Bic Sport Windsurfing Boards

Though the name Bic is synonymous worldwide with the ballpoint pen, Bic Sport, the watersports arm of the Société Bic company, are also one of the world’s largest producers of windsurfing equipment.

Encouraged by Bic founder, Marchel Bich’s interest in sailing, Bic expanded into the watersports market with the manufacture of windsurfing equipment in the early 1980’s. Since the beginning, Bic Sport has always been keen to make windsurfing as accessible as possible to just about anyone who wants to get out on the water and have fun. To do this Bic Sport manufacture affordable easy to use windsurfing rigs, boards and sails.

Here at SailGB, we have just launched the 2009 range of Bic Sport Windsurfing Boards. Easy to use and highly practical, there is a windsurfing board in the range for the absolute beginner right through to the seasoned pro.

What we think makes Bic Sport unique is the fact they are the only European manufacturer of windsurfing equipment and the only manufacturer to master thermoforming with aluminium moulds. A highly technical procedure, it allows the boards to be made with only one closure of the mould, greatly limiting any extra material used in the manufacturing process. Put simply, the end result is a board that is both 20% lighter than other thermoformed boards and also a board that is strongly competitive with epoxy sandwich boards.

For the absolute newbie to windsurfing we recommend taking a look at the Bic Sport Windsurfers-Funboards range. Designed to be easy to use in a wide range of conditions up to moderate winds, the Funboards are good boards for those just starting out to learn on. The BIC Sport Jungle Windsurfer is an excellent example of this, a windsurfing funboard that can be taken out on the water even when there is no wind or waves as it can also be used for stand-up paddling. The Jungle board is ideal for beach holidays and for those not taking it too seriously.

For those looking for more of a thrill to their boardriding experience, the Bic Sport Core 133 is a versatile board that is ideal for all kinds of conditions. The Core 133 lets you go very fast, very easily in all kinds of conditions. Made from Thermoformed Glass Composite, the Core 133 offers great stiffness that is very resistant to knocks.

While some like to windsurf for fun as a way of relaxing off the beach and others like to thrill seek, others are more competitive and like to race. If you fall into that the latter category, the Bic Sport Raceboard Windsurfers range is the range for you. Bic Sport Raceboards are designed to perform across the breadth of conditions found in competitions.

For those undertaking slalom courses in races, the Techno Pro 65 is the ideal board, featuring a fast and highly manoeuvrable slalom shape perfect for when the wind gets up and the waves start to swell. Extremely versatile, the Techno Pro 65 allows for pure bump and jump thrills and spills as well as superb acceleration and excellent straight line speed and easy control.

If you are looking to move quickly in a straight line, the Techno Pro 74 is the board for you, a pure race design that is designed to be very fast up to planing and to have greater straight line speed both downwind and upwind in moderate winds.

Bic Sport Shortboards are the choice of the more advanced windsurfer, requiring a lot of skill to use but giving the best combination of speed and performance, resulting in the best windsurfing experience.

Recommended by WIND magazine, the BIC Sport Techno 148 Windsurfer allows the more advanced rider to always be at ease, stable and comfortable, whatever the conditions. Ideal for the performance minded, the Techno 148 is an excellent freeride board.

Those are just a selection of the Bic Windsurfing Boards we stock at SailGB; see the full range of Bic Sport Windsurfing equipment, here. You can also take a look at our sister site OutdoorGB’s Flickr profile: http://www.flickr.com/photos/outdoorgb.

OutdoorGB sponsor Mongolian Charity Rally Participants

During a momentary lapse of sanity (their words not ours!), Edinburgh University graduates Alice Paisley and Juliet Waud decided to take on a massive challenge and enter the Mongolian Charity Rally 2009. After being approached by the girls, all of us here at OutdoorGB were so impressed by the dedication and support for good causes shown by the pair; we thought it was only right we got involved in sponsorship.

The rally really is a mean feat and will see the girls driving 10,000 miles in an ambulance from London to the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar. Along the way they will venture through no less than 10 countries, cross five mountain ranges, two deserts and drive down many many poorly maintained roads and of all of this in..as they put it...temperatures that would even make the devil sweat. Then factor in the opportunist border guards and power happy policemen with AK47’s they expect to encounter and you have got to ask are they mad? (Again their own words). Mad or not, they definitely live up to the slogan they have coined for themselves, No Boundaries, No Limits.

Due to these treacherous conditions they are set to face, we are supplying Alice and Juliet with a SPOT GPS Location Tracker that will ensure vital contact with emergency services, let loved ones know they are safe and also allow everyone back home to keep tabs on exactly where they are.

Driving a Nissan Terrano II SE TD ambulance affectionately named “Norbert”, Alice and Juliet are raising money for the Save the Children charity, so perhaps they are not mad. Funds raised by them will help the poorest children receive healthcare, food, education and protection. Then once they have arrived in Mongolia, “Norbert” will be auctioned off for the further benefit of the local communities.

The rally is set to take the pair 6-8 weeks to complete, during this time we will provide updates as and when we receive them.

Anyone who would like to sponsor them can do so by logging on to www.justgiving.com/aliceandjuliet

Three Out of Three for Brownlee

Great Britain's Alistair Brownlee has made it a hat-trick of wins after victory in the latest stage of the Suunto sponsored ITU World Championship series in Kitzbühel, Austria. Crossing the line in 1:43:13, 21 year old Brownlee finished the swim with the leaders but almost fell back after losing his shoe during the transition to the bike. After recovering the shoe, Brownlee edged his way towards the front of the pack during the 40km bike ride then entering the 10km run, he wasted little time in closing the gap and took the leadership within minutes.

Elsewhere in the women's race, Australia’s Emma Moffatt clocked in her second victory of the championships with a time of 1:54:37. Moffatt, an Olympic bronze medallist broke away halfway through the run to finish 34 seconds ahead of European champion, Nicola Spirig from Switzerland.

2009 Kitzbühel Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship - Elite Men's Results

Gold - Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 1:43:13

Silver - Javier Gomez (ESP) 1:43:21 +0:08

Bronze - Laurent Vidal (FRA) 1:43:24 +0:11

2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Elite Men's Rankings

After Race Four of Eight

1. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) 2400pts

2. Javier Gomez (ESP) 2368pts

3. Laurent Vidal (FRA) 1963pts

4. Maik Petzold (GER) 1951pts

5. Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 1813pts

2009 Kitzbühel DC Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship -
Elite Women's Results

Gold – Emma Moffatt (AUS) 1:54:37

Silver – Nicola Spirig (SUI) 1:55:11 +0:34

Bronze – Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 1:55:16 +0:39

2009 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Elite Women's Rankings

After Race Four of Eight

1. Emma Moffatt (AUS) 2640pts

2. Andrea Hewitt (NZL) 2229pts

3. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 1818pts

4. Jessica Harrison (FRA) 1722pts

5. Helen Jenkins (GBR) 1710pts

To mark the Championship Series, Suunto have released a special edition t6c, find out more about it here.

Be Campsite Savvy This Season With OutdoorGB.com

With camping having become the new fashionable choice of getaway, many people are choosing to holiday closer to home, with this in mind OutdoorGB.com, the leading outdoor clothing and equipment retailers, are launching their very own guide to selecting the right camping stoves to bring a bit of home comfort to the campsite.

If the weather is miserable, getting some hot food inside of you is the perfect feeling, no one wants to rely on crisps and sandwiches at mealtimes nor do they want to be walking about in rainy conditions in pursuit of their dinner, especially during festival season, where fast food vans engage in the annual price hike.

Although some festivals ban the use of gas stoves, LPG stoves such as the Coleman Fyrestorm Stove or the Optimus Nova+ Lightweight Compact Multi-fuel Stove are ideal, as they provide a more controlled option. The Coleman Fyrestorm Stove, a specialist omni-fuel stove, is lightweight, wind resistant and powerful, ideal for camping in the British countryside, where temperatures can fluctuate at the drop of a hat. Once placed in to liquid fuel mode, priming or pre-heating is no longer required thanks to the Reflex™ technology and in LPG mode; a unique butane/propane cartridge adapter is designed to invert the cartridge, optimising performance for lower temperatures and higher altitudes.

Chief executive of OutdoorGB.com and SailGB.com the leading outdoor clothing and equipment retailers, Edward Giles, said, “It is essential that if you are choosing a new camping stove that you decide exactly what you are going to be using it for and how many people will be eating, carrying a large stove for only one person is just a waste of vital pack space. Also consider the conditions in which you are using it, if you are going to be using it in bleak weather conditions, go for a model like the Jetboil which will still offer great performance.”

In some areas and indeed countries you may find it difficult to get hold of your preferred fuel, however with some more versatile stoves, you can use a range of fuel types. Stoves from brands such as Optimus, Jetboil, Primus are ideal for outdoor adventures, where getting a particular type of fuel could prove tricky.

The Jetboil Camping Stove (Personal Cooking System), is one of OutdoorGB’s best selling products. Multi-award winning, this lightweight stove has revolutionised outdoor cooking and is extremely popular amongst outdoorsmen and campers due to its super fast boil times and ability to operate in the bleakest of weather conditions. The Jetboil will boil 500ml of water in just two minutes, approximately half the time of a standard camping stove, which means that you have more time to enjoy your holiday.

Alternatively, the Optimus Crux Lite Lightweight Stove could also be your ideal companion. Considered to be one of the world’s most lightweight stoves, weighing in at just 72 grams and measuring 75 x 57 x 55mm, this stove includes a burner with valve and stuff bag, ideal for transportation to and from the campsite. For more information on the huge range of stoves available from the outdoor equipment specialists at OutdoorGB.com, please visit their website at http://www.outdoorgb.com.

Editor’s Note: OutdoorGB.com is represented by online advertising consultancy, Top Position. Please direct all press queries to Tina Clough. Email: tina@topposition.co.uk or call: 07792638394.

The Dakine 2009 Summer Collection at OutdoorGB.com

Introducing the Dakine 2009 Summer Collection, down at OutdoorGB we have recently brought our Dakine range right up to speed to include all the latest products from the newest Dakine collection. Dakine, named after the Hawaiian Pidgin word meaning ‘the kind’ or ‘the best’ (though can be used to refer to virtually anything good!), specialise in outdoor clothing and equipment for all the alternative sports that matter.

Dakine was established in 1979, when Rob Kaplan started manufacturing the Dakine Surf Leash in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii. Built to withstand the rigorous Hawaiian surf conditions, the success of the Dakine Surf Leash saw professional windsurfers ask Kaplan to help build footstraps for their new wave boards. Dakine later developed the first adjustable footstraps, seat harness and waist harness. The creation of the coffin board bag was a revolutionary step in surfing, making travel easier for athletes.

Today, Dakine create products for surf, skate, snowboarding, ski, windsurfing, kiteboarding and mountainbiking. So whatever alternative sport gets your pulse racing there is going to be a Dakine product for you.

Highlights of the new 2009 Summer Collection:

Part of the Dakine Summer 09 Skate Collection, the Dakine Covert Skate Pack is a rugged backpack featuring solid construction, hot designs and excellent functionality. Whether you are skating or studying, the Covert Skate Pack can suit your needs, a wide strap on the back enables you to carry your skateboard or if you prefer, your laptop with the internal padded laptop sleeve. An integrated organiser pocket ensures your pens; keys and mobile are kept safe and secure.

Carrying the name of South African professional surfer, Jordy Smith, the Dakine Jordy Smith 26L Surf Pack is an all-rounder surf backpack. Perfect for storing your kit in at the beach when surfing the waves, though equally as at home when surfing the street. Surfing, skating or studying, the Jordy Smith 26L Surf Pack has space and attachments for your skateboard, wetsuit bag and a padded sleeve to carry your laptop in safety. Solving the problem of where to put your sunglasses when the sun goes down, the backpack features a fleece-lined pocket stopping those sunglasses getting scratched.

Boasting a look that definitely isn’t spandex, the Dakine Guys' 8 Track Bike Shorts are a pair of baggies that offer a cool casual look but contribute comfort and convenience. Three zipped pockets give you plenty of stash space, keep your phone close to hand or grab some instant energy by storing a couple of bars there. Dakine know mountainbiking can get strenuous, so to save you from sweating have added inner leg vents and a moisture wicking liner for when things really start to heat up. Looking good and performing damn good, the 8 Track Shorts have a high back with a back stretch panel that offers a secure fit with little chance of catching, ensuring they ride well.

Going back to one of Dakine’s original stand out products, the Dakine Regulator Triple Travel Board Bag is just the ticket for your next road trip with your surfboards. Holding 3 boards plus all the essentials, the Regulator board bag offers maximum protection ensuring your pride and joy is kept safe with a heat reflecting energy shield on the bottom stopping your boards from cooking.

Another old school Dakine product brought bang up to date with a 2009 colourway, the Dakine Blast Men's Windsurfing Harness is absolutely loaded with features. Adjustable spreader bar height, self-tensioning leg straps, internal load equaliser patches, power clip buckle system and an 8-point load dispersion system offer everything needed to surf with fluency and with the least effort possible. To ensure maximum comfort and avoid skin abrasions, the groin straps and edges of the trapezoid are completely covered in neoprene.

Waterproof cases and drybags at SailGB.com

Water and electrical items don’t mix, perhaps one of the simplest things you learn as a kid. Whether your lesson about the potentially fatal mix of the elements was by having it installed into you by your parents or by the other extreme, namely that time you decided to play with mum’s hairdryer in the bath and the reason you now have a clump of white hairs at the crown of your head. Now as much as it seemed like a good idea at the time, we don’t recommend drying your hair in the bath, but here at SailGB we do recommend a range of waterproof solutions that will stop plunged phones, immersed iPods and waterlogged laptops.

Whether you are at the beach, by the pool or on the boat, getting your belongings wet is never going to make for a pleasant experience. At SailGB we have a range of top-quality waterproof cases and drybags, suitable for all areas of marine use, excellent for stopping water and electricity mixing but also absolutely ideal for ensuring your shoes don’t get saturated, your money doesn’t get mushy and your sandwiches don’t go soggy.

Coming in all shapes and sizes, we have waterproof cases, drybags, dry tube bags and holdalls that will fit your iPod, camera, VHF radio, laptop, mobile phone, clothes and perhaps most importantly when out at sea, your lunch.

Here are a selection of our waterproof storage solutions:

Like a conventional backpack but with a twist, the OverBoard Carbon 25 L Backpack is 100% waterproof. This means it can be fully submersed in the water, leave it in a puddle on the deck of the boat all day long without fear of the contents getting soaked. As the OverBoard brand name suggests, the Carbon backpack is safe should it go over board, we are not saying you should throw it off the boat for the sake of it, but should it grace the surface of the water it will simply and safely float.

Comfort isn’t sacrificed for cleverness; the Carbon is waterproof and wearable. Conventional features such as a comfortable back panel with air-flow design, padded shoulder straps, lumbar support and an adjustable sternum strap and waist belt ensure the carbon isn’t a chore to wear.

Not just waterproof, the unique ‘high frequency’ welded construction will protect your stuff from dust, dirt, sand and most other substances that threaten damage.

For some, no matter if they are at the beach or on the boat, they can never give business a break, for those guilty, the Peli 1090 Hardback Laptop Computer Case is perfect as it provides ample room for a 15 inch laptop with space for various cables and a mouse. The Peli 1090 features a plush thermal formed fabric lining with small shock absorbing cells, an automatic pressure equalisation valve and a solid design crafted from high-impact composite material, put simply the case is watertight, crushproof and dustproof.

Perfect for Apple users, the 15 inch Macbook Pro will slot right inside the Peli 1090 case and exactly like a Mac, it offers style and performance. Should it not perform, which isn’t very likely, the 1090 Case is covered by Peli’s guarantee of excellence, the highest guarantee a manufacturer can offer, an unconditional lifetime guarantee.

The Ortlieb Sailing Dry Bag is at home in any harbour in the world, durable and rugged, it is designed for wet and humid areas on board the boat. Manufactured from tear and abrasion resistant polyester fabric, the Sailing dry bag features a bottom loop and D-rings at the closure to provide 100% waterproof storage. Keep a bundle of clothes bone dry in the most wettest of conditions, also ideal for your sandwiches and ensuring you don’t create a new meaning for the term ‘liquid lunch’.

Resembling a standard kit bag but offering total waterproof protection, the Overboard Waterproof Sports Bag is excellent for a weekend away on the water or for taking a lot of stuff to the beach. 100% waterproof, the Waterproof sports bag is manufactured from rugged, durable materials for heavy-duty use. Features multiple pockets, so you know exactly where everything is.

Most people these days are lost without their phone, even if they are relaxing on the boat or at the beach. The Aquapac Waterproof Mini Phone/GPS Case solves the potential problem of sand or worse water invading every nook and cranny of your phone’s inner workings. When using the case GPS signal will remain unaffected, making it ideal for use with the iPhone and smaller GPS units. Talk as normal through the case and with the LENZFLEX window on the back you can even continue to take pictures as the camera lens is left without obstruction.

Manufactured with tough vinyl construction, the Aquapac Waterproof Mini Phone/GPS Case is foam padded for extra comfort and protection and will even float with your phone inside, enabling you to use your phone safely in all conditions.

Take a look at more waterproof cases and drybags that can provide the solution to your watery woes, here.