We are all systems go (at the moment!) for the foil series with the recent change to COVID19 regulations from the NSW Office of Sport
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Series details are found on Windsurfing NSW website - just follow the Windfoil/Wingfoil links to find the NOR and Entry/payment portal.
NOTE that it works out cheaper per event and there is less paperwork to do if you enter for the season, however the payment portal does allow for part season or single event entry. It is a whole lot easier using the portal rather than dealing with cash on the day (for me anyway!)
The series includes the Windfoil class with the following divisions;
Open (anything goes!)
IQ 95 - the Olympic class
Freeride - for freeride foils/ aluminium mast etc
and the Wingfoil class (anything wingding goes)
. This is dipping our toe into the unknown as far as winging it around a course! Gotta try it to see if it works!
First event is on Lake Illawarra , from the Koonawarra Bay Sailing Club on October 10th. I'll post some more info about the club etc in the coming days.
Hoping to see you there!
Great news Glenn and team, looking forward to it!
www.windsurfingnsw.com/classes/windfoil/
Kurnell Cat Club are hosting a race this Sunday. Good opportunity to try WindFoil racing or see what gear is available. Meet at 10:30 for a Noon start. fb.me/e/453U8uGqh
To be clear this is an open event... Windfoil up- and down- wind course race as well as Figure 8 slalom will be on offer. Any board any foil any fin.
You need insurance via AWA so check the links at www.windsurfingnsw.com/classes/windfoil/ for options.
further details to follow.
IMPORTANT NOTICE :
Due to some "insurance complications" we are removing the Wingfoil class from the 2020/21 NSW Series.
Hopefully negotiations and developments will allow wingfoil racing in NSW in the future.
The series NOR (v3) and WNSW website have been updated to reflect this change.
Hi Bushfire
I'm more than a little interested in the "Insurance Complication". Is it to do with definitions of windsurfing for membership of AWA?
I must admit, when thinking of giving wingfoiling a try I had assumed I'd be covered by my AWA membership, but I can see there might be an issue.
Thanks
I differ with AUS 814 with respect to winging. To my mind, it's part or a subset of "windsurfing activity," a term used in AWA third party liability policy. I'd argue that with an Echo wing, I've got everything (soft sail, boom & board) other than the uni joint. But as soon as I have lost direct hand contact with the sail, I'm not a windsurfer. However, it would be easy to promote an opposing view.It would be good if the AWA could clarifying if a member is covered when winging.
Fair enough but isn't the uni joint and having the sail attached to the board what makes windsurfing unique ?.
Select to expand quoteregal1 said..
I differ with AUS 814 with respect to winging. To my mind, it's part or a subset of "windsurfing activity," a term used in AWA third party liability policy. I'd argue that with an Echo wing, I've got everything (soft sail, boom & board) other than the uni joint. But as soon as I have lost direct hand contact with the sail, I'm not a windsurfer. However, it would be easy to promote an opposing view.It would be good if the AWA could clarifying if a member is covered when winging.
Test it in a court of law and it's not a Windsurfer though is it, no one is going to take that risk, hence why I assume it would not be covered. As an aside, does anyone actually want to race one around a course?
Looking forward to the series
Test it in a court of law!!! Really?
Go back to the original court ruling (80's) and none of us are windsurfing!
Yeah really, I mean i'm no laywer but happy for you to fill us in on the details. What do those who provide the insurance to WSNSW define it as? The question has obviously been asked and the answer was "yeah, nah". Again, i'm no lawyer, but when it comes to insurance, isn't risk mitigation is the name of the game....they are not fans of the colour grey.
The underlying marine risks & third party liability policy is extremely broad. The AWA could change the schedule wording to explicitly include members that wing. It doesn't strike me as a higher risk category than windsurfing, unlike tea baggers.
Hi Guys,
The insurance game can be complex and is probably beyond my reasoning!
AS we know, the insurance that is provided to members of a club affiliated with Windsurfing NSW is ultimately negotiated by AWA. The advent of COVID-19 has substantially tightened up the insurance market, (insurance companies are now more risk averse), so finding a reasonably priced policy that covers "windsurfing" (competitions/racing etc) has been a large undertaking. The new insurance company, (for this season), has specifically excluded wingfoil events in its cover (illogically in my view!) , but includes all the other classes we race.
My knowledge of this exclusion was lacking when I originally posted the NOR etc.
Hopefully AWA can negotiate an appropriate, cost effective cover that includes wingfoiling in the future.
Ok, the NOR for the series has been updated to version 4 - download it from the WNSW website.
After some discussion with a few foilers we have removed some restrictions for the freeride division. The paragraph now reads;
9.1.3 Freeride division - Any freeride board, any sails, any foil mast, any freeride foil set.
So the key distinguishing feature is the board and the foilset.
If you are a skilled foiler and/or experienced racer you are probably encouraged to enter the open division even though you may be on freeride gear. You qualify for both open and freeride divisions, based on the gear.
Insurance law is amazingly complex
As wingfoiling is brand new, with no claims history yet, they can't quantify risk or set accurate premiums
One day ...
Thanks for making the changes Glen, I think this will encourage more new foilers to come along and have a go with what ever gear they have.
Looking forward to the series. I will be trying to encourage the guys I foil with to give it a go.
Round 1 - Koonawarra Bay Sailing Club : 10/10/2020 (this Saturday!)
Club & Regatta information
Address : 1 Kanahooka Road, Kanahooka
Car & trailer parking as per picture;
Upon arrival at the club please COVID-19 register - it is easiest to use the QR code allocated to the club and displayed on a laminated sheet. Download the Services NSW app (before arriving) or use the QR scanner on your phone. If the QR code is beyond your skill, use the COVID sign-in sheet. The COVID registration station is at the entrance to the club, as indicated above. Whilst at the club please maintain normal social distancing.
The toilets "downstairs", have been out of action due to upgrade and maintenance work, so please use the upstairs toilets.
There is no food available at the club. The nearest food to buy is about 1 km away.
Times : Sailing registration 10:30 - 11:00 am. If you have registered online then this will be very quick, however if you haven't registered online then paperwork & payment needs to done.
Briefing : 11:00am This may be done outside.
First possible race : 12:00 noon.
Not allowing payment I have tried.Will try again tomorrow.
anyone know how much for open series?
Byron. I had trouble doing entry and payment on a PC. No payment icon.
Worked fine on an android tablet.
Hi Guys,
There is an issue with the website that I cannot resolve tonight. Hopefully it can be fixed first thing tomorrow.
If the site is still broken you can register on Saturday morning at KoBSC.
Sorry for the problems!
Still trying to fix the Windsurfing NSW website
In the meantime you can use the following site to register and join the series ;
windfoil.com.au
Use the "Regattas" menu link
Sorry for the old photos etc on the site - I wasn't expecting it would be used this season.
The Windsurfing NSW website is back up again! So there are now 2 places to register for the series. The preference is to use the Windsurfing NSW site. No problems if you used the windfoil.com.au site - I will combine the entries.
Sailing Instructions now up on the website.
See you tomorrow
1st event of the NSW foil series.. Would you believe it, but perfect conditions... hot and windy 20knots at the moment, with 1st start minutes away... what a fantastic venue and way to kick start the season .
Unreal 3 races back to back gusting at times to 25 was sooo windy but had a blast in my first foil race. A forcast is just that ,you can stay at home wondering or you just have to go and did it deliver today.
Great spot and great catching up with every one.
Young kids on fire today great to see.
Yep great racing! We all thought it was going to die out so a lot of us had rigged our biggest gear.....big mistake, was over 25kts for sure at times 
Still, most of us survived...barely and we got away 3 races back to back; everyone was pretty wrecked by then end in those conditions. The young lads have stepped up the game which is great for the class and hopefully it's onwards and upwards from here.
Great to see everyone again and should be a great season, see you all at Marmong Pt for round 2.
I'd like to thank Glen and the race committee for organising everything today. Great job setting the course in shifting blustery conditions with an incorrect forecast. It's a big task to organise everything and compete too. Thanks Glen.
A gusty westerly , totally not forecast(!) , tested the fleet and the race crew. Great turnout and a real positive vibe.
A big thanks to Ralph, Peter & Jon on the committee boat and Ron & John (from the IYC) on the course boat.
Results below - let me know if you think there is an error.
Select to expand quotejusavina said..
How come the Morris senior didn't race?
Soft....
Wingfoil Insurance:
It would seem that the AWA has done some great re-negotiating with the current insurance provider and now reports that wingfoil racing is NOW covered by the insurance policy!
We would like to now re-include wingfoil as a racing class within the NSW Foil series - I will update the NOR & SI to reflect this.
I would call out to wingfoilers to see what type of racing they would like to see. I'm guessing that sailing around the windfoil course (windward return) is not exactly what suits the class? Maybe a shortened course? Please discuss here.....
Next round of the series is at Marmong on Lake Macquarie - a location with quite a few wingfoilers, so maybe we can work it out there?
