Tomorrow start of the Defi.

Neglect that silly other spot where large parts of the days no races were being held as wind was too strong.

On the scale of sylliness, our sport has reached the Pinnacle of the Mount Everest not knowing where to go to grow this once beautiful sport. Luckily events like the Defi still exist and show how the sport could be promoted as well by the fastest in the world if brands would finally wake up.

Good luck!

Isn't the Defi such a succes because it focuses on the ordinary, non racing sailor, not the fastest sailors, and is therefore entered by hundreds?

I'd love to do this one but a spare 20k isn't in the bank yet

Here in Gruissan, France doing my first DEFI. The event is HUGE nearly 1200 competitors this year. Day 1 yesterday. We did 2 x 40km races the first in about 25kn and around 20kn in the second. My results were mid fleet. It is amazing to see nearly 600 boards ahead of you and as many behind. The Tramonta wind blows off the land so the water is pretty flat, the chop of 1200 boards does add up. Fantastic day, clear and sunny check out the photos www.windmag.com/defi-wind-photos
Practice the day before was in 35kn, managed to perfect the catapult! Luckily got them over with then. The racing was great. Must get closer to the rabbit boat start next race as the gas from 1000 boards is pretty bad. Unfortunately there may be no more racing as the wind is not forecast to return for a week. Maybe a seabreeze will come up for a bit of fanging around.
After entering I arranged equipment hire through Le Pole Nautic who are onsite and really look after you. Give it a go next year!

^^ Good luck! Keep us posted...

Well done Ritchie, must be extremely hard to judge the start given the rabbit does up to 40 knots and completes the line in 40 sec.

Why does the black boat tear across the front of the start like that? It looks like a recipe for disaster!
Amazing spot. Is it a speedsailing spot?
It looks like it would be great spot for normal sailing.
Do they have many crashes? Looks scary looking at the front guys coming back through the fleet with many people in their blind spot!
Amazing..

the boat is the starting line Sue. "rabbit start"

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sboardcrazy said..
Amazing spot. Is it a speedsailing spot?
It looks like it would be great spot for normal sailing.

Yes
Heaps of vids of Gruissan on youtube. Here's just one -

It sounds a bit crazy to have 1200 boards doing a figure 8 course with everyone wanting to be near the shore for smoother water. But it seems to work. I had no close calls, no need to yell and wasn't yelled at. Soon the whole fleet is spread over the 10km of the course giving a fair bit of room for all. It is a bit busy at the gybes and best to go very wide to not become one of the many in the water.

The wind forecast was right and there was no more racing after day 1. Still they kept a big windsurfing vibe going fot 4 days. Lots of talks and equipment on show from many of the major suppliers. A load of give aways, so carry your numbered vest all the time! Temperature in the mid 20's, more pleasant than some of our travels so far. The official wrap up is www.windmag.com/defi-wind-2019-the-wrap-up
The important information is that it is on again next year from May 21 to 24 and it will be big, as it will be the 20th edition.

AUS368, planning to go again next year?

Wow Andy is quick. In some instances you see him breeze past sailors that appear to have great gear, great stance, great posture, great control, great power and Andy makes them look like they are standing still. Awesome!

All those sailors going in opposite directions on the same course. That'd freak me out.
They must have a few feature prangs. I guess they make a point of the passing rules at the skipper's briefing.

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NotWal said..
All those sailors going in opposite directions on the same course. That'd freak me out.
They must have a few feature prangs. I guess they make a point of the passing rules at the skipper's briefing.

Could you imagine kiters in the mix ?

No. They have their own defi wind, the week before.

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NotWal said..
All those sailors going in opposite directions on the same course. That'd freak me out.
They must have a few feature prangs. I guess they make a point of the passing rules at the skipper's briefing.

Piece of cake!
Got lots of training for that in the early (very crowded) days windsurfing at Sandy Point. Collisions were extremely rare. Self preservation is a very strong instinct!

That point from Ben Proffit about 10Km being a loooong way to sail on one tack, is very pertinent! But there are very few places to practice that.

GEographe Bay Busselton, we have done runs to Dunsborough of approx 16km. It's about 22km by road. Don't do it all the time but we do regularly have runs longer than 6km




Jetty sticking out on the right is 2km long.

Nice!

How do you go with the body strain?

We have the run from Novara To Claudesville ~8km legs, but not flat all the way.

After 5km you start finding every LITTLE error in your setup, harness lines, footstraps, boom height and mast track.

If things are wrong around 7km mark weird things start cramping like the arch of you foot if foot strap's are wrong, the muscle in front of your shin things which never affect you normally.

But the reward is immeasurable, some of my most memorable runs are coming back from up wind Claudesville fully lit verging on over powered all the way back, threading through waist plus chop in the middle with the hammer down for 8km hoping that I've not gone to far down wind (the wind on the estuary is generally a slightly different direct at either end) and you only start seeing the end of the run half way through it as the esuary has a big hump in the middle (earth curvature some would say)

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BSN101 said..
GEographe Bay Busselton, we have done runs to Dunsborough of approx 16km. It's about 22km by road. Don't do it all the time but we do regularly have runs longer than 6km




Jetty sticking out on the right is 2km long.

nice dave
give me a call when you do this run again and I might tag along
maybe on the foil.

This is Green Island to Arlington Reef I did with Mad Cam, run over was 14km one tack, Green is 27km off shore, honestly I miss these adventures but doubt I could do it now I was 56 and only a young fella then

Mad Baskets!