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Adam Sims about the new RRD Twintip, the UKWA Tour and a family in Italy
See the RRD Twintip V3 on robertoriccidesigns.com
Adam Sims and his girlfriend Hanna stand at the beginning of Vienna´s famous "Naschmarkt". Both are tired. These afternoon´s bright sunrays narrow their eyes to slits. "We´ve been at a Snowboard video premiere yesterday at the WUK [Werkstätten und Kulturhaus, a recontextualised event area] and they started the movie at one in the morning," sighs Hanna. Both long for a cold drink. After a short walk through Naschmarkt we hit a Deli and drown into the Melange of people around on that hot late-summer day in Vienna.
Adam Sims just won the UK Freestyle Tour. Five stops around the British coastline saw great conditions and some of Europe´s top riders. "The wind in Britain has way more substance. 35knots there can feel much stronger than 35 knots in somewhere like Fuerte," states Adam and continues,"the fleet at the UKWA freestyle tour varied a lot over the year. If their schedule allowed it, Max [Rowe] and Bubble [Andy Chambers] appeared on the starting list, at some events it was only 5-10 in each category." Competing on a national level is very important for Adam. His job, Adam works as marketing manager for Sea Sprite Sports, a British watersports distributor, allowing the UK Freestyle champion to hit the water quite frequently. Also he is the "Demo-Guy", which means Adam takes loads of gear to beaches around Britain where he sets up test events, something the world of windsurfing is highly susceptive of. When Adam takes his office to the beach he always hopes for strong winds. "Yeah, I love to sail in heavy winds," smiles Sims. His latest video output, a short clip featuring a 50 knots session at West Witterings really proves that. "I go away to get injured", laughs Adam about his summer on international tours. At the landing of a Push Loop in Fuerteventura, just days before the PWA event there, Adam rammed his 100% carbon boom into his hip, he had to be carried out of the water and was given three times the normal dose of Valium in the hospital. "It was so much pain, even for days after" remembers Sims. He could not compete in the event.
After some succesful years on national events Adam feels comfortable sailing in competitions. "I´ve started to develop a kind of routine and I´m definitly getting more consistent now", says Adam and continues, "I set up my strategy according to the spot." His repertoire of moves is now so big, he can impress in any conditions. 2011 he put his ability to test in events such as the Samsung Tow-In Session at Porto Liscia, where he impressed riders, judges and audience with tight Burners, and on the UKWA Freestyle tour he won.
An important part in this long-lasting process of developing routine is the windsurfing gear that suits the individual. Adam is on Roberto Ricci Designs. At a young age Jem Hall, Britain´s most valuable export in windsurfing, took Sims under his wings. The windsurfing coach spotted Adam´s talent, introduced him to his current sponsors and also his job at Sea Sprite. The british influence on the RRD equipment is a major one. John Skye develops wave boards and sails, Finian Maynard, born in Dublin, Ireland, runs the Slalom and Freeride development and Adam is part of the freestyle R&D team. There´s one major new release coming from RRD Freestyle 2012, that Adam did not want to talk too much about. The new TwinTip LTD V2 is according to RRD´s website a natural progression. "Indeed," says Adam and adds, "the best thing about the board is it doesn´t restrict you - everything is possible." The new board is faster, planes earlier, carves more stable and feels really small under one´s feet. The sails work in a similar way. Very light in hand, they operate just perfect in powered-up and overpowered conditions.
RRD is based in Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy. However, their R&D division is a global affair. Teamriders take boards and sails around, get prototypes sent to whereever wind and waves fulfil the forecast and give feedback over an array of communication channels. "RRD is a very family-oriented brand," means Adam. Lived globalisation in the brand allows Roberto Ricci Designs to focus on the feeling of their gear in action. Roberto himself is quoted on RRD´s website, "Ride and feel, it´s all that matters."
Portrait © Hanna Poschinger
Action shot © getwindsurfing.com
Product Photos © Roberto Ricci Designs
