Registration for the 13th annual Defi Wind is now open. The event see over one thousand competitors and is the World’s premier, and largest participation long-distance windsurfing event and festival. The event runs from May 9th to 12th 2012 in Gruissan, in the South of France.
Head over to defiwind.com for more.
The 2013 Miami Rolex OCR (olympic Class Regatta) wrapped up on February 2nd. Israel’s Maayan Davidovich(W) and Spain’s Ivan Pastor(M) saved their best for last in the Women’s and Men’s RS:X events. Davidovich had one win prior to the finals and Pastor had none. They each won their dramatic, winner take all final race to capture gold.
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After a ground-breaking day of hurricane-strength windsurfing, six sailors – Marcilio Browne, Dany Bruch, Victor Fernandez, Robby Swift, Julien Taboulet and Thomas Traversa – advance to Mission 2 of Red Bull Storm Chase.
With wind speeds peaking at over 70 knots and angry, 20-ft waves, the ten competitors on Mission 1 completed three rounds of competition at two spots in Brandon Bay, Ireland.
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A few hours ago, the first of 3 contests for the Red Bull Storm Chase got the go ahead. 10 riders are headed to Ireland, trying to beat the storm that is expected to hit Ireland West Coast on Sunday. Boardseeker who are familiar with Ireland are saying swell could reach 30-40 feet, with winds up to force 10, that’s around 50 knots. It should be a gnarly contest, and we’ll keep you posted with updates when ever possible. The Red Bull Storm Chase website will go Live tomorrow, featuring frequent updates and videos.
Mark your calendars. The 2013 AWT Tour Dates have been updated. After a very successful 2010, 2011, and 2012, the American Windsurfing Tour is ready to charge on to year 4 of the tour. Check out the updated schedule and sign up today!
They are even offering a season’s pass for the whole tour at a discounted rate.
Head over t the AWT website to register and pay to secure your 2013 Season Pass.
The Lancelin Ocean Classic has wrapped up its 28th year of competition, the small fishing town of Lancelin. Hundred and competitors flocked here for 3 days from January 10th to the 13th for the biggest and longest running windsurfing event in Australia.
This years event consited of two events, a wave disipline, and a marathon event. The marathon event was a downwind course of approximately 25 kilometers.
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With 12 tour stops, 6 wave events, 6 slalom events, and 4 or 5 freestyle events, the PWA Tour is increasing. The biggest additions are Chile and South Africa where we could very well see some awesome down the line sailing. According to Robby Swift active PWA sailor and organizer of the PWA Chile event there is a three year contract set, so we should be seeing a stop in Chile for at least the next few year!
Freestylers should get more chances to compete this year with Holland set to host a freestyle and slalom event in September. Fingers are also crossed for a PWA Vietnam stop for the freestylers, which would bring them the much wanted 5th stop.
With the growth of the PWA and several other professional tours happening around the World, the sport is looking strong!
The Jaguar NeilPryde Racing Series finished the year in style, at the Rio de Janeiro Extreme Sailing Series™ event. Sixty windsurfers from Brazil and France competed on the universal, one-design RS:One, an ISAF-approved class.
Here is a nice clip produced by Eric Bellande of the 2012 Luderitz Speed Challenge in Namibia.
The Luderitz Speed Challenge is all done, with so many record Being broken and incredible times posted! Antoine Albeau broke the World Record eight times over the competition’s four weeks period, ending with the fastest time of 52.05 knots, setting the new World record. Albeau was joined in making history by the fastest female of the event, Zara Davis of Britain, who posted a windsurfing world record speed of 45.83 knots (made on Production board).
12 national multi-discipline records were broken during the course of the event, which is incredible when one considers that 13 nations were represented. The records were as follows :
All in all seven riders hailing from five different countries went over 50 knots. These were:
These unprecedented performances were made possible not only by the incredible skill and athleticism of each contestant but also by their belief in the event and their willingness to give of their experience to improve the sailing conditions. All the windsurfers agree that this year’s results can definitely be improved, and who wouldn’t, when you consider A.Albeau went three knots faster than he did in 2008, in less wind! The riders are presently leaving Namibia with ideas for modifying their gear in order to return for more action in stronger winds in 2013.
The third Phantom 295 event this year is well under way. More than 19 countries, 40 charter sets, sun, beaches, wind and some of the best youth racers
worldwide are in Phuket, Thailand for the Kings Cup. Check out the video from Day 1 which had practice races and registration!
1st Bernd Roediger, 2nd Kevin Pritchard, 3rd Marcilio Browne
2012 Maui Makani Classic is Over…… What an Incredible Contest!!
What a phenomenal 5 days of contest here at the AWT final tour stop at Ho’okipa Maui! Everyone was in agreement that there hadn’t been a competition like it at Ho’okipa for a very long time. The biggest names in windsurfing from back in the day put up a fierce fight and an epic show against some of the top new names in the sport.
With 120 entrants, from 24 countries, 60 amateur competitors, 20 female sailors and a who’s who in the Professional division, this event was destined from the outset to be a very, very special few days. Combining the incredible entry list with some all-time Ho’okipa conditions with waves in the 12-15 foot region, spectators and competitors alike were treated to a spectacle that I don’t think any of us will be forgetting anytime soon!
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The action at the 2012 Maui Makani Classic is in the bag, with 16 year old Bernd Roediger, winning the event! Congrats to him, who battled back defeating first PWA legend Marcilio Browne in the semi final. Then moved onto the final against last years champion and former World Champion Kevin Pritchard in a double elimination.
Awesome good to all the competitors and a big shout out to the AWT who put on an awesome event, and the many announcers who gave everyone at home including myself awesome live coverage.
Another incredible day of action at Ho’okipa beach park! Check out all the action from day 5 at the Maui Makani Classic, where youth, amateurs and masters had a blast on day 5!
The 3rd day of the AWT Maui Makani Classic is live right now! The action right now is the youth fleet, who can definitely shred. Check it out right now!
Due to Hurricane in New York, Livestream.com is having issues and we are unable to be live at this time. However we are recording and you will be able to watch these heats on demand later today. 🙂 Contest is on!!! – From the AWT
EPIC, EPIC, EPIC!!
That really is the only way to sum up yesterday’s events at Ho’okipa beach park for Day 3 of the AWT Maui Makani Classic! Everyone on the beach felt that history was being made as they sat on the hill and looked down at what most were calling the Greatest Show on Earth!
