Monday, April 18, 2011

Bo Derek and Olympic scuttlebutt, circa 1980



































If you're too young to know who Bo Derek is, too bad. Once again, I have dug deep into Windsurfer history with some of the material from the Spring issue of 1980. The above page, I hope, needs no explanation.

Recently there's been a boardsport kerfuffle of Olympic proportions: Will it be kiting or windsurfing or both at the 2016 Olympics? Diane Schweitzer's editorial from 1980 reminds us how that new sport of windsurfing got rushed into the Olympics without much history to prove if we were the real deal or just a passing fad. Once again, a special thanks to Ted Schweitzer, The Original WINDSURFER. Click the page scans for better viewing...uh, reading ( add some page zoom too).


Saturday, April 16, 2011

Calendar: June - 2011



PWA | Costa Brava Spain | May 31 - Jun 5
http://www.pwaworldtour.com/index.php?id=38&tx_pwaevent_pi1[showUid]=177&cHash=795a2ca245










Wednesday Nite Racing | Miami | June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

BYC Friday Night Race | Berkely, CA | June 3


Starboard Slalom | Kanaha, Maui | June 4
http://www.mauiraceseries.com/

SDFW | San Diego, CA | June 4



Gorge Cup Race 1 | Hood River, OR | June 4

Cat Tail Regatta | Toledo, OH | June 4

BYC Friday Night Race | Berkely, CA | June 10

ABK | San Luis Reservoir, CA | June 10 -12
http://abkboardsports.com/camps/details/204

Original Windsurfer Series | Traverse City, Michigan | June 11, 25

East Coast WS Festival | Long Island, NY | June 11 - 12

Gorge Cup Race 2 | Hood River, OR | June 11 - 12

Ronstan Bay Challenge | San Francisco, CA | June 11 -12














Worthington WS Regatta | Worthington, MN | June 11 - 12

Gerry Brown Memorial Regatta | Essex, MD | June 12

Waterstart Clinic | San Francisco, CA | June 11, 12

PWA | Bonaire | June 12 - 16










Pistol River Wave Bash | Pistol River, OR | June 16 - 19

St. Francis YC Twighlight Series | San Francisco, CA | June 17

ABK | San Luis Reservoir, CA | June 17 -19

Spring Women's Clinic | Port Bolster, Ontario | June 17 - 19










Gross Pointe WS Club Regatta | Patterson Park, MI | June 18

Dakine Classic | Kanaha, Maui | June 18

PWA | Aruba | June 19 - 26

BYC Friday Night Race | Berkely, CA | June 24













Gorge Windfest | Hood River, OR | June 25 - 26

ABK | Rio Vista, CA | June 24 - 26

Moosefest Regatta | Dryden, Ontario | June 25 - 26

Gorge Blowout & Mini Blowout | Hood River | June 25 or 26










HiHo | BVI, Tortola | June 26 - July 3






Canadian events.

More Team USA junior events.

Mowind does a detailed schedule  for the Great Lakes / North Central U.S.

Calcup covers the west coast U.S. races and more.

Maui Race Series.

ABK continuous tour schedule.

U.S. Windsurfing National Racing Tour.

Southeast U. S. events will be found here.

iWindsurf Events page.

Solo Sports events.

PWA World Tour Events.

American Windsurfing (Wave) Tour.

BABA events.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

The forward loop

Like an archaeologist who uncovers something unusual, I was really excited about finding this piece of windsurfing history. Written in 1980, The Aerial Loop article, contradicts coventional history, because most of us believe the forward loop was invented in the mid 1980's. Before my discovery could be validated I had to learn more.  I sent Ken Winner the article with a few questions. His reply:

I’ll take a shot at the questions:

The most recent recounting of the history of the forward loop has it being invented in the mid 1980's. Were you the first to do a loop? Are the photos of you?
The photos are of me. The article was a spoof; an attempt at humor. Clue: "The idea of doing the loop first came to me after a fall on my head" (emphasis added). The idea was outlandish enough at the time that most readers understood that it was a spoof, at the time. The photos show a standard non-rotating jump, but two of the photos have been rotated. Nobody was even close to looping at the time.

Windsurfing Mag editor, Josh Sampiero says the photos are of a back loop. Is he right?
Yes. A psuedo-backloop.

How big a board were you hucking?
9'.

Where was the looping being done?
The photos were probably taken at Diamondhead, Oahu. First half of 1980.

Were there others doing the loop?
No. We didn't start looping until about '84. Back loop first. Forward loop a couple of years later, I think.
I hope that helps. ken

Even if it was a spoof, did the article plant the seed of invention in the minds of some? Perhaps. Was it an April fools joke? Perhaps. Did it fool me? Definitely.


So who did invent the forward loop? Boardseeker writes: "For many of our younger readers the name Cesare Cantagalli will not mean much. But it should as Cesare was the inventor of the forward loop and the first person to ever try a double." For their report: the loop.


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Believe it or not, the most advanced simulator ( there have been others) designed to let you practice the loop was introduced this year at the 2011 German Boot Show. Can you see this contraption at windsurfing resorts? 



Maybe the best "how to video" by Remko de Weerd.



Finally, for all the brave who muster the courage to begin the path of a looping learner... Clive Boden who tackled learning to loop in his late 50's is, among other things, unafraid to laugh at himself.



If  the above information isn't enough...you'll find a ton more on the Learners guide freestyle page.