IWA Newsletter

Thank you to all Windsurfing Associations and WS NCA's who have paid their 2016 Class Fees. A reminder that it is a requirement, as specified in each Notice of Race for IWA Sanctioned Events: "Competitors shall be members of a National Class Association which is a paid up member of the relevant international class association." We look forward to receiving outstanding payments soon. Please contact the IWA Office if you do not have, or wish to amend, your invoice.

The International Speed Windsurfing Class (ISWC) invite you to join now for 2016 at a new reduced fee. Full membership of the class, including full voting rights, is only available to individuals, the speed windsurfers of the world.

This year will see the announcement of a World Championship, at which will be held an Annual General Meeting of members. Full details will follow later this month. A current membership of the class is a requirement to participate in both the class championships and the AGM. Complete your membership form and submit payment online

Welcome to the new website of the International Funboard Class Association. Enjoy looking around and we look forward seeing you at one of our events. Note new domain: http://www.ifcaclass.com/

2016 COMPETITION COMING UP

Almanarre Beach once again is hosting this year's IFCA JUNIOR, YOUTH & MASTERS SLALOM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Located in the South of France, on the Mediterranean coast, close to the city of Hyeres, the white sandy beach at l’Almanarre stretches for nearly 3 miles along the western spit of the Giens tombolo. Entries are pouring in! Visit the event webpage for Notice of Race and to enter

Sopocki Klub Zeglarski (SKZ) in Sopot, Poland, will host "back-to-back" European Championships this July for the Techno 293 (T293) Association. The T293 European Championships 23 to 30 July) will be preceded (17 to 22 July) by the inaugural European Championships for the T293 Plus class, most recently selected as windsurfing equipment for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.......( more )

Kizezers Lake, in Riga, Latvia, will be the host venue for the 2016 Raceboard Masters World Championship. Scheduled to take place from 31st May to 4th June the event includes the Rig Cup for RS:X and Techno 293 racers.......( more )

The 2016 Formula Windsurfing European season kicks off with the Alqueva/Monsaraz European Cup from 24th to 27th March. Check out the Notice of Race and send in your eentry form.

Click here to view movies of other years' events in Alqueva.

World Sailing is disappointed to announce that the Oman Sailing Committee have withdrawn from hosting the 2016 Youth Sailing World Championships which were due to take place in December 2016.

The Oman Sailing Committee was able to exercise the right to withdraw, as a final contract for the hosting of the event had not been concluded. World Sailing will now immediately start to work with its Member National Authorities to rapidly identify an alternative venue for the 2016 Youth Sailing World Championships at the same time of year as the event originally planned for Oman.......( more )

World Sailing has published its report into discrimination at the 2015 Youth World Sailing Championship in Langkawi, Malaysia.

World Sailing deeply regret that 2 sailors from the Israel Yachting Association (IYA) were unable to compete at the 2015 Youth World Championships due to the conditions imposed by the Malaysian authorities, in order for them to be allowed permission to enter the country and compete at the regatta. Read the full statement . . .

2016 COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

Polish windsurfers Piotr Myszka and Malgorzata Bialecki started the last day of racing at the 2016 RS:X World Championships in Eilat, Israel top of both the men's and women's sections. Competition started with the last Silver fleet races but these were stopped as the wind almost died, and the fleets returned to shore, ending their part in the Championship.

Thankfully, conditions improved......( more )

As sailors again arrived early at the beach for the final day, we all held our breath in hope that perhaps the forecast would somehow be wrong again. As it turned out the wind gods took mercy on us and we had a promising looking breeze building out of the south east by 12pm. ......( more )

The biggest event on the local windsurfing calendar and one of the key windsurfing events in Asia, the SIM 35th Singapore Open South East Asian Windsurfing Championship was organised by the Windsurfing Association of Singapore supported by Singapore Sailing Federation. The multi-class championship event, held during the northeast monsoon season and with the high energy from the SIM students, delivered as expected an exciting event. ......( more )

GENERAL INTEREST

Jason Polakow has become the first windsurfer to ride the big wave of Nazare, in Portugal. The Australian wave sailor has finally fulfilled his longtime dream of riding a windsurf board on the monstrous liquid cliffs of Praia do Norte, the spot usually reserved for surfing, bodyboarding and, more recently, skimboarding.

Polakow rode 43-foot waves (13 meters) after carefully studying and preparing the adventure in the last 12 months.......( more )

World of Windsurf, online magazine, has awarded their 2015 student athlete sportmanship awards to young racers from the Techno 293 class. Barbara-Izabella Ramirez Villa Real, from Brasil, and Leonidas Tsortanidis , from Greece, were the recipients .......( more )

FOR MORE NEWS, REPORTS ETC GO TO NEWS ARCHIVE ON IWA