Landsailing World Championship set for Nevada in July 2014

The 14th Landsailing World Championship will be held at Smith Creek Playa near Austin in northern Nevada 12-19 July 2014 © Duncan Harrison

The 14th Landsailing World Championship will be held at Smith Creek Playa near Austin in northern Nevada 12-19 July 2014 © Duncan Harrison

The North American Landsailing Association (NALSA) will host the FISLY-NALSA 14th Landsailing World Championship at Smith Creek Playa (dry lake) near Austin in northern Nevada July 12th through 19th, 2014. The regatta is expected to draw entrants from at least four continents and 10 to 15 countries. They will be competing in fleet races sailed in at least eight classes. The sailing vehicles are called landsailers in the USA and land yachts internationally.

NALSA has hosted two previous World Championships in southern Nevada during the Spring months, in 1990 and 2002. International entrants requested that the 2014 regatta be held in the summer, so they could bring their children. Smith Creek Playa was selected for its very smooth surface and because its 6000 ft. (1800 m) elevation offers some respite from the high temperatures of the southern deserts. Nearby Austin, Nevada provides modern amenities with an historic Old West flavor.

NALSA President Dennis Bassano stated, "We are pleased that the regatta has been named a Nevada 150 Official Event. This is a year-long celebration of Nevada's 150 years as a state and offers regatta contestants and visitors a great opportunity to explore Nevada's rich Old West history, including nearby Pony Express stations, working ranches, mines and many other historic sites."

NALSA is the U.S. affiliate of FISLY, the International Federation of Sand and Land Yachting.