The Official Test Centre (OTC)

19/06/2026

Behind every successful Hike Bike Paddle team is a mix of personalities, strengths, determination and, occasionally, questionable decision-making when signing up for endurance events.

Representing The Official Test Centre (OTC) at the 2026 Hike Bike Paddle are Emma Maguire, Tris Best, Scotty Stallman, Kevin Greenslade and Joe Adams—a team united by a love of the outdoors and a shared desire to raise money for an incredible cause.

If you would like to support The Official Test Centre team and help raise funds for the Youth Adventure Trust, please consider making a donation.

Our fundraising page can be found here:
https://www.givengain.com/project/tris-best-raising-funds-for-youth-adventure-trust

Every donation, no matter the size, will help make a real difference to vulnerable young people.

Thank you for your support, and wish the team luck as they prepare to hike, bike and paddle their way around the spectacular Jurassic Coast.

See you at the start line!

In this week's blog read all about The OTC team taking part in the Hike, Bike, Paddle Challenge.

Disclaimer; Image below is an (AI) artists impression of the team.

https://otc-watersports.com/blog/

17/06/2026

Fly Above the Water This Summer!

No wind? No swell? No problem.

Experience the thrill of flying silently over the water with a Fliteboard session at the OTC. As the UK’s first authorised Fliteschool, we make e-foiling accessible, exciting and easier than you might think. Whether you’re completely new to foiling or already hooked on watersports, our expert instructors will have you progressing in no time.

✅ Private and group sessions available
✅ Premium Fliteboard equipment
✅ Tuition, kit hire and wetsuit included
✅ Stunning Portland Harbour location

Feel the freedom. Glide above the water. Discover why Fliteboard is changing the way people experience the sea.

Book your session today:

OTC Fliteschool Booking Page⁠ https://otc-watersports.com/fliteschool/

12/06/2026

Sarah Jackson has spent much of her life chasing wind, waves, and the narrow margins where performance meets precision. For years, her identity was clear—simple, even. She was a professional windsurfer. It wasn’t just what she did, it was how she introduced herself to the world, how she measured her days, and how she understood her place within it.

But stepping away from that life didn’t bring clarity. It brought questions.

Who is she now, without the race neoprene, the start lines, the results sheets, the constant pursuit of marginal gains? What does it mean to be someone who once lived and breathed elite sport, and is now learning to exist outside of it?

For a long time, Sarah resisted the answer. Letting go of an identity that had defined nearly a decade of her life was not something she did gently. It was something she wrestled with—quietly, internally, and often without fully acknowledging the change that had already happened.

By Emma Maguire.

Click here to read the blog in full... https://www.otc-blog.com

05/06/2026

In this weeks blog read all about Inspiring the Next Generation Through the iQFOiL Elevate Programme.

The iQFOiL Elevate Programme has been making waves across Weymouth and Portland, introducing young people to the exciting world of windsurfing and helping them discover the incredible watersports opportunities available right on their doorstep.

Delivered in partnership with The Official Test Centre (OTC) and the Royal Yachting Association the programme has been designed to inspire local young people to get out on the water, build confidence, develop new skills, and explore potential pathways into both competitive sport and careers within the outdoor industry.

Since launching, the programme has engaged a diverse range of community groups, providing many participants with their very first experience of windsurfing. Along the way, young people have not only learned new skills but have also developed a genuine enjoyment and appreciation for being on the water.

By Emma Maguire.

Click on this link to read the blog in full… https://otc-watersports.com/blog/

03/06/2026

Formula Wing athletes – this is your chance to represent Great Britain on the international stage!

The Royal Yachting Association(RYA) is now accepting Expressions of Interest for selection to the Formula Wing event at the Gdynia World Sailing Championships Test Event in Poland in 2026.

With one men’s and one women’s place available, this is a fantastic opportunity to compete in a major international championship environment and be part of the development of this exciting and rapidly growing discipline.

📅 Expression of Interest deadline: 12 June 2026

Please note: selected athletes will be self-funded and responsible for travel, accommodation and event-related costs.

Full details, eligibility criteria and the Notice of Selection are available via the RYA.

https://www.rya.org.uk/news/formula-wing-at-the-gdynia-world-sailing-championships-test-event/

The RYA is seeking applications from athletes to represent Great Britain at the Formula Wing test event within the Gdynia World Sailing Championships Test Event, taking place in Poland in 2026.

29/05/2026

There are some days in the outdoor industry that blur the line between work and something altogether more meaningful—days when the “office” is replaced by coastline, and conversations happen on the move, between wind, terrain, and shared effort.

Thursday 9th July 2026 will be one of those days.

Set against the striking backdrop of the Jurassic Coast, the annual Hike Bike Paddle returns to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. Delivered by Threshold Sports, the event has become a fixture in the outdoor industry calendar—part endurance challenge, part meeting point, and part reminder of why so many people are drawn to life outdoors in the first place.

The Official Test Centre (OTC) will be taking part in this charity challenge, you'll find the fundraising link in the blog, please donate and show your support and let's all make a difference.

https://www.givengain.com/project/tris-best-raising-funds-for-youth-adventure-trust

There are some days in the outdoor industry that blur the line between work and something altogether more meaningful—days when the “office” is replaced by coastline, and conversations happen on the move, between wind, terrain, and shared effort.Thursday 9th July 2026 will be one of those days....

27/05/2026

The Official Test Centre (OTC) team enjoying the breeze, testing the new Armstrong Foils Performance X mast with a UHA front foil, and X Wing on a Midlength.

Plug and play! We have some 45 & 100 ML’s left in stock ready to ship TODAY from Surf Doctor

24/05/2026

We’ve had a fresh drop of and winging gear ready for the summer!

Hit up the team to give it a try 🚀

📞07817717904
📧[email protected]

22/05/2026

For most people standing on the shore, windsurf racing looks chaotic. Boards flying across rough water at incredible speeds, sailors fighting gusts, tactics and exhaustion all at once. But for British Sailing Team athlete Jenni Roberts, the chaos transforms into something strangely calm.

Jenni is currently competing at the iQFoil Europeans in Portugal, in this week's The Official Test Centre (OTC) blog Jenni looks forward to the World Champs coming to The Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy in September this year!

For most people standing on the shore, windsurf racing looks chaotic. Boards flying across rough water at incredible speeds, sailors fighting gusts, tactics and exhaustion all at once. But for British Sailing Team athlete Jenni Roberts, the chaos transforms into something strangely calm.Jenni is cur...

22/05/2026