windgirls: Amy Carter


Amy Carter: The "Cosmo Girl"

Her passion for windsurfing started when she was only 8 years old ("despite living in a big city, I soon became hooked on windsurfing"), from the age of 11 Amy Carter has been competing in national competitions all around the UK, and at the age of 14 she went for her first World Championships, namely on the Aloha class. Amy: "Soon after this event I switched over to Formula Windsurfing as I thought this style of racing would suit me more. In 2002 I became 1st at the Formula Youth World Championships, a position I held on to in 2003. Also in 2003 I started to compete in senior level competitions, some of best results being 12th at the Formula World Championships, and 5th at a Women’s World Cup event in Canada. 2004 I have been ranked 8th in the Nestea PWA World Windsurf Racing Tour."

2005 saw Amy finishing off with 7th rank at the Formula World Championships. It wasn't until Weymouth Speedweek in 2005, where Amy finished fastest woman (also beating many men), that she kind of reconsidered her windsurfing career. With new Gaastra and Tabou gear Amy is now focussing on slalom both at national and international level as well as enjoying a little bit of speed. Nik Green Gaastra/Tabou UK Brand Manager: "I have watched her race in her first super 8 races down in Poole harbour many years ago when she was a whipper snapper and now she is up there with some of the best we can look forward to watch her develop to a real force to be reckoned with."

Not enough. In 2006 Amy Carter has been awarded "Champion of the Year" by the most popular teen girl mag in the UK, Cosmo Girl. Amy was chosen out of hundreds of girls for the award and along with the winners of the other categories featured in the December Edition of the magazine. Amy: "I was totally shocked to hear that I had won. Thanks again to the judges and to all my sponsors for supporting me!"

date of birth: 12-05-1987
nationality: British
sailnumber: GBR-85
sponsors: Tabou Boards, Gaastra, Kangaroo Poo, Funk Sunglasses, Surfers Against Sewage, Da Kine, Sola Wetsuits

favorite move: Pulling off a slick gybe at the last mark.

favorite windsurfing spot: anywhere warm and windy!

best music: Red Hot Chillis, Keane, Joss Stone, Scissor Sisters, Mcfly

best film: Gladiator, Green Mile
best food: anything vegetarian
best drink: lemonade

photos: N.Povey (speedsailing.com), C.Waite (boardseeker.com)

Who are your models in windsurfing? Karin Jaggi, Lucy Horwood, Kevin Pritchard

When and where did you learn how to windsurf? When I was about 6 on the south coast of England.

What causes you fear? sharks!

What makes you laugh? my friends and family

With whom would you like to spend an evening?
All the people that have lost their lives, that should still be here to share the good times with.

The famous 3 things you choose to take with you to a lonely island?
My windsurfing kit, sunblock and a CD player (with CDs of course)

What does windsurfing mean to you?
It means the opportunity to get away from everyday life and be out in the elements pushing yourself and your equipment to the limit.

Three tips for GIRLS who want to learn windsurfing:
Don't listen to arrogant men, you can do whatever you set your mind to, and have fun!

Barbados: Amy meets the Irie Man

The trip back in 2005 started off at a very cold Gatwick airport on the morning of the 18th of March, where I arrived at about 7am with Paul Simmons, Tushingham brand manager, to meet Peter Hart, general windsurfing guru. After getting our 13 bags of windsurfing kit and other luggage through check-in, we had an eight hour flight before touching down in Barbados. We soon settled into the first place we were staying at, Essex Bay House, which was right on the beach near Silver Sands and very spacious. The first few days were spent filming a rigging DVD for my (then) sponsor Tushingham. It was then time to do some serious windsurfing, joined by seven other windsurfers who were taking part in a wave clinic being run by Pete.

Before we arrived there had not been much wind out in Barbados but on out first Tuesday the unusual Bajan wind blew through and we had a great day on the water, although I did manage to take half the skin off my knees when they made contact with my board on a badly landed jump! For the second week we moved just up the road to another house, called Sweet Jewel which is owned by a friend of ours, Dave Buckland. We were not so lucky with the wind for the rest of the trip, there where a few days when it blew a bit but some of the time we were forced to do other things to fill the time such as practising some moves on land, getting tips from the Irie Man Brian Talma himself (windsurfing legend who says "Action!" in just about every sentence!)

And of course surfing, swimming, taking road trips around the island, and watching rugby. After a few days I was not the only one suffering with an injury, sunburnt feet, blisters and general scrapes became very common. Our evenings were spent sampling the local food and drink, which definitely went down very well! We had another really windy day towards the end of the trip where everyone got out for a good few hours, which meant everyone was very happy but also pretty tired on our last night. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Barbados, everyone is so relaxed and easy going out there and this, combined with the amazing weather makes it a definite windsurfing hot spot, I can't wait to go back!

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