Rosas: Windsurfing LT World Championships with almost 300 participants - Italy dominates

There's a lot going on in Spain, with the America's Cup currently being sailed in Barcelona and the World Windsurfing Championship LT taking place just 150 kilometres to the north from 12 to 16 September. With a total of 278 participants from 21 nations, the World Championships got off to a great start with a grand opening ceremony. This included a small six-man team from Germany and the mini two-man team from Windsurfing Austria. Compared to Italy (over 60), France (over 50), Spain (just under 40) and Holland (40), and even almost 30 participants from Australia, this was a rather modest appearance.

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The next day at 09:30, everyone met for the first official skippers meeting, and shortly afterwards the first start was scheduled for 12 noon. With a big challenge, the incoming surf wave posed an obstacle for all longboarders - the windsurfer LT measures 3.65 metres - that was not easy to overcome in order to get to the starting line. Further out there was a 1.5 metre swell with choppy water, which was very unpleasant to ride. The first three races were sailed at twelve knots, in these conditions one could almost speak of a supreme discipline in windsurfing. The easterly wind wave did not let up on the following days either.

Big marathon at the end

Races four to six could be completed with a good twelve knots. Unfortunately, the wind dropped a little for races seven to nine and the light wind professionals came into their own, with the wind dropping to just three Beaufort. A total of nine heats and all slaloms were completed in the four weight groups A/B/C/D and F (women).

On the final day, the regatta organisers had to postpone the marathon course several times until the wind from the south-east prevailed. It was not until around 14:45 that the entire starting field (all in one) was able to start its journey through the Bay of Rosas. After a long cross and several half-winds, the participants ran, with only around 170 reaching the finish line again after a journey time of around 60 minutes. The marathon race provided the finale of the regatta week, it was an all-round great conclusion to the 2024 World Championship for the large family of windsurfers LT.

The distribution of medals at the awards ceremony was rather one-sided. The Italians took ten of the twelve winners' trophies (slalom, course race, marathon, overall), with one each going to France and Australia. What a dominance! This is unlikely to change much for the time being, even if Herbert Weynand from Cologne, who finished 15th in the slalom, and Austria's Bernhard Hachleitner, who finished 18th overall in the course race, did achieve some notable successes. A big thank you goes to the organising Club Ballena Alegre, who put a lot of effort into a wonderful experience on the Costa Brava.

All results under clubvela.ballena-alegre.com

Text: Herbert Weynand