I’m sure all Dad’s say it, “I can’t believe she’s 18”. Samantha may have turned 18 but she’ll always be my little girl. By the time I’d recovered from the realisation she’d moved in to womanhood, the weekend was here again. It was a real kids weekend, the boys had me a football again on Saturday, and then down to Hayling Island where Sam Stills was using my kit in the youth slalom.

Could go on for ages about 18 years on good times Samantha brought us, but after we had a family party Samantha went on to celebrate her birthday with her friends. I remember her keeping us awake all night 18 years ago, so wasn’t surprised to be woken at 3am with stories of the night. Guess thing don’t change.

Some things you can only do once, seeing the first game to be played at Wembley is one of them. We managed to get three tickets for the boys, and me, to watch the England under 21’s play Italy. A couple of years ago you would have had to pay me to go, but then that’s what kids do for ya, two games in as many weeks.

With all the hype surrounding the new stadium that was just a big a draw as the football. There’s no doubting it, inside it’s a real spectacle, ever seat is a good one, just a shame the details outside didn’t live up to the arena. Go to any game and it hard to avoid getting a program trusted into your hand, not Wembley, took forty minutes, and to be honest that summed up all the services. And if it wasn’t for a couple of banners hanging outside you wouldn’t even know the where you were.

Earlier this year I met a great family, all into windsurfing, and giving competition a real go. Sam’s doing great in Techno formula but was keen to try slalom racing. The first UKWA slalom was at Hayling Island this weekend, but with my boys committing me to Saturday, I had to drop the van down on Friday, and then train it back again on Sunday.

The turnout was fantastic for such a bad forecast; over sixty people entered the slalom and master blaster events. Apparently Saturday had the best of the wind, when I arrived on Sunday there was hardly a breath, but kept showing enough promise to keep everyone hanging around the start boat. Eventually it did provide some racing.

My plan was to take a few pix and see how Sam was going before getting on the water myself, but that all fell apart when I saw the size sails everyone was on, 9.0m were common site among the male fleet, and only having an 8.0 it left me wanting on the beach.

Sam on the other hand was having a good time, 13 years old and light as a feather he could plane everywhere. You can really see how the Techno Formula is helping the kids, with their tactics. Sam had a great start, up wind of everyone and when he did drop a gybe he wasn’t fazed, but just fought back.

Seeing standard of the kids coming up, British windsurfing looks to be in good hands. As for Sam, his weekend ended standing second on the podium; think there’s more to come.