Category: Leven

2 great days surf at home now it's off to Qatar

3/27/2014

Pumping Porthleven

After over 3 months away I have just had two amazing days at home. The surf was a solid and heavy 10ft on Tuesday 25th March and unfortunately really busy. It was hard to get a good one but a had a few riding my 6'3 JP S1 and wearing the awesome O'Neill Pyrotech 5.5/4 hooded, I wasn't even cold!. I had a lovely Pasty from the Horse & Jockey for lunch followed by meeting my new nephew Harry Harvey. A great first day back in Kernow after being away so long and reminded me how lucky I am to live here :)

Wednesday morning and it was going off, 6ft and only a few people out. I scored some bombs, riding my JP SX 6'0 and had an amazing surf, we were even joined by a pod of dolphins towards high tide.
On the way home I had my favorate pasty and in my opinion the best food in the World- Philps Flaky Steak.

Pics by Joe Cockle unless stated
For loads more pics from both days go to http://jnpevents.co.uk/photocart/

I'm now off to Qatar to coach their future Olympic kitesurfers. Working along with KiteAcademy.FR who are coaching the Qatarie freestylers, I am in charge of racing and am there for two weeks to get them on the right path towards Olympic glory before more coaching in the summer.

If you are looking to Learn to Kitesurf in Cornwall, my school Pasty Adventures will be open from the 12th of April.

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Kitesurfing waves in Cornwall new vid

7/3/2012

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Here is a small vid I knocked together of me testing out the new Resin8 Kitesurfboards in Cornwall back in April. For kitesurfing lessons in Cornwall at Gwithian and Marazion go to my school website www.pastyadventures.co.uk West Cornwalls only BKSA recognised kitesurf school.

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Just uploaded article on Winter at home

6/8/2011

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Hi all.
Ive just put up a news article on my winter here in Cornwall http://www.leepasty.co.uk/news.html with some great pics. Still working on some video but should be up soon.
Enjoy and hope to see you somewhere windy and wavey soon.
Lee

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Nice surf yesterday. gone flat and cold again now!

12/8/2010

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Nice surf again yesterday, topping off 3 good south coast days in a row. Gone flat and freezing cold again now so back in the gym and preparing for The Cape Verde Wave Adventure end of Feb.
Still a few spots left so if you fancy kiting/surfing some world famous waves and want to improve your skills?

Book up today, info on the website http://www.pastyadventures.co.uk/holidays.html

Thanks to Mike Newman of Ocean-Image.com for the pic

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Joining North, Hurricane Bill swell & 1st BKSA Blackpool!

9/3/2009

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Well what a busy week. Starting last Friday I signed onto the North Kiteboarding team which I am really pleased about! Finally no more little brands who just make stuff up they think you want to hear. The new kites and race board turned up on Tuesday just as some wind arrived letting me get a bit of practise in on the new 2010 Rebels 14, 11 and 9 over the next couple of days. Thursday saw a nice evening wave session on the 9 at Gwithian and Friday; the much anticipated swell from Hurricane Bill with WNW winds produced the goods at Porthleven on the 6. With high tide and no sand on the beach I had to get photo man Cabo to suit up, run out in between waves and launch the kite. Using my Resin8 6’3 Tokoro, I got some nice double overhead ones and almost a nice barrel, but as I stalled under the section an unsuspecting gust at the same time as the wave sucked out pulled me off the front and left me body surfing in the keg. Still was a good sesh and the first time on the 6’3 at Lev and I was real pleased as it performed better than any other board there before, even when the wind was occasionally cross on and the wave a bit choppy.

Then went home after a pasty and loaded the van for the drive to Blackpool. Luckily on the way Dad rang saying the bridge at Avon mouth was closed causing a 30 mile tail back so we got off the motorway just in time and drove via Bath. Added about 2 hours onto the trip but the radio said some people had been stuck for 71/2 hours so we weren’t too bad!

Saturday at 9am saw 26 people register for the Course Racing, a few ams, young and old freestylers (as the pros had finished on Friday) and a record 100 land kiters, good job it’s a big beach! With the wind blowing onshore at around 25knts and a big swell, we had to wait until 12 as the forecast was for the wind to drop and the theory was as the tide came in the swell would drop making it easier to launch the boat. I was a bit dubious and wasn’t sure if we would get any races in, knowing what the BKSA are like! At 12 it was still 25knts and big swell, but we had the briefing and were going for 2 races back to back on a triangle with 1 mile legs. After a bit of a delay we got underway with me on the Rebel 9, some on 7’s and one guy on an 11! At the top mark I was super pleased to be on the pace and in 2nd with all the fancy custom boards, huge fins and a load of bigging it up in the car park! With superior downwind speed I pulled out a nice lead, helped by Andy Gratwick sailing the wrong way round a mark I finished 1st. Next race and as the gun went the wind cranked up a notch leaving me super stacked. Coming into the 1st mark in the lead a huge roller broke in front of me launching me 20ft downwind and leaving me not able to make the mark. After 2 extra tacks I rounded in 2nd and put the foot on the gas to get my lead back. Another huge wave then broke on top of me whilst I was doing about 30knts and I had a big crash allowing Denzil and Andy to get through. Still a 1st and 4th at the end of the day on the new production North Race ltd with standard fins made me very happy. A few beers at the sailing club and it was off to bed!

Sunday and a lot less wind from the south (cross shore) made it look like much nicer race conditions. With everyone going for bigger kites the wind started to fill in out back leaving some in a dilemma. I went for the Rebel 14 on 32m lines, some were on 12s and Jason who was on a 11 yesterday went for a 16 crossbow in the hope he could win it after he somehow held onto the biggest kite to win the 2nd race.

The briefing was at 12 and the course which was left out from the day before was perfectly laid but for the other way, so this time we went round to starboard, same format again of 2 back to back.

Off the line I gave it full power and rounded in first to then take out a big lead downwind. Tacking in towards shore I lost out a fair bit and the dropping my last tack, I had to swim after the board which allowed Denzil to get past by about 200 metres. On the last reach I gave it my all and reeled him in to within a foot but as I crept underneath to try and force him off the finish line I spun out and crossed the line in a big ball of spray on my back to grab 2nd.

Race 4 and with the breeze more out to sea I powered off the line on port to round the mark first and never looked back. No mistakes this time and I took out a big lead to finish by almost the whole bottom reach and take my first Kitesurf competition win!

Big thanks to my sponsors- North, Freeriders, West, the BKSA and especially the race boat crew of Mike and his daughter who stuck it out despite being sick and scared in the 8-10 ft swell on Saturday. Let’s hope we can get more people into racing in the UK and make kitesurfing into the Olympics for 2016.

Hope you all make the most of this windy weather and ride safe!
Lee

Thanks to Joe Cockle for the lev pics!

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Surf & Exploring

2/26/2009

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Well there has not been any wind now for about 3 weeks, but the surf has been pumping with loads of epic days and big barrels at leven and recently a beauty at g land! even got the frontside 3's sussed now and nailing them most of the time, can't wait till next week and crack them on the kite ;)

also been checking out some spots in north cornwall (found an epic looking downwinder which will incorporate a couple of slabs with the right swell and wind?)and while we were up there did a treasure trail at Tintagel, once the home of Merlin and King Arthur! if you ever want to go to a new place and am not sure about it or know nothing of the area get a treasure trail they are great fun and you learn loads! www.treasuretrails.co.uk

with the swell now small for a few days its given me time to concentrate on my new job as 'Community sports club/schools links co-ordinator' whcih i am doing part time along with fishing (which weve had a few good catches lately) and of course competing on the KPWT when they start.

Got plenty of stuff coming out in the mags and its looking pumping from next weds so for sure there will be more news to come! hope you like the pics!
enjoy and happy hunting