Kona One World Championship 2017 is about to kick-off
by Daniel Nordlund on 31 Jul 2017
Kona Fleet - Kona One World Championship 2017 Kona Windsurfing
Today the eleventh Kona One World Championship will be inaugurated in Båstad, the sailing Mecca on the Swedish west coast. Altogether 70 racers from both side of the Atlantic have met up. Among the major favorites is Dutch Huig-Jan Tak winner 2016 of both Kona Worlds and Kona U23 Worlds.
I look forward to the Championship and to meet all friends in the Kona class. Racing with my dad for the first time is also going to be great. The goal is clear, reaching the podium and having fun, says Huig-Jan Tak.
The Championship is arranged by Sailing Båstad who has previously hosted several international sailing events and championships. Kona Worlds is the main event during the Sailing Week during which also the Nordic Express Championship will take place together with the Nationals in H-Boat.
We welcome all sailors and spectators. We will do our very best to make this a memorable event off- and onshore. Our organization has lots of routine from previous Worlds and Europeans in different sail classes, says Pekko Svensson, Head of Sailing Båstad.
Among the other main favorites in Kona Worlds is the 23-old Swede Adam Holm. He won his first Kona Worlds in Canary Islands when he was eighteen. Since then he has won a Kona Europeans in Båstad in 2014 and finished an Olympic campaign in RS:X to qualify for Rio Olympics.
It feels very good to be back in the Kona-class. I have a special feeling for this class where I got so much of my training and have had lots of success before. I know well how it feels to win. Nothing can compare with standing on top of the podium, Adam Holm says.
Another name worth mentioning with respect is the Dane Tim Aagesen. He has been conquered World Champion in Mistral, Kona One and Formula and has won the course race World Cup.
The weather forecast predicts strong winds throughout the week.
I very much like high winds and have developed that part of my sailing a lot during my Olympic campaign and the goal for the championship is to win a medal, says Adam Holm.
The championship will begin with a tune-up race today followed by the opening ceremony tonight. First race day will be August 1 and the final August 6. During the Championship, the long distance-competition “The Riviera Race” will take place.
Sanctioned by World Sailing, Kona One is one of the fastest-growing windsurfing classes in the world today, attracting both young talents and experienced sailors with long windsurfing careers. It is a one-design class where all sailors use identical boards. One sail is used in all conditions, and its size is a function of the sailor’s body weight—making it possible for everyone to race together. Pumping is not allowed in this class of windsurfing, placing the emphasis on true sailing skills and tactics.
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