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Wednesday 7th October - Windsurf ***** - River Stour at Bradfield – sunny periods.

Fin – 26.16 knot max, 24.55 knot ave ., 15.48 knot hour, 20.12 knot mile, 65.20 km ., 17.22 knot alpha.

F2 Zantos 295 with 38 fin and Tushingham Lightning 7m.

The wind just keeps on giving and for the fourth day in a row I head for the water:) There was a tad of north today so a few of us agreed to head over to the River Stour at Bradfield with foiling in mind. I got there before the foilers with the aim to have an hour out first thing on the fin to make the most of the flatter water. As I am first there, I get my favourite corner parking spot and with the wind probably west now a third of the river is sheltered by a small headland so choosing a sail is a bit of guesswork? So, I set up my foil board, then rig my 7m for the fin and 6m for the foil as Saga Speed Team buddy Peter Cutts arrives for one of his rare windsurfing outings followed by Ian, Robert, David, James and Keith later. I set off first again with the fin board, my large F2 Zantos 295 to get me through the river lulls not sure if I have enough sail but there was some white water in the middle so I hoped I would be OK. It was still too early to foil really as there is a long muddy walk to deep water. I soon hit the wind line and was nicely powered with the 7m although to be honest for the second fin session in a row I was out with one sail size too small and would have been faster on my 7.8. I must have had an hour out by myself before the foilers came out and it was great sailing the rolling swell in brilliant sunshine, nothing superfast just fun blasting with some great gybing fun, to be honest I am disappointed with todays alpha as I was getting some crackers! There was an interesting section of rougher water in the deep channel which was nice in get through and some nice water to gybe either side. I slowly sailed down to Wrabness and had a couple of runs across Holbrook bay. I started beating back as the winded turned a little iffy and for several runs could only find a few hundred metres of wind on the Essex side. Then the wind filled in nicely as I neared the launch beach and whizzed past Peter a few times who was using a board even older than mine but certainly quick and he was faster than me today helped by him rigging his 7.8. With the tide high and just about to turn and with the wind dropping it was time to call it a day after being out well over three hours covering 40 miles, I was having such fun on the fin I gave foiling a miss today. It was nice to be out on the fin on the Stour, the first time in several session here! So, 5-star session with some nice big gusts great for both fin and foil today even better in the sunshine:) Some big winds tomorrow but not sure where to go, might just play it safe and go back to Levington????

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Another lovely day at Bradfield - Sunny -nice swells - good O boys there - plenty of wind -