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JonesySail said..
easy sorted, bring back wave slalom, simple gear requirements , the more full on the conditions the more skill and fitness win over equipment ..can be done off almost any beach anywhere, 15knt min wind is the cut off.
It actually show cases the sport to the public in an area where they might actually get to see some action, who knows maybe a sponsor might get interested.

A race like this could be done at any beach, even at your own local. (*you tube link not working but type in windsurfing wave slalom)
I don't think its any coincidence that the sport started to decline when it left off the beach wave slalom behind.

The issue is that your forgetting how euro centric competitive windsurfing has become, the vast majority of European venues have no waves, if you bring back wave slalom the sport gos back to its Hawaiian centric days which were just never profitable for big manufacturers.

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peterowensbabs said..
The issue is that your forgetting how euro centric competitive windsurfing has become, the vast majority of European venues have no waves, if you bring back wave slalom the sport gos back to its Hawaiian centric days which were just never profitable for big manufacturers.

Uhm what? All of the west coast from the Netherlands down to Portugal, many spots around the Mediterranean sea including islands, guess most of the UK.

Not sure how decent waves you expect but I guess any shore break and swell would make for spectacular conditions. It probably comes down to lack of wind again hence the foils appeared in PWA in the first place so not sure if it's tenable except for those few windy places, some of them already a venue.

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peterowensbabs said..

JonesySail said..
easy sorted, bring back wave slalom, simple gear requirements , the more full on the conditions the more skill and fitness win over equipment ..can be done off almost any beach anywhere, 15knt min wind is the cut off.
It actually show cases the sport to the public in an area where they might actually get to see some action, who knows maybe a sponsor might get interested.

A race like this could be done at any beach, even at your own local. (*you tube link not working but type in windsurfing wave slalom)
I don't think its any coincidence that the sport started to decline when it left off the beach wave slalom behind.

The issue is that your forgetting how euro centric competitive windsurfing has become, the vast majority of European venues have no waves, if you bring back wave slalom the sport gos back to its Hawaiian centric days which were just never profitable for big manufacturers.

haha! ever been to europe?

We've plowed this field before. Wave slalom would be great. Now we just need a dependably windy spot and promoters willing to front the money. But that's always been the problem. Foiling solved a big problem for promoters - events that ended up with racers on a beach for a week staring at the horizon and sponsors bolting.

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Paducah said..
We've plowed this field before. Wave slalom would be great. Now we just need a dependably windy spot and promoters willing to front the money. But that's always been the problem. Foiling solved a big problem for promoters - events that ended up with racers on a beach for a week staring at the horizon and sponsors boltin

I cannot agree more. I live in probably one of the best locations for urban sailing in the world, the San Francisco Bay Area, with winds that in the season are most of the time in the 4.2-7.0 range. The problem is the "most of the time". Even here all it takes is a "not so great" day to see the foils going around making circles around us poor fins. And you do not realize how many "not so great days" there are until you are so often sinking, or slogging home, or dropping off jibes while the foils keep going seemingly uneffected by the conditions. The local slalom series at Crissy Field, a venue that sees horrible chop and winds in the 15-25 knots, has a wingfoiling class (around 30 entrants), and a mixed foil/fin series (around 15) pretty much dominated by foils. From what I see a few pick fin for racing only when they cannot handle the foil in rough conditions. Top sailors are always on foil.

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ptsf1111 said..

peterowensbabs said..
The issue is that your forgetting how euro centric competitive windsurfing has become, the vast majority of European venues have no waves, if you bring back wave slalom the sport gos back to its Hawaiian centric days which were just never profitable for big manufacturers.

Uhm what? All of the west coast from the Netherlands down to Portugal, many spots around the Mediterranean sea including islands, guess most of the UK.

Not sure how decent waves you expect but I guess any shore break and swell would make for spectacular conditions. It probably comes down to lack of wind again hence the foils appeared in PWA in the first place so not sure if it's tenable except for those few windy places, some of them already a venue.

I grew up windsurfing in Ireland along with France and Portugal the most exposed coast of Europe. We chased wave sailing endlessly, the number of days where you could do wave slalom you could count on one hand. 90% Tiny slop at best, not much "Spectacular conditions". Or the opposite howling on shore out of control polar generated cyclonic storms, grey cold rain damaging powerful mush waves with no shape. The combination of a cross or even cross on/off wind with a wave is rare as hens teeth. To run regular profitable and highly exposed racing Europe took the sport to where the people are and the wind blows. Tareffa, The Canaries, the parts of the Med where the Mistral blows the Greek Islands, the lakes of northern Italy, mostly dead flat. There is just not much ridable surf in Europe mate.

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sheddweller said..

peterowensbabs said..

JonesySail said..
easy sorted, bring back wave slalom, simple gear requirements , the more full on the conditions the more skill and fitness win over equipment ..can be done off almost any beach anywhere, 15knt min wind is the cut off.
It actually show cases the sport to the public in an area where they might actually get to see some action, who knows maybe a sponsor might get interested.

A race like this could be done at any beach, even at your own local. (*you tube link not working but type in windsurfing wave slalom)
I don't think its any coincidence that the sport started to decline when it left off the beach wave slalom behind.

The issue is that your forgetting how euro centric competitive windsurfing has become, the vast majority of European venues have no waves, if you bring back wave slalom the sport gos back to its Hawaiian centric days which were just never profitable for big manufacturers.

haha! ever been to europe?

Eh yes grew up there

Yeah right. I think if one expects nearly perfect, spectacular conditions like that it'll probably never happen. What I mean is there are so many spots where it could be ran as we're not wave sailing, just need a bit of break and a swell which could even work in mushy shore break but it again comes all down to the wind. A 5 day competition window, scheduled months if not a year in advance is tricky as even the most windy place on earth can have a few days without wind.

So I don't really see it happening for the fin unfortunately.

Call it Bump and Jump then. Montecarlo start into rough water, out round a few bouys and back. Jumps. Gybes. The stuff most of us actually do when we are windsurfing. Doesn't need to be actual surf, just something to challenge the sailors and their gear.

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Shifu said..
Call it Bump and Jump then. Montecarlo start into rough water, out round a few bouys and back. Jumps. Gybes. The stuff most of us actually do when we are windsurfing. Doesn't need to be actual surf, just something to challenge the sailors and their gear.

Equipment will then change and be more suited to us normal people.

Plenty of places to run wave slalom in western australia, but its too expensive to get everyone out here considering the distance from europe and getting sponsors t o pay for it would be an issue.

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Paducah said..
We've plowed this field before. Wave slalom would be great. Now we just need a dependably windy spot and promoters willing to front the money. But that's always been the problem. Foiling solved a big problem for promoters - events that ended up with racers on a beach for a week staring at the horizon and sponsors bolting.

The look of commitment on that dogs face though

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Shifu said..
Call it Bump and Jump then. Montecarlo start into rough water, out round a few bouys and back. Jumps. Gybes. The stuff most of us actually do when we are windsurfing. Doesn't need to be actual surf, just something to challenge the sailors and their gear.

You should come sail bribe bar with me. next level for wave slalom

Enrico Maroti having a clearout.

www.facebook.com/groups/130039663788470/user/756843588/

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PhilUK said..
Enrico Maroti having a clearout.

www.facebook.com/groups/130039663788470/user/756843588/

To pay for some Nappies

Lawn could do with a tidy up

A Good Fin is hard to find !!

I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

That's a nice collection of fins, I don't dare to think of the cost of his corresponding foil collection...

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Imax1 said..
I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

Do you think $300 each. I count 42 so that's 12.5k

how much landscaping do you get for 12.5k

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Gestalt said..

Imax1 said..
I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

Do you think $300 each. I count 42 so that's 12.5k

how much landscaping do you get for 12.5k

They might have once been worth $300 each, but it's definitely a buyer's market these days for fin gear!

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John340 said..

Gestalt said..

Imax1 said..
I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

I

Do you think $300 each. I count 42 so that's 12.5k

how much landscaping do you get for 12.5k

They might have once been worth $300 each, but it's definitely a buyer's market these days for fin gear!

For $300 you'll only get a new tail wing...

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SurferKris said..
For $300 you'll only get a new tail wing...

Having just bought one, Yes . And a $1400 wing is worn out after 4 seasons . But I had fun on the water today

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John340 said..

Gestalt said..

Imax1 said..
I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

Do you think $300 each. I count 42 so that's 12.5k

how much landscaping do you get for 12.5k

They might have once been worth $300 each, but it's definitely a buyer's market these days for fin gear!

It's a sad day for windsurfing when you buy fins by the wheelbarrow load.

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chuckmaui said..
A Good Fin is hard to find !!

Yep, Enrico bought them all...

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Gestalt said..

Imax1 said..
I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

Do you think $300 each. I count 42 so that's 12.5k

how much landscaping do you get for 12.5k

Try ?250 -?300 each ($407- $490 Aud) admittedly retail he's possibly getting a better deal.

Also, that wheelbarrow looks vintage. That could be worth a quid.

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Gestalt said..

Imax1 said..
I bet that barrow of fins is worth more money than my car.
Obviously no money left for lawn care products.

Do you think $300 each. I count 42 so that's 12.5k

how much landscaping do you get for 12.5k

Broken glass doesn't cost much. He could probably do the whole yard for $50 using bob-a-job boy scouts.