The Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton - The #1 Kite Boarding Race In The Southern Hemisphere IS BACK for Year 10!

All you need to know is here: www.lighthouse2leighton.com.au

This year we have increased the available spots to a whopping 150 competitors who will be given the chance to take up the challenge of the 2019 Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton, bragging rights and a stake in the prize pool.

The race is scheduled to take place on Saturday 7th December 2019, with a first reserve day of Sunday 8th December (and a potential start time from 14:00hrs). A crossing time of between 20 and 30 minutes is expected for the winner depending on conditions.

Additional Reserve Days are scheduled for Saturday 14th December and Sunday 15th December in the event of insufficient or too much wind on either the 7th or 8th December. Prizes and trophies will be awarded to the Open Division male and female winners, runner up and third place and likewise for the winners, runner up and third place in the Twin Tip Division.

Red Bull have supported the race with fantastic cash prizes and this year for the first time the TT prize pool is the same as the Foil/ Open category!

Equal prize money for Open Division male & female racers: 1st $1000 + a GoPro Hero7 Black; 2nd $500; 3rd $250 for each gender.

Equal prize money for Twin Tip Division for male & female racers: 1st $1000 + a GoPro Hero7 Black; 2nd $500; 3rd $250 for each gender.

The value of the cash prizes totals $7,000. The value of the trophies exceeds $4,000.

A call out for volunteers to help in the smooth running of our race day will be made in early November, via our partners at KWA, with volunteer help welcomed at Rottnest Island (approx. 8 spots) and at Leighton Beach (approx. 15 spots). More info to follow.

FYI: If you click on www.lighthouse2leigthon and are directed to the 2018 website, you likely will need to clear your cache/ or simply click here: www.cvent.com/events/the-2019-red-bull-lighthouse-to-leighton/archived-8d3874a390824cd6877e6dc979d4bf4c.aspx

Any wind wing categories,

Nope, not this year, still a bit too experimental and I doubt anyone/ enough # to make a race of it would get the 100 hours of experience on water time up as yet/ in time for December!

And, as I'm sure it would be asked, if we were to let 'wind wing riders' in, then, shouldn't we be letting windsurfers in ... !? All in all there are only 150 spots and every year we have received over 200 nominations...

I in fact like wind surfers :-) and 'can do it' ... the L2L is though a kiteboarding/ foiling race!!!

PS: please if you are going to enter the 'Foil/ Race' category and intend to use a Foilboard, please be sure that you have 100 + hours of specific foiling experience and can very competently sail off the breeze/ broad reach happily.

Was taking the piss, but thanks for the response

^^^ I thought you were asking on behalf of causehecan
Now that he is hooked on his wind wing, seems he's too embarrassed to post on seabreeze kite forum anymore, but fits right in over in the poledancer section, they have taken him under their "wing" ,,,,,,,,,pun?

Rotto swim thru in the morning and L2L in the afternoon.

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lotofwind said..
^^^ I thought you were asking on behalf of causehecan
Now that he is hooked on his wind wing, seems he's too embarrassed to post on seabreeze kite forum anymore, but fits right in over in the poledancer section, they have taken him under their "wing" ,,,,,,,,,pun?

Hahahahhah, you're so witty and intelligent, love your comments.

thanks, I love you to, but not they way you would like me to,, sorry

Woohoo, favourite day of the year Fingers crossed for a spot.

Good news! As at Friday night we are 111 entries received, so 74% full.

The foil pigs will be absolutely chomping at the bit. There's a decent number of guys in Perth now who can absolutely haul arse on a hydrofoil.

One year soon someone is going to ride straight up the sand and hit dingo flour.

They better Hope Olly Bridges Mum hasn't got faster - she already beat most of them

A credit to all mums who let the males rant and rave

When will spots be announced?

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FOT said..
When will spots be announced?

Hola. Entries close on Friday 1st November at midnight (WST). The field will be selected that weekend and emails go out on Monday 4th. November.

Interestingly, we have 130 + nominations already, so all on track! Thank you all for your support and noting the early sea breezes have been fantastic (but not for cycling this morning in to a 30 knot easterly, ugh/ one kiter out on the river at Bourke Drive at 6:15) !

Hey there, Just wondering if an inflatable life jacket (level 100 +) will be acceptable in accordance with the race rules this year?

From the official email from the promoters - " Don't forget to purchase a complying PFD for the race: Type 1, 2 or 3 are ALL acceptable to be used on race day"

Thanks Spitfire, I did see that but in some of the race's I have been in, stated in the official race rules (issued only weeks out from the race) it has said specifically no inflatable PFD's accepted. Even if they are compliant to DOT standards. Just want to make sure I can take my inflatable belt and not be disqualified.
P.S so excited for this year's race!!

So for clarity I refer to the WA D o T below image...

Specifically re: Type 1 'Belt PFDs' by the letter of the law yes they quality as 'lawful'... as they are Type 1 (assuming it is a Type 1 being used).

However, if you are knocked out unconscious, I'm confident that there are other better PFD solutions out there and more fit for purpose of kite racing (at speed) on the open ocean!

All the good kite shops sell suitable PFDs that are lightweight and have now pockets for flares and EPIRBs and phones.

Water safety of every competitor is their responsibility alone when they are free riding/ training.

As a reminder, we provide every competitor with TWO orange smoke flares. We have a D o T event exemption from requiring you to carry parachute flares and/ or EPIRBs.

However, when race day comes along and competing in the Red Bull Lighthouse to Leighton it is also my responsibility and I implore everyone to purchase (or borrow) the best available PFD that will keep you afloat in an emergency situation. * Your * life * may depend on it!

Also, on the safety topic ... please be sure to be checking ALL your equipment NOW, especially if you think your lines are old, they probably are and it is worth considering replacing. Yes, we have rescue boats and the volunteers on the rescue RIBs love their day out more when they don't actually have to rescue anyone!

Be safe out there people and make SMART water safety decisions.

Hola! The two week out forecast is looking great and yes, I know and guarantee it will change every day for the next 14 days, at least it is good so far!

On a more serious note, please, all competitors you would have received this email this afternoon re: the new requirements to deliver your kites and board earlier than normal. A really, really busy weekend at Rottnest has necessitated this change from prior years and also as a function of a record 150 competitors. Thanks for your understanding.

Please be aware if you are travelling from BShed in Fremantle for Lighthouse to Leighton on the 7th Dec there will be road closures. Please allow extra time for finding parking and boarding. Thank you.

Mid-range forecast not looking too great... fingers crossed for a few more knots.

Tim - what's the minimum wind strength? It's been 15 knots at Leighton from previous years.

Appreciate the wind is good enough for the foils!

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MikeyG said..
Mid-range forecast not looking too great... fingers crossed for a few more knots.

Tim - what's the minimum wind strength? It's been 15 knots at Leighton from previous years.

Appreciate the wind is good enough for the foils!

Just a follow up to that - what's the go with changing categories? If I nominated for twin tip but it turns out the wind is 15 knots and the race goes ahead can I used a foil instead?

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daniel_y said..

MikeyG said..
Mid-range forecast not looking too great... fingers crossed for a few more knots.

Tim - what's the minimum wind strength? It's been 15 knots at Leighton from previous years.

Appreciate the wind is good enough for the foils!

Just a follow up to that - what's the go with changing categories? If I nominated for twin tip but it turns out the wind is 15 knots and the race goes ahead can I used a foil instead?

Yes, you can use a foil board instead. However your # rash vest will not change and 'initially' you may be considered a TT in the results (until such time as we are able to manually correct this. TT.

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MikeyG said..
Mid-range forecast not looking too great... fingers crossed for a few more knots.

Tim - what's the minimum wind strength? It's been 15 knots at Leighton from previous years.

Appreciate the wind is good enough for the foils!

The minimum wind strength required to start and finish the race is 15 knots at Leighton, correct. I recall it was two years ago we had good pressure at Rottnest, but fickle winds at Leighton, so we had to delay the start by ~ 45 minutes, very challenging for everyone that day...

Not to mention the guy who DID not correctly sign out and was (finally) discovered driving home on Canning Highway... Please, DO NOT be that guy/ gal in 2020... :-(

Might be racing toeside!

When will this be called as an on or off??

According to the event FB page there will be an announcement at 4pm Perth time confirming start date/time

Race Day is now Sunday 8th December 2019. See you at the beach :-)

All the details are as per Race Manual which can be downloaded here:

www.sugarsync.com/pf/D464016_75109485_855587

Thanks Tim,
You are a Good Man for organising this great event each year for the kiting community.

Good Winds bro

Do you reckon it will start at 2pm? It would be great to see some of these foil pigs absolutely hauling arse this arvo