Waconia Wind and Wave this Weekend

Jeff A · Post by **Jeff A** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:09 am

Waconia Wind & Wave Festival

Date: Saturday and Sunday, August 25th & 26th.

Site: DNR park on Co. Rd. 30 between Highways 7 and 5. Well-known as the most popular metro lake for high-wind sailing, Lake Waconia has also hosted over 40 windsurfing events initiated by a District Championship Regatta in 1978.

Categories: Formula, Open, Longboard Limited, IMCO, Sport & Workshop. Formula is for boards that fit within the parameters of the national Formula class. Limited allows sails up to 8.5 sq.m. Sport fleet is for sailors with limited racing experience and workshop fleet is for first-time racers. Both will offer on-the-water coaching.

Format: Competition will be suited for sailors of all levels. Sport and Workshop fleets will usually sail a shorter course.

Agenda: Registration and check-in will begin at 9:30 Saturday at the park followed by a racers' meeting at 10:15 where the sailing agenda will be announced. Sunday, there will be a racers' briefing at 10:15 and awards at 4:00.

Registration: Advance registration is appreciated. The fee is $30 if mailed by August 22nd or $45 at the site. The fee includes lunch Saturday, shrimp boil Saturday evening and a weekend of great sailing and fun.
For more information, call: Michael Fox at (612) 508-8083

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:52 pm

I've been asked to spread the word.... it has been requested that we give way to this event this weekend. As we all know the DNR site is not a large launch site and when you have an event like this the little bit of rigging area gets taken up quite quickly. If you don't plan on participating in the event and you have other options for places to ride, it might make it easier for all if you choose another site.

If you do end up at Waconia this weekend and are not racing, just be aware of the course on the water, and do what you can to support the efforts on shore, even if that just means not leaving your kite rigged on the beach.

champlin · Post by **champlin** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:27 am

Why didn't they try and reserve the beach for the weekend?

Piotr · Post by **Piotr** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:15 am

There is almost no wind forecasted for Saturday, and much better wind on Sunday. Does it affect the agenda for the event?

Piotr

Fred MPL · Post by **Fred MPL** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:46 am

Piotr has a great question. I agree, it appears that Saturday's wind will be non-existent. Sunday's forecast looks to be at least 10-15 mph.

Jeff A · Post by **Jeff A** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:52 pm

Saturday's wind has been upgraded. We'll race no matter what the wind is.

Hope to see a few of you out there.

Jeff

Stroh · Post by **Stroh** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:25 pm

champlin wrote:Why didn't they try and reserve the beach for the weekend?

as of now it looks like south wind... off shore winds at the beach. the boat launch is probibily the most virsitle launch on waconia if I were in charge I would have it there. I am going to try to make it out there on sunday (if I get back on time)

I was there last year and I have to admit the kiters including myself were kinda in the way.... so I say if you want to kite on the wack those days only rig if you are about to go out.

I hung arround for the awards party at the end day sunday last year and it was alot of fun, huge simles all arround. I am going to try to make it at least for that. I enjoy that sort of things eaven if I am not a part of the race.

hope you poleboarders get some cranking wind and a big turnout.

Jon

Monster · Post by **Monster** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 9:13 am

Doesn't look windy Today, I will be there Sunday, hopefully 13-16mph? Sasha

Jeff A · Post by **Jeff A** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:56 am

It was pretty light yesterday, but we still got 4 races in.
Today looks much better.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... cal&menu=1

Hope to see a few more people out there today.

Jeff

Fred MPL · Post by **Fred MPL** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:46 pm

Thanks to Mike Fox for coordinating the event this year. Though I did not compete in any races, I had a lot of fun seeing familiar and new faces.

What a day! Big winds mostly between 20-25 mph, I think. The wind caught a few people off guard, including myself. Rigged an 8.4M which was perfect for the latter half of the morning.

Of course, as soon as the race started the winds picked up quite a bit and I was way overpowered. I went in and rigged a 6.5M, which was just right.

Wish I could have stayed and raced in the afternoon. My wife is due to have a baby tomorrow and I thought I better not push my luck!

Glad everyone had fun.

Fred

Piotr · Post by **Piotr** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:06 pm

What a wonderful event it was. I was there on Sunday only, and Mother Nature and Lake Waconia gave us one the best conditions to windsurf and race. Sunny, warm weather with more than plenty of very consistent wind for the whole day.

I was a first time racer and it was a blast for me. I love windsurfing, but racing brought my windsurfing experience to a totally different level. It was so much more challenging, but at the same time so much more interesting and entertaining to race. Constrain of the race course and motivation to compete against other surfers adds an extra purpose to the whole activity, and it is much more fun than just solitary surfing back and forth. And the interaction with the other racers is also much deeper than in a non-racing windsurfing setting.

A bonus was informal instruction and coaching provided by more experienced windsurfers and teachers. Thanks to that, I experienced my first waterstarts on that day. Thanks Jeff!!!

Overall it was one of the best windsurfing days in my life.

Michael and Jeff: Thanks for outstanding organization of such wonderful event and inviting us to participate.

Everybody who participated: Thanks for very friendly and embracing atmosphere you all created.

Piotr

PS. Will the pictures from the event be available somewhere for viewing/copying/printing?