08.01.2008

Tarifa Windsurfing Festival

Vom 28.-31.12.07 fand in Tarifa die erste Auflage des Windsurfing Festivals statt. Ein Resümee (Artikel in englisch).

Text and fotos: U.P.WIND TARIFA

After a 2 year break, the Tarifa Windsurfing Festival, organised and hosted by U.P. Wind Tarifa returned over the Christmas season

The competition was open to all levels of windsurfers, and offered Wave, Freestyle and Slalom heats for both female and male competitors

More than 50 windsurfers from all over Spain, and as far afield as Portugal, France and Belgium, gathered in the European Wind Capital between the 28th and 31st of December 2007.

The wind gods smiled for the 1st day of the competition –a serviceable force 4-5 levante blew from early in the morning until late afternoon, accompanied by some chop and quite a decent wave at Playa Chica – Tarifa’s town beach just next to the harbour. The organisers took advantage of the conditions to host an Expression Session competition – where anything went, from freestyle to waves, as long as the competitors could pull it off!

The first of 8 heats began at midday, each heat consisting of 4 competitors. Sail choice ranged from 4.7 to 5.5. There was strong support from a large number of Tarifa locals who strolled down from the village to watch the impressive show that the competitors were putting on – forwards, backloops, spocks, flakas and shakas came thick and fast.

The heats whittled the field down to the following 4 riders for the men’s semi-finals: Steven Van Broenhoven B-72 vs. Dieter Van Der Eyken, and Aleix Shanllehy E-55 vs. Juan Pedro Garcia E-89. Several high and perfectly landed shakas from Steven gave him the upper hand over his Belgian compatriot Dieter. The Catalan Aleix Sanllehy put on a real show with some impressive freestyle moves and edged ahead against Juan Pedro Garcia. The final was a 10 minute competition between the B-72 and E-555. Again, the sky high shakas by Steven gave him the advantage and the winner’s title.

The women’s competition was conducted over 3 heats. Silvia Alba E-67 originally from Sevilla but now based in Tarifa, showed her class with some impressively high forwards along with some great freestyle moves. Maria Andres, E-2 from Puerto de Santa Maria came second, followed by the young Catalan Aida Macia.

Later in the afternoon, the judges decided to take advantage of the wind given the questionable forecast for the next day, and organised a Slalom heat on the same spot. 2 buoys were stationed off Playa Chica to mark a figure of 8 course. Each heat consisted of 6 riders, who showed what they were made of with some spectacular gybes around the buoys. It was an impressive sight for spectators with the competitors blasting back and forth in front of the harbour, with the Tarifa-Tangiers Ferry in the background.

The overall winner of the slalom was the Tarifa-based Frenchman Ludo “Joss” Jossin, closely followed by another French Tarifeno and Gun Sails tester Philippe Vigneron. 3rd place went to Fernando Martinez del Cerro.

Unfortunately the forecast was spot-on and the next day was wind-free, but interest was concentrated on the competitors’ dinner and fiesta at El Rancho that night. Proceedings kicked off in traditional Spanish fashion (i.e. late), and some of the non-Spaniards spent most of the evening trying not to fall asleep. During the dinner there was an extremely generous prize raffle for all the competitors. Each competitor got something: booms, harnesses, fins, T-shirts, DVDs with the top prize being the latest Slalom board from custom boardmaker SailBoards Tarifa. After dinner the party rolled into town and carried on till closing time at the La Ruina club. A number of die-hards had to be forcibly ejected, and rumour has it that one of the windsurfers (tour rules apply) doesn’t quite recall where he spent the night.

The wind clearly decided to take an early new year’s holiday for the final 2 days of the competition, so prizes for the winners were awarded at the Malibu Bar on the Playa de los Lances. Monty Spindler, Loft Sails designer, made the most of the crowd and demoed the rigging technique for his new slalom ‘Blade’. The prize-giving was a great photo opportunity (despite the hangovers), and it was clear that everyone was pretty happy with a successful and sunny competition in the middle of the European winter. Next year should be even bigger and better (perhaps a few Brits this time?!) and hopefully with some extra wind.

CLASSIFICATION:
EXPRESSION SESSION
Men:
1º Steven Van Broeckhoren B-72
2º Aleix Sanlleh y E-555
3º Dieter Van der Eyken B-35
4º Juan Pedro GarcÍa Fernández E-89


Women:
1º Silvia Alba E-67
2º María Andrés E-2
3º Aida Maciá E- 85

SLALOM
Men:
1º Ludo Joss Jossin F- 12
2º Phlippe Vigneron
3º Fernando MartÍnez del Cerro ESP-71
4º JoaquÍn Rodes E-32
5º Francisco Pérez E-444
6º Ferrán Recasens E-85

Women:
1º Silvia Alba E- 67
2º María Andrés E-2
3º Aida Maciá E- 85