4th-6th Feb, Rest Bay, Porthcawl
www.studentkitesurfing.co.uk

With kit provided by Flexifoil, Mystic, and South Wales Kitesurfing, motivation from Expix , Redbull, and our stunning spectators, and the finest conditions we could have asked for courtesy of mother nature, we really didn't have to do much at all except hit the red button on Saturday morning.

40 knot winds and 15ft swell meant a slight queue for 5 and 7 metre Proton's, but by about 12 o clock Saturday the beach was covered in jammy jammers chomping at the bit to get wet.

At events like this, you need more than just good riders. Luckily, a pretty even ratio between those individuals giving it the chat on the beach about smacking the lip and getting pitted, and those out back trying to do exactly that, resulted in a sweet atmosphere on and off the water. An 8m kite cap, apart from saving a few lives, meant that riders got to know each other by begging for a go on the smaller kit, and encouraged people to make the most of each short session.

The Jam format kept the majority of our 35 riders busy for all of Saturday, and a lovely party hosted by Cardif University sorted us out for the evening. Many thanks for the food and the floorspace; much appreciated by all!

Sunday saw a bit more jamming in slightly lighter winds, until the final rolled around at 3pm. Voted for by the rest of the riders, 12 finalists took part in the 30 minute final, watched closely by those remaining on the beach. Without further ado, here's how they did:

Results
Strapped:
1. Zac Andrews (Soton)
2. Ali Barrett (Solent)
3. Leah McHardy

Strapless:
1. Jon Cook (Soton)
2. Ben Gillespie (Soton)
3. Tim Harley (Cambridge)