Luderitz Speed Event 2010 - NZ record falls after 13 minutes

The 1st National Speed Record was broken within minutes of the start of the Luderitz Speed Event 2010 on what was expected to be simply a training session in anticipation prior to the big winds forecast for next week.

Kite surfer Gavin Broadbent smashed the existing New Zealand national record within 13 minutes of the opening of the first day of the 2010 Luderitz Speed Challenge on Friday 8th October at 2nd Lagoon, Luderitz Bay, Namibia. After only 3 runs his official average speed over 500m was recorded at 44.51 knots – the previous record being 40.68 knots.

70 minutes later, also on his 3rd run, Swedish Windsurfer, Anders Bringdal broke the Swedish National Windsurfing record. The existing record was 41.96 and his official recorded speed was 42.9 knots.

Australian Kite surfer Tim Pumpa was the 3rd competitor of the day to set a new national record – Best Kite Speed record for Australia with an official speed of 40.72 knots. The previous record was 33.94 knots.

All new records are still to be ratified by the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WSSRC).e wind forecast for Friday is 30 knots. This will mark the 1st day of racing for the 2010 Luderitz Speed Challenge.

Barbara Kendall - first windsurfer, first woman and youngest ever Life Member of Yachting New Zealand

Yachting New Zealand has two new Life Members including the first woman and youngest ever to be bestowed the honour in New Zealand.

At the 56th Annual General Meeting of Yachting New Zealand, held on Saturday 2nd October 2010, it was announced that Barbara Kendall (MBE) and Ralph Roberts (MBE and JP) have been appointed Life Members of yachting’s national sports body.

The honour, which comes after a recommendation from the YNZ’s Board of Directors to the AGM, recognises exemplary service to Yachting New Zealand and in the interests of yachting generally.

Jan Dawson, President of Yachting New Zealand commented, “It is appropriate to recognise the achievements of individuals like Barbara and Ralph, who have contributed in different but important ways to the status of yachting in New Zealand.”

Barbara and Ralph will be presented with a Life Membership certificate at the 2010 Yachting Excellence Awards in Auckland on Friday 28th November.

Ralph Roberts (MBE and JP)

Ralph Roberts was President of the New Zealand Yachting Federation between 1986 and 1989 and was awarded the MBE for services to yachting and sport in 1993. He competed at the Olympic Games in 1960 and 1968 and was reserve crew in 1964.

In 1984 Ralph was Sectional Manager of the New Zealand Olympic sailing team that won two gold medals and a bronze, and in 1992 he was Chef d’Mission for the New Zealand Olympic Team.

Ralph is a member of the ISAF Review Board as well as ISAF’s Youth World Championship Sub-Committee. He is a past winner of numerous National Yachting titles, has been Commodore of the Takapuna Boating Club, is their current President and a Life Member and is a trustee of Habour Sports.

In 2009 Ralph was awarded a SPARC Lifetime Achievement Award.

Barbara Kendall (MBE)

Barbara Kendall retired from Olympic competition earlier this year after a wind surfing career spanning close to a quarter century and encompassing multiple Olympic and World Championship medals. Now 43 years of age, Barbara is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished athletes and a recognised role model, and she is understood to be the youngest ever to be appointed as a Yachting New Zealand Life Member.

Kendall competed at five consecutive Olympic Games Regattas hauling in Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for New Zealand in Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney and she achieved eight World Championship medals throughout her career on the board. Four times New Zealand Sports Woman of the Year and two times New Zealand Sailor of the Year, Kendall was awarded an MBE in 1992 and inducted into the ISAF Hall of Fame in 2007.

Kendall’s retirement from competition sees her putting more time into her predominantly voluntary roles with the International Olympic Committee. [IOC] She sits on the IOC’s Athletes Commission which serves as a consultative body and is the link between active athletes and the IOC. She is also on the IOC’s Women and Sport Commission.

Kendall also holds two positions with the Oceania Olympic Committee as an Executive Board member, and the President of their Athletes Commission.

Yachting New Zealand’s Current Life Members include...

Joe Butterfield
David Cook
John Faire
J Martin Foster
Trevor Geldard
Harry Julian
Barbara Kendall
Bren Nelson
Jim Park
Hugh Poole
Ralph Roberts
John Street
Baron Ralph von Kohorn
Hal Wagstaff
Anthony Wayne

For more information contact...

Jodie Bakewell-White
Yachting New Zealand
Tel. 021 709 065
Email. jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz

ISAF Olympic Committee about to shoot itself in the foot over kiteboards and windsurfers?

Will ISAF get trapped by political concessions for 2016 ?
A lot has been written about the ISAFs Olympic Commissions report and the resulting Executive Committee submission in the last weeks. This opinion piece from Sail-World.com echoes comments made to the same publication by Windsurfing NZ which so far have been unacknowledged.

There is no doubt that the Olympic Commission has done an outstanding job by firing the first bullets on some of ISAFs holy cows, however there is still a huge risk that the final decision makers inside ISAF fail half way up the hill.

This article focuses on the risk factors resulting from the obvious discrepancies between the Olympic Commission report and submissions 096-10 and 097-10

Risk Factor 1: Core and remaining events

The Olympic Commission has suggested to have up to 8 'core' events, and to reserve 2 events for new and fascinating developments in sailing.

Submission 097-10 now talks about 6 core events (basically covering the established 'widespread' events) and 4 remaining events (as far as it can be seen until now, solely to please some established classes political interests).

We believe that all events and equipment should be decided in a single slate – how can one vote for the core events without knowing the outcome of the remaining events and vice versa. Events are stringently connected with equipment that people have in mind – we should accommodate that in the selection system.

Risk Factor 2: Setting the most media and youth attractive classes against each other

The core events see windsurfing set against kiteboarding in a single step evaluation process for men and women.

The first question that arises is: Why ? Can two events be more different than windsurfing and kiteboarding, both again being so different to sailboats ?

Sailboats have masts, windsurfers have swivel mounted masts, kiteboards have no masts at all. All other categories of sailing vessels are more similar to each other than to windsurfing or kiteboarding.

One of the requirements of the International Olympic Committee is that two events cannot be similar. Rather than selecting multiple times small white boats, the choice should be to select events by their variety – and windsurfers and kiteboarders represent this variety better than any other boat class.

Risk Factor 3: Political concessions

Almost all of the events and equipment proposed in Vote 2 of submission 097-10 are political concessions – except the multihull, on which the whole sailing world believes that it has been a mistake to eliminate this piece of equipment for the 2012 Games. Let’s have a closer look:

2nd 1 Person Dinghy

The only reason for a second 1 Person Dinghy is to allow a different weight category to compete – or in other words to save the Finn.

The distribution of weight conforms to the usual bell curve – meaning a big part of the population falling into a certain weight category, which - in terms of one design boats – establishes the suiting class then.

Obviously the Laser is the suiting class for the 1P dinghy – so what could be the motivation for a second 1 Person Dinghy Event ?

The 2002 Report of the Olympic Programme Commission stated, that any weight classifications should be removed from the Olympic Programme, except in martial arts and weightlifting.

ISAF is putting it’s own Olympic future at risk by supporting a second 1 Person Dinghy Event.

2nd 2 Person Dinghy

The 470 is proposed as mixed event, but almost the same problems exist as for the second 1 Person Dinghy. The ideal helm and crew weight is far off from the average weight distribution, and thus it is just another political concession.

Furthermore, how can a more than 50 year old design, which has passed its prime, considered to be media and youth attractive – another key requirement of the Olympic Commission.

Keelboat

Also in the 2002 Report of the Olympic Programme Commission it was stated, that

'It was noted that the Keelboat class are very expensive boats and demand costly infrastructure for Olympic competition, and for general practice and development in comparison to other classes. Therefore, if the Executive Board recommends the reduction in the number of athletes and events, the Commission believes these reductions could be made through the exclusion of keelboat sailing events from the Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, which would also reduce the construction and operational costs and complexity'

The Olympic Commission took this up and stated that keelboats are typically the most expensive Olympic Event (costs – one of the key issues for the IOC), they are not raced at the ISAF Youth World Championship (where is the required pathway ?) and that they reduce the number of events available for new sailors, therefore fewer sailors can experience the Olympic Dream.

Another conclusion of the Olympic Commissions Report, as outlines in submission 096-10 is, that the Olympic Games must be the pinnacle event for this category of events and classes.

Keelboats have a well established and recognized Match Racing World Tour which is considered to be the pinnacle of the sport, and the womens keel boat racing seems to go in the same direction.

What realistically could be then the reason for keelboat events in the Olympic Games, except saving the Star ?

Conclusion

There are only few events and their associated classes that fully comply with the Olympic Commissions requirements as well as fulfilling all criteria of the International Olympic Committee.

A comparison chart can be found below in APPENDIX A
(external link: http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org/images/stories/appendixAisafOC.png), listing the requirements of the Olympic Commission as well as the requirements outlined by the International Olympic Committee.

Not complying with these requirements means killing Sailing as an Olympic Sport - rather sooner than later!

ISAFs decision maker should follow their own guidelines and comply with their requirements; and should prevent to choose the 'easy way', giving in to political concessions.

The logical consequence to the Olympic Commissions report can only be to select:

1 Person Dinghy Men and Women

2 Person Skiff Men and Women

Windsurfer Men and Women

Kiteboard Men and Women

Multihull (Men and Women)

http://www.sail-world.com/NZ/Opinion:-Will-ISAF-get-trapped-by-political...

ISAF pits windsurfing against kiteboarding in an attempt to avoid the future

While the lobbying will be frantic ahead of the ISAF Council deliberations and vote, the simple point is that this is not about who is the best lobbyist, who runs the best PR campaign, produces the best DVD or YouTube clip, or who is the most politically astute. It is about the people who aren't there, particularly the young sailors who they need classes they aspire to sail, and which will make them want to stay in sailing. And that is not in boats that are beloved by the older generation. Richard Gladwell- http://www.sail-world.com/NZ/Gladwells-Line:-ISAF-Events-Committee-falls...

Olympic Sailing Evolution - Bruce Kendall proposes some changes

Olympic sailing formats need evolution to ensure
it is attractive to the public and the media.

Yachting races are most often not exciting to watch or
follow on live on TV or from the shore or even on the
water, as they are too often too inactive and boring, not
easy to understand or follow.

It is often boring to watch as the sailors are mostly still in
the boats and the most boats are not dynamic to watch
when they are sailing in a straight line. The sailors need to
be more interesting to watch by being more active and the
boats need to be doing more maneuvers.

Computer generated graphics combined with GPS do
makes races easier to understand but the aspects of wind
shifts and water flow effecting race outcomes need to be
shown better.

The current format of up wind racing is generally too hard
to cover live in exciting conditions [above 15 knots] on TV
as the boats carrying the cameras need to be specially
designed, large and the cameras needed are expensive.
Currently the sailors get too far away from the camera to
keep in shot easily if the camera boats are out side the
course. Camera boats should not be moving inside the
course as they make waves, wind shadows and create an
unpredictable obstacle.

Flying craft for filming yachting is either expensive, too
risky to failure and or affects the wind too much.

Small fleets become too elitist to encourage new people
into the sport and very large fleets are too difficult to
manage and cover well on television. One system dose
not fix all.

Television coverage is difficult to sell to television
companies for the above reasons and live television is
even more difficult sell due to the unreliable start and
finish times.

Post race or regatta montage programs are confusing
to watch and unfulfilling. It is too difficult to build a story
with suspense and have an exiting conclusion post
event when an event is not live and poorly covered.

The smaller course and shorter the race time, the easier it
is to watch and cover on TV. The smaller the course and
shorter the race, the less boats / boards can be on the
course at one time. So the “often unfair medal race” that
dose not reward consistency was created.

Currently we have fleet races of about 60 boats with
races from 20 to 50 minutes that can start at any time.
The races are almost impossible to watch live and the
media would find it impossible to show the story on TV.
The regatta finishes with a medal race with 10 sailors
that has double points and is not discard able. The
course is often still too big to see easily and constancy of
performance is not well rewarded.

Solutions

The solutions are in improved regatta formats and sailing
rules.

There needs to be a range of racing formats during a
regatta to ensure all needs are meet for the sailors,
sponsors, spectators and media.

Regattas need to decide the best sailors fairly and safely
with as little out side interference from other boats not
racing, the race committee and jury.

The regatta needs to have big fleets and long races to
allow everyone to race against each other with out the
start dictating to result too much.

The regatta needs to reduce fleet size during the regatta
while keeping all the best sailors racing against each other
in every race.

The final races of the regatta need to have smaller fleet
sizes and courses to make the racing easier to show on
TV.

Races shown on TV need to be on time with their start
times and kept to a specified length of time suitable for
television audiences. Kinetic sailing must be allowed to
reduce wind minimums as far as possible and “on water
judging for kinetics” judging needs to be reduced or
eliminated. As long as there is a reasonably consistent
wind speed and direction for the start and the first beat,
the race should start and finish. The final numbers for
the “consistent” definition needs to be tested and voted
upon considering the variations of each class.

Olympic class centerboard boats need to consider more
the public perception and marketability of the sport rather

than the sailing purist concept evolved from forms of
sailing where active kinetic influences are not possible to
effect performance and where it is often considered that
the Olympic classes as just training for big boats.

General format

The over riding principal
A format with safe, fair racing over a wide range of
conditions with minimal out side interference from race
committees or judges and it should ensure the best sailor
wins.

Format
A long all-inclusive first race with a reducing fleets system
during the regatta allowing for more media and spectator
friendly races at the end of the regatta.

Marathon.

The first race should be a marathon starting with a long
up wind beat or a direct down wind leg of at least one hour
or more before the fleet rounds a mark. The course should
take at from 2 to 4 hours.

This gives the media the opening photos of the event
pictures of the number of competitors there on the start
line and great images of a large number of boats sailing
down wind. This visual spectacle has a better chance of
attracting sponsorship due to the large numbers seen.
There is also a better opportunity to set a course where
the fleet sail around or close to unique land marks for
photo opportunities and close to spectator viewing from
land or spectator vessels.

A marathon race gives the competitors a chance to race
against every other sailor at one time. Weekend warriors
racing with the best. Sailors have a chance to really
show how fit and fast they are and how good their “big
picture weather and general race tactics are, especially if
they have to race around geographical marks with wind
shadows and water flow variations.

The marathon can be started from the beach if space
the equipment and conditions allow. This is great
viewing for spectators and the media. It is easier to
manage the start to be on time with out general recalls.

The finish can be bought very close to the spectators.

In a marathon, normally the start has less effect on the
race outcome than a short race.

Two marathons could allow for a fair first discard.

A marathon is a good way to break ties and divide fleets to
smaller numbers.

Windward leeward courses
Windward leeward courses courses are the best for
passing opportunities for racing and need to be at least
80% of the racing during a regatta. Windward leeward
courses are can be difficult for spectator viewing and
media coverage if fleet courses and sizes are too big.

Course races of between 30 to 50 minutes with fleets
of no more than 60 have been found to be the easiest
to manage for race committees in the laser, etchell and
windsurfing classes. When there are more than 60 it is

more difficult for the race committees to be accurate at
calling OCS starters, there are generally more general
recalls and less regard for the rules by the sailors when
rounding marks.

When the start line becomes too long or too congested
and the first beat too short, the start has too much
influence over the race to be consistently fair.

The bigger the first beat relative to the amount of sailors,
the fairer the racing.

30 to 60 minute races with fleets of less than 60 needs to
the bulk of the fleet racing results.

Fleet reductions
After 6 race results, the fleet sizes can be modified
at the end of each day of racing to continue reducing
the numbers in the top of the fleet while increasing the
numbers racing in the bottom of the fleet.

With smaller fleets, the courses can then become more
restricted in windward leeward columns and or closer to
the shore to encourage more tacking gibing and general
maneuvering closer to the media and possible spectators.
Small harbors could be used for a last race with just a few
sailors.

Smaller fleets and courses allow the media and spectators
to follow the racing easier and potential medalists will
be able to better focus on racing each other without the
danger of inexperienced sailors colliding with them or
adversely effecting their results.

Fleet sizes should be able to begin a regatta with
unlimited entries and finish the regatta with a race of
possibly 4 or less sailors in a media time slot friendly, easy
to see live on sight race.

General race management improvements

Discards
There should only be one worse performance discard for
an entire regatta in order to keep it easy for the media and
spectators to follow.

Race scoring system
Consistent high performance over a large range of
conditions needs to be rewarded. This should be the over
riding principal for deciding who wins.
The points from the last races of the regatta with reduced
fleet sizes should not be discard able as the quality of the
fleet improves and the luck involved reduces.
Possibly the points values need to be increased as the
fleet size reduces during the regatta.
The sailor’s points need to be carried right through
to the end of the regatta. The details will need to be
experimented with in a real regatta situation.

Average points should not be given for redress decisions
as this is often not a fair or very accurate form of
compensation, GPS positioning should be used more
often to calculate a fair compensation.

Races should not be allowed to start when there is an
OCS starter. This is unfair to the sailors who started
correctly that are affected adversely at the start and
around the course. It is also confusing to spectators and

media who may not know that sailor is not actually racing.

General format solution.
There needs to be a bi annual format and racing rules
experimentation regattas run by the Olympic classes,
coaches and sailors with media experts and ISAF
observing and advising.
Properly designed and tested recommendations can then
be put forward in a timely fashion to be voted upon by the
classes and then presented to ISAF for voting to ensure
the sport has the opportunity to continue to evolve in a
sensible and efficient manor.

Sailing at the Olympics - event choice may be between a windsurfer and a kite-board

Olympic sailing destined for another major jolt at Athens in November
9:56 AM Thu 30 Sep 2010 GMT - Sail-World.com

The Olympic shakeup by the world governing body, the International Sailing Federation, looks set to continue at its Annual Conference in just over a month’s time in Athens.

In a raft of changes the Olympic Commission and all-powerful; Executive Committee have recommended the creation of a core group of Olympic events which can only be changed on ten years notice, subjecting many classes to evaluation trials, and sweeping changes to the new sailing World Cup to make it a more regionalised event.

Only three of the current ten Olympic classes are reasonably assured of a place in the start line for Brazil in 2016.

The breadth of the changes will make it virtually impossible for the classes and vested interest groups to be able to thwart any one measure, as has been done in the past when self-interest has been placed ahead of the good of the sport.

That attitude has placed Yachting at risk of being dropped from the 2016 Olympics - where two of the existing Olympic sports are expected to be removed as happened for the 2012 Olympics to make way for the introduction of Rugby and Golf.

The Tornado will probably not re-appear at the Olympics but a Mixed Multihull Event is a distinct possibility

Proposals from the ISAF's Olympic Commission centre around the process by which Olympic Events are selected and recommend the extension of the change period from four years to six.

In other words the Events for 2016 will be chosen in 2010, and finalised in May 2011, rather than immediately following the next Olympiad in November 2012.

Equipment, a cute International Olympic Committee term which translates into ISAF-speak as the classes to be sailed will still be chosen fours years ahead of the Olympics, as at present.

The objectives of the submission is to subject the Events to satisfying ten criteria including providing pathways, reduced costs and progress towards having an equal number of Mens and Womens events – an objective which may also be achieved through the use Mixed (one male and one female sailor) events.

The RS:X Board will have to undergo a double trial if it is to remain in 2016

The submission also proposes the creation of a super Event known as a Core Event which may only be changed on 10 years notice and with the two thirds vote in favour by the ISAF Council.

There are to be a maximum of eight Core Events on the ten event Olympic calendar, meaning that at least two Events can be rotated on six years notice and the classes (Equipment) within all events on four years notice.

Any new classes introduced may only be done so after evaluation trials have been conducted by the ISAF.

The Olympic Commission headed by Yachting Australia CEO, and ISAF Events Committee member, Phil Jones was established by the International Sailing Federation to review and recommend changes to the format of the Olympic sailing regatta and sport, after it became obvious to all but the very shortsighted that Sailing was at real risk of being dropped as an Olympic sport.

If the 470 makes it back for 2016, it will probably be as a Mixed crew boat with cost reductions

Key issues that needed to be addressed by the Olympic Commission included the fact that Sailing was one the least watched sport in terms of television hours, but one of the most expensive to produce.

The Olympic sailing regatta was one of the more costly to stage, but attracted the lowest paying gate in terms of spectators who purchased tickets.

In terms of regional distribution, sailing countries represented at the Olympics came predominantly from Europe with 43 of the 45 national sailing federations represented, in stark contract to the likes of Oceania which has just two of its nine Federations (Australia and New Zealand) and Africa with three of 15 represented.

That regional imbalance was not reflected in other sports and needed to be rapidly addressed by the International Sailing Federation if the sport was to retain its place at the Olympic table beyond 2012.

In May 2010, the Commission produced a 58 page, very detailed report, which was presented to the Mid Year meeting at Lake Balaton, Hungary – which covered all the required changes and invited submissions.

The Laser Radial looks secure as the Olympic Womens singlehander

Although many National Authorities and individuals responded, none of the current Olympic class associations made their views knows to the Commission.

In a second submission, the Executive Committee of the ISAF, comprising its inner sanctum of President, Vice Presidents and Treasurer, have proposed the Core Events for 2016 shall be a Board (Windsurfer) or Kiteboard for Men and Women; a one person dinghy for Men and Women, with the Laser and Laser Radial specified; and a two person Dinghy (skiff) with the 49er confirmed as the Mens Equipment and the Womens boat to be decided after a further set of Evaluation trials. The Board/Kite-board would also be chosen after Evaluation Trials.

The remaining four Events would be chosen from a slate of four events, across the gender options – Men, Women and Mixed.

The 2016 Event choice will be between a Windsurfer and a Kite-board

The Event options being a one person dinghy, a two person multihull (in the mixed category and to be selected after Evaluation Trials). If a second two person dinghy is chosen as an event then it is suggested that the 470 be used as mixed crew boat with a more cost-effective configuration of the class used. If a keelboat is selected for men, then that will be subject to Evaluation Trials, meaning that the venerable Star will go under the hammer. The recently selected Elliott 6 metre will be the class if a Womens Keelboat is selected as an Event for 2016.

In a move to increase the profile of Olympic sailing an additional submission proposed that the Sailing World Cup be sailed in five regions of the world instead of being European centralised as at present.

That being accepted the Sailing World Cup would be used as a regional selection trial for the 2016 Olympics (with 50% of the places at an Olympics being chosen from regional trials).

Additionally the Olympic classes would lose the right the stage a World Championship outside the Sailing World Cup, but could still hold an all-comers championship under another name, such as the Finn class does with its Finn Gold Cup.

Poor gate numbers at the 2008 Olympics saw yachting as the worst spectator sport.

The proposed loss of a stand alone world championship is being opposed by many of the Olympic classes, citing a loss of identity and class revenue.

The moves will be debated by the Events Committee and then the ISAF Council at its Annual Meeting in Athens Greece. However the basics of the changes are unlikely to be altered. They were discussed with the International Olympic Committee at a joint meeting on 1 September.

The Sailing Olympics must lift its TV audience and reduce production costs

Full story with pictures
http://www.sail-world.com/NZ/index.cfm?SEID=0&Nid=75270&SRCID=0&ntid=118...

WindAddiction to affiliate with Windsurfing NZ

Bay of Plenty windsurfers are being welcomed to WindAddiction who will be affiliating with Windsurfing NZ, following in the path of the Canterbury, Southern Lakes and Southland clubs who are all combined wind sports clubs.

WindAddiction are the established kiteboarding club based in Tauranga, and have agreed to open membership up to windsurfers who are hoping to organise social and competitive events in the region. This gives the windsurfing community a quick start to getting events going, and since the sports have so much in common in terms of local resources and advocacy it can only benefit both sports. So if you sail in this region check out the WindAddiction website for more information on how to join. If you become a member of WindAddiction you will automatically qualify for free membership of Windsurfing NZ.

See also http://bopwindsurfers.blogspot.com

Windsurfing Open Day membership drive goes further than expected

Southern Lakes Wind Riders Club Open Day and Social Sail on Saturday ended up being rather more eventful than planned. The day, part of a national promotion campaign "Lifes a Breeze" to get people interested in windsurfing took an unexpected turn when club members and interested locals spotted a white car trying to sail its way into the lake.
The car was about 20 m offshore when noticed and doing a pretty good job and staying afloat !
"I was chatting to someone about joining the club when he pointed out the car and said 'oops' we'd better do something about that" explains Club Secretary Sue Bradley "The next minute he and several club members were in up to their thighs 'leading the car back to the waters edge where it was then towed out left to drain and surprising started a few hours later.

Luckily one of our club members at the BBQ is a mechanic so he managed to help sort the car out... it was a very lucky owner !

More info Sue Bradley 027 640 8596.
Mechanic club member Phil Hide 021 232 5457
Owner of the car ? Not sure but think he works for Goldridge Resort (Hotel) Had a tee shirt on ...

more pictures

World speed record now 54.1 knots, and Gavin Broadbent of NZ hits 50.93!

At the Luderitz Speed Challenge it's Official - One new World Speed Sailing Record and five new National Records have been set in one day.
Alex Caizergues has officially set a new World Speed Sailing Record at 54.10 knots during his first run at 15h38 yesterday afternoon.
Five New National records were broken on the same day:

Kite Surfing:
USA - Rob Douglas, 51.88
Namibia - Stefan Metzger 45.02
New Zealand - Gavin Broadbent, 50.93
French Womens National record - Charlotte Consorti, 45.23
Australia -Tim Pumpa, 46.78 (best kite speed record performance)

Windsurfing:
Sweden -Anders Bringdal, 44.80.
U.K - Zara Davis, 36.99, Female World performance with Production Board

Sebastien Cattelan from France is placed second in the world speed sailing rankings at 52.33 knots.

The battle for the title of 'the fastest speed sailor in the world' is far from over - with more big winds forecast here in Luderitz for not only this week, but for most of October - we will keep you updated with the Official WSSRC records as soon as they are released.

More on the Olympic decisions by ISAF - a personal view

Paul Henderson, former President of ISAF thinks windsurfing is no longer relevant. For many of us windsurfing is a personal thing and both the Olympics and ISAF are not particularly relevant, however it is a significant world stage which raises the profile of the sport and brings in new blood. Imagine what it would be like if windsurfing was freed from the constraints of being a sailing hybrid, and was allowed to show its true colours! This is my personal response to this view and I'd appreciate feedback (Bruce Spedding).

Response to Sail-world.com article - The Pope speaks on the 2016 Olympic Events

---

These comments are my own personal views and do not represent the views of Windsurfing NZ.

The Pope? Well, we all know how hard that particular group hang on to the past and tradition in the face of change.

Leap of faith Mr Henderson? We jumped a long time ago and you still haven't even noticed the gap.

If the criteria for inclusion in Olympic sailing is being new and extreme then kiteboarding and windsurfing are the only disciplines that should still be there, so clearly a double standard is being applied. In fact if both sports were allowed to appear in their true and popular forms then Paul Henderson would see what new and extreme really mean. He would also (perhaps) understand why the version of windsurfing contrived to not offend the sensibilities of the traditionalists is not universally followed by the windsurfing community, and if he's looking for a car on the motorway with an RS:X board on the roof he's probably going to have a long wait, because these days most windsurfing equipment fits inside the car, including the board. Here in New Zealand we are seeing a significant resurgence in windsurfing, just not in the RS:X class - no surprises there.

Windsurfing has a longer learning curve than most sports, and in fact the learning curve never flattens out as the new challenges and possibilities seem to appear faster than even the most talented sailors can master them.

The forms of racing available to windsurfers include the obvious ones, course racing, slalom, long distance and match racing. In addition, boarder cross is a dynamic race format which requires sailors to race a downwind slalom course in a heat format while also having to perform mandatory manoeuvres including loops and jumping over barriers.

Freestyle windsurfing is essentially gymnastics on the water, done on small boards at planing speed with an amazing range of spins and loops which seem to defy physics. In situations where events have been organised and there has been no wind competitors have even used towing to get them up to planing speeds!

Wave sailing is equally fantastic, combining aerial manoeuvres with radical wave riding to provide a continuous out-and-back display. While Mr Henderson's RS:X boards would have trouble getting off the water in most cases, the new wave sailors are now attempting forward and backward triple loops and reaching heights of 20m (60').

Speed sailing is also a developing sport, especially with the general availability of GPS, and until recently windsurfers were the undisputed speed kings of sailing.

Windsurfing is even done in indoor venues to very enthusiastic crowds.

So lets review windsurfing as an Olympic sport if it was allowed to exercise its full potential and not squeezed into the sit-down-sailing mutation.

Windsurfing offers an incredibly broad range of disciplines which means that some sort of competitive event can staged under any conditions. It offers speed, acrobatics, endurance, colour and excitement. Every four years the event would be a show case for the latest tricks and styles as competitors continue to push the limits. The possibility of operating a multi-discipline format with individual as well as overall medals. The ability to adapt the sport format to the venue available, including indoor or artificial if necessary. The low cost of entry into the sport, and the fact that generally it does not require any significant local or national infrastructure to allow an individual to become internationally competitive opens it up to a much broader group than conventional sailing. Young people the world over can watch all the latest action on the internet and then go out and try it for themselves (try that in a yacht).

Kiteboarding of course offers a similarly rich vein of actual and possible disciplines.

So the sailing community sees windsurfing as an unwanted 'bastard child', and with another orphan knocking on the door and nobody wanting to make room, guess who is getting the heave ho!

Its gratifying (but not surprising) that one of the strongest advocates for windsurfing seems to be the kiteboarding community, and they will be very conscious of some of the commentary that has been appearing. I also want to acknowledge the support from some (less staid) parts of the sailing community.

Having followed this debate so far, and the outcome of the latest ISAF meetings I have decided that it is probably time that windsurfing acknowledged its true nature. It may be time for the board sports to step up and demonstrate that they are not some sort of hybrid form of sailing but are a complete package in their own right, with scope and potential that leaves sailing in a dark corner.

I think (as has been suggested by others) that its time for a board sports to have their own category at the Olympics - including windsurfing, kiteboarding and the various forms of surfing. Free of the traditional sailing attitudes these three disciplines would have the potential to become a real centrepiece to the summer Olympics.

Imagine the possibilities!

Regards
Bruce Spedding.

Change Of Role Leaves Olympic Windsurfing Champion Worry-Free

Wearing her crop top, board shorts, sunglasses and sports cap, recently retired New Zealand windsurfing legend Barbara Kendall could still pass for a competitor, but in Singapore she is staying on shore as a Youth Olympic Games athlete role model. Kendall participated in five Olympic Games, picking up the full set of medals with a gold, silver and bronze.

She says she is happy just watching and supporting competitors because she does not "have to feel nervous all the time".

"It's been such a great and fun experience being an athlete role model. It' is a nice change from being a competitor."

Kendall has been spending time with the young sailors, chatting with them and offering support.

"This Youth Olympic Games is an excellent opportunity for them to get an insight of what the real Olympics might be," she says

"With so many sailors coming from different countries it definitely is a good experience for them."

Inducted into the International Sailing Federation's Hall of Fame in 2007, Kendall competed at the Beijing Games the following year at the age of 40.

She was chosen as a role model for youngsters because of her work with the New Zealand Olympic Committee athletes' commission.

"The advice I have given them is competition first, activity second," she said.

http://www.sailing.org/33863.php

FOUR-NINE: A BAY AREA LEGEND (humour)

Copyright (C) 1993, Luigi Semenzato

When the horse show was over, I congratulated with my former girlfriend for winning and drove away in the surfmobile (erroneously called `car' by some people). To the east, the wind generators on the crests of the hills were spinning. Somewhere among those hills was the ultra-secret spot, the windiest and craziest place of them all. I had never been there, and I didn't have a map. But the afternoon was young. I reached the freeway. West was home, east was adventure. I drove east.

Deciding what exit to take was a matter of intuition. I took the wrong one. It was too far past the hills, and the road did not angle right. I drove back one exit. This seemed better. The road followed the bottom of a valley. I reached an intersection and I was out of clues. There was a bar with several really cool motorcycles outside. I parked and went in to ask.

The customers didn't look like windsurfers, so I didn't bother asking them and went directly to the bartender. `Hi, excuse me, is there a place where people windsurf around here?' One of the walls was covered with license plates. I wondered where they came from, but I didn't ask.

`There is a reservoir' the woman said. `Turn left here, then take the first left, then turn left at the stop sign, then another left, and then you'll find a sign and you turn left there.' My head begun to spin. One of these days I'll found my own religion. I will teach the faithfuls that to be at peace with the universe one must achieve rotational balance. The stress that makes our lives miserable comes from turning more times in one direction than the other, thus twisting our cosmic link with the Supreme Being. The faithfuls will unravel by spinning a lot during service. They will crash to the floor light-headed and born-again, then we will all go to the beach for a shredding session. I have it in the blood: I know it.

All around me, the wind generators were a forest from the dream of a mad science-fiction writer. Tall or short, lined up in neat rows or randomly placed, their stems were solid pipes or hundreds of small beams bolted together. Most had propellers, some had funny blades whose aerodynamics defied intuition. I turned left, left, left, left, and finally saw the sign. I drove up a narrow road. The reservoir was small but had many arms. Was this the place? There was no wind. I drove around and found two surfmobiles, a hatchback and a pickup. Their owners sat in folding chairs in the shadow of the pickup shell. They were drinking beer. `Hi' I said. `Do you guys windsurf here?'

`When there is wind' the older one replied. He had a white moustache and a sad smile.

`And do you get wind often?'

`Oh, sometimes.' The other guy smiled knowingly.

It wasn't working. I had to gain their trust, join the pack. But how? In a flash, I knew. In a strange and mysterious way, I was already one of them. I uttered the words: `Do you guys know a fellow named Henrik? He is German. I think he used to come here a lot.'

The white moustache trembled. `You know Four-Nine?'

`Yes, I know Henrik. But I haven't talked to him in a while.' It was true. I had spoken to him once on the phone, trying to organize a joint expedition; but he was too busy with his helicopter lessons. Then he had gone back to Germany; and the last time we exchanged e-mail, before he disappeared, he was in Scotland. These details could wait. Their turn now.

`That fellow was really something! You know, we would be all sitting here, waiting for the wind, nothing to say, and he would arrive: and all of a sudden we would be joking, laughing, having a lot of fun. He was really something. How do you know him?'

`Mostly through electronic mail. There is a windsurfing group, do you know about it?'

`No, no... good old Four-Nine. He was really something.'

`I can send him a message from you, if you'd like it.'

`Oh, sure. Tell him the Mayor says hello.'

`Are you the Mayor?'

`Yes, I am the Mayor of this place' he said proudly.

`And when does the wind come up, Mayor?'

The ice was broken. `Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. It's hard to predict. Once it starts, it blows until after sunset. And it BLOWS! Man, does it blow! We get lots of three-oh and three-five days. It's survival sailing out there. See that channel?'

An arm of the reservoir disappeared around a low hill. `Yes.'

`If you go too deep inside, you can't come back. When it blows, the pumps start. The channel gets a four miles per hour current, and little wind. You are stuck. You must go to the shore and walk.'

`I see. What pumps?'

`The acqueduct starts here. But Four-Nine never got in trouble. He was too good. Do you know why we called him Four-Nine?'

`Why?' I knew, but I wanted to hear it from them.

`Because that's all he rigged! He would arrive and we would be rigging our three-ohs and our three-fives and we would ask him: So what are you rigging today, Henrik? And he would say: A four-nine. And we would all laugh, and we would be in a really good mood. But then he could actually sail it. He was good. It's survival sailing, I tell you.'

More people arrived, and I was introduced as `a friend of Four-Nine.' They offered me drinks and peanuts. They explained how the wind was coming at a funny angle that day, and perhaps it wasn't going to blow: and they pointed to two large generators, one on each side of the narrow lake, whose blades weren't moving. `See them propellers, the big ones? They start automatically when the wind is above twenty miles per hour. If they are not spinning, rig big, or don't rig at all.'

`Can you tell if there is wind without coming all the way here?'

`Not really. You can only make a good guess. A fellow who works for the electric company comes here when the windmills generate so and so megawatts, or more. But even that is not always reliable.'

`And where is the closest telephone?'

`There is a bar a few miles from here, near the freeway.'

`Oh yes, I know that bar.' A small guy had rigged a six-oh on the lawn. People looked at their watches and were beginning to leave. The six-oh sailor went in the water. He planed in the gusts. It just wasn't happening. Soon I was alone on the shore, and for a while I watched the sailor pump, plane, jibe, pump, plane, jibe, never a mistake. But the large windmills still weren't moving. I left with a single regret. I had forgotten to ask the Mayor a very important question: did Four-Nine own a smaller sail? I wonder if I'll ever know.

Jon-Paul Tobin & Aaron McIntosh - 2010 Windsurfing Tour de Friesland

A group of RS:X windsurfers tour the canals in the Netherlands - video

NZ windsurfing clubs are the first to know!

Barbara Kendall is heading south for the Hump Ridge Track Celebrity Walk on March 1st 2011. You can join her for fun, fresh air and fabulous views…

See flyer for details
ttp://windsurfingnz.org/sites/default/files/celeb_walk_1st_march.pdf
Get in quick, very limited spaces.

Bobbie Mulgrew
Marketing Manager
Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track
03 4090977 / 0274867743
www.humpridgetrack.co.nz

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THE WORLD KITE AND WINDSURFING GUIDE is out now!

As kiters and windsurfers, two fundamental questions occupy our minds: ‘Where shall I go for my next trip?’ And having got there, ‘Which spot’s best today? This book provides the answers...

THE WORLD KITE AND WINDSURFING GUIDE is the first comprehensive spot guide to planet Earth’s finest kite- and windsurfing regions! Introducing almost 100 regions in nine continental chapters, it features over 1,200 of the world’s best spots. Fully illustrated with 1,000 breathtaking photos and detailed maps of every region, there’s in-depth analysis of wind, wave and weather conditions throughout the year to highlight the best times to visit. The Guide also offers real-world travel information with essential tips on what to expect in each region and handy hints for a successful trip. Last but not least there are contact details for local shops, shapers, schools and kit hire as well as accommodation, restaurants, rental cars and other insider knowledge.

Featured continental chapters: Europe, Africa, Indian Ocean, East Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, North America, Central America & Caribbean, and South America.

The endeavours behind this 320-page work was enormous: as with stoked publications’ first EUROPE GUIDE in 2005, all information was collated first-hand from hundreds of experienced locals. Added to which over 50 pro riders, world champions and wind sports legends contributed their knowledge and experience. The ‘Wall of Fame’ is adorned with names like Antoine Albeau, Kristin Boese, Pete Cabrinha, Björn Dunkerbeck, Aaron Hadlow, Robby Naish, Ruben Lenten, Ben Wilson and many, many more – a real who’s who of the global kite and windsurfing scene. And finally the archives of the world's hundred leading photographers had to be scoured – out of 20,000 action and scenic shots, the best 700 pictures were selected for the book.
“Sometimes, this project was more difficult than battling out through huge surf in storm-force winds,” admits Udo Hölker, editor of the WORLD GUIDE. “But it was worth the effort, the whole planet’s fantastic kite and windsurfing conditions now lie before us like an open book – quite literally. Sure, you can get on the water in areas we haven’t covered, but even if you took three trips a year these WORLD GUIDE regions would last you 30 years!”

THE WORLD KITE AND WINDSURFING GUIDE is now available in New Zealand for NZD $95 at www.gaastra.co.nz and in surf shops nationwide.

THE WORLD KITE AND WINDSURFING GUIDE - a stoked publication!
For more info please check www.stoked-publications.com

Who needs money when you can go windsurfing?

the paradox of resisting consumerism through consumption in a lifestyle sport subculture : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Visual and Material Culture at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.

Lifestyle sport has become a significant sociological phenomenon, with millions participating worldwide. Using windsurfing as a case study, this thesis focuses on core members of this subculture to discover their motivations for involvement and the degree to which they are willing to sacrifice other areas of their lives in order to participate. The thesis explores the contention that this level of sacrifice amounts to resistance to the dominant consumerist culture of our society.

" The niche visual media of the subculture creates a dreamworld of natural perfection and freedom."

The full abstract, and links to the thesis can be accessed through the link below. The index alone looks fascinating, with section titles such as "It'll be going off in the ditch" and "Did you ever meet a windsurfer on Anti-Depressants?".

It's also dedicated to Jude Green, Southern Lakes who died while windsurfing while the author Peter Wilkinson was working on this thesis.

http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1639

Will to Win - A NeilPryde book

To celebrate the 40 year anniversary of NeilPryde they have just released a 250-page, coffee table book which has it all: the history, the people, the sports, the brands - over four amazing decades. Part business book, part corporate history, part celebration, part biography, part sports narrative. (If this book straddled any more categories, it could take a yoga class.)

A vibrant mix of stories, images and take-outs. Much of it gleaned from one-on-one interviews with the people who were there and featuring rarely seen and previously unpublished photographs taken by some of the best watersports photographers.
Go to http://willtowin.neilpryde.com to download a FREE sample and order the book.

The Kendall Cup 2010 - New youth windsurfing trophy announced

A new season championship for youth windsurfers, to be known as the Kendall Cup, was announced today by Dave Mackay of the NZ Techno class association.

“Windsurfing is New Zealand’s top Olympic event of the last 25 years, with seven medals from six Games including three Golds” said Mr Mackay. “Yet we don’t always get the profile and participation we’d like. We want to get more kids into the sport, and see them spending more time on the water, to ensure that we have the talent to remain top performers in the world in years to come. That’s what the Kendall Cup is about, and we’re delighted that both Barbara and Bruce Kendall have got in behind this initiative.”

The Bic Techno One Design is the international racing class for under-17 year olds. There is also an under 15 division and both boys and girls divisions. Like in other youth sailing classes, regular racing happens at a number of yacht clubs around the country, and through the summer there are weekend regattas. The National Championships is the most important regatta which everyone wants to do well at. But until now there have been no ongoing national rankings and there has been no overall winner for the season.

“The Kendall Cup will be awarded to one sailor in each age and gender division at the end of each season, starting this coming summer. So there’ll actually be four trophies, which Barbara Kendall has kindly donated. Points will be awarded at each regatta, so the more regattas you go to, and the better you place, the more points you’ll get. Sailors will be allowed to miss one regatta out of eight in the season without penalty.

“This means that the national champion will not necessarily win the Kendall Cup – they will need to race regularly and consistently. Someone who keeps improving after the national event, and keeps racing, may well overtake the national champ by the end of autumn. They will get the glory, the trophy, and the handshake from one of our absolute legends of sport.

“The Kendall Cup format will also allow us to keep running rankings of all the young Techno sailors, and by keeping these running rankings online, everyone will be able to track their progress and sailors at all levels will be motivated to get out there and race.

“As well, we want to raise the profile of and participation in our sport outside Auckland, so the Kendall Cup will include regattas in Tauranga and other centres as a way to help Techno fleets develop there. We’re keen to hear from more yacht clubs who want to get involved.”

Any budding young windsurfers should get in touch with their local yacht club for ‘learn to’ courses and to find out about racing.

2010 Auckland Freestyle Windsurfing Champs - the final chapter ... results, pics

What a timing…..
the weekend of 29/30 May was the last one for the standby period set for the 2010 Auckland Freestyle Champs. The AWA end of season prize-giving party was also on for Sat 29 May. So this was the last chance to run the comp in time to hand out the trophy at the party. After two “no-go’s” the previous weekends where the forecast didn’t hold what it promised we decided to try it again. Third time lucky!

A decent SW forecast made the spot choice easy, Pt Chev was chosen once again. A quick skippers meeting at 1pm and off we went for the first heat at 1.30pm. Due to a smaller fleet of sailors this year (no “out of towners”) we decided to send all competitors out in the same heat, planning to run a total of four 15 min heats.

An area was marked off for the sailors to perform their best moves in and Pete Smith, the head judge, and myself had our hands full scoring the individual moves.

Gusty conditions made it difficult at times but most sailors choose to rig 5.3-5.8 as some of the squalls that came through delivered up to 30 knots. It was such an amazing sight, watching all competitors giving it everything they had to impress the judges. Also very positive to see the level of sailing compared to the previous events, lot’s of improvements on every level. Thomas Davies, the Auckland Freestyle Champ 2009, was here to defend his title and it was obvious for the spectator as he executed a lot of very difficult moves during the heats. He landed one handed spock 540’s, plenty of flakas and even waterstarted away from a forward. His sailing was very smart and he really built up his heats with lots of non-planning transitions when the wind wasn’t strong enough.

The only sailor capable of taking the lead at times was Buckland Beach hotshot Ashley Palmer. Clew first spocks and grubbies were amongst his incredible repertoire for his heats and he even managed to win heat Nr. 2. against Thomas. Tabou/Vandal newcomer Lawrence Carey was the biggest surprise this year sharing a 3rd position overall with Jebbe Unthank in the end, proving that his training throughout the season paid off. I’m sure we’ll see and hear a lot more
about him in coming events.

Sad to see that Jill Cooper was the only female in this years event but her persistence on the water was rewarded with a 6th place overall in the end. Well done!

Tired and exhausted the sailors were greeted back at the beach with sausages and beer kindly prepared by Tim Wood this time, who took over Jim Rodgers “job” who kindly donated his time and effort to cook the saussies the previous weekends when we were waiting on wind! In the end it wasn’t a very hard decision for the judges as Thomas stood out with a very consistent overall performance so the trophy was all his. Ash scored a well deserved 2nd place after coming 6th overall last year.

A special thanks to all the Event Sponsors:
A’ND Distribution, Gaastra, Tabou,
Squid Row,
Boardstore NZ and
Windsurfing Auckland.

Also a big thanks to Pete Smith for his time judging, Jim Rodgers and to Tim Wood and Merilyn for their time, help and ongoing effort.

Windsurfing events in New Zealand wouldn’t be happening without the effort and support of industry and individuals, you know who they are - so please support these in return!

Overall Results
1. Thomas Davies 4.1 points
2. Ashley Palmer 8.7 points
3. Lawrence Carey 14 points
3. Jebbe Unthank 14 points
5. Dan Thomas 22 points
6. Jill Cooper 23 points
7. Chris Tapps 25 points
8. Harre Reed 31 points

by Alexander Stroh

story and pictures on the Gaastra NZ site http://www.gaastra.co.nz/2010news.asp

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Antons account of Le Defi Wind - Gruissan 2010

Day One at Gruissan, Defi Wind!

James Dinnis arrived in Marseille after a bruising trip from New Plymouth, New Zealand – Auckland – LA (via Venice beach??) – Munich then on to Marseille. Like any good travel story this one had its dramas from the start. The Premium Air New Zealand check-in was the site of the last minute repacking of 217kg of gear all destined for a one way trip to France. As always the Air NZ guys were rockstars. 36 hours later Team Carbon Art arrived in France to be met by team rider Vincent only to find none of the gear had arrived...

Long story short one van left from Paris a few hours later for a 10 hour drive to Gruissan and another came over from Germany. With a few hours to spare it all arrived in time for the start of Day One.

Day One was mainly about the set up with a briefing at 1pm and a race at 3pm. Unlike last year there’s a real buzz in the air in anticipation of some serious wind. It’s been two years that the event hasn’t happened and getting to race was the main objective of many of the participants. Carbon Art is still a growing brand in France but the buzz is definitely growing and some of the gear we left hear last year came with some fantastic feedback.

It was also great to see some of the old friends from last year and hear some of their stories. There’s nothing like being on the shop floor and hearing what people think – both good and not so. Dramas galore on the water once the racing started. James only just made the start line having forgotten to don his event vest and managed get involved in some board-on-board collision action but his board came out on top.

A quiet beer and dinner in town for the team – some of the rarest steaks we’ve ever seen, a red wine from Chardonnay (??) and then an earlyish night in anticipation of another great day.

--- day 2 ---

After last year’s quiet days the 2010 event has been a real eye opener. Big days on the water make the big nights a little less appealing is the main observation.

Briefing at 9 and then the race 90 minutes later...

James managed to remember his vest this time around and the team discovered a secret cafe with a great view of the start line. Impressive seeing 1000 windsurfers trying to cross a start line at once (see first pic). Carnage all around. Carbon Art managed to get a few people out on the water on our demo kit. The quote of the day following a demo from one of Europe’s better known faces was, “Like smoking a cigar while sipping on a gin”. Maybe not as healthy as you might like but we thought it was a great way of describing how the slalom gear feels on the water.

In between races we all hung out at the Carbon Art cabin. Not great for keeping the howling wind out but better than not having anything at all. After a few hours of clearing the sand off everything we eventually gave up and accepted we were living in the tent in a sandstorm in the Sahara.

The end of the day wrapped up at the Carbon Art villa where the kiwi contingent shared some New Zealand wines with the French. A tough audience. The rose' got the thumbs down – too strong for the French taste buds but the Syrah was a storming success. By all accounts, this one ‘has a bright future’. Team CA put on pizzas and the French guests put on a beautiful paella – I think we’ve all a thing or two to learn those guys about food. Never mind – we make great gear for the water, they make great gear for after hours. 11pm and its lights out, James having managed to sneak away a bit early in anticipation of some big wind tomorrow. They’re talking 30+ knots and there’s a rumour flying around that we’ll see Antoine Albeau again. The French legend definitely adds some more colour to the event so it’d be great to see him again.

--- Day 3 ---

A slow start today. In spite of an early start the boys are still wrecked from the day before and the villa was creaking even before Paul put the coffee pot on. Our view from the window looks over the beach and we can see a few hardy souls already on the water at 0800. By 0850 Anton, Paula and james have downed the cereal, grabbed all the gear and are heading to the beach...

First drag all the boards out of the cabin to put them on display then another briefing. Today the key message is – be careful. Peaking at 45 knots this is not for the faint hearted and the word goes out this is really only for experts. Even the support helicopter is having a tough time today. Poor Vincent gets himself dragged in by one of the support boats after having some gear issues in the first race. The second race still has the numbers even with winds of over 53 knots!! The course is set up in front of the main event area which makes for some great spectator activity. Anton looks pretty bedraggled when he gets in.

James is chuffed as all the gear is sold bar one board. Taking 20 boards to Europe is hard enough let alone having to bring them back. The Europeans are stoked we’ve come up – people love seeing something a bit different. The cookies we brought up are going down an absolute treat as well.

A quick shower and out for dinner and fun and frivolity. James tries the Get27 which is a spearmint local digestif. I think like marmite its an acquired taste. The town puts on an amazing aftermatch function here. Bands, DJs and events to keep all and sundry very happy. The line up Saturday night sees a rock band starting followed by a series of DJs. The crowds are a bit thinner than last year for the simple reason that its bloody cold!! But that doesn’t stop the dancing and nonsense being talked. All in bed at around 1pm in fear and anticipation of tomorrow’s sailing

Another great day at Defi Wind.

--- Day 4 ---

This was the last day of the 4 day competition. The wind early on in the day was as strong as at the end of yesterday. But since this was the last day I decided that I needed to go out. The race director announced that it would be only one lap around a 25 km course rather than two laps. Everyone cheered.

Read more

People had rigged 4.0's and 4.5's. Yesterday only one guy in the top 25 had something bigger than a 5.2 up. He was on a 5.6 and was a big guy.

My smallest was a 6.2. I was in for a spanking. Sailed along the beach to line up for the start. Sail sheeted out in order to avoid being slammed. Jumped off and waited for 10 minutes. Could hardly hold onto the sail standing in the shallows. About 5 minutes before the start I decided to pull out of the race because there was no way that I could finish the course. The wind at the first mark, 12 km away was 10 knots stronger than at the start. That mean having to deal with 45 knots on a 6.2. The winds was so strong that it blew the ocean away. The wind shear on the ocean resulted in the water level dropping by about 40cm. Insane.

As I got to the beach with my tail between my leg, I heard the PA announcement that the race was cancelled. Phew. James was already in as well because his smallest sail was a 5.9. High five, no more racing in nuclear conditions. But then the race director came across on the PA to say that the top 50 would be going out for a race. Looked at the rankings and was in 58th place. Sweet. Off came the wetsuit. James was in 17th position so he had a tough call to make about whether to go out. With one discard to use, he decided to preserve the body and stay on the beach.

We watched the race with about 1000 other spectators from a rocky breakwater. The crowd here are really into this sport. Many families had come from around the region to watch the event. As the race leader came past for the first lap there was a huge cheer from the beach. The guy leading kept his lead and eventually won the race by about 40 seconds. Anders Bringdal was second. As the winner came back to the beach, the crowd cheered and people started crowding around him. He was a rockstar for the day.

Pretty cool to have been part of this event. And lucky to have picked the year where they had 4 days of wind. The previous two years there was no wind but by the sounds of it still good fun.

Managed to sell my CA 66 to an italian guy who had tried the 66 on lake Garda recently. He was so stocked with the board he had demo'd that then proceeded to buy a 58 from James. In fact all but one of the boards that James has made for the trip has sold. Good work getting a brand all the way from Taranaki to become popular in Europe. We also tried our best getting the Molly Woppy biscuits brand known to the french. The biscuits went down a treat with the locals. And some for us too of course. Thanks Al-p.

Speaking of brands, the biggest brand at the event was NP. Absent were Fanatic and Starboard as well as Tabou. Excocet, and The Loft were there, as well as the reincarnated Mistral, now owned by Anders Bringdal.

Full story with lots of great pictures on the Carbon Art ste
http://carbonartwindsurf.com/News/Defi-Wind-Gruissan-2010

Details of New Zealand National Ocean Water Sports Centre announced

Takapuna Beach was today confirmed as the venue for the National Ocean Water Sports Centre (NOWSC) by the Minister of Sport and Recreation the Hon. Murray McCully and North Shore City Mayor, Andrew Williams. Speaking at the nearby Takapuna Boating Club, the Minister confirmed that the $8million facility would cater for Sailing, Triathlon and Ocean Kayaking. The area is also used for a myriad of other ocean sports including ocean swimming, kite surfing, surfboats and surfing.

The novel concept for the facility known as 'The Bunker' is that it will be located in a large excavation in the adjoining carpark digging a hole 36 metres long by 60 metres wide - which will be covered back to the existing land level and topped with a deck and viewing area.

The facility will be capable of storing about 80 boats, plus RS:X and Techno windsurfers, along with paddleboards and surfskis plus waka/outriggers and kayaks.

Graphic of the park view of the NOWSC 14 June 2010 -

A glass fronted area will open onto the Takapuna Beach reserve, which will house changing rooms and showers plus high performance coaching facilities for Yachting New Zealand and the other ocean watersports.

For major regattas and other events the facility will be designed to be used for spectators, media and event organisation taking some of the load off the nearby Takapuna Boating Club. The Takapuna Boating Club and beach area has been the venue for some 14 world sailing championships since the 1970's and was the venue for the 2008 World Championships and Olympic Qualification regatta for four Olympic classes in 2008.

The area is close to a major shopping area, with plenty of accommodation within walking distance plus some of the best sailing waters in the world, making it a unique world sailing venue. The area looks out onto the Hauraki Gulf - venue for the 2000 and 2003 America's Cups.

Funding for the new facility, part of a series of high performance sporting infrastructure announcements made by the NZ Government in the past week, will come from Government sources, plus the North Shore City Council and private funding sources.

The planning process is expected to be completed by mid-September 2010 and the facility should open in 2011.

The site as it currently stands, with the NOWSC superimposed - 14 June 2010 -

http://www.sail-world.com/NZ/Details-of-New-Zealand-National-Ocean-Water...

Kiwi kitesurfer in world-record attempt

When Louis Tapper sets out to kitesurf a record-breaking 2000 kilometres along the coast of Brazil, he knows achieving his goal could ultimately be beyond his control. The Wellington adventurer, who works as a banker, left for Brazil last night kitted out with a new kiteboard and a feeling of excitement tinged with trepidation.

"There's a fine line between adventure and misadventure and I'm certainly aware of my own fragility out there."

Mr Tapper, 36, has given himself a month to kitesurf from Salvador north to Sao Luis, and is hoping for strong trade winds to help him.

He will take a modified 35-litre backpack with essential supplies for sleeping on the beach along the way.

The Brazilian coastline is growing in popularity among kitesurfers, who favour the region at this time of year because of the warm, windy conditions.

While Mr Tapper was likely to be helped along the northern half of his journey by 45kmh winds, he said the start would be more challenging.

"The trade winds don't blow as strong in the south and they can be quite fickle."

Official Guinness world records for kitesurfing exist only for courses completed within 24 hours, but Mr Tapper said kitesurfers recognised Frenchman Eric Gramond as "indisputably" the world record holder for travelling the furthest distance. In 2007 Gramond covered 1450km in 13 days along the same stretch of coast where Mr Tapper will attempt his feat.

Although Mr Tapper has allowed one month for the trip, its duration will depend on conditions.

He has been training along the Kapiti Coast and at Wellington, which he said provided a perfect practice ground, with constant strong winds.

Last October he became the first to kitesurf from Auckland to the Bay of Islands, making the 262km journey in 13 hours.

He has also kitesurfed Cook Strait, but said Brazil would be far more mentally and physically challenging.

He is raising money for the charity Surfaid, and hopes to set out on July 20.

He is carrying a satellite unit which will track his progress and update his location every 10 minutes on his blog, at http:// yakers.co.nz.

article republished from http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/oddstuff/3900064/Kitesurfer-hoping-...

The Malta-Sicily Windsurf Race - 21 years on

"Of all races I've ever done, including the Olympic Games, this one was physically the most difficult. It took me three days to recover." Race winner Bruce Kendall vividly remembers that race...

Great group photo - worth a visit

In early May 1989, I was taking part in a windsurfing rally in Palermo when I was introduced to Wilfred Sultana who, after a short chat, asked me if I would consider taking part in the Malta-Sicily Windsurf Race, a 53.4nm marathon he was organising and running.
My Sicilian friend, Paco Wirz, who raced for Italy at the 1988 Olympics, was also invited for the race. The idea was instantly appealing to me. What an adventure... quite a big distance and clearly visible on the globe.

All expenses were covered and there was the chance of winning prize money, too.
But first, my plans had to be altered and I also had to fly to France to purchase the necessary equipment and fly it all back to Malta.
My plans went well until I tried to get the five-metre masts from Paris to Sicily. They were too long and had to go by freight. Due to the wasted time at the airport, I missed my flights and had to stay another night in Paris.

After two weeks of constant phone calls from Palermo and various towns, driving around Sicily with Wirz on the way to Malta, all my equipment made it to destination the day before the event. We also had to clear customs but with the help of Sultana and his team all things fell into place even though I ended up receiving this new and untried equipment the morning of the race - May 28.
I was fortunate that on the morning of the race, the weather conditions suited me perfectly. It was a light swell from the southeast with a chop on top and a steady 10 knots from the northeast. Not exactly great for breaking the record of 5hrs 56mins 35secs, but good for my chances of winning with the equipment I had.

There were 10 competitors invited from 10 different countries.
Each sailor was designated a support boat. Mine, I recall, was Maid of Arundel, skippered by Anthony Demajo.
We started at 9 a.m. The fleet spread out pretty quickly due to the different tactical choices.
I quickly took the lead and after one hour I had already lost sight of land and sailing in the straightest direction possible towards Sicily.
The wind had dropped to about seven knots and the seas became smoother. At five hours I was only able to see two other competitors and I was concerned that the sailors I could not see could have passed me without my knowledge.
As we had been on one tack the entire time, the prolonged strain on my body was beginning to take its toll. My only consolation was that I knew I was probably in a better shape than the others having finished the Olympic Games with a gold medal eight months before and not stopped training.
But I was at my physical end.

I could see land and knew the finish was close. The wind had dropped to about three knots and had veered almost to the south east.
Wirz was now a few hundred metres behind and, like me, was also pumping his sail as hard as he could. My hands were blistered and bleeding and the soles of my feet had worn through... I felt exhausted.

Total collapse

Suddenly, I lost control of my rig and it fell in the water. I remember trying to pull it back up but to no avail. All the sacrifice, effort and money to do this event and win the Lm800 prize-money was in jeopardy after a total breakdown of my energies.
My support boat crew was urging me on but all I could do was sit on my board and wait for a recovery that would be enough to pull the sail out of the water and make it home.

Fortunately, before Paco got within 100m of me, I was able to haul the rig and make it through the finish line without any more dramas - finishing in 6:49.42.
Wirz was second in 7:05.38 and John van der Starre (Netherlands) third in 7:34.18.

Of all races I have ever done, including 24-hour solo windsurfing races and the Olympic Games, this was physically the toughest. It took me three days to recover.
Fortunately, when I returned to Palermo, I was able to sell the equipment and pay back the money I had borrowed.
However, I still feel privileged to have experienced this story and come out on top. Due to the equipment issues, I spent more time with Sultana than normal and getting to know him was also a great pleasure.
I remember, in my first meeting with him I asked questions about Malta one of which was "On which side of the road you drive?
With a persuasive look he answered 'in the shade'.
I asked no further and learned the real answer when I arrived for the crossing, yet recalling the episode still brings a grin to my face.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100725/sport/the-malta-sicil...

UK windsurfers will map marine conservation zones - scope for a similar project in New Zealand?

Windsurfers are being asked to help in a project that uses an interactive map to record how British waters are used, in an effort to identify potential sites for Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs).

The Marine Conservation Zone Project is a partnership project working with people who use the sea for their livelihood or leisure to identify Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs).

The Project area has been split into four regional MCZ projects covering the south-west (Finding Sanctuary), Irish Sea (Irish Sea Conservation Zones), North Sea (Net Gain) and south-east (Balanced Seas).

The information you share will be used by your representatives on the regional project stakeholder groups to plan Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). The aim is for MCZs to have the least impact possible on people’s activities, although the recommendations for MCZs will need to meet national guidelines for protecting species, habitats, geography and geomorphology.

http://www.mczmapping.org/

VF Slot Box - new light weight fin box for windsurfers - includes video

At just 77 grams per piece, the Slot Box could be the best way to shed some weight this season! Leading manufacturers, Starboard and Tabou have recently announced the launch of a new light weight fin box, which is to be incorporated into their multifin boards. But, they also hope that it will replace the current industry standard, the US Box in the not too distant future.

Initially designed by Tabou's head shaper, Fabien Vollenweider, who then took it to Cobra for their expertise, and opened the floor for anyone else to improve upon the design, the Slot Box was first initiated because Vollenweider felt that the Mini Tuttle boxes created a weak spot over the rider's heel, and therefore had the potential to cause injury.

Aside from the possible weak spots of the Mini Tuttle, there are two main advantages to the Slot Box:

Firstly, each box weighs a meagre 77 grams compared to the US Box which weighs 300 grams. That doesn't sound like a huge saving for a board with only one box, but for those with two, three, four, or even five boxes, you're getting close to a one kilogram saving which is about a 15-20% weight save overall!

Secondly, the Slot Box utilises the same dimensions as a traditional US Box, which means you could use all of your current US Box wave fins in the new system by simply removing the pin.

For a detailed review on the new boxes, and to find out the opinions of some of the most respected industry figures, including those of Fanatic Brand Manager Craig Gertenbach, Fanatic R&D Manager and 2009 Sylt Waves Runner Up Klass Voget (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC), JP Brand Manager Martin Brander, shaper and rider Patrik Diethelm (Patrik, North), Mistral Brand Manager and former world cup competitor Anders Bringdal, and the inventor Fabien Vollenweider himself, check out the box clever article on page 44 of this month's issue of windsurfer international by following this link HERE.

And, take a look at the video of the new Slot Box on Starboard's website by clicking HERE.

Only time will tell whether the whole industry adopts the new system as the standard...

pwaworldtour.com

Video : http://www.star-board.com/2010/news_events/read.php?threadid=9229

Wellington Windsurfing Association news - June 2010

NOT SO WINDY WELLINGTON
With the season coming to an end and me returning to the tropical
shores of the UK, my final news letter reflects on the fact that the Windy
City decided to be less than abiding when it came to blowing on event
days.

In fact this year we had to cancel two Freewaves, two Slalom days,
grovelled in the Harbour Blast and got lots of use of our other toys at
Lake Ferry … that’s 7 weekend days with no wind.

This news is also available as a pdf to download with pictures ...

HARBOUR BLAST
In the last three years the Harbour Blast always provides excitement for
the rescue craft whatever the wind. This year we had a huge amount of
sailors entering, only to be doubled by every kitesurfer and their dog. The
one thing we didn’t have was wind.

However we did manage to run the race and had 19 finishers. The
defending champion James was piped at the post by Clayton this year.
Despite the lack of wind, the event atmosphere was just great. There
was a huge turnout to both the race and the after event social and prize
giving.

Thank you to all the people helping on the day, the rescue craft and the
extra assistance provided by the Police and Coast Guard picking many
bobbing sailors out of the harbour.

WEEKEND AT LAKE FERRY
As with the theme of this newsletter Lake Ferry and the Palliser coast
line was untypically bathed in Sunshine and some light breezes.
However this attracted one of the largest turn-outs in the last few years
although could have been mistaken for a surfing (and SUPing) club road
trip!

We had a great social on Saturday night and so good to see a lot of new
members. If you haven’t already check out the sessions from Chris,
Digby, Myself and Anton’s first SUP at Whatarangi

THE WWA WEBSITE
We have been very busy for the last couple of months re-vamping the
WWA website and it will launched in the next month or so.
The website will be primarily there to provide information on WWA news,
events and links to local resources such as forums, spot guides, weather,
waves and shops.

We are also moving the membership management online and soon you
will receive an email about how to log on. You can update you contact
information, set your preferences on what you want to hear about and
register for WWA events. Everyone will be able to join or renew their
membership online and pay by Credit/Debit card.

Huge thanks to Merel Rip and Mike Bourke for the work in building the
site and to Daryl Neal for managing the old site for the last
couple of years.

Watch this space and please provide feedback.

AND FINALLY FAREWELL
So as most of you know by now (particularly if you have read the opening
paragraph!), after nearly three years I’m going back to the UK.
I have really enjoyed my time here and after returning to Windsurfing
around four years, I soon realised I’d came to a great location in terms of
wind, waves, accessibility and the great crew involved in the sport.
I’m probably more enthused by the sport now than when I started -
sailing in the mid-eighties amongst a couple of hundred people in Poole
Harbour! And although Wellington has been a great place to live I’m very
excited about going back and sailing new spots – in fact I’ve already got
a road trip planned to Tiree in October!

In terms of the WWA, we are always in need of volunteers to help
organise and run events, write content for our website and work with
local authorities to ensure we get a say in what happens on and around
our sailing spots. Please do put your hand up, even the smallest
contributions really help.

So now it’s time to say farewell and wish you a great sailing season
ahead and I’m sure I’ll be back here on holiday in the not too distant
future, keep in touch and connect to me on facebook, linkedin and/or
sessionlogs.com.

Duncan Williams on behalf of the Wellington Windsurfing Association

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Windsurfer Barbara Kendall one of two Athlete Role Models

Former New Zealand Olympic champions, Hamish Carter and Barbara Kendall announced their positions as Athlete Role Models for the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Their new roles will see both Carter and Kendall attend the Youth Olympic Games to inspire and encourage the team of 58 promising New Zealand athletes.

The Youth Olympic Games aims to provide young athletes with an international sporting platform.

The Youth Olympic Games isn’t just about competing on the world stage, it also includes a Culture and Education Programme designed to engage and encourage athletes to be true champions by adopting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect. Four times New Zealand sports woman of the year Barbara Kendall says;

“The Youth Olympic Games is a fantastic opportunity for young athletes around the world to come together, compete and celebrate the Olympic spirit. I am confident that this talented New Zealand team will do just that! I can’t wait to inspire and encourage them to adopt and embrace the Olympic values to enjoy a successful Youth Olympic Games for New Zealand.”

The Youth Olympic Games run 14-24 August in Singapore and will play host to 5,000 talented young athletes between 14 and 18 years of age from 205 National Olympic Committees along with an estimated 20,000 local and international volunteers, and more than 370,000 spectators

YNZ Courses - Race Management Seminars, Club Instructor Courses & Club Safety Boat Operator

Race Management Seminars
Race management seminars are targeted at anyone interested in learning or improving the knowledge and skills required to undertake any of the on the water duties to run round the buoys type yacht races. The course is suitable for beginners who want to know more, those with some experience on start boat or mark boat, those who have some experience as a race officer, those who wish to seek qualification as a Club Race Officer or National Race Officer and those very experienced wishing to revalidate. It is expected that experienced members will assist sharing their knowledge during the seminars.

Sessions will include:

Flags, timing, course options, course setting, using GPS, line sighting, recording, course changes, decisions of the race committee before and during racing and finishes.

Dates	Region	Yacht Club	Register by:	Cost	Facilitator
28 & 29 August	Otago	Otago YC	13 August	Free	J & L Parrish
3 & 4 July	Wellington	Evans Bay Y & MBC	18 June	Free	J & L Parrish
4 & 5 Sept.	Northland	Keri Keri YC	20 August	Free	J & L Parrish
18 & 19 Sept.	Auckland	Royal NZ Yacht Squadron	3 Sept	Free	J & L Parrish

Club Instructor Courses

The Club Instructor Course qualifies you to teach the Yachting New Zealand Learn to Sail Dinghy course. See the full course outline.

If you would like to register your interest for one of our courses and belong to a Yacht Club/Organisation affiliated to Yachting New Zealand, please fill out the form and return to gerry@yachtingnz.org.nz Application forms are available on the Upcoming Courses page.

6 – 8 August, Murrays Bay, Auckland
13 – 15 August, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club, Auckland
14 – 15 August, Otago YC, Dunedin
20 – 22 August, Worser Bay Boating Club, Wellington
20 – 22 August, Queen Charlotte YC, Picton
27 – 29 August, Hamilton YC
3 - 5 September, Naval Point Club Lyttelton

Club Safety Boat Operator Course

Thanks to the Auckland Regional Council’s Coastal Enhancement Fund Yachting New Zealand is able to provide Club Safety Operator Driver courses to yacht clubs in the Auckland region at a heavily subsidised rate.

We are inviting clubs to host these courses. These would be good to schedule in before the season starts and everyone becomes too busy!

Coastguard Boating Education in conjunction with Yachting New Zealand has developed a special course for operators of club rescue and support craft. This course is very relevant and very thorough and aims to increase safety and proficiency of safety boat operators, enabling better safety cover for sailors involved in yacht club activities.

Modules include…
Preparation, Boat checks & Safety Equipment
NZ Law
Launching & retrieving
Boat handling
Mark Laying
Communication
Righting inverted & partially inverted craft
Casualty rescue
Towing
End of day procedures

The course can be run over one day or two evening sessions. No pre-requisites are required to take the course.

The cost to attend the course is $25 per person. This fee covers Coastguard Boating Education’s administration fee and the cost of the certificate.

The course requires a minimum of 10 participants with a maximum of 12. If your club is interested in hosting a course please contact Andrew Clouston on 09 361 4021 or andrew@yachtingnz.org.nz

These courses are also available outside of Auckland at the full rate.

[UK] Sailing instructors rise by 1,500 in a year

The number of dinghy, windsurfing and powerboat instructors in England has risen by almost 1,500 in the last year. The rise comes since the launch of the RYA's Adult Participation Programme, funded through Sport England, which aims to increase and develop the number of adults regularly sailing and windsurfing.

Since beginning the project in 2009, the RYA has contracted 49 regional club coaches to work alongside regional development officers helping clubs with planning, organisation, volunteers, training courses and organising windsurfing and instructor days.

Graham Manchester, head of the Adult Participation Programme, said: 'We are delighted with these new figures.

'They show that clubs are investing in their volunteers through instructor training courses.

'These volunteers are then helping to raise the opportunities and quality of on-water sessions run at clubs across England.

'We believe we are building strong foundations through supporting the volunteers within clubs which will result in adults having more opportunities to sail and sail more often.'

To find out more information about club development visit www.rya.org.uk/go/club.

The Big Basin Horse and Windsurf Camp (humour)

Copyright (C) 1994, Luigi Semenzato

My former girlfriend and I decided we should do something together.`We could go camping' she proposed.

`Well... yes... we could... but the wind season is almost over and...'

`Oh, wait, I have to train my horses for the Pebble Beach show.'

`Right, exactly.' Then I remembered something. Across the highway from the Waddell parking lot there is a gate, and a road that goes up a valley. A short drive on that road leads to a horse campground,complete with stalls and plenty of space for trailers. Now picture this: a horse camp within walking distance of a prime wave sailing location. I told Martha; she was thrilled. She made reservations,and Saturday morning early we packed two horses, two boards, seat harness, head harness, buttpads, footstraps, uphauls, around-hauls,mouth-hauls, food, and hay. It took a while, but everything fit. No fear of mixing up items either. Anything in leather or cloth or rope was hers; anything in carbon fiber or neoprene or other high-tech material was mine. (I packed the spreader bar separately---I noticed certain similarities and I didn't want it to end up in the horse's mouth). If there is confusion about an item, just smell it.

We left for the rugged California coast in one of the largest known surfmobiles, a four-door, six-wheel pickup truck with a seven litre engine and a horse trailer attachment. The wind was still light at Waddell when we arrived, so we made the following perfectly balanced plan: in the morning I would ride one horse and Martha would ride the other; in the afternoon I would sail and Martha would ride both horses. If you think windsurfers are obsessed, wait until you get one of those horse freaks as your former girlfriend.

My horse skills are almost at par with my windsurfing skills. I can jibe and even tack a horse with complete confidence, assuming he cooperates. (This assumption is necessary to make any statement whatsoever about a horse). I'm not all that comfortable with planing on a horse yet; a light plane is okay (a little choppy, really), afull plane is still tricky. Unfortunately my horse was quite overpowered, and I had to sheet in all the time to slow him down.Yes, you got it right: to slow down you sheet in. I could explain,but it's complicated. Eventually the conditions improved and the ride got steadier.

The road followed the bottom of the valley, along Waddell Creek. The important landmarks were clearly marked. `Tram Gulch? What kind of name is that?' I asked.

`Perhaps the loggers built a tram here.'

`Loggers?'

`You didn't read the historical information? There was this guy,Waddell, who owned a logging operation here. He was killed by a bear.'

`Oh, really.'

`It was one of the early victories for the environmentalists.'

`Indeed.'

When it was time to jibe, my horse didn't cooperate. He likes to explore and wanted to keep going. This horse has a taste for freedom.He started his career as a race horse. He took early retirement, and was sent to a pasture in Arizona, from which he escaped. He joined a pack of wild horses and was recaptured a year later. As a show name for him, Martha picked `Grazing Arizona.' I don't have a show name for my board yet. Skeeter Eater? Nah.

My board was patiently waiting at the campsite when we finally returned. I dismounted and collapsed, crippled by cramps. I have horse skills, but not horse muscles. The thought of hitting saltwater helped me recover quickly. I wolfed lunch down and drove the giant surfmobile to the beach. Wind! Waves! Sailors! The ocean was mine; the vast, roadless, dustless, horseless ocean.

I rigged a five-five. A bit too large, but that was fine. The waves were small, and I had fun jibing on the inside, on silk-smooth water,with the added thrill of not knowing if I would hit sand with the fin and do the dreaded shallow-water face plant; or if I would be unexpectedly munged by a breaker as I concentrated on the sail flip.I took frequent rests and walked up and down the beach, looking for internet friends. I had announced to the mailing list I would be there, and a couple of people had replied. Of course I didn't know what they looked like, so I had to use the standard strategy: find a candidate, greet him, ask casual questions, introduce myself. My name is uncommon and people recognize it easily.

But nobody took notice, and I felt a bit lonely. At six the wind began to drop. People left, and the beach emptied. A lone sailor stood on wet sand, facing the setting sun. I greeted him, standard procedure. I watched his eyes when I said `My name is Luigi.' Behind the eyes I saw his pattern matcher kick in and the search succeed.The result emerged into his consciousness and the motor neurons contracted his cheeks into a smile. `Luigi! I am Geoff! Good to meet you!'

`Are you the Geoff from foo dot bar dot com?'

`Yes!'

`What a coincidence!' We discussed wind and electronics and I invited him over to our campsite for dinner.

I drove back to the camp. Martha was still out riding. I wanted toget out of the wetsuit but I decided to start the water for pasta first. The water faucet was a few sites away, and I walked to it and back enjoying the curious stares from people and horses alike. `What a completely alien creature!' they must have been thinking. I couldn't find any matches so I borrowed some from our neighbors, in exchange for a close-up look to my outfit, complete with vivid descriptions of the coldness of the water and the roughness of the waves and the bravery of the sailors, and mine in particular.

Martha arrived, and Geoff too, and we had a chatty dinner. In retrospect, it was an excellent idea to invite Geoff, because we had forgotten our silverware, and he provided some. In his well-equipped surfmobile Geoff even had a gas stove, which we also borrowed because ours was puny in comparison and it's unclear that it would have ever brought the water to a boil. I don't think Geoff was impressed by our camping skills.

After dinner we sat in front of a big campfire and exchanged epic windsurf and horse adventures. Then Geoff left. We returned to our site. The sky was heavily decorated. Martha and I studied the Milky Way and the clouds of dust on the galaxy plane. Martha said: `This is great. Let's do it again in two weeks.'

`It's the end of the season. There won't be any wind in two weeks.'

`Oh!' She spoke no more, but her eyes, shining in the light from the stars and the faraway fire, silently asked the unanswerable question:why did he pick such an unreliable sport?

2010 Carbon Art Rodgers Dental New Zealand Wavesailing Nationals

The 2010 windsurfing wave nationals final was a family affair with team La Franchie reaching the top two positions. Chris dominated the final, as he dominated the rest of the competition. He consistently landed aerials off the outside peak and was laying in the most radical turns. These were vertical bottoms turns flowing at full speed onto the other rail and gauging 270° back into the white water. The thousands of top turns Taranaki has gifted these two brothers, showed through in their smooth style, wave timing and selection. Chris is the leading sailor in Taranaki at the moment and is showing the standard required for all the aspiring champion wave sailors out there. Tom Taylor showed he is not just a free style maestro, and has top skills in waves as well. Lots of critical hits and aerials gave him a deserved 3rd place this year.

The results for 2010 Carbon Art Rodgers Dental New Zealand Wavesailing Nationals are as follows:

Open Men

1st Chris La Franchie
2nd Mike La Franchie
3rd Tom Taylor
4th Simon Smith

Woman
1st Katrin Dauentry

Youth
1st Thomas Davies

Full story here
http://carbonartwindsurf.com/News/2010-Carbon-Art-Rodgers-Dental-New-Zea...

Expression of Interest : Funding proposal (SPARC) to promote youth windsurfing has passed the first hurdle

Windsurfing NZ has put in an Expression of Interest (EOI) for funding over the next 3 years to employ someone to promote windsurfing at the youth / yacht club level. This would be backed up with other initiatives to support the development of clubs and promote windsurfing in general. The 2 page submission has been accepted by SPARC but there's a lot of competition so we will now start working on the next phase of the proposal. If you would like to be involved in any way please contact Bruce Spedding. The 2 page submission is included below.

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Government wants to TRIPLE the size of the aquaculture industry - with what impact on our coastline?

The Government will be able to overrule regional councils on new aquaculture applications under rules designed to help triple the size of the industry.

Industry figures welcomed Cabinet recommendations to streamline the consent process for new aquaculture farms, with no new space set aside since 2004.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley said the current regulations for aquaculture were cumbersome and that, without change, it was unlikely space for new ventures would be set aside for several years.

"We want to free up regulatory bottlenecks that have kept aquaculture planning in limbo."

The Government has said it supports Aquaculture New Zealand's goal to triple the size of the industry to $1 billion in annual sales by 2025.

New recommendations outlined yesterday would see the Resource Management Act changed to allow the minister of fisheries and aquaculture to overrule decisions by regional councils in the national interest.

But Mr Heatley said this would be done only in exceptional circumstances.

He said the current legislation lacked incentive for regional councils to plan for new development, with the councils forced to incur the cost of setting up designated aquamarine areas.

While businesses could apply for a specific area to be established for farming, there has been no guarantee that the applicant would then be awarded the consent to farm the area ahead of a rival.

Minimum consent durations for aquaculture ventures would be extended from the current five years to 20 years to provide more certainty over investment.

Aquaculture New Zealand chairman Peter Vitasovich welcomed the plans, describing existing legislation as "unworkable". This had meant the industry had experienced "a lost decade".

"The whole thing was a cumbersome piece of legislation that just clearly wasn't going to work."

Mr Vitasovich, who farms mussels in the Coromandel, said a new dedicated aquaculture business unit within the Fisheries Ministry would provide the industry with "a home".

Previously it has reported to five government departments.

Last night Grant Rosewarne, chief executive of Nelson-based NZ King Salmon, said his company could grow from its existing five hectares of fish farms in the Marlborough Sounds to 20 hectares, possibly by the end of the next decade.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3629823/Boost-for-fish-farm-industry

Ken Kingsbury - windsurfer and innovator, still going strong

Ken Kingsbury, former Rotorua windsurfing school operator, WNZ Chief Instructor and inventor of the ZUD (Zero Unecessary Deflection) windsurfer, KIWISI windsurfing simulator and the Grasshopper land windsurfing board - and probably many other things, is still active in Rarotonga where he went to set up a windsurfing school and has continued to innovate. A recent email from Ken describes his latest invention, the Terddlecat.

Ken was well known for his windsurfing school on the shores of Lake Rotorua and for training many windsurfing instructors including myself. He developed the KIWISI, a windsurfing simulator which takes conventional windsurfer and allows it to be used on land in a highly natural way. The KIWISI can also be folded up into a bag and carried in a car boot.

The Grasshopper is an oversized 3 wheeled landboard which takes a standard windsurfing rig, and its small bicycle style wheels make it suitable for hard surfaces and rolling ground. Steering is 'skateboard' style.

The ZUD has been ahead of its time, Ken has developed many prototypes of this board which preceeded modern wide boards in its innovation, and is still unique with its squared off chisel like nose. Ken has circumnavigated Rarotongas main island on ths board.

Since moving to Raro Ken has been working at several new designs, including a solar powered jet boat and a novel paddle craft which he has just moved to a new stage with his latest design.

So, the message from Ken (and the website with his latest project):

Hello all our patient friends,
Most of you will have given up expecting letters from us and I apologise if you wrote last. By way of a more general apology I will give you this website,
www.treddlecat.com in case you havn't already visited it, as it will explain the preoccupation that has made me so unsociable recently.

I still intend to try to catch up with most of you (but you know what they say about good intentions). Anyway Elizabeth and I are still alive and keeping mostly well and still enoy any contact we get with old friends. We hope things are going well with all of you. Ken.

The Greatest NZ Sportspeople: Barbara Kendall

NZ Herald asked Barbara Kendall, 3 times Olympic medal winner who her top 10 role models were:
Yvette Corlett Williams, Sir Russell Coutts, Dame Susan Devoy, Paige Hareb, Mark Todd, Hamish Carter, Steve Gurney, Bruce Kendall, David Kirk, and Super Mums.
Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=1063007...

The Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia - Tom Ashley wins silver in RS:X windsurfing

It’s silver for Tom Ashley and Bronze for Michael Bullot at Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE 2010 Regatta now over in Palma de Majorca, Spain. The podium places were decided in the medal races just sailed in Majorca. Three more NZL Sailing Team members recorded top ten finishes at this event with Andrew Murdoch sixth and Josh Junior tenth, both in the Laser class. Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie finished fifth in the Women’s 470.

Racing today took place in light winds of around 7-10 knots.

Tom Ashley (Photo right by Claire Matches / Princesa Sofía MAPFRE) was sixth in today’s medal race which was enough to pull him up into the silver medal spot when early leader in the regatta Shahar Zubari had a poor medal race finishing eighth and missing the medals by just one point.

Ashley’s result saw him overtake Zubari in the standings and just edge out Dorian Van Rijsselberghe of the Netherlands who finished strongly taking the bronze medal.

It was Byron Kokkalanis who claimed the gold medal in the Men’s RS:X.

New Zealand’s other medal came for Michael Bullot who went into the Laser class medal race in third position in the standings. The Murrays Bay Sailing Club representative from Auckland’s North Shore was third in the medal race, which was enough to secure him the bronze medal.

Spain’s Javier Hernandez took the gold medal in what was described as a remarkable victory after a tight battle in the medal race with Croatian sailor Tonci Stipanovic who won the silver. Javier Hernández said “this is like a dream; it is the first World Cup event I win.”

Andrew Murdoch finished in sixth after an eighth in today’s medal race.

Josh Junior secured a spot in the Laser medal race after being awarded redress for the two races sailed on the penultimate day having suffered a broken rudder. Junior, from Wellington, was tenth in the medal race and tenth overall.

New Zealand was the best represented nation in the Laser medal race with three of our six Laser representatives finishing in the top ten at this important regatta. Bullot had a stellar season in 2009 and Murdoch returns after a break from international competition – however both of these seasoned campaigners have some stiff competition, and excellent training partners, in the young competitors like Josh Junior and Andy Maloney coming through the ranks.

Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie have finished in fifth place in the Women’s 470 after a seventh place in the medal race. Top five marks a solid start to the European season for this kiwi pair who have the 2012 Olympic Games seriously in their sights.

The New Zealand team is supported by coaches Ian Neely, Mark Howard, Nathan Handley, Jez Fanstone and David Robertson.

See the regatta website for news, history, entry lists, and results.

The 41 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mapfre now comes to an end. Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères, is the next event of the ISAF Sailing World Cup at the end of April. The Trofeo Sofia Mapfre will be back next year with new dates, from 2 to 9 April 2011, to adapt to the ISAF Sailing World Cup calendar.

New Zealand’s Final Positions

RS:X
Men’s – 72 entries
Tom Ashley – 2nd (3, 6, 2, 8, 5, 5, 13, Medal Race: 6th)
Antonio Cozzolino – 40th (31, 45, 48, 36, 41, 18, 52, DNF)
Women’s – 41 entries
Kate Ellingham – 14th (15, 13, 12, 11, 20, 9, 18, 14)
Jazmine Lynch – 28th (30, OCS, 30, 23, 22, 17, 29, 32)

Laser (131 entries)
Mike Bullot – 3rd (12, 4, 1, 16, BFD, 4, 14, 4, Medal Race: 3rd)
Andrew Murdoch – 6th (4, 8, DNF, 2, 4, 16, 9, 15, Medal Race 8th)
Josh Junior – 10th (31, 5, 3, 42, 9, 11, RDG, RDG, Medal Race 10th)
Andy Maloney – 16th (16, 2, 15, 20, 7, 42, 14, 34)
Sam Meech – 34th (35, 19, 14, 3, 21, 43, DSQ, 39)
Max Andrews – 48th (20, 33, 10, 14, 52, 48, 50, 30)

Laser Radial (70 entries)
Sara Winther – 22nd (17, BFD, 33, 13, 35, 14, 23)

470 Double-handed dinghy
Women’s – 41 entries
Jo Aleh & Olivia Powrie – 5th (1, 13, 29, 2, OCS, 3, 3, 5, Medal Race 7th)
Men’s - 93 entries
Paul Snow-Hansen & Jason Saunders – 19th (4, 13, 7, 32, 18, 30, 17)

Finn (54 entries)
Matt Coutts – 28th (22, 42, 24, 29, 20, 21, 35)

New Zealand’s Coaching Team:
Ian Neely
Mark Howard
Nathan Handley
Jez Fanstone
David Robertson

For more information contact:
Jodie Bakewell-White
Yachting New Zealand
Tel. 021 709 065
Email. jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz

About this Regatta:
The numbers for 2010:
680 boats
1,000 sailors
40 nations

The Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia – MAPFRE is held in Majorca, in the renowned bay of Palma, every year around Easter and will celebrate its 41st anniversary in 2010. It is the third of seven events in the 2009-10 ISAF Sailing World Cup series.

The Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia – MAPFRE is the starting point of the European sailing season every year. The ten Olympic sailing events are joined by the Dragon fleet as invited class.

USA plan to reboot youth windsurfing backs up Windsurfing NZ approach

Youth windsurfing gets a reboot

An interview with Nevin Sayre
Not since 1992 has a windsurfer representing the United States won an Olympic medal, when Mike Gebhardt won the silver medal in Barcelona, Spain. In 1984, the inaugural year for Men’s Olympic Windsurfing, Scott Steele won a silver medal in Los Angeles, and Gebhardt won the bronze medal in Seoul, South Korea in 1988. Women’s Windsurfing became an Olympic sport in 1992, and to date no American woman has won an Olympic Windsurfing medal.

During his coverage of the 2008 Olympic Regatta in Qingdao, China, Gary Jobson (now President of US SAILING) stated that the USA needs to reboot its sailboard program. Indeed, a 5-person team known as the Windsurfing Task Force had been formed earlier that year at US SAILING’s spring meeting in Providence, RI with a goal of “developing talent & depth for the 2012 Olympic Quad and a medal at the 2016 Olympics.”

To learn more about the Windsurfing Task Force and the newly formed Youth Development Windsurfing Team, we spoke with Nevin Sayre, a member of the Windsurfing Task Force, a five-time U.S. National Windsurfing Champion, Junior Sailing Programs Director at Bic Sport North America and father of US Sailing Team Alphagraphics member (and WindCheck contributor) Solvig Sayre.

WindCheck:What are junior sailing programs in countries like Great Britain and France doing with windsurfing that those in the USA need to emulate?

Nevin Sayre: Windsurfing is fully integrated into most junior sailing programs in the UK and France from the get-go. Kids go back and forth, or they focus on windsurfing or dinghies (or multihulls, in many cases in France) as they grow up.

WC: Who are the other members of the Windsurfing Task Force?

NS: The Windsurfing Task Force is chaired by Bryan McDonald, who is an avid sailor and US SAILING judge from San Francisco, CA. Our Junior Performance Coach is Britt Viehman, who has a windsurfing school in Clearwater, FL. Susan Epstein of Sharon, MA is on the board of directors of US SAILING and the National Women’s Sailing Association. Dan Weiss, who lives in Boston, MA, is the Northeast Region Director of US Windsurfing.

WC: What are your “bottom up” and “top down” strategies?

NS: From the bottom up, we’re trying to get windsurfing into junior sailing programs. The technology has made it possible, and that wasn’t the case ten years ago. You didn’t have one board that an 8-yearold, an 18-year-old or an 80-year-old could sail. With different size rigs, that’s now very possible with one board. The rigs have developed to a stage where you can have an affordable rig that even an 8- year-old can pull out of the water and go windsurfing with very little effort. Windsurfing is far and away the most affordable form of sailing. For the price of one-and-a-half 420s you can get a fleet of eight windsurfers and 12 different rigs to fit sailors of all sizes and abilities. From the top down, we’re creating events for kids who aspire to compete, and opportunities for more high-level coaching.

WC: How is US SAILING’s new Windsurfing Instructor course working?

NS: US SAILING has always had a 4-day course where you become a fully certified instructor, but that just wasn’t working because most sailing programs cannot afford to send an instructor (and certainly not two or three) to a 4-day course in Florida. Now, if you are a Level 1 dinghy certified instructor, you can take this 2-day course that basically gives you all the fundamental tools you need to run a windsurfing program. Are you fully certified? No. Does it really matter? Most people don’t think so. Even if you’re not an expert windsurfer, you can teach a kid how to windsurf. If you give a kid who sails one hour of good instruction on a Techno 293 One Design [the designated international youth development board for ages 5 - 17] in 5 to 12 knots, they’ll be windsurfing around for the next hour all by themselves.

WC: What is the Youth Development Windsurfing Team?

NS: It’s a youth pipeline team endorsed by the US Olympic Sailing Committee, comprising kids who are very committed to training and getting good international results. They’re selected nationally, not just in the Techno 293 but also the RS:X Olympic class or other windsurfing classes. We want to get these kids together so they can learn from each other, receive higher level coaching, and get as much support as they can to go to international events. Americans get our butts kicked when we go over to Europe! Last year, we brought a team of Americans to the Techno 293 World Championship for the first time. There were 300 kids age 16 and under at this regatta in England, and it was a big eye-opener for these kids who had raced in, at most, fleets of 20. The skill level was very, very high and our results reflected that. Last month, Ian Stokes, who is the 2007 Opti National Champion, finished mid-fleet at the Civitavecchia Techno 293 Open Regatta in Italy. Kids like Ian, who is very good sailor, need exposure to international windsurfing competition where the starts are really tough and the level is very high. We’re catching up slowly but surely, but it takes a lot of coaching and getting to those regattas, and we need to keep raising by having our own high caliber events.

WC: Have there been any such events in the USA?

NS: In March, we had 30 kids from Mexico, Canada and the USA at the Techno 293 North American Championship in Merritt Island, FL. That was a bigger event than we’ve ever had before, and the top girl and the top guy qualified for the first Youth Olympics in Singapore in August. That’s a new event and most people haven’t even heard about it. Everyone knows the Summer and Winter Olympics, and from now on there will be a third event, the Youth Olympics. There’s a very narrow age range for this event. You have to have been born in 1994 or 1995, so you can easily be too old or too young. We selected the top kids from this continent. Margot Samson from Florida will be representing the USA, although a Puerto Rican kid and a Mexican kid beat out the American guys to represent North America. There’s a remote chance that we’ll get a wild card berth, and someone like Ian Stokes might represent the USA. [Sayre’s son Rasmus, age 12, won the U15 division at the North Americans.]

WC: Where are this year’s US SAILING Junior Olympic Windsurfing Festival events being held?

NS: The first one is in Merritt Island, FL in June, then there’s a Sailing Festival in Rock Hall, MD in July that will include windsurfing for the first time. St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco is hosting one in October, and I will be hosting the East Coast Junior Windsurfing Championships at Vineyard Haven Yacht Club on Martha’s Vineyard August 3 - 5. Kids from Canada are registering already and we should have a good turnout. We really welcome kids who are just starting out. The Gold fleet is for kids who can blast around the course, and the Silver fleet is for those who may have never raced before but can get upwind. They realize, ‘Wow, this is a lot of fun!’ and get the bug, and maybe they’re in the Gold fleet next year. The 2011 Techno 293 World Championships will be at St. Francis Yacht Club, and people are gonna be amazed because there will be 300 kids age 16 and under rippin’ around San Francisco Bay.

WC: What are the best online resources for young windsurfers who want to compete?

NS: They should check out the Techno 293 website (techno293.org), US Windsurfing (uswindsurfing.org) and Team USA (teamusa-windsurfing.blogspot.com). [Editor’s note: Windsurfers can sign up for professional online coaching with former World Windsurfing Champion Micah Buzianis (and purchase cool “WtF” t-shirts) at the Windsurfing Task Force website: homepage. mac.com/sailing/wtf/wtf2.html.]

WC: What’s your prognosis for windsurfing in the USA?

NS: Everything is pointed in the right direction. There are more junior sailing programs that now have windsurfing, more events and more excitement, and it’s coming back...I only need to look out at the harbor in Vineyard Haven. You’d see windsurfers out there every day in the early 80s, and then for a long time you didn’t. Now you see windsurfers again, and it’s because the gear is easy, it’s affordable, and it’s just flat-out fun.

http://windcheckmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i...

Updates from YNZ - Aquaculture in New Zealand, Foreshore and Seabed Act

Aquaculture in New Zealand – an update

Yachting New Zealand is currently working to represent the best interests of yachties and boaties as the Government reviews New Zealand’s Aquaculture policy (Windsurfing NZ also made submissions). Des Brennan, Chief Executive updates us with the latest....

The Government recently announced the results of its consideration of its Technical Advisory Group’s report to kick-start Aquaculture.

Aquaculture was specifically mentioned in the Finance Minister’s Executive Summary of the Budget in relation to ‘removing the barriers to key growth sectors’. YNZ and other groups made submissions on the TAG proposals late last year and disappointingly little of what we recommend appears to have been adopted so far.

Last week I met officials from Environment and Fisheries with respect to the Government’s announcement on Aquaculture. The concern I expressed was that most of what we had recommended appeared to have been ignored. However we usefully discussed how a suitable consultative model could be established prior to the RMA process, so that unnecessary legal costs could be avoided later on for all parties.

Yachting New Zealand is not against Aquaculture and supports initiatives for economic growth. YNZ simply wants to make sure that marine farms located in the coastal marine area away from areas of high recreational value. We have also broadly identified these areas in our original submission.

I presented the National Pleasure Boat Safety Forum model (sponsored by Maritime New Zealand) as a very productive example. There was I think genuine interest in this approach and a willingness to keep the lines of communications open with YNZ. It is clearly important in any planning that YNZ is involved and that the allocation of public space in the coastal marine area is based upon sound principles and reasonable consultation. The Aquaculture sector must be accountable for the efficacy of its performance environmentally, economically and socially.

Des Brennan
Chief Executive

Foreshore and Seabed Act Review

Yachting New Zealand is speaking up on behalf of yachties and boaties on the matter of the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004. The Government is reviewing the Act and input was requested with a deadline of Friday 30th April.

“This has great significance for our members and the wider boating community,” says Chief Executive, Des Brennan.

Yachting New Zealand’s submission can now be viewed on our website.

Yachting New Zealand’s aim is to ensure that New Zealand’s coastline continues to be available to yachties and boaties for recreational enjoyment.

Windsurfing hero Barbara Kendall retires from Olympic competition

Barbara Kendall is retiring from Olympic competition after a wind surfing career spanning close to a quarter century and encompassing multiple Olympic and World Championship medals.

Now 42 years of age, Barbara is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished athletes and a recognised role model.

Barbara Kendall’s sailing career highlights include...

Olympic Sailing
1992 Barcelona – Gold Medal (Lechner Women)
1996 Atlanta – Silver Medal (Mistral Women)
2000 Sydney – Bronze Medal (Mistral Women)
2004 Athens – Fifth (Mistral Women)
2008 Beijing – Sixth (RS:X Women)

World Championship Medals
1997 Mistral World Championship, Australia – Bronze Medal
1998 Mistral World Championship, France – Gold Medal
1999 Mistral World Championship, Noumea – Gold Medal
2002 Mistral World Championship, Thailand – Gold Medal
2003 Mistral World Championship, Spain – Silver Medal
2004 Mistral World Championship, Turkey – Silver Medal
2007 RS:X World Championship, Portugal – Silver Medal
2008 RS:X World Championship, New Zealand – Silver Medal

Other Major Achievements
1992 New Zealand Sailor of the Year
1992 Awarded MBE
1996 New Zealand Sports Woman of the Year
1998 New Zealand Sailor of the Year
1998 New Zealand Sports Woman of the Year
1999 New Zealand Sports Woman of the Year
2002 New Zealand Sports Woman of the Year
2007 Inducted into ISAF Sailing Hall of Fame

For Kendall there have been not just one, but many key moments. “There have been so many highlights,” she reflects. “That’s why I did it for so long.”

“Winning Olympic Gold was a big highlight, but then that seemed to pale when I went and won the World Championships after just having a baby. Those high points just kept coming.”

“I definitely have the intrepid travel bug in me, and the lifestyle that goes with competing is great. You get to travel the world, compete with the best, which is how you become the best. I have been able to travel the world with a purpose, and doing something that I’m passionate about.”

Her long-time coach and friend Grant Beck describes the x-factor in Kendall’s character that delivered her the medals.

“Barbara is without question our most successful Olympian. Why? Well, she is a Kendall. And like her brother she suffers from all the following faults! Enormous energy; huge drive; massive determination; self belief that if they try hard enough they will achieve; shockingly stubborn and frighteningly competitive,” says Beck.

While she won’t be on the regatta circuit anymore, Kendall is well entrenched in the hearts and minds of all New Zealanders as a bubbly, effervescent and very successful sportswoman.

Yachting New Zealand’s Chief Executive, Des Brennan touches on her legacy; “Barbara has been an inspiration to all New Zealanders and her achievements in Olympic sailing exemplify her greatness.”

“She is a wonderful role model for young people and particularly young women. We will miss her keenly competitive spirit, but her inspiration will endure,” says Brennan.

Kendall says that there are two main aspects she will miss.

“Throughout my 24 years of competing there has always been one single focus – to compete and win. When you have one single ambition it’s easy to make decisions – it’s all about the one goal and I will miss that.”

“The second thing is the competitors. They become your best mates. When you’re competing you see them regularly, so I will miss that too. Thank goodness for FaceBook,” she says.

“After 24 years I’d lost the passion for competing. I used to be consumed by it, and when I got back out there I was waiting for that feeling to come back, and it just didn’t. I felt tired, and had nothing left.”

“I miss it, I miss parts of that lifestyle. But sometimes you have to close one door before you know what comes next for you. I feel lucky that I could come to the decision for myself, I wasn’t forced into retirement by injury or pushed out by the younger girls or overtaken.”

Along with the emotional aspect, Kendall says that family has definitely been a factor. “Balancing two young children, and trying to be on form when you are coping with sleep deprivation wasn’t easy”.

But Kendall recognises that, for her daughters, having a Mum on the Olympic wind surfing circuit has brought benefits too. “The girls are very worldly,” she says. “They’ve travelled the world, and seen a lot, and they’re happy well adjusted kids.”

“Now if the girls want to get into sailing, they’ll have the best coach in the world,” laughs Kendall. “That’s if they want me as their coach!”

Kendall’s retirement from competition sees her putting more time into her predominantly voluntary roles with the International Olympic Committee. [IOC]

She sits on the IOC’s Athletes Commission which serves as a consultative body and is the link between active athletes and the IOC. She is also on the IOC’s Women and Sport Commission.

Kendall also holds two positions with the Oceania Olympic Committee as an Executive Board member, and the President of their Athletes Commission.

Currently Kendall is involved in delivering two programmes within the Oceania region on behalf of the IOC, one of which is being offered to elite level athletes for the first time ever. The IOC athletes career programme in cooperation with Adecco, aims to empower high achieving athletes to make the transition into new life paths as they wind down their sporting career, is being run as a pilot in the Oceania region.

“It’s about personal growth,” she explains. “We look at identifying an individual’s personal skills, strengths and competencies, and how they can be transferred into the world outside of sport. It’s about working out personality type, likes and dislikes, competencies and what skills as an athlete you can offer to the corporate world.”

“I’ve learnt a lot myself in the process,” says Kendall. “There’s been nothing like this in place, so the transition for me hasn’t been easy. I can really see the benefit of the programme from a personal experience level.”

Last week Kendall was working with New Zealand’s elite rowers and the role will take her throughout Oceania. Sydney and Papua New Guinea are next on the agenda.

Her positions with the IOC will see her travel to Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games, being staged for the first time ever in August this year. And she while she won’t be on the start line, Kendall will be in Great Britain during the 2012 Olympic Games.

Now the decision to move on from competition has been made, Kendall finds she has little desire to compete on the water. If she’s out there, for now, it’s just for fun.

Kendall’s long-time coach Grant Beck has supplied the new ride, in the form of a second-hand Optimist. “Last week Samantha, Aimee and I, plus the dog, all climbed in the Optimist together.”

The Kendall Bright family boat is out of the water for a tidy up with plans for cruising on the Hauraki Gulf next summer.

Barbara was born in Papakura in August 1967 and the youngest of three children. Barbara married Shayne Bright in 1993 and their daughters Samantha and Aimee were born in 2001 and 2005 respectively.

Barbara's website http://www.barbarakendall.com/

Annual long distance wind riders event one huge success !

39 windsurfers and kiters from all over the South Island descended on Glenorchy on Saturday 27th Feb. for the Southern Lakes Windriders Club’s annual downwinder sail from Glenorchy to Pigeon Island.

They were rewarded with a stunningly sunny and warm day. It was a spectacular site at the start with an array of coloured kites and windsurfing sails that quickly dispersed at varying speeds downwind. Winds were gusting approx 25 knots with variable and at times challenging wind conditions.

The informal race started at Glenorchy and finished on the Glenorchy road at the beach opposite pigeon island, a course of approximately 10 kms. First to arrive at the finish line, in approx 15 minutes, was local kiter Mike Holland (Queenstown) using a large 17m2 sail. First windsurfer was Gavin Jackson(Dunedin) on a 6.0 sail. 39 competitors took part in the event(compared to 19 last year) with the youngest kiters achieving fantastic results; Bennett Jones, 16yrs old (Dunedin) came in 2nd overall and Blake Porter(Dunedin) only 15yrs old came in 5th overall. Participants travelled from as far afield as Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargil….. with one competitor even from the USA.

Supported by the coastguard and two other smaller locally owned boats manned by volunteers, the event is a memorial to previous club secretary Jude Green.

Event organiser Sue Bradley hailed the event a huge success. “It was amazing to see so many people taking part, the sight as the start was a real tear jerker all these pretty coloured sails in this gorgeous setting.. and what fun ! That was the most fun I’ve had on a windsurfer in a long time ! “

SUPPORTERS/ SPOT PRIZES.

As this is a social fun day out rather than a race, the prizes were focused on random spot registration number draws.

Watercooled Sports; wetsuit hoodie vest; windsurf action video.
Small Planet Sports Shop; 2 X Sports drink bottles; 2 X Caps.
Fanatic Windsurfing; sweatshirt,
G Force Paragliding; Paraglide flight
Winnie Bar and Restaurant. Food voucher.
Queenstown Fibreglass; $100 board repair voucher
Mike @ G Force; Kitesurf rental/lesson (for a windsurfer !)
Windsurfsue ; Windsurf rental/lesson (for a kiter !)..
.............
and the very generous ......
Rodgers Dental/Colgate; $40 product packs for every participant
A.C.T. Builders – Tee shirts.

Many, many thanks to all our Supporters.

More excellent photos here

Aquaculture Technical Advisory Group Report: Summary of Submissions published

Yachting New Zealand: In the past few days the Ministry of Fisheries has released both a summary of submissions and copies of all 223 submissions made in relation to the Technical Advisory Group’s Report to ‘Restart Aquaculture’. It was pleasing to see the large number of strong and well-argued submissions from the recreational boating sector and other aligned groups.

Copies of all submissions and a summary of these can be found on the Ministry of Fisheries website at http://www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/consultations. The Ministry of Fisheries provided the following summary of submissions from our sector:

3.6 Recreational – boat owners

* Do not support the TAG’s recommendations due to giving the aquaculture industry special privilege over other users.
* Significant concerns are raised about the adverse effect aquaculture has on:
* Access to anchorage in sheltered bays for both enjoyment and safety. Further, concerns that proposed changes may impede representatives of recreational boat owners from making submissions on the proposed locations for aquaculture.
* Potential adverse effects on environment as environmental and social impact of large-scale aquaculture industry in New Zealand is perceived as not well understood or addressed in the report.
* Adverse effects on aesthetics due to litter from marine farm operators (e.g. sections of broken mooring buoy and line).
* Adverse effects on tourism.
* Preference is for aquaculture to be very carefully sited so as not to impact on other users (i.e. areas of little recreational or tourism value).
* Requests for no aquaculture or ensure no further expansion of aquaculture in specific areas, including Hauraki Gulf, Northland (East Coast), Nelson/Marlborough Sounds, Banks Peninsula, Fiordland, Stewart Island, Bay of Islands (expect for Waikare Inlet and Orongo Bay and Te Puna inlet).

YNZ will continue to seek a positive outcome for recreational boaties. Clearly 2010 is likely to be a critical year in making sure that recreational interests are not forgotten by Government as the push for more space for marine farming is made. Boaties need to be a less silent majority, and make sure their concerns are voiced. Now is a good time to talk to your local Member of Parliament – reinforce the points above and any other concerns you may have.

Canterbury Windsports Assn news

Finally, the NZ summer has delivered some sea breeze action! A bit late for the Canterbury Kite Champs held in southerly winds over the weekend of Jan 23-24 at Lakeside Domain Lake Ellesemere - but there was plenty of action there too. I can't say more because I've been in sunny hot Brisbane, enjoying warm water and light sea breezes, while evading sharks, bluebottles, and horse flies. Enough said.

Cancellation Notice

The windsurfers Beginners School scheduled this coming weekend (Feb 6-7) is cancelled, 'cos all the guns are in Dunedin at the 2010 NZ Windsurfing Slalom Nationals.

PayPal

Payment of CWA subs by PayPal have been stopped while we sort out some accounting issues. Payments by internet banking or cash/cheque are still quite acceptable (even in arrears), although bear in mind that the CWA membership year is past halfway (July 1 to June 30).

Website

One of the benefits of the new website is that members can login and post their own news and forum articles. I know, I know, - the first time is the hardest, but it doesn't need to be large, so be brave and give it a go. Here's a challenge: how about one news or forum post per membership on 'what I did last summer...' (last summer?). Anything you'd like to share - note that pictures and video clips need to be loaded onto sites like Flickr and Youtube then linked into your text - otherwise it's easy. Check out what's already been posted on the forum - some cool clips on Steve & Ade's trip to the USA - and let's get this website community moving.

Estuary Kite Area Access

Kiters - please remember to close the swing gate behind you, and the last one out please lock it and the cable gate too, to show the council we care. If non-CWA 'freeriders' ask why, then explain that the land belongs to the CCC, that kiters are privileged to be in there, and that both parties want to keep out the bogans and their rubbish. We don't want no kite restrictions, we don't want no kite control...;-)

Enjoy the rest of summer,

John

New Zealand Windsurfing Slalom Nationals 2010 Results

Full results can also be downloaded below. Story and pictures to follow. Pictures: http://dunedinwindsurfing.spaces.live.com/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/windsurfingnz/

Class	Division	Rank	Sail#	FirstName	LastName	Total
Men	50+	1	7	Tim	Wood	57.25
Men	50+	2	75	Mike	Sinclair	100
Men	50+	3	36	Graeme	Evans	101
Men	50+	4	40	Simon	Hall	106
Men	50+	5	411	Tony	Limburg	113
Men	<30	1	279	Gareth	Wood	16.5
Men	Open	2	28	James	Dinnis	19
Men	Open	3	33	Clayton	Dougan	32.5
Men	Open	4	182/427	Terry	Beentjies	37
Men	Open	5	98	Terry	Alkemade	41.5
Men	Open	6	21	Paul	Vlietstra	52.75
Men	Open	7	8	Anton	Blijlevens	56.75
Men	Open	8	281	Paul	Barron	60.5
Men	<30	9	37	Joshua	Nixon	62.75
Men	Open	9	113	Gavin	Jackson	62.75
Men	Open	11	45	Chris	Dimmock	64.25
Men	Open	12	51	Allan	Taylor	101
Men	Open	13	81	Ben	Collins	108
Men	Open	14	133	Dan	Willemse	111
Men	Open	15	311	Nathan	Taylor	121.75
Men	Open	16	32	Durham	Throp	125
Men	<30	17	747	Shun	Saito	126
Men	Open	18	67	Aki	Shimizu	130
Men	Open	19	87	Russell	Lund	132
Men	Open	20	47	Colin	Lumb	135
Men	<30	21	X1	Ben	Willemse	148
Men	Silver	1	10	Jim	Rodgers	14.5
Men	Silver	2	38	George	Cooper	17.75
Men	Silver	3	4H	Roger	Smith	18.5
Men	Silver	4	80	Taylor	Boyd	46
Men	Silver	5	68	Chris	Gavan	48
Men	Silver	6	41	John	Westgate	57
Men	Silver	7	54	Simon	McMahon	61
Women	Open	1	427/182	Annie	Crombie	25.25
Women	Open	2	333	Sue	Bradley	32.25
Women	Open	3	74	Nicola	Taylor	79
Women	Open	4	911	Lucy	Waters	80
Women	Open	5	888	Adrienne	Chin	88
Women	Open	7	217	Rachel	Low	143

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SOUTHERN LAKES WIND RIDERS CLUB NEWS FEB 2010

THE BIG DOWNWINDER Sat/Sun 27/28th Feb.
Have you booked the date in your diary ?! Spread the word. It’ll be fun, fun, fun !

The Big Downwinder is a long…… distance downwind fun race. Provisionally Glenorchy to Pigeon Island but maybe a southerly alternative ending at Jardines.

We will have the Coastguard and additional rescue cover to make sure everyone is safe. We have already secured HUGE sponsorship from Watercooled Sports, Rodgers Dental, ACT Builders, Queenstown Fibreglass, G Force Paragliding, and I’m sure there’ll be more by the time of the event. Each participant gets a registration pack with lots of products in it worth $50+ and the first 30 to register will get a free event tee shirt. There will also be heaps of spot prizes for the after event party. The event is FREE for all club members, so entrance fee for those of you who haven’t joined up this year is the club membership of $25.. We want to thank our sponsors most sincerely.

Can you help ?

We need help with;
- Rescue boats
- Rescue boat drivers and crew;
- people to help with registration/BBQ /at the finish line etc
- getting even more spot prizes
- organising the pre and after event socials.

If you think you can help at all please call Tom 441 8590/ 0274 850057 (boats) Becks 442 9826/027 329 4714 (other stuff), drop me an email or come to the BBQ on Thurs and talk to Tom and Becks.

If you want copies of the poster email or text Sue

On a more serious note……..

JARDINES ACCESS

The club have been approached by Clark, Fortune, McDonald & Associates on behalf of their clients Ruboc Holdings about giving our approval as an affected party for a boat mooring to be positioned in Woolshed Bay(Jardines) very close to the area where we launch and come in. See attached map.

We have been seeking more information from the applicant before notifying you all formally but the initial informal responses from members have been of concern regarding the safety of such a proposal, for us and for the boat ! Unfortunately this has taken a nasty turn with a club member being phoned and ‘warned’ that the club may lose access if we don’t approve this application. However luckily Dick and Jilly Jardines (who own the land and have kindly granted us access all these years) are upset at this ‘warning’ and are backing us completely. So we have now listed with the council as an ‘affected party’ and have written them a brief note to outline our initial concerns and officially ‘register an interest’. We also met with the applicant on Friday to try to see if we could find a suitable alternative but unfortunately he rejected our ideas of a position further upwind. He is looking at another site further to the western side of the boating facility area boundary. We have asked for further details, proposals and a buoy to be put in so we can see how this spot would impact when actually sailing. We are also contacting Harbour Master Marty Black as when he made initial comments on the application, he was unaware of our long standing use of this area and the safety implications for us. We will keep you posted and will organize a formal meeting to consult all of you on our response when we have some new proposals from the applicant, in the meantime anyone wanting more of an update please come to the BBQ on Thursday !

CLUB BBQ

This Thursday 18th Feb. 7pm onwards Frankton Beach. Sausies provided, bring your own beers. Watch & encourage the windsurf beginners/improvers while having a beer and being social. It’ll give us a chance to catch up about the Jardines Mooring proposal and the Downwinder as well. So please make an effort to come along.

The “Riviera” SOUTH COAST

* Lots of the local kiters have been heading off to the South Coast for trips to the wonderful spot of Awaraua Bay, so if the “Riviera” South Coast, shallow warm water and good company sounds like your kind of thing then ring Mike Holland 021 226 4534.and find out about their next trip

* Windsurfers have also been enjoying the waves and sailing regularly at Colac Bay and Monkey Island. Anyone interested contact Gavin 021 994 139

…. And don’t forget to let the locals know.. see info about their blog in ‘other news’.

OTHER NEWS

Next weekend. 20/21 Feb. Womens windsurf weekend. Lake Clearwater. There’s a good gang going from this club. Contact Debs 0274 987633 if you’d like to join us.

Check out the new national windsurfers website www.windsurfingnz.org, follow the news links and you’ll find news and photos from the recent National Slalom Champs in Dunedin, with several of us from the Southern Lakes.

Also check out the new blog site for the new Invercargill Windsports Club, www.windsportssouthern.wordpress.com. What a great link they’ve got there for chatting about the conditions that day and where people are going sailing. Write on the site and contact them if you’re going down. Anyone interested in setting up such a site for us ?

We have lots of new members so attached is the latest contacts list.

Sue 027 640 8596.

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Yachting NZ RSX: Youth and Techno Training Weekend at Manly 23-24 January 2010

It is great to see the enthusiasm and the hard work the windsurfers have put in over the summer at the recent Yachting NZ training weekend.

Tom Ashley with his training partner Antonio Cozzolino put the RS:X Youth sailors through their paces. Start after start as the race is often won on the start line. One of the highlights was Tom and Antonio out racing with the fleet. How cool is that to be on a start line with these guys. Our board sailors are so lucky to have the expertise of an Olympic champion. I am sure it has benefited our windsurfers. We will find out over the up and coming regatta season.

Natalia Kosinka, the YNZ Women’s coach was in charge of the up and coming techno fleet. The buzz of excitement of learning new race skills as they came off the water was great to see.

Natalia even makes learning the rules fun!! It was good to see the younger sailors connect with her and asking when they can train next with her as they had learned so much.

Lancelin Ocean Classic 2010 - Tim Woods account

As it was the 25th aniversary of the Lancelin Ocean Classic I decided it would the a great year to enter this event and living in New Zealand now it was a little easier to get there as it would have been a really long flight from the UK. Thomas Davies and Jebbe Unthank also decided that it would be a good experience. I arrived in Perth on New Years Eve and spent a few days there before collecting the motorhome that we had hired and travelled to Lancelin. I sailed a couple of times in the bay at Lancelin prior to the event, but that still didn’t prepare me for what was to come ...

The event got underway on the first day with the wave event. The open men were first, but they only got a couple of heats completed before it was decided to cancel until the following day due to lack of both wind and waves. Day two got underway with more wind and better waves so the open men completed their heats, but unfortunatelly both Thomas and Jebbe were knocked out of their heats so we were propping the bar up whilst watching the final, which was eventually won by Pete Tomsett.

The womens heats were next with Laure Treboux taking the honours. Then finally it was the event that the spectators were waiting for, the elite men. After several elimination rounds it was down to the final four. Peter Volwater and Ben Severne were fighting it out for 1st and 2nd and Glenn Alexander and Robby Swift were dueling for 3rd and 4th. After what the judges said were two split decisions the final results were in, but they would make everybody wait until the final prize giving to find out who had got what placing.

Finally it was Saturday morning and the day of the major event, the Marathon. Everybody made there way to Ledge Point to register themselves, and for the committee to ensure that all sailors had lifevests and flares which are compulsory whilst competing in this event. We were given our starting positions numbered by your entry date. The earlier you entered, the better your starting position. They then had a skippers meeting in which Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Karin Jaggi and past winner of the event all said that there is always more wind on the beach than at the first mark (the first mark being a 40ft cray boat being a speck on the horizon), so you would need big kit, or in the words of Bjorn, the bigger the better. Everybody rigged their kit and put it on the beach ready for the start, all apart from Peter Volwater who only brought his kit down 5 minutes before the start which was a 95lt board (Fanatic) and 7m sail (Maui), which was decidedly smaller than what everybody else had rigged, did he know something the rest of us didn’t ???? Oh well, too late now.

So the starter siren went and everybody ran to try to be first to the water, but unfortunately the person who was on the line in front of me was having problems getting on his board which in turn delayed me getting on my board as I didn’t have any room to get past him. When I eventually got on my board I didn’t really have any wind because of all of the people who had already set off. I eventually found some wind and set off for the first mark and when I got there, I found that the people who at the skippers meeting had said that the wind usually got weaker once you reached the first mark were wrong. This year the wind got stronger once you reached the first mark, so it looked like Peter did know something the rest of us didn’t as we were all now on kit that was too big. At that point a lot of people decided that they weren’t going to be able to complete the course and turned back, but the dedicated sailors (or should that be crazy sailors) carried on with the kit that we had and struggled to the finish.

I crossed the line in 44th Place overall only to find that both Thomas and Jebbe had both already finished (31st and 36th respectively). Once I was on the beach I spoke to Bjorn Dunkerbeck and asked how he had gone and was amused by his reply of "BOARD TOO BIG, SAIL TOO BIG, BALLS TOO SMALL...". I wasn’t really surprised to hear that Peter Volwater was the first to finish. Looks like I’ll have to go back next year and try again……….

The prize giving took place down on the beach with Peter Volwater receiving a nice cheque for $6000 for finishing 1st, 2nd Patrik Diethelm, 3rd Steve Allen, 4th Dan Engdahl, 5th Bjorn Dunkerbeck, 6th Robby Swift and Karin Jaggi was the 1st woman to finish in 19th place overall.

Wave results were, 1st Ben Severne, 2nd Peter Volwater, 3rd Glenn Alexander, 4th Robby Swift.

Sunday brought even more wind for the Slalom racing. The format was to be three heats then a final and this was to be repeated about 6 times. After the marathon on the Saturday, that was about the most that people could manage as your legs felt like they didn’t belong to you, but luckily I did better in the slalom gaining a bit of my self respect back with 4 finals and finishing 2nd Grand Master. All in all, the whole event was a great, well run event and a credit to the sport and the people who organised it.

Tim Wood

Spectacular pictures http://www.lancelinoceanclassic.com.au/gallery.asp
Web site with full results http://www.lancelinoceanclassic.com.au
Tims photos http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=photos&id=1065318138

RS:X / Techno News

Thursday 4th December brought together some of NZ best sailors to promote windsurfing as a sport and to officially launch the six new Techno boards destined for Tauranga. They are courtesy of the Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy and funded by TECT. At $5800 apiece fully kitted out, the boards aren't cheap but spokesman Stuart Pedersen is adamant they'll be a great investment for the sport's future. "Getting these boards is huge - they'll provide a pathway from learning to windsurf through to getting into serious racing without having to commit to buying your own gear," Pedersen said.

The wind got up just in time for the Legends race which saw Scott Fenton, Barbara Kendall, Bruce Kendall, Tom Ashley race their own named Techno boards; joined by Sven Pederson and Georgia Schofield (current Techno sailors) respectfully on Aaron McIntosh and Santha Patel’s boards, beach start and sail along Takapuna Beach and back. To see these sailors able to jump on any board was certainly an eye opener for our young race sailors. The evening finished with a beach start race with all the young techno and RS: X sailors. It was a good chance to catch up with old friends, make new connections and welcome newcomers to windsurfing. Among those who came to support were Santha’s parents. They were excited to see the new faces of board sailing and had lots of stories to share. The Takapuna Boating Club is looking to start a Techno fleet in the New Year.

North Island RS:X and Techno Champs 11-12 December
The whole RS:X and Techno race fleet from Tom Ashley down to the newest techno sailors headed to Tauranga to train for the two days leading up to the North Island Champs. It was great for the young board sailors to be rigging up alongside the likes of Tom, JP and Kate Ellingham. Not to mention their face when they saw JP head on out on his bike after finishing his training on the water. The buzz on the beach when the Techno sailors returned after coaching with Kate was encouraging to see.

The Mount made a fantastic backdrop for the training. We all enjoyed the awesome hospitality from the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club and the local community. We hope this event has generated more interest in board sailing in the Bay.

Read more on the racing at http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/sport/news/ashley-dominates-on-water-a...

This event was the inspiration of Stuart Pederson who is the spokesperson behind the Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty. The academy has also been promoting a "Learn to Windsurf" course at Kulim Park and 11 budding sailors aged 13 to 16 are about to graduate, with another after-school course set to be run in term one of next year.

Kiteboarding and kiteboard racing proposal for the 2016 Olympics

As a follow up to the recent meeting with Yachting NZ I pointed out that given the importance of SPARC funding which is based on competitive results, and with the way the Olympics were moving (introduction of snowboarding, mountain biking and BMX etc.) that windsurfing variants such as freestyle and slalom could become very attractive because of their spectator appeal, and that this alone should be a factor in giving windsurfing more focus in the development area. So not surprisingly kiteboarding has now put itself forward as a possible new olympic sport, and why not? This from IKO recently:

---

"With the successful bid of Rio de Janeiro and the Olympic Sailing Regatta 2016 held on the beaches of the Copacabana, Kiteboarding would perfectly suit into this scenery and add a true highlight to the Olympic Games.

Have a first look at our 2009 brochure and learn more about what kiteboard racing has to offer to the Olympic Games

"Kiteboarding is the purest form of sailing and would be an awesome addition to the Olympic Family within the framework of the 2016 Olympic Sailing Event. Kiteracing is not weight sensitive and all of your equipment can fit in the back of a regular car. Its colorful, dynamic, inexpensive and super easy to learn... and can be done in water as shallow as 2 inches deep, opening up many places where no other craft can navigate.
As a five-time Olympic Athlete within the sport of Windsurfing and now a professional kiteboarder, I feel Kiteboarding would marry well within ISAF's umbrella of international and Olympic Sailing events. Why not introduce the sport to the world for the 2016 Olympics. It is the most modern and efficient form of wind powered sailing on the planet.", says two-time olympic medalist Michael Gebhardt (USA), member of the IKAs Olympic Commission.

* Kiteboarding perfectly suits the IOC strategy
* Kiteboarding is the best performing of all sailing classes
* Kiteboarding offers equal opportunities for any kind of athlete
* Kiteboarding is affordable and transportable
* Kiteboarding is media attractive
* Kiteboarding brings the sports top athletes to The Games
* Kiteboardings Olympic Campaign is supported by the major manufacturers
* Kiteboarding can help to make Olympic Sailing attractive again

Watch out for our regular updates on the development of kiteboard racing towards the Olympic Games !"

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http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org/index.php?option=com_content&ta...

INAUGURAL AVIEMORE SUMMER BASH HUGE SUCCESS !

The first Aviemore Challenge Trophy event held at Lake Aviemore, South Island from 1-3 Jan 2010 was dubbed a great event by all those who took part as well as the organisers and their team. In all 19 windsurfers entered, slightly less than expected, but for a first event all were happy. Everyone took home a cool tee shirt as well as a dental pack, there were trophies to keep for each of the main classes, a very special silver plate as the main Challenge Trophy and  lots of spot prizes too. The social side of the event which is primarily organised around a lovely traditional camping/sailing spot was helped by sponsorship beer which added that special bonus to 'after sailing' stories !

First day of the event ended up with a freesailing session at Lake Benmore as the winds at Aviemore were unfavourable and rather nuclear. Many of us who have sailed there for 10 + years have never seen quite so much white foam on Aviemore(around the country gusts of 100+ were recorded that day).. so it had been a good call to go elsewhere for a play.

The second day saw the sailors doing the planned long distance race in a good Southerly(20+), over to the other side and back twice. Approx 12 kms.

On Day 3 we were met with less favourable North West winds again, but a vote was taken and we decided to race. Two races were held of a single crossing to the other side. The winds were rather erratic and the planned cross winder turned into an upwinder and then a scary screaming downwind run, but hey, the conditions were the same for everyone.  Highlights of the event included having so many first time racers in the silver fleet; relative newcomer to racing Nathan Taylor nearly beating the favourite Gareth Woods in one race on Day 3; and of course the beers and the end of event BBQ and party.

Results;
Challenge Trophy/ Open Mens; 1. Gareth Woods. 2. Paul Vilestra. 3.Nathan Taylor.
Open Womens; 1. Lucy Waters. 2. Sue Bradley. 3. Annie Crombie.
Masters. 1. Simon Hall. 2. John Holgate. 3. Graham Evans.
Silver fleet. 1. Jodi Taylor. 2. Tom Cowan. 3. Louisa Andrews.

Thanks to all the sponsors;
Ben Collins/ Bayshore Builders (Tee shirts and trophies);
Jim Rodgers/ Rodgers Dental/Colgate (Dental packs);
Tony Limburg/ Watercooled Sports (Products for spot prizes);
Chris Gavan/ DB Export 33 (lots of lovely beers !);
special thanks to Robert Cooper for his help and use of his boat as the main race /rescue boat.

Huge congratulations to George Cooper for getting it all together and organising the event..... put it in your diaries for next year ! This
is a locals favourite spot for camping and sailing over the holidays and now there's even more reason to go.
George is keen to hear from anyone who has any ideas or feedback about the event. gibstop@ihug.co.nz.

Photo - Main Group;
Chris Gavan (DB sponsor); Ben Collins (Bayshore Builders/main sponsor); George Cooper -organiser; Gareth Woods, winner Mens open and the Challenge plate; Lucy Waters, Womens open; Simon Hall, Masters; Jodi Taylor, Silver fleet.

Windy Wellington - story of a southerly front

This is a short story about a southerly front. Wellington is well known for its windy weather - and I recently found some graphic illustrations of how quickly and dramatically the conditions can change. From a northerly of less than 5 knots to a southerly of 50+ knots in less than 3 minutes! Years ago (20), when I was single and obsessed with windsurfing I was one of the keen windsurfers who used to park at the bottom of the harbour on the Petone foreshore and wait for the predicted 'southerly buster' to arrive. When it did there would be a black wall appear at the harbour entrance which would rapidly advance towards us over a period of a few minutes, and the only question was 'which sail should I rig, 3.5 or 3.0?'.

Recently, I happened to be checking out some weather stations positioned around Wellington Harbour when I noticed a dramatic change at Leading Head. This is located near the entrance (south) of the harbour.The first screen shot below shows the wind dials from both ends of the harbour. You can see that Leading Head has reached 40knot S (10 minute average) while Seaview, only a few km north is still registering 3knot N!

Within less than 10 minutes the Leading Head wind has settled a little to a modest 30knots, but Seaview has now reached 40knots and the wind has swung through 180 degrees from north to south. If you were out sailing in that how would you feel?

The next image shows how dramatically the change came through, it shows the maximum gust at Leading Head went from 4-5 knots to 50+knots in about 3 minutes!

Finally, the last graph shows the rapid change not only in wind speed but also direction as experienced at Leading Head.

If ever there was a salutary lesson on watching the weather while you are out sailing - this would be it!

Check out the animated wind models from Metservice - Animated wind models on Metconnect

Marine Farming: a threat to every sailor

Today Yachting New Zealand made a significant and full submission to the New Zealand Government. The submission is part of our advocacy against plans for the unimpeded and accelerated growth of aquaculture in all of the places 1.5 million New Zealanders want to go boating.

Our freedom of navigation in the coastal marine area, and access to sheltered bays for both enjoyment and safety can no longer be taken for granted.

In the next 15 years, marine farming intends to increase its turnover by almost 300%. This ambitious goal will have the most significant affect in Northland, Coromandel, Marlborough, Banks Peninsula and Stewart Island. The visual and environmental affects will negatively affect water-based tourism and New Zealand’s 100% Pure image, and sailors will no longer take for granted the freedoms enjoyed for generations. The present protection afforded to the Hauraki Gulf by the ARC may not be continued in the regulatory changes being proposed.

“Plans currently being finalised by the Government ignore the coastal marine area as a public space and the traditional freedoms of New Zealanders to enjoy the adventure and enterprise it has always offered. They also ignore the importance of marine tourism which is very much a part of New Zealand’s attractiveness to overseas visitors. Yachting campaigns have for many years significantly contributed to or were part of campaigns to promote destination New Zealand. The boating industry also depends upon people being attracted to the sea and buying boats,” states the Submission.

Yachting New Zealand asks for a common sense approach that acknowledges and respects the rights of all water users, whilst giving aquaculture the opportunity it needs to grow and be a contributor to the economy. Some key recommendations of the document are:

• Marine farms should be located in low-interest areas of our coastline - areas which have little recreational or tourism value YNZ’s preferred solution is to prudently simplify the current approach while encouraging the Aquaculture industry to focus its efforts on branding and growing high value species in low-interest areas of the coastal marine area.
• If major changes are to be made, then it is YNZ’s clear preference to engage in a consultative and mediated approach rather than through litigation. In our experience greater certainty is desired by most parties.
• It should be possible with consultation and mediation to accommodate planned growth in aquaculture without compromising safety, recreational interests, environmental values, and the sustainable commercial activities of the marine and tourism industries.

“This is a major issue that affects all New Zealand water users,” says Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive Des Brennan. “Yachting New Zealand has been working diligently and collaboratively to represent boating interests to Government, and the more voices raised in support the better. Please pay close to attention as the issue evolves over the summer, and get involved in campaigns to preserve an important part of New Zealand’s heritage. YNZ is not against Aquaculture. We simply want its location to be well away from where boaties recreate. We want to preserve these areas for future generations.”

Initial meeting with Yachting New Zealand 9 October 2009

Developing Windsurfing Further in NZ
Friday 9th October
12pm – 7pm
Yachting New Zealand (85 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven, Auckland)
Notes

Present: Andrew Clouston, Tom Ashley, Janet Watkins, Rob Hielkema, Pete Smith, Anton Blijlevens, Bruce Spedding, Andrea Bowater, Justina Sellars, Dave Mackay, Bruce Kendall, Paul McKenzie, Janine Williams, Natalia Kosinska, Des Brennan, Alan McIntosh

Apologies: Chris Wood

YNZ / WNZ Relationship

WNZ are looking to encourage the formation of new windsurfing clubs who could run their own sailing and allow WNZ to operate more as a national body instead of a big national club which is currently the case.

WNZ would like to be able to offer their clubs a package that includes, guidelines, public liability insurance and risk management documentation.

WNZ is a Class Association member of YNZ. This entitles them to:
· Use of the Yachting New Zealand Racing Rules of Sailing and prescriptions, and access to the Yachting New Zealand administered appeals process
· If your Class Association qualifies as a National or International Class Association, you are entitled to hold ‘National Class Championships’, and name the winner the New Zealand Champion in your class
· As a Yachting New Zealand affiliated Class, you are invited to utilise Yachting New Zealand’s Programmes, Products and Services – including National training schemes – such as the ‘Learn to…’ series, and coach training, Race Management - including National Race Officers, race management training, and event management packs
· Yachting New Zealand’s staff are available to you for guidance and training
· Voting rights at the Yachting New Zealand Annual General Meeting on any issues pertaining to class associations
· A ‘subsite’ hosted free of charge on www.yachtingnz.org.nz
· Your Class contact information promoted on www.yachtingnz.org.nz
· Each year, Yachting New Zealand will forward you a copy of the Yachting New Zealand Annual Report and Financial Statements

WNZ creates channels/pathways into all the other disciplines of windsurfing (not just Olympic racing)

Windsurfing Development Officer Position

Bruce Kendall discussed his paper and proposal that a Windsurfing Development Officer type role be created. There needs to be a key person to drive windsurfing development.

The meeting was in agreement that this position would be very beneficial; it would provide back up for clubs and create a dedicated force to get more people into windsurfing.

A number of options were discussed about how this would be managed including the position being managed solely by YNZ and the position being managed by a group of people comprising YNZ, WNZ and the RSX/Techno Class Associations.

Funding this position will be an issue.

Andrew Clouston was supportive of this initiative but was also keen to see other options explored also taking a varied approach to developing windsurfing. There are things that can be done now that there is resource available for, and implementing a new position will take time.

Where to get sailors from

o Target young people (and include their parents)
o Use YNZ’s Sailing... Have a Go! Programme if possible
o Sailors currently sailing at yacht clubs
o Windsurfing schools
o Schools

What to teach

Bruce Kendall presented a paper with a four level approach to windsurfing instruction covering learn to windsurf up to a fairly advanced level as a template clubs could follow or YNZ could use to create a national programme.

There was a consensus from the meeting that learning needed to be kept simple.

YNZ will incorporate information on learning to windsurf into the YNZ Learn to Sail programme as well as look to create a learn to windsurf booklet (possibly in conjunction with WNZ).

Where a club is not resourced to offer learn to windsurf classes they should link with a local windsurf school and then once the sailors have reached a suitable level of competency they should come back to the yacht club to work on their racing skills.

It was agreed that all parties should be recommending similar equipment for people to purchase when learning so that we can build a mass of similar equipment. It was agreed that the board should be a Bic Techno, and the sail should be a 4.5m rig (any brand, a semi soft sail would be better for learners).

Pathway

There needs to be a clear and visible pathway for windsurfing that links into the current sailing pathway that shows how you can progress through the various classes and forms of windsurfing and how this lines up with the dinghy classes.

Windsurfing Instructors

WNZ run instructor courses. The basic instructor course is a 2 day course which is closely modelled on the RYA system. These can be run on demand if there are enough people and it costs $350. YNZ can promote these courses to yacht clubs to help build a base of yacht club based instructors.

General Discussion

There needs to be promotion of windsurfing as a sport, events that are happening and the opportunities people have within the sport. This can be done on multiple levels including YNZ, WNZ, yacht clubs and windsurfing schools.

Promotional opportunities include:

· An event in conjunction with the launch of the new TYPBC Technos (2/3rd Dec) – TV, Radio, Print. Include the likes of Tom Ashley, Bruce Kendall, Barbara Kendall, etc with endorsement and support from YNZ

· A national windsurfing week
· Week long camps
· Promote youth activities

Yacht clubs need to be educated on how to deal with windsurfers including:

· How to rescue windsurfers
· How to run races for windsurfers (For now getting clubs to run windward leeward races for boards is the priority)
· Later on, how to run slalom racing and other forms of windsurfing

A target should be set on how many more sailors we want windsurfing, there were 26 sailors at this year’s Techno Nationals, and this could be a base figure.

There are some great Techno videos on YouTube, especially ones of the Techno World Championships with 100’s of boards.

Where to from the meeting:

· Promotional push
o Press Release
o Event in conjunction with the launch of the new TYPBC Technos (2/3rd Dec)
· Develop a Yacht Club Approach to Learn to Windsurf
o Educate clubs on including windsurfing
o Help clubs link with local windsurfing schools (open communication lines)
o Include windsurfing in the YNZ Learn to Sail syllabus
o Identify clubs that would be ideal bases for windsurfing in each region
· Promote instructor courses and grow instructor numbers
· Investigate Development Officer role
o Funding
o Administration
o Role description/scope
· Develop and promote a National Pathway
· YNZ to get back to WNZ on a group public liability insurance scheme
· YNZ to share risk management templates with WNZ

Windsurfing Development - Follow up meeting (29th October)

Windsurfing Development - Follow up meeting (29th October)
Attending: Dave Mackay, Bruce Kendall, Chris Wood, Grant Beck, Rob Hielkema, Andrew Clouston

Notes

Pathway

Developing a clear pathway is critical. It then needs to be published and distributed.

Suggested Pathway

(stuff missing)

Race Management

There needs to be some education of officials in this area. Race Officers should try and keep boards racing rather than having them sit around between races waiting for other classes to finish.

· Talk to John and Linda Parrish about incorporating a section on running racing for windsurfers into their National Race Officer seminar. This information can also be distributed to race officers that do not attend the seminars.

Overseas Travel

There are opportunities within the Techno class for sailors to attend overseas regattas including the worlds. These regattas could be used to incentivise participation in the class much like the Optimist class has done.

Kiwisport

There are possible opportunities for clubs to access the new Kiwisport funding from the Government. Kiwisport funding is about more kids, more opportunities and better skills and linking clubs with schools so that kids keep participating after school. The funding is managed through the individual Regional Sports Trusts (Harbour Sport, Sport Auckland, etc.); each RST had a pool of money to invest in initiatives that will get more kids participating in formal sport which includes windsurfing. Clubs will need to get in touch with their RST about how they might access that funding, every region will be different. Below are some initiates that clubs might be able to set up to get windsurfing happening at their club:

· A yacht club arranges some windsurfing instruction with a windsurfing school or at the yacht club. The club then approaches local schools to have kids come to the club or windsurf school and take windsurfing lessons. The Kiwisport funding can be used to cover the cost of the lessons at the windsurfing school or the coaching fees for the yacht club coach. This will help introduce kids to windsurfing and the yacht club. The yacht club will need to be able to offer something for the kids once they progress past the learn to windsurf stage.

· A club could use some Kiwisport funding to purchase come equipment (Technos with 4.5 rigs and short fins). The club can then go to schools and offer learn to windsurf lessons to the school students. As the students develop this could move in the direction of setting up a competition for these students. Aim at the secondary school level. Not all regions are allowing the funding to be used to buy capital items. In this case you could use community trust or gaming foundation funding to purchase the equipment.

Review of risk management and safety in the adventure and outdoor commercial sectors

New Zealand's adventure tourism safety record is again in the spotlight, with UK family members of tourists who lost their lives in accidents starting a group demanding changes. There is a review underway and it may be appropriate for WNZ to engage in this (unfortunately the closing date for submissions has passed - but we will follow up and also monitor the outcomes). Windsurfing has a good safety record, deaths and incidents tend to be incidental rather than directly attributable to the sport, however one area of potential interest for us is that of instruction and schools. The WNZ Instructor training scheme, and the soon to be reinstated school certification could be affected by this review.

Information for respondents to the questionnaires
Background to the review

On 16 September 2009, the Prime Minister wrote to the Minister of Labour expressing concern about a number of incidents in the adventure and outdoor commercial sectors, including the tragic death of the young British backpacker, Emily Jordan. The Prime Minister noted public concerns about the various regulatory regimes governing these activities in New Zealand.

The Prime Minister advised the Minister of Labour that he would like the Department of Labour to lead a cross departmental group to investigate and report back on the current situation and ways of improving risk management and safety in the sector. He requested a report on the group’s findings and suggestions from the Minister on any changes she considers necessary to improve risk management and safety in the sector.
Purpose of the review

The purposes of the review are to determine whether, and in what way, it would be appropriate to make changes to the safety management framework applicable to the adventure and outdoor commercial sectors in New Zealand to reduce accidents and fatalities in the sectors and to ensure that New Zealand continues to be perceived as a quality destination for international visitors.
The questionnaires

Two questionnaires have been distributed for the review:

* One for adventure and outdoor commercial sector operators, associations and organisations. This form is not for individuals.
* One for individuals such as academics and staff of adventure and outdoor commercial sector businesses. This form is not for operators, associations or other organisations.

Please make sure that you have the correct questionnaire. If you do not have the correct questionnaire, please contact David Mulholland by phone at 04 915 4158 or by email at david.mulholland@dol.govt.nz
How responses will be used

Responses to the questionnaires will be analysed. The findings of that analysis will then be used to inform the development of the problem definition for the review and options and recommendations for the Minister of Labour.
Returning the questionnaires
Please send your completed questionnaire to AOCSreview@dol.govt.nz (preferred) or post it to: David Mulholland, Project Manager, Workplace Health and Safety Policy, Department of Labour, PO Box 3705, Wellington by 5pm, Wednesday 16 December 2009.

http://www.dol.govt.nz/consultation/adventure-tourism/index.asp

Contaminated beaches 'getting worse' - NZ Herald

Despite being known worldwide for our scenic shores, some of our beaches are still not stacking up and may be getting worse.

Not much appears to have changed since a survey by Consumer New Zealand at the end of 2008 showed 29 per cent of New Zealand's beaches, lakes and rivers had bacteria levels so high they were deemed unsafe by the Ministry for the Environment.

The 'worst' beaches:
Wood Bay
Laingholm
Titirangi
Fosters
French
Kawakawa Bay
Ocean Beach
Paihia

Full story http://msn.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10612540&p...

Current situation

Over the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 summers, 79 per cent of the 400-odd monitored coastal swimming spots had water quality that met the guidelines for contact recreation almost all of the time (ie, at least 95 per cent of the samples taken at these sites had safe Enterococci levels).

Two per cent of the sites breached the guidelines regularly (ie, more than 25 per cent of the samples taken from these sites were non-compliant), indicating that these sites often have poor water quality and are unsuitable for swimming.
Bacterial water quality at monitored coastal swimming spots for the 2007–2008 and 2008–2009 summers


http://www.mfe.govt.nz/environmental-reporting/oceans/recreational/resul...

South Coast weekend report

This event was a fantastic success. 20 sailors; 3 sailing locations; awesome wind (approx 20-25 knots both days); 3 clubs meet up- Southern Lakes Club meets the new Invercargill Windsports Club and sailors from Dunedin; BBQ on the Sat night; at least 3 new converts to Wave sailing.... these were just some of the hilights of the recent club weekend.

Gavin and a few others from Dunedin went down on Friday night and sailed until late, the rest of us joined on Sat with 11 of us out most of the day at Monkey Island, some beginners to waves, others looping, Craig doing his first backward loop (accidentally, but its on video… way to go !). The locals reckoned this was a record attendance for this amazing venue.

We then rushed off to Riverton Estuary for those who had got blown off the water before and to catch up with the Invercargill kiters who had felt it was too windy earlier. Again about 11 of us out at the estuary… what a sight, unfortunately it was rather gusty but hey we managed! Erin, new club member, and very fast learning improver got out in 20 knot gusts, at first a few temper tantrums, but she finally got a few speedy runs which inspired her so much she went out and bought herself a shorter board. This late session was followed by a great BBQ at Club Treasurer Debs’ bach.. a great place for a get-away. The Invercargill club telling us how they have combined with the Blowcarters, an increasingly popular sport at the amazing venue of Oreti Beach.

Sunday saw a late start for many, quick stop at Colac Bay to catch Jeff and Mick on camera doing some incredible stuff, then on for another amazing day at Monkey Island for most. Finally at about 5pm we gave up, broken gear, blistered hands, exhausted people… but very big grins ! All of us vowing to come back again…. There’s sure to be another club event, but anyone wanting to do down in the meantime, just call Gavin, he goes down regularly when there’s a good forecast and is quite happy to show people around and help them out with a few tips too (he is a high level instructor from overseas.. very useful friend !) Gavin 021 994 139.

A few photos attached, more to follow next newsletter.

Taranaki Wave Classic 2009

Another year and another Taranaki Wave Classic! This year’s event showcased the best conditions Taranaki can offer, with an insanely epic, mast high, down-the-line, Pungarehu extravaganza!

The warm-up for TWC09 began early on the Friday with a convoy of eager beaver Wellingtonians (led by Chris Brown) leaving our nation’s capital at 5 am. By 9 am they were at the holy grail of NZ wavesailing: Pungarehu. With the tide coming in the hordes hit the water and by 11 am there were around 15 – 20 sailors catching the mast high sets consistently rolling in to the beach. The wind picked up throughout the morning and by midday it was blowing 5.0 and small board weather. Perfect!

With solid surf and sailors ready to test themselves there was always going to be some carnage. A few sails came back to the beach in pieces (including two in consecutive waves from the New Caledonian brothers—who also must have made the longest trip to get here out of all the competitors. We saw some great wipeouts and a steady stream of sailors making their way back up from ‘Crushers’—a long slow walk.

Saturday dawned sunny, warm and… windless. We gathered at the Oakura Boardriders Club for briefing and goodie bags. Thanks to our platinum sponsors Carbon Art and Rodgers Dental the goodie bags were packed with loads of high energy nutrition (read sugar) for hardcore sailing. Competition never looked likely on the Saturday, so everyone adjourned to Weld Road to surf, laze about and check out the styley gear from sponsors: Carbonart, KA Sails, Gaastra and Naish. About 3 pm the bbq and Mike’s beers were busted out, capping off a very pleasant afternoon – as good as you could hope for without wind really!

Sunday found the TWC competitors heading to Kina Road in the hope of a northerly and out of range of our radio sponsor ZM. Thomas and a few other desperadoes dribbled around in some cross-on mush and almost everybody surfed in the fun conditions. Unfortunately decent wavesailing wasn’t on the cards for the second day running. Only one thing to do really: party it up, get the hangover from hell and the wind would blow for sure.

The 90 odd competitors met back at Oakura Boardriders Club for some great food and a few brewskis in the evening. Well over $7000 worth of spot prized were handed out. Of course the prize of all prizes at any TWC is the Carbon Art waveboard. James Dinnis arrived complete with a board ‘blank’ in tow; win the board and you could have whatever shape you desired! To great anticipation the winner was announced as Paul Sinclair from Invercargill. He looked pretty damn happy and gave James possibly the first ever ‘so stoked I won the board’ hug.

The Monday and the travelling convoy made its way in dribs and drabs (depending on the state of hungover-ness) down to Kina Road. About 12:30 the wind picked up from the north and Thomas (who else…) got out there to show us it was definitely sailable with the swell providing waves up to about half mast. In the space of about 10 minutes the number of sailors on the water went up to about 30 and the contest was on!

An hour-and-a-half of frenetic wave riding (and sharing waves nicely) found finalists for each division and then the top guns went out on their own for the finals. Paul Barron took out the Open Mens division, with hot competition from Clayton Dougan (2nd) and Dirk Schmidt (3rd). Katrin Dau snagged 1st in the Open Womens, with Leeanne (2nd) and Rewa (3rd) closely following. In the Juniors Jebbe out pointed the rest of the field, with Andy Mabin in 2nd and Thomas Davies in 3rd.

For event reports pictures and vldeo go to http://www.taranakiwaveclassic.com
MEN
1. Paul Barron
2. Clayton Dougan
3. Dirk Ritterhaus Schmidt
4. Chris (woo) Norris
5=. Chris Brown
5=. Constantine
7. Mike La Franchie

WOMEN
1. Katrin Dau
JUNIOR MEN
1. Jebbe Unthank

South Island Cup Report

The first round of the South Island Cup got underway on the 5th Dec' in Dunedin with a perfect sunny day. We had 18 men and 6 women enter, so the men were split into two heats so the starts weren't to dangerous!

We started out in 15-18 knots with most on 7m sails, had 2 rounds then a short break, another 2 rounds in similar conditions, at which time the tide was getting a little low so some of the marks had to be moved. The next 2 rounds the wind had increased slightly, some changed down to 6.4/5.9m sails and smaller boards.

We had a 40min break for lunch and to let the tide come in a bit. Then completed another 4 rounds in 18-22knots, perfect slalom conditions.

Afterwards everyone enjoyed a big feed of fish and chips and beers/wine and vodkas laid on by the organisers. Not too many sore heads the following morning as everyone is very keen to get a better placing but when Sunday dawned it nice as well, but we quickly realised that there would be no racing for the day when the southerly flow came over. George Copper made the call to close the first round at lunchtime Sunday.

1st Round Results
MENS
1- Gareth Wood 0.7 0.7 3 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 9.3 3.7 5.6 1
2- Paul Vliestra 2 3 3 5 0.7 2 0.7 0.7 0.7 3 20.8 8 12.8 2
3- Terry Beenjees 0.7 2 2 0.7 2 2 3 3 3 0.7 19.1 6 13.1 3
4- Chris Dimock 3 3 0.7 2 7 0.7 2 2 2 6 28.4 13 15.4 4
5- Gavin Jackson 5 2 5 4 2 3 2 2 3 2 30 10 20 5
6- Terry Alkmade 4 0.7 2 3 3 4 4 10 2 4 36.7 14 22.7 6
7- Graham Evans 2 11 0.7 4 3 5 5 5 4 2 41.7 16 25.7 7
8- Simon Hall 4 4 4 2 5 3 3 4 5 11 45 16 29 8
9- Ross Monk 8 4 4 7 8 5 4 3 6 5 54 16 38 9
10- Alan Taylor 8 7 7 6 4 6 5 4 4 3 54 15 39 10
11- Aki 5 10 6 3 5 7 9 7 5 4 61 19 42 11
12 - Nathan Taylor 3 5 5 5 6 10 6 6 8 7 61 18 43 12
13 - Durham 6 11 6 7 10 4 7 5 6 5 67 21 46 13
14 - George Cooper 7 5 7 6 4 8 6 6 7 11 67 19 48 14
15- Nathan K 6 6 8 8 6 6 7 7 7 7 68 16 52 15
16 -Dan 9 10 9 8 7 9 8 8 8 6 82 19 63 16
17 - Kerry 7 6 8 9 10 7 10 8 10 11 86 21 65 17
Bruce

Womens
1- Sue Bradley 2 2 2 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 10.9 4 6.9
2- Annie Crombie 0.7 0.7 0.7 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 16.1 4 12.1
3- Nic 3 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 33 8 25
4- Lucy 4 4 3 3 4 4 8 4 5 3 42 13 29
5- Lyn 6 6 6 5 5 5 4 6 4 5 52 12 40
6 - Rachel 5 5 5 6 6 6 5 5 8 8 59 16 43

The 2nd Round was held last weekend in Christchurch (12th & 13th Dec)

The first day was very strong and equally gusty Nor West winds but the call was made to still race in the eastury and wait for the tide to come in. It was also decided that we would race a figure of 8 instead of the prefered downwind slalom which proved to be somewhat challenging when the wind angle shifted dramatically and we were forced to tack to the wing mark after being hit by a huge knock. Still everyone had a goodtime and we managed to get through 10 heats (Men and Women each) and a few beers and a meal at the Spieghts Ale House went down well. Sunday was a lot lighter but still very shifty and we managed to get in 3 more heats each before the organisers called it off..... and then as usual the wind came through and those that were'nt traveling too far were able to have a great freesail.

I'm not sure of the points results in the Chch round but the overal top 3 results for the South Island Cup are as follows;

Men
1 - Gareth Wood
2 - Terry Beenjees
3 - Paul Vlietstra

Women
1 - Annie Crombie
2 - Lucy Waters
3 - Sue Bradley

AWA windsport festival

The AWA windsport festival got underway last Sunday. The day started off with the promise of 15-20 knots from the SW from metservice. The sun started to make its mark on the water in front of the Bayswater yacht club early morning as the grass area adjacent started to fill up with sailors. Kites were inflated and sails were unfurled.

Gaastra/Tabou and Carbon Art staked out their patch with new seasons gear and Pete Smith from the Auckland Windsurfing School relocated his school trailer from Pt Chev to the Northshore, relieved the rust repairs held together. Thanks for bringing all that demo gear for people to admire and try out and making the effort to support the event.

Tim Wood and the trusted RIB directed the show outlining the two races being run. The first was the 1 hour race. A figure 8 course for windsurfers and a similar course just downwind for the kiters. Each lap being counted towards points scored for the race. The second event was a relay teams race. Downwind “slalom” on boards as wide as they were long.

Forty people registered on the day. And proceedings kicked off just after 11 am. Unfortunately the wind did not cooperate and provided only enough power for the occasional planning run. The guys on formula gear excelled. Their 9-11m sails and fins barely clearing the bottom meant that they planned in less than 10 knots of wind. The rest of us on slalom and freeride gear spent most of the hour groveling. Pete Smith came out on a tandem board that planned surprisingly early and provide a few sailors an opportunity to cadge a ride on the nose. Especially each time the monster came around a gybe mark, scooping up anyone in its way.

The kites has less luck. The lack of wind and lack of volume in their boards meant most had to pull out of the 1 hour race though Lukas Walton still managed to make it around 4 times.

The frustratingly light winds meant that the fun factor came out. Tim Wood nearly getting tackled by Anton. Dave Brookbanks being chased by Dan Thomas who decided that swimming was a quicker way to get around the course.

In the end the most laps went to the guys in the formula gear. Ray Smith going dizzy at 13 laps. Freeride sailor Jeff Gallichan doing 8 laps. And Josh Nixon getting to a very respectable 10 laps on slalom gear.

After a break, a few beers and sausages, it was onto the teams relay race. Split up into 6 teams of 3 and in merely 8 knots of wind, the race got underway on boards with centerboards and any rig that competitors thought would work. Some went out on freeride sails. Others rigged big. In the end it didn’t seem to matter. 6 times around the downwind slalom course with a final leg upwind to the le-mans style change-over at the boatramp. That sorted the fleet out. Team Grievous Body Rammers (aka GBR) taking out (literally) first place. Well done Tim, Pete and Dave B.

Also a big thanks to the support crew. Roger and Jim on the boat and Marilyn, Clare Elton and Lanky’s mum and dad, Mr and Mrs D for keeping track of the laps.
Result below. Where the sailors have the same number of laps, the person who completed the final lap got the best placing.