What will it take to get windsurfing on fire again

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What will it take to get windsurfing on fire again

> 10 years ago

General Gps & Speed Waves Foiling Gear Reviews Lost & Found WA NSW QLD SA VIC TAS

TASSIEROCKS

TAS

1652 posts

TASSIEROCKS

TAS, 1652 posts

19 Mar 2014 2:22pm

buzzy said..

TASSIEROCKS said..

kato said..

One ofit sounds like such a positive our major problems that no one has touched on is this...

"Our sport is cut in half by having two organisations controlling its progress" (Or lack of)

Yachting Australia controls the Olympic pathways, all the racing side, training and youth development and is recognised by Government/ AIS. They can apply for all government/private grants and grow the sport

AWA and all its state offshoots control wave, slalom, freestyle events and are not recognised by Government/AIS, Private and cannot apply for any grants. They appear to have no training or youth development pathways.

Time for the AWA to finish the process started so long ago and become a properly recognised association and lets move forward and plan our direction and grow this sport properly

How do we get this moving again It sounds like such a positive step to get the our sport moving in a clear direction to grow the sport.

Sounds like you've found the answer to your question Russ. The first step would be to talk to Dave, he is the Windsurfing Tasmania AWA Rep. He will be able to give you a history and point you in the direction of who to talk with to take the step. Keep us informed of your progress.

It sounds like most of the work has been done by the AWA they just need to implement their actions

. Can I ask the AWA reps from each state to advise us on Kato's discussion points and if there is opportunity to implement these actions and how do we support this.
I'm happy to support in any way if it helps grow the founations of our sport.

K Dog

VIC

1847 posts

K Dog

VIC, 1847 posts

19 Mar 2014 2:40pm

Maybe start a new thread with this AWA discussion for more visibility and input?

Kazza

TAS

2344 posts

Kazza

TAS, 2344 posts

19 Mar 2014 7:24pm

sboardcrazy said..

She had the right stuff - kept perservering and was reaping the benefits but it made me realise it takes a certain type of person to learn to windsurf - dedicated , stubborn , pig headed

etc..It also made me realise how far I'd come- maybe I won't whinge next time I stuff a gybe..

and you missed determined, never give up

Phoney

NSW

608 posts

Phoney

NSW, 608 posts

19 Mar 2014 8:09pm

A few years ago I was considering getting into windsurfing.

- The cost wasn't so much a factor, since there were people on gumtree selling gear in great condition that they'd paid thousands of dollars for, for less than $1k
- The space to store gear was a factor, since I live in the inner city and don't have a big garage / shed to store my stuff. Though I do have a van for transporting at least.
- The difficulty in learning was a factor. Yes, I'll admit I'm a bit lazy, but living in Sydney realistically I would only want to be out the water 7 or 8 months of the year, and half of those months are not even windy, so looking at something where I could get up and riding within one summer was definitely a factor.
- So I chose kiting instead, sorry guys.

Anyway thats my 2 cents, I hope my story helps explain why some people dont get into it, even after genuinely looking into it.

MarkSSC

QLD

642 posts

MarkSSC

QLD, 642 posts

19 Mar 2014 7:24pm

Hi,
I would like to say why I would never take up kite surfing. Windsurfing is my first choice, although I had to wait about 30 years before getting into it. I respect the skill of kiters and can see they enjoy what they do. The unattractive part though is the footprint they leave with the cables connecting the kite to the rider. I never feel really safe around them when they are near, either on the water or on the beach. The experts are in control but you can see many are not. I have a friend who does paragliding. Like the kiters he has cables too but I contrast he is up in the sky away from people. I think that the sport of kiting should be compared to paragliding not windsurfing. I wonder what paragliders think when they see a kite making short hops into the air? Each to their own. There is a lot of choice so respect between the sports is important. Just don't say that windsurfing is a dying or aging sport. Those who do it and persevere are richly rewarded for their efforts

Sputnik11

VIC

972 posts

Sputnik11

VIC, 972 posts

20 Mar 2014 9:01pm

I think windsurfing needs a few ambassadors. Allow me to suggest a few.

Sophia Vergara
Mila Kunis
Megan Fox

Get a few of these ladies into a seat harness, a bikini, and some media coverage and windsurfing is on the front page again.

Sandfoot

VIC

573 posts

Sandfoot

VIC, 573 posts

22 Mar 2014 12:08am

MarkSSC said..

Hi,
I would like to say why I would never take up kite surfing. Windsurfing is my first choice, although I had to wait about 30 years before getting into it. I respect the skill of kiters and can see they enjoy what they do. The unattractive part though is the footprint they leave with the cables connecting the kite to the rider. I never feel really safe around them when they are near, either on the water or on the beach. The experts are in control but you can see many are not. I have a friend who does paragliding. Like the kiters he has cables too but I contrast he is up in the sky away from people. I think that the sport of kiting should be compared to paragliding not windsurfing. I wonder what paragliders think when they see a kite making short hops into the air? Each to their own. There is a lot of choice so respect between the sports is important. Just don't say that windsurfing is a dying or aging sport. Those who do it and persevere are richly rewarded for their efforts

Yep, hearing you there, I went to the kite..freaked me..but the future of wind powered water sports is not by a kite OR A SAIL...but a I think a hybrid..IMO

gregob

NSW

264 posts

gregob

NSW, 264 posts

22 Mar 2014 1:17am

Sputnik11 said..

I think windsurfing needs a few ambassadors. Allow me to suggest a few.

Sophia Vergara
Mila Kunis
Megan Fox

Get a few of these ladies into a seat harness, a bikini, and some media coverage and windsurfing is on the front page again.

It certainly wouldn't hurt if some well known personalities were out there making windsurfing be seen as an exciting and challenging sport. It is not currently a high profile sport in the sense that the average Joe even knows much about let alone considers doing it.

zemax

64 posts

zemax

WA, 64 posts

21 Mar 2014 10:46pm

As a fresh noobie I'll chime in and share my experience.
I'm in my mid 30's and quite coordinated, I have just started learning windsurfing and I have to say that we have here in Perth the best conditions for learners! Shallow river, constant wind and many shops around. Also I have been lucky to be talked through my first couple of days by a mate and his gear.
After 8-10h in the water I can now plane, use the straps and the harness and even did a few waterstarts. But I feel I still have a lot to learn, like anything you do can be perfected and improved.
Considering the cost, I used to enjoy riding my bike on a track, and that's not cheap! bike cost+track fees+petrol+leather gear... Now I can just drive to the river (5mn drive) and be in the water for virtually no money! (once you have your gear obviously). I tried kiting a few years ago and did lessons but it never seemed a safe option for me, power lines and rocks always seemed too close and untangling the lines after a big off is a pretty horrible way to end the day, no such issues with a sail and a mast! (ok except when you get catapulted in the mast!)

Harrow

NSW

4521 posts

Harrow

NSW, 4521 posts

22 Mar 2014 1:10pm

Following the closure of the windsurfingsales.com.au website, I decided to visit the "Loft" web page to see where else they were available in Australia. I could not believe the number of stores selling them overseas.

In france 34 stores!!!

What are the factors that make sailboarding so popular in France?

Kazza

TAS

2344 posts

Kazza

TAS, 2344 posts

22 Mar 2014 2:02pm

They seem to have lots of wind in France. All the places that have consistent predictable wind and warm weather have high populations of windsurfing. Eg Maui, WA, Southern areas of France etc etc. Cooler weather with wind only the true dedicated extreme enthusiasts want to be out there.

da vecta

QLD

2515 posts

da vecta

QLD, 2515 posts

22 Mar 2014 2:15pm

Harrow said...
Following the closure of the windsurfingsales.com.au website, I decided to visit the "Loft" web page to see where else they were available in Australia. I could not believe the number of stores selling them overseas.

In france 34 stores!!!

What are the factors that make sailboarding so popular in France?

The French babes

seanhogan

QLD

3424 posts

seanhogan

QLD, 3424 posts

22 Mar 2014 6:37pm

Corkers

NSW

154 posts

Corkers

NSW, 154 posts

22 Mar 2014 9:01pm

Hey Harrow, off topic but did you find anyone else selling loft gear in oz? Big shame Bud has closed down!

TheSailingMoose

VIC

142 posts

TheSailingMoose

VIC, 142 posts

22 Mar 2014 11:48pm

how about this. Indoor windsurfing...

lotofwind

NSW

6451 posts

lotofwind

NSW, 6451 posts

23 Mar 2014 2:33am

Harrow said..

What are the factors that make sailboarding so popular in France?

They have one of the largest populations of senior citizens in the world, so go figure.

Markie,,, you awake waiting in case I post something tonight.

Haircut

QLD

6491 posts

Haircut

QLD, 6491 posts

23 Mar 2014 1:35am

Kazza said..

They seem to have lots of wind in France. All the places that have consistent predictable wind and warm weather have high populations of windsurfing. Eg Maui, WA, Southern areas of France etc etc.

it's surprising a wind/wave mecca like geraldton only has two stores that are known - one of which appears to be fairly active and another, that had virtually no windsurf stock in the peak period, and no one serving?? .. have online sales replaced the stores?

apart from the stone family's customs and the two mentioned, are there any other secret stores in Gero?

Mark _australia

23651 posts

Mark _australia

WA, 23651 posts

22 Mar 2014 11:56pm

lotofwind said..

Harrow said..

What are the factors that make sailboarding so popular in France?

They have one of the largest populations of senior citizens in the world, so go figure.

Akin to kiters in NSW, the home of the gay pride parade....?

lotofwind

NSW

6451 posts

lotofwind

NSW, 6451 posts

23 Mar 2014 3:09am

And??? I knew you were old school but didnt think you were a full on homophobic.
And I think you got your figures wrong, WA has waaaaaay more kitesurfers, so you might have to learn to change your homophobic ways.

Besides that, I dont think any of the gay or lesbian windsurfers either would appreciate you using their sexuality as a form of insult.

Wow, you were quick to respond, just got home from work, didnt expect you to be up so late waiting for me to post.

Mark _australia

23651 posts

Mark _australia

WA, 23651 posts

23 Mar 2014 12:19am

^^^ I didn't think age was an insult either? Seems it is to you

I also didn't know you were so into me, or belittling windsurfers, that you would stay up til after 2am awaiting an answer. Guess that's what trolls do, have a crack in the windsurf forum then stay up late with the hand on it eagerly awaiting a reply.

there you go, you can go to bed now.

lotofwind

NSW

6451 posts

lotofwind

NSW, 6451 posts

23 Mar 2014 3:28am

Mark _australia said..

^^^ I didn't think age was an insult either? Seems it is to you

there you go, you can go to bed now.

Like I said dude, just got home from work, only just posted it(look at the time posted

) and knew you would be patrolling just in case I did. lol.
Oh, most clever people know not to feed the trolls. lol

Its been 9 years and you still bite within minutes every time

choco

4181 posts

choco

SA, 4181 posts

23 Mar 2014 8:21am

windsurfing is a main stream sport over there?

Harrow

NSW

4521 posts

Harrow

NSW, 4521 posts

23 Mar 2014 2:50pm

Corkers said..Hey Harrow, off topic but did you find anyone else selling loft gear in oz? Big shame Bud has closed down!

No, afraid not.

Back to the French, maybe their laws to limit number of work hours each week has something to do with it? Australia (especially Sydney) is going straight down the toilet on that one, leading to less recreational time.

Sputnik11

VIC

972 posts

Sputnik11

VIC, 972 posts

23 Mar 2014 4:12pm

da vecta said..

The French babes

ergo my previous point about Mila Kunis et el . . . . .babes, bikinis and windsurfing boards

rwearn

QLD

23 posts

rwearn

QLD, 23 posts

23 Mar 2014 5:32pm

one problem is that men & women have a lot of sport options in Australia lets take Golf for example you can join a club from $300 to $10,000 depending on what type of coarse you want play to play and if its private or public coarse golf in Europe cost big bucks the other problem is we need windsurfing to be promoted better for example international slalom , speed sailing and wave sailing events WITH TV COVERGE and about Loft Sails R & D finishes around late September then they have too be made I think Bud was sick of trying to sell sails half way through our season

Mastbender

1972 posts

Mastbender

1972 posts

24 Mar 2014 2:56am

Well we used to have that, back in the day, Jenna De Rosnay~

SeanAUS120

QLD

769 posts

SeanAUS120

QLD, 769 posts

24 Mar 2014 8:34am

TheSailingMoose said..

how about this. Indoor windsurfing...

Indoor windsurfing is BACK this year! The PWA are running an event in Warsaw, Poland in July in a pool.

albentley

NSW

297 posts

albentley

NSW, 297 posts

24 Mar 2014 2:15pm

choco said..

windsurfing is a main stream sport over there?

More so than here, but not like football or soccer... I think firstly this is due to better promotion/ facilities/ clubs and windsurfing probably has a strong legacy there (although I understand it used to be massive here??), its a different attitude, for example many people will go on an annual windsurfing holiday abroad (because the conditions are so **** at home), or might rarely sail at home, but they still 'windsurf' and follow all the media etc.

I think the other major factor people dont account for is population density, France has 67 million in a much smaller space than Australias 22 mil, even France would fit INTO WA (2.2 mill??). If you like at number of windsurfers per 1000 people I am sure WA would be much higher...

zemax

64 posts

zemax

WA, 64 posts

24 Mar 2014 12:41pm

Density is ridiculous here! WA alone is 3.5 times larger than France. Plus we have some very good spots in the south and south west, (etang de Thau, plage de l'almanarre are pretty famous spots)

Also the difference is in France you can't find many good waves so windsurfing less competition with surfing.

McSmurfin

85 posts

McSmurfin

85 posts

24 Mar 2014 3:15pm

The mass media image of windsurfing is pretty dire. Part of the problem is a lot of the stuff we see is targeted at windsurfers rather than getting out and showing the general public all the awesome stuff that's happening at the top level these days. Look at snowboarding, fmx, skateboarding - they sell the crazy 'extreme' image very well to everyone despite the fact that no mere mortal could vaguely be capable of attempting what they do and people buy into the image. Ask someone about those sports and people have an idea of what they are doing; what image does windsurfing have outside of your circle of windsurf mates?
The pro windsurfing bodies seriously need to shift things up and get some kickass media out to the world outside of the windsurf websites/mags etc. Getting quality events at real wave spots and proper live feeds with replays/heats on demand replays like the ASP is really missing too. Why isn't this happening? If they can't do it for money reasons then why aren't they getting the big brands on board? If there was more media appeal then more high profile (non windsurf) sponsors could become interested and keep growing from there...or we just keep it quiet and save it for ourselves ;)

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