6 cars, 1 Trailer, 28 Exeter Windriders, 22 kites, 12 Mcdonalds visits, 1 beach, 2 windy days, 8 chickens and a pig… Yes, you guessed it, Exeter University Windriders hit up Aberavon beach for the Student Kitesurfing Association Zero 2 Hero beginners weekend. At 6:00PM on Friday the students assembled, tired and weary after a long week of lectures but spirits were high as we left Exeter in pursuit of windier shores. In only a few hours the crew would be partying hard at the bar in south wales ensuring anyone intending on kitesurfing the next day would do so with a sore head! Saturday:
After a busy night of scenic trips through Devon (thanks a lot Billy’s sat nav), fast food dinners and a strong session at the bar followed by mattress dominos, the hung-over Windriders were awoken bright and early by Ned armed with a fog horn. Thankfully L&A Bunkhouses provided us with very welcome tea, coffee and sausage baps to ease us into the busy day ahead. By 10:00 AM everyone was at the beach and the speakers were pumping out some tunes. The wind was blowing and the first group of Exeter’s finest took to the sand for their first kitesurfing lessons. In the meanwhile, a series of intense 1 on 1 sock wrestling duels took place in which we saw a series of unlikely victors destroy some perfectly good socks in the name of sport.
With strong winds prevailing the proficient shredders took to the water and had a whale of a time, enjoying the industrial background and making the most of a new spot to increase their skills. We saw a number of intermediate riders make bounds of progress and the advanced shredders enjoyed the challenge provided by the swell to push themselves.
Saturday night brought it’s fair share of antics at the SKA’s inverse rubix cube social which saw students from all unis mingling and exchanging items of clothing. Meanwhile, the sound was large with a huge back to back DJ set from Bristol’s DJ Moon and our one and only Exeter Graduate and ex kite captain DJ Rube Boi. Tunes were blasted, drinks were consumed, shapes were thrown and at rumor has it a chicken joined the party for a while… Needless to say the night was a great success (and a massive blur) leaving the shredders with yet another massive hangover to deal with on Sunday.
Sunday:
Having benefitted from an extra hour in bed (courtesy of daylight savings) we hit the beach at a leisurely 11am and got straight into lessons. The wind was strong meaning yet another brilliant freeride session was to be had.
As the day progressed and the lessons drew to a close the Exeter beginners took full advantage of the strong winds to practice their foil flying and jumping, which needless to say left everyone frothing for some more kiting.The wind became stronger through the afternoon resulting in a very powered end to the weekend for Exeter’s freeriders, just what the doctor ordered before heading back to Exeter for another week in the library.
The weekend was a great success, thanks to the great bunch of beginners and freeriders from Exeter who came along and a big thanks to the SKA for putting on such a great weekend. Bring on the SKA “Go High or Go Home” Nationals 2015!
