NSW Windfoil & Wingfoil 2021/22 Racing Season

After a few false starts due to the changing lockdown conditions in NSW we can now present the calendar and NOR for the upcoming season. Note that the calendar represents quite a tentative approach to starting racing again and as we get used to new non-lockdown rules things may change later in the season. We have concentrated initially on hosting clubs we know can deliver what we need, rather than trying to expand to other clubs and locations (which is what we had hoped for this season).

In particular we hope to add a 2-day state champs later in the season.

Unfortunately we have had to cancel the first heat, due to the unforseen "no travel between regions" (before Nov 1) COVID rule (and not wanting to change the calendar and NOR again!)

Series details are found on Windsurfing NSW website - just follow the Windfoil/Wingfoil links to find the NOR and Entry/payment portal.

www.windsurfingnsw.com/classes/windfoil/

NOTE that for this season we are asking that competitors pay for each event, before each event, through the on-line portal. It just makes it easier if an event gets cancelled, due to any changing COVID rules.

Also note that for heats 2 & 3 competitors MUST be fully COVID-19 vaccinated to attend and will be asked to show proof of it. It would seem that these requirements may be relaxed after Dec 1st?

The series includes the Windfoil class with the following divisions;

Open (Formula Foil)
IQ - (Olympic board and 9m limited)
Freeride - for freeride foils/ aluminium mast etc

and the Wingfoil class (anything wingding goes). We are hoping some may be interested in racing?

First event is on Lake Illawarra , from the Koonawarra Bay Sailing Club on November 13th. Same location as the last couple of years.

Hoping to see you there!

Yeah I am not impressed with the forecast. could be more fun doing speed runs at Primbee. last Saturday was perfect for gps slalom.

Looks like this Saturday at Marmong will be on huh?
Nice Southerly, which is the best wind at this location. I imagine if really windy then Wing racing will happen also?

Hey everyone. Racing is moving to Sunday 28th due to the forecast. Murray will post more info later on.

Fun times despite the bad weather. Well run event thanks team.

Results of the first round of NSW WindFoil Series (aka Heat 3) are in.

Firstly, everyone I spoke to after the race wants to give a big thanks to Brian Lancey and Graham Norris for running the boat and scoring, without them there would be no regatta.

For those who accomadated the change of day to Sunday and braved the rainy forecast, which hit 10min before scheduled start, we actually had a pretty good day of racing with decent wind. It was good to see the wing dings at the event too, mixing it up. I can't but help think that a UJ on the wingtip would give them some better speeds...

Every start line is different and there is no better way to practice than against a bigger fleet on a short start line, so it was also a bit disappointing that none of the IQ guys or girls where present to compete in the NSW series but I appreciated the easy points!

After the rain lifted we had a pretty solid 12 knots for most of the races, with a few unfortunate lulls down to sub-flying 6 knots during race 2, to a white knuckle 18knots later in the day. Certainly more enjoyable than Saturdays forecast 30kts! The well run event team managed to bang out 4 races in record time (including a lunch break).


A few memorable moments from me:
1. Watching Doug edge away upwind... and down!
2. Matching Dave upwind a few times, the bigger 1000mm wing for me definately helping (same 9.0m sail sizes).
3. Chasing Dave on the 2nd upwind leg in the light air of race 2.. watching him tack into nothing behind a hill and looking around not finding any gusts, I decided to GYBE around him! touched the water and slowed down, so pumped and pumped and pumped back onto the foil to fly away while he was still stuck... only to see him MAKE the upwind mark a few minutes later as I missed it by so many meters. Urgh.
4. Chasing Dave (I think) to the line... he gybed early trying to stay in the main wind channel, while I went further East and headed to the line after just 1 gybe. Dave dropped an extra gybe close to the boat... and I thought "I've got this!" but was amazed at how quickly he got his rig up and beat me by about 10sec.
5. Heading on port towards Nial who had tacked, him yelling "Starboard" for some reason... but I thought he was bogged down and wasn't accelerating yet. Turns out he has some skill! and got flying fast, that was close! (I let him have the next crossing).
6. Getting HIGH on one downwind run, cranking the leeward rail and staying in control... phew!
7. Dropping 2 tacks (due to a lack of wind!) and watching the crowd slide by.

There was some great relatively close racing across the fleet and a good tactical event as we always had to be thinking of when to tack or when to gybe as it created some regrets and/or opportunities... my GPS track showed the East side was well and truly favoured.

Here are the final scores. This is my first time using Excel, so please let me know if I made any mistakes with the scores.

Well done to Doug with a clean sweep and Dave's consistency earned him a well earned 2nd place, with my new F4 foil definately helping me fly into 3rd place.



Looking forward to the next GPS/Slalom race this weekend.

I think Heat 4 of this series will be rescheduled to accomodate the Melbourne Nationals. Good luck anyone heading south... may the borders stay open!

Anyone doing Sail Sydney? 4 days of racing?

Congratulations to the Sail Sydney open men winner Grae Morris and open women winner, Sam Costin. A special mention to the interstate travelers including Sam from Qld and the Victorian participants for making the journey.

The photo doesn't really show how hard it was. 20kn swirling south westerly bullets from right to left busting down the 100m hill behind HMAS Penguin combined with a perpendicular swell of 1.5m and large stink boats doing 20kn through the middle of the course made sailing difficult. Great for spectators. The wing exhibition races looked fantastic. Dan Wilson took out the 5 Saturday races & Jack Abbott from SSCBC in Victoria all the Sunday races. All results at the link above.

Hi race comittee

Any news on a potential reschedule event from mid-Jan? Heat 3 conflicts with the Nationals in Melb.

Heat 4 scheduled for this weekend will not be ran due to the possible clash with competitors taking part in the rescheduled Australian Titles currently underway.

Apologies for the late notice.

Regards

Muz

Good, but conservative, line-up at the first race today...

The final round of the season is this Saturday at Marmong on Lake Macquarie. Briefing at 11:00 and first possible race at 12:00.
The forecast looks like a moderate NE'er.

Please use the WNSW payment portal for event entry.

Sorry for the lack of results for the Kurnell round - still waiting for the club to forward them on.

Sorry guys, the previous posted result totals were incorrect!

Just a quick note to say that racing is ON this Saturday (5/3) at Marmong. Water levels & water quality have been "checked" and all seems OK. The forecast is showing a light NE'er.

I consider saturday's races at Marmong as a success. It's a format we haven't really tried till now.

I can imagine it as an addition to course racing as we know.

Perhaps 2-3-4 rounds before the start of the course racing. It could add more colour to the regattas. May even attract extra people looking in

We have plenty of time till September.

Let's hear more ideas on this or others.