Medemblik Regatta attracts 27 WindFoil riders from eight nations
by Medemblik Regatta/Sail-World.com/nz 26 May 2019 20:29 PDT
Windfoil Surfing, Medemblik Regatta 2019, 25-5-2019 (21/25 May 2019). Medemblik - the Netherlands © Sander van der Borch
Off the back of the Council of World Sailing decision not to endorse the RS:X for the 2024 Olympic Windsurfing event, one of Europe's first windfoil surfing competitions was sailed this weekend just gone in in Medemblik, The Netherlands.
New Zealand Olympic medalist Aaron McIntosh, coach of Dutch RS:X surfers Dorian van Rijsselberghe and Kiran Badloe, worked hard to convince the Olympic committee to skip the RS:X and add foiling. "It's new, fast and exciting to watch. The step to Windfoil surfing isn't as big as many people think. In fact, it's easier to learn how to windfoil then to surf the RS:X"
This whole week the foil surfers had a course race, on Day 5 they closed the event with a slalom course due to light winds.
That’s the great thing about Windfoil Surfing, you don’t need a lot of wind to gain speed. Kiran Badloe is really flying this week, first securing the gold in the RS:X, today he also takes the gold in the Windfoil Surfing. “It’s great we’re Windfoil Surfing here in Medemblik besides the RS:X racing. I really enjoy it!”
The French Oël Pouliquen finished second and Dutch Casper Bouman raced a strong last day finishing third.
New Zealand's Aaron McIntosh finished 8th in the fleet of 27 Windfoilers from eight countries. The New Zealand Nationals held in March at Manly attracted a fleet of 50 windfoilers, and there are 75 Windfoilers who are members of the national body.
Many thanks to Sander van der Borch for these superb images.