While I really don't believe in these, especially around New Years, I do have some goals for 2010. These kinda stem from a recent forum thread on WindsurfCanada.com.
Definitely a few goals.
In the trick department, I have really stagnated the last couple of years. Perhaps this is since I'm spreading myself and time on the water a bit too thin for bagging some of these relatively difficult and unusual moves. I'm also extremely out of shape.
In the big scheme of things, these tricks aren't actually considered that hard anymore. That doesn't mean they are easy in any sense, but I'm getting old dammit... and these into the wind rotation moves are a whole new bag of worms.
Not yet decided, but 2010 is the year for at least one of these flat-water freestyle moves:
- Flakas (here's a link to a pretty in-depth article on the commitment and learning curve on this one, care of Boardseeker.com)(Oh, and here is the original Swayze by the inventor Web pedrick)
- Shakas (While I wish I could say I've made progress on these since this absolute fluke claim in New Zealand, I cannot.)
- hell, I'll even take Goiters... (or Ponches, I suppose is what they are called in the freestyle world)
Apparently, analysis by a sailing buddy Amine Fadous from Montreal while in Hatteras a couple of years ago, suggests that my flaka attempts look a lot more like goiter/ponch attempts... so hey, maybe I should just go with the flow...
And aerials:
- one handed forwards (Here is a nice one by Albeau)
- port-side forwards
- pushloops (Here's a nice basic one by Gollito, care of Continent Seven)
Alright then, on a different perspective, here are a few other things:
- Start gradually widening my footstraps, both for better ability to get over the centreline (apparently important for flakas), and also to reduce the chance of screwing up my ankles.
- Go a notch longer with harness lines and accordingly raise the boom a notch as well. I tend to ride with a fairly low boom... which probably makes it a bit harder to get weight on the mast and middle of the board for, again, those damn flakas.
- Keep experimenting with smaller FS fins. I wrote a wee stubby-fin analysis way back when about my take on stubby cut-down fins, but I think it is time to re-evaluate - especially since my new ride came with a gem - a nice 20cm MFC FS Pro UL.
And finally, I hope to write a couple articles for magazine submission, topics to remain nameless until they actually get published. Or more accurately stated: IF they get published...
So, that's it folks... Those are my goals. Let's see what the year brings. What about you?
