Xanthe Bowater: update from across the globe

Late last month Seventhwave ambassador Xanthe Bowater left for Europe to compete in the 2012 Techno World Championships in the Netherlands. We have received some updates from Xanthe on her travels and experiences so far and she seems to be having a great time.

Starting her trip in Poland, she was entered in a regatta with some of the best sailors in the world at a Windsurfing Club/Hotel/Restaurant with a great setup for boards and small yachts, Xanthe was really impressed with the Learning programs, Hire and racing course.

While there the wind  didn't get over 5-6 knots which was a good and bad. Good as she had only had her plaster cast taken off her ankle from a hockey injury a week before, so she could ease herself back into windsurfing without putting too much pressure on it. Bad because she had to do a lot more physical pumping of her sail.

With three days of European sailing experience behind her, Xanthe was disappointed with how she went, but taking part in the regatta helped her in getting back regatta fitness in a great environment.

Xanthe and her father were loaned two brand new RS boards to train on, so they stayed in Sopot for a few more days to get some more training in and get her fitness levels back up. 

She seems to be enjoying the European summer, and the challenge of competing and training with some of the best European sailors in  her class. It's a great chance for her to compare her skills and experiences.

From Poland the Bowater family travelled to Medemblik, Netherlands, where the World Champs will be held. They had an interesting journey getting there, with flat tyre's, stomach bugs, and accommodation muck ups, but arrived in the end, with some added sight seeing in there for good measure.

Xanthe is now back on her own board, and has training with some of the Brazilian, Hong Kong, Singaporean and Brazilian teams under her belt.

It's been good for her to see what she will be up against but Xanthe was looking forward to the rest of the New Zealand team arriving in the following days.

With the Regatta started we are looking forward to our next update from Xanthe with her results.

Glad to hear you are having fun and learning lots Xanthe, thanks for keeping us updated and we are looking forward to hearing more.

Xanthe also has support from the following companies:

• Groundswell    
• Contours
• SkullCandy
• Carl Taylor Homes
• ATF Fencing
• ASP Engineering LTD
• Naval Point Yacht Club Lyttelton
• Mitre 10 Mega Ferrymead
• House of Travel Marivale
• Koller & Koller
• Rotary International
• Kiwanis International
• Leighs Construction  

Kiwi champ off to the 2012 TECHNO 293 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Meet Xanthe Bowater, 16 year old windsurfer from Lyttelton. Brought up in a sailing family so yachting is certainly strongly in Xanthe’s genes. She has been racing dinghies since she was eight years of age and commenced windsurfing shortly after. She is the only South Island windsurfer competing in National course racing events, and one of only a handful of top young Female Windsurfers in New Zealand.
 

Xanthe entered in her first competition at 13 and won the North Island title that same year. The following year she was Nationals under 15 champion then kicked off her International career, competing in New Caledonia, and taking a podium position at just 14 years old.

In 2011 Xanthe headed over to San Francisco with six other keen young windsurfers to represent New Zealand at the Techno 293 World Champs.

Her results for the last season have been impressive, achieving top places in every competition she enters. This is her first season in slalom racing; she won the Canterbury Championships Junior event and was the youngest female competitor of the Nationals. Winning both the New Zealand and Oceanic under 17 titles and the prized Kendall cup series earlier this year Xanthe is definitely a name to watch.

In August she will be joining the International Competition once again travelling to the Netherlands to compete in the 2012 Techno World Championships. Whilst over there she is hoping to get extra training in with some of the European teams and also race in the Baltic regatta, Poland.

Having Windsurfing dropped from The Olympics this year has been a big blow but Xanthe has adopted a really positive attitude, focusing her attention on the World Championships and the other six competitions she has over the next seven months (which include another crack at the Australian Youth trials and Down Under Series).

She will also be competing to retain the Kendall Cup once again next year, competing in six regattas during the New Zealand sailing season.

Xanthe is heavily involved in her home club, Naval Point Club Lyttelton, playing a major part in the promotion of Windsurfing as a fun and competitive sailing option. She has been helping alongside local Windsports club, Windsurf New Zealand and Yachting New Zealand to make this happen, obviously seriously committed to the sport! She is now into her second season of teaching ‘Learn to Windsurf’ at the club, loving introducing children and adults to the sport that means so much to her, as well as helping out at the Club and Estuary as much as she can.

We are delighted to support Xanthe, and have her as part of the Seventhwave team.


Xanthe also has support from the following companies:

• Groundswell    
• Contours
• SkullCandy
• Carl Taylor Homes
• ATF Fencing
• ASP Engineering LTD
• Naval Point Yacht Club Lyttelton
• Mitre 10 Mega Ferrymead
• House of Travel Marivale
• Koller & Koller
• Rotary International
• Kiwanis International
• Leighs Construction  

2012 TECHNO 293 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - 11th to 18th August 2012
International Sailing Center Medemblik, Netherlands

Whale Watch Kaikoura Surf Classic June 2012

 
Kaikoura played host to the final round of the South Island surf circuit for 2012, on Queens birthday weekend. Day 1 was a beautiful sunny day with little wind down at the K, the ocean rolling beautiful double overheads at the beach for the masters, juniors, seniors & grand masters heats. Day 2 another lovely sunny day at Kahutara, swell having dropped to 3ft producing an awesome field for the womans, cadets and longboard heats. Day 3 was held at Meatworks, Meaties had possibly its best waves of the year on display, late morning was pumping to say the least, semi finalists able to showcase there skill on the great waves. 2pm Day 3 the southerly hit kaikoura during the Masters final and completely flattened & slopped the waves at meatworks, the competition was moved up the coast to Mangamaunu, where the bay sheltered the bitter southerly and provided long rides for the finals.

Kaikoura Boardriders Club spokesman Brent Proctor said the conditions were arguably the best ever for the three-day event, a permanent fixture in the Kaikoura diary for Queen's Birthday Weekend. 

A number of Seventhwave team riders traveled north to the event, you can see many of them in the video showing off their Custom Wetsuits.
Look out for Luke O'Neill, Al Te Moananui (Bright Yellow) and Niwa Ututaonga.

For more info and pics check out http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/sport/7043574/Near-perfect-waves-for-memorable-classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wuVqSbbBFY


Results:
Mount Lyford/Whaler Grand Masters: 1 Richard Baxter (Kaikoura), 2 Neil Robb (Sumner), John Roussey (North New Brighton), 4 Tony Low (North New Brighton).

Encounter Kaikoura/Southern Paua Cadets: 1 Jared Crawford, 2 Max Marshall (Sumner), 3 Harrison Whiteside (Redcliffs), 4 Niwa Ututaonga (Sumner).

Surge Surfboards/Pacific Pools Seniors: 1 Haden Brain (Kaikoura), 2 Nick Black (North New Brighton), 3 Josh Thickpenny (Dunedin), 4 Dane Robertson (Kaikoura).

McCrory Plumbing Longboards: 1 Nash Robertson (Kaikoura), 2 Ambrose McNeill (Sumner), 3 Josh Martin (Westport), 4 Matt McCrory (Kaikoura).

R&R Sport Juniors: 1 Hugh Ritchie (North New Brighton), 2 Jacob Kohn (Gisborne), 3 Harrison Whiteside (Redcliffs), 4 Cody McClusker (Kaiapoi).

Te Aroha/Board Silly Women's Open: 1 Alethea Lock (Sumner), 2 Haley Baxter (Kaikoura), 3 Leilani Brain (Kaikoura), 4 Tammi Martin (Kaikoura).

Whale Watch Kaikoura Men's Open: 1 Hayden Brain (Kaikoura), 2 Anthony Hema (Westport), 3 Nigel Wiseman (Kaikoura), 4 Dane Robertson (Kaikoura).

Monkey business/Ace 4WD Masters: 1 Dave Lyons (Kaikoura), 2 Al Te Moananui (Kaikoura), 3 Richard Baxter (Kaikoura), 4 Aaron Surgenor (Kaikoura).

13-year-old Xavier Campbell wins MOSA #3

The Seventhwave Most Outstanding Surfer Award (MOSA) had another first recently, with the award being taken out by Xavier Campbell at the 2012 Canterbury Champs. The 13-year-old's outstanding surfing—noticeably improved and honed through the summer season—makes Xavier our youngest winner, and highlights the depth of skill coming up through the South Island ranks.

Indeed, Xavier had to fight of a host of other groms nipping at his heels for the award, especially Nick Takarama and Jack Wilson. These guys have obviously been practicing, and a friendly competitive rivalry has seen the overall level of youth surfing develop in leaps and bounds.

Seventhwave has always supported up-and-coming groms, so we're stoked to see Xavier take out MOSA #3. Will it be another grom at the Nationals in Dunedin this weekend?

Christchurch beaches are OPEN!!!!

 The health warning at Christchurch beaches has been lifted just in time for summer.

After a loooooooooooong 6 months its finally time to wax up your surfboards and hit the town beaches.

Read more on the NZ Herald website here

Ocean Wave Performance

For the past 6 months Lyne Pringle has immersed herself in the shifting tides of South Dunedin. In this time she has choreographed the whole of Forbury School into an oceanic dance as it navigates its way through a decision by the Ministry of Education to close it down.

 Ocean Wave investigates the notion of finding solace in the sea and the various ways that people interact with it. South Dunedin is one of the most densely populated urban areas in Australasia; one of the poorest neighbourhoods in New Zealand borders one of the most affluent; all inhabitants share a precarious border with a dynamic rising ocean that licks constantly at vulnerable sand dunes. 

Read More...