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Leland Le Breton
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Leland Le Breton
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Leland Le Breton
December 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:Leland Le Breton
27
New Plymouth (Taranaki)
New Plymouth
Strathmore Heights, Wellington
Mechanical Engineer
15
the ditch (Kio Bay)
today it's the ditch
Pungarehu
Pungarehu
anything new
anything, especially anything with chocolate
Gorillaz, Moby, Sting
Ford Testarossa
Naish sails, Naish freestyle board, BIC waveboard
tramping, climbing, skiing, photography
Wave, Freestyle
The questions:
My first time: (windsurfing !?!?!)
That was about 15 years ago in New Plymouth. I just wanted to give it a go and found some gear at my father's local Yachting club. Went out on an original WINDSURFER at the Port in New Plymouth and liked it from the start. I really enjoyed it!Best windsurfing experience:
It was kind of an adventure sail 7 years ago. We (Pete Hasselgrave and myself) sailed from Kina Rd up to Pungarehu on 3.5 m2 sails, fully overpowered. The sea was quite rough and there was a good swell. We were looking for new wave spots between Kina and Pungarehu. Most of the breaks we discovered were very rocky at the inside, having to dodge rocks when riding the waves. Although I ripped one of the footstraps, I had a great time sailing - really enjoyed it!Worst windsurfing experience:
Learning to backloop on the outer reef (100-200 m offshore) at East End (New Plymouth). I over-rotated, landed flat on my back and got winded. A couple of waves washed over me and I thought I would never catch my breath. After a while, when I got my breath back, I sorted out my gear and sailed out again.Injuries:
I've been quite lucky so far (touch wood). The only time I have injured myself was while wavesailing at Kina Rd when I burried the nose of my waveboard, got smacked over the front and hit my head on a rock. I had to go ashore to get the blood off my face - I was glad that it was only a bump after all.
More recently, while repairing a sail, I slipped and stitched the needle through the thumb, which broke the needle off (ouutchh). 4 Doctors and 5 attempts were needed to get it out. The result of that was 2 incisions, 3 stitches and 2 weeks off sailingWhat fascinates you the most about windsurfing?
The friendly windsurfers - great people! And most of all, sailing together with Carmen. It's great when you can share the excitement.How do you see the sport of windsurfing developing in the future ?
Mmhh...no major changes really. The introduction of Freestyle has opened up a new exciting way of sailing and I expect that will grow.What would you like to see happening in the Wellington Windsurfing scene, or what would be a really cool thing to happen ?
That more people get wet and everyone tries new stuff.Something to say to all other windsurfers out there ?
Editors comment:
It's a good time to be in the sport. Everything has got so much easier, no more heavy sails and boards, it's just pure fun.
Whilst most Wellington sailors know Leland as a balls-out freestyle sailor, frequently sailing the Ditch, there is another, locally more unknown side to him. Leland is a great porttack wavesailor, and excels at places like Dumps, where he displays a great deal of Taranaki down-the-line experience. If there is wind, the Team Ford Testarossa (Carmen driving, shitloads of gear on the roof) will be there. As other original Taranaki sailors who make the move down to Wellington (such as a G. McC of H.), he is now addicted to Freestyle, and has just purchased a fully dedicated Freestyle board, showing serious commitment to the new fun discipline of windsurfing.
His true passion for windsurfing is also proven by his ability and passion to build windsurfing components. 6 years ago, this culminated in the establishment of his own sail "Animal Sails" (does this relate to his sailing style???), resulting in more than 40 custom made sails being sold over the time. Attending University unfortunately meant the end to this career; however, he has recently got back into this and is currently happy to repair sails for anyone and himself. That is when he is not stitching his thumb.
Further reward goes to Leland for being involved in organizing freestyle events in Wellington, the next one taking place early next year.For his true commitment to the sport, Leland has well deserved to be the sailor of the month !!!
Leland - Hookipa , July 2001
Leland in Sprecklesville, Maui 2001
Leland, waveriding at Pungarehu, Easter 2001
Kina Road..mmmm mashed potatoe
Freestyle in the Ditch
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