Freesail windsurfing magazine, report on the 1986 Papua New Guinea Windsurfing Cup. This included the Mazda Zap Speed Challenge and photographs by Pacific Helicopters and others. The competitors included NZers Roger Gunson (author of the article) and Bruce Kendall and several top Aussies including superstars Bruce Wylie and Phil McGain and top Sydney sailors Rick Murray and Andrew Regan (Caveman). Might be time for Cobra to start a new event in PNG using their most suitable board as they may elect. That could be the board for nations like PNG to start new fleets. PNG had 13 competitors at this 1986 event including Graham Numa & Kevin Pini. What board would it be ?
Those Tiga Race boards supplied that year were dreadful, Tiga that year had decided to make the own boards they varied in weight from 15-25 kilos, you could see the staples left in the fibreglass under the resin. You could pour water on the bottom of the board and watch in it disappear into the board.
In one race Bruce Wylie went around the top mark, pulled the sliding mast track back and the whole track came out leaving him lying in the water for us all to run him over. 
Good times. 
Select to expand quoteAUS4 said..
Those Tiga Race boards supplied that year were dreadful, Tiga that year had decided to make the own boards they varied in weight from 15-25 kilos, you could see the staples left in the fibreglass under the resin. You could pour water on the bottom of the board and watch in it disappear into the board.
In one race Bruce Wylie went around the top mark, pulled the sliding mast track back and the whole track came out leaving him lying in the water for us all to run him over. Good times.
Thanks Rick, good to know from someone who was at the event. It sounds like it was windy !
Select to expand quoteAUS4 said..
Photos: Rob Armstrong FREESAIL Magazine.
Aah nostalgia. First photo looks like a Bombora from the sail, next two photos are of a Mistral board, is this an early Diamond Head? Mine had two rear footstraps vs the three in the photos.
Awesome times. My dad Kevin still sails. The wind still pumps. Ela beach has had a huge redevelopment which would make it a great place to hold an event again.
the governor of Port Moresby has just ordered some new starboard gear to learn to sail on. So connections are in place to make it happen if there was a real desire to.
Select to expand quoteJayP said..
Awesome times. My dad Kevin still sails. The wind still pumps. Ela beach has had a huge redevelopment which would make it a great place to hold an event again.
the governor of Port Moresby has just ordered some new starboard gear to learn to sail on. So connections are in place to make it happen if there was a real desire to.
Jay Thanks. Your dad, Kevin Pini can be a competitor in the new event. Post COVID-19 it would be truly fantastic. Watch this space as I believe its gonna happen someday soon.
I was a 14 year kid back then. Had the time of my life. Glad i came across this article as it brings back some great memories. I remember Kevin and Graham well. I have some great old photos of Ella beach. The board was the Tiga Pro, and yes it was horrid. I remember sitting in about position 15 or so during the Marathon, then the centreboard kept going down on the run back downwind, causing all sorts of problems. The thought of taking it out and throwing it away crossed my mind several times.
And yes Roger Gunson I'm still waiting for my board and equipment deposit refund !!!!
Yes...well we might not be Ela Beach, nor do we have huge Tiga support and Coca Cola sponsorship but we do have wind and a great venue on the Swan River and a big plan for a great event for all types of windsurfers. If you want to keep living the dream and relive some of the fun, intensity and camaraderie of course racing in many different windsurfing classes come to WA in December 2021/January 2022 for the Swan River Festival of Windsurfing. More details to come:
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Swan-River-Festival-of-Windsurfing-December-2021-January-2022?page=1#7
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Western-Australia/Swan-River-Festival-of-Windsurfing-December-2021-January-2022?page=1
www.facebook.com/SRFW.mbsc/?ref=pages_you_manage
Swan River shots from 24 November 2019, with the first with a fleet start and the second both with the lightweight Windsurfer Class World Champion, Tim Gourlay in the lead. These were both taken by the maestro Matt Holder from a drone flying in ballistic 22-27 knots of wind for which he deserves a medal. 
Tim nails another perfectly timed leeward end start
Tim (current Lightweight World Champ) rounding the top mark shows his class and even at 68 kgs can match the Swan River local big boys in the heavy breeze.
