Competition/FW European Festival 16
|
|
FOLLOW THE EVENT LIVE ON THE FORMULA WINDSURFING CLASS WEBSITE
Important Links: Video of last championship |
2016 FORMULA WINDSURFING YOUTH EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 FORMULA WINDSURFING WOMENS EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 FORMULA WINDSURFING MASTERS EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 PORTIMAO EUROPEAN FESTIVAL CHAMPIONSHIP (OVERALL) | |
 Second day of the European Festival Championship FWEverything started at 10.00 for the Skippers meeting, a very early skippers meeting considering the forecast was saying that the wind would only pick up around 15.00. The CR told all competitors that we would do 4 races today, two back to back, a rest of 45m and another two races back to back. The day was very hot, with a amazing sunshine and temperature above 30º Celsius, very good for the beach, but not so good for the windsurfing equipment. The wind in the morning was NE with around 10 knots inside the harbor, but outside with lots of holes and around 5 to 7 knots. At 12.00, the jury lowered the AP and all competitors had 30 minutes to get on the water! With the wind dropping when all competitors had all their equipment rigged and prepared to go to the water, the CR cancelled. Everyone had to start to de-rig again because it was impossible to leave rigged equipment in the sun. After this false call there was a one hour break for the competitors and CR to have lunch. After the break there was a short wait while the wind was changing to SW then, with a speed of around 7 knots, the AP flag was lowered again and everyone sent on to the water. Race 4 started but lots of competitors didn't make it to the race, because they had to go upwind with a constant wind of 7 knots with a little chop. After around 5 minutes of racing the CR cancelled again. Eventually the wind started to pick up from SW around 9 to 12 knots, and finally the 4th race started with everyone ready for this race. We finished race 4, with the wind dropping and changing direction. After changing the course we started again with race 5, the wind dropping, very shifty with differences of direction of around 40 degrees between SW and NW, holes of 5 knots and gusts of 12 knots. Eventually as the first two guys were doing only half of the race planing, the CR again cancelled the race. All competitors came again to the start line, and the CR again attempted the start of Race 5. The wind and the conditions continued the same, shifty 40o in direction and the wind between 4 knots and 9 knots over most of the course, but this time the CR didn't cancel resulting in lots of complaints by the competitors. A break of 45 minutes to relax then back on the water for two races back to back. All the courses were big, the first guys were taking around 27 minutes to complete the full race, very hard with this changing wind. (This kind of wind is not normal in Portimao, the problem is the Atlantic Ocean is North Wind and in the Strait of Gibraltar you have Levante wind, and because we are almost in the middle, these two winds are fighting, and that is why the wind is changing a lot.) Finally we finished the two last races of the day and went ashore. Miguel won the 4 races of the day, but in the last one more than half of the race Vasco Chaveca was in front of Miguel giving him a good fight. Tomorrow the skippers meeting is again at 10.00 and, unfortunately, the forecast for tomorrow is not good, south winds very very light, lets see what happens. See you tomorrow for the day 3 of the event. | |
 Formula Windsurfing European Festival Portimao Today was the first day of racing in this amazing European Championship, but before starting to race we had between 9.00 to 11.00 the late registration, for the competitors that only could arrive today. At the end of the registration we have 26 competitors, from 7 countries. The first skippers meeting of the event started at 12.00, and was the time for the jury explain everything to the competitors, and also to tell them that the first possible race will be at 14.00 (always depending of the wind). The target for today was to make 3 races, 2 races back to back a break and finally another race. The program is to do 15 races in the 5 days of event. The forecast for today, was very good and was supposed to be the strongest day, stronger than the day before that we had gusts around 20 knots, but this time the forecast was wrong. The 14.00 hours pass and without wind, the competitors only went to the water around 15.30 with a good breeze of West 09 to 11 knots. In the first Race of the championship we had a little problem because is very very hot, more then 30º degrees, and was impossible to have the sails rigged and the jury only give 20 minutes after the AP flag going down onshore and only almost half of the fleet could do the first Race. Apart from this the first race was very good with the wind picking up to 13knots with amazing sunshine. We had two races back to back, and the second race the wind change a little and the upwind mark was very near the shore, and the wind much lighter than the first race, that was very difficult for all competitors. After the second race we had a break of 45 minutes to relax, and when everyone was hoping that the wind getting much stronger like yesterday, continue light but a little stronger than the second race. All the 3 races was won by Miguel Martinho that is very fast right now with is new Starboard and the new severne Sails, the second and the third place is very dispute between, David Coles and Vasco Chaveca, but finally in the last race of the day Vasco Chaveca stay in front and take the second place. For the second day, the program is to do 4 races, with also light to medium wind, lets see what happens. | |
Portimao in May – sun, warm water and great wind conditions for formula racing! Hosted by a super friendly club with a passionate formula membership including Miguel Martinho (POR-5) who will be sure to be one of the favourites for this year's Master title. The organisers have arranged for some great accommodation options at special rates; and transfers from Faro airport can be arranged. For all this and more info, contact: Vasco Chaveca - afwportugal@gmail.com | |
Site Venue – Praia da Rocha | |
website content © International Windsurfing Association, design by AWNet Limited © Christopher Gibson