Ant-man, probably best to shut this thread down as clearly, there are too many people who don't seem to be commenting in the true spirit of Windsurfing! The thread title is certainly evocative and guaranteed to generate heated debate, but that is really not what the majority of us want to see. Many of the comments border on bullying behaviour and not in the spirit of Seabreeze or Windsurfing. TheWindsurfer knockers prefer to give Windsuffering a bashing behind their keyboards and knock the most successful class in windsurfing for attracting new blood.It seems like a few guys just don't get it and prefer playing silly buggers. Shame, because generally I like the guys from both sides of the argument even if I disagree with some of the opinions and comments. Windsuffering does a tremendous job at encouraging youth and female participation in the sport and supporting the whole class with many hours of volunteer work. hey im sure Windsuffering, myself and many others are open to all forms of the sport and encourage any involvement. he just doesn't appreciate all the negativity and macho attitudes against long boards, centreboard sailing and simple joy of windsurfing on simple kit that everyone can access, everyone can compete on evenly and fairly in large competition numbers AND he is prepared to stand up to you and defend our integrity. if Robby Naish made the same comments about Windsurfer, im sure most of you would be quiet and listen to the god> he's supportive of the class, as are many other legends of the sport. hey, just let it be. our kids don't need to see grown adults arguing and bullying online, it is not a good example and this type of ganging up has led to many youth suicides. so seriously guys, give it a break and jump on another thread if you are not into old school windsurfing or the reimaginined windsurfer that so many of the subscribers to seabreeze enjoy either as their only board, or as one of many arrows in their quiver.
we don't need white ants attacking our sport or sailors. we need more genuine fun and love for the sport, goodwill and friendship, that is how our sport will grow.
regards,
Al Haynes
Windsurfer Class Joint Rep NSW

A few more shots from last weeks WA Midwinter Championships. Sailing in the rain, icy gusty winds, when its tough Windsurfer Class sailors keep going.

"There are a lot of guys that go and compete, and maybe inside they know they're not going to win, but they are having a really good time anyway. And they know they are going to do this as long as they can. It's not about winning: it's about being there.....

....I loved racing. I loved the tactics. Because back then it wasn't just board speed like it is today. There's no tactics anymore. In the old days on long boards, it was tactics. It was like yacht racing. You'd have tacking duels with guys. I hated when windsurfing went from longboard racing to short board racing because for me it took all the tactics out of it. I loved the mind game of having a bad start and still catching up. It is really different when board speed is 99 per cent of a race like it is now."

Robby Naish's very pertinent comments in a recent interview with Graham Ezzy.

Stephen Boddy generates some positive speed even after just completing the last race of a session at the recent WA Midwinters. He is certainly smiling behind that sail with the boom in his hands. He is likely thinking these Mawson like conditions are much icier than the Greek Islands where he spent many summers as a windsurfing instructor. (still taken from a video by Lindsay Preece of Ironbark Photos)

It is going to be warmer and windier for the Australian Masters Games of Windsurfing in October so please enter and get on board now:

australianmastersgames.com/sport/sailing-windsurfer-lt/?utm_source=seabreeze.com.au

KA360 said..

RichardG said
. Like Robby Naish you will love racing the LT....

Just curious Richard, when and where did Robby Naish race an LT ? How did he go against the regular LT guys?

Where I said LT please substitute Windsurfer Class, apologies for the slip up. Robby did race Windsurfer Class against many of the regular LT guys including some in NSW who attended the National Midwinters and who are attending the AMG here in October. Robby will race LT when he is ready and he knows he can win. He is an intense guy and knows the competition is very high in the Windsurfer Class. He is reputedly very busy right now but may turn up for any LT regatta anytime soon. In the meantime other top national and international stars will compete in the AMG in Perth. Are you coming down to test your mettle on identical equipment with no excuse to lose ?

KA360 said..
Sure ,I'll go if Robby goes.

Sorry you aren't coming, racing around a course on identical equipment is the true test of any sailor. Enjoy your sailing.

Get some of the great tactical racing on offer from the Windsurfer Class by entering the Australian Master Games at MBSC, Perth WA scheduled for October 2021. Like Robby Naish you will love racing Windsurfer Class...!

australianmastersgames.com/sport/sailing-windsurfer-lt/?utm_source=www.seabreeze.com.au

One reason is the constant over exaggerated and often false claims like in the comment above by Richard.

Like Robby Naish you will love racing Windsurfer Class...!

Well,I love racing windsurfer class as much as Robby does too.
He and I have just been busy and haven't had time to join in Windsurfer class racing in the last 40 years.
Though we may turn up to an event anytime soon, and I'm sure we would really enjoy it too.

The Windsurfer has its place in history and with the LT remains a relevant windsurfing discipline along with the others, slalon waves, freestyle,foiling,speed,freerideing ect...
the LT isn't going to make windsurfing great again like it was back in the 80's on its own. But it is one of the variations that may attract newcomers (or old timers back) to our truly awesome sport and that's a big positive

RichardG said..

KA360 said..
One reason is the constant over exaggerated and often false claims like in the comment above by Richard.

Like Robby Naish you will love racing Windsurfer Class...!

KA360 I respectfully disagree, Robby has said he loved longboard racing, and he does like the LT including it in his range. I provided quotes of such and there are countless videos on the internet where Robby indicates his love of the Windsurfer Class and of racing. For you to dispute this is incredulous. Sorry that people like yourself get upset by truth and fact but suggest you need to lighten up and stop provoking others. Finally, I reject your unjust and improper attempts to seek to make me responsible for any bad behaviour by others who very well know who they are as my behaviour on this forum is exemplary and I reject any attempt by you to do so.

If you google "Robbie Naish windsurfer LT", you get one 1:58 video featuring Robbie from July 2019. It starts with a face to camera where he wishes well the competitors at the 2019 LT worlds at Lake Garda, saying he's sorry he can't make it and how the LT is such a great one design racing format. He then proceeds to spruik the Naish labeled LT and finishes off with Robbie doing some freestyle moves on the LT.

If you google "Robbie Naish windsurfing" you get over 30 videos , dated later than July 2019, of Robbie windsurfing on wave, freerace and slalom kit. This doesn't count the multiple number of videos of him wind foiling, winging, kite surfing or SUPing since July 2019.

Clearly he has moved on from the LT

Can someone please get Robbie on the phone to clear up this BS! ??

Robby Naish has been posting heaps of foiling vids the last few years which is probably why there is a massive increase in foiling of all types. Havent really seen him doing any on the LT.



Awesome speed and maneuverability in light winds, can understand the why he rides them so much, does so many vids on them and has no problem promoting them.

thedoor said..
So the anti LT group feels that some posters are over-selling the pros of the LT? I assumed that it was standard practice to hype the gear you own or use when posting on-line

Or maybe people feel there is a better one design course racing format that also functions as a beginner board? can't imagine people are arguing for the kona class over the LT

Or maybe the anti LT group feels everyone should be wind foiling instead, even though the ranks of windfoilers are rapidly dwindling as most transition to the wingding

There is no "anti LT group". It's more an "anti LT is the savior of windsurfing group". There is obviously a growing group of windsurfers who enjoy the one design racing that the LT provides. That's great and like Robbie I wish them well. But it's not for everyone and its certainly not the savior of windsurfing. There are so many ways to enjoy this sport, eg waves, freeride, GPSTC, wind foiling and the other forms of organised racing eg Techno, slalom, raceboards etc. Everyone finds what they like. That may include winging and god forbid, kiting. Lets just enjoy the stoke.

thedoor said..

John340 said..

thedoor said..
So the anti LT group feels that some posters are over-selling the pros of the LT? I assumed that it was standard practice to hype the gear you own or use when posting on-line

Or maybe people feel there is a better one design course racing format that also functions as a beginner board? can't imagine people are arguing for the kona class over the LT

Or maybe the anti LT group feels everyone should be wind foiling instead, even though the ranks of windfoilers are rapidly dwindling as most transition to the wingding

There is no "anti LT group". It's more an "anti LT is the savior of windsurfing group". There is obviously a growing group of windsurfers who enjoy the one design racing that the LT provides. That's great and like Robbie I wish them well. But it's not for everyone and its certainly not the savior of windsurfing. There are so many ways to enjoy this sport, eg waves, freeride, GPSTC, wind foiling and the other forms of organised racing eg Techno, slalom, raceboards etc. Everyone finds what they like. That may include winging and god forbid, kiting. Lets just enjoy the stoke.

This makes sense. I wholeheartedly agree.

I agree also with one or two exceptions. I don't believe there is any "LT is the saviour of windsurfing group" just as there is no "foiling is the saviour of windsurfing group" nor to put it another way do I believe the Windsurfer LT is the "messiah" of windsurfing. There are certainly passionate people in all disciplines and they all have valid experiences. The Windsurfer LT certainly has increased participation in windsurfing and racing around the buoys enjoyment, there is however for sure an "anti-LG group", and free speech is fine with me but that does not make that "anti LG group" right.

JPBARNA said..
I just saw that the LT current World Champ is racing this weekend 10' from my home. I will go and see for myself if this is saving the sport (and I suspect yes)

Which current LT world champion?
Light, medium or heavy weight?
Young, senior, master or super master?
Course racing, slalom, freestyle or overall?
There are so many of them

jusavina said..

JPBARNA said..
I just saw that the LT current World Champ is racing this weekend 10' from my home. I will go and see for myself if this is saving the sport (and I suspect yes)

Which current LT world champion?
Light, medium or heavy weight?
Young, senior, master or super master?
Course racing, slalom, freestyle or overall?
There are so many of them

Hi!

One guy that was racing today showed me the list of entries and said "This Italian is the current world champ" and I think he meant Andrea Marchesi. Is he right? And I think I also saw Thomas Blumlein in the list.

As I see in the news, Marchesi won 9 races in the last event HERE in Catalonia. I know locals tend to think about the country as the center of the universe. I see that Marchesi lives in Barcelona, so I ignore if he won anything outside Catalonia, or he is the World Champ inside our borders. Maybe he is kind of the world champ of monster trucks or similar local endogamic titles.

Anyway, he must be a good sailor. Today I'm taking my kids to the sea, tomorrow I will check the Marchesi performance...

Cheers!

JP

Ian K said..

Here's a photo from 1984. Is that you KA 360 bottom left? If not who is it?

Hard to tell for sure Ian but I think that's me in the middle (light pink T-shirt and pink sail). Probably on my Dad's Alpha Hawaiian Rocket. I also had an Alpha Raider at about that time when everyone else was on Bombora Trifins and Newtoys. I don't think this was a Windsurfer Class race though. To my right is Holly North (my skiing and windsurfing buddy at the time). She had a Windsurfer but she also had a Local Motion custom with a blue and pink Mylar sail. Her dad had the largest sailmaking business in the world at the time - North Sails.

Holly North was studying at the ANU in Canberra and made a windsurfing document and instructional movie aimed for schools. At the time, every high school in Canberra had a trailer load of Wallies and most kids had the opportunity to learn to windsurf. The movie was sponsored by Coke and Holly was using a Coke sail when she was instructing on how to windsurf. I demonstrated all of the freestyle moves and jumping of different styles of boards. The movie also contains a lot of historical footage of wave sailing in Sydney (Palm Beach and Long Reef) showing Scotty O'Connor, Mark Paul and Midget Farrelly. This footage can't be found anywhere else and would be very interesting to some of us. I recently came across the original movie and had it digitised. It's called Liquid Wind. I don't know if many people have seen it. I will paste the wavesailing sections on YouTube one day when I have time...