5 Step Guide for Integrating
Windsurfing into Clubs
What is Windsurfing?
 The windsurfer was patented on 6th Jan 1970 by
Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer
 The original windsurfer became the Windsurfer
One Design that is still sailed and raced around
the world today
 Windsurfing is broken up in to two major
categories (Long and Short Board sailing)
Who Windsurfs?
 Adults up and over 70 years of age are known to short
board windsurf
 Windsurfers in their early 60s are achieving speeds
close to 50 knots here in Victoria
 Kids as young as 5 years old windsurf, though we
would suggest 8 years of age is the preferred starting
age
Different Styles of Windsurfing
 Long board windsurfing stems from the original
windsurfer
 Long board windsurfer had its biggest impact within
Australia in the 80s
 Short board windsurfing took over as preferred level of
the sport in 90s once the equipment became easier
 Long boarding came back in to style in 00s, with the
Raceboard class and now the Stand Up Paddle (SUP)
Long board categories
 Raceboard (designed for course racing)
 Funboard (user friendly, previously used as beginner
boards)
 Windsurfer One Design (sometimes known as a Wally and
used for long board freestyle)
 SUP (the new breed of long board windsurfer that can be
used for SUPing, windsurfing on flat water or in the waves
in light wind)
 Hybrid (cross between a long and wide style short board)
 Modern beginner board (shorter and wide for easy
learning)
Short board categories
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Speed (designed for straight line speed)
Slalom (designed for across and down wind racing)
Formula (designed for course racing)
Freerace (cross between a slalom and freeride)
Freeride (a short board version of a funboard)
Freestyle (specially designed board for short board
freestyle tricks)
 Freestyle Wave (cross between a freestyle and wave
board)
 Wave (designed for wave jumping and wave riding)
Competitive Windsurfing
 Competitive windsurfing is done all round the world
 The Professional Windsurfing Association (PWA)
include Slalom, Freestyle and Wave
 Windsurfing Victoria with our local windsurfing stores
and Yacht/Sailing clubs run a variety of Slalom, Course
Racing, Wave, Speed, marathon and fun events (Inc.
clinics)
Step 1 - Come & Try Events
 Windsurfing Victoria has been running windsurfing
events at Yacht and Sailing clubs for a number of
years
 Some of these events include come and try
windsurfing components
 These come and try events have been organised and
managed by Windsurfing Victoria with some times
support from our local windsurfing stores and/or
schools
Step 2 - Beginner Programs
 Beginner windsurfing programs can be setup at the
clubs
 These programs can be for children and for adults
 The programs can be based on current windsurfing
school programs and the very successful Windsurfing
Victoria Kids Club
 Modern beginner windsurfer equipment and the right
tutoring can have a new windsurfer sailing in 30
minutes
Step 3 – Social Sailing
 Before a sailor steps in to racing they need to
experience social sailing
 Social sailing is where the fun begins and doesn't stop
 A number of prime windsurfing locations in Victoria
are based around our clubs
 Some of these clubs have establish their own
windsurfing clubs
Step 4 - Club Racing
 Type of windsurfing racing that have and could be
setup as regular club racing program
 Course Racing
 Slalom
 One Design
 Costs of windsurfing racing can be very cheap and
could be the most cost affective club racing option
Club Racing – Course Racing
 The race course can be the same as the current courses set
for other sailing boats
 Starts from the water as per sailing boats
 Equipment required can be based on;
 second hand long board style windsurfers from the 80/90s
that have a centre board to help go up wind
 modern course racing boards
 the original Windsurfer One Design
 hybrid board (long/shortwide board)
 Stand Up Paddle (i.e. WindSUP)
Club Racing – Slalom
 The race course needs to be either a figure 8 or a
down wind M style course
 Starts are preferred to be from the beach
 Equipment required can be based on;
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second hand short fun boards
modern free ride board
dedicated slalom boards
course racing style boards
Step 5 – World Cup
 Windsurfing has a number world cup racing paths
(e.g. PWA – slalom, Raceboard, Formula, BIC 293
youth class, RSX, RS:One?, etc.)
 If clubs want to head down a set path it needs to be
decided with cost, availability, support and a
progression structure in mind
Case Studies
 Come & Try Events
 A beginner and course racing clinics were included in the 20112012 Windsurfing Victoria Course Racing series that were ran
at Parkdale and Mordialloc
 Support was from WaSSuP, SHQ and SBHQ
 Beginner Programs
 Parkdale Yacht Club has been running a beginner program off
and on over the years within the club
 Social Sailing
 Elwood Sailing Club have a Windsurfing Club (Elwood
Sailboarders)
Case Studies
 Club Racing
 Parkdale Yacht Club has been hosting Windsurfing One
Design racing since the 80s
 Windsurfing Victoria has been hosting windsurfing races at
Elwood Sailing Club for a number of years and now back at
Parkdale Yacht Club as well
 Over the years a number of clubs have hosted national and
international windsurfing events since the 80s
 World Cup
 Victoria has only had a hand full of very successful
windsurfers with one or two world champions
Thank You
 Any Questions?