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Burkhard "Boogie" Vierth
Bronwyn Ward
Clayton Dougan
Craig Mc Creary
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Will Thorp
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Will Thorp
Nov 2003

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:

Will Thorp
31
London
Cheshire in NW England
Plimmerton
Wind Energy Consulting Engineer
17 or so
Plimmerton

Plimmerton
Pungarehu, Taranaki
Pungarehu, Taranaki
Big 'endo' forwards, any top-turn on a good wave
Pasta
Charles Webster, Nu-jazz, dub

Carbon Art 8'0" x 21" waveboard,NP zones, several surfboards
Surfing (complements wavesailing brilliantly),snowboarding, mountain biking
Wave, Freestyle, Slalom

THE QUESTIONS:

My first time windsurfing:
My first windsurf board was called a U.F.O. (Unlimited Fun Object) and it weighed about 25kg. It had two sails, a 6m and a 'storm' sail that rigged on the same fixed length tie-on boom and mast. Still, it was ok for the local lake.
The first time I tried a shortboard, I fell off the back because of the acceleration. I was absolutely hooked by the speed.

Best windsurfing experience:
The French Student Slalom Nationals at La Tranche-sur-mer near Nantes. We entered the only non-French team and came away with a good result, a great week of partying to remember and established the event as a regular fixture for the University windsurf club.

Worst windsurfing experience:
Coming in at Stent Road when the wind had switched to dead-onshore, or maybe falling onto a patch of Oysters at Pt Chev.

What fascinates you the most about windsurfing?
Being out there among the elements. Windsurfing can put you in unique and sometimes scary situations although it is usually quite safe.
Finding that 'sweet-spot' where you can sail efficiently and powerfully.
The awesome places that windsurfing takes you.

How do you see the sport of windsurfing developing in the future?
Safe (releasing?) footstraps, flex-tails, tandems might make a comeback. More freestyle sailing and freestyle-specific equipment.

What do you like most about the Wellington windsurfing scene?
People really enjoy their sailing here - and it is hardly surprising given the fantastic environment and access to great locations.

What would you like to see happen in the Wellington scene?
More younger sailors - perhaps we need to find more sponsorship to support them.

Editors comment:
Will immigrated to New Zealand 9 years ago, where he spent one summer in Taranaki, followed by a few years working and studying in Auckland, before he finally moved to Wellington and settled down in Plimmerton. He quickly came to appreciate the fantastic sailing conditions Wellington and New Zealand as such have to offer. It was definitely a big change for the positive from the cold, grey UK. Like every "pom", Will has got some hienous sailing stories up his sleeve from that time, his favourite one is from one British Wavesailing event in Tiree (an island in Scotland's Outer Hebrides), which was great apart from the snow halfway through the event! But it wasn't all hardcore, Will also spent several fun summer seasons teaching windsurfing up to RYA Level 5. It was a good experience and he'd do it again, but definitely in a warmer location.
Converted to a true Kiwi bloke since, Will can be seen ripping it up all around New Zealand, and yes, he still sails in NZ winter, but keep in mind that is equivalent to a warm summer evening in the UK!
His commitment to roadtrips all around the north Island is impressive, if you ever need a mate to join you for a coast trip or up to Taranaki, Will will surely be part of it. Besides his outstanding windsurfing ability in waveriding and jumping, (which is only temporarily suspended when nearly killing himself bailing out of an insane forward), Will is an excellent surfer, never too shy to go for the biggest and boldest wave he can find. His willingness for pain and taking a real beating in waves is legendary.
The critical timing learnt from surfing lets him choose radical lines when wavesailing, he generally goes big when its big, and this resulted in a qualification into the top 10 finalists on the first day at Pungarehu at this years Taranaki Wave Classic.

Pungarehu channel
(pic. by Carmen Sulzberger)

Cut back at Waitotara
2003

Will's favourite spot (Pungarehu '03)
(pic. by Carmen Sulzberger)\

Snow fun at Cardrona

Lakey-Peak surf in Sumba

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