London 2012 Olympics - one month to go

With only one month to go until the games we take a look at the British Medal Hopefuls

http://www.chelstondirect.com/info-hub/london-2012-olympics-british-medal-hopefuls.html

The beauty of outdoors gear for women

So many more women are taking to the great outdoors looking for an adventure, whether it’s walking, cycling, running, surfing, mountain biking, climbing or kayaking. And the demands of trying these new pursuits are tough enough without being restricted by kit.

Not so long ago, the only outdoor gear for women was a scaled-down men’s version. These badly fitting items were also likely to come in less-than-flattering male colours, such a khaki green or brown.

Thank goodness then that the major gear and clothing companies have wised up to the needs of women – and are now producing ever-growing ranges of female-specific kit. The 21^st century outdoors woman has a wealth of choice of clothing tailored to perfectly fit the female physique – and in many funky and ladylike colours and patterns.

The size range for women’s outdoor clothing is also pretty impressive, from size XS to XL or UK size 8 to 20. Admittedly, not all companies have the same extent of sizes but with a wee bit of shopping around it is usually possible to find something you’ll like in a size that fits nicely.

There are also feminine versions of a host of other outdoor kit items, including rucksacks, sleeping bags, mountain bikes, helmets and even Swiss Army knives (with a Breast Cancer campaign message).

Just because you’re women adventurer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look good. And if you feel good about how you look, we’ll bet you’ll perform even better!

Clever design details of women’s outdoor clothing

• Waterproof walking jackets and fitness tops tailored fit to suit smaller waist and fuller chests.
• Shorter overall jacket length and arm lengths that are longer, because women generally have longer arms.
• Smaller female-fit hoods on walking jackets.
• Higher waist and fuller hips on walking trousers and waterproof over-trousers.
• Narrower fit walking boots, especially in the heel area.
• Narrower fit gloves with adjustable wrist straps to suit slimmer arms.

Women specific details in other outdoor kit

*Sleeping bags come tailored to fit women and girls at the shoulders, hips and overall length.

* Many sleeping bags have extra padding where women feel the cold more, such as at your feet.

* Some sleeping bags even have a forehead comfort tube and internal hand warmer pockets.

* Most tents are perfect for men and women but if you’re a girl in the mood for a bit of cheery fun choose a tent in a bright and flowery design! No one said the guys can’t buy this tent, too, but we bet they don’t!

* Women’s rucksacks and hydration packs are designed to suit a woman’s slimmer and shorter torso. Size, straps and waistband are all tailored to fit. And many rucksacks come in pretty colours, too, if you so fancy.

* Some sports bras have a special slot for a gadget that co-ordinates with a heart rate monitor watch. This eliminates the need for the traditional – and uncomfy – chest strap. Guys, this one isn’t for you. Girls, this is perfect for keeping tabs on your fitness levels.

* Surfing wetsuits come in female-fit shapes, so they are narrower and curvier where required.

Tell us about your experiences of women-specific outdoors clothing and gear.

by Rob Simon

Surfing day for Military Children

A support group set up to help children in Devon who have parents in the armed forces now has more than 2,500 members.

The Plymouth based group, Her Majesty's School Heroes organises activities to let the children share their experiences, particularly if their parents are deployed abroad.

Widey Court Primary School has over 120 children with serving parents, arranged a surfing day in Cornwall.

The charity is affiliated to the Royal British Legion and local schools have a dedicated space on its website and have a large laminated map to show where family members may be serving.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18242470

Kitesurfer Bruno Sroka claims Channel record

A French kitesurfer is claiming to have broken a record for crossing the English Channel.

Bruno Sroka, 36, arrived off Plymouth Sound after a four hour and 45 minute crossing from Saint Quay Portrieux in Brittany.

He is claiming the fastest time for the 95-mile crossing, beating the record of five hours 20 minutes set by fellow Frenchman Manu Bertin in 2004.

It was announced on 7 May that kitesurfing - or kiteboarding - will replace windsurfing at the 2016 Games in Rio.

Sroka, from Brest, set off from Saint Quay Portrieux at about 10:00 BST on Thursday with a support boat as back-up in south-easterly winds.

The tide was running against the wind of up to 28 knots (32mph), creating swell up to 9ft (2.7m) high, he said.

"It was really hard, I had to concentrate so much," he said

"The most difficult thing was to stay in the same position for so long. My legs took the worst of the strain and now I can hardly walk."

Sroka, who is three times European course racing champion and has sailed round Cape Horn, added: "I wanted to promote kitesurfing as a serious sport - not just a beach sport - which is ready for the Olympic Games.

"It is a pity that windsurfing has gone from the Olympics - I am a windsurfer too - but kite surfing is a mixture of windsurfing, wake-boarding and sailing which matches the Olympic spirit of harmony."

He now hopes someone from Britain can attempt to beat his record.

Sir Richard Branson abandoned a bid to kite surf across the English Channel in 2010 after two attempts were scuppered by the weather.

Michael Phelps - Protect This House

Hip and Lower Back Pain Relief

Late snowfall boosts Scottish ski centres

Snowfall of up to 10cm on Scotland's mountains has raised hopes of an end-of-season boost for some of the country's snowsports centres.

Skiers and snowboarders have already been taking to the slopes in the Cairngorms, where the centre is expected to remain open until next week.

Elsewhere, bosses at the centres in Glencoe and the Nevis Range are hopeful of being able to open to the public this weekend.

The April snowfall will be seen by some businesses as a welcome bonus in a season which has seen limited skiing across much of Scotland over the last two months.

Colin Kirkwood, marketing manager of CairnGorm Mountain, said three tows were open at the centre today.

"We've had good conditions in a limited area," he said.

"We expect to remain open through the weekend and into next week. There's more snow forecast and snow has been falling intermittently in the course of today and temperatures are due to remain low.

"It has been a difficult year. We didn't ski at all in March, which is almost unheard of, so we're keen to let people know that we are open for business for skiing. There are still good opportunities. It's been a real bonus."

Matt Dobson - a senior forecaster at Meteogroup UK, the weather division of the Press Association - confirmed that snow of between five and 10cm fell on high ground above 500 metres last night and this morning.