With the winter chill nipping at most of the American and European continents, the 2009 Formula Windsurfing North American Championship provided a needed break from the sailors searching for the endless summer. Hosted by the Shake a Leg Sailing Center in Miami, Florida, 50+ windsurfers in the Formula and Kona fleets joined the 2.4m, skudd, keelboat and BIc Open fleets at the 3rd annual Alex Caviglia Bluewater Classic Regatta. 3 days of racing were fought on the water with Brazilian Wilhelm ‘the Sherminator’ Schurmann taking the open title, followed closely by 2008 vice World Champion Gonzolo Costel Hovel from Argentina and Jimmi Diaz from the US Virgin Islands taking the North America Championship title.
Conditions ranged from 10-15 knot offshore oscillating winds, making the first day a tactical affair, to survival conditions in the last race with gusts in the upper 20’s and most of the fleet on the light air 11-12 meter rigs. Complete regatta coverage and results can be found on the Formula windsurfing class website at www.formulawindsurfing.org in addition to a race report and photos at www.stevebodner.blogspot.com
Steve Bodner
USA 4
www.stevebodner.com
