Paul is doing an amazing job - races will be run even if the wind is blowing 3 kn !

Last registrations by Thursday 9th Jan @ 8pm

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Icelake said..
2 days before the start of the 'Wave Rally World Championship".
How is it going?

Sorry been pretty flat out. Was feeling a little deflated a few days ago because I've been going hard on this for a year and the wind forecast went from 30/35 knots to 15 knots however I've since perked up and have to remind myself that's why I purchased the 12 Inflatable windsups!

It might actually be a blessing in disguise because I really do need to know if the format will work in light winds. If everyone has fun in 15 knots then I know it can be run in just about anything. I've had 80 entries, 3 can't make it so with 80 max there's 3 spots left. That's great for a first event.

Today is a big day. It's all hands on deck down at Coronation Beach for the set up. I'll send some pictures later. It's going be a fun event everyone's in a good mood and they'll be a fun party so let's get it started!

Good luck - and well done on getting it all together, its massive effort - and it all looks great!

For those of us that can't attend but happy to support - via buying a Poster / buying a T-shirt etc - will there be any merch available online? (or via direct order only).

Will you be selling the SUP's after the event?

Start up something by yourself and deal with all the unknowns is the hardest part.
Next year will be half the effort and with more assistance.

Hope the wind gods have a surprise...

That is a super cool web page for the event. Not sure if it was loading slow or ment to be that way, but it all kind of loaded bit by bit, nice.
Eager to see some live video's. Too bad PVB is running it and probs a bit busy i guess.
www.waverally.org/

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2317614188610009

Was an awesome 3 day event... I'm taking a week off but will get around to editing a video next week.

Wow what an event, the Geraldton Wave Rally 2025 was a big success!

After a year of planning, we were greeted on the Friday morning with a forecast of 15 knots, clouds and even rain! It's very unseasonal weather for Geraldton in January however the show had to go on. Thankfully 12 inflatable WindSups were purchased through Quatro Windsurfing and they saved the event. I was nervous the format would work, 10 minutes between heats starting at 11:30am till 6pm for 3 days straight. Would the sailors enjoy the big boards? Would the racing be fun? I needn't have worried it was a big YES to both questions from all sailors! Was like a scene from the year 1985 seeing everyone have fun in light winds on big floaty boards and believe me the racing was still pretty intense sometimes. Whether racing on a short board or a big inflatable, people want to win! The heat draw format was perfect, everybody got maximum time on the water as the league system was all about inclusion and not knocking people out of the event.

Friday and Saturday nights saw DJ 'Cool Sounds Collective' keeping the party vibes going and we had some amazing sunsets right there on the beach. Next year we might have to have a dancing prize as were some serious moves on display ha!

On the final day of Sunday, the wind gods blessed the event with 20 knots in the afternoon just in time for the Semis and Finals. The sailors were able to transition to their wave gear (rules of event, multi-fin boards and max 5 batten sails) which was a perfect end to the event. In the end Albert Pijoan won the Mega Final and became the ultimate Wave Rally champion. There were also a Women's and 3 Men's weight division champions as well.

It was a fantastic 1st Wave Rally event and the plan is to have Wave Rally II in January 2026. Thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers for the event, we couldn't have done it without you!!

Women's World Champion
1st Maria Schalin
2nd Tania Holldack
3rd Onike BasileMen's

Lightweight World Champion
1st Anton Pain
2nd Ben Ryan
3rd Matthew Robertson

Men's Middleweight World Champion
1st Albert Pijoan
2nd Thewes De Boer
3rd Logan Haggerston

Men's Heavyweight World Champion
1st Mathias Moerman
2nd Tim Fitzhardinge
3rd Aiden Grove

Overall World Champion
1st Albert Pijoan
2nd Thewes De Boer
3rd Peter Kenyon

Photos of the event are here - chelsearossphotography54.pixieset.com/

twas a cracker! the late sessions are the really special ones ! Looking forward to 2026 pt2!
Gold Medal and Order of Australia nomination and deserving winner Mr PVB!

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Hi Guys, organising is well under way for Wave Rally II which will happen from the 9th to 11th January, 2026. Registration will open later in the year.

There has been some rule adjustments to attempt to get closer racing during the 3 days. If you're planning on joining in the fun here's the proposed rules to get you prepared with gear. Hopefully see you there!

Nice. Given you've already got max fin sizes, maybe drop the pb/tb fin box rule as it excludes a wide range of fsw boards that many are using in the waves normally. My bigger board (85L) has a pb main fin and mini tuttle side fins.

Might also need to specify how you measure fin size. Weed fins state depth so a 20cm weedy has much more surface than a 20cm regular or did I just share a way to cheat?

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ptsf1111 said..
Might also need to specify how you measure fin size. Weed fins state depth so a 20cm weedy has much more surface than a 20cm regular or did I just share a way to cheat?

Lift isn't really dependent on the surface area - it is largely dependent on the span (aka fin length), vs minorly dependent on the chord (the fin width)... so it doesn't really help. It does however add quite a bit of drag. Thus summarising -> they are slower vs fin-length.

In other words, swept fins dont really help cheat.

What they help with is to avoid catching weed, which I would argue _isnt_ cheating in this context.

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ptsf1111 said..
Nice. Given you've already got max fin sizes, maybe drop the pb/tb fin box rule as it excludes a wide range of fsw boards that many are using in the waves normally. My bigger board (85L) has a pb main fin and mini tuttle side fins.

Might also need to specify how you measure fin size. Weed fins state depth so a 20cm weedy has much more surface than a 20cm regular or did I just share a way to cheat?

Yeah its not ideal for everybody, the issue is the powerbox/tuttle multifin boards are designed to be freewave/freeride and at the last event they had a big advantage over the majority of riders that didn't have that type of board. So I'm trying to even the playing field out and that's where the line is drawn. It's not the fin box that is the issue, it's the board that comes with them. Flat rockers, wide tails, etc.

The rule also says " max wave fin size of 23cm" so a weed fin wouldn't be going with the intention of the guidelines.

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Flying Dutchman said..
The rule also says " max wave fin size of 23cm" so a weed fin wouldn't be going with the intention of the guidelines.

I'm using a K4 Dugong Weed Wave fin under my 75 litre dtl wave board. I'd argue it's a wave fin...

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ptsf1111 said..
I'm using a K4 Dugong Weed Wave fin under my 75 litre dtl wave board. I'd argue it's a wave fin...

That's fine, you could use that.

Actually I just looked that fin up. That would be ideal at Coros with the weed there sometimes.

Yes it's a great fin that I use at Coros as well.

Don't put rules on equipment, just let the waves dictates the rules.
And maybe added a few ropes on the surfaces to force the jumping ;)

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Nicko29 said..
Don't put rules on equipment, just let the waves dictates the rules.
And maybe added a few ropes on the surfaces to force the jumping ;)

Slalom boards and sails will win 100% of the time then.

I heard two pulley systems on downhauls are a massive, massive advantage on wave sails.

So maybe the rules should specify a limit of a minimum of three pulleys must be used and all blue rings banned ?

Poster done for Wave Rally II minus sponsors at the footer still to come!

Love it. :)

Have updated the sail and fin size rules to help minimise equipment advantages.

Paul you've seriously gotta drop the power box thing gonna kill it heaps of people have them on their big boards as long as it's swept back wave style makes no difference I'm as slow as **** with powerbox, my wife passes me You're gonna lose heaps of people me included swept back in, slalom style out. You haven't had enough races to justify it maybe they were just faster sailors
Want this to be great for you but don't cut half the field that's stupid..
Many people fly past me on other fin bases every day even under full tilt. My personal opinion is if it gets above 20 kn have a category where you have to attempt a back loop on the course as an optional race all in together .Great for the cameras and more wave Rally .

I am not a wave sailor so puzzled about the fin box.
I get the size and the shape, but how is the box important ?

If you read the above the idea was that boards with PB boxes generally have flatter, faster rockers. It's probably true. Paul wants people to use wave-style boards I think, makes sense given the name of the event

I like what Paul has done.
The reality is that with racing, the bigger an event gets the more people will push the unwritten 'spirit' of the rules. The rules need to be firm, and it helps make it fun. It removes the grey area. And this time round he's covered most of them.

I know if I was going to spend all the $$ to cross the county to compete, then I'd want to turn up with gear that's theoretically half competitive, even if my skills keep me a long way from the podium. And a wider tailed freewave board with the raciest wave fins allowable will obliterate someone's standard wave board.

So If a powerbox board is allowed. I'd be turning up with the fastest freewave I can find.
Or maybe I'm getting an old longer freestyle board with a slalom rocker for 150 bucks and banging in some tiny 6cm side fins. This setup would cost me less than a nights accommodation.

For me the powerbox/ Tuttle rule blocks all the already existing boards that have outboard front strap positions, fast slalomy rockers, and side fins that are 'optional,' basically freeride boards in disguise. I like it.

Paul one tiny thing I would maybe change is make the sail size limit 5.3 for 76-80kg. There are alot of 5.3 / 4.7 combos out there in aus used by that weight range.

Awesome event Paul. I'll get to one as soon as I can!

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Gerowaterboy said..
Paul you've seriously gotta drop the power box thing gonna kill it heaps of people have them on their big boards as long as it's swept back wave style makes no difference I'm as slow as **** with powerbox, my wife passes me You're gonna lose heaps of people me included swept back in, slalom style out. You haven't had enough races to justify it maybe they were just faster sailors
Want this to be great for you but don't cut half the field that's stupid..
Many people fly past me on other fin bases every day even under full tilt. My personal opinion is if it gets above 20 kn have a category where you have to attempt a back loop on the course as an optional race all in together .Great for the cameras and more wave Rally .

Hey Gerowaterboy,

I did drop the powerbox thing in the first event and the reality was one those boards, the Severne Dino killed everyone. I have nothing against the powerbox, it's the design of the board that comes with it. Flat rockers, wide tails, etc. Because it's a beach start those boards jump on a plane and have higher top speeds.

The whole idea of Wave Rally is to make it as equitable as possible. The majority of people that turn up in Geraldton from around Australia on holidays and the world bring wave boards without these design characteristics so what am I supposed to tell them? Enter Wave Rally but don't bother trying to win because you'll be smashed by the guy on the Dyno? Yes most sailors who buy these types of boards aren't World Cup sailors however the last event the good guys were bringing up boards like this to give them the edge. I honestly believe if I didn't deal with this issue it would have killed the momentum of the event for the future.

Usually the people that have an issue with this are the ones who didn't turn up to the 1st Wave Rally and saw first hand what happened. What may happen in the future is a seperate division where it's more a 'free for all' category.

As for a race with a backloop or whatever, It's sounds cool in theory until you realise 90% of sailors can't do them. Just racing through the waves is fun enough. Maybe I'll have a special prize for someone who wants to do a backloop or forward and still wins or something.

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MHSA said..
I like what Paul has done.
The reality is that with racing, the bigger an event gets the more people will push the unwritten 'spirit' of the rules. The rules need to be firm, and it helps make it fun. It removes the grey area. And this time round he's covered most of them.

I know if I was going to spend all the $$ to cross the county to compete, then I'd want to turn up with gear that's theoretically half competitive, even if my skills keep me a long way from the podium. And a wider tailed freewave board with the raciest wave fins allowable will obliterate someone's standard wave board.

So If a powerbox board is allowed. I'd be turning up with the fastest freewave I can find.
Or maybe I'm getting an old longer freestyle board with a slalom rocker for 150 bucks and banging in some tiny 6cm side fins. This setup would cost me less than a nights accommodation.

For me the powerbox/ Tuttle rule blocks all the already existing boards that have outboard front strap positions, fast slalomy rockers, and side fins that are 'optional,' basically freeride boards in disguise. I like it.

Paul one tiny thing I would maybe change is make the sail size limit 5.3 for 76-80kg. There are alot of 5.3 / 4.7 combos out there in aus used by that weight range.

Awesome event Paul. I'll get to one as soon as I can!

Yes I could change it to 5.3 no worries MHSA.