The first ever Student Kitesurfing Nationals are set to take place in the UK later this month.

Hosted by the Southampton University Kitesurf Club, the event will be held at Calshot Beach with 52 competitors taking part.

Fans of the sport can get a slice of the action on March 20th and 21st in an event aimed at some of the country's best university kitesurfers.

This could be one challenge that really allows competitors to show off their skills, as the format of the competition is pure freestyle, which means that people can introduce plenty of old-school tricks into their entry, the Daily Echo reports.

With some top prizes up for grabs -ranging from a holiday to top-of-the-range wetsuits - participants will no doubt be hoping to impress the judges, including a number of pro-riders such as Ali Barrett and James Boulding.

There will be 26 universities taking part.

Calshot Beach lies on the south Hampshire coast and is part of a shingle spit which boasts an impressive array of wildlife.

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Snowboarding fans looking to challenge themselves and push their skills to the limit may want to head up to Scotland.

This is because, according to the Scotsman, the Cairngorms are "wearing their finest winter coat in 30 years" and provide the perfect conditions for any fanatical sportsmen and women.

Paul Raistrick, 37, who lives in Kincraig, is one such person and he says that although "potentially every turn is a life-threatening one", the adrenalin rush that the snowboarder experiences is "fantastic".

He is one of the only people to tackle some of the region's most remote mountain gullies, including Aladdin's Mirror Direct, a grade IV route in the Cairngorms' Coire an t-Sneachda.

"The snowboarding is very technical. You're not pulling tricks," Mr Raistrick, who has navigated his way down 55-degree descents, explained.

Located in the eastern Highlands of Scotland, the Cairngorms are home to CairnGorm Mountain, which offers a range of skiing and snowboarding activities and classes.

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A new leisure event taking place near London could give windsurfers in the area the opportunity to check out the latest products and innovations from the sport.

The British Leisure Show will be held at Royal Windsor Racecourse from Friday March 19th until Sunday March 21st and promises an action-packed schedule of events.

Open from 10:00 until 17:00 GMT every day, there are eight dedicated leisure zones to tempt visitors covering areas such as cars and bikes, outdoor and country activities, as well as boats and watersports.

All ages are welcome and the organisers note that companies will be displaying a selection of watersport accessories, such as wakeboards, wetsuits and waterskis.

There will also be dinghies and scuba diving equipment on offer for those who are a little less adventurous.

Caroline Evans, a spokesperson for the event, said: "We've created a family friendly event with something available for all ages to try."

Royal Windsor Racecourse is accessible by car and train, as well as a special river taxi service.

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Despite fears that conditions would not be suitable, the first surf contest to take place in Boscombe, Dorset, will be held this weekend.

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The location is Europe's only artificial surf reef and there were concerns that there would not be enough swell for the event.

However, the Sorted Surf Festival has now been given the all-clear and organisers are expecting between 50 and 60 watersports fans to come and participate.

There will be several categories for people to compete in, including the men's open, ladies open and under-18s, the BBC reports.

They will be judged on their manoeuvres over a series of heats and the action is set to kick off at 08:30 GMT on Saturday March 20th.

A spokesperson for the event said that because of the concerns about the water swell, "all heats and the final will have to be completed in one day instead of two".

Construction of the reef was completed on November 2nd 2009 and the work was undertaken by New Zealand-based firm ASR.

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Keen watersports enthusiasts looking for the perfect UK getaway this year could find that Norfolk has a lot to offer.

The area is home to some "classic" seaside resorts, according to one expert, and there are plenty of different accommodation options available to anyone that fancies a holiday on the east coast.

Virginia Edwards, conference bureau manager at Norwich & Norfolk Conference Bureau, explained that there are waterways to be explored in the Broads, while Cromer, Sheringham and Great Yarmouth also offer fun by the sea.

Boating fans are free to explore the area at their leisure, while real outdoorsy types can make use of some of the "great camping and caravanning spaces".

After enjoying an afternoon of windsurfing, visitors can also get back on their boat, "pull up to a great pub, tie up, go and have a good meal", Ms Edwards added.

Norwich City Council recently revealed that the area has made it on to a shortlist to become the UK's first ever City of Culture in 2013.

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Water skiing fans have been advised of an exercise they can do on dry land that may improve the way they move through the water.

Writing for Waterski magazine, Seth Stisher, co-owner of H20smosis Sports, explained that over the past ten years, there has been an increasing focus placed on an athlete's ability to accelerate the body mass in the right direction for slalom events.

Because of this, he recommends using a BOSO Ball on dry land to practice movements and simulate the sensation caused by accelerating or pulling out for slalom gates.

"It's a great supplement to normal training because it offers a more practical approach to your dry-land workouts," Mr Stisher advises.

He also points out that it is a good way to build muscle memory so that skiers can move more efficiently behind the boat.

The British Leisure Show, which was held between March 19th and 21st, featured an array of different products and demonstrations about taking to the water and enjoying some extreme sports.

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San Francisco may be the perfect location for a spot of swimming and surfing as it has been described as a "vibrant" and "laid-back" city.

According to Tanya Houseman, media relations manager of the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, it can almost be described as a "European city within the US", as it offers arts, culture, beautiful weather and plenty of delicious food.

She also says that visitors should plan what they want to do in the area before they arrive – and heading down to the water could be the first thing on the list for surfers.

After they have worn themselves out from a morning of watersports, Ms Houseman said that tourists could consider "biking across the Golden Gate Bridge, a cruise around the Bay, a trip to Union Square" or walking along the Embarcadero.

Keen surfers may be more excited than ever to visit San Francisco, as a survey conducted by Wanderlust and AITO recently revealed 67 per cent of tour operators have noticed an increase in bookings.

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While some people may jet off abroad to get their fix of thrills and spills when it comes to extreme sports, one expert has claimed that there is plenty to keep people occupied in the UK when they don their watersport helmets.

James Brooke, managing director of the British Leisure Show, explained that there is a "very wide range of things to do" if people want to enjoy pursuits such as canoeing and kite-surfing closer to home.

"We don't necessarily need to go abroad to go mountaineering, to go rock climbing, to go canoeing, kayaking, fly fishing, horse riding and whatever else you can think of," he continued.

Mr Brooke also pointed out that many people are after better value for money when they book any leisure pursuits.

As a result, there has been a resurgence in the number of Brits swapping trips abroad for a UK break.

Earlier this month, VisitBritain predicted that the contribution made by the British tourism industry to the economy will grow by 3.5 per cent every year over the next decade.

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The BCU has a news feed that is updated regularly. The latest story is about how Blue Peter's Hellen Skelton completed the Amazon Kayak Challenge, Well done Helen!

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