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United States Windsurfer Class Association
Photo: Dave Nash
Regatta Recaps
2025 Windsurfer US National Championships
National-Level Racing Makes a Strong Return in San Diego
Hosted by Coronado Yacht Club
The 2025 Windsurfer US National Championships brought together sailors from across the country August 29-September 1 for three days of competition at the Coronado Yacht Club in San Diego. Held over Labor Day weekend, the event showcased the spirit of the windsurfing community, blending one design racing with camaraderie and celebration. The event drew strong support from local windsurfing fleets, former and current champions, and the Coronado Yacht Club community.
Competitors ranged from seasoned veterans to enthusiastic newcomers. The fleet of 38 participants raced together and were scored across four divisions : Women’s, Men’s Light-Medium, Men’s Medium-Heavy, and Cruising.
Course Racing began Friday, south of the Coronado bridge in pleasant 10-15 knot breezes, with the windward mark oriented toward the Silver Strand beach. Four windward-leeward races were completed in the afternoon, followed by a reception and meet and greet party with live music on the CYC deck.
Randy Gallman, Race Organizer
Charters and equipment support, Lanee Butler
Photos: Dave Nash
Saturday’s intentional lay-day from racing was packed with a full schedule of activities including a performance clinic hosted by 2023 Windsurfer World Champion Lanee Butler, and an exciting exhibition in the harbor by renowned freestyle champ Andrea Livingston. Later in the afternoon everyone was invited to raft up their boards or throw a floatie in the water and enjoy the live band playing dockside at CYC’s incredibly fun annual Labor Day weekend Flotilla Party.
On Sunday 4 more course races were completed in beautiful but tactically challenging conditions that kept racers on their toes. Thanks to the support of Windsurfing and yacht racing legend Annie Gardner and husband Eric aboard their catamaran El Gato, competitors and spectators had an awesome place to hang out, rest, and rehydrate adjacent to the race course each day.
At the conclusion of racing Sunday, Lanee Butler won both the Overall championship and the Women’s division in Course Racing with her streak of all bullets. Bradley Wilson (Fleet 18) won the Men’s Light-Medium, Matt Reynolds (SDYC) won the Men’s Medium-heavy, and Travis Atkins (Fleet 18) won the Cruising division.
Fantastic support boat!!
Bruce Gresham aboard El Rato with water and snacks
Annie and Eric also helping with RC
Sunday evening, participants and supporters were treated to a “Baja Buffet” and celebration on the beautiful waterside lawn and deck of the Coronado Yacht Club. Race Organizer and USWCA board member Randy Gallman pulled together an historic display of Windsurfer boards and memorabilia, including a Baja Board from the early 70’s! Randy’s connections run deep with the sailing and windsurfing community, and he was able to get quite a few special guests to come out and enjoy the weekend festivities with competitors: Dick Lamb (Windsurfing Hawaii), Michael Fox (2023 recipient of the Rick Randall Trophy for Contributions to the Sport of Windsurfing), Thomas Davies (Cobra International), Andrea Livingston (Windsurfing Hall of Fame inductee), Annie Gardner (multiple world and national titles) and Kelby Bruno (former pro wave sailor) to name a few.
Andrea Livingston, Caroll-Ann Alie, Annie Gardner, Allie Rowe
Fleet 18 members had a great turnout!
Danny North, Kelby Anno Bruno, Caroll-Ann Alie, Race Organizer Randy Gallman
The Photo Booth was a blast! Thank you Guy Raffee and PPI Photo Events for the laughs!!
Allie, Lanee and Guy
Fleet 18 crew
East Coast meets West Coast
Allie, Lanee and Guy
On Monday morning, competitors started and finished the Long Distance race right in front of the yacht club marina. Competitors jockeyed for position in shifty puffs and took off, weaving through Glorietta Bay, past the popular raft-up area off Stingray Point, and out into San Diego Bay. The breeze freshened near the turn-around mark and made for a fun ride back to the finish line. Of the top 5 finishers overall, 3 were women. 1984 Windsurfer World Champ Caroll-Ann Alie took the gun, finishing in just about one hour’s time, followed closely by Lanee Butler in second, and Fleet 18 phenom Bradley Wilson coming in third.
Start of the Long Distance
And they're off!
Bradley and Lianne
Start of the Long Distance
Photos: Connie Max
The awards ceremony took place on the CYC lawn Monday afternoon, with Race Committee PRO Thomas Ralls introducing the top three competitors from each division. Thomas and his crew of volunteers did an outstanding job throughout the weekend from pre-race preparations to laying the best courses, to keeping the pace going on and off the water.
Thank you Thomas Ralls RC PRO!!
Danny North (RC) and Thomas Ralls (PRO)
PRO Thomas Ralls announcing winners, amazing trophies by Randy Gallman
Race Organizer Randy Gallman took trophies to another level with his expertly hand-crafted models of the Windsurfer LT standing tall on a removable base. It’s the first of its kind!”
Congratulations Lanee Butler, 2025 Windsurfer US National Champion
Special shout-out here: Local youth sailor Simba , who at age 12 was the youngest competitor in the fleet, was presented with the 2025 Windsurfer US National Junior Champion trophy. Simba displayed great skills and sportsmanship on the water and always seemed to be beaming with excitement. Here’s to all the future LT sailors!
USWCA President Caroll-Ann Alie, Simba, PRO Thomas Ralls
Division Awards
Women's:
1. Lanee Butler
2. Caroll-Ann Alie
3. Lianne Dunbar
Annie Gardner presenting, Caroll-Ann Alie, Lanee Butler, Lianne Dunbar
Men's Medium-Heavy:
1. Matt Reynolds
2. Anthony Del Balso
3. Paul Maciel
Paul Maciel, Anthony Del Balso, Matt Reynolds, Annie and Thomas
Men's Light-Medium:
1. Bradley Wilson
2. Pierre Jeangirard
3. Michael Compton
Bradley Wilson, Pierre Jeangirard, Michael Compton
Cruising:
1. Travis Atkins
2. Amy Kelts
3. Kim Stanford
Full Results at Clubspot
Many thanks go to USWCA board member and Race Organizer Randy Gallman, and USWCA President Caroll-Ann Alie for their tireless work and planning in bringing the 2025 Windsurfer US National Championship to San Diego after a nearly four decade span without a national-level class event.
When the US Windsurfer Class Association (USWCA) formed in 2020, the newly re-designed Windsurfer LT had only been available in the US for barely 2 years, with Europe and Australia showing the most growth in sales and popularity. Since then, the US has steadily experienced a revival of the Windsurfer class, fueled by the LT’s accessibility and one design race format. What sailors find most appealing about the LT is its versatility, ease of rigging, and the sheer fun of being able to sail with friends.
The USWCA is now in it’s third year of supporting established and well-attended West Coast and East Coast Tours. These tours run with the Windsurfer Class slogan of “50% Fun and 50% Fair Racing”, and incorporate instructional clinics, racing, and social gatherings into their format. Charter equipment is often available for hire.
The return of the US National Championship is the result of several years of successful efforts to introduce the Windsurfer LT to sailors and to build community. Many people have helped along the way, from grassroots organizers and fleet captains to local shops, sailing clubs, and corporate sponsors. Thanks to all for helping keep the excitement growing for the sport we love!
An Announcement for the 2026 Windsurfer US National Championship dates and location will be made in the coming months.
Our Host Coronado Yacht Club
Thank you to the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors who helped support the 2025 Windsurfer US National Championships
Thank you to photographers Dave Nash, Connie Max, PPI Photo Events, and others who contributed their time and photos
2025
WEST COAST TOUR
Seattle, WA
This year’s West Coast Tour kicked off in the Pacific Northwest with the Seattle Windsurfer Cup held June 20-22 . Hosted once again by Sail Sand Point community boating center, the three day event was packed with a mix of racing and informative land and water clinics led by 2023 Windsurfer World Champion Lanee Butler.
Meet Snoop--our West Coast Mascot!!
The Gorge
This year’s Gorge Olympic Cup, held June 27-29 at Bob’s Beach in Stevenson, WA attracted sailors from all over the region and included several Windsurfer Class champions! Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Lanee Butler, Caroll-Ann Alie and Pierre Jeangirard, participants were able to enjoy tuning and racing clinics along with some sporty windsurfing conditions on the mighty Columbia River. Many thanks go to the City of Stevenson and the Columbia Gorge Racing Association for their support of this annual event.
Sacramento, CA
Report courtesy of Owain Chilton:
Lake Washington Yacht Club hosted the Windsurfer LT fleet on Saturday July 12th. We had beautiful warm weather and warm water in the lake - only shorts and lycra tops required.
We completed six course races in the afternoon breeze using a variety of marks and variations. Racing was fierce up and down the fleet. Brad and I tied for first overall each winning three and second in three. Lanee Butler helped coach the less experienced sailors and raced a bit. The event ended with a pizza dinner. We need more clubs like this on the tour!
Foster City, CA
Report courtesy of Owain Chilton:
Foster City was the next stop over the July 18-20 weekend. We are kings of the casual. I arrived early at the lagoon to make sure I could snag Lanee a tandem parking slot. Brad supervised the course setup — using the LT boards, we carry kids “space hoppers” with anchors out into the lagoon as course marks.
We completed 5 course races on Saturday in perfect NNW conditions. The wind in the Lagoon is usually about 3-5 mph less than the reading. FC lagoon is surrounded by the city of Foster City. There is a 15 story tower upwind. This makes the wind shifty and gusty which keeps everyone in the race at all times. This always makes the racing interesting. We ran 5 course races before heading to our local pizza restaurant for the group dinner.
Sunday was a very different day! The forecast was for similar weather to Saturday, but when we arrived early it was fairly calm but we could feel SE gusts occasionally. This is very unusual for the summer. By about 2pm the wind did settle down to light SW conditions. Again, Brad supervised course setup with Anthony helping to lay the marks. We used the same five marks to build a smaller course for slalom racing.
This course is really great to practice board handling skills, both when rounding marks and when coming across competitors on the course at different stages of their race. There are lots of port/starboard, windward/leeward, and rounding situations which causes lively racing and lively discussions about who has RoW afterwards.
The wind continued to build throughout the afternoon. We took a break after four races to rest and eat and by the time we started again we were maxing out downhauls. I had originally planned to do a long distance race but people were having so much fun with slalom, we just kept on running more races. Everyone helped everyone else getting in and out of the water to protect the boards from getting bashed on the dock - waves were breaking over the wall by the end of the day.
San Diego, CA
A strong mixed fleet of men and women Windsurfer LT sailors competed at this year’s Gales Family One Design Regatta, held August 16-17 at Mission Bay Yacht Club. Greg Magnuson (Oklahoma Sailing Club) came in first place with consistent top finishes. Kim Stanford (SDYC) was the top woman finisher and came in 4th overall. Full results here .
Photo courtesy The Club Spot/MBYC — Start line
Long Beach, CA
There was an awesome turnout for the final stop on the 2025 West Coast Tour in Long Beach, CA August 23-24. Jeff Jones of Long Beach Windsurf Center hosted the event held on beautiful Alamitos Bay. The weekend was packed with instructional clinics and practice races, culminating in a regatta series on Sunday. Men, Women, and Juniors of various ages and experience levels were represented across three fleets of sailors. This is what the Windsurfer Class is all about, all are welcome!
2025
EAST COAST TOUR -- NEW JERSEY
September 6, 2025
Chesapeake Windsurfing and Wing Festival
Windsurfer LT Division sees growth in numbers
Recap by Ally Latham
September 6, 2025 — With summer’s golden days drawing to a close, windsurfers from across the East Coast converged on the shores of eastern Maryland for a day of spirited racing, soaring foils, and contagious camaraderie. The festival brought together 26 racers spanning Open Class, Windsurfer LT & Kona divisions, and Wind/Wing Foils, attracting sailors from Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The shoreline was a sight to behold, alive with bright sails and shared stoke.
Gibson Island rolled out perfect late-summer conditions: mid-80s air temperatures, 78°F waters, and steady winds at 8–10 knots, with gusts cracking past 20 knots. Racers danced with the breeze, timing starts with precision and carving clean upwind lines in the challenging, gusty air. The Windsurfer LT fleet was the day’s largest turnout with nine sailors. What stood out most was the interest and enthusiasm the LT generated from other class sailors.
This location, where the Magothy River spills into the Chesapeake Bay, proved nothing short of ideal. Its wide-open reach and reliable winds delivered exhilarating competition across all fleets, while the mingling of classic sailboards, sleek foiling gear, and agile wing rigs created a colorful, kinetic spectacle both on and off the water. Even when storms eventually rolled in, the excitement never dimmed and we were left with a sense that this festival will only grow from here. A heartfelt thanks goes to the race committee, who kept the day running smoothly.
The Chesapeake Windsurfing / Wing Festival traces its roots back to the Annapolis Windsurfing Festival, launched at Severn Sailing Association in 2019. When Scott Williamson, Jr. Fleet Sailing Director for the Gibson Island Yacht Squadron, recognized the potential of Mountain Point Beaches for windsurfing, windfoiling, and wingfoiling, the event found its new home.
Today, the GIYS Junior Fleet and Team VMG carry that momentum forward, fueling the growth of wind-powered sports on the Magothy River. Here, sailors of all ages and skill levels find a place to race, learn, and share in the joy of harnessing wind and water.
Thanks to everyone whose dedication keeps these sports alive and thriving.
Results Here
Photos by Ally Latham Here
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
June 28-29, 2025
Spring Into Summer in Highland Lakes!
The 2nd Annual Windsurfer LT Regatta Brings the Stoke Back to NJ
Recap by Ally Latham
Highland Lakes, NJ – For the second year in a row, windsurfers from across the East Coast gathered in the scenic hills of northern New Jersey to celebrate the start of summer with two days of spirited racing, great company, and plenty of sunshine. The 2025 Spring Into Summer Windsurfer LT Regatta was a great success, building on the momentum from the previous weekend’s regatta in Long Beach Island, and reminding us all why this lake community is such a gem for windsurfing.
This year’s fleet included 12 sailors hailing from NJ, NY, PA, and FL, showcasing the reach and passion of the Windsurfer LT community. With air temps between 75 and 85 degrees and winds ranging from a mellow 5 to a sporty 18 mph, the weekend served up a variety of conditions and plenty of excitement.
Saturday, June 28th featured five races in classic southerly lake breezes - shifty, challenging, and super fun. Racers had to stay on their toes, with tactics and timing playing a big role in securing clean starts and smart upwind lines.
Sunday, June 29th brought three more races, this time in lighter, even shiftier lake winds. It was a great test of finesse and focus, and the perfect way to wrap up a fun and competitive weekend on the water.
Events like this wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering support of our friends at Sandy Point Progressive Sports in South Daytona, Florida. Huge thanks to Steve Gottlieb for providing and hauling the Windsurfer LT charter fleet up from Florida, back-to-back events like this one depend on that kind of commitment and passion.
We’re already looking forward to year three and watching this Northeast LT tradition grow even stronger. Until next time, see you out on the water!
Final Results:
Windsurfer LT Heavyweight Division: 1st Place, Steve Gottlieb • 2nd Place, Justin Murphy • 3rd Place, Zach Koberlein
Windsurfer LT Lightweight Division: 1st Place, Kevin Gaston • 2nd Place, Ken Tiu • 3rd Place, Joe Gaston
Women’s division: 1st Place, Ally Latham • 2nd Place, Larissa Prince • 3rd Place, Cathy Wang
Novice division: 1st Place, Patrick Detwiler • 2nd Place, Jim Angeline • 3rd Place, Junda Qiu
A heartfelt thank you to all the sailors, volunteers, sponsors, and photographers who made this event such a success. Special appreciation goes to: Kevin Gaston, Mike Gaston, Diane Detwiler, Sarah koberlein, Chip Erhardt, Tom Latham, Jonna Gaston, & Christine Alber.
And our generous sponsors and partners:
US Windsurfer Class Association • Sandy Point Progressive Sports • Highland Lakes Lifeguards • Highland Lakes Country Club & Community Association • Dubinski Custom Woodworking • AllyKellyPhoto • H2Windsurfing
Photo: Ally Latham
Photo: Christine Alber
Photo: Mike Gaston
Photo: Ally Latham
June 20-22, 2025
Kicking Off Summer the Right Way: The Inaugural 2025
Island Surf & Sail Windsurfer LT Regatta
Recap by Ally Latham
This past weekend, the shores of Bayview Park in Brant Beach, NJ came alive as we celebrated the long-awaited return of the Windsurfer LT. The Inaugural 2025 Island Surf & Sail Windsurfer LT Regatta was more than just a competition, it was a joyful reunion of the windsurfing community and a vibrant kickoff to the summer season.
It’s been 25 years since the last sailboarding event hosted by ISS in 2000, making this regatta a truly historic moment for the island. We welcomed 21 sailors from near and far - NJ, NY, PA, MD, CT, NC, FL, and even Montreal, Canada. The fleet showcased a wonderful mix of generations, with seasoned racers who sailed in the ’80s and ’90s sharing the course with enthusiastic younger competitors.
Setting the stage on Friday, June 20th, the weekend began with a friendly meet & greet and a helpful rigging demonstration to warm everyone up. Winds ranged from 8 to 26 mph, promising exciting conditions for the races ahead.
Saturday delivered classic early summer conditions, with southerly and southeast winds at 8-18+ mph. Eighteen racers were divided into two divisions and tackled six rounds of racing. The day started with a short 3-mark course, but as the wind direction shifted, the fleet took on a full 6-mark slalom course, culminating in a fast-paced championship race.
Sunday brought even stronger conditions, with southwest winds gusting 7-27+ mph. Sixteen racers returned to the water for three more rounds of racing on the slalom course, followed by another championship showdown. Combined championship scores from both days determined our overall winners, capping off a weekend of friendly competition and great camaraderie!
Photo: Jane Price
Photo: Jane Price
Steve from Sandy Point, with Legend 3rd Place John Drinker (Photo: Windseeking)
Photo: Jane Price
Final Results:
Overall Champions - 1st Place, Lianne Dunbar • 2nd Place, Mike Pinto • 3rd Place, Ken Tiu
Division 1 Lightweight - 1st Place, Craig Rial • 2nd Place, Ally Latham • 3rd Place, Geoffrey Morrisseau
Division 1 Heavyweight - 1st Place, Ken Tiu • 2nd Place, Will Flannery • 3rd Place, Patrice Boiley
Division 2 Lightweight - 1st Place, Mike Pinto • 2nd Place, Lianne Dunbar • 3rd Place, Scott Lynch
Division 2 Heavyweight - 1st Place, Steve Gottlieb • 2nd Place, Mo Shuster • 3rd Place, Karl Morrisseau
Legends Division 70+ - 1st Place, Kevin Gaston • 2nd Place, Mike Fields • 3rd Place, John Drinker
Mike, Lianne, Ken
Geoffrey, Ally, Craig
Mike, Kevin, Tom standing in for John
Mike, Lianne, Ken
Photos: Jane Price
A heartfelt thank you to all the sailors, volunteers, sponsors, and photographers who made this event such a success.
Special appreciation goes to:
Race Committee - Jane Price • Amy Tiu
Scorers - Jack Bushko • Terry Deakyne • Tom Latham • Kevin Gaston
Jack, Kevin, Capt Tom, and Terry
And our generous sponsors and partners:
Island Surf & Sail • US Windsurfer Class Association • Sandy Point Progressive Sports • LBT Beach Patrol • Dubinski Custom Woodworking • CliffHangerPhoto • AllyKellyPhoto • ABK Boardsports • H2Windsurfing • iWindsurf • Speakeasy Pizzeria
US Sailors Compete at the 2024 Windsurfer World Championships in Costa Brava, Spain
Lanee Butler, Pierre Jeangirard, Mark Powell, Owain Chilton, Lianne Dunbar and Sean Dunbar, along with Valentina Vix and Peter Jacobson competed in the international fleet of nearly 290 competitors
Congratulations to ALL for your finishes and for these top honors:
Lanee Butler 4th Place Overall Women's Division
Pierre Jeangirard 1st Place Men's Superlegend age group
Mark Powell 4th Place Men's Superlegend age group
Lianne Dunbar 2nd Place Women's Legend age group
12/2024
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Photo: Windba--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
Held September 16-22 on the magnificent Bay of Roses along Catalunya's rugged and natural Costa Brava, sailors were treated to mostly windy afternoons, fun swell, and comfortable air and water temperatures.
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Shoreside, the Ballena Alegre Camping and Bungalow Resort was an awesome host for the many competitors and their families, providing a great place to stay with all the amenities adjacent to the race area.
Photo: Lianne Dunbar
Photo: Windba--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
Slalom, Freestyle, 11 Course Races, and a Long Distance race were packed into five days of competition!
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Photo: Windba--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Photo: Windba--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Photo: Windba--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Photo: Windba--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
Photo Credits: WindBa--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
...and after every day on the water, we met at the poolside bar and restaurant to share stories, make new friends, and celebrate!
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Awards Photo: WindBa--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Awards Ceremony Photo: Lianne Dunbar
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Awards Photo: WindBa--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
2024 Windsurfer Worlds Awards Photo: WindBa--Club Vela Ballena Alegre
Photo Credits: WindBa--Club Vela Ballena Alegre and Lianne Dunbar
Many thanks to the organizers and volunteers from Club Vela Ballena Alegre and the host venue Ballena Alegre Camping and Bungalow Resort for making the event possible.
2024
East Coast Tour -- New Jersey
June 29-30 Spring Into Summer Regatta
Recap by Ally Latham
At a little known lake in the mountains of New Jersey, the first event of the New Jersey Windsurfer LT tour is a wrap! The two day Spring Into Summer Regatta boasted big winds, a challenging range of conditions, strategic racing, and great fun! Sailors from NJ, NY, PA, & FL traveled to experience windsurfing in beautiful Highland Lakes, NJ.
Day one consisted of two very close races in a building southerly blowing down the lake at 10-15mph with gusts 20+. Following a nice lunch break, the wind continued to build so racing was halted for the day. A barbeque ended the day in great company with raffles from our sponsors. Day two came through with perfect lake sailing conditions, allowing for 3 races in 5-15mph with gusts to 18. The wind veered with time making conditions tricky with swirling pockets of wind, mentally and physically challenging our competitors!
Final Results: Heavy Weight Division- 1st Steve Gottleib, 2nd Justin Murphy, 3rd Bill Lelbach. Middle Weight Division- 1st Cody Steward, 2nd Kevin Gaston, 3rd Tom Latham. Light Weight Division- 1st Mark Powell, 2nd Ken Tiu, 3rd Ally Latham. Novice Division- 1st Zach Koberlein, 2nd Patrick Detwiler. Overall Winner- Mark Powell.
Many thanks to Highland Lakes Country Club & Community Association for hosting, Kevin Gaston & Tom Latham for organizing this awesome event, the many volunteers of our dock committee, lifeguard rescue boats, the US Windsurfer Class Association, and the amazing Steve & Cody of Sandy Point Progressive for providing our charters.
Photo Credits: Ally Latham (@allykellyphoto)
July 6-7 Extreme Windsurfing Hosts Event on Lakes Bay
Recap by Ally Latham
Greetings from Atlantic City!
The second event of the New Jersey Windsurfer LT tour, the Extreme Windsurfing Windsurfer LT Challenge, was a great success! After last week’s event in Highland Lakes, we were once again granted big, howling winds on day 1 and very light winds on day 2. Enough variety to test everyone’s skills! The fleet included a range of some who haven’t raced in years to very experienced sailors who traveled from NJ, NY, PA, CT, VA, MD & FL.
If you’re wondering what a Windsurfer LT even is, think of a modern version of the Original Windsurfer born in the 60’s. The resurgence in this design is intended to reverse the trending decline in the sport of windsurfing. COBRA, the famous Thailand-based board manufacturer, took on the challenge to take windsurfing back to its roots with a do-it-all board for everyone. The one-design package of a single board and soft sail rig allows performance to come down to the skill of the sailor, not by the cost of the sailor’s equipment quiver or their ability to hold down the biggest sail. The Windsurfer Class is all about introducing more people to the sport and keeping people involved, and we really got to witness this spirit come through in these back-to-back events.
The hosting venue that Jim Karabasz has at Extreme Windsurfing in West Atlantic City, NJ faces southwest out to Lakes Bay which is a real rarity at the Jersey Shore. Lakes Bay has over a square mile that we were able to set a course on. On day 1 we went for distance in the SSW 17-20+ mph winds with fleets of LT’s, Kona’s, and Foilers. Following a rabbit start, sailors pinched upwind to the first mark, had a broad reach to the second mark, and finally had a mile-long beam reach to the other side of the bay before finishing. Foilers started separately following the same course and had a blast on the incoming tide. By the third race of the day, competitors were bowing out due to the building wind. In the afternoon, we decided to cease racing as the winds were gusting up to 25mph+.
Describe your image
Describe your image
Day two called for a reversed wind direction with a light NE breeze of 8-10 mph, so we opted for a ‘Le Mans’ beach start for the LT fleet. It was a classic 3-buoy course out of the IWCA playbook: 1, 2, 3, 1, 3, finish, but with a downwind start. It was a great day of classic LT light wind sailing!
Final Results: Lightweight Division (120-155lbs) – 1st Peter Jacobsen, 2nd Lianne Dunbar, 3rd Michael Pinto. Heavyweight Division (155-195lbs) – 1st Mark Powell, 2nd Craig Rial, 3rd Tom Latham. Kona-One Division – 1st Steve Gottlieb, 2nd Cody Steward, 3rd Daphne Lathouras. Foil Class – 1st Didoy Francisco, 2nd Steve Jankowski, 3rd Ed DeHart.
We hope to keep spreading the spirit of the LT and keep the sport of windsurfing growing. Check out uswindsurferclass.com for upcoming events in the fall, and this photo album for more awesome pictures from the event.
Many thanks to Jim at Extreme Windsurfing for hosting, Tom Latham for organizing the event, the many volunteers, the US Windsurfer Class Association, and the amazing Steve & Cody of Sandy Point Progressive for providing our charters. And special thanks to our raffle sponsors: Extreme Windsurfing, Sandy Point Progressive Sports, Naish Sails, Ezzy Sails, DaKine, & Kialoa Paddles.
Photo Credits: Chris Cowan (drone), Ally Latham, Jimmy Rivera
Thank you Ally and Tom for all your tireless work in coordinating the NJ events!! This father-daughter duo is awesome! xoxoxo
2024
West Coast Tour
June 21-24 Seattle Windsurfer Cup
Photos: Caroll-Ann Alie
June 28-30 Gorge Olympic Cup Photo Gallery
Photos: Susan Shipley-Winner
July 12-14 Foster City Event
Photos: Owain Chilton
Describe your image
Describe your image
16 Windsurfer LT sailors enjoyed two days of racing on the Foster City Lagoon as part of the 2024 West Coast Tour. Five course races were held Saturday in a tight fleet with perfect LT conditions. On Sunday five slalom races were fired off, testing everyone's board-handling skills. Congratulations to Brad Wilson for his top Finish overall!
Thanks go to Alyson, Eric, and Corey for race committee and dock help!
If you're in the SF Bay Area, check out the Windsurfer Fleet 18 Tuesday Night Races held at Foster City Lagoon from April through September, Tuesdays at 6PM: http://fleet18.org/index.html
July 20-21 Lake Washington Sailing Club, Sacramento, CA
Photos: Roland Lucas
August 9-11 San Diego Yacht Club Clinic and Fun Race Weekend
Annie Gardner led an inspirational Windsurfer LT clinic weekend for an enthusiastic group of women new to windsurfing. This is the kind of fun and camaraderie that makes the Windsurfer Class so special! Big thanks to the event volunteers--Annie, Dave Deisenger, Brian Stanford, Eric Witt, Danny North, and the organizers with SDYC for putting together a great event!
Photos: Marnie Buddo
August 24-25 Long Beach Windsurfer LT Regatta
The Long Beach Windsurfer Regatta was held in historic Alamitos Bay, home of the original Windsurfer fleet #3 and hosted by the Long Beach Windsurf Center. The fleet of twenty five entries included first time racers and former Olympians, from age 10 to 75 years old, some of whom travelled from as far away as Wisconsin to join in the competition. Activities started off on Saturday with fifteen novices who learned rigging and tuning of the LT rig, fundamental racing rules and rabbit starting, followed by an afternoon of practice starts and fun races. On Sunday, both novice and experienced racers gathered for triangle course racing with 25 windsurfer LTs on the starting line for 5 afternoon races. Competitors were divided into two starts with the Novice fleet starting first -- this reduced wait time between races and gave novices some on-the-water rest time between races. Winds for the first race were a mild 10 mph but by the third race the sea breeze started building and reached 18-21 mph. Strong winds and even stronger competition, with lots of old and new friends, was enjoyed by participants and spectators alike. Thanks to all who volunteered their help over the weekend, and to sponsors Chinook Windsurfing and Starboard; US Sailing Center for the RC boat, and to Long Beach Windsurf Center for raffle prizes.
--Jeff Jones
Results:
A Fleet: 1. Mike Compton 2. Peter Bonello 3. Jeff Jones
A Fleet Heavy: 1.Dimitri Lapotko
Iron Person: Echo Lin
B Fleet: 1. Carol Hanarack 2. Scott Carter 3. Monty Dunnington
B Fleet Heavy: 1. Scott Carter
Iron Person: Monty Dunnington
August 31-September 2 Coronado Yacht Club Labor Day Weekend
Clinic, Race, and Raft-Up
Our class president Caroll-Ann Alie had a great time at Coronado Yacht Club running clinics and fun races for folks interested in sailing the Windsurfer LT over Labor Day weekend. What an awesome way to conclude the summer's West Coast Tour!!
2023
US Sailors Compete at the 2023 Windsurfer World Championships in Perth, Australia
Brett (USA 13) charging out at the pin end Photo: Shane Baker
Way to go Lanee Beashel, Mark Powell, Brett Davis, and Jaime Malm! These seasoned windsurfers, hailing from various parts of the US, recently competed in the 2023 MPS Windsurfer World Championships hosted by the South of Perth Yacht Club in Australia. They became part of a huge fleet comprised of international participants and a hefty number of talented Aussies hungry to represent their home country.
All smiles before the races: Jaime, Mark, Brett
Homage to the hometown club
Jaime and Brett staying cool in the shade
The event opened with two days of course racing. On Day 1 conditions on the Swan River were “light and shifty”. Day 2 got “super sporty” as Brett described it, with the Freemantle Doctor kicking in in the afternoon bringing gusts to the mid twenties.
screaming reach
racing trim
good start!
screaming reach
Photos: Shane Baker
The marathon was held in a solid 18-24 knot breeze on the afternoon of day 3. From the photos and drone footage, it looked as if the start line of colorful sails stretched on for miles! It proved to be a tough race, putting competitors to the test on screaming reaches with big gusts and spray flying off the boards.
Photo: Shane Baker
Days 4, 5, and 6 saw slalom action, freestyle, and the conclusion of course racing. Brett was especially happy with his results in slalom, this being his first time competing in that discipline. Thank you Brett and Mark, for posting daily updates to the USWCA Facebook page so onlookers from afar could revel in the incredible athleticism on display, pick up a rigging tip or two, and share in the excitement of meeting new friends from around the world.
charging off the wind
heading upwind
start of the marathon
charging off the wind
Photos: Shane Baker
If you followed the action on social media, you’d have noticed many comments from competitors, organizers, and others about the spirit of sailing in the Windsurfer Class: it’s 50% fair racing and 50% social fun. As Mark said in one of his posts, “The windsurfer class is all about inclusivity, fun, and fair racing…a class that’s inclusive enough to add age categories!” Mark, who’s sailed in several world championships over the years, earned 1st Place in the Super Legend age group in his weight category.
Mark with fellow medalists and super legend competitors
Lanee, a four-time Olympic windsurfer currently living in Australia, sailed a fantastic regatta to finish 1st place overall in the women’s division. We also want to mention Valentina Vix, sailing in her second Windsurfer worlds in a row, who represented Venezuela but lives and sails in Florida. She finished 8th overall in the women’s fleet.
For Brett and Jaime, both top-level racers in several sailing classes, this was their first world championship experience on a Windsurfer, and they were stoked. Congratulations to all —Lanee, Mark, Brett, Jaime, and Valentina — for your effort and achievement!
Brett with 1984 Olympic gold medalist and former Windsurfer world champion Bruce Wylie
Everyone had a fantastic experience and all agreed that the Australians put on an amazing event. As Brett said, “The Aussie hospitality was the best!”
Cheers to our windsurfing friends Down Under!
For the complete wrap-up from Perth: www.sopyc.com.au/windsurfer-worlds-2023/
West Coast Tour Galleries: The Gorge, Seattle, Sacramento, Foster City
First stop: The Gorge 7/7-9/2023
photos and videos: Caroll-Ann Alie
Gorge Olympic Cup: Windy and Wild! Mark Powell
This event was conceived and organized by Caroll-Ann Alie the past three seasons. In Cups 1 and 2 the IQ Foil Olympic windsurfing class was featured but this season the Olympic contenders were all in Europe competing to represent Team USA at the Paris Olympics. Therefore a seasoned, mature Olympic class was brought in, the Windsurfer LT Class, which first appeared (in slightly heavier and lower tech form) in the Demonstration event of the 1984 LA Olympics. Cobra International provided a fleet of ten boards to kick off the West Coast Windsurfer LT Tour, and the Gorge Olympic Cup at Stevenson, WA was the first stop. The 3-day event started out (once all the boards and rigs were fitted out) with a rigging clinic on the spacious lawn at Bob’s Beach. Many mature athletes who were out sailing their own windsurfing or foiling gear stopped by to marvel at the board that they first learned on and one brave soul, Stefan from Arizona, donned his helmet for an evening sail in afternoon winds gusting to 25 kts. In the evening Caroll-Ann prepared a spread and we enjoyed dinner in the Ponderosa Room of the Pine and Wilder Resort.
Saturday the races were delayed a bit until the women’s 6 person outrigger canoe downwind race started (a spectacular sight on its own). By noon a windward-leeward windsurfer course was set by PRO Craig Daniels with help from mark setter Karl Waldman and his helpers RIley Powell and Spencer Duffy, and a few rugged sailors went out into winds already gusting above 25 kts. Our star Olympian and race organizer Caroll-Ann was sidelined by a hand injury but was out on patrol in her Tornado RIB. Saturday’s races were dominated by former Canadian National Team members Gabrielle and Stefan. It was their first time on the LT but they proved it can be raced in winds that were now gusting over 30. Also impressive for even getting out to the race course were Greg Mejlaender, Stefan from AZ, Joe Waldman, and Barbara Belt, who had the flattest LT sail I have ever seen. My goal for Saturday was to just go for a sail and I did…. I lasted about 5 minutes just before the start of the outrigger canoe downwinder. Saturday night we returned to the Ponderosa Room at Pine and Wilder for Pizza and craft beer.
On Sunday races started at 9:00 am in much more approachable 12 kts and five races were held. By the 5th race only 3 sailors were still standing and the wind was nuking again like it was on Saturday. Again it was a Canadian National Team reunion but Barbara Belt and I were able to mix it up a bit with them in a couple of races. There were some lead changes and strategic decisions to be made. The west wind was shifty and gusty and the current was going against the wind, and stronger mid river than closer to shore. Timing the starboard lay line tack was crucial to catch the “elevator” (favorable upwind current) without over standing the mark. I was very happy to sail 3 races!
We all had a blast reintroducing the windsurfer class to the Gorge! Special thanks to the tireless efforts of Caroll-Ann Alie “She’s here, She’s there, She’s f’ing everywhere” driving 120 miles roundtrip each day, patrolling on the water, driving the 26ft Uhaul Truck across white-knuckler bridges, unloading boards, recycling cardboard, you name it she was doing it! Thanks also to our various West Coast Tour supporters: Cobra International for providing a fleet of charter Windsurfer LT’s, Chinook for providing harness lines for all the charter boards, Columbia Gorge Racing Association, Goya, Arntson Marine, Tajima-Direct Lenses, and Pine and Wilder for letting us use the Ponderosa Room at their race site cabin resort.
Lots of stoked and thankful longboard sailors enjoyed the Windsurfer revival!
Second Stop: Seattle's Lake Washington 7/14-16/2023
The Seattle Windsurfer Cup was hosted at the Sail Sand Point Community Boating Center on Lake Washington. Local boardsailor Greg Mejlaender put together an awesome event with a full schedule of clinics, social sails, fun races, and apres-sail gatherings. A sizable group of boardsailors from all over the Seattle area and beyond came out to try the Windsurfer LT’s and were treated to beautiful weather and fair winds. Many thanks to Greg and his volunteers for organizing the event!
Video: Caroll-Ann Alie
Big smiles all around!!
Photos: Caroll-Ann Alie and Greg Mejlaender
Third Stop: Sacramento, CA 7/29-30/2023
On the Road Again…that could have been Caroll-Ann’s theme song this tour, as she drove the charter fleet from the Gorge event to Seattle and back again and then to Sacramento! Participants had two great days of sailing in sunny, warm breezes and warm water. Organizer John Mathias hosted the event at the Lake Washington Sailing Club, a friendly and laid-back spot popular with local sailors and windsurfers. Course racing filled the day on Saturday with Bradley Wilson coming out on top. On Sunday the day started with a skills clinic for all, followed by a pursuit race up the shipping channel. Thank you John, Caroll-Ann, Owain, and the great group of volunteers from the club who made this a fantastic weekend!
Photos: Caroll-Ann Alie and Owain Chilton
Fourth Stop: Foster City, CA 8/5-6/2023
Fantastic fun and racing was had on the Foster City Lagoon, home of Fleet 18. Many thanks to our USWCA board member Owain Chilton and his family for organizing two great days of sailing and socializing. The Lagoon was a perfect spot for enjoying time on the water -- with easy access, plenty for friends and family to do shoreside, and spectator-friendly!
Photos: Dana Chilton and Owain Chilton
West Coast Tour Announcement!
3rd Annual Gorge Olympic Cup welcomes the Original Windsurfer Class!
The Port of Skamania, the Columbia Gorge Racing Association, along with the City of Stevenson will once again host the 3rd Annual Gorge Olympic Cup, July 7-8-9th, 2023 at Bob’s Beach. This year’s windsurfing regatta will differ slightly from years past, as most Olympic hopefuls (IQ Foilers) are headed to Europe, right after their journey in Long Beach, CA. These athletes are vying to be the sole USA representative at next year’s Paris Olympics and are therefore attending high caliber international events in July and August to get that extra edge. Most will either compete in the U21 World Championship in Switzerland, the Olympic Test Event in Marseille, France and /or the IQ Foil World Championships in The Hague, Holland. So, it is highly unlikely that IQ foilers (aka the Ferraris) will make it to The Gorge this Summer. However, at this time next year, a vast majority of those IQFoil athletes will have lost their 2024 Olympic Trials. That means that both national and international IQFoil team members will be turning their Olympic efforts to the US. They will be visiting us again real soon, all in preparation for the 2028 Olympics in LA. Word on the circuit is that “they can’t wait to come back to train and race in The Gorge!”
So, the organizers decided to fill the gap, and slot another fun Olympic windsurfing class, the Windsurfer LT for the Gorge Olympic Cup. The “Old School” Windsurfer Class will step in and join in on the fun. The rising popularity of the newly resurrected Windsurfer LT is due to its amazing performance in a variety of wind and sea conditions. Upwind performance is outstanding, thanks to the significant upwind angles that are granted by the board shape and racing daggerboard. The width and stability of the LT board makes it perfect for schools and/or used as a SUP. This was a crucial component to successfully relaunch the sport of windsurfing worldwide. The Windsurfer LT is both affordable and caters to both the young and the old alike. The Original Windsurfer was first featured in the ’84 Olympics as a demonstration event (slalom, freestyle, long distance and course racing) while the Medal Olympic event was raced on the Windglider that same year.
The newly formed US Windsurfer Class Association (USWCA) is supporting this event by providing brand new Windsurfer LT boards to charter for those that simply want to fly in and race. USWCA has organized a friendly “West Coast Tour” (WCT) that all starts at Bob’s Beach in Stevenson, WA. This is a unique opportunity to showcase One-Design racing in windsurfing and to reignite the love of racing, fun socials and community feel. It promises to be quite an exciting Tour. The mission of the Windsurfer Class is about 50% fair racing and 50% socials and fun. The format of the WCT is a 3-day event. The first day is for competitor’s onsite registration, distribution of chartered equipment, tune up clinics, sports nutrition/fitness talks, and mentoring for competitors who are new to the game and would benefit from some coaching. The next two days are fun racing and socials.
After The Gorge Olympic Cup, the Windsurfer LT charter equipment will head to Seattle (July 14-16, 2023) for the Seattle Windsurfer Cup on Lake Washington. The next stop on the circuit will be in Sacramento, CA also on a body of water called “Lake Washington” (July 28-30, 2023), and to wrap things up the final stop will be in the San Francisco area at the Foster City Lagoon (August 4-6, 2023).
So let’s LT in 2023!
Stephen C Smith Regatta Recap
The 50th Stephen C. Smith Memorial Regatta was held April 28-30 in beautiful Shell Point, Florida. Shell Point Sailboard Club (SPSC) hosted the Windsurfing races beachfront on the scenic, shallow waters of Apalachee Bay. Saturday started out sunny and warm with a nice SE breeze, but the threat of stormy weather moving in later had the organizers hustling to to get some races in. A modified triangle course was set close to shore with the option of a beach or on-the-water start, and a finish line that guaranteed a thrilling end and maybe a an unintended sanding of your skeg if you didn’t jump off in time. Two races were fired off with very close finishes in the Windsurfer LT class. Local LT sailor Mark Powell took line honors for the first race, followed by Rinn Newmeyer of Sanibel. The second race had Lianne Dunbar of Annapolis just edging out Powell for a 1-2 photo finish. The skies were quickly darkening and races were suspended for the rest of the day, so it was off to the beer truck across the street for some awesome fellowship and tasty local brews. Later on, the festivities for the evening included a locally catered shrimp dinner with all the fixin’s at the Apalachee Bay YC with all the racers, families, friends and neighbors.
We woke up Sunday to gale warnings of gusty westerly winds. Luckily the land and flat water moderated the effects of the wind; top gusts were more in the 20-25 knot range over the oyster bars! Two all-comers slalom races were held with the Windsurfer LT’s performing very well with the high-tech open class boards in big wind. There were a few spectacular wipe outs and crowded mark roundings, but the LT performed spectacularly in the conditions, jibing inside the finned boards and streaking across the flat water— who could ask for anything better?? Cody from Sandy Point Progressive Sports in Daytona brought a load of Windsurfer LT charter boards and all were used during the event. It was great to see the interest generated in the class, with local sailors giving lessons and demos during the day and sailors trading stories and tuning tips. People traveled from up and down the east coast to enjoy the sailing here. Congratulations to all the novice sailors who stuck it out in the challenging conditions and managed to finish with a smile! Also kudos to Rinn Newmeyer and others like him who jumped on an LT for the first time and hadn’t raced in ages but loved it.
What a great crowd there was at this regatta! This was the fiftieth running of the event, a memorial to a beloved member of the community. That love was evident in the spirit of the event with the incredible camaraderie and generosity of the hosts. There were over 200 registrants and at least $50,000 raised to benefit the American Cancer Society. Many thanks to all the organizers, fellow sailors, and super friendly neighbors who made this such a fun, memorable weekend.
A fellow windsurfer just shared this great article about the resurgence of windsurfing and the background behind the development of the Windsurfer LT! Read it here: Phuket expat spurs windsurfing renaissance
