San Francisco set to host Windsurfing World and National Championships

by David Wells - waterhound.com on 1 Feb 2011 It’s been nearly 18 years since a world championship windsurfing regatta has plied the waters of San Francisco Bay but that’s just what is set to happen this upcoming July 17-24 2011 as the Bic Techno 293 (T293) Worlds roll into town.

The last World Championship level windsurfing event on The Bay was the 1993 IMCO worlds but that’s set to change soon. The upcoming Techno worlds will be hosted by the prestigious St. Francis Yacht Club and the estimated 200-300 T293 sailors will be treated to all the trappings of an America’s Cup-style regatta. With the strong sea breezes found on San Francisco Bay in July, full-planing racing is essentially guaranteed. The international field of sailors will be descending on San Francisco in what will be likely the largest windsurfing race on The Bay in over two decades.

The deep and diverse group of global sailors that make up the world-wide Techno fleet had better come prepared, however; under the tutelage of the Windsurfing Task Force, and an enhanced level of support from US Sailing over the last few years, the US-based Techno talent has been on the rise. If your making your plans to compete there is no need to bring your own gear as 150 charter rigs will be on hand but you will need to reserve them soon.
During the week prior to the Techno Worlds, the 2011 US Windsurfing National Championships is set to go off just down the road in Berkeley, California so look for many of the sailors to be in town early for a double dip in what promises to be the hottest windsurfing racing action on the SF Bay in over 2 decades. In fact this is the 35th Anniversary of the first Windsurfing World Championships held right here on these same Berkeley waters.

In addtion the RS:X Junior World Championships and The Master Raceboard World Championships will also be in town. If you ever wanted to be in San Francisco when the windsurfing scene was on fire, July 2011 is your chance.

Special thanks are due to US Sailing, the St. Francis Yacht Club and Karen Marriott at US Windsurfing for all their support over the past few years. In addition, the resurgence of youth windsurfing here in the US can be traced largely to the efforts of four folks who make up the backbone of the effort to stoke the fire. Thanks to Nevin Sayre, Dennis Deisinger, Britt Viehamn, and Brian McDonald for all you’ve done to make windsurfing a growing sport once again.

For more details on the Techno Worlds, check out the official event website.
http://2011worldchampionship.blogspot.com

For more details on the 2011 US Windsurfing National Championships check out the official event website.
http://www.waterhound.com/windsurfing/us-windsurfing-national-championships-2011