2010 started off brilliantly with being offered 2 sponsorship deals from Airush and ABoard which I soon followed up, I then competed in the BKSA Youths and was ranked 4th in the UK half way! But then in September disaster struck, my worst nightmare became reality... It was a very very windy day gusting up to atleast 35 - 40 knots and I was steaming on my 7 meter, I was way overpowered but was handling it well getting some serious air but when I was trying a simple pop off of toe side I lost balance and then tried to kick my board off. But it wasn't as simple as that, only one foot managed to come out so when I landed the board twisted right the was around long with my left knee!
The next day I headed off to A&E and had to stay overnight, the following week I had an MRI scan and then the week after I was told I had a small tare in my cruiser ligament which is every sportsman's or woman's nightmare. I was then told I would be off the water for 6 - 8 weeks which meant I missed the rest of the competitions including the Hi Park Jam!
I am still rather gutted about this step back but I am working on getting ready and fit for next season and will be coming back stronger than ever!
Next season I am aiming extremely high and will do everything I can to make my dream of becoming a kitesurfer a reality. I will be doing all the small competitions and events around the UK and will be looking to push boot riding by finding flat spots and slider to hit!
Stay tuned for lots of videos, stills and info on how I am doing!
Thanks,
Joe :)
Follow the wind
For the past 8 days I have been trekking around Scotland with 27 other kitesurfers in search of wind and new spots!
On the first night there was a CRAZY party, which kicked off the whole tour with a rather large head, ache the next day! But still had a great night and got to know some of the people I was be spending the next week with. The next morning we all gathered together and decided where we were going to do to the next day. We all then decided we would dash to Dundee and then head right across Scotland to a nice little spot near Campbeltown.
Dundee was possible the flattest water I have ever seen in my life! So out came the wake boots. This was my first session in boot and it was amazing! Because of the extra weight and support you can hold down load more power that means you can ride amazingly powered and land a lot smoother. I think in riding boots it gave my riding a whole new different style. I feel a lot more realized and thing it making my riding more stylish. The thing I love about boots is the explosive pop you get out of them so you have a lot more time in the air to pull yourself to wrapped or blind and as well as passing the bar.
After the epic session in Dundee we all made our own way to this car park about half an hour away from Campbeltown and with a few complications we got there (Dad got the wrong town). When we got there the wind hadn’t kicked in yet but when it came…. It came! I was absolutely howling and was the perfect session for BIG boosts! There was a fairly big swell that meant you could launch yourself off the wave as a kicker and boost big! This was really fun because usually my mind is set on freestyle and training for competitions I forgot how fun it is just to do an insane jump or one footer. After having a couple of days there we all heading on a ferry to Tiree….
Tiree was beautiful! The water was crystal clear and you could kit in any direction, as the longest point to point of the Island was only 10 miles! The wind wasn’t so amazing but it was just awesome to be in a place like that to finish the tour. On the day that we were leaving Me, Sam Moore and Rosanna Jury all went for a session and the plan was to simply go as big as possible. But yet again Miss Jury needed saving! Both sisters of which needed some sort of assistance every session! But all was well and we all had an awesome time with lots and lots of memories!
Follow the wind has been an amazing experience for me and it opened my eyes to new ways for riding and still having fun! Bring on FTW 2011!
Thanks to all the people that made it such a great experience and organizing everything!
Pictures to come up soon!
Joe.
This weekend was the Barrow kiteval event, on the Friday they managed the get all the pros done and me, Sam Bull, Jack Daykin and Will Makinson went on a lagoon mission... We were successful! We found an awesome little spot with super super flat water and a sandbank in the middle of it so we were doing some crazy jumps off the bank into the water and trying to stomp it to blind.
Saturday was the big day... I turned up to the competition hoping just not to come last and in my first heat I came 2nd which was actually the first time I hadn't come last so I was really happy with that! Then on my 2nd head I was a little worried as I had Tom Verrept and Jack Brook one of my local riders, but I ended up have the heat of my life! I got a nice railey to blind, a HUGE dangle, switch railey and actually got a shifty to wrapped which I was really happy about.
After that heat I was stoked and then pushed my self to the max and got into the final, I then nailed some really good tricks and finished 3rd overal! I was absolutely stoked with this as it was the first time I didn't actually come last and I ended up on the podium. This has been an amazing weekend and I'm not dead siked for the next event up in Scotland hoping that I may be able to speak up into the podium again!
Some pictures and videos to come!
Laters
Joe
Finally after long last I have some video footage just click on the page above to view, more to come but for now thats your lot!
Thanks to everyone who has supported me so far!
Laters
Joe
Headed to Hunstanton last weekend and ended up being a really good event! There was no wind Friday but ended up hitting a kicking behind the jet ski's and ended up having a really really good time! On the Saturday it was just really waiting around for some wind which never came. But then on Sunday the wind finally came and ended up having a good session although I was extremely tired! In my first heat I came 3rd and my second I managed to get a 2nd, overall the event was really good and again was all one big learning curve. Barrow next should be good!
Stay tuned for some videos and more pictures on the way!
Joe
Just got back from an awesome weekend at Hunstanton! had a great weekend and luckily some epic wind! We all learnt some new tricks and Christian and Karine really helped us all to improve and become better kiters. They also helped us with setting out our plans for competing so we know what tricks.
I am also looking to make a video very soon with Will Makinson to promote BUK board wear, this should be on very soon but need to get some revision done!
Take it easy,
Joe
Yet again this weekend I am way for a Elite Youth Training camp in Hunstanton with some of the best young riders in the UK! This should be a really good laugh and lets hope there is some wind for everyone to learn some new tricks.
I went to the Blackpool and West Whittering training camps last year and I learnt a lot so lets hope that I have the some amount of success as I did last year!
Laters
Joe
Well on Friday straight after my PE exam my mum and dad took me across to Redcar for the first BKSA tour. On the Saturday we woke up to little wind and it was not looking very good, then it picked up a little in the afternoon and a few of us headed out for a session. It wasn't amazing not really enough to compete but nice little 10 minute slots where it was nice to get a few tricks in. Then finally on the Sunday again there was little wind but looking forward to the next event and lets hope there is more wind!!
Hey guys,
Just thought I'd pop a post to tell you all about the youth empire! It's basically a website site kiteboarder aged between 10 and 18 can sign up for and can share tips, video, pictures and generally have a chat. It also lets you know about all the different kite related events all around the world so you can pop along to check out of be part of the action. If your interest just type it in on google and check it out!
Redcar is very soon and I've got a few new tricks up my sleeve so lets just wait and see what kind of results I can get!
Stay tuned!
Joe M
Is over the moon with his new kites!....
My dad surprised me with my new super powerful super stable Airush Vapor X's. I took them out that day on the beach and was pull off some nice f16's and dangles on the beach and very much looking forward to taking them out soon.
These kites are just have what I've been needing, they are stable, powerful, very comfortable unhooked and I love the new bar and line set up and look forward to it to be blowing a nice 40 knots so I can try out there 16m lines and pull of some HUGE kiteloops!
Stay tuned as some pictures should be coming up soon!
Take it easy
Joe
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