dos Reis wins Course Racing, McGain Overall winner at US Windsurfing

by David Wells on 27 Jul 2010
The 2010 Starboard Severne US Windsurfing National & Formula North American Championships wrapped up this past Saturday with the crowning of Brazilian Paolo dos Reis as the new Formula Racing North American Champion, while fellow Brazilian Wilhelm Schurmann Captured the Slalom title, and Australian Phil McGain captured the Overall Title.

The event started on a cold and blustery Tuesday this past June 20th and saw solid 20-25 mph winds for all 5 days of the event. Hosted by the prestigious St Francis Yacht Club on the shores of San Francisco Bay the world class fleet of international sailors were treated to all the trappings of an America's Cup style regatta which wrapped up this past Saturday July 24th.

With the North American Championship on the line the first three days of the event were focused on course racing. And right from the start Paolo dos Reis showed he had come prepared for business. Despite a constant pressure from Phil McGain dos Reis jumped out to an early lead albeit a narrow one. The Brazilian was leading by only a single point after McGain was able to win the 20+ mile long distance race, which was counted as a double race in the scoring line, after McGain jumped on a navigational mistake by dos Reis. It was not enough however as dos Reis returned to form to win the day's next race and take the course racing honors. McGain took second while Wilhelm Schurmann took third.

In addition to Course racing this year's event also featured slalom and, in a return to the traditions of years past, included a freestyle event as well. With some of North America's best slalom racers on hand it was a fiercely contested title that saw Neil Pryde's Peter Bijl miss out on the title by making a single mistake in one race. Pressing too hard in race 3 Bijl was over early at the start and therefore disqualified from the race. Wilhelm Schurmann sailed extremely consistent and saved his best performance for when it counted taking the heat wins in the regatta's final two races to seal his victory. McGain took second while Frenchmen Aurelien Le Metayer rounded out the podium in third place. Bijl settled for fourth place while top American sailor Seth Besse got fifth. Besse was also the top American finisher in course racing once again coming in fifth place.

The last two days of the event saw the 25+ freestyle competitors take the water. The first round of freestyle saw all the competitors hit the water for a 30 minute expression session. The session demonstrated the tremendous progression that freestyle windsurfing has made in the past few years with big aerials and innovative new tricks that saw the sailors flipping, twisting, and rotating in all imaginable directions.

Round two of the freestyle saw the fleet broken in to two divisions. One for the top level pro sailors and one for the more old fashioned tricksters or 'old school' sailors. With some of the lighter winds of the contest the freestylers showed tremendous ability to generate speed and lift in an incredible display of aerial prowess. None better than top pro Tyson Poor who took the title for the pros while ABK Board Sports uber-instructor Andy Brandt won the 'old school' division.

By nature of his second place finish in the Course and Slalom racing the newly introduced Bill Weir Memorial Overall National Championship title went to Maui Sails Phil McGain.

For day by day event reports, tons of photos, and complete results visit the official event website http://www.waterhound.com/windsurfing/us-windsurfing-national-championships

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