Stay connected in the wind. This forum is for anyone who rides the wind, winter or summer, on whatever board suits their fancy. Share the stoke, find out where people are going, ask any question, share your discoveries, and discuss any esoteric idea you may have related to the pursuit of wind. Please keep it positive.
We had great conditions for racing longboards on Saturday and Sunday at Waconia. Steve Johnson was the overall winner, Peter Hartwich 2nd and myself 3rd. The Saturday night party meal of shrimp, sweet corn, potatos and salad put on by Mike fox & crew was awesome! Great to catch up with fellow windsurfers/friends from the cities! A big thanks to Mike Fox for organizing this really FUN event!!
Waconia was the first event with my new Starboard Phantom Race 380. I'm still finding out what works best in certain wind conditions for the board/sail combo, but overall I'm really happy with the board. The Phantom is a really good addition to us who love our longboards! And now with Mistral announcing the Equipe III for 2009, it looks like the longboard scene will continue to grow worldwide.
My only windsurf racing experience consists of 2 unsuccessful Crossings and I’ve never even been on a racing longboard. That said, it looks like a pretty cool thing. Even in conditions not even close to suitable for planing on windsurf gear or even getting rides on a big kite/board combo, the racing longboards are still performing.
It looks kind of like displacement hull sailboat racing which I have a tiny bit of experience with. But even with very little knowledge I still know there is a lot of strategy and tactics to optimizing the start, positioning around the buoys and playing the gusts and lulls. Conditions in a long race like the Crossing are so variable from start to finish, a racing longboard would give you a real advantage I would think. They seem to have a range and pointing ability that freeride gear cannot even come close to matching.
Oh well, I will hopefully attempt the Crossing again this year, once again with freeride gear, and full of envy & admiration for the guys that actually know how to race and have the right stuff!
I'll be right there with you on the attempt to cross Mille Lacs. I am going to give it my best shot. Hope to see you up there. I am heading up with Voltar, so it should be a good time.
Voltaire is gonna be at the Crossing this year? Man this community is getting way too intellectual for me! Well as long as someone shows up representin the letter V, I'm good either way. Cool!
I just sent in my check to Fleet 8. This Friday is the last day for discount $65 registration. Monday 9/22 the fee goes to $75, then it's $120 at the site on Friday 9/26. So if you're cheap like me send in your registration before the end of the week.
Guess I mean Vojta. I think he's planning to go up, should be his first time in at least four or five years, not sure. Anyway, I'll make sure to get the early registration!