Weymouth 2008 - A great week with every wind possible. Pictures of boats, kites and al windsurfers
K-63 - Dave White pix, yep all about me ( thought I'd better say it before my mates do )
Sailing - with boating in the family blood, I really should load more sailing pictures onto my site
Wildlife - Its not all about the water, but its the what has given me the chance to see soe great spots
sunrise - sunset - No better way to start and finish a good day on the water or off.
Motor Bike - Followed some of the round from the British Super Bike series.
Windsurfing - by far the biggest section, windsurfing has been the driving force for me on both sides of the lens
drivenbywind - First Attempt at a speed record attempt at the Ray in Southend England
Who is Dave White
Dave White’s need for windsurfing speed has seen him claim not only a host of titles, but also the production-board world speed record. From the early days, back in the 80s, it’s been a story of broken bones and broken records for this son of an Olympic gold-winning yachtsman. During the mid-90s, he won three consecutive world windsurfing production-board speed titles and shattered the windsurf production world record in November 2004, despite recovering from a punctured lung.
The lung was just one incident from a conveyor belt of physical damage that has included breaking nearly every bone in his body - whether by windsurfing, motocross riding or flying over trees at 140mph in his dad’s car - and even surviving cancer. Today, Dave maintains his No1 status for production boards which also sees him fifth in the all time custom world rankings, Since signing for the Gaastra/Tabou team he has continued to push the speed barrier and leads the gps speed rankings for 2007. While he wants another crack at the overall world speed record, the main aim is to promote free-ride windsurfing to the masses.
Despite being deep into his forties, Dave is unlikely to settle for the pipe and slippers just yet. However, a new side of Mighty Whitey is emerging, with a developing love of photography. Windsurfing pictures were a natural blend of Dave’s two passions, and many of his action shots have received worldwide acclaim.
You feel, though, that, Dave’s won’t live entirely behind his lens before more records are shattered and many more bones broken.
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Windsurf Tuition
Dave likes to play the “I don’t know what’s going on, I just get out there and do it” card when he shoots past people. But the truth is that he is a pretty astute windsurf coach.
“For me there’s two parts to getting better, there’s the technique for sure but then just as important, there’s motivation and confidence. I’m a very good motivator. My methods may not be traditional and yes sometimes I do frighten people into going for the next level. But the fact is you can only get better if you step out of your comfort zone.”
Over the past few years he has run quite a few windsurf clinics with his old mate and rival Peter Hart, notably to Maui, Dahab, Tarifa and Ireland. Whitey reckons that they are the perfect bedfellows(?)
“There are a few self appointed ‘techique gurus’ out there but, although it It pains me to say it ‘harty’ is the original and best by a long way. His powers of observation are phenomenal. He can spot a technique glitch at a 1000 paces and knows exactly how to correct it with usually the simplest tweak. That’s why we work so well together. He explains what to do and I MAKE them do it!”
Capture your Action
Dave will also be doing his own windsurf clinics in 2010. Not surprisingly they will lean towards the speed side of things. So far they’ve proved very popular. Windsurfing holidays at Club Vass with Dave have reached a legendary status. An added bonus on his weeks is his photography. Not only will you get coached, you will also get pictures of your best moments. Getting snapped in action is a service he now offers to individuals and groups both home and abroad.
Grabbing the doctor firmly by the hand wasn’t a gesture of thanks but a polite way to stop him inflicting any more pain, though he’d probably say that was down to my own actions than his. Having got infected it looks like a dog’s been having a go at it so much so the wife has banned me from putting it on the web.
Actually that should the be “the toe cam off” ok that might be talking it up but with this trip going so well it feels like it. Nine stitches later and the doc has banned me from the water, not that the boys are unhappy about the situation as that puts me permanently behind the lens which I guess has its merits but…
Sunday was the first day I was allowed back on the water, strangely enough that just happened to coincide with the next Boards test. I’ll admit I may have had a little influence on the date but the way things have been lining up it looks like lady luck is sitting on my shoulder, from the moment we arrived at the airport it has just been too easy.
It looks like the wind’s due to return Sunday, ok that might be optimistic but it’s the first day I’m good to go, though the doc’s already said the right ear is booked in for the same treatment. It seems impossible that I’ve only missed a couple of sketchy days but hopefully this weekend snow will be the last we sea for another year.
Never though I’d be so lucky, I was worried about missing out on sailing with the ear operation but even though I still have to wait two more weeks this weather is frustrating me. There’s only so many things you can shoot before I need to catch a friend sailing in my lens, Aaron and his mates have always been a good fallback but really scooter smacks of desperation.
When I joined Boards no one said that excluded me from winning the golden ticket. With flights to Maui for two, plus a Goya board and rig to take home makes it the biggest prize given away in windsurfing. Unbelievably it doesn’t just end there, not only do you get to sail in the next Windsurfing Movie II but back on the beach it’s your party everyone is turning up to.
With my son turning 13 next week he wanted to have a few pictures with his mates at the local indoor skate park, my lucky day you’d think. Not much come easier than taking kids full of Kodak courage, point the camera at a ramp and the rest will take care of its self. How wrong can you be, if I ever collect all the necessary signatures to get me in he’ll be 21.
After a wintery break here’s the second half of my 2009 gallery and there’s a few pix in there that tell what my new year will be about. I’ve talked about my surprise about being asked to join the Boards team but add the change to Factory Media and I couldn’t want a better start, this really is new year, new start.
I always consider myself lucky but since I started this six-week abstinence from windsurfing the weather has played along with me. Not only did it snow but it was the fluffy stuff we expect to greet us at the top of foreign mountains, add the daily routine of donning the ski gear and the closing of the schools and it stared to feel more like a holiday then an exam week.
Well that’s the festive season over but seeing everyone on tv is looking back at the last year I thought it was time to join them, anyway I don’t think a dozen pictures of my ear dressing being changed is going to be very entertaining. Had you told me how this year would end up I would have been happy to bet everything I had against it.
According to the met office it wasn’t officially a white Christmas, though it certainly feels like it with twenty-five of us round the table there was a white feel to festive season. We’re a big family and often catch myself saying “and were all within walking distance”, if only that was true, our cousins live across America and Canada so forgive me the first pictures but easier than email.
Didn’t matter what I wanted to do, time wasn’t working with me. When it blew 40knots it was dark, when I needed a train it was cancelled and as for the snowy city pictures, it rained. When the snow finally fell I was back in London where it threatened but never settled, though I’m not complaining, turns out Factory Media don’t just produce great mags, they throw a mean party.
Going on a Jem Hall clinic comes with a warning, or at least that’s been my impression. I expected to see everyone being frogmarched to the beach or dropping to the floor as he booms out “give me ten” for each wrongly placed hand on the boom. Thankfully his bark is worse than his bite, truth is Jem is a baby in Shrek’s clothing rather than an ogre.
According to the wife my timing is impeccable, no that’s not a complement, more of a complaint as it hasn’t stopped raining since she dropped me at the airport. When Jem Hall asked me to join him in Jericoacoara I couldn’t find a good enough excuse to say no, so here I am getting burnt and battered by the endless conditions, sometimes life can be hard.
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