White Air TurfDog Competition
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White Air is an extreme sports event on the Isle of Wight. This year was meant to be the UKWA Freestyle National Championship, but with only light wind all event, the windsurfing on the water was not able to take place. So a competition on the TurfDog boards was run instead. Here is a summary of what went on...
The entrants were mainly made up of the UKWA pro and youth fleet. 3 man heats lasting 4 minutes were run and after several rounds the fleet was singled down to 4 semi finalists. The semi-finals were 1 on 1 heats to give a 2 man final. By the time we reached the semis the standard of moves was awesome, the TurfDog boards enabling tricks that generally are only done by the world best freestyler's on the water.
Semi Final 1, Rich Jones vs Matt Parish
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Rich and Matt had proven themselves by getting this far, and it was an exciting show down. UK Pro, Rich was nailing some solid moves like spocks and flakas, he then went for several fully committed chachos which he crashed heavily! Matt was "Mr Triple" pulling off some triple flakas! Although the last two flakas were generally more like geckos his scores for this move were still high. Getting a nice clew first spock at the end of the heat sent Matt through to the final.
Semi Final 2, Oscar Carmichael vs Glen Sullivan
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Oscar started really strong in the semi final, by going for his consistant tricks and therefore racking up the points. Glen had some great tricks up his sleave but was not able to repeat his perfomances of earlier heats. Glen's landed moves were a selection of flakas and geckos with a couple of vulcans as well. In the end Oscar went through with his flakas and spocks to meet Matt Parish in the final.
FINAL
Matt Parish vs Oscar Carmichael
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With the tide coming in and space on the beach running out we kicked off with the final immediately, Oscar and Matt were ripping. Oscar's switch chachos were really impressive along with a whole host of of flakas and flaka diablos. Matt was doing doubles galore but not sticking some other moves making it a really close final. In the end it was too close to call so another heat was run. The heat to split the tie was a best move format, with three runs each. Matt went first and tiredness was showing, he did not make his move on two of his three runs. In the end he had to settle for a clew first vulcan. This left the door open for Oscar to take the win, Oscar crashed his first two runs as well, so it was down to the last run to beat Matt. With a good crowd of spectators watching the pressure was on young Oscar. he got good speed up and then went for a spock, sketchily pulling it off leaving the judges to decide the winner. Due to the spock being untidy it was awarded the same points a Matt's clew first vulcan - alas it was a Draw!
Results
1 st = Oscar Carmichael and Matt Parish
3 rd = Rich Jones, Glen Sullivan
5 th = Alex Mitchell, Charlie Wilson
7 th = Steve Tyson Finlay, Foster-Davies
Well Done Oscar and Matt. Thank you Ben Harwood for Judging, Laura Wilkinson for taking the photos and The White Air Events Team for putting together a superb weekend.