From the 8th >11th of March the “Open Championship of the Republic” was hosted by the Asociacion Mendocina de Windsurf (AMW) on Potrerillos Lake , near Mendoza in the Argentine.
The newly created lake, formed by the damming of the River Mendoza, is surrounded by hills and lies below the stunning backdrop of the Andes mountain range.
The geography and climatic conditions converge to produce a perfect arena for racing; with a constant and reliable thermic wind that blows everyday between 11.00 and 16.00 hrs.! You can expect a steady breeze of between 10 to 20 knots – with no sudden surprises .
This event included racing for Raceboard and RSX sailors as well as formula.
The formula fleet attracted a good entry from Chile as the lake lies on a main highway between the the two countries – Santiago is only 400 km away !
The vastnass of the country has conspired to make the organisation of events very difficult and expensive. However there is a lot of interest in racing and the development of facilities such those on Potrerillos Lake , which has the support of the Economic Ministry, guarantees a bright future.
Increased co-operation between racers in Mendoza Province and Chile has already been discussed ; as well as attracting further international regattas and championships to the lake in future years.
AMW are hosting the Raceboard Worlds here in Otober 2007- the enthusiastic, friendly and dedicated group of windsurfers within its membership ensure racing will only continue to grow in this region of South America.
