USA - FORMULA WINDSURFING CLASS
As we approached the top of the Berkeley Pier, I watched Dave jibe around a mark the St.Francis had set. I hadn't scrutinized the race instructions and wondered if the mark was for the kites who's start had followed ours so I rounded the traditional mark at the top of the Pier - between the pole and the pier - a longer course which increased Dave's significantly. It turned out that Dave was right. Fortunately for me, Percey wasn't sure about which mark to round either and played it safe and followed me. Eric Christianson who was on a 10 but had been over early at the start had been coming through the fleet. He was pretty sure Dave was right and he rounded the buoy and closed the gap between himself, Percey and me. But it wasn't enough to get him to the finish before me or Mike so that was how the classic ended for the first 4 - Dave by quite a bit then me, Mike and Eric together.
Crossing the finish started the clock for each of us in the Ultranectar Challenge and the trip back upwind to the StFYC was pretty uneventful. The wind was what I'd call medium powered for a 9 - probably 16 to 18 - and the tide was a light ebb, slowly turning to a flood. I managed to make it back to the finish line at the St. Francis 1st but Mike Zajieck had made up 2 minutes on me by the time he'd finished for the win. I was 2nd, Eric was 3rd and Mike Percey was 4th. We all 4 rossed the finish line very close to each other. One thing that was pretty cool was that I had the fastest overall time down and back, i.e. from the start of the Classic to the finish of the Challenge.
The course racing on Sunday consisted of 3 races with downwind finishes. It was light so most of us rigged 10's. I decided to take a chance and run a 70cm Kashy that had tested well. I usually don't run fins that long but I thought it would be a good time try it out in racing conditions. I won the first two races. The races were 3 laps each and in the first race Eric C was all over me. I was first to the weather mark and though he finally passed me on the last weather leg when I over stood a bit, I was fast enough to stay with him and force him to come in low and go a little wide at the top mark enabling me to come into the mark high and dive down to jibe inside of him. Then I was able to him off to the finish.
The 2nd race I was first to the top mark again but Dave Wells caught an especially good puff sailing the inside on one of the down wind runs and took over 1st place. Then on the last lap I jibed a little early and it was a race downwind to the finish. I was really surprised that I was able to hang with Dave on my setup as he's been very fast downwind but I crossed the line less than a board length in front of him.
The wind had picked up by the 3rd race so I changed down to a 9 and the 64 cm Kashy. For some reason I've not felt very fast on that fin in the L8 this year and but for the sake of experimentation I decided to run it to see. I didn't feel fast on it the last race. That and getting upended by a ferry boat wake in the middle of a jibe didn't help. By the time I got the sail up and was moving down the course again the lead pack was almost to the bottom mark. I thought I'd blown the day but there were a couple of other people in the lead pack that ended up in the water and when the scores were posted I had barely managed to squeak a first over all. The last race I finished 5th and with the two 1sts that gave me 7 points. Dave had the same total with two 2nds and a 3rd but my 1sts I broke the tie.
Steve Sylvester reporting
Interview with GONZALO COSTA-HOEVER ARG-3 ranked # 1 in the world formula class

Rick Randall: Gonzalo, tell me about the first time you ever windsurfed, and what it was that made you dedicate your life to it?
GCH: : AT THAT TIME (WHEN 9) MY MAIN SPORT ACTIVITY WAS PLAYING
RR: And what is it today that keeps you motivated?
GCH: PROBABLY THE FEELING EVERYTIME I GET ON THE WATER OF PLANING AND GOING SO FAST IS WHAT
ON A DEEPER THOUGHT THEN I WOULD SAY RACING AGAINS 100 GUYS AND WINNING RACES..
ASWELL MANY TIMES I THINK THAT WHEN I LEARNED I USED TO WATCH A LOT THE PWA VIDEOS AND HAD MY HEROES THAT MOST OF THEM NOW ARE MY GOOD FRIENDS AND RIVALS IN THE WATER.
I WAS GIVEN MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT I VE ALWAYS TOOK AND ALWAYS HAD A FAIR AND POSITIVE RESULT..ALL THIS KEEPS ME GOING AND MAYBE ONE DAY I LL GET THE
RR: You are one of the top Formula sailors in the world, and also a threat in slalom...how is it that you are able to be good at both? Are there similarities between the two that make it possible, or are you just that good?
GCH:
I HAD DEDICATED ALL MY PRO CARRER TO COURSERACING.
THIS PAST WINTER I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO PUT ALL MY KNOWLEDGE INTO SLALOM AND GO TO EVENTS TRAINED AS GOOD AS WHEN I GO TO A FORMULA EVENT TO SEE HOW IT GOES. TO DO THIS I SPENT 2 MONTHS IN
I AM CURRENTLY 5TH AT PWA SLALOM RANKS AFTER ONE WINDY "DAY" COMPETITION IN COSTA BRAVA.
FOR ME RACING IN BOTH DICIPLINES IS SIMILAR..ONE PAYS OFF MORE TO FOCUSS ON YOUR TOP SPEED AND THE OTHER ONE MORE FOCUS ON TACTICS..IS REALLY HARD TO TUNE ALL THE STUFF FOR FORMULA AND FOR SLALOM TO BE ABLE TO BE AT THE TOP ON BOTH...
I AM PRETTY GOOD AT STARTS AND TACTICS, THIS HELPS A
RR: So which do you prefer, slalom or Formula?
GCH: FORMULA
RR: What are the best tips that you can give to sailors who are trying to get to the next level in their sailing?
GCH: SPEND MORE TIME IN THE WATER AND TRY TO KNOW BETTER YOUR GEAR..AND DO MORE EVENTS.
RR: In racing at the pro level, it seems that there are really big guys like Antoine who do really well, and guys who are lighter like you who also do well, no matter what the conditions. What advantages do the heavyweights have and when do the lightweights prevail? Are there techniques that one can use to overcome the advantages or disadvantages of weight?
GCH: I AM MAINLY THE ONLY GUY THAT IS BELOW 80 KG IN THE SLALOM FLEET THAT HAS DECENT RESULTS. THE ONLY ADVANTAGE I SEE ON A LIGHTER GUY IS THAT MIGHT HAVE BETTER ACELERATION OFF THE START OR A JYBE ON THE LIGHT WIND DAYS. HEAVIER GUYS NORMALLY HAVE A BETTER TOP SPEED EVEN IN LIGHT DAYS . I NORMALLY USE 2 SIZES LOWER THAN ANTOINE..AND A SMALLER BOARD...BUT THIS DOESNT MEAN THAT I WILL BE SLOWER..MAINLY A BIGGER GUY STAYS MORE TIME ON TOTAL SPEED WHEN HEATING A CHOP OR GUST SECTION...
RR: And now, you are developing fins for Maui Fin Company in addition to competing...how is that going? Will we see a line of Formula fins ever?
GCH: WE ARE CONCENTRATED ON SLALOM FINS ONLY..THIS IS A
WE ARE WORKING WITH G10 SO FAR AND OUR FIRST REAL TEST WAS COSTA BRAVA. IAM REALLY HAPPY WITH THE RESULT AND WE HAVE MANY MORE PROTOS COMING SO BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WE WILL HAVE A VERY GOOD PRODUCT.
RR: You have traveled here to
GCH:I LIKED
RR: Any last parting thoughts? Any rumors that you would like to confirm or deny?
GCH: IF YOU MEANT PARTY?? I HAVE A GIRLDFRIEND FOR ONE YEAR AND HALF AND EVERYTHING IS GREAT..IF YOU MEANT SPONSORSHIPS? I AM 99 PERCENT SURE I WILL CONTINUE WITH F2 FOR THIS YEAR AND PROBABLY NEXT YEAR TOO. I HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATION WITH PATRIK DIETELHM WHO IS THE SHAPER AND I WORKED VERY CLOSE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOARDS FOR THIS YEAR AND NEXT.
RR: Thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to answer these questions!
GCH:NO PROBLEM, ANY TIME..
by: RON KERN
To sum up the 2008 US Windsurfing Nationals at

Wednesday: Strong winds, the wind graph showing lots of mid 20’s average and gusts to the mid 30’s, 9.0m is really the call, but many struggle with 10m sails. Fernando Martinez takes an early lead with four bullets for five races for the day and shows the 10m can be mastered in “too much” wind, followed by Peter Bonello in second, Stephan Lidington in third. Ron Kern takes a bullet in the last race spoiling Fernando’s string of wins.
Evening entertainment is rained out for outside after a torrential downpour and tornado watch and is moved to the Travelodge bar. A great 3-piece band consisting of an electric guitar, a washtub & rope bass, and a washboard, make some awesome music for several sets and are later accompanied by nationally acclaimed local harmonica player. Awesome!
Thursday: Lighter winds start out the day but build in the average and gusts that get people’s attention with big sails. Four races are held. Fernando opens up his lead a bit more and Ron Kern has a better day with another bullet and a couple 2nd’s moving him into 2nd position followed by Peter Bonello. Most all of the fleet is on about a 12m. Floridian Martin Abete finishes the day with a bullet in race number 9.
Friday: Strong winds again, mid 20’s average and gusts to mid 30’s, 9.0m is the call and four races are held. Ron Kern who is in
Saturday: Lighter winds, low to mid teen average. The challenge for the day is to see who will come out for the third place. Allison Shreeve shows her stuff today. She scores two bullets and a 2nd and moves herself into third overall. Fernando scores another bullet in race 3. The day ends with Allison in third, Peter Bonello and Stefan Lidington slipping back to 4th and 5th places. Fernando pretty much has 1st wrapped up and Ron is in 2nd.
Saturday has an evening banquet outside in perfect weather at the backyard of Bill Keitel’s lakefront home with a plentiful pasta buffet. Everyone welcomes a good helping of food after being run hard for the last 4 days with 15 races under their belts. Music at the outdoor stage follows.
Sunday: Light winds, touching and staying at formula minimum with some gusts blasting through the course. Ron and Fernando swap bullets and 2nd’s in the last two races of the series. The wind is the lightest, with the most holes of the series making getting to the wind the key. In the last lap of the last race, Ron & Fernando round within just a few yards of each other at the weather mark and Fernando gets a great downwind blast on a super huge header making it to the mark in one shot easily winning the closing race.
Sailing on a small lake setting brings up many of the skills that you may have read about in sailing books. Wind shifts, finding the pressure, covering your competition, good transitions, all played a huge part in success for the competitors who figured it out. Fernando Martinez mastered it winning with 9 firsts and overall first place. Second overall was Ron Kern with 4 firsts and 5 seconds and winning the over 50 “vintage” class. Third place overall was women’s pro racer Allison Shreeve who took two bullets and two seconds racing with the Starboard Formula One Design kit and winning the women’s fleet. She did extremely well using the 9.5m women’s rig and the 11m men’s rig, depending on the conditions and a second non-kit fin all within the formula rules but not keeping to the One Design format against the more open formula fleet. Of course there was much talk on the beach after racing about the pros and cons of switching the Olympic windsurfing board from RS:X to the Starboard Formula One Design.
It was kind of funny the next day about 40 miles out
by: ALLISON SHREEVE AUS-911
Worthington

Day one, the regatta forecast was for strong winds. This was an understatement when winds gusting 35-40knots graced the course area. The course was set across the lake and with a windward leeward/M slalom course on the outer loop which made for some really spectacular crashes at the buoys. While everyone had a bit on, it was impressive to see even the beginners out there having a go, and with the course set close to shore, the spectators were given a real treat, complete with commentary that could be heard far and wide! Allison ended up with 5th at the end of the day, and a large hole in her board courtesy of a starting line crash. The final race for the Raceboard fleet was cancelled due to a category 4 Tornado heading straight for
While day two was not quite as “exciting”, everyone was feeling the muscle pain a bit more than usual, so the race committee had pity and only ran four races in the lighter winds. The unveiling of the handmade wooden trophies at the briefing definitely served as an incentive for doing well for the rest of the week.
Day three the power generating windmills were working from sunrise with another 25-35knot day. Thankfully the direction was a little more in the SW so it wasn’t so gusty coming down the lake. Because the waves picked up more than before the race committee had to use five anchors just to hold the boat still in the silt and only managed three races for the day. Allison still in touch with top three but lingering in 5th had some work to do in the final two days.
Finally a light wind day on day four with barely enough wind to race. After canceling the first race because only Fernando and Allison made the starting line in time and then came off the plane half way up the first work, they started the race again in 4-8knots of breeze. While some struggled to stay in the gusts, others thrived taking advantage of every puff of wind they could find to get around the outer looped course. Allison came away with two firsts and a very close second putting her into third place on a count back to fourth. Allison said, “I was really happy with the performance of the Formula One Design equipment in super light wind. We were starting 10 minutes behind the Raceboards and RS:X fleets and nearly caught them all by the finish of a 30 minute race.”
The final day of racing had everyone on their toes. A warning was issued from the race committee that they would start as early as possible in order to be off the water by
Following pack up Allison held a presentation of the Formula Windsurfing One Design equipment on the beach where most of the racers attended. Many technical questions were asked, but most of all people were pleased with the performance of the equipment from 4-40knots of wind with one kit. Allison also set a new
Allison will now head home for one month to recover and prepare for the rest of the European season. She intends on competing at the FW Europeans in
Allison
www.aus911.com
Worthington
Wednesday racing wound up with big wind. It was on the border between 9m & 9.8m for me and I selected the 9.8m. The 9m would have actually been the call for the 1st two races as it was gusting well over 30 and I was flattened a few times on the course. Many didn't go out and were falling more than I so I still managed 5th & 6th place finishes. By race 3 it backed off a bit and I could actually race and got another 5th in race 3, a 2nd in race 4 and won the last race by a solid margin finishing the day on a upbeat note.
Thursday was light to start out. Most of the fleet, about 20 boards, were rigged around 12m, myself the 11.8m. The first race I took off on the wrong side of the course the first lap and was pretty far back, but worked up to 5th place finish. Having figured things out the next race was a battle with Allison Shreeve and I took her at the last tack to the finish line and scored a first. The next two races I was at the 1st or 2nd spot throughout the race and got touched out by Fernando Martinez in race 3 and by Martin Abete in race 4 scoring two seconds. Fernando is sailing very well and has a good string of bullets and is 7 points ahead after 9 races including throw outs and I'm second, 10 points ahead of Peter Bonello who is in third. Lots more racing to come, and it's not over yet! Ron kern ( k )
The first day of competition for the US WINDSURFING NATIONALS was held today in
Calcup May 17th
The preceding week had been unseasonably warm to hot in the Bay Area and that usually means flukey wind from an unusual direction or no wind at all. But Saturday morning there was fog off the coast for the first time all week and the wind looked to be setting up from the West for a good 20 mph. The location for the race was Pt. Isabel.
Since the wind looked as if it was going to build for the rest of the day, I rigged a 9 and put in a small 61cm fin in my L8. Most of the other racers rigged 10s and were using larger fins. The first race was windy enough to medium power my setup. I got a good start and managed to hold off everyone except Eric Christianson who passed me on the last downwind leg when I overstood the leeward mark. Fortunately I tacked early and was able to lay the pin end of the line barely beating him to the finish.
For the 2nd race, there was a little more wind. Mike Percey and I got a good start and battled it out to the finish. I understood the first beat and had to double tack the first windward mark and Mike understood the second beat and returned the favor by having to double tack the second windward mark. That gave me just enough advantage to make it to the finish line first for another bullet.
For the 3rd race, the wind was beginning to come in waves. Mike Percey got a good downwind run off the top weather mark and was just enough ahead to keep the wind for the 2nd beat. Eric Christianson and I were left at the leeward mark , me standing and Eric driving off trying to stay on a plane. By the time the wind filled back in again, Mike was way ahead and Eric was enough below me so I was able to salvage a 2nd at the
finish. By the time the 4th race started there were huge holes. No one was planing at the start. The first 3 races had been taking a little over 12 minutes each but by the time Eric, Mike and I met at the leeward mark after the first downwind, 20 minutes had passed. Fortunately, the race committee called the race as the fleet was spread out all over the
course. That was it for the day.
For results see
http://www.calcupevents.com/Results/2008/CalCup2_PtIsabel_Formula.shtml
Steve Sylvester reporting
International Windsurfing Association
Happy New Year!
2008 just started with some exiting one-off events on the agenda: Olympic Games in China, a board to be chosen for the 2012 London Olympics and a new ISAF rulebook 2009-2012 to be prepared. The IWA and its member classes hope to contribute to all of these. The first item on the agenda is an evaluation - do we want to continue with the RS:X as the Olympic board? Do we want to see the RS:X replaced with a planing board? It looks like now or never; Weymouth has promising wind statistics and the new ISAF policy that races should be held between 6 and 25 knots creates an opening for a one-design FW board to try to become Olympic. We can choose the 1992 path and first elect FW as the Olympic Class (with Formula Experience as a feeder class) and then in 2009 choose one board and one rig to become the Olympic one design. Or, we can propose this year a new one design FW class. By mid March the IWA should decide which path we want to follow. Then we have the Olympic Games in Qingdao, China where we look forward to some exciting racing, hopefully in sufficient wind. Media coverage of this event is big and let’s hope that the Medal Race a.gif)

