This year's event looks like being the biggest and most eagerly anticipated for many years, and I understand that organisers are hoping that the excellent forecast (18-20 knots) will see a giant fleet upward of 200 competitors, including many first timers.

As per the website, there is also an attempt going on to get the race into the Guiness Book of World Records as the world's biggest open water marathon - this would be great for WA Windsurfing and a very cool thing to be part of.

The big bonus though, I am reliably informed, is that there will be not one, but two helicopters covering the whole race and shooting copious stills and video! One of these is Channel 9 who will obviously show the race on TV, and the other is Heli-West, who have been generous and unheralded supporters of WA windsurfing.

As I understand it there will be a DVD of the race produced and available in the next few weeks which will include awesome heli footage of the whole fleet, not just the leaders. There will also be a heap of stills so it's a great chance for competitors to not only enjoy being part of the event, but have a good look at themselves sailing afterwards and maybe find out what they were doing right or wrong.

Cool

I''l have to wear my new boardies and rashie