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About The WWA Goals Commitee Membership Text Event Notification Submissions Suggestions Logo and Brand Photo Gallery Contact Current Projects Coastal Highway Member Profiles Burkhard "Boogie" Vierth Bronwyn Ward Clayton Dougan Craig Mc Creary Gareth Wood Gary Mc Corry James Court Leland Le Breton Megan O'Donovan Tom Taylor Troy Purcel Will Thorp Chris "Woo" Norris Mark and Simone Hollenstein

Clayton Dougan Jan 2004 Name: Age: Born in: Grew up: Lives in: Occupation: Years sailing: Spot sailed mostly: Favourite spots: -greater Wellington: - in New Zealand: - globally: Favourite move: Favourite food: Favourite music: My surf van is a: My equipment: Other activities: Disciplines: Clayton Dougan 22 Porirua Wairarapa Whitby Roof Painter 10 Plimmerton Plimmerton Waitotara Waitotara/Plimmerton Backloop Home cooking Techno/Rage against the machine Toyota Camri Neil Pryde/AHD MTB, tennis, hanging out with friends Wave Sailing, Slalom, Freestyle, Course Racing The questions: My first time: (windsurfing !?!?!) That was at the Pauatahanui Inlet when I was 11 years of age. They had gear for hire and special kid's rigs etc. which made things a lot easier. I spent about 4 hours on the water and had a great time ! I still go there for course sailing every now and then, I like the place !  Best windsurfing experience: Must have been taking part in the 2000 Maui Slalom Series. It was an insane experience and sailing against the top guns was really good fun and also interesting. Going ballistic downwind on fast slalom gear in full on race mode is one of the best experiences windsurfing can offer Worst windsurfing experience: Acting as a windsurf double of the actor for a commercial advert for a German company. After some stressful driving around half of the country looking for some decent conditions, the whole crew ended up at Castlepoint, where the required shots were to be taken. The project was already behind the deadline, so things were getting desperate. It was dead offshore with nasty breaking masthigh waves. Despite an inflatable boat and a chopper being at hand, I wasnt too keen on getting munched out there, which is exactly what happened of course. The boat and chopper crews not experienced in sea rescue operations couldnt do much in terms of trying to save my ass, and consequently I just about drowned. I guess that's probably the worst I have felt windsurfing.   What fascinates you the most about windsurfing? It's mostly the variety of tricks windsurfing offers. Compared to some other sports, windsurfing is relatively difficult to learn, so the learning curve is endless, there's always a challenge, regardless of your level. Then there's also the different disciplines, Racing, Wave, Freestyle. There's something there for everyone in any conditions. As for preferred type of sailing, I would have to sail number one for me is Wavesailing, with Racing following close in second.  How do you see the sport of windsurfing developing in the future ? Mmhh...haven't thought about that a lot. I think there will be more younger people getting into the sport. You can see that already, part of it has to do with the Freestyle. Young guys come out of nowhere and kick ass. That inspires a lot of kids and I think a lot more will come into the sport in the next 10 years.   What would you like to see happening in the Wellington Windsurfing scene, or what would be a really cool thing to happen ? More events for everyone. Also less of a subdivision of the different disciplines, which sometimes causes social subdivisions also, as seen in the past. Would be great if everyone would see themselves as windsurfers, regardless of type of sailing and for everyone to have fun and get on with each other.  Are you planning on giving the World Cup a go ? Yes for sure. I am really keen on giving it a proper shot at the end of this year. As with everyone else out there, sponsorship required to compete internationally is really difficult to come by, you have to go hard and you have to have the right connections. It's good that the PWA is trying to organize an overall thing again, with Racing hopefully coming back into the picture. As I see myself most successful in Racing and Overall, this has sparked my motivation again to give it a go. Freestyle and Wave Worldcups are really hard to get into, you have to spend a lot of time on Maui etc. to get anywhere. It's just that I have more experience in Racing.  Something to say to all other windsurfers out there ? Yeah, get more women into it, there's far too many guys out there !! Editors comment: During the last few years, Clayton has come up the ranks from promising grommet, to currently being one of the best windsurfers in New Zealand. He has always been an outstanding sailor, be it in the waves or on the raceboard. With his racing background, his sailing type in the waves is powerful, go for big airs. He reminds us a bit of Antoine Albeau, and who knows, now that the PWA is going to run a full 3 discipline overall thing again, Clayton might just give it a shot.... Clayton is out there pretty much all the time, even in the midst of winter at Lyall Bay, always keen on some action and wave-sessions. His trademark move is the backloop, which he pulls off with an outstanding hitrate at Plimmerton. He has however very recently also shown that he is no stranger to freestyle, by winning the Welli Freestyle event in early March 2002. He has achieved this with an incredible small amount of practice. By the way, he is also the first of the Welllington sailors to master the Spock. (Seen it again today at the Inlet !!! Bastard !) Clayton - Plimmerton (pic (c) smileypics) Clayton sailing at his favourite spot Plimmerton (pic (c) smileypics) Clayton trademark Backloop Best results: 2002 NZ Racing Nationals             1st Open 2002 Australian Formula Champs  2nd Open 2002 Wellington Freestyle             1st Open 2001 Racing Nationals                  2nd Open 2000 Racing Nationals                  4th Open Plus various wins at Wellington Harbour Blasts, Wellington Slalom Champs and North Island Race Cups. Sail number:     KZ33 Sponsors:         Neil Pryde International, Red Bull                          Wildwinds, AHD

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