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About Wellington Windsurfing Association

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

Gary Mc Corry Dec 2001 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:  Gary Mc Corry  39  Wellington  Palmerston North  Wellington  Account Manager  15  The Ditch  Dumps  Pungarehu  Gnarloo / WA  Eating flaky pastry pies in  Andy Martins wagon. Jellytip icecram at Okato dairy after an epic Pungarehu session  Radiohead, Portishead, Massive Attack etc.  Subaru Legacy of course  North, Carbon Art, Wave and Freestyle gear.  Golf, winding up Woo Wave, Freestyle The questions: My first time: (windsurfing !?!?!) 1984, Lake Taupo on a huge beginner board Best windsurfing experience: Planning past Roger Twedell who was just about sinking, at the 1995 Harbour Blast Worst windsurfing experience: 1) 1985, learning in the Ditch, wind picked up as I was way out there, couldnt handle it anymore, got swept into Miramar wharf, which was coincidentially wasted with Diesel from a boat that day. Got aboslutely coated with diesel, which stuck tu suit, hair, board and sail, was devestaded by the time I left the water.  2) Closely followed by a more recent experience on Maui 1999, sailcap broke 1 km off coast and had to swim for more than an hour. Definitely thoughts of Tiger sharks creeping up all way in, and definitely a scary experience.    What fascinates you the most about windsurfing? Nothing in particular, just the whole package. The people, the whole scene and of course the windsurfing  experience in general.  How do you see the sport of windsurfing developing in the future ? It will continue to get easier to learn. I see modern course boards finally making it into the Olympics, which will increase general coverage on windsurfing as thats more appealing to the masses. I expect racing to continue, as its important for general windsurfing product development and speed will always remain a fasctinating aspect of windsurfing. Freestyle will continue to prove itself as an important addition, as especially for the younger crowds this relates most to the other modern funsports, and there isnt a continuous upgrading of gear required. The PWA worldtour might change a bit with separate racing and wave/freestyle tours. However I don't think if that would be a good development, in terms of costs for the participants, it would be the best to keep them together. In my opinion, freestyle should continue to NOT contribute hugely to the overall worldcup title.  What would you like to see happening in the Wellington Windsurfing scene, or what would be a really cool thing to happen ? I would like to see a ramp or similar built to ease the congestion at Kio Bay. At the current rate, there will most likely be problems in the future with pedestrians and cyclists etc.  I also hope that the Bombora Man will continue to inspire us and that Rob Snow will complete any of the moves he attempts.  Something to say to all other windsurfers out there ? No matter what discipline you are doing, it's just great to be out there and windsurf. I used to be a bit critial towards sailors who would only go back and forth all day, but nowadays I think everyone out there is having fun being out there and that is a really nice thing to see.  How it all came together: After his first attempts at Lake Taupo, Gary didnt think too much of windsurfing back in 1984. You would think that by living in windy Wellington for 6 years from '79 to'85 you would get into it anyway, but it was only after his Taupo experience, that he started to actually notice the sailors out in Lyall Bay flying back and forth, and doing big jumps in the bay. This seemed quite appealing to Gary and looked like good fun. He immediately got all the books available on windsurfing from the library and bought his first board which was a "Superstar", NZ built, and a designated regatta board, whatever that meant in those days.  Shortly after all this, Gary moved to Taranaki where he spent the following 10 years from '85 - '95.  He moved to East End in summer 86 where he started to learn waterstarts and the general skills of shortboard sailing. This time has been crucial to his windsurfing career, as that was the time when he really got addicted to the sport. He met so many new friends and nice people, that not only the sport as such, but the whole atmosphere around it made up a great deal of his spare time and future life.  After a few rather pitiful years in London '95-'97, where Gary basically forgot about windsurfing, (he sailed once 20 minutes in Brighton, but was so buggerd he had to give up), he came back to Wellington and was right back into it. These days, Gary is known for his excellent waveriding skills, which are based on 10 years of Taranaki experience, and he is still considered a local with the boys up there. Basically, if it gets big, Gary will be the guy standing out, still pulling aerials, when others just try to survive. Recently he has translated his waveriding and general sailing ability into Freestyle, which he likes very much. The victory at the first "King of the Ditch" contest in 1998, has given him the inofficial title of Wellingtons Freestyle guru, confirmed by the fact that Gary was probably the first guy in NZ to pull off a volcan. Regrettably he must also be the first guy to actually have forgotten how to do them, as in his own voice he admits to have lost the plot on the volcans somewhat over the last couple of months. Garys wave and freestyle abilities are right up there amongst the top Kiwi sailors. Its good to see Gary out there in the Ditch, even if the conditions arent perfect, just having a good time with the mates and other sailors. Gary, Aerial off the lip. Pungareuhu 1994 Best results: Harbour Blast 1994 - Wellington, 1st Open Harbour Blast 1995 - Wellington, 1st Open 1998, King of the Ditch - Wellington, 1st Open 1999, Waveriding Nationals - Taranaki, 4th Open

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