Regardless of what kind of windsurfing or kite boarding you do, the Techno293 / RS:X windsurfing pathway is still an important element of getting kids on the water. This is not an 'us or them' debate, many of the affiliated members of WNZ are kite boarders, its about doing what best for the wind sports. Lets keep windsurfing in the Olympics. Sign the petition, join the fight
Your donation matters - whether it pays for a winch bolt, some medical scissors or something bigger, every little bit helps us keep the life saving Rescue Choppers in the air.
Great looking set-up, check out their web site RS:X Techno NZ. They are giving away free lessons so get your friends, especially the ones with kids to call by the stand.
When the going gets tough ... these guys are rising to the challenge and deserve our support - if anyone can think of a way to help them, get in touch.
The 2012 Défi Wind is also a true windsurf festival. There will be 15 music bands, parties and even a windsurf movie festival with exclusive footage and beautiful images from all over the world. Pro-Am Long Distance race of 25 miles in Gruissan is backed up by on-shore entertainment including a movie festival. Send them your windsurfing movie (max 6 minutes) and you could be famous, win prizes etc. 17th-20th May.
Rather than squabbling over the spoils of 2016 Olympics decision to switch from windsurfing to kiteboarding, the value of which is still unknown, Windsurfing New Zealand (WNZ) believes we should be focussing on supporting our current 2012 Olympic competitor J P Tobin. They also think the victims of the recent decisions deserve more support than they have received so far.
In about 70 days the 2012 Summer Olympics will begin, and windsurfing will be there. Jon-Paul Tobin sailing in the RS:X windsurfing class is one of our best prospects of a medal. We should not lose sight of that fact.
Sail 100km and support the Westpac Chopper Appeal. As part of the Westpac Chopper Appeal Bruce Spedding is planning to try windsurfing 100km in a day, weather permitting sometime during May. You could too.
Are you interested in Kiteboard Racing?
Everybody who has an interest in kiteboard racing is invited to YNZ’s offices on 16th May at 7pm for a discussion around the implementation of Kiteboard racing in NZ.
As you are mostly all aware the Kiteboard has been given the vote to be included in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
This is a decision that has come as a bit of a surprise and we need to get organised in NZ as soon as possible.
Whilst this decision has presented a few challenges it also provides a great opportunity to organise racing across
Rory reports: I may have been raw, sore and shell shocked when I got home from the ISAF Mid Year Meeting in Streza, Italy but a quick check on the web told me that I was not the only one. As I write the petition inviting ISAF to review their decision is past 13800 subscribers and the Facebook Group set up by others has 16,000 followers and climbing.
At the conclusion of their mid-year meetings, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has announced that kiteboarding will replace windsurfing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and that the New Zealand designed MacKay FX (now 49er FX) will be the new Olympic womens’ skiff discipline.
Yachting New Zealand is disappointed with the decision to replace windsurfing, however the announcement has also brought some welcome news for the NZ Sailing Community and Marine Industry through the confirmation of the 49er FX.
It would take a two thirds majority at ISAF’s annual general meeting in November to overturn the decision taken on a 19-17 vote by the ISAF council, but the windsurfing community appears to shaping up to fight the decision. Sailing is already doing everything it can to avoid being dropped from the Olympics, aware that it is the second most expensive sport to stage – equestrian is even more expensive – and that the entertainment, even cabaret, aspirations of the International Olympic Committee continue. On the one hand it (kiteboarding) should allow new nations to play catch-up in a game where the racing side is still rather underdeveloped worldwide. On the other, it trashes a lot of “pathway” programmes to bring windsurfer youth squads through, still has questions over exactly what equipment and race formats will be used, and leaves the RSX class of windsurfer, which was developed at ISAF’s request specifically for the Olympics, rather in the wilderness.
Regardless of what kind of windsurfing or kite boarding you do, the Techno293 / RS:X windsurfing pathway is still an important element of getting kids on the water. This is not an 'us or them' debate, many of the affiliated members of WNZ are kite boarders, its about doing what best for the wind sports. Lets keep windsurfing in the Olympics. 
Great looking set-up, check out their web site 
Rory reports: I may have been raw, sore and shell shocked when I got home from the ISAF Mid Year Meeting in Streza, Italy but a quick check on the web told me that I was not the only one. As I write the petition inviting ISAF to review their decision is past 13800 subscribers and the Facebook Group set up by others has 16,000 followers and climbing.
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