn in Dahab.

I would like to thank Harry and Elke for their wonderful hospitality. We really were sad to leave and can’t wait to go back next year. 
Many of the group have said that they would love to come back again for next year’s camp so we are looking forward to trying to make it an even bigger success.

For information on Harry Nass’s centre in Dahab, please go to www.harry-nass.com and I will post information on next year’s camp here on my site as soon as we have confirmed all the details.

Great Time Being Had By All in Egypt

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:28:07 -1000

The Slalom Clinic is almost over now and I have to say I don’t think that it could have gone any better.  We had one afternoon of light wind for practising sail and board handling on the big beginner boards and the rest of the time, I was powered up on my 4.7 or 5.4, so the wind was around 18-25 knots every day.

We practised everything from starts and race gybes to tacks, duck gybes, carving 360s and backwind gybes.

I rekindled my love for freestyle and spent my time perfecting my flat water Shakas which are a move I have wanted to be able to do consistently for ages. I can Funnell now and do switch stance Chachos as well as Shoveit Spocks, so I really came on in the 5 days of sailing we had here.
 The water is so perfectly flat that it makes learning anything an absolute pleasure because you progress so quickly.

Heidy has had four lessons with one of Harry Nass’s instructors, Marco, and she has gone from being scared and basically a complete beginner to beach starting and planing in the harness and the straps in just four sessions. It was amazing to sail upwind today to find her there planing around faster than me on my big beginner board!

Tomorrow is my last day here in Dahab so I will be getting up early to continue my Shaka practice and to try to get some photos of Heidy planing!

Harry Nass Clinic

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 05:51:27 -1000

We have had great wind so far for the first three days of our slalom clinic here at Harry Nass’s centre in Dahab.

I had a go on the new JP freestyle boards and had a great time trying to remember all the old tricks I used to know and learn some new ones too.

All the clients on the clinic are really cool and it seems like they are having a great time. We have done some start practice, lots of gybing practice and some proper races so someone is already on their way to winning a brand new JP board!