SURF’S UP: DECEMBER TRAINING CAMP 2007
by Grace Lau
Once again in December 2007, the NUS Windsurfing Club held its annual December Training Camp from the 12-14th December, bringing like-minded and enthusiastic windsurfers of various skill levels together. There was a good turnout of participants from the various faculties of NUS, looking forward to making new friends and also to improve their windsurfing skills and techniques.
Although we were greeted with a rainy pre-camp scene, the weather soon took a change and the skies cleared by the time the participants arrived, allowing the camp to move on smoothly without having the camp organisers deploy wet weather programs. Participants got to know more of each other and individuals with similar characteristics through the games organised, which included the exchange of footwear. After the short camp briefing, everyone was already excited to hit the waters. But alas, what is a camp without something useful to take back? And so, there was our ever-friendly windsurfing coach, Mr. Tan Kim Yeow to refresh our memories on basic techniques as well as more advanced ones for the intermediate learners. The weather was good. Wasn’t sunny enough for anyone to get a tan but nevertheless, the most important element, the wind, was good enough for all to get moving.
After the 3 hours of water time, intensive coaching by Mr Tan in the powerboat anda debrief from Mr Tan, it was dinnertime! After another 15 minutes of walking, participants were glad to be welcomed by good, as-recommended-on-TV hawker food at the East Coast Lagoon Food Centre, which more than filled each one’s tummy.
Day 2 started off with a short jog over to NSC. The day’s activities were mainly water-time which was almost every windsurfer’s dream, to be windsurfing the whole day! It was bright and sunny which was quite extraordinary in the December weather. Participants ended up sun-kissed and were left with a tan. The Northeast wind still held and provided an awesome environment for participants to practice and learn about the racecourse and experiences from Mr Tan. After the whole day of windsurfing, everyone huddled around the wheelbarrows to have the windsurfing camps’ tradition of wheelbarrow BBQ. Stingrays, squid, bacon slices, satay, bee hoon, fried rice, chicken chop in assorted seasoning and more food, friends, card games, magic shows, under the stars and with the sea breeze blowing through, it was indeed an awesome way to enjoy the last night of the camp.
Day 3 included a mini triathlon, which was a twist to the usual December training camps. A competition was held in which participants were able to pit their skills and physical fitness against other fellow windsurfers. The triathlon included a run of about 1km to and back to their windsurf boards, paddling with their arms to get over to the shore on the other side of the canal to reach their sails and attaching their sails to windsurf against the currents and winds back to the start point. It was categorized to male and female races. However, bonds made during the camp were so strong that the groups stuck together in the beginning for their jogs and paddling, thus enabling only the windsurfing league of the race to determine the winners of the race. The rest of the time gave the participants more practice time since the weather had been great since morning.
In short, the camp was a great success. The weather was superb and we did not have the rain bothering our activities. Participants went home not only with more skills and confidence in windsurfing but also with a happy mood because of the fun and laughter they have shared with their new found friends.
