Any other Aussies going to France for the Defi Wind? It's on May 1-4.

If so please let me know so we can hook up for a sail and speak some English!

I'll be there from April 25 hoping to get some practice in before the madness begins.

No but I'll be at the Peel Autumn Grovel Fest during that period, and looking for any lonely french speaking backpackers that wanna chat?

I'll take that as a no.

Lucky bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will try to organise for next year or the year after

Phil McGain will be there, not sure about other Aussies.

Will definitely have to organise it once, better be quick, very quick for registration this year the 800 spots were gone too quickly... How did you secure your spot Chris?

2010, probably 1000 entrants!!

Cheers,
Remi

Yes, it is quite bizarre that 800 spots get filled so fast! I just emailed the organisers last year, and they emailed back the entry form the day it was released - about six weeks ago. I sent it back the same day.

I know Phil goes to this event, and I have met him once or twice, but I'm not sure that he'll consider training with me is going to improve his chances much! I was hoping for someone more my speed (is a top 100 finish too optimistic?)

hello aus111 i keep on watching the youtube event of defi and never ceases to amaze me the amount of windsurfersi wonder how the top 10 even manage to get to the start line just before the rabbit boat passes by with all those sails and foamy water incredible

Hi Aus, I was thiking about this event last year when i was in france but I couldnt get there on the dates last year. Are u taking gear over or hiring gear there.
ta Vando

G'day Vando

I'm taking my own gear; two slalom baords and four sails (5.0,5.8,6.6 & 7.5) which is a bit of a hassle but I can't see that there is much choice. I've also picked up a couple of Goldwings, rather than the F1 Falcons I normally use, as I reckon that they are better on the square course.

The start will be very interesting; do you go for the pin end amongst the Albeaus, Dunkerbecks & McGains and risk getting totally buried, or take the conservative approach and coast over the line in clearer air and smoother water near the boat?

Go the pin end or flounder... the guys at the pin end are in a hurry so they clear out quick. There is often more wind at the pin since its generally a gusty offshore breeze. And... the start boat isnt that quick so would have to find your way through a bunch of guys on wave gear stalled upwind by the time the boat goes past. Really if you are gunning for top 100 there is no option. Its a ripper event. Should be almost double the number of starters this year compared to when I raced it in 05. Just keep an eye on AA. He usually gets a good start

Good luck Chris, hope it all goes well for you, look forward to the report after

Thanks guys.

Yeah I'm thinking maybe I'll be on AA's ass for the first start, maybe a couple of metres to windward. I'll sit there for the first five km or so and just get comfortable before I make my move.

Don't tell him what I'm thinking though eh.

chris and chris with 800plus on the water how does the timing sequence begin is it 30mins. before the rabbit boat whips by or some huge flag or flares raised and you have 3mins. to start moving before the boatjust curious

Hehe. Began reading your starting plan thinking 'yeah about 700 other competitors probably have the same starting game plan'.

But hey, goodluck, better to think big

the start is pretty organised considering its not exactly timed. The guys on the start boat seemed to take off within about 30 seconds of when they said they would. So best just to watch everyone else and judge your start from when the boat takes off. Maybe this year they will time it on the clock. Everyone else on the water become moving obstacles as you bee-line it to the boat propellors :) Its great fun.

Good luck

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wormy said...

Good luck

euughhhh ...this is what main break is going to look like when gero gets closed off

I wonder if they are cleaning all the fish guts off the back of the boat just like Gero as well.

Good luck Chris, take a head cam

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AUS1111 said...

Any other Aussies going to France for the Defi Wind? It's on May 1-4.

If so please let me know so we can hook up for a sail and speak some English!

I'll be there from April 25 hoping to get some practice in before the madness begins.

Should be a few Brit's there ...... and most of us can parle l'anglais tres bien

Safe trip ....

Thanks Krafty -what's your sail number?

Flying out tomorrow -forecast looks..well...scary!

Seems like 30-40 knots is pretty normal, straight offshore, cold, 800 sailors...this is all VERY unfamiliar!

Bon chance , Ado

Dan Ellis said he will be there flying the flag for Maui sails.. so maybe Phil McGain will turn up again. He seems to do quite well at this even though it must be as flat as a pancake compared to Maui.

good luck ado dont forget to take the gps thingy!!

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AUS1111 said...

Thanks Krafty -what's your sail number?

Flying out tomorrow -forecast looks..well...scary!

Seems like 30-40 knots is pretty normal, straight offshore, cold, 800 sailors...this is all VERY unfamiliar!

Sail no is 154 ..... I'm driving down from UK .... might think about throwing in my 4.2m & 3.7m which I'd considered a luxury item given the limited space I've got in the quiverack .... quick re-think p'raps !!

Not 100% that I've got an entry confirmed yet, but have to be there for a dealer meeting with Exocet and they are doing their best to squeeze me in somehow ..... otherwise it'll be freesailing in empty waters & 30-40 knots of clean wind, just after the 800 odd windsurfers head off for their long distance race.

Safe trip

OK, been here since Saturday and we are yet to witness a whitecap.

The forecast looks pretty grim also, so the whole effort may yet have been in vain. They tell me it's hard to predict though so fingers are firmly crossed!

In the meantime it's sightseeing and wine tasting.

sounds great

fingers crossed for wind from midday wednesday, for purely selfish reasons

gday Chris,

The wind over there can be quite unpredictable from memory, so dont give up hope! Good luck maaate.

C

Ah, the romance of the sport.

But as we all know romance can also have a downside

Hope all over at Defi Wind can get the chance to defy the wind (in a respectful way to Huey that is!) (is that even the idea of the name, or is it something else in French?)

Here's an update - yesterday was the most perfect day in the south of France. Perfect, that is, but for the absence of even so much as the faintest zephyr to bring a ripple to the water.

Anyway, a good time was had; our time occupied with such sights as the medieval citadel of Carcasonne, and the beautiful, thiving cosmopolitan city of Toulouse.

Today (Wednesday am) there seems to be some breeze coming from the right direction, so we all hope this may herald the arrival of the famous "La Tramontaine" (The Tram) - the wind that is said to blow so strongly sometimes that it once blew a train off it's tracks.

The Defi Wind ("Challenge Wind") starts tomorrow, we hope!

Hey Good luck dude, you will find Hennie some where (if you need to speak english), keep us up to date on how you guys are doing, dude.

Did you get a job

Another update;

Today La Tramontane paid a visit, finally, and so everyone got the chance to have a great sail. This place is sick!

The wind blows straight offshore and today was around 15-25 knots. It blows pretty steady as it comes across about 10km of low lying lagoons and marshlands. I took out the Manta 59 with KA Koncept 6.6 and Goldwing 33, and the set up felt perfect for long drag races among hundreds of sailors. The course is completely square and the water is flat apart from small incoming swell, and you can sail at least 10km before you get into any sort of wind shadow - it's quite surreal actually.

The forecast is for breezes turning onshore in coming days so the race may be held, if at all, in much rougher conditions than the French flat water speed specialists would like. Suits me fine - I just want the race to happen!

It all starts tomorrow (Thursday).

Good winds and good luck Chris

Hope all goes well