"Windsurfing has reached the next stage in its evolution. Foiling. Foiling has transcended windsurfing in almost every discipline: waves, speed, racing, slalom, freestyle and free ride. It's exciting. It's beautiful. It's the future. And it is here right now"


www.sail-world.com/news/211632/The-top-windsurfing-nation-backs-Windfoil-for-2024?fbclid=IwAR1E17hLnCBfUEqLx8HPQRERoTrtz1UY6mEqAyqJ9WdyxEnaWV_Ttc4xfO0

Great stuff.
Glade to see that they will be finally getting rid of those big 40 lbs rsx boards

Should be fun to watch.
BTW Those starboard formulas n foil look sweet.

This is what the President of World Sailing had to say in relation to the Dutch submission, its not his decision but you would expect he has a bit of influence.

RSX may yet be retained

RG: "What is your view on the Dutch proposal to put in a foiling windsurfer?"

Andersen: "As I said, previously, I would like to see some changes on the Equipment side. So personally I don't think you need to go foiling to make our sport exciting or to broadcast it in an exciting way. So I don't see the reason for not keeping the windsurfer as it is [RS:X]. "I know there are windsurfer sailors who say that this board could be improved by all these things. But I think the most important thing and where we started the conversation was to get the gender equality right in order to stay relevant, and also make sure we can attract youth. "The equipment at that point is not so important. That is why I would definitely prefer to see us using mostly existing equipment, and we only look at having equipment changes in two classes." "Again it is not my call, but that is how I would like to guide the Council if I could - and which I am going to try."

So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

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Maddlad said..
So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

I agree. Don't see why you wouldn't want the most efficient, most fun, fastest discipline like foiling in the Olympics. Why are they maybe or maybe not thinking of this for 2024...is the Standard slow rsx on for 2020?
They're all going to foils for the cats in 2020 why not windsurfers.

"Olympic sailing has embraced the world of foiling with spectacular results with the conversion of the Nacra 17 into a foiling catamaran for the 2020 Tokyo Games"

www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/99877660/olympic-sailing-embraces-foiling-catamarans-with-ontheedge-results&ved=2ahUKEwjno6n-7qzeAhXNjFkKHTkoDpIQFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw3JdhMEkyIuqhgNYnhbFr8g

Nick Dempsey somes it up perfectly by saying "Foiling's the future of racing, and it's here now".

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Andersen: "As I said, previously, I would like to see some changes on the Equipment side. So personally I don't think you need to go foiling to make our sport exciting or to broadcast it in an exciting way. So I don't see the reason for not keeping the windsurfer as it is [RS:X]. "I know there are windsurfer sailors who say that this board could be improved by all these things. But I think the most important thing and where we started the conversation was to get the gender equality right in order to stay relevant, and also make sure we can attract youth. "The equipment at that point is not so important. That is why I would definitely prefer to see us using mostly existing equipment, and we only look at having equipment changes in two classes." "Again it is not my call, but that is how I would like to guide the Council if I could - and which I am going to try."

Did he Morse code that in?

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Maddlad said..
So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

Are foils attracting youth to windsurfing?, I have seen a couple of pictures of kids foiling but no fleets, what makes you think they are attracting kids to windsurfing.

The current Olympic Windsurfing pathway has delivered massive youth fleets around the world, drawn historically non sailing nations/continents (like Asia, Africa, Sth America) into the sport of sailing and had excellent gender balance in term's of participation.

Windsurfing is still an Olympic sport because RSX has managed to tick all those boxes so don't go hating on the class to much. Will a foiling class be as successful as RSX has been, if not what's at stake for our sport. I know from my own first hand experience that our sport has and is directly benefitting with resources from Australian Sailing because it is an Olympic class.

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KA360 said..
"Windsurfing has reached the next stage in its evolution. Foiling. Foiling has transcended windsurfing in almost every discipline: waves, speed, racing, slalom, freestyle and free ride. It's exciting. It's beautiful. It's the future. And it is here right now"


www.sail-world.com/news/211632/The-top-windsurfing-nation-backs-Windfoil-for-2024?fbclid=IwAR1E17hLnCBfUEqLx8HPQRERoTrtz1UY6mEqAyqJ9WdyxEnaWV_Ttc4xfO0

Transcended Speed and waves .
What are you smoking

Foiling will not saving windsurfing, it's just another distraction from the fundamental problems of sport.
We have two different organisations running the sport without getting the basic stuff right.

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kato said..

KA360 said..
"Windsurfing has reached the next stage in its evolution. Foiling. Foiling has transcended windsurfing in almost every discipline: waves, speed, racing, slalom, freestyle and free ride. It's exciting. It's beautiful. It's the future. And it is here right now"


www.sail-world.com/news/211632/The-top-windsurfing-nation-backs-Windfoil-for-2024?fbclid=IwAR1E17hLnCBfUEqLx8HPQRERoTrtz1UY6mEqAyqJ9WdyxEnaWV_Ttc4xfO0

Transcended Speed and waves .
What are you smoking

Foiling will not saving windsurfing, it's just another distraction from the fundamental problems of sport.
We have two different organisations running the sport without getting the basic stuff right.

I didn't give an opinion,I posted a link to an article and a quote from the findings of the Dutch coach and team. You should read it ,it's an interesting perspective.
They do actually windfoil in waves and the jumps are getting insane. Heard someone did 35 knots just recently on a foil,I bet that feels like doing 50 on flat water.

I was at the youth olympics last week where kiteboarding had its first olympic run. The rules were for 10 eliminations for a result. They only managed 6 due to the lack of wind. Thats has got to send alarm bells ringing for the Olympic committee ! The same could happen with wind foiling .

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KA360 said..

I was at the youth olympics last week where kiteboarding had its first olympic run. The rules were for 10 eliminations for a result. They only managed 6 due to the lack of wind. Thats has got to send alarm bells ringing for the Olympic committee ! The same could happen with wind foiling .

What happened, did they adjust the rules or record no result?

They adjusted the rules. Quite unfair to those who had a bad start and were fighting to get back up the ranks.
Of the 6 races that did count a few were so light the heavier riders made it looked like a bodydragging race only the light ones could keep moving.
The windsurfers had no problem. They could sit on their boards waiting for windy periods . The kiters sat on shore, when the wind picked up they went out.But from the time of the warning signal till the race start the wind was gone again and stuck 2km offshore

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cammd said..

Maddlad said..
So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

Are foils attracting youth to windsurfing?, I have seen a couple of pictures of kids foiling but no fleets, what makes you think they are attracting kids to windsurfing.

The current Olympic Windsurfing pathway has delivered massive youth fleets around the world, drawn historically non sailing nations/continents (like Asia, Africa, Sth America) into the sport of sailing and had excellent gender balance in term's of participation.

Windsurfing is still an Olympic sport because RSX has managed to tick all those boxes so don't go hating on the class to much. Will a foiling class be as successful as RSX has been, if not what's at stake for our sport. I know from my own first hand experience that our sport has and is directly benefitting with resources from Australian Sailing because it is an Olympic class.

Kids are always interested in the latest and greatest things, and foiling is becoming so popular with current sailors that manufacturers are struggling to keep up with demand. The more kids see foiling windsurfers the more likely they are to be interested in it. Dribbling around on an old style board in 10 knots isn't exactly exciting, but flying in 10 knots is still great fun. Every weekend when we are rigging on shore we have people enthralled by the foils and ask questions about it, and these are people who don't windsurf, so imagine what a worldwide audience could do in generating interest. Having foiling windsurfers in the Olympics would go massivevthings for the sport in my opinion.

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Maddlad said..

cammd said..

Maddlad said..
So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

Are foils attracting youth to windsurfing?, I have seen a couple of pictures of kids foiling but no fleets, what makes you think they are attracting kids to windsurfing.

The current Olympic Windsurfing pathway has delivered massive youth fleets around the world, drawn historically non sailing nations/continents (like Asia, Africa, Sth America) into the sport of sailing and had excellent gender balance in term's of participation.

Windsurfing is still an Olympic sport because RSX has managed to tick all those boxes so don't go hating on the class to much. Will a foiling class be as successful as RSX has been, if not what's at stake for our sport. I know from my own first hand experience that our sport has and is directly benefitting with resources from Australian Sailing because it is an Olympic class.

Kids are always interested in the latest and greatest things, and foiling is becoming so popular with current sailors that manufacturers are struggling to keep up with demand. The more kids see foiling windsurfers the more likely they are to be interested in it. Dribbling around on an old style board in 10 knots isn't exactly exciting, but flying in 10 knots is still great fun. Every weekend when we are rigging on shore we have people enthralled by the foils and ask questions about it, and these are people who don't windsurf, so imagine what a worldwide audience could do in generating interest. Having foiling windsurfers in the Olympics would go massivevthings for the sport in my opinion.

It's also the halo effect from other foiling sports like sup/kite/wave. Totally agree with you. And it's easier for people to talk to us because we are at the beach or park even on what would have been considered low wind days when most windsurfers stay home.

It's not a new thing.

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Maddlad said..

cammd said..

Maddlad said..
So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

Are foils attracting youth to windsurfing?, I have seen a couple of pictures of kids foiling but no fleets, what makes you think they are attracting kids to windsurfing.

The current Olympic Windsurfing pathway has delivered massive youth fleets around the world, drawn historically non sailing nations/continents (like Asia, Africa, Sth America) into the sport of sailing and had excellent gender balance in term's of participation.

Windsurfing is still an Olympic sport because RSX has managed to tick all those boxes so don't go hating on the class to much. Will a foiling class be as successful as RSX has been, if not what's at stake for our sport. I know from my own first hand experience that our sport has and is directly benefitting with resources from Australian Sailing because it is an Olympic class.

Kids are always interested in the latest and greatest things, and foiling is becoming so popular with current sailors that manufacturers are struggling to keep up with demand. The more kids see foiling windsurfers the more likely they are to be interested in it. Dribbling around on an old style board in 10 knots isn't exactly exciting, but flying in 10 knots is still great fun. Every weekend when we are rigging on shore we have people enthralled by the foils and ask questions about it, and these are people who don't windsurf, so imagine what a worldwide audience could do in generating interest. Having foiling windsurfers in the Olympics would go massivevthings for the sport in my opinion.

I sail at a club that is heavily into junior sailing and windsurfing, we often get windfoiler's racing with us and the kids get to see them on and off the water. Now these kids are sailing kids, they see foiling moths, foiling nacra's, foiling kites and now foiling windsurfers on a regular basis, most of those kids move into non foiling boats ie laser's, 420's, 29er's etc I haven't seen any of the dinghy kids converting to windsurfers because of foiling but I have seen them convert from dinghy to techno and I haven't seen any of the windsurfing kids talking about ditching techno to go foiling.

I myself have 3 windsurfing kids , my 21yo loves formula and raceboard and slalom, he is most interested in getting near the top of the raceboard fleet this season. My 16yo daughter sails techno but also wants to do raceboard in due course and my 14yo sails techno but loves his shortboarding bump and jump as well. None are showing to much interest in foils

You made a statement that foils were attracting kids into windsurfing, I don't think that is the case but show me the evidence and I will stand corrected.

One more point, you say dribbling around in 10knts is not much fun but flying in 10knts is, What about sitting on the beach in 5 knots after your parent's spent thousands to get you to a regatta, or as KA 360 just reported, rules get changed to accommodate a class that can't sail in light winds. That video from starboard about "the future" of racing looks cool but that's ideal conditions, show us a video of sitting on the beach waiting for wind or getting smashed downwind in 25 knots, from what I hear foils are more scary than a formula going downwind in a blow.

I am not against foiling becoming the Olympic class but I would hate to see the current pathway replaced with something less successful. So that means 10000 kids on foils in 50+ countries on 6 continents just to be equal to what the "current era" has, that's what's at risk. I think World Sailing is wise in being very careful about changing equipment just because some people think its better.

What I understood is that the Dutch submission is willing to replace only the RSX (Men women and youth 8.5) with the Foil.They actually recommend to keep the Techno as a pathway for youth and even stress that it is the biggest and most popular fleet.Then after the Techno, they can progresse onto aluminium foils and smaller sails instead of the RSX 8.5.

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cammd said..

Maddlad said..

cammd said..

Maddlad said..
So the guy wants to attract youth, but doesn't want to use the equipment that is attracting youth to Windsurfing in the first place?
I think the president of world sailing needs to come into the current era and wake up.

Are foils attracting youth to windsurfing?, I have seen a couple of pictures of kids foiling but no fleets, what makes you think they are attracting kids to windsurfing.

The current Olympic Windsurfing pathway has delivered massive youth fleets around the world, drawn historically non sailing nations/continents (like Asia, Africa, Sth America) into the sport of sailing and had excellent gender balance in term's of participation.

Windsurfing is still an Olympic sport because RSX has managed to tick all those boxes so don't go hating on the class to much. Will a foiling class be as successful as RSX has been, if not what's at stake for our sport. I know from my own first hand experience that our sport has and is directly benefitting with resources from Australian Sailing because it is an Olympic class.

Kids are always interested in the latest and greatest things, and foiling is becoming so popular with current sailors that manufacturers are struggling to keep up with demand. The more kids see foiling windsurfers the more likely they are to be interested in it. Dribbling around on an old style board in 10 knots isn't exactly exciting, but flying in 10 knots is still great fun. Every weekend when we are rigging on shore we have people enthralled by the foils and ask questions about it, and these are people who don't windsurf, so imagine what a worldwide audience could do in generating interest. Having foiling windsurfers in the Olympics would go massivevthings for the sport in my opinion.

I sail at a club that is heavily into junior sailing and windsurfing, we often get windfoiler's racing with us and the kids get to see them on and off the water. Now these kids are sailing kids, they see foiling moths, foiling nacra's, foiling kites and now foiling windsurfers on a regular basis, most of those kids move into non foiling boats ie laser's, 420's, 29er's etc I haven't seen any of the dinghy kids converting to windsurfers because of foiling but I have seen them convert from dinghy to techno and I haven't seen any of the windsurfing kids talking about ditching techno to go foiling.

Did it occur to you though, all of the classes you've mentioned as attracting kids as they graduate are olympic classes already? Madlad and i have both sailed at clubs where similar has occurred. the olympic dream is the draw card, generally from well meaning parents. If foiling gains an olympic spot im sure it will grow.

You made a statement that foils were attracting kids into windsurfing, I don't think that is the case but show me the evidence and I will stand corrected.

You'd be amazed how much interest a set of foils creates. Both on the beach and out on the water. Everybody takes a second look. In the day and age where everyone is sticking foils on their craft, i didn't think it would draw as much attention as it does. Not saying this in itself is attracting kids into windsurfing, but it is at the very least giving windsurfing some sort of attention

One more point, you say dribbling around in 10knts is not much fun but flying in 10knts is, What about sitting on the beach in 5 knots after your parent's spent thousands to get you to a regatta, or as KA 360 just reported, rules get changed to accommodate a class that can't sail in light winds. That video from starboard about "the future" of racing looks cool but that's ideal conditions, show us a video of sitting on the beach waiting for wind or getting smashed downwind in 25 knots, from what I hear foils are more scary than a formula going downwind in a blow.

RSX achieves no better in 5knots though, you can still get/pump around a course on a foil board in 5knts, no different to RSX.

I am not against foiling becoming the Olympic class but I would hate to see the current pathway replaced with something less successful. So that means 10000 kids on foils in 50+ countries on 6 continents just to be equal to what the "current era" has, that's what's at risk. I think World Sailing is wise in being very careful about changing equipment just because some people think its better.

One thing that RSX holds against foiling is price and availability, but then again olympic ready 49ers are cheap either...

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Subsonic said..
One thing that RSX holds against foiling is price and availability, but then again olympic ready 49ers are cheap either...

Did you mean foiling is cheaper or more expensive than RS:X?

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Paducah said..

Subsonic said..
One thing that RSX holds against foiling is price and availability, but then again olympic ready 49ers are cheap either...

Did you mean foiling is cheaper or more expensive than RS:X?

I donno...but at my shop I can buy a rs:one convertible package sail rig($1200) and foil/board/fin($2000), total $3200. Not cheap but still could probably kill a rs:x winndsurfer setup. And the NP Rs:x foil set up probably even better then the rs convertible line( more carbon). Im a 18yo and am using the NP rs:one convertible blue foil($700 new at my shop) with my formula board and sails I already have. I do not know any others around my age foiling mostly because no one knows of it!

I have not windsurfed rsx equipment but it does not look that fast compared to slalom, formula or foils

If a foiling class was selected and then the equipment chosen was a compromise between light and heavy wind ability and top end speed to maximise the range of conditions, then after if was chosen it was 4 or 5 years later before it was used in an Olympics . Then the same equipment was kept for another 2 or 3 Olympic cycles in order to have some sort of continuity for sailors and their countries Olympic programs and budgets.

I wonder if that foiling class would be getting dumped on like RSX because the design was between 4 and 12 years old, the "current era" had moved on and new gear was so much better. I wouldn't be surprised if a foiling class gets selected the same people who dump on RSX would be dumping on whatever foil/s were used in the Olympics.

Rs:x website, talking about the present and future and the possibility of foils for 2024:

www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.rsxclass.org/the-rsx-the-present-and-future-of-the-windsurfing-and-rsx-class-in-the-olympic-games/&ved=2ahUKEwji-bbsi7feAhWG21MKHZyxAQ4QFjABegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3y1pu9V4jbJTbY5ttAlwsG

As discussed it will probably be the last year for the traditional Rs:x class gear. They Also talk about foils vs rs:x windsurfing side by side. Then we can really see what is the king of windsurfing

They really should take the single winners of all sailing, kite, windsurf( foil or not) events and do like a final race for bragging rights...would be fun to watch. Even the potential danger of a kite line getting caught up on a nacra 17 mast ( hey, that's what line cutters are for)

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CAN17 said..

They really should take the single winners of all sailing, kite, windsurf( foil or not) events and do like a final race for bragging rights...would be fun to watch. Even the potential danger of a kite line getting caught up on a nacra 17 mast ( hey, that's what line cutters are for)

They don't need a Nacra to be dangerous...

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barbarian said..

CAN17 said..

They really should take the single winners of all sailing, kite, windsurf( foil or not) events and do like a final race for bragging rights...would be fun to watch. Even the potential danger of a kite line getting caught up on a nacra 17 mast ( hey, that's what line cutters are for)

They don't need a Nacra to be dangerous...

In all seriousness hope he made it! But Yah that really makes me want to kite and add a foil on top of it... So maybe no kiters aloud in this final Olympic race.

Kinda going off topic here, I haven't sailed near kites but has any windsurfers on here been injured around these things( hopefully very rare)

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CAN17 said..

Paducah said..

Subsonic said..
One thing that RSX holds against foiling is price and availability, but then again olympic ready 49ers are cheap either...

Did you mean foiling is cheaper or more expensive than RS:X?

I donno...but at my shop I can buy a rs:one convertible package sail rig($1200) and foil/board/fin($2000), total $3200. Not cheap but still could probably kill a rs:x winndsurfer setup. And the NP Rs:x foil set up probably even better then the rs convertible line( more carbon). Im a 18yo and am using the NP rs:one convertible blue foil($700 new at my shop) with my formula board and sails I already have. I do not know any others around my age foiling mostly because no one knows of it!

I have not windsurfed rsx equipment but it does not look that fast compared to slalom, formula or foils

RS:X was outrageously expensive at retail in the US. For all the criticisms, it still seemed to be an interesting board for us living in light-wind plagued areas and I was thinking: that might be interesting to have on those annoying 5-15 days we get.

Then foils came along.

People are becoming very aware of foils but often via other foiling sports.

RS:X again?

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CAN17 said..

barbarian said..

CAN17 said..

They really should take the single winners of all sailing, kite, windsurf( foil or not) events and do like a final race for bragging rights...would be fun to watch. Even the potential danger of a kite line getting caught up on a nacra 17 mast ( hey, that's what line cutters are for)

They don't need a Nacra to be dangerous...

In all seriousness hope he made it! But Yah that really makes me want to kite and add a foil on top of it... So maybe no kiters aloud in this final Olympic race.

Kinda going off topic here, I haven't sailed near kites but has any windsurfers on here been injured around these things( hopefully very rare)

Used to sail in a tight area where the specifics of the spot meant they were upwind of us. Plenty of dropped kites/jumping kiters etc causing a number of problems.

generally though we stay upwind of them, no problems.

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Paducah said..
RS:X again?

Windsurfing is confirmed with confirmation of either RSX or new equipment (e.g. foil).
Yes they like doing a lot of meeting with a lot of confirmations and lot of votes at Sailing World.

What next will be a trial with all the proposed gear, then a recommendation by a comity (probably another useless vote as well) then a period where they will be discussing the comity recommendation (probably another vote) and then they do another meeting to decide whether they follow that recommendation or not at all and which gear will be selected. The whole process takes about a year or two (I believe the final decision should be in November 2019 though).
The trial is usually a farce (although it allows to try plenty of brand new gear if you have the chance to participate) since it only to gives a recommendation to the Sailing World members who base their decisions mostly on politics off course.

Currently Neilpryde is engulfed in a massive issue where they are not able to provide a standard quality RSX fins. Firstly massive inconsistance in performance between each fins then news fins (more expensive, now around AUS $700) breaking after a few sessions. There is a working party trying to sort out whether the fin production should stay at cobra or be sent somewhere else. Olympic sailors are getting a bit mad at Neilpryde obviously...