It seems Guy Cribb is running, or thinking about running a freeride clinic in Perth (Safety Bay) again this year. I didn't even know about it last year until I saw all the people on the beach for his clinic.
He is asking if people are interested in going to this, or whether he runs a clinic in Margarita instead. So, I guess if you are interested, you had better look at his website and send him an email to let him know you are keen.
I wish he ran a clinic mid week too, as I'm there anyway, and the LOC is the previous weekend. I need all the practice I can get!
So, who went last year, and would you go back?
I went last year for the 3 day freeride course, I published some feedback in a thread, I remember you also contributed. I was the only one from Sydney. It is a bit of a logistics problem to carry or rent all the equipment. For me it was a great experience, Guy is a great instructor and person, it was good to meet a lot of other windsurfers , and sailing in safety bay is great. For my level (planing in the straps, but not much else) it was the best thing I could ever have done to improve. As a result this year I have had a lot more control over the board, been able to sail in stronger winds and chop, I can waterstart and i have almost nailed the elusive carve jibe.
In summary, if it wasn't for the distance I would go every time Guy turns up.We should petition him to come to Sydney, in summer the conditions are good.
I took 2 sails 1 mast, the harness. Rented the board , boom , another mast; it is expensive for 4 days at that time of the year. Rented a car, slept in a tent, so also had to take the tent. It would have been much better sharing with someone else. Do you fly there? With all your gear? and where do you stay?
Yeah, I fly there. I have considered driving, but it is too far, and takes too long to make it worthwhile for me. I go with 1 or 2 others and we rent a van to get around and to store the gear in.
We have rented new places each year, and one year we house sat for some friends there. Between 3 people the accommodation is not too bad.
We stay somewhere around Safety Bay. The Rockingham visitor centre is good for accommodation, in that you can make the booking through them, and they can offer an opinion of whether they think the place is what you are after. We rented one place privately last time and it wasn't as good as we had hoped. The visitors centre gets feedback from places, so I think we could have avoided this problem if we had gone through them.
I am very lucky at the moment that I have some gracious friends there that allow me to leave some of my gear there all year, so I don't have to take too much over.
Taking gear over, is not as bad if you have someone to help you. A 'piece-based' luggage system means you can get more than a weight based system. I have had friends tie 3 or 4 sails together to count as one item. I myself tend to roll three together as it also protects them more.
My other 2 friends take all their gear each time, and usually have 3 sails, 1 board, 2 masts and a boom, and seem to get it all into 3 items. It also helps if you can groups the booms and masts together amongst multiple people.
I agree, it is more difficult if it is just yourself, especially at the airport!
I did the freewave course last year, and although the wind didn't play it's part, it was still worth it. Learnt an awful lot on techniques that I'm hoping to make use of this season. I'll be trying to get to it again this year.
Ray.
Going from memory, its 4 or 4.5 hours. Slightly more one way than the other.
I could check, but I am too lazy
The first trip over was exciting, but after that, they all now seem to blend into each other, and it feels like I have only got onto the plane by the time I need to get off.
Having access to inflight entertainment has a lot to do with that I think, and noise cancelling headphones should now make the flight even better. (Going completely off track, I bought a set of those in the US and flew back from Venezuela to the US, and the US to here, and I think I spent most of that time listening to music! They're awesome!)
I did Cribby's Safety Bay Freeride (3days) then Geraldton Freewave (2 days) course in WA last summer, and have just got back from the Brandon Bay, Ireland (6 days) surf gods course. I'm coming into my 3rd season of windsurfing and my skills and confidence are streaks ahead, all due to Cribby's amazing coaching. On the first day of the freeride course I added at least 25% speed to my blasting and felt sooo much more in control of the gear. I didn't quite have the right gear to practice the gybes in the available conditions, but was getting through 50% of my attempts within weeks of the course, all the instruction and step-by-step breakdown sat clearly in my head until i could execute on the water with a bit of practice.
I just fell into his courses by chance, and I am sure other international or ex pro coaches are good, but he is a truly fantastic coach and has a well thought out answer to any and all questions, well organised and plenty of laughs. Certainly in areas like Ireland that he knows intimately, we always made good of any weather condition.
He did say he was a little uncertain about running the course in Aus this Jan, but with enough pressure he might relent! I'll be there for sure if it happens.
Hi , latest news from the intuition courses, please note question 4...
Hi everyone- HUGE thanks in expressing interest for me to return to Western Australia to help you all progress heaps with your windsurfing- free riding or wave sailing. Your response has been immense so I am definitely heading south!
Please answer the 3 questions below so I can finalise the details, and please forward to any of your friends who might be interested, with many thanks for supporting INtuition-
1.
Will you attend the Freeride course?
INtuition Freeride Course, Safety Bay January 19-22 (four full days)
AUD$ 595 per person
2.
Will you attend the Freewave course in Geraldton or Lancellin?
INtuition Freeride Course, Jan 24-27 (four full days)
AUD$ 650 per person (discounted to AUD$ 495 if you join both Freeride and Freewave)
3.
If the Freewave course was roaming, heading to where ever had the best forecast between Esperence and Gnarloo, and was one week long, would you join it at cost AUD$900? (Discounted to AUD$700 for joining both Freeride and Freewave)
4.
If I also held a course in Melbourne are you keen to receive details for Freeride or Freewave courses Tuesday Jan 29- Feb 3?