The SWA are very excited to deliver our first instalment of a fresh new media featurette: Humans of the SWA. Heavily inspired by the renowned New York series of the similar name, we aim to bring you the stories and successes from the Windsurfers within our vibrant youth community. Sharing experiences, highs, lows and all things in between, we hope to broadcast the friendship, development and celebrations which pepper our spirited events and beyond. Windsurfing brings us all together and it is through open and passionate engagement, we come together and enjoy the all the joys our sport can bring! But don't just listen to us, here is what you say.

Recently our Media team caught up with the attendees of the 2017 BUCS nationals event. Since it was the final event of the year, a theme of reflection over the year that had passed was rife. Here are the year's highlights as told by those who have lived it! Before each conversation we asked for just three words to describe the year for that person. Here are there stories! 

Helen White - Cambridge (Club President) - Biology

Crazy, Festive, Moist

“It’s been a really good year for us (Cambridge) we’ve made more events this year than we have in previous years and it’s been really successful having more of our society members coming to the events with us. This year the racing has been fun, I had a good race at Imperial which went much better than it usually does. The dressing up for the parties is also great fun.

I’ve really enjoyed the smaller core events this year, since there are fewer people, everyone talks to one another more, not to mention having a warm house to sleep in! Imperial’s event was also nice and sunny which is always a bonus. It’s also great to meet everyone from different universities.

Another highlight was being able to coordinate my (Blue) Hair with My Sail, Wetsuit and Board, I even managed to score of photo of me with my set up, I had the perfect colour match throughout.”

Luke Storry - Bristol University - Computer Science 

Mesh, Windy, Sesh

“This year with the SWA I’ve been to Aussie Kiss, Soggy Cockney, Swansea and BUCS Nationals. It’s hard to pick out just one moment of the year as a stand out. To be fair the socials at Nationals were pretty banging, as well as Aussie Kiss, which was sick as always. The SWA events are the perfect combo of Windsurfing and socialising, both of which I absolutely love. This year i’ve made a big effort to improve my own abilities but I have also enjoyed competing at nationals in the intermediate division.

Every event I try to instruct, I really like teaching. I’ve recently passed my Intermediate instructing qualification up in Colwyn Bay recently. I’ve been an instructor for two and a half years now and I’m off to work in Vassiliki this summer with my new instructors’ ticket. I’ve managed to do two summer seasons since passing my Start instructors course two years ago, they have been great fun! Becoming an instructor through the SWA and getting involved with windsurfing has certainly changed me as a person.

Mikey Jarman & Jake Roberts - Swansea University 

Mikey - Pain-free, Snug (after buying new booties), mental

Jake - Hazey, Wet, Cold

Mikey: “ Looking back at the year by far the best moment has been hosting our own SWA event, it was amazing! Having all the other [SWA] students in our houses was really fun”

Jake: “One of the best parts of the event were the epic house parties on Saturday night. It was also great having our committee events manager basically run everything, he was having kittens, it went really well! Everything ran smoothly apart from the wind. The wind was diabolical, we had nothing, absolutely NO WIND. But… being able to get everyone down to Swansea and in the same place, all having a good time together made all the effort well worth it. Ideally we’d love to see a another event at Swansea in the Future, perhaps there will be a Swansea Seamen 2, where we’ll all have the chance to ‘Come Harder’ ”   

Mikey: ‘“ We’ll have to see if we can sneak that name past the Swansea SU. We’re hopeful we can attract a strong committee for next year, to carry on the event legacy since we’ll both be away. In terms of the SWA competitions we’ve both been competing this year. We (as a University) have been doing very well in the team racing, which has been great to get involved with. “

Jake: I was also surprised to see that I was in Fifth going in the advanced series overall going into the BUCS nationals event. I’ve not put a huge amount of additional training in this year, but turning up to each event and competing seems to pay off. I’m hoping for a crash on the finish line and then I might stand a chance.”

Mikey: “ In terms of the event series as a whole it’s been a solid year. We’ve managed to get to a lot of events, all  of them in fact apart from Bangor and PlymEx. It’s been great for fresh universities to be given a chance to host for the first time in recent years.”

Jake:  “Yeah, I was pretty surprised at just how good Imperial was, it is the one event that has stuck in my head. I think a lot of people was expecting London to be really expensive and a hassle to get around. But getting the tube everywhere was such a laugh, in every way, it was a really good weekend”.