More of this.....?
Hell Yeah!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
80's & 90's Windsurfing Nostalgia
Peter @ Elements Watersports recently posted an old Tushingham brochure which reminded me of a site I recently came across. Windsurfing nostalgia aplenty HERE.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Kiteboard Racing in Tauranga Courtesy of the TYPBC + commentary
Kiteboarding racing 10 June Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club.
The first kiteboard race was run by Stu Pedersen and Darryl McConnell at TYPBC
on Sunday 10th June as part of the fortnightly Centreboard Winter
Series. It was run as a trial with 5 kiters turning up for some action.
See video here.
The
conditions were not ideal with conditions variable from about 3 knots to
10 knots on the course with tide going with wind after mid day. One
race was started in about 10 knots but the wind dropped to about 3 knots
half way through the race. The kiters went from being comfortably
planing and pushing up wind to having the kites dropped in the water
waiting for breeze.
The
briefing was at TYPBC with launching at Matua in the SW wind. Craig
came across from Raglan to race and came within 100m of getting back to
Matua before being swept back to TYPBC in the channel as the wind
dropped. This provided good practice for rescue techniques for the
support boats.
Glen
Bright promoted the race through his Assault website and forums. If the
conditions had been more favourable there would have been a larger crew
from Raglan and interest from Aucklanders to join in.
It is
intended to run racing again at the next race day on 24 June, briefing
at 10.30am at TYPBC Sulphur Point with a launch from Matua.
Kiteboarding racing 24 June Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club.
Kiteboard Racing 24 June
The relatively new sport of kiteboard course racing is now
firmly established in Tauranga, since windsurfing is officially dog tucker just weeks after getting the nod as an
event for the 2016 Olympics.
The Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club is the first in the country
to run a regular racing programme for kites as opposed to no racing offered to the local recreational windsurfing community. Last Sunday saw the second
round of kiteboard racing as part of the club’s winter series, with ten
kiters competing in a series of three races over a windward/leeward
course. This turnout doubles the five who raced in the first round a
fortnight earlier.
The competitors came from Tauranga, Auckland, Raglan and New
Caledonia, and despite the absence of local kiting guru Glenn Bright who
is in the Cook Islands, competition was fierce.
Launching from Kulim Park, the kite course was set in the Otumoetai
Channel, a few hundred metres upwind from the course area used by the
sailing dinghies and sailboards. A good westerly breeze made for some
excellent racing until it dropped part way through the third race and
left some kiters unable to finish. All but one however returned to shore
unaided.
Kiteboard racing controversially replaced boardsailing – New
Zealand’s top medal winning event of the last six Olympics - in a world
sailing federation vote in May on the classes for Rio 2016. So
controversially in fact that moves are afoot for a re-vote in November
which could lead to a reversal of the decision, which will no doubt
please many committed boardsailors who have been shocked and bewildered
at the sudden dumping. Regardless, kiteboard racing is an exciting and
up-and-coming form of sailing in Europe and the US, and New Zealand has a
lot of ground to make up.
The sport is in development and success on Sunday was in part down
to skill and in part to having the right equipment. Unlike other
kitesurfing which uses ‘twin tip’ boards with tiny fins, which can go in
both directions, course racing involves larger, uni-directional boards
for lighter winds and deep fins for going upwind. The kites vary a good
deal too in size and shape, and this can be quite telling over a race
series in mixed conditions.
Top honours went to Matt Taggart of Raglan, with two firsts and a
second. He was followed by Dave Robertson of Auckland, with a first,
second and third, and Craig Roberts from Raglan, with a second, third
and fourth. First local was Royce Whitaker in fourth overall.
Spicing up the action in race three was the arrival of two
hydrofoiling Moth sailboats, sailed by locals Peter and Richard Burling.
Peter, home briefly ahead of the London Olympics where he will be
sailing a 49er skiff, showed the kites how it’s done with a perfect
start and a fast two laps of the course – lapping many of the kites on
the way. Whether this reflects different levels of racing skills, or
speed differences between these very different but very fast sailing
craft, only time will tell. But certainly the kiters, now that they have
the chance, will be working hard to up their racing ability over the
coming months and years as the Olympics beckon.
Next race day is Sunday 8 July and briefing is at Sulphur Point at
10.30am. According to club volunteer Darryl McConnell, if the forecast
is for more than twenty knots, a slalom course will also be set and
those with twin tip boards or slalom windsurfers will be welcome to race
as well.
http://www.yacht.org.nz/news
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Latest Olympic Windsurfing News
2016: The fight back is on
through youyr mind right now. The important
thing is to stay positive and decide to do all you
can to help get windsurfing back into the 2016
Olympic sailing programme.
No doubt most of you have discovered the 'Vote Windsurfing' page on Facebook where news is being published as it happens together with the views of people like Bruce and Barbara Kendall and Nevin Sayre. For us, this is quick and easy to do as we focus on the main task of talking to the decision makers on the ISAF Council and within National Sailing Authorities round the world.
We are working hard in the back ground to build momentum within the general sailing community to redress this decision. Whilst we appreciate that there is a general feeling that kite should be in the Olympic sailing familly, we believe that there is an equally strong belief that windsurfing should be there too.
The question on everyone's mind is how we can fulfill both ambitions without impacting the ambitions of the other existing Olympic classes.
But what can you as a windsurfer do to help?
Here are 4 things that you can do to keep the campaign for Rio 2016 in the forefront of people's minds…
1. Sticker Campaign
This is a simple way to show your support as you go about your daily life. Stickers should be on cars, sails and in places where other sailors hang out when not racing. This is running in several countries already so start one too...
Print ready artwork is here http://bit.ly/JXaLdb
Please make sure that you have the permission of the person concerned before applying a sticker
2. Facebook Campaign
Please change your Facebook profile picture to the one on https://www.facebook.com/votewindsurfing Then every post you make will carry the message.
Here is the URL of the image: http://on.fb.me/L5sUXF
When changing the profile picture, add the petition URL in the comment field http://www.change.org/petitions/isaf-keep-windsurfing-as-olympic-discipline [ ask your friends to sign the petition too]
3. Writing Campaign
The other super useful thing that you can do is write to your MNA and urge them to support windsurfing for 2016
by voting to reopen the discussion in November at the ISAF Conference in Dublin.
4. Make a video
Please make a one minute video using an iPhone or similar saying why you think windsurfing should be in the
Olympics. That would make a powerful statement. The key is to keep it positive. Knocking kite is not what we want to do and will be counter productive.
5. Race the RS:X Youth Europeans and Worlds
There are two RS:X Youth Championships coming up.
The 2012 RS:X Open Youth Europeans in Estonia | June 30th - July 7th, Talinn
We have arranged for 30 hulls to be available for charter - bring your own rigs and foils -
Rates for the hull rent( without fin, with VAT and without insurance)
Bronze: 49 Euros( day)
Silver: 299 Euros( 1 day training and race days)
Gold: 499 Euros( 5 days training max and race days)
Young athletes will also have the opportunity to purchase the board after the event at - 30% of the retail price, in that case the rental cost will also be deducted.
Please register here: http://bit.ly/MwvF8i
Download the Notice of Race: http://bit.ly/MaIHBT
The 2012 RS:X Youth World Championships in Chinese Taipei | October 20th - 27th, Penghu Island
This is a key event for the RS:X class as it will take place just before the ISAF November Conference in Ireland. Even though we realise that European teams will take reduced teams due to distance, it is very important that
you register athletes in both the youth men and youth women's fleets.
Download the Notice of Race: http://bit.ly/Luy9Pk
By doing these 5 things, you will send a powerful message. Please keep what you say and what you post in public forums as positive FOR windsurfing as possible.
http://www.rsxclass.com
Sunday, May 6, 2012
ISAF voted that Kiteboarding will replace windsurfing
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has confirmed the final event and equipment selections for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.
The Mackay FX, referred to as the 49er FX, was selected yesterday as the two person women's skiff and today the Nacra 17 joins the Olympic equipment family after being selected for the two person mixed multihull event.
The 49er FX received the majority of votes from the ISAF Council in the first round after the six evaluation trial entries were narrowed down to just three; the 29erXX, the RS900 and the 49er FX.
There was an equally animated debate on the final morning of the Council meeting at this year's ISAF Mid-Year Meeting to decide the equipment to be selected for the mixed multihull event. After discussing the recommendations from the Evaluation Panel, the Equipment Committee and the Events Committee, Council voted between the Nacra 17 and the Viper with the Nacra 17 securing the majority.
The final discussion on the events and equipment for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition was about the men's and women's board events with Council voting in favour or kiteboarding.
In November 2011 an evaluation group was appointed to examine kiteboarding formats with the board events for Rio 2016 defined as 'windsurfing and/or kiteboarding'. The Evaluation Group recommended that kiteboarding be included in the ISAF Event family including the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the ISAF Sailing World Championships but Council went one step further and selected Kiteboarding for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition as well.
The ISAF Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Committee will consider and make further recommendations to Council on the implementation of the inclusion of kiteboarding at their meeting in November 2012 at the ISAF Annual Conference.
ISAF President Göran Petersson said, "These announcements mark a new era for sailing and we welcome the new classes into the ISAF family. The equipment selections have fulfilled the criteria set out by the Evaluation Panel and we look forward to seeing the boats not only at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but the ISAF Sailing World Cup and ISAF Sailing World Championships.
"Kiteboarding has proven to us that it is ready to be included into the list of prestigious ISAF Events and it is a fantastic addition to the sailing programme for the 2016 Olympic Games."
http://www.sailing.org
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