Eventful Twelve Months

During the winter of 2009/10 Max continued to train through sometimes arduous and icy conditions with his hard work resulting in his selection in representing Great Britain in the World Festival on the Beach, Mondello, Sicilly in May 2010. Along with two other windsurfers who were also selected they competed in a team event and an individual regatta with nine other nations. Light winds caused the team to slide from the lead to fourth place where they remained. Max was pleased with his result in the individual competition leaving him again just out of the medals in fourth position. Max spoke of this being a brilliant event and an excellent learning experience. Unfortunately Max sustained an injury taking him out of the racing scene for some eight weeks.

Max has undergone a huge growing spurt which is not unexpected but was the reason for his injury being told that his muscles and tendons could not keep up with his bone growth causing his knee to dislocate when put under pressure. He was not able to windsurf during this time but under the guidance of two Sports Physiotherapists an exercise regime was developed. Because of his recuperation Max found missing a number of events and National Squad training frustrating being keen to get back onto the water. An event in Bridlington in June saw Max commence competition again but under strict instruction not to exert himself finishing in fifth place. In July and just before the Worlds Max found his form once more in attaining second place in Mumbles, Swansea Bay, South Wales in the 6.8 meter Techno fleet.

Knowing Max’s fitness was back we travelled from South Wales to the South of France for the Techno 293 World Windsurfing Championships at Martigues with excitement. The weather conditions were extreme with very high Mistral winds for three consecutive days and a couple of days with no wind at all limited the time on the water to compete. Max was pleased to qualify for the gold fleet in eighteenth place out of ninety-six boy competitors but the last day saw him slip down the fleet with the Russians exerting their strength in light wind sailing. Overall Max said that he was very disappointed with his results hoping that he would have made the top ten.

Following the Worlds Max has now moved up a sail size progressing to the 7.8 meter Techno fleet (under 17). Although Max has experienced disappointment this season with the affects of his growing spurt, missing out on a number of events and his disappointment with his performance at the Worlds, he is delighted to have been reselected for the National Junior Windsurfing Squad once more. Since moving to the larger sail Max has been exerting is dominance in the fleet finishing 5th in the 2010 RYA UKWA National Windsurfing Championships held in Weymouth recently. Max was awarded the annual Robert Cartwright Memorial Trophy for his performance and general attitude, progress and commitment throughout the year whilst recovering from the injury affecting his season and also personifying what windsurfing meant to late Zone Squad sailor Robert Cartwright.