Surfers Profile Andrez Ceglowski (Red)

Red figure 8 cutback sequence
This is my first of many profiles on Victorian kboarders your chance to get to know kneeboarders that you may never meet but contribute greatly to the sport of kboard surfing.

The first person I would like to introduce you to is Red..
Red is a highly intelligent man an Awesome k boarder and good friend, Originally hailing from South Africa he now calls Victoria home.

Red to me is the thinking mans kneeboarder always Analising human movement and has incorporated improvement and excellence's in not only his own surfing but others that surf with him including me. So here it is the Interview with Red.

1. Nick name?
Red (because I was a Communist – but I’m all better now)
2. Occupation?
I teach accountants about computers at Monash Uni

3. Why did you start kneeboarding?
Only board I had when I was 12 years old and 6’ tall was very short – someone suggested I kneel on it. I got hooked on the abuse I copped.
4. At what age did you start surfing and what yr?
I moved to Durban at 5. I could already swim well. I started using those inflatable rubber things soon after. I did body surfing from about 9 or 10 yo. I started kneeboarding at 12 or so. Used to drag my gear down to the Bay of Plenty after a morning session and sit on the old rock groin at the take off spot and watch the Pros like Shaun Thomson, PT, Reno Abellira etc rip it up.

5. Who are your favourite kborders in Vic?
All of them. Every guy has unique points of style, aggression and ability. Simply don’t get to see enough of them in the water.
6. Which kneeboarder has been a direct influence and inspired your surfing the most?
I grew up with a guy called Lawrence Atkinson and saw Gigs Cilliers from his first contests. They both had big influences on me. I attribute Neil Owen with teaching me technique?
I get inspired every time I surf with Stan Kofoed because of his aggression, with Tim Kadwell because of his smooth positioning, with Pommie Anderson for his tight in the pocket surfing.
7. Who are your favourite kborders in the World?
Matty G for raw talent, strength and fitness.
Gav Coleman for sheer insanity of what he takes on.
Steen Barnes for inspirational moves.
Of course Simon and Baden for being supreme water men – at one with the pulses of the ocean.

8. What other interests do you have?
Big one for the past few years has been designing and production of my Doctor Red Kneeboards. I’ve been focussed on producing a unique solution to speed, power, manoeuvrability. I believe I have achieved what I set out to do – to introduce a new concept that I can call my own.
The changes in board production technology continue to be a challenge. Watch this space.
I’ve been doing a form of fluid movement yoga called Yoga Synegry for a few years. I now do yoga every morning and have noticed enormous benefits in strength, endurance and balance.
9. Do you have any sponsors and if so what companies?
Yeh right
10. What have been your best results in competitive surfing?
I guess this was winning the ’07 Vic Titles as a cap to winning the Phillip Island Boardriders for a couple of consecutive years.
I’ve had a string of seconds at professional contests starting with the Crosby Tools in ’82 or something, the Masters at the Tahiti Worlds in ’05 and a couple others I don’t recall.
I’m most proud of the Tube of the Contest from the Island contest in ’06 or so. I’m still trying to get another one of these.
11. Do you think competition improves your surfing standards?
Competition has been a prime motivator for me to turn higher, harder, faster. It’s one of the reasons I worked so hard on my technique over the past 10 years and the reason I had to start shaping my own boards.

12. What contribution do you think you have given the sport of kboarding?
I’ve tried to be an ambassador for kneeboarding in and out of the water.
On a formal basis, Lawrence Atkinson and I started the first kneeboard club in South Africa (in ’79 or something). This led directly to the first South African pro kneeboard contests, an independent SA kneeboard titles with several age divisions, and the first kneeboard worlds held in Durban.
Over the years I’ve had the chance to drink a fair bit of beer over boardroom tables with representatives of surfing and coached the Western Province state kneeboard team a couple of times, but the most fun I’ve had drinking beer has been at the four Red’s Coopers Cup events that have been held on the Friday before the Phillip Island Classic.
13. What things do you think we could do to improve our sport?
Every kneeboarder getting off their ass and supporting grassroots events and gatherings. Video footage and playback.
An elite circuit would help.
Getting people off beginner boards and onto high performance equipment.
14. Favourite manoeuvre?
Tub (of lard) – but only if I make it
15. Favourite drink?
Warm homemade soy milk from my mom (especially if I’m cuddled up in bed with my honey)
16. Food?
Fruit and veggies for breakfast – minimal preparation, completely portable and non-repeating during hold-downs.
17. Famous person I would like to have a drink with?
Derek Hynd again, because he’s a smart guy doing some different things

18. Best Movie or Video?
Blue Velvet
19. Music?
The Reverend Horton Heat and all the other psychobilly ravers
20. First Car?
75 rand for a VW 411 stationwagon. Lots of surf trips until it let us down on the side of the highway at 2am. The girls weren’t happy!
21. Best Movie or Video
Hey – this is a repeat
22. First Kneeboard?
A homemade stinger single fin that could do on rail snaps in the mouth of the tube. Friend heard PT remarking on the uniqueness of the turn (in ’75 or something)

23. Favourite Kneeboard?
My current one – velvet smooth, tube machine, fast and quick
24. Best Surf Break?
Just memories of great sessions: J-Bay, Cave Rock, Winkipop (both of them), Wooly, Gunna, Quarra etc etc
25. Best Surf Session?
Just memories of great sessions: J-Bay, Cave Rock, Winkipop (both of them), Wooly, Gunna, Quarra etc etc
26. Dream Surf Spot?
Take any of the above, add waves, offshore and friends. Anywhere that builds over a period of days to 8-10ft, giving a chance to get used to it and really get the spot wired before the consequences get severe.
27. Surf Injuries?
Broken Nose (a lot of times)
Stitches (dozens)
Cracked rib
Popped spine thingy
Basically every time I go surfing with Stan at some heaving, dangerous spot. I now know better and sit on the beach or shoulder.

28. If I ruled the world?
Too hard to put at the end of 30 questions.
Peace love and harmony (or I’ll shoot ya!)

29. Best Advice I have received?
Forget her – she wasn’t worth it

30. Your partners and kids names if you have any?

Jianyun, but you can call her Jane (I do!)

ATTENTION Kneeboarders over 30yrs of age

Tim Kadwell at Flyns Reef PI Classic contest

This yr masters games are being held in Vic and surfing is part of these games the devisions are men and womens stand up surfing and kboard.

The surfing events will be held at Torquay Here are the details from surfing Australia..

Australian Masters Games - 12th Australian Masters Games welcomes surfing
Thursday, 17 July 2008

World renowned Victorian beach, Jan Juc will be the venue for the Surfing Competition of the 2009 Australian Masters Games. Surfing is a new sport for the Australian Masters Games, and organizers are keen to encourage as many surfers as possible competing.

The Surfing Event will be held from February Monday 23rd through to February Friday 27th. There will be Mens and Womens competitions in Shortboard, Longboard and Kneeboard for age divisions of 30+, 40+, 50+ and 60+. The event has been allocated 5 days including waiting days to make sure of the best possible conditions.

Surfing Victoria will be coordinating the event on behalf of the 2009 Australian Masters Games which is hosted the Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS), the peak body for sport in Australia.

Registrations for the Games are now open. Participants can use the simple and easy to use Online Registration System at www.AustralianMastersGames.com or phone 1300 725 266 to arrange for a Registration Booklet to be posted.

Further information www.AustralianMastersGames.com


Hope to see heeps of kneelos there...A good warm up for the worlds!!!

Stan

2008 vic titals results

4th Neil Owen

3rd Place Red Ceglowski

Runner up Vic Titals Mark Foxman

2008 Vic Champ Stan Kofoed

On Saturday 2nd of May Surfing Victoria held their state titles contest. So I was up early in the morning 5am, throw my Stump Kneeboards and wetties in to the back of my trusty ford panel van while my wife prepared other goodies for our trip to the Island, then we were off.

The kneelo’s had to get there first as they had the biggest amount of entrants in the state titles event… More than any of the other age group stand-up surfing entrants and they were sending us out first “normally we are in last”.

So I get to the island at 715 am and the first heat starts at 730am I was greeted by an onshore six foot swell with the odd bigger heavy bomb and no define bank, there would have been some better more contestable places to hold the event so competitors could have fun, but surfing Victoria have a policy that if the event states a beach they cannot change the event to another location “this policy sucks” and is why there has been a decline of entrance in surfing Victoria events.

People want to have fun in the surf not cop a pounding in treacherous conditions like the Victorian coast line can produce, especially the beach breaks off the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip island, but the island has some great waves in protected locations that would of promoted a great fun enjoyable event.

Anyway enough of my winging, the first heat of the event was paddling out kneeboard heat 1 with Red, Garry Clark, Mark Foxman, and Irish.

A very heavy shory greeted them for the first 30 meters of paddling with a rip sweep travailing at about eight knots pulling the competitors in to some very heavy close outs. Mark and Red got out in time to just be missed by some big bombs but Garry Clark wasn’t so lucky with bomb set waves punishing and pounding him, these waves would have knocked the wind out of anyone’s sails.
By this stage Gary had been taken by the sweep to a location where he could not recover just getting pounded for the entire heat he showed so much curage and determination to keep going and cop a 20 minute pounding.

Red and Mark picked off the best waves of the heat with Red catching a 6ft left hander, slaying some powerful critical slashes finishing off in to a heavy 5 ft bottomless closeout shory turning in to the lip to execute a power reo, sending up a 12 foot spray off his board as he broke his fins out of the wave lip and a descending freefall at great speed to land his final turn. The judges scored him a 8pt ride. He finished up winning this heat and straight in to the final with the rest of the competitors in his heat having to go in to the repechage semi final.

I was in the next heat with Anthony Jewl this was his fist surfing Vic contest in 12 yrs. It was great to see him compete he had represented Victoria at the Aus titles on a few occasions in the past, so he knows how to handle conditions like this with confidence Neil Owen, Gary Finger and a no show.

I was paddling out with Gary Finger just copping a pounding paddling through a shory. You could feel the white water prying your fingers backward off the board and turning your eyelids inside-out as you were trying to paddle under the waves, pulling you back 20 metres with every pounding. The white water felt like a sumo wrestler was jumping all over your back contorting you body in to all different positions.

Finally I get out with the rest of the competitors and I watch Gary Finger take off on a 6 ft right hander as he was heading in to his bottom turn the wave bottomed out putting him in to a bone crushing nose dive wipe-out. I remember looking at him thinking I hope that doesn’t happen to me “yeah that nearly psyched me out”. A few seconds later he popped up from this pounding smiled paddled out and caught the next wave showing a ton of curage. Tony and Neil were getting a few good lefts. I had got a few one manoeuvre waves and then had lucked on to a right hand wave that ran of and allowed me to get some turns, the wave then reformed and went left and allowed me to get a few more turns scoring 8.33pt ride witch got me in to the final with Tony 2nd Gary 3rd and Neil 4th.

Mark Foxman, Gary finger, Neil Owen & Tony Jewl were in a semi final to surf off for the two vacant positions in the final to join Red and myself.

The surfing in the semi was AWESOME with each of these competitors taking it up to each other in bad heavy bone crushing conditions. They made the conditions look good with an excellent kneeboard surfing display.

Mark Foxman cought a filthy right hand wave in the semi with some great smooth moves and a power floter in the shory to finish this wave off. It was going to be hard for the other competitors to peg him back. Mark won the semi Neil Owen 2nd just edging out Tony Jewl 3rd and Gary Finger 4th so it was Mark and Neil to join Red and myself in the final.

In the final the Tide had got lower and had made it harder to find any waves running off. A lot more bottomless Woolie closeouts I got out past the shory with the rest of the lads Red was paddling about 20 ft behind me on a shallow bank when I had taken of on a 6ft closeout that only allow me to get one turn but these things were breaking on a rib smashing head spinning 4 ft deep sand bank and landed directly on Red giving him the hiding of his life leaving him disorientated and out of position for the remainder of the heat.


Mark and Neil were getting some reform rights with Mark getting the pick of the bunch by this Stage I had lucked on to a wave that ran off instead of closing out and needed one more wave to consolidate my position. As I was paddling out one had just suck up in front of me. Mark also had his sights on this wave but I got on to it and it ran off allowing me to get a few turns

The final results for the Victorian titals were 1st Stan Kofoed, 2nd Mark Foxman, 3rd Red Cegklowski, 4th Neil Owen.

The kneeboarders really put on a good show at this event normally dominated by stand up surfing and the surfing Australian governing body with there anti kneeboard and amateur surfing policies Eg. if its not profitable lets not have them in our events. With the kneeborders having the biggest division of the day and 2 of the 3 highest scoring waves of the day.
Thank to all the kneelo’s for turning up and showing surfing Vic that we are a valuable force in surfing.

because there is nothing like that kneeling off the ceiling feeling..
HAVE FUN & STAY SAFE

2007 Vic Champ Red Ceglowski
Hi everyone,
The Victorian kneeboard Title is on the line. The Victorian Masters Titles is being held at Woolamai Phillip Island 3rd & 4th May 2008. Entry has to be in by 25th April.

Entry can be downloaded from http://www.surfingaustralia.com/eventdetail.aspx?eid=15042. Contact details are
Po Box Torquay Vic 3228 Phone (03)52612907 or fax (03)52614460.

You will also need to have surfing Australia Membership; you can get it from here. http://www.surfingaustralia.com/ratings.aspx
We need as many K’boarder as possible to go to and support this event. To show surfing Australia that we have a strong following and a voice and opinions that need to be considered in all their decisions with surfing at a Amateur level. If you love the sport and want to see it survive TURN UP to this event.

It’s a great event and heats are 20 mins. Longer than the 15 minute heats you get at the ProAm events.

The Vic titles is a prestige’s event, has a great history and some of the best
kneeboarders in the World have won this event.

Just to name a few whom have won this event: Kneeboard Legend Neil Luke, Phill Chadwick, Rob Taylor, Tim Kadwell, Mick Decasio, Mick Brockly, Pete Fairweather, Dean Bould, Stan Kofoed, James Anderson, Red Cegklowski the Current holder of the state tital
.

All these surfers on their day are world beaters.

Contest are Awesome fun and will/do Improve your surfing so if you wan too surf hot compete and maybe your name can be added to this list. Not only that you will get to meet some great people , catch up on stories and have some fun going freesurfing with other like minded super keen kneelos and keep k boarding alive in state rounds .

By the way Red reckons he's gunna keep hold of his title and we aint got a chance of taking it away from him .I for one want to test his non founded foolish theories. And I need others to help humble him. He tells me his newly remodelled board with the new improved nose (thanks to a reef at a secret location) has improved his chances of 2 state titles in a row… “we will see Red”…

Second I want to get a kneeboard club started in Vicco.

Our Kneeboard club can be associated with either Phillip Island Board riders or Peninsula Surfriders clubs. This is a great idea as this lets us use their clubrooms and gear .

But we run our events for ourselves some of my Ideas are: An open event for all age groups… Double elimination… So every one gets at least 2 heats and a chance to make a final.
Age group event, open the age division up so we can have more surfers per division.
IE. Cadets 10 to 16 yrs
Juniors 16 to 25 yr
Open senior 26 to 45 yrs
Masters 46 to 55 yrs
Senior masters 55 + yrs

So you can see the minimum amount of surfs per contest would be three times, x 5 rounds. Best 3 results would give you your aggregate score.

And in the event that surfing vic takes Kneeboarding out of their events we could still get a state champ out of these contests in the open and age divisions “Yes an age divisions state champ”.

This would also allow Vicco Kneeboarders compete against the NSW clubs in their team’s challenge event.

Please Pm or email me your interest so we can get thing on the go. remember there is nothing like that kneeling of the ceiling feeling

Cheers Stan

How YOU can improve Your bottom turn so You can Smack the lip harder

Bottom turn at Bendalong Pro

The first and most important maneuver/turn you should learn to master after knowing how to take off on waves is your bottom turn…

You see every mind blowing Wow factor turn off or above the lip is normally set up through a bottom turn..

Yes every turn you do off the top of the wave is a direct response and reflection of the bottom turn.

So if your not happy with the way your hitting the lip or trying to snap a radical carve of the wave.

This is evident of a poorly executed bottom turn .


YOU need to and must must must ( I cant emphasize this enough) work on and improve your bottom turn to get the most radical top turn you could possibly ever do…


The best Kneeboarders and surfers in the world have really worked hard on getting their bottom turns right so they can produce their magic on the top half of the waves.

These surfers and kneeboarders include the likes of Tim Kadwell, Simon Farrar, David Parks, Matt Galiga, Gigs Celliers, Dean Bould, Gav Coleman, Steen Barns, Pete Fairweather, Craig Ashdown, Neil Luke, Simpson Brothers and my favorite bottom turn surfer Kelly Slater, the list goes on so I’ll just to name those few.

What have they all got in common? They all rip and are some of the best water men in the world. They also have AWESOME BOTTOM TURNS..

I challeng YOU to sit down and watch footage of these surfers slow the footage down and watch the bottom turn they do before the major turn off the top of the waves. Try to implement that in to your own Kneeboarding


How do I do a good bottom turn Stan?

As you come from a previous turn or take off your board will gather speed down the face of the wave. You should observe the changing face waiting for time to execute the turn. Lean slightly forward to keep lower center of gravity and speed.

To start the turn lean towards the wave face which will make the inside rail of the board bite into the wave to start the arc of the turn.

You should observe the changing shape of the wave so you can determine how to time the turn and how fast you need to go.

When you want to drive in to the arc look in the direction you want to go and twist your trunk from the hips in the direction you want to go, so your body starting with your head ,trunk and arms start the turn then your board will come around with you and this way your guaranteed that your rail will dig in to the wave .

The angle of the tilt of the board steadily increases the result is for the board to be carving an ark across the wave face. The board reaches maximum tilt into the wave face which causes it to turn more rapidly. As it becomes more vertical the board begins to flatten on the face of the wave taking its path across and up the wave.
This is the completion of the bottom turn.


Trying to turn the board at the same time as your body will result in a flat turn decrease in speed and less control with out rail biting in to the wave.

So practice your bottom turn not till you get it right but as Craig Ashdown once said to me .Till you cant get it wrong.

Hopefully I will see a lot of you readers At the Phillip Island Kneeboard Classic in November.

And if I don’t, remember there is nothing like that kneeling of the ceiling feeling

Cheers Stan

Join a club the fastest way to improve your kneeboard surfing

Neil Owen off the top Flyns Reef

Mentoring… the quickest learning curve to get the most out of your surfing…

No matter what age YOU start surfing 13yrs of age or 50 yrs you can still short cut the time it takes to kneeboard surf at a good level, so if you are interested in improving, getting more out of your surfing and having more fun on the waves you had better read on!!! .

So Stan how do we short cut our way to better surfing success Easy get yourself a surfing mentor. .what I mean by mentor is surround yourself and hang with the best kneeboard surfers in your area …You will learn a lot…

If there is anything in life you want to be better at, associate with people that are better than you in those areas and you watch your level elevate, you will be amazed..


How do you find people to mentor you to better surfing success Easy join a
kneelo boarding club and if you don’t know where to look I’ve got links attached to this sight click on the ones in your country and try to contact someone through that sight they will be able to help you.

Stan I’m not good enough to join a club and compete in contests… This is rubbish and an attitude that won’t allow you to grow & improve your surfing… I call this self sabotage.

Joining a club will get you in contact with some really great people and improve your surfing to a level that you would not of achieved if you were surfing with nobody you could learn off.

“I don’t care if you never win a heat in club contests” and if you think that’s its not worth you surfing because you can’t win, get off your high horse you’re missing the lesson… Your not competing for ego. You should be there to enjoy the company of others the mentoring that comes with it and the growth in your own surfing ability you have achieved just by hanging with better surfers.


I know I’ve been there I started surfing on a body board when I was 16 yrs old 6 months later I got my first kneeboard and my friends were surfing in a club I went to watch. The President of the club (who has became a close friend) asked me to join I said I wasn’t good enough but he convinced me to join and I did.

I was lucky because in the club were three of the best knee boarders in the world
Tim Kadwell, Phill Chadwick and Peat Fairweather as well as a host of other hot kneelos.

I had it tuff from the start these guys were so good at surfing that I was too nervous to even speak to them, but I knew I wanted to try and surf like them. They gave me the vision and this was only given to me by joining a board club..
I think I came last in the first heat for 3yrs, did I give up, no but with surfing against better surfers. I began to become a better surfer to finally in my fifth yr in the club I won our club title. From these initial humble beginnings I have achieved Several Club titles in 3 different clubs, State championships and have been the first Victorian to win an Australian title .

I’m not stating these facts for ego but to show you that if you want to be the best kneeboard surfer you can, join a club. I would have never accomplished what I have done in kneeboarding if I never surrounded myself with better surfers .

Another great Kneelo surfer I know Neil Owen started surfing at age 38 joined a club and also entered Australian kneeboard pro am events, not that he could win but wanted to improve his surfing. He lost lots as well, but he knew to get good and to get something out of the sport you have to surf with better surfers.
Finally in 2006 He won the 2006 Australian Pro-am title in the R.O.B division 11 years after he began kneeboarding against kneeboarders that have been surfing for 30yrs longer…

Become a better knee boarder join a club surf with and against better surfers, surf state rounds and Pro-Am Events lose lots DON’T SPIT THE DUMMY but learn the lessons and enjoy how much you grow as a person and surfer…

If you want to see learn and surf with the best Kneelos in the world and you would love to watch kneeboard action that will blow your mind no matter what country your from. The hottest kneeboard action and intense and longest running contest in the world. Join us at The Phillip Island Kneeboard Classic 24th & 25th November.

Because there is nothing like that kneeling off the ceiling feeling Cheers
Stan Kofoed

Surfings Alternative

Stan Kofoed Floter/ Photo by Jim Brown
Kneeboard surfing the ultimate surfing experience…

Kneeboard surfing is surfing preformed on your knees…It is the smaller brother of standup surfing,

Actually standup surfing has been influenced by kneeboarding. The modern day short board design was developed around how easy the shorter kneeboard preformed in the pocket of the wave and allowed for more radical surfing… So a few smart standup shapers noticed this and began cutting a couple of feet off their boards and realized how well the board preformed .That was the start of the modern day short board.

Kneeboard surfing is a great sport to learn no matter what age you are and is a lot easer to start surfing than standup surfing.

The advantage of kneeboarding is that you can wheare flippers if you want to. This will help you to get out in the surf and allow you to catch waves a lot easer. Its is also a lot more stable than stand up surfing and you have got less distance do get up on your board so you will be riding waves sooner…. Imagine within minutes of getting your kneeboard out in to the surf and the thrill of scooting down the face of a wave at high speed having the most fun your had in a long time with your family and friends..

The way you surf a kneeboard is with you knees parallel with and on top of the board. Appose to standing up were your left or right foot is at the back of the board and your opposite foot at the front so your standing side on the board.

The maneuvers and turns on a kneeboard are the same as what you see standup surfers do .The only disadvantage with a kneeboard is it s a little bit harder to get your maneuvers going but the trade off is, you will be riding waves sooner than if you were learning to stand up surf.



Kneeboards are a slightly shorter version of a standup board and there a little wider so its easy to fit them into your car… Yes there a lot less of a hassle than trying to cart around a Malibu surfboard.

What You need to start kneeboard surfing…


1. First you need a kneeboard there a lot of good kneeboard shapers out there just look up the net or pop in to your nearest surf shop they will get you in contact with someone or look up on Ebay. You would expect to pay around the same as if you were purchasing a standup board.
2. A good quality wetsuit or rash shirt and board shorts to keep you warm and save your skin from the sun.
3. A leg rope for your kneeboard so you cant loose it or so your board doesn’t collide and injure anyone else in the water.
4. A pair of surf flippers and wettie sox. You can purchase all these items from your local surf shop
I suggest if you have never been in the surf before to ask your local surf shop about surfing lessons or go surfing with an experienced surfer… YOUR LIFE depends on this…
Now your ready to go out and enjoy the wonderful exiting experience knee boarding has to offer…

because there is nothing like that kneeling off the ceiling feeling..
HAVE FUN & STAY SAFE

Cheers

Stan