craigsparrow.blogspot.com

Just some random photos from last summer.

2014-05-01T17:29:00.001+01:00

3rd session

2013-03-21T20:32:00.001+00:00

Today was the 3rd time I've been on the flare and yet it still gives me a massive smile on my face, it's early planning and so easy to pop it's unreal.
If I could have felt my hands properly I would have made a lot more vulcans and even pushed a lot more for the Spock.

Today was awesome nicely powered up on a 4.7 tushy rock waist deep water and some very nice flat spots between the chop.

Can't wait for the summer to be here its been a long cold winter

See you on the water

Flare!!

2013-02-22T19:48:00.001+00:00

Yesterday I had the change to use my flare for the first time, not the best idea I've ever had super cold, so cold I couldn't even feel my hands after a few minutes off being on the water, but never the less I loved the flare it got on to the plane really early, smooth and fast and gets arounds the gybes awesome great pop aswell.

My only regret was going out and not adjusting the foot straps properly and ended up flying out of them every time I went for a Vulcan.

But still was a good day and a very well deserved beer at the end of it all.

See you on the water when it gets warmer.

Starboard demo day

2013-02-07T18:09:00.000+00:00

Its only been three days since I have been working at the shop 24-7 boardsports and i've had the awesome oppitunity to go down and see the guys from tushingham sails to see all there products for this year, I felt like a massive kid in a windsurf, sup sweet shop the amount of kit was overwelming wall to wall boards, sails, mast, booms and sup's!

Also from now on I will be using starboard kit, managed to get hold of a nice starboard flare thanks to the guys from tushingham sails, and looking into getting a few edge's, cant wait to get out on the water and give it a go.

We also got to see all the new products from red paddle co the world best inflatable sup boards out there, the tech from these guys is out of this world FACT!

Talking of SUP dont forget to head over to supboardermag.com a awesome new online mag with all the lastest news, hints and tips even a forum all on SUP, so get over there and take a look sign up and get involed in the biggest watersport growth out there, and if your not a SUPer yet you soon will be come down to 24-7 boardsports because we have a massive selection of sup's and if your looking to save space but still what to have that really good sup board at a good price, you cant beat the red paddle boards, and a 3 peice carbon paddle, I've got one on my wish list for some summer time cruising up and down the river :)

Well thats all im gonna say for now don't forget to go and check out supboardermag.com and visit us down at the beach.

See you on the water

Sparrowsurf

2013-01-28T23:15:00.001+00:00

In my last post I said I was going to go freelance to help out all you lovely people with any training and give lessons on your time.

I have set up a facebook page and email address where you can contact me, or to book a lesson.
As far as times and dates on lessons it will be arranged around yourself and my working hours at the shop 24-7boardsports. I will put a weekly planner as when I am not working and avalible for lessons I will also come up with a basic outline for costs of training sessions and lessons.

I look forward to seeing you on the water

Please note: I can not sign off any lessons as I will be freelance and not working under a RYA center.

24-7 boardsports

2013-01-22T20:52:00.004+00:00

Its been a while since I last updated anything on here so I've changed a few things around.
The biggest change that I have made is gone and got myself a new job still in the windsurfing industry but this time helping all you lovely people with any shopping dramas you may have, weather it be from advice to what kit to upgrade to this coming season or just looking for a great deal on any watersports equitment. kitesurfing, windsurfing and SUP thats right we stock all the best brands on the market at 24-7 boardsports.

The past few months have been a little boring for myself but I was offered two jobs that I really wanted teaching in Egypt with Moonbeach and working with the awesome team at 24-7 boardsports, I choose the shop because in the long run it would be better for myself staying in the uk with the family and friends, more money and great windsurfing conditions just outside the frontdoor of the shop and a few more personal reasons.

I will also be teaching as a freelance windsurf instructor, so if there is anything you'd like to learn (your own kit will be needed) you can always contact me at the shop 24-7 boardsports or via email, just say what it is you'd like to learn and I'll get back to yourself with a date, time and price all around your free time and offcourse the forecast.

Hopefully this cold weather soon gets out the way for a nice warm and windy summer 2013! :)

see you on the water and in the shop (plug, plug, plug)

New video

2012-10-18T09:17:00.001+01:00

I have put up a new video on YouTube and Vimeo of myself attempting the Vulcan, but now that I have landed it I need to work a lot more on it and to go hard for the Spock might even try the Flaka when I get the balls to!

But I have to admit looking back over the past few months on Naxos I have improved so much trying some crazy stuff that I wouldn't have tried at home on my own. From simple stuff like the duck gybe and the extreme like the Kaino, I've even tried forward loops all tho that was not such a nice experience, but it all comes down to the friends you spent those times with on and off the water, many thanks to all you crazy bunch, Matt and Amy, Aggeliki, Emi, both Hannah's, super Hannes, Stam, Phivos, Manoli to name just a few.
Here's too hoping I'll be back again next summer.

See you on the water

Vulcan ✔, R.I.P Mitchell Wickenden

2012-10-10T00:50:00.001+01:00

My last day on the island of ΝΑΞΟΣ was day that I landed the Vulcan.
After hearing the worst news the night before that one of my best friends had died, by taking his own life was a big shock as too many people who knew him.
Everybody mourns the death of someone they've know for such a long time in different ways, some people cry, some people drink and some people try and keep busy. I'm no exception to this as to be honest done all three my tears for his family and many friends, a beer to numb the pain and windsurfing to keep me busy.
Even tho my first Vulcan came after such tragic news, I couldn't help but be happy as one I have been trying a long time to land it but also because I always remember Mitchell saying "we need to live for today, because you never know if your gonna get hit by a bus tomorrow!"
And as I was leaving the island today I thought why not just have one more windsurf to say bye to Naxos, as all week the wind didn't really want to play and the forecast looked pretty crap for the day aswell, but 20knots turned up out of nowhere! I got out a 88ltr twintip twin fin, 5.4 fly2 and gave it all I had. It wasn't the perfect Vulcan by any means but I sailed away from it.
I will always remember this day as for me it was in remembrance of Mitchell Wickenden.

We will meet again soon my friend because I'm sure you owe me a beer.

Wind-guru lied!

2012-09-17T17:02:00.001+01:00

After the epic week of 4m weather the forecast was looking pretty poor, 5-8knots! We where all a little happy because it meant we could have a change to rest our now shore aching body's, but windguru lied to us we had one day off no wind and then out off nowhere on Saturday at 3ish it was hitting as high as 25knots in the gusts and the same for Sunday. So we went windsurfing again 5m hero and JP freestyle was my weapon off choice, and we scored some pretty nice photos off the session, I even tried my first kaino? Cheers Foivos and Ollie for the pictures.

Enjoy

See you on the water.

4m weather!!

2012-09-10T19:26:00.001+01:00

The past few weeks have seen some ups and downs in the weather but needless to say this week has been epic for windsurfing none stop 4m weather. Even managed to get some very nice pictures and video of the guys free-styling it up, there was hard crashes but everyone was still fighting fit to have a few beers after witch always helps numb the pain :)

Check out my YouTube channel for my latest video clips

See you on the water

Vulcan!

2012-07-23T19:03:00.000+01:00

The last couple of days have been pretty good after work for wind so i have been training alot how to vulcan on port tack and have almost got it, after trying so hard on starboard tack for so long (since 09?) i have found the right side, after some very helpful advice from my buddy and manager Paris.

When i first went out on the water there was tonnes of really good freestylers, busting out some awesome moves, konos, no handed flakas, shakas and forwards. In the end everyone went in and it was just me and another guy from Flisvos (Jan) trying to out do eachother both coming in on port tack and trying our hardest to vulcan its was really fun because we where both at the same level, heli tacking and duck gybing on the outside and trying to vulcan coming back to the beach

We got so many pictures of me stacking it all over the place but there are some good ones of the whole eveing.

Jan

Sailing back in the sunset

Apollo in the background

naxos-surf

Hot and no wind!

2012-07-12T20:16:00.001+01:00

The past few days have been windless here in Naxos and I think I'm slowly melting because the heat is so extreme when there's no wind. It's been good for lessons so here's a few pictures of Paris the beach manager teaching.

Teaser video

2012-06-30T22:17:00.000+01:00

My new teaser video clip from Naxos surf, working on the full edit soon.

Enjoy

naxos-surf.com

Wind wind wind!!

2012-06-16T18:27:00.001+01:00

The wind the past two days have been epic and the forecast looks really good for the coming week.

Went out on the laguna this morning slightly over powered on my 5.3 but loving it, super flat water down wind of the station awesome to practice everything from gybes to freestyle. And saying that Naxos' very own Stam Promponas is back in town doing some training.
So check out the forecast and book a week or two over here, I'd say that it's one of the best windsurfing spots in Europe.

Naxos-surf.com

See you on the water :)

The office view!

2012-06-12T18:26:00.001+01:00

The past few days there has been a lack of wind, but still managing to get out on the water with the SUP.
I've been heading into work in the mornings a little early just to sit down at the beach and chill for a while.

Here are a few photos from the office

SUP

2012-06-10T18:09:00.001+01:00

Forecast didn't look that good for the morning but I wanted to get out on the water so grabbed a Stand Up Paddle board and cruised around the lagoon, sun had just come up with clear flat water and no one around but me so nice to be able to just go down to the beach and chill out I the mornings, such a hard life ;)

Naxos-surf isn't all just about windsurfing we have a lot more to offer SUP, mountain bikes and a chilled out place to just waste away the hot sunny days visit the website to find out more!

Naxos-surf.com

Naxos baby!!

2012-06-09T17:52:00.001+01:00

Arrived in Naxos yesterday after a long stay overnight in Athens. Really good yesterday went out for a windsurf and have to say this place is awesome perfect wind direction on shore from the north, waters not to deep waist height till the reef, and small waves on the outside.
Naxos surf centre is placed in the perfect place to surf from aswell as having all the newest 2012 kit from JP and north looking forward to trying out the new hero's.

I'll get some photos of everything soon. See you on the water

Summer in Naxos!

2012-05-26T23:45:00.000+01:00

I have decided that I'm going to do another summer season and have had a job offer from Naxos surf center in Naxos Greece for a while now and finally taking him up on the job offer partly because I don't have job anymore and also because I feel I need to get away for a while.
So if your in need for a holiday why not have a look at the website (naxos-surf) and book a week or two in sunny Greece this summer, even tho there is all this crap about Greece and the euro going on there is no doubt that it is still a beautiful place to visit and is world famous for its many beachs and windsurfing.

This year I will be teaching again and I'm hoping to have a fantastic time doing it and hopefully I can learn a lot myself too.

See you out on the water

Kony 2012

2012-03-07T09:06:00.002+00:00

Let's stop kony check out the video and stop this evil from happening. Kony 2012

New How to... Flaka

2012-02-06T11:05:00.000+00:00

New on the How to... page! How to flaka with Chris Yates

How to... FLAKA

Nice!

My new sails!!

2011-12-05T15:51:00.000+00:00

My first ever brand new sails have arrived today and they look so good!

Two 2010 North Ice's a 5.7 and a 5.3, why not 2011 or even 2012?

1) Because i'm not made of money, lol.

2) I love the look of the 2010 sails

3) They where on sale for a good price from Boardwise.

That was the retail price, I got the two for £650.

A big thank you to Ian at boardwise.

See you on the water when its get warmer?