PRYDE GROUP UK

Andy 'Bubble' Chambers

What age did you start Windsurfing?

I was eight



On the NeilPryde Team since?



2008



How did you get into windsurfing?



My parents moved to Cyprus when I was 3 and so I pretty much grew up on the beach.  They started windsurfing with some of their friends and then joined a Windsurfing club.  I grew up around windsurfing.

What is it about windsurfing that’s got you hooked?



Not sure really!! It’s all I used to think about when I was growing up!  From my school I could see the beach and if it was windy.  On my report cards it always used to say “If Andrew spent more time looking at the blackboard and less time looking out the window…” 

I just wanted to do it all the time and I’m still the same now.  It’s the most fun thing in the world to do!

Biggest achievement to date:



British Champion the last 3 years, Windsurfer of the Year 2008, 11th Lanzarote PWA Freestyle 2008.

Favourite Windsurfing Spot:



Oohhh!! There’s so many!! Where I work in the summer in Vassiliki Greece is a great place for freestyle and the atmosphere on the water is electric! Everyone is always going for it and having fun!  Also when it’s blowing with a few stunt ramps El Yaque in Margarita is pretty awesome.  Gwithian in the UK for some decent waves too.

Favourite windsurfing discipline:



I guess it would be freestyle because I train it all the time and I am much better at it.  However I really enjoy getting in the waves, I’m not very good at it at the moment but hopefully that will change as I am planning on doing more wave trips this year.

Favourite manoeuver:



Big planing forwards!! I love them!! They look sick as well! Also shakas are fun when you get the double lift and you’re just floating through the air.



Favourite Windsurfing Moment:



My first time sailing proper down the line waves in Gwithian last year.  It was amazing!! Scary getting out but once on the waves you had so much speed!! Also winning the British title the first time as I was a bit of an unknown in windsurfing at that time.



How do you keep fit and healthy:



In the past I have been pretty rubbish at doing any other type of exercise apart from windsurfing!   However now I realized that I do need to keep fit when not out on the water as it helps massively with my sailing.  So I am now swimming a lot to keep my cardiovascular fitness up and training in the gym to keep me strong for holding on during big moves.



Plans for 2009:



To get a top 10 result in the Freestyle discipline on the PWA, retain my British title and to do lots of Wave sailing!!