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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

James Court December 2002 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: James Court  30  Auckland  Hamilton (the least windiest city in NZ)  Miramar, Wlgt  (the windiest city in NZ)  Policy Analyst, Ministry for the Environment  16  Plimmerton  Plimmerton, cos it is jump city  Waitotara  Waitotara  Any move that I am struggling to pull off consistently. Although, a single move would have to be perfectly landing really high push loops Any fresh seafood  Anything with a combination of lounge, dub, or ecletic (particulary beck, Salmonella Dub) plus I am partial for good old school and new school punk  1995 Holden commodore berlina S/W  Maxride DRT60 freestyle/light wind wave - this board is the bomb! Does both freestyle and waves incredibly well; JP Wave 75 2003 High wind waveboard - Great aerial and down the line  wave board. Neil Pryde 2003 Zones 4.1, 4.7, 5.3, Neil Pryde expression 6.2  surfing, some mountainbiking Wave, Freestyle THE QUESTIONS: My first time windsurfing: I grew up in a surfing family so never had a chance! Although, I didn't start windsurfing until I was about 14. Learnt to windsurf on the Hamilton Lakes and from about 16 eventually got good enough to go out to Raglan (west coast) with my big cousin Troy. Fanatically windsurfed and surfed Raglan pretty much on a weekly basis until I moved to Wellington in 1999. Raglan is still home and I really miss the long hollow left hand point breaks. Best windsurfing experience: Hawaii 1990 with Wellington Crew (Troy Purcell, Rod Drury, Neil Wood & Maree, Grant Shapcott, Dallas James and some others I can't remember) when I was a young and naive 18 - Probably the best trip of my life. We rented Robby Naishs house (no Robby was not there) and I just managed to survive 3 weeks of: sailing everyday at Camp One (camp Kiwi), wild parties, rental car abuse, honey bear attacks, under aged drinking, getting drunk on light beer and tequilla, and my biggest claim to fame, power chucking off the deck with Josh Angulo. First equal with the 2002 Taranaki Wave Classic - Four days good wavesailing, hanging with Woo, Butsy, Troy and Rod, nailing port tack pushies at Weld Road and of course the Wellington crew cleaning up the competition. Worst windsurfing experience: Breaking my foot at Lyall Bay in 2000 then after 2 months out of the water injuring it again first time back on the water. What fascinates you the most about windsurfing? The fraternity, the diversity, the potential. For me, it is the best thing I have ever done, and it just keeps getting better. Seeing you are out there in a Northerly at Lyall Bay and also being a keen surfer, what are your thoughts on the proposed artificial reef? The reef can only mean good things for both sports. Being further offshore will mean it is more exposed to the northerly crosshore and create a break from the typical closeouts. There is a potential for conflict with the surfers that would need to be managed. Generally surfers prefer light offshores or cross offshores so when it is really windy there shouldn't be a problem (although Wellington surfers are a pretty diehard bunch). The overlap will be when its 15 - 20 knots and the waves are still reasonable surfable and there are heaps of guys out. I would suggest that as a rule of thumb if there are more than 8 guys on a peak, we should not be sailing there for safety and to preserve the peace. How do you see the sport of windsurfing developing in the future ? Freestyle is the best thing that has happened to the sport recently, and it is definately the future - Because: it appeals to youth culture, the aerial tricks look so cool and are so diverse (spocks, vulcans, grubbies, loops, willyskippers, etc, etc, etc) and is not so dependant on waves and crosshore winds so can be done anywhere! Plus it really strengthens your wavesailing skills and you can use the same gear. You're the first Wellington sailor who regularly pulls off pushloops. What's the secret and how did you get into it? Actually my Cousin, Mike Hood was pulling them alot earlier than me, before he screwed his knee up. Anyway, he just told me to "hit a steep ramp, aim for about 1 o clock and throw your head back". First time I tried, it worked! Although, I have only started to nail the landings regularly in the last 6 months. This jump is a perfect jump for when your maxed out and when there are some decent ramps about. The secret for pushies as with most moves is to visualize them in your head, watch other people do them, then go out and give it death until it happens. Sure, it can be demoralising after ten or so crashes in a row, but when it all comes together it is just such a huge buzz. Keeps me on a high for days! 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 more of a local windsurfing industry develop, for example: good local sail repairers, board makers and repairers. Auckland and Christchurch have this industry, why don't we? And of course more young people to get into the sport early and push the old crusties a bit harder. Something to say to all other windsurfers out there ? Windsurfing is still developing really fast . . . It is really important to keep up with it otherwise you'll get left behind. Editors comment: It's never easy to chose the sailor of the month, especially when there is such a large number of sailors out there deserving the title. One thing about James Court that surely stands out is his drive and passion for windsurfing. He must be one of the keenest sailors in New Zealand. Welli gets its fair share of ugly, grotty and cold weather, this will however not deter James, who can be seen at Lyall Bay, the Ditch or Plimmerton at anytime besides work hours, ripping it up. James always seems to have a great time out there, and always comes back from the water with a big smile on his face. His trademark move will have to be the dreaded pushloop. He is currently the only sailor in Wellington who can pull this move off on a regular basis. (In fact, as far as we know, make that New Zealand wide..) We know now how he got there, his "balls out go for it" attitude is legendary. It has however taken a broken foot and some bruises, but he has them fully sorted out now.  Despite his recent found love for freestyle, James is a sailor who likes big moves, high winds, massive airs and an all out approach. He definitely likes to go big, and he will still be going for the sickest of moves in gusty, high winds. Some of his bailouts look life threatening, but James is certainly a sailor who inspires many sailors out there, he fully deserves the sailor of the month title   James at his homespot, Raglan harbour mouth James at Manu Bay, Raglan (the sailor in the background is Jason Prior) Forward loop at the Ditch James trademark Pushloop, Plimmerton James surfing in the Maldives Plimmerton Freewave Series, Heavy day at Lyal Bay

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