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Troy Purcell
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Member Profiles
Burkhard "Boogie" Vierth
Bronwyn Ward
Clayton Dougan
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Troy Purcell
March 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:Troy Purcell
36
Hamilton
not yet
Wellington
Home Loan Adviser
20
Plimmerton
Plimmerton
Kina North Break
Anywhere between Kanaha and Ho'okipa
Forward Loops and just trying to get as high in the air as possible.
Lounge music on the way to the beach, anything thrashy.
Carbon Art Waveboard, 3x North Instinct Wave sails (BOARDRIDERS)
Surfing, computer games, complaining about the Ditch
Wave Sailing, Freestyle,
THE QUESTIONS:
My first time windsurfing:
That was on a lake in Hamilton when I was 16 years old. I tried my uncle's new Supersession board for about 2 hours and didn't get going once. But as soon as I stood up on the board I knew that this was a sport I wanted to keep at. It helped that my cousin Mike Hood was into it and I hate him being better at anything.Best windsurfing experience:
Maui 1988. First time out at Camp One and then every day there for the next four weeks. The water was so warm and unbelievably clear. The conditions were fantastic with the most excellent ramps around.
Worst windsurfing experience:
Smashing my head through my boom during a cheeseroll in Plimmerton 1989 and also getting hit on the head by Butsy's mast at Plimmerton a couple of weeks ago!What fascinates you the most about windsurfing?
The height to be gained from plunging into a critical wave face at warp speed.
Are you working on a new move or jump at the moment?
I would like to land more backward loops on a consistent basis, but shove-its and push loops are also on the agenda.
What do you like most about the Wellington windsurfing scene?
The ability to go to a place like the ditch which I hate...mostly, and still have a good time because of all of the other people who sail being out there at the same time.
What would you like to see happen in the Wellington scene?
It doesn't seem like a sport where many people graduate through to wavesailing which to me is the best part of the sport. I would like to see more young guys or girls out in the waves and ripping it up. My crew is all nearing 60. Well Gary is anyway.Editors comment:
When Troy moved from Hamilton down to Wellington in 1988, he sailed for 30 days in a row and spent more time in the waves than he had in his whole time windsurfing up to that point. He reckons that he only worked about three days in the whole month. Things definitely have changed, maybe the wind hasn't been that consistent again...or he just got fussier or lazier (comment of Troy!).
During his first year in Wellington, he spent days in Seatoun with Lawrence and other mates, getting smashed while trying forward loops, until he was one of the first Wellingtonian to pull one off! Troy is not only legendary in doing insane jumps but he's also a great wave sailor. This isn't suprising as he and his cousins Mike Hood and James Court are all descendants from great New Zealand surfers.
Troy likes to keep things simple, he does not worry about minor gear issues like a hole in the board for 2 years. He simply stands the board up in his garage and next time he goes sailing again, voila, the board has lost the 2 liters of water again. Troy is also the first person you will meet who actually loves rainy days. According to insiders this gives him less of a bad conscious staying inside all day. Being a top PC gamer that approach comes naturally.
You will see Troy out mostly when Plimmerton is happening, he despises Lyall Bay, don't even try looking for him in a midwinter southerly, although he might pop down to the beach briefly in his snowboard pants to check how others are freezing their balls off.
When its good out there, he enjoys himself immensely, sailing with a big smile on his face, he also motivates others to try new moves. Besides other sports that he has taken up and given up over the years, windsurfing has remained number one passion!
Troy flying high
Troy in Maui 1988
(this picture turned into an official Maui postcard!)
Troy goes big at Plimmerton
Troy logging some serious airtime in Plimmerton's shorebreak ~1988
(3.5 m2 sail, 35-50 kts, 30+ days in a row of over 25 kt winds)
Table Top at Whatarangi Point
(pic. C. Sulzberger)
Table Top in Plimmerton ~1988
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