Karpathos prepares for 2009 Speed Windsurfing World Championships

by Event media on 27 Jul 2009 Karpathos prepares for thrilling action as the clock counts down to the 2009 Speed Windsurfing World Championships.

For the fourth time in a row, the small village Afiartis on the idyllic island of Karpathos is preparing to play host for the world‘s fastest men and women in the speed windsurfing scene. From July 31st till August 5th all the big names of the sport will compete for points counting towards the 2009 Speed World Tour and, even more important, battle for the one-off Speed Windsurfing World Championship Titles !

In the men’s fleet, all eyes are set to the reigning world champion and 500m world record holder Antoine Albeau from France, who clearly dominated last season.

His strongest opponent is expected to be again European Champion Bjorn Dunkerbeck, living windsurfing legend. He won the 2008 Karpathos Event in the very last heat against Antoine Albeau to become European Champion. But also current tour leader Anders Bringal as well as the 2008 Overall World Cup Winner Cyril Moussilmani are expected to dispute the places on the podium.

Some more world class windsurfers from other disciplines are joining the speed tour this year, like local and Greek record holder Philip Adamidis, and legendary Chris Lockwood from Australia.

Also the women’s fleet is very strong for this major event of the 2009 season, including 2008 world champion and current tour leader Valerie Ghibaudo as well as second ranked Zara Davis.

After the excellent experiences from the past years, Karpathos is expected to show exceptional conditions again. The spot named 'Devils Bay' is well known for crazy conditions up to 10 Beaufort side-offshore.

The 2009 Speed World:Cup is sanctioned by ISWC (International Speed Windsurfing Class) on behalf of ISAF (International Sailing Federation). The local organization will be done by the Municipality of Karpathos.

The International Speed Windsurfing Class is the successor to the International Speedsurfing Association, which was administering the discipline of speed windsurfing in the last three years on behalf of IFCA.

Effective May 2007, the ISWC has become an ISAF international class, and thus is entitled to control all aspects of the sport and award the official world champion titles in the discipline of speed windsurfing.

The ISWC is a riders association, which means that the riders itself control the development of the sport. Beside the organizing people behind the scene, the executive committee is thus completed with the riders elected representatives. Its current and past members are the 'crème de la crème' of Speedsurfing worldwide.

Elected chairman of the board is Peter Davis from Great Britain, enthusiastic rider and organizer of the famous Weymouth Speedweek. Tour Manager Markus Schwendtner from Germany already controlled the speed discipline business as ISA Tour Manager, and will continue this successful task for the ISWC from now on.

The ISWC events go from exceptional action in Namibia to more cosmopolitan spots such as Fuerteventura - the historical European Speedsurfing Capital, to huge shows of extreme conditions on small islands like Karpathos. In total, there are 200 to 300 members of the association at the same time, from places like Australia or Brasil, to Germany or Norway.

The Tour has to offer: Dynamic & thrilling action of one of the most visually dynamic aquatic sports. That makes it a perfect vehicle to locate sponsors logos and assure an image transfer from a healthy and environmental friendly outdoor-sport.

Superb action on the water, combined with an interactive and exciting life experience, that creates an atmosphere where the fans and the media are face to face with the most radical and intense competition and the biggest personalities of the sport.

Besides being a sport of radical action, Windsurfing is a way of life. This type of life is formed by several elements to which many aspire, but that few can really achieve. Most of, if not all of these aspects of the sport are represented in the Speedsurfing Grand Prix Tour.

The ISWC is entitled to hold World, Continental and National Championships and is always looking for partners, local organizers as well as national associations, to propagate this exciting and thrilling discipline all over the world. click here