TEAM GREAT BRITAIN

THE SPORT OF WAVESKI-SURFING

Waveski-ing is the art of surfing a wave on a board slightly bigger than a surfboard. The surfer however sits, strapped by the waist to the deck with securing straps for the feet. The surfer paddles the board with an offset paddle, similar to the type used for canoeing, but shorter. Boards are shaped in order to turn easily on a wave face, whilst retaining enough volume to make paddling out through the waves possible. Unlike a canoe, there is no 'cockpit' to fill up with water. Unlike traditional stand-up surfing the sit-down surfer has a low and relatively secure gravity point allowing him to execute manoeuvres unthinkable to surfers. That is why in waveskiing the cutbacks are so dramatic with showers of spray, bottom turns so deep and aerials so high.

The sport of waveskiing, otherwise known as surfskiing, first became popular in the 1970's and soon became a common pastime in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Europe. It is now a sport practiced in many parts of the world including Japan, Brazil and North America.

The idea to combine a surfboard and a kayak into a superior wave-riding instrument however is rumoured to have begun in 1915 when Duke Khanamoku rode a slab of sugar pine at Freshwater, Australia. In the mid 1960s recreational skis were made for wave-riding by Bill Wallace, a Sydney surfer. He replaced the foot-controlled rudder with a fixed fin. These early Australian surf skis were 17 ft long and made from hollow plywood.

In the UK the British Canoe Union had for some years been holding surf competitions for kayaks. They found the kayak unsuitable and developed the surf-shoe or surf kayak, a flat-bottomed boat that was the conceptual forerunner of the wave-ski. During the mid 1970s in Australia, at Tamara, on Sydney's south side, a group of keen riders produced their own skis. One of them, Alan Blake, an expatriate English canoeist attached a seat belt and taught the group how to Eskimo roll. The stage was set and the sport progressed from a cumbersome mostly uncontrollable surf ski to the lightweight manoeuvrable waveski we know today. In 1975 skis were averaging 9'6 ft, today the modern competition ski is a concave board averaging 7'4 ft.

The manoeuvres now possible on a Waveski are extremely radical and exciting. Once the wave is caught the surfer is able to turn sharply or gracefully at the top and the bottom of waves, ride behind the broken lip of a wave (tube riding), allow the ski to pass over the top of a wave before running down the face (a re-entry), flying completely off the top of a wave before returning to the face (an aerial) and the ultimate manoeuvre - an aerial with a 360 corkscrew spin in mid air (a barrel roll). As the surfer is attached to the board capsizing and rolling the board upright using the paddle is relatively easy and indeed there are times when the surfer will deliberately capsize or "duck dive" in order to pass under large waves.

BRITISH WAVESKI ASSOCIATION

The British Waveski Association (BWSA) was formed by a group of British surfers and canoeists in 1985 who realised that a new organisation was required to cater for the needs of this specialist sport. Since then there has been a regular competition circuit staged in the South, South West and Wales. The UK was the first country to set up a national coaching scheme which was fully active by the late 1980s.

COMPETITION STRUCTURE

The BWSA runs a number of events throughout the calendar year. These are either of an individual or a team nature.

As part of the schedule there are at present six ranking national competitions which will determine the end of year ranking position for each surfer. At each meeting entrants will battle it out in both an open event and in a number of specific categories.

At the end of the year each competitors' results are amalgamated and ranking lists are compiled. At the end of each season the BWSA publishes Open, Junior, Senior, Master, Veteran and Women's rankings. The British Team competing in Bakio, Spain is made up of those people with the best results from the previous year.

THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The World Championships are held in a different country each year. Twice they have been held in the UK; Newquay in 1989 and Hayle (Cornwall) in 1999. This year it is Spain's turn, with the prospect of a powerful Bakio wave!

WEB LINKS

Bakio Website:

BWSA Website:

THE 2001 TEAM

The British Team is presenting a strong entry for the World Championships in Bakio. We will be contesting the Open, Seniors, Masters and Women's categories. The Spanish are also allowing other individuals to enter the competition if they so wish. This being the case other waveskiers are making their way down to Bakio this September.

The Team is keen to be supportive of these individuals in an effort to add strength to the GB contingent. Some very good surfers are unable to attend enough ranking competitions to give themselves a ranking position that represents their overall performance. For this reason we have included below all those known at this time to be entering the Championships.

Neil SutchManager

Hamish SanderAssistant Manager/Translator

Carl CoombesCaptain

Mark TriseGB Coordinator

Stuart HagertyGB Coordinator (Wales)

Chris SmartTreasurer

Anna WhiteFitness and Diet

Kieron DaviesCoaching

Andy SwannEntertainment

Jill FletcherRobert Pountney

Mel HemmingJem Howe

Tony DiamondDave Newnham

Pete O'KaneSteve Poulton

Dave BlenkinsopGareth Harrison

Jeff GuyPhil Darley

Rob Bright

THE PHOTOS!