The big one went off down at Calshot, Southampton this year. With a solid F5-6 blowing in from the NE on the Saturday moring competitors woke up to the prospect of having planing slalom conditions in cross shore winds.

Despite being on the sea the temperature was freezing but this did not put off the majority of sailors. The advanced and intermediate fleets were both set off on the sea front for a figure of 8 slalom course. Most advanced sailors opting for 6.5m2 sails or less and short boards. Southampton's Bob Shelmerdine took the victory in the first race with Sam Stevens, also from Southampton and Oxford's Sandy Douglas following behind in second and third respectively.

Bob continued to dominate all morning as three more races were run but hot on his heels at lunch was Gordan Margery from Bristol with two 2nds and a 3rd.

The slalom-fest continued in the afternoon but with the tide swinging round it became much more difficult to make the buoys without tacking. Longborder Jimbo Bullied came into his own winning race 6 on his IMCO.

Sunday team racing Exeter team	Sam Stevens Vulcan on Sunday	Advanced Racing

With seven slalom races run in total the division one fleet was sent back inside to thaw with Bob Shelmerdine ruling the seas as BUSA champion winning 4 out of the seven races. Gordon Margery took home the silver and Southampton's Dave "Big hands" Dawson took the bronze.

In the ladies competition Tanya Selah from Bristol took the first place for the second year in a row, making it in to the top 10 overall and Nikki Rudd from Plymouth came second, 15th overall.

The intermediate fleet struggled in their first race on the sea front and so after lunch, when there was enough water, they were sent off in the lagoon.

Here UWE dominated the fleet as Jon Downing and Rich Fraser ran home first and second respectively. The women's fleet was narrowly won by Jess Bennett, with Leila Faddoul hot on her heels, coming 7th and 8th respectively overall.

At the end of day 1 the univereity competition was nicely poised with Southampton Bristol and Exeter 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Now just the team racing to go.

The party on Saturday night was in Southampton Students Union which proved very popular for most although one un-named UWE student had a longer stay in Southampton than he expected.

On the Sunday the wind had dropped a little but was still coming in from the NE and the sun was out. 8 teams entered in the relay style team racing with a single gybe slalom course set it was looking promising.

With a large crowd on the beach to watch and cheer on their university the action was the most exiting it had been in a long time. Southampton and Bristol dominated and the event which was decided on the last race as Bob Shelmerdine and Gordan Margery finnished within 10m of each other and raced up the beach to the finnish line. Bob took the victory for Southampton 1st team who won 3 of the 4 races. Other noticable battles were between cambridge an Oxford with Oxford just beating Cambridge into 5th place.

With Southampton winning the team competition and having the 3 highest placed sailors in the individual racing there was no question who was walking home as champions this year. For full results of the nationals click here.

In the SWA Boardwise freestyle the last event of the year would determine the overall SWA freestyle champion for the year and decide who would take home the Tushingham rig kindly donated by Boardwise and Tushingham.

The event was plagued with light gusty wind and in the two rounds of cometition few planing moves were completed. The standout move of the day went to Pete Baldwin from Bristol who pulled off a nicely executed Vulcan. The joint winners of the competition were Sam Stevens and Pete Baldwin.

That meant Sam stevens took home the overall prize of SWA/Boardwise freestyle champion for 2005/6, the Tushimgham rig. Gordan Margery took home second prize, a boom donated by Boardwise.

Thanks to local pro Andy King for coming down and judging the freestyle and handing out the prizes.

Many thanks to all at BUSA and Calshot for organising the competition and venue, Chris Tuffil and his team of rescue boat drivers, the SWA who ran each of the divisions, Southampton Uni for coordinating the whole thing and organising a great party and to all the sponsors who donated prizes for the event.