I am super happy to win the IKSurfMag Wave Classic held in West Cornwall from 20-25 October. With British Kitesports cancelling the Wavemasters at the last minute it was an amazing effort by the team at Iksurfmag with help from Kernow Kitesurf Club to run such an amazing event with a great turn out and some wicked prizes along with a goodie bag for all competitors.

With great conditions the weekend before the comp, most of the 22 competitors enjoyed pretty perfect Gwithian and the forecast for the week was looking pretty tasty.

As is sometimes the case with contests the wind never really played ball on the first day with it just teasing enough for an expression session where I used the 15m Juice and Whip 5'6 mostly doing some airs.

Tuesday and it was ex hurricane Gonzales providing 40+ mph of wind from the NW. Unsuitable for any of the contest locations we headed to my favourate spot of Porthleven. The busiest its ever been but was great to see some others out enjoying my wave. It was super windy, I was riding the Neo 5m with full depower at times and using the 2015 5'7 Pro Series which provided amazing grip, allowing me to tuck into a few tasty barrels. A great session made better at prize giving when I was awarded Wave of the Day for 'owning the pleace' :)

Wednesday and Thursday and it was back to comp action, starting at the Bluff. Light winds and slightly onshore conditions made for tricky conditions for the first round, however all the usual suspects made it through along with some surprises who showed they were a force to be reckoned with.
Thursday and the forecast looked like cross off down the line conditions for Sandy Acres with a pumping swell. Yet again the wind gods were unkind with low cloud blocking the wind in the morning but some great waves. As the tide dropped the sun started to come out and the wind picked up but unfortunately turned more onshore and the waves dropped considerably in size. Still was perfectly good to compete in and the comp got underway after a quick expression session.

With light winds again I rode the Neo 12m in my semi final against Ned Taylor who rode really well and then with the wind dropping even more for the final rode the Juice 15m which worked surprisingly well in the waves and allowed me enough power to smack the lip and stay upwind in 10knts.

Big well done to Rich Burton for 2nd and Mikey Mikes on 3rd who both rode really well all week and took out previous champ George Nobel in the semis.
Also well done to Marc Rowley for winning the seniors and Sukie Robertson the ladies.
Thanks to my sponsors-
North Kiteboarding, O'Neill wetsuits, Pasty Adventures
and support from-
Satorial supplies, Inlayz, JP surfboards, Freeriders, XM leashes, Astrodeck.

Big well done to everyone involved for an awesome comp, can't wait for the next one :)
Read the official write up here- http://www.iksurfmag.com/kitesurfing-news/2014/10/iksurfmag-wave-classic/ 

Really pleased to announce I have joined the Fastafoil Team and will be helping to test and develop the Sencillo Kitefoil and Race wings to make foiling accessible and easy as possible for everyone.
Over the coming months I will be keeping everyone up to date with my progress, firstly learning how to fly and then onto more advanced techniques with my foiling diaries. So that you don't miss out subscribe to my Technique Blog or keep an eye out on www.kitesurf-magazine.co.uk. 
Once we have completed the testing process the Sencillo Foil will be produced in the UK by F-Hot giving us a really great UK made foil at a copetitive price. Stay tuned to www.fastafoil.com for all updates on this, at the moment looking like end of August for the first ones and orders are being taken now!

Foiling is the future and I am amazed at the feeling you get from flying and how easy it is to learn with Fastafoil, Sencillo. Foilboarding lessons will be available in Cornwall soon at Pasty Adventures
Cheers and enjoy
Lee

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/ 

I recently spent 2 weeks in Qatar training their National Kite Team to start riding race boards and the kiterace skills needed for them to compete in the 2014 IKA Asian Championships which is being held in Qatar this November and ultimately the Olympics in 2020.

This was my first time in the Middle East and it was a great experience. Qatar has some great kite spots for both freestyle and racing with consistent wind and lovely warm water with a great friendly bunch of people.
The coaching went really well and they have a great group of kiters who are really keen on racing as well as a few of them who are keen to progress into freestyle. Working with Nico and Pinar from Kite Academy who were coaching the freestylers, we had a busy schedule to determine who would concentrate on which discipline, giving each there own goals to work on over the coming months before the next training camp in Turkey in August.
During the camp we ran several Twin Tip races to get everyone into racing with their first taste of competitively riding around a course and being on a start line. During the few no wind days we covered all aspect of theory including rules and fitness training. 
By the end , all of the guys were happily riding freerace boards and had the knowledge and know how of what is needed to progress onto full race boards over the coming months, ready for full on race training in Turkey.

If any organisations or Countries are looking for a race coach or kitesurf coaching of any kind please contact me through my school Pasty Adventures

Stay tuned to my Facebook page for all of my latest news including upcoming Kitesurf Clinics in Cornwall.
Cheers
Lee 

Here is my final video from my seven week trip to Cape Town. 
Thanks to everyone that made it special and my sponsors for their continued support. Next up is Morocco for the PKRA World Tour :)

On Sunday 15th December 2013 it all came together for myself, Lee ‘Pasty’ Harvey and Neal Gent to Kitesurf the notorious Cribbar located off Towan Headland, Newquay, Cornwall.

The Cribbar which is known as being England’s biggest wave is a fickle spot needing a large, long period swell and a low tide before it even starts to show its teeth. With its location off the headland out in the Atlantic making it really affected by the wind, the Cribbar only has a rideable wave a handful of times a year at best. Add into this the fact that we need the right direction and strength wind to be able to kitesurf out there and it drastically reduces the number of days so much so that I have been waiting for 4 years to tackle the beast. 

The day before this Neal actually windsurfed the Cribbar along with Ross Williams but due to the wind being on it all day it was a bit bumpy and they both took a few beatings. Thankfully the wind swung SE and dropped right off overnight, so much so that when we arrived at Little Fistral car park it was blowing dead offshore about 10mph. Steve Thorpe was already rigging his windsurf kit convinced it was going to start blowing soon and sure enough by the time we had walked out along the headland to check the wave, the wind had started to swing cross off and pick up a lot. We looked round to see Steve swimming his kit out off the old lifeboat station, so Genty and I quickly ran back to the van to drive round to North Fistral to launch off the beach while Ross and Jan Sleigh decided to wait for a bit more wind before rigging their sails. Standing at the beach looking out at double overhead close outs crashing onto Fistral it was hard to know what size kites to use to be safe enough to get out of trouble but not too powered to be able to ride the wave. Neal chose to use his RRD 7m Religion while I went for my trusty 6m North Rebel, both of us were strapless using 6ft JP Surfboards with Inlayz.
By the time we launched around 9 am, it was pretty windy and with the tide on low we timed it perfectly. I scooted out through the huge rip in front of Fistral rocks with Neal right behind me, who unfortunately was just too close in for a huge set and took a couple of beating s before making it out the back and start riding down to the reef. Getting into the line up it took a while to get my bearings and work out how deep you could get without getting taken out by the 20ft+ waves. As the Cribbar is really a right it was not ideal down the line conditions, but we will probably never get a huge swell with NE wind. The answer was to try and backdoor the section and smash a few turns without getting too deep and washed onto the razor sharp rocks below the headland where your only escape would be swimming around the corner and around one mile to Newquay harbour. Everyone had some amazing size waves with us all hooting and hollering each other in and shouting go deeper boy. The photos really don’t do the size justice as they are taken from 300ft up on the top of Towan Headland, next time we will hopefully have a boat or ski as support and media vessel!

An Awesome session shared by just us on the kites with 3 windsurf friends and a fair size crowd on the Headland.

Big thanks to JNP Events for taking the pics, Neal Gent for being my wingman and also the first person to Kite and Windsurf the Cribbar. Bring on the next time!
Cheers
Lee ‘Pasty’ Harvey

Check out Part 1 of my 7 week trip to Cape Town. Part 2 coming next week followed by Part 3 early March.
Thanks to my sponsors - North kiteboarding, O'Neill wetsuits, Inlayz, Freeriders and Pasty Adventures.
Also thanks to Cape Town Kite Club for letting me stay at such an awesome place.
Enjoy :)

We are really excited to be going back to Dakhla, one of our favorite places in the World to Kitesurf.
For 2014 we have sorted out a really great deal with our friends at Kite Morocco staying at the new Dakhla Spirit Surf House.

• 7 Nights - £545 (1st - 8th March) per person (includes 5 days coaching)
• 11 Nights - £675 (1st - 12th March)per person (includes 7 days coaching)
  

Price includes shared accommodation at Dakhla Spirit, 3 meals a day, all transfers in Dakhla, coaching from Lee Harvey & more.
Strictly limited to 6 people per coaching session. (i.e 6 for wave, 6 for freeride).
Private room and beginner packages available, details on request.

Flights are currently around £300-£330, for the 1st - 12th we recommend using Royal Air Maroc, Gatwick - Dakhla 
and for the 1st - 8th we recommend using the RAM Heathrow - Dakhla flight which we have found cheapest with Edreams.
Due to the need for an overnight stop in Casablanca on the return leg we recommend staying at the nearby Relax Airport Hotel (formally Atlas Hotel) which has a free shuttle outside the airport and costs around £60 for the night including breakfast.

Places are strictly limited to a max of 6 for Wave coaching and 6 for Freeride. Please don't hesitate to contact with any questions or queries. We have been to Dakhla many times so can help out with most things!
Email lee@pastyadvnetures.co.uk to book, this is a one off special deal and probably your last chance to visit Dakhla for under £1000!

More info on the website http://www.pastyadventures.co.uk/dakhla.html

I look forward to you joining me on a Pasty Adventure in 2014
Cheers
Lee 'Pasty' Harvey

What an amazing run of swell and wind we have had in Cornwall since the 10th December. After a pretty lackluster autumn, it really has made up for it with there being only two days I haven't been in the water, and that was because it was simply too big and windy! The crazy thing is, that there is no sign of it stopping with next week forecast 31ft 17 seconds! Problem is now all the sand has been washed away and most of the beachies are big closeout death pits, if only we had some quality reef set ups to handle the size!

Tomorrow I am flying to Cape Town, can't wait as I've not been to the Cape of Good Fun since 2004 and am really in need of some sunshine. Add to that, the forecast is looking amazing for monday on with the Cape Doctor blowing and a decent swell!
Big thanks to Cornwall and the Santa Storms for keeping me sane over this strange time for me, JNP Events and Ansum Pics for some amazing shots, My sponsors- North Kiteboarding, O'Neill wetsuits, Freeriders for all the support this year and of course JP and Inlayz for making the best surfboards you can get!
Be sure to check out the mags in January for a full write up along with some amazing pics!
Hope to see plenty of you in Cape Town or on my Dakhla coaching holiday in march. Stay safe and I wish you an amazing 2014 :)