Sam Sills

Race

Talented teenager Sam already has a list of windsurfing achievements longer than many pro’s. His exploits in the youth racing classes place him among the best racers in the world in his age group, with European and World Titles. He has recently stepped up to the RS-X class where a successful career lies ahead, already picking up a superb bronze medal at the RS-X Youth Worlds!

Sam’s friendly, approachable nature make him a popular face on the race circuit and a hero to the younger generation. With talent that extends well beyond course racing, he competes in slalom to a very high level, speed sails when conditions allow and can be found shredding waves at home on the north Cornish coast whether on a surfboard, S.U.P. board or his new Edge sails and Starboard Quad.

9 Apr 2013

Palma RSX Training Camp and Regatta

I have some news for you finally!!!! Sorry nothings really happened for while, I’ve been drowning in books for couple months. Although we been designing a 50m super yacht which has been pretty awesome.. soon the term will be over and I’ll have lots to talk about for the summer!

SO just got back from tremendous 2 weeks in Palma, we had 1 week training camp and then went into the regatta.. I cant tell you how awesome it was to be racing RSX again after all the kite confusion… totally amazing, kite racing is fun but its just not the same. The level of competition was pretty high with a lot of youths stepping forward having gone full time!

Really learnt a lot and enjoyed it so much, we had every race planning apart from 1! It was pretty tricky conditions, sometimes only just planning, sometimes offshore shifty from the mountains and sometimes 30 knots with huge steep waves!

GBR leading the line

Also I got a great insight into the world of some of the Olympians, I was staying in a hotel with all the Olympic coaches and often found myself at dinner sitting next to legends such as Sarah Web! which was really awesome experience to listen about there journeys.

Enjoying the Sunset - not something we have seen recently in the UK!

Back in the UK I have not been able to get on the water that much due to Uni work and the fact that it has been freeeeezing!!

I’ve decided I really want to get into some paddle board racing! A lot of the Olympians are using it for there physical training now and I think could be cool around Southampton! Any suggestions on where to start would be greatly appreciated ?

5 Sep 2012

Cardiff RS:One vs Extreme 40′s

I competed in the RS:ONE event in cardiff this weekend, along side the Extreme 40′s racing series!

It was like nothing I’ve ever done before! Imagine a 3 min race, with no rules underneath the wind shadow of a hotel.. in front of 1000′s of people. Completely nuts!

I won both qualifiers on each day but unfortunately finished 2nd in each final and was completely gutted to not make the super LED final on saturday night. However I really enjoyed it and came away with $220 dollars prize money, so I’m absolutely stoked! Also watching the Extreme 40′s racing literally meters away from us in the VIP area was awesome!!!

2 Aug 2012

Sam Sills Q & A

Sam is one of our future Olympic hopefuls who has been competing since a very early age and is a two times world champion racer already at the age of 19. We thought we would ask Sam a few quick fire questions to find out a bit more about him!

Q: Age
A: 19

Q: Current sponsors?
A: Tushingham, Starboard, Predictwind, SKANDIA TEAM GBR

Q: Years windsurfing?
A: 10

Q: How did you first get into the sport?
A: Sailing with my father, windsurfing looked so much cooler, so I tried it and haven’t stopped since!

Q: Favourite discipline?
A: Slalom!

Q: Competition discipline?
A: Slalom, racing and wave (when I get the opportunity)

Q: Competition results?
A: 2 x World Champion, 7 x World Medallist

Q: Favourite UK location?
A: Qwithian or Daymer Bay in Cornwall

Q: Favourite International destination?
A: New Zealand

Q: Plans for the next year?
A: Learn to Kite Board now windsurfing will not be in the Olympics for 2016 and continue studying at university

Q: What are your ultimate ambitions you want to achieve in windsurfing?
A: Have as much fun as possible, win an Olympic Medal, become one of windsurfing legends.

Q:What’s your best kit set up?
A: Tushingham X15 7.0 and a Starboard iSonic 107

Q: What’s your favourite move?
A: Massive Stalled Forward!

Q: Best windsurfing moment?
A: Clinching Bronze medal in my last Youth RSX worlds in the medal race!

Q: What gives you the biggest buzz in windsurfing?
A: It’s got to be the thrill of overtaking people in races!

Q: Have you ever thought about giving up?
A: NEVER!

Q: How do you prepare before you go out on the water?
A: Sun cream, banana and water

Q: How do you plan your windsurfing sessions?
A: Look and follow forecasts then head in search of the perfect conditions.

Q: Favourite food?
A: Eggs

Q: Drink of choice?
A: Vanilla Smoothie

Q: Hardest bit for you about windsurfing?
A: Staying focused under pressure

Q: Do you have three top tips you can give to someone starting out?
A: Talk to guys on the beach, make friends and enjoy every moment!

Q: Do you have any other hobbies interests?
A: Surfing, SUP, Kiting, Design/art

Q: Can you tell us three things people might not know about you?
A: I’m a vegetarian, I live in Cornwall and I am currently studying Yacht Design

Q: Can you describe your ideal session to us?
A: Fully overpowered on my 4.0 Rock in cross onshore conditions with my best mates, it’s so much fun!

Q: Finally Sam, if you had never got into windsurfing what do you think you would be doing now?
A: Surfing most likey

@sam_sills

4 months agosam_sills: Coach went bit nuts yeasterday... Squats.. Sprint... Squats.. Sprint, squats sprint.. Squats, sprint... Squats sprint.. Squats sprint...

8 months agosam_sills: NWF! Four 1st places! Night Race, Overall National Racing, Youth racing and the team race! Whoooooohooooooo

9 months agosam_sills: LED super final http://t.co/qhbIA2GQ

9 months agosam_sills: Wicked weekend at the Cardiff extreme rs one event! 3 min races under a hotel with no rules! Absolute kaos!

9 months agosam_sills: RS one boards ready to go http://t.co/LdqZQIoT

9 months agosam_sills: Had my First kite board race yesterday. Absolutely nuts. Bit like Rsx in 30knots

11 months agosam_sills: 4.2m Tushingham Edge is the best wave sail I've ever used

11 months agosam_sills: Student extreme games comp at Beach Break. 1st master blaster, 1st windSup freestyle, 2nd Freewave...

11 months agosam_sills: Skandia Sail for Gold done and dusted.. Loverly week racing! Absolutely mental final race with gusts up to 42 knots! What an end to Rsx!!

12 months agosam_sills: Bending moments cracked!