Norfolk's top extreme sports festival is riding a wave to Hunstanton this summer. Lifestyles blows into the resort over the weekend of July 9 - 11, bringing top kite and windsurfers to compete off the Prom.
And one or two Norfolk hopefuls have already shown they can compete with the best on the water. Danielle Durrant has already come fourth in the British Kite Surfing Association's lady amateurs competition at the age of 15.
“I've been doing it for about three years,” she said at yesterday's Lifestyles launch. “I saw everyone else on the water and wanted a go. It took about a year to get up and riding.”
Smithdon student Danielle, who lives in Docking, said she had ambitions to go further in a sport which took Norfolk's windswept coastline by storm when surfers began taking to the seas hitched up to imported power kites. “The world champions are probably on a million a year,” she said.
“That would awesome,” said friend and fellow surfer Will Makinson , 14, who has travelled down from Blackpool for the holidays. “It's a good spot here, the water's nice and flat - and surfing with friends is good as well.” Launched in 2005, Lifestyles has helped Hunstanton forge a reputation as East Anglia's top extreme sports destination.
Kite surfing association chairman Richard Gowers said: “Hunstanton's just the perfect venue for us. The event brings a real buzz to the town and our competitors really enjoy all the activity that is going on alongside the competition.”
This year's Lifestyles will also host a heat of the UK Windsurfing Association for the first time. Organiser Tony Devenish, sports development officer at West Norfolk council, said up to 15,000 competitors and spectators were expected to attend the three-day event.
As well as action on the water, the festival offers the opportunity to have a go at mountain biking, power kiting, wind surfing, skate boarding , inline skating, BMX, street dance, and kayaking.
There will be a live roadshow from KLFM, which celebrates its 18th birthday at this year's event, with two stages offering live entertainment - a marquee with live bands, and a chill-out tent with acoustic acts and comedians.
“We'll probably get 15,000 people here this year,” said Mr Devenish. “We doubled the population of Hunstanton over the weekend last year. “The popularity of the event just goes from strength to strength. We're really excited about seeing some of the country's best talent showing off their skills, it's going to be awesome.”