The Saxon Ministry of Economics, Labour and Transport has issued a decree banning foil surfing in Saxony.
The first part of the following report deals with the sport of wingsurfing, for which a ban has also been examined. However, the second part is particularly interesting for windsurfing foilers.
Here is the original notification from the ministry:
"The responsible State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport (SMWA) confirms that the shipping authority has asked for approval that wingsurfing should not be classified under the prohibition in Section 7 (3) SächsSchiffVO. On this basis, the SMWA examined the proposed categorisation in detail and was able to understand it. Particularly with regard to the maximum speed of only 20 - 25 km/h that can be achieved with wingsurfing, the SMWA confirms the opinion of the shipping authority that this sport, which is practised with a surfboard and directly guided sail, does not constitute a hazardous use - as is the case with wind/sail surfing - and is therefore not subject to authorisation.
Wingsurfing can therefore now be practised on any area authorised under water law. However, this does not apply to systematic extensions to the wing surfing sports equipment, such as motorised drives, buoyancy-increasing on-board modifications or conversions. Such technical measures can significantly increase the achievable speeds and therefore the risk of danger."
In concrete terms, this means that wingsurfing and windsurfing are generally permitted, but only without a foil, as this is considered a"Buoyancy-increasing cultivation"! The foil ban therefore extends to all foil disciplines such as wing foiling, windsurf foiling and kite foiling.
The decision raises many questions and, on closer inspection, can only be described as completely undifferentiated, as the justification "dangerous" relates primarily to the possible speeds: On what grounds, for example, windsurfing with a fin is permitted but foil surfing is prohibited remains the ministry's secret - both disciplines take place in a similar speed range. Also in view of the fact that there have been no reports of accidents involving foils to date, a blanket categorisation of foil surfing as "dangerous" seems unfounded or even absurd.
The ministry has yet to answer the question of whether representatives from the water sports sector were able to put forward their arguments before a decision on the foil ban was made. So far, the matter unfortunately gives the impression of a "backroom decision" - at the expense of water sports enthusiasts.
Manuel Vogel
Editor surf
