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mikecole
Joined: 21 Sep 2000 Posts: 164
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Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 3:35 pm Post subject: AWT Maui Experience… |
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Still recovering from a great trip to Maui for the AWT stop. I’d like to plug three people in the windsurfing business that deserve your support…
Steve Gottlieb of Epic Gear USA.
After the TSA and/or baggage handlers violated my six year old epic gear board bag I figured that was all she wrote, time for a new bag. On a lark, I sent a note to the Epic Gear folks and asked them if it would be possible to purchase and install new zipper sliders on my six year old bag, after all, the bag was still in good shape other than the zipper had been pulled apart and the sliders had been broken off. To my great surprise Steve got right back to me and he sent me two new sliders FREE of CHARGE! I took the bag to Tom Hammerton at the Hot Sails Maui loft and he installed the new sliders in a jiffy!
Tom Hammerton of Hot Sails Maui.
In addition to his wizardry in sail design, fin design, aerodynamics and fluid-dynamics, Tom is a wizard behind a sail makers sewing machine. Guess that should not be a surprise since he has to prototype lots of sails. Tom fixed up two sails for me and fixed my board bag for a super price! Anyone in need of sail repairs should look no further than Tom @ HSM.
Sam Bittner of the AWT.
Sam has almost single-handedly revived competitive wave sailing in the Americas. I’m not a competitive guy, I’m 51 years old and will forever be a novice wave sailor but despite my limited ability to “compete”, I find the AWT events to be insanely fun! Sam and her staff do all the planning, all you have to do is show up, pay your entry fee and have fun. What kind of fun you ask… Well, if you did the 2013 Maui AWT you got a minimum of 36 minutes of Hookipa sailing time with only three other sailors to share waves with, opening and closing parties and social events and the opportunity to watch the best wave sailors in the world sail what is arguably the best wave sailing venue in the world. Toss in your included AWT event rash-guard and T-Shirt and you have a tremendous value!
Mike |
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MalibuGuru
Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9304
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Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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I have to complement all 3 too.
Steve sent me a new board with no questions asked upon delivery damage by carrier, and discounted my 2 new Exocet boards! Give him a call if you need something.
Tom has fixed gear for me too. Great quality work and fast turn around!
And finally, Sam. She rescued my board off the rocks at Kuau....Thank you very much. And then bought my family desert at Mama's the next night. What an angel.
You must have had some good Karma Mike! |
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higgybaby
Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 149
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:02 am Post subject: |
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Bummer to see the AWT totally blow off the amateur competitors. It would have been great to mix in a few amateur heats when the conditions were actually good. At the very least, they could have posted the amateur brackets and results at some point. I don't get it. |
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rlemmens
Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 206
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 3:25 am Post subject: |
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The AWT did a great job. In 10 days they completed a full pro, women's youth and masters dingle. Then the pwa completed a full double elimination and then they were able to complete the AMS. Conditions were tough all week some days had light wind, so I think, having been there, they did pretty well and I have no complaints. They also had nice long heats. If it were a pure AWT event they may have given the ams better conditions but its good to see some of the other pros take on hookipa. Way to go Sam!! |
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martyrosse
Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 118
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:27 am Post subject: |
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The AWT does an amazing job overall--Sam, Chris Freeman, Russ Faurot and others are killing it. The amateur results/completed brackets were posted intermittently as well as once final, though they are difficult to find. They post them on the AWT home page, but they are kind of buried. You have to scroll down the page to news/vids box that is scrollable itself. It can take awhile for this content to load before you can even start scrolling to find the results.
Things like this are improved each year despite the few resources/people available. If you don't have time to volunteer and want to support a tour that is featuring worldclass riders in your backyard spots like Waddell, hit up the donation button on the AWT home page. The AWT webcasts are also improving a lot--Kai Katchedourian is doing an awesome job commentating. They are still posted BTW.
I was an amateur and masters competitor in Maui and thought it was great. Six heats of Head high to logo high every heat. No complaints. Every contest is a little different--sometimes the pros are kept waiting and have a little bad luck with conditions and sometimes others. Swell and wind forecasts are amazingly good but imperfect, but overall for many, many contests in a row the AWT has been delivering solid waves and wind for all competitors, and Maui was no exception. My only question is with such a good track record why aren't I seeing more faces from the beach competing in the contests?
Also, a huge thanks to all the volunteers--beach starter, announcers, photographers, etc.--at Hookipa. What an awesome experience--you guys rock. Thank you. |
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capetonian
Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 1197 Location: Florida
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keycocker
Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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I worked the beach and the head judge mixed the Ams and pros in way intended to spread the good conditions among all.
This is difficult to do, since every moment of the weather is just a guess.
Tom Hammerton was the weather forecaster and did a great job at that as well. |
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loopless
Joined: 30 Jun 1997 Posts: 426
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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Having competed in a couple of AWT contests it's been a blast. Everyone is super friendly and leave their egos behind. No shame in competing no matter what your wave-sailing level.
I'll second all the praise heaped on the AWT and Sam and all the people who gave their time. it's a thankless task sometimes, I'm sure, but they do a great job!
I will say it is embarrassing how poorly the industry in general supports the AWT given its visibility ( with some major exceptions like Goya, Quattro ..). How hard is to donate a sail , a boom, or some prize money? A lot of the big names are MIA. |
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