AWT · CalCup · Gorge Cup · Radar · 3 Videos

The American Windsurfing Tour is almost ready to start its second year with the first stop, Goya Windsurfing Festival, at the famous west coast wave spot, Waddell Creek, just a few miles north of Santa Cruz, CA. New developments this year are prize money and demos. Hot Sails Maui is offering demos throughout the competition. Check out their Demo Schedule. Goya and Quatro will also offer demos. All the sponsors have been invited to demo their gear, so let's get crackin'. Event Registration and more information are found on the AWT Website. For developing news go to the AWT Facebook (support the AWT by liking this new Facebook page) and AWT Twitter.

• Wednesday May 2 ~ Clinic/Demo Day - All Day Waddell Beach - Registration/Check- in Davenport Roadhouse 5-7 PM - Dinner 7-8 PM
• Thursday May 3 - Sunday May 6 ~ Waddell Competition - Skippers Meeting each day 10 AM
• Sunday May 6 ~ Awards & BBQ at Davenport Surf and Sail 7-10 PM Davenport Roadhouse. Red Bull Bonfire to follow

If you're interested in a recap of last year's inaugural event: AWT: Santa Cruz Classic, the whole enchilada. Kai Katchadourian talks about Waddell, the sandbar, the locals, the history and more in the first video below. In the second video, Marcilio Browne shares some stoke about coming to his first Santa Cruz event. More top riders competing are Kevin Pritchard, Francisco Goya, Levi Siver, Josh Stone, Nathan Mershon. Expect a food truck at the beach every day. Unfortunately, no live webcast but they're working on providing replays of the individual heats. A new Quatro wave board will be raffled off at the contest.

The long running San Francisco race series, started in 1982, has already begun its 31st season of racing. Detailed information about the racing, their junior program, perpetual trophies, classifieds and more are found on the CalCup Website. In addition to the CC Series, St. Francis Yacht Club will host the North American Formula Championship and the North American IFCA Slalom Championship. Just some of the Bay area racing schedule below:

• April 21 CalCup
• May 19 CalCup
• June 23 CalCup
• July 17 - 22  North American Formula Championship
• July 21 - 22  North American IFCA Slalom Championship
• August 11 CalCup
• September 8 CalCup

Mike Percey catches us up on the CalCup story: "CalCcup was started in 1982 by Don Lester and Emily Dale. Mike Percey took it over in 1990.We have averaged 30-35 racers per event from the beginning to now. We lose some each year and gain approximately the same number.

Connect with the CalCup Racers

Weyman Lundquist and the St. Francis Yacht Club began a junior program a few years ago that has run in conjunction with CalCup. This year Weyman is running his Jr. program in the mornings on the same date as CalCup races so that the juniors can start filtering into the B team division of CalCup as they improve. Weyman’s son Jack is now an A team racer, winning the B team title last season.We feel that the junior program will help grow the number of racers over the next few years. We also have a few kiters showing up to race.

Kevin Pritchard raced one of our Rio Vista events and after the day exclaimed that it was the funnest event he had ever done. Notable local racers are Steve Sylvester, Rob Hartman, Mike Zaijcek, and many other A team local racers. Rob Hartman could easily have gone Pro."

JP Bowles

 CGWA Director Greg Stiegel said the traditional start of the Gorge Season is the Victoria Day (Monday, May 21) Weekend, when all the Canadians come down. Or perhaps June 15 when the local kids get out of school for the summer break.

According to this Big Winds FB report, the season may have already started: "It got really cranked up yesterday (April 14)  afternoon in the central and eastern gorge with gusts pushing 40 at the Hatchery by mid-afternoon. A solid group of sailors showed up at the Hatch to rip the mondo swells pouring through, including Big Wind's GM Steve Gates, Rob Dies, BW Jr. Team Fiona Wylde, her dad MacRae and a host of the Hatch regulars. BW Kite manager, TJ Gulizia worked his way upwind from the Event Site, fully lit on his 7m. The Event Site also drew a nice turnout with 3 dozen kiters and a dozen or so sailors taking advantage of beautiful weekend weather. Its been a great start to the season so far!" 

Trudy Lary settled it with these photos. It's opening day at the Hatchery 4-14-2012.


Whit Poor

Gorge racers will have a busy schedule this season, including the USWA National Championship. Darren Rogers will be setting courses and directing all the races. To register and for more information visit Gorge Cup Race Series. And for an even better connection you can follow or join, GC race talk on their Yahoo Group. The 2012 U.S. Windsurfing National Championship will be held in Hood River at the Event Site from July 23 - 28. Check for details on the USWA website.

Windsurfing's gorgeous Columbia River wonderland is the only place in this country that offers a full time paying job for a windsurfing community organizer. Plus, where else can you access a daily, uniquely tailored wind forecast for every local sailing possibilty; don't miss Temira Wagonfeld's The Gorge is my Gym website.

Beside the 11 days of racing this year, here are some highlights of the summer to come. The AWT Pistol River Wave Bash is set for June 14 - 17 at the relatively nearby Gold Beach on the Oregon coast. The CGWA will put on Windfest at the Event site on the weekend of July 7 - 8. For those in search of the other water sports, start by looking at Big Winds Big Events.  For the ultimate summer experience, USWA reports: "Now teens will be able to fly into Portland, Oregon, be picked-up and driven to a residential camp just up stream from Hood River, housed, fed, supervised by experienced counselors and driven to “The Gorge” each day for the expert instruction and supervision by the world renown Big Winds." Finally, if you need to connect with something windsurfing, have a look at the recently updated Gorge Community Guide.

Radar ·  Jacksonville, FL Windfest is revving up and ready to go: April 28 - 29 ~ Hatteras this month: Miller leads a speed tweak clinic, captured on video ~ Makani Fins shutter bug love ~ AWT Presidente, Sam Bittner, island happy ~ Windfest promo video ~ JP Bowles is King of the River ~  AWT adds 6th event for 2012, the Pacasmayo Classic, in Peru, August 17 - 26 ~ DelMarVa Swapmeet, April 28, 9 - 12 am

"WARNING !! Bernd is officially on the road !! Everyone look out for your pets," warns his Dad. If his car driving skills are any where near his wave sailing skills, there's nothing to worry about. The first video below demonstrates some of the latter. In the 2nd video, Muzza, aka Chris Murray, shares a little insight about the path of a wannabe windsurfer...Finally, the last video shows that the windsurfing life can be good to the very last drop...sail 'til you can't stand on the board.

Postscript · The PWA event in Aruba has been cancelled. They explain: "The present economic situation, brought about by the closing of the Valero Refinery, has greatly affected Aruba. As a consequence sponsors for the event recently informed us that they are forced to cut down funding support for events and projects on the Island because of the present insecure financial situation. Government budgets have been cut drastically and as such the needed budget for the PWA event cannot be supplemented from that source either."