Fantastic

Well the October half term has been fantastic. A great end to the main season. Good surf, pretty good weather - perfect for beginners and improvers! And spirits have been excellent in the Surf's Up! camp. Both Mikey and Wailin had a week off in early October and have come back recharged and raring to go. And Big Sam has been making guest appearances. Always good to have Sam on board.

We went up to Exeter earlier in the week - the boys had a two day footie course. Billy once again came away with the main prize, which was really cool. Who knows what the future holds for the young man. Yesterday I cycled with him to St. Austell (to watch Fin's footie match), which is about 30 miles. Anyway, how great is Exeter?

Rooney = Idiot

Loving the stuff on Twitter re. Rooney. On the day that the government makes the biggest cuts in history, Rooney's agents have the nerve to write to say that Man Utd lack ambition and he's off. Man Utd - lack ambition. The day that happens the world will stop turning. Cutting back a bit, trimming the business like every other business - no problem with that. The problem lies with people like him - no loyalty. I hope, and I say this as a fan, that he never plays for Utd again. Makes me mad! And with a private life as mixed up as his, he really is in no position to be telling others how to behave.

I have to admit that I didn't like it at all! Crawling through a cave about the size of me! Horrible. Many years ago there was a celebrity show where these 'C' listers were put through loads of challenges. One of the challenges was to crawl through this cave that got narrower and narrower, so small in the end that the only way they could go was forwards by dragging themselves forward using their arms - it was 100's of yards long, no return. I really couldn't have coped, I definitely would have panicked, big time. Anyway I had flash backs of this programme as I took on the cave today. It wasn't just getting through, it was finding that the tide had cut off the exit at the other end and the only way back out was the same way I'd come in!! big respect for the Chilean Miners. Horrible, horrible, horrible!

With the Beast just over a week away, it was time to take on a time trial. I expect that all cyclists have their favourite routes. (Apparently I'm a MAMIL - Middle Aged Man in Lycra). This particular one is 30 miles. Smashed it - 20 mph average, loving life... then I got a puncture. No big deal. Made the repair, got back on and proceeded to take on the 8 miles back home. But something wasn't right - just felt slow - not really a lack of energy just couldn't get the bike to flow. From speed meister to distinctly average - must be nutrition I thought. Anyway, got back home and dismounted the bike, but dispirited after all the hard training. Pushed it to the garage - but it wouldn't go!! The back brake was locked on! Yippee. A great session all told. Time to bring it on!

Day Of Judgement

Only a few hours to go before we find out what's going on with the gov't cuts - could be interesting. Word on the street is that Camelford leisure centre might close, which would be a huge blow to Camelford and surrounding area.

And as for the shocking news of Rooney? My boys are big Rooney fans, but to be fair he's far from a great role model. Can't see him playing another game for Man Utd. Time will tell.

ps I'm getting reports that Penryn are known for being a bit rough in other sports too. And I'm also getting reports that they bring in the best local players from nearby teams by offering them X boxes. Bit of a shame to start that culture at such a young age. So glad we beat them! Yippee.

October Half Term

The October half term is split over three weeks this year, taking us into the first week of November. Can't remember that happening before. There's a few people down here having already broken up, but looking at the bookings, next week will be the main hit.

I can't wait for the Exmoor Beast now! Nothing like a bit of competition to fire up the old man. 100 miles of pain! Need to tuck in with a fast group and let them take the strain! Still etched in my memory from last year, apart from the 50 mph winds and horizontal rain, was the physical strain of the long steep climbs. Better prepared this time. 31st October can't come around soon enough.

Exhausting!

Cycled to Penryn near Falmouth today to watch Billy play footie. Exhausting! Not the bike ride, the spectating! What a match! Totally absorbing. We're pretty laid back supporters but even I had a good old head to head with the other sides parents - very unlike me. Billyman has a turn of speed that no one can deal with down the right wing and what he's learning very quickly is that means that the bigger boys (he plays a year up) who can't keep up just hack him down! The home referee offered him no protection. Following yet another blatant push that sent Billy sprawling right in front of me, I decided to voice my opinion to the ref, which was followed by a volley of abuse from the other supporters. Bad losers - Wadebridge won 2 - 0, Billy scoring the second. Every single Wadebridge player, played out of their skin, as a team performance it was as good as you could see. The commitment they showed defied their age. Penryn were a great great team and piled on the pressure, but they couldn't handle Wadebridge on the break away. Such a fantastic contest. I can't remember watching a more absorbing game of footie, at any level for a long long time.

At the final whistle, Billy was in tears. He'd been kicked from pillar to post, run a million miles, scored a goal, got Man of the Match (could have gone to any of the Wadebridge players), and been subjected to the worst verbal abuse from the oppo that I'd ever heard. I think he'd just given his all and came over all emotional! Good lad! They're a bit rougher down South that's for sure.

At the final whistle I had the joy of walking passed the opposition supporters. I had my speech prepared. "Look guys, we support good football. We applaud other teams good play as much as ours. But that was blatant and your boys were better than that." No-one asked my opinion. The return game will be one to savour!

Wakey, wakey

As expected, sleep wasn't really on the agenda last night. There were just too many sore bits. However, this had two benefits - Firstly, I got to watch the Formula One qualifying (which actually didn't happen - it was too wet, but the programme was good). And secondly, I went down early to check out the beach .. and this is what I saw...

... solid overhead, light offshores! And no-one in the water!

Ah the early morning surf, 'the Dawnie'. We used to get up for the dawnies loads when we lived in Bude. When we started Surf's Up! back in 1995 the main goal was to surf all the time. The main irony is that as the business has grown, so the amount of time we surf has dropped - quite drastically. It's not something you can really explain or expect anyone to understand. Perhaps standing in a wetsuit in waist deep water for two years in Bude and then about 12 years here in Polzeath, before coming out of the front instructor line, has something to do with it. It just happens. To some people, surfing is like breathing, a day without it is like dying. For me though, just being near the sea gives me that life buzz. As long as I can see the waves, take in the sea air, hear the seagulls, then I'm happy. I'm sure Janey feels the same.

A decision Janey made for us in 1997 ago was to buy our current house. At the time, having got my fingers burnt in the last recession, I was less keen. But we took the plunge. It was a stroke of genius and has been our bedrock ever since. It overlooks the sea towards Stepper Point - it's not front line, but it's still amazing to wake up and look out across the water. As the surf school grew, we made a big effort to clear the mortgage bit by bit. Which we did after about 7 years I think. In those days we worked 7 days a week, 7 months of the year, long hours too - seemed like a good trade off when the winter came along.

Funny thing is, it's only now that we really see the benefits. Taking time out, especially this summer to be with the boys as they reach those magic years - right there is the pay day. Not our mortgage paid. You can't put a price on that 'time out'. You put it in, you give yourself the best shot of getting something back. I remember being totally paranoid about not putting in the hours - take the short cuts and you can't expect to get all you dream of. Of course, now anyone looking at me and Janey might think that we have a life of old Riley. Turn up in the mornings, answer a few e-mails, do some office things, check all is well with the beach. But you can only do that if you've been there and done it, got the t-shirt (and there's still loads of business running that goes on at home - VAT I believe is what Janey has planned for us this week! O deep joy!). You know, the last few years the surf school side of the business has plateaued a bit - and yet we now have office staff, beach managers etc - all of whom are brilliant, but we used to do all of it ourselves. From opening up the trailer at 7am, to booking everyone in, instructing, dealing with the e-mails and phone calls and then doing the final trailer pack at 11pm. In a way it's a good position to be in. We never ask anyone to do anything that we haven't done ourselves. And we understand the issues when staff come to us with problems.

We'd be far more profitable if we went back to running it ourselves. But then that's the choice isn't it and evolution. It's great to be able to now take time out on the new areas in our lives that give us so much pleasure ie the boys. Special times. Those times won't last for ever. I'm sure when the boys are spotty teenagers, they'll be off doing their thing and we'll have all that time again to rub the nose on the grindstone once more.

My upper thigh is black and blue - literally. My elbow is possibly chipped - swelling looks a bit odd. And possibly I've been a bit tetchy - actually I feel really tetchy!! Roar! The constant pain is tiring. Training continues though as bizarrely it's more comfortable to cycle than it is to walk!

Went to watch Plymouth Argyle play yesterday, we go and watch them if the boys have no matches - Janey has yet to see them win! Anyway, they've got this new player called Stephens - he's 16 years old. Remember the name!

X Factor - far too long! Can't get into it this year. Still bitter about Gamu - what's the betting some producer picks her up (whether she's here or in Zimbabwe) and pitches her for the Christmas number one?

Did you play the "what would you do with £113m" game? That's great fun.

I'm no expert but that's gotta hurt!

Lycra's rubbish when you fall off your road bike and you find yourself skidding along on the your hips, arms and shoulder on tarmac at 30mph! At the same time I found that helmets are brilliant - a split one testimony to how effective they can be when your head slides across the aforementioned bit of road. Ow! That smarts!

I was heading to Port Isaac to do a few shuttle runs up the Port Isaac Hill - great for developing chicken legs and bringing on a puff! On the way, there's this downhill stretch - sweet, get in the big ring and step on it, wind behind. All was going to plan when I spotted (too late) on the upcoming corner some mud and grit. I hit the brakes but it was too late, down I went. I'd clocked my speed at 33mph just before the corner, so I was traveling. It happened so fast I didn't realise what was going on until I found myself looking skyward and my helmet was scrapping on the floor (it's a good trick if you pull it off). The following car did a good job to stop and avoid my bruised and bloodied body. Nice chap asked if I wanted a lift anywhere but when you profess to the Man Up Code, there are times when you just have to get back on the horse. Best to keep moving I surmised (although I was much more tentative on the fast downhill bits).

It's not so bad though, a bruised right side, cuts and scrapes - could have been a lot worse. The helmet is split across the side. The swelling on my upper thigh has swollen up like a big sponge and my right hip throbs. My boys thought it was all very funny, particularly when I howled like a wolf when jumping into the bath! I say jump, I mean, tentatively lower. I say tentatively lower, I mean, millimeter by millimeter immerse the open wounds.

We're off for a family bike ride tomorrow! Now where are those frozen peas?

Too many passwords

It's been commented about my lack of blogging recently! "What are you hatching?" comes the cry. Um, well there's not really loads of interesting stuff to report. Myself and Janey hit the office in the morning and get all the officey bits done - we're working on some cool new Surf's Up! product, that takes a bit of time. Wicked beanies, towels, bits and bobs all coming soon. Wailin and the team have been busy on the beach during September.

I happened to be at home when Cameron made his speech yesterday. I thought it was quite good. He was right, when you start a business there really isn't a great deal of financial support and then once you make go of it, the government takes a nice big chunk. Doesn't really seem right. But that's the way it is. I was chatting to a friend of mine last night who runs a business that's had a very good year. Their take on all the cuts etc was that next March they'll be lots of redundancies and then next winter will be the tough one - that's the way they see things shaping up. We've taken the view that if we keep everything tight, watch the overheads then we can come out of this period strong. We definitely run a better business now than before.

Talking of fair - the BSA have set out their stall by promoting a policy of being 'fair'. Very nice in principle - but then of course, if you do what the majority want, invariably you'll end up with mediocrity.

The Apprentice last night! Dan the man - not his finest hour.

X Factor - Gamu... even if she ends up back in Zimbabwe someone's going to sign her up. I'll be buying her album - thought she was great.

ASP World Tour - Kelly Slater, can he do it? If he wins his tenth title he stands to net a cool $10 million pay out from Quiksilver. And if he nails it, he'll take his seat on the top table of greatest ever sportsmen alongside the likes of Phil "The Power' Taylor!

Sorry, not feeling that inspired blog wise today - must do better tomorrow. The sun's out, the surf's up - all is well down here at Beachland.

What? No Gamu!!

Gamu not through ... somethings not right here. She was the only one not to be shown with Dermott! Something is definitely afoot. Bring her back.

Nice one Europe!

Three punctures in 24 hours! Very inconvenient!

Surf's Pumping!!!

What a Result

Here's Kelly's latest report from the weekend (before last) comps.

'TWO COMPETITIONS IN ONE WEEKEND - THE JESUS AND THE VOLCOM STONE TOUR

The Volcom Stone Tour in England is just one stop on the European tour that they hold a compition in every surfing country including Germiny. Every finalist gets to go to france next april to compete in the finals to find out who is the best Junior in Europe. So there's a lot up for grabs. The comp was held in Porthtowan where the surfers enjoyed great conditions - 3 to 4 foot and cleanish - and because of that, it was decided to run the whole event on the one day rather than the two - making for a very long day! But the boys who came down to that comp did really well, they all surfed hard and got there placings in the finals again. Harry Timpson surfed consistently throughout the event landing the only air of the comp in one of his heats. He went on to win his age division. Max Payne surfed well in all his heats getting some nice nearly vertical reos in earned himself the respected place of second behind a just about unbeatable Harry Timpson. Following close behind Max, and the youngest of all the competitors to make the final came Liam Murray Strout. Ryce Barfeild who was unlucky in his heat and drew a hard heat in the first round went down fighting - like I always say to the guys, "what do you prefer - to surf well and get beaten or surf poorly and win?????

END RESULTS 15 AND UNDER

1st Harry Timpson (Surf's Up! Elite)

2nd Max Payne (Surf's Up! Elite)

3rd Liam Murray Strout (Surf's Up! Elite)

THE JESUS SURF CLASSIC

Unfortunately both events where held on the same weekend and I can't be in two places at once. I can't give you an eye witness account but from the sounds of things every one surfed really well. From our Newquay squad Angus Scotney won the under 12s - well done. Dale foster also surfed well thoughout the event but did not surf his best in the under 16s final but still got himself second place.

On a different note Gabbie Row our only elite girl left who is taking her training and her surfing seriously and who in my eyes is and has been one of the top girl surfers in the country not only in her age division but in the open devision as well, but never seems to put it all together for the entire event, finally did it in this event. She won not only her own age division but beat all the top woman in the country and won the Open womans as well at the ripe old age of 16 so a huge well done to her.

END RESULTS

UNDER 12s

1st Angis Scottney

UNDER 16S

2nd Dale foster

UNDER 18 GIRLS

1st Gaby Rowe

OPEN WOMANS

Gaby Rowe

Nice work team - well done Kelly. The Surf's Up! Elite crew have been dominating proceedings this year which is great to see. We invest heavily in their training programme and competition support, for no other reason than we enjoy seeing the team try and reach their potential. We've been at the forefront of kids surf coaching for the passed three years and are well ahead in terms of the intensity and consistency.