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Windsurfing and the Olympics
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Darbonne



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: Farmerville, Louisiana

PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:44 pm    Post subject: Windsurfing and the Olympics Reply with quote

I saw this post on FB and it has had me contemplating windsurfing and the Olympics. If what the poster says is true and the RSX is really that bad, why is it there. Is it because it was free? I also began thinking about why snowboarding is so big in the Olympics. It is a relatively new sport and they have several different competitions in the Olympics. Seems like there should be freestyle, course racing, wave sailing events. How did snowboarding manage to get in. Is it true what the poster says about the organization. I am not trying to start a huge flame war. I would just like to see more windsurfing in the public eye. Here is the post.

DISCLAIMER-I do not know this poster and his views do not necessarily represent my own.

Arnon Dagan:
Windsurfers were never united properly around the world. This led to small people and idiot sailing federations that know nothing to take control and push windsurfing back in time by bringing the RSX boards- the worst s&*@ ever made!! un attractive 21 kg s&%@ when we were already making 6kg light boards and sails that are planning in 6 knots and flying above the water like kings! Looking great, feeling fun and going fast. The windsurfing experience of the RSX board is horrific! you just feel like you are dragging a plastic bag around with you and racing on it looks like my poor dead grandmother as well. Now the windsurfing world in complaining oh why they took us out and put kiting instead? Well eat the s$!% that you cooked us with your RSX door.
Im just really sorry for all the cool kids that i saw sailing on Tecno having fun and training. What will this kids do now? Kill them self trying to do kite?
Also I ask myself.. on a starting line 50 guy with kites? 50 girls with kites? if the kite is over the line are you over early? hahaha also what happens to all the sailing clubs with gusty winds? can you launch a kite there what kind of a weird decision is this ? who paid who in ISAF what was going on in there minds? Are they gonna be responsible for all the kids and people getting hurt by kite injury's and accidents?
So in the next years Im looking forward even more then ever to see a kiter come to me and ask me : hey can you pleas? hey will you pick my kite? oh can you? ho will you help me launch? WHAT A F&#!*&
JOKE!!!!
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d0uglass



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 1286
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did a dissertation-length blog post about this a while back, with a bunch of pictures and diagrams.

http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2008/08/types-of-windsurf-racing.html

Basically, the RSX is not the best in any one area, but it's strength is that it allows for good, fair racing in almost any wind strength, including fully-planing racing both upwind and downwind when it's breezy.

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http://jimbodouglass.blogspot.com/2010/11/updated-windsurf-calculator-online.html
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Darbonne



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: Farmerville, Louisiana

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the link James. I missed this on your site.
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Brian.bigfella@gmail.com



Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 127

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Because windsurfing falls under sailing jurisdiction it pretty much is stuck running the same course as the other sailing classes. The only way around that would be for windsurfing and kiteboarding to get recognized as their own Olympic event (which won't happen) and then they could do freestyle, slalom, etc.

Because that won't happen anytime soon, in my opinion windsurfing should be represented by raceboards because, 1) real normal people actually sail them, and 2) they're the fastest boards around a course across all wind conditions. Again, it won't happen for 2016, but maybe someday in the future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9qIMqExlzY


Last edited by Brian.bigfella@gmail.com on Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:21 am; edited 1 time in total
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Brian.bigfella@gmail.com



Joined: 11 Jun 2012
Posts: 127

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, and as far as snowboarding...

Snowboarding got in because the FIS brought brought it in under skiing and gave them medal. Each Olympic discipline is given "X" number of medal to do what they wish with (ie, boxing gets 10 medals or whatever but the federation determines the classes.)

I believe FIS did away with ballet skiing (thank gawd) to get the first couple of medals for snowboarding. Now they have six total (mens and womens) and skiing in total has added some medals by having the FIS petition the IOC.

SO...long story short...the ISAF would have to take a medal away from another sailing class in order to add freestyle OR petition the IOC to have a medal added to sailing.
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spennie



Joined: 13 Oct 1995
Posts: 975
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

James: I'm with you on having the Kona One as the preferred one-design board. I just got mine this year, and it's a great thing to have with you on any trip! So far I've gone 30.5mph on it with a racing fin & sail, pulled off a full planing jibe, sailed in non-planing conditions for two hours without getting very tired, surfed waves, and SUP'd. Sure it's 35 lbs., but a small price to pay for all you get from it!
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Darbonne



Joined: 27 Jan 2012
Posts: 252
Location: Farmerville, Louisiana

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 10:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was thinking the new Carb One would be a good choice for an Olympic board. The Kona rig by weight system seems to be a very fair system.
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xander.arch



Joined: 23 Apr 2009
Posts: 217

PostPosted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In snowboarding, skiing, and the other sailing classes the best athletes in their respective disciplines throw down for Olympic gold. RSX is not windsurfing equipment that attracts the best windsurfers in the world. Since the best windsurfing athletes aren't part of the Olympics I find it ridiculous to support a class of gear that doesn't inspire the best to compete. I agree with Arnon - rsx only hurts the image of windsurfing. Let's find a way to get PWA stars like Arnon on gear that will showcase what they can do. The courses may need to be redrawn, but its not an issue of wind strength. And maybe, the IOC is right, since the best of the best windsurfers from each country are not competing in the windsurfing class then windsurfing should not be part of the Olympics.
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ColdWater



Joined: 04 Mar 2012
Posts: 18

PostPosted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last longboard sailed was the Mistrel one-design. Only positive memories. Have yet to try the Kona. But, given that there seems to be a relatively solid established Kona class at regional, national and international levels. The board and kit are relatively affordable. Rig-wt limits to equalize the gear. A Kona class Olympic class would seem to make more sense than the RSX.

Anyone know if NP pays the sailing fed or the IOC a fee to get their gear designated as the Olympic class?

Last year the head instructor(Dan Simpson) at the Moonbeach resort on the Red Sea had nothing good to say about the RSX. Retired pro formula class racer.
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loopless



Joined: 30 Jun 1997
Posts: 426

PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't be too hard on NP. I doubt they make much money on the RS-X. Olympic classes need some kind of continuity. You can't just change an Olympic one-design "like-that", especially after the near-death experience olympic windsurfing had at the hands of kiters. When the RS-X was promoted as the olympic one-design, there was no other real alternative. I seem to remember the argument was between a formula style board based class ( no centerboard) and the RS-X. I think the RS-X was the smart choice if you have to get races done in potentially very light wind around a typical sailing course.
But I agree, now is a good time to switch to one of the popular one-design classes that are affordable if they have acceptable performance.
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