This weekend we had the Edge Cup in Exmouth which for 2014 is also the British Kiterace Nationals. 
Starting on Friday 13th  June we had amazing weather but unfortuanately a lack of wind, that was until about 5.30pm when a land breeze filled in from the North. After waiting all day with my 18m Dyno rigged on the beach, I hit the water with the GoPro to get a bit of footage for the BBC news before the first race. Not realising how quick the wind was  building I stuck with the 18 but ended up exploding around the top mark so retired and headed in for the 13m Dyno ready for race 2. With much better power I was flying and managed a nice 3rd closely behind Connor with Olly way out front.
For the next 3 races the wind was up and down and Jack was going really well just pipping me on the final downwinds using his lighter weight to great use.
Saturday and it was more of a waiting game, until there was just enough breeze around 4pm to tempt us all out but alas we all ended up getting rescued.
The evening due was yet again amazing and big thanks to Jeff from Pebblebed Vineyards for amazing food and wine.
Sunday and without much wind forecast we headed out early in very light wind with the hope of some seabreeze. With just about 6knts on the course at the start we got away with some power but by lap 2 I was struggling and ended up just behind Jack again, before the wind totally died and all but a few just made it back to the beach under our own steam.
Results-
1st and British Champion-Olly Bridge, 2nd Connor Bainbridge, 3rd Jack Galloway, 4th Lee Harvey, 5th and British Ladies Champion- Jade O,Connor 

Also well done and impressive kiting to Guy Bridge, British Kitefoil Race Champion.
Thanks to my sponsors, North & O'Neill for all the support, I will be training hard and back in the top 3 next year!

For the official write up see  
http://www.kitesurf-magazine.co.uk/edge-race-cup-2014/ 

Super pleased to finish 2nd at the Edge Cup, British Kitesurfing Racing Championships round 2, last weekend 15th - 16th June in Exmouth.
Run by 4 times world chmapion Steph Bridge the event was yet again a huge success with a great party at Pebblebed vineyard. 
Olly Bridge was flying scoring all 1st places out of the 9 races we managed to finish.
I was really happy with 5 2nds & 4 3rds beating Steph in race 2 before she took herself out with a huge crash in race 3.
The conditions were pretty full on on saturday with most racers on 7-9m kites, i choose to use the 10m North rebel and was perfect on the 2013 race 69.
Sunday was a different story with everyone on big kites although the wind piped right up just before the 1st race of the day race 7 meaning some changed down only for the wind to drop to nothing on the 2nd lap and all but Olly swiming in so meaning race abandoned.
After a quick sup team race the wind filled back in for 3 more races.
Check a bit more of a write up here http://www.kitesurf-magazine.co.uk/edge-cup-report/
Prizegiving was held on the beach as the sun came out with perfect kitesurfing conditions in the background.
Thanks to Steph & Edge watersports team for another great event.
Results:
1st Olly Bridge
2nd Lee Harvey
3rd Denzil Williams

For me that now makes 1st (waves), 3rd & 2nd (racing) at the comps so far this year ;)
Gotta be happy with that.Looking forward to the next event in Wales.
Thanks to my sponsors-
North kiteboarding, ION, Freeriders & Pasty Adventures

Last weekend saw the Edge cup hosted by 4 times World Champ- Steph Bridge. After mostly finishing 3rd, I ended up 4th being beaten by Callum by 0.3 points after he bagged an equal 2nd and got took out in the last race which gave him average points meaning he beat be even though i beat him in 7 out of 11 races. Jammy git!
the report from Edge is below-

On the friday, Steph and me ran a Race Coaching clinic which was attended by the RYA and 9 of their development squad along with 3 other kitesurfers who are keen to get into kite racing. With around 25knts of breeze we covered the basics of getting into kite racing, including gust management, rules, footwork, upwind/downwind sailing and mark rounding. All learnt lots and I think the RYA were suitably impressed. 
Lots more to come so stayed tuned for Race Coaching dates at www.pastyadventures.co.uk and www.edgewatersports.com

Edge Race Cup - Report


 June 23rd and 24th saw the 3rd running of the Edge Race Cup, now established as the premier kitesurf racing event in the UK.  The record entry of over 40 kiteracers came expecting great kitesurfing conditions and were not disappointed!  Amongst the entries were organiser Steph Bridge 4 times Kiterace World Champion and previous UK National Champions Denzil Williams from Cornwall and Callum Edge from Weymouth.  The weekend also saw many 1st time racers get down to Exmouth seafront and join the action.



The action began on the Friday with a race clinic run by Lee Harvey and Steph  Bridge- 12 kiters joined and learnt up and down wind techniques, directional board footwork, stance, kite position and race strategy.  The day also saw the Royal Yachting Association in attendance to learn more about kitesurfing prior to its inclusion at the Olympics in Rio for 2016.

Saturday dawned with a good force 5 south westerly wind blowing and an out going tide resulting in challenging sea conditions ensuring the race board fleet were sent out on the water first.  3 races were run in quick succession with fantastic fast racing with the Exmouth Duo of Steph Bridge and her eldest son Oliver Bridge setting the tone for the weekend and dominating the fleet.  Oliver Showed amazing speed and control in the rough conditions and came away with 3 first places in the morning session.

 

Then it was time for the amateurs and ladies fleets to get into the action.  Stand out performances were seen from Murray Smith from Dartmouth and Mathew Causen from Bristol as well as local teenager Alice shoulder in the ladies fleet.  After a brief lunch break the course was moved further out to sea and both pros and amateurs were sent out at the same time.  The sea conditions were now a little kinder and it was time to set both fleets off at the same time.  It was impressive to see forty racers all starting at the same time and some great racing continued.  In the ladies local rider Bel Bailey really came to the party winning a number of races and beating all the amateur men in 2 races but with Alice shoulder right on her tail the overall result was looking very tight.  In the men's amateur fleet local doctor Tom Debenham was on fire getting some great results followed closely by another local James Bainbridge.  In the pros there was no stopping Olly Bridge with 2 more race wins abruptly ended with a disqualification in the last race for starting too soon.  Other pros with good results that afternoon were Callum Edge, Lee Pasty,  Denzil Williams and Steve Stubbs,  All they had to do was work out how to beat Olly!

The Saturday night party was hosted by the River Exe Cafe and despite the rain everyone had a great time with excellent food and wine provided by our  sponsor pebblebed wines.

The Sunday dawned with light winds and the pro's were sent out to do battle, in these very difficult conditions only 1 race was run won by Steph Bridge proving that experience counts when the going gets tricky.  The afternoon gave much better wind and slacker tides so everyone was back on it for the final deciding races.  In the ladies fleet it was a battle down to the wire between Alice Shoulder and Bel Bailey, both were super powered and gunning for the win just coming out on top by 2 points was Alice in her first ever race event!  In the amateur fleet it was down to a 3 horse race with Murray Smith just edging out Debenham with Bainbridge third.

The Race board class continued to be dominated by fourteen year old Olly Bridge winning nine races out of eleven, an amazing performance, second was Steph and third  Callum Edge.

It was a great weekend of racing and enjoyed by all participants, roll on 2013.