Currently, there is often talk of the planned Baltic Sea National Park when it comes to possible spot closures - on the North Sea, in the Wadden Sea National Park, facts have already been established. Kitesurfing is generally prohibited there and only permitted in expressly designated zones. At the end of April, wingsurfing was now also equated with kitesurfing by amending the navigation regulations. This means that the same rules and zones apply for wingsurfers in the Wadden Sea National Park as for kiters.
The responsible Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport justified the equal treatment of kiters and wingsurfers at the request of the Association of German Watersport Schools (VDWS) as follows:
"As with kitesurfing, wingsurfing is a water sport that can have a particular impact on the flora and fauna to be protected. Wingsurfing is a similar activity to kitesurfing with rapid changes of direction, similar speed and jumps and therefore has a corresponding impact on nature. For this reason, wingsurfing, like kitesurfing, may only be practised in selected, less sensitive areas, the authorisation zones. This is to ensure that potential disturbances resulting from these activities, which could have a negative impact on the conservation purposes of the national parks, do not or hardly ever occur."
"In our opinion, this equation with kitesurfing cannot be justified," says Thomas Weinhardt, Honorary Chairman of the VDWS. "Wingsurf boards are significantly larger than kiteboards, and the long windsurf or SUP boards are used for beginners. The actual wing is held directly with the hands without long lines, is secured with a leash to prevent it from flying away and is smaller than a kite or windsurf sail in comparable wind conditions. This results in a completely different riding behaviour compared to kiting. In this respect, we do not recognise the stated dangers of the "special influence on the flora and fauna to be protected" and we also do not recognise any potential disturbances, which are quite understandable with kitesurfing."
The fact that a new review is planned sounds positive at first. However, when asked, the ministry admits that this is not planned for another ten (!) years.
It is not acceptable to take ten years to correct an obviously wrong decision
"That is not satisfactory!" adds Weinhardt. "We do not consider the period of ten years until the evaluation mentioned in Section 11 to be appropriate in view of an obviously incorrect technical decision regarding the ban on wingsurfing. We have asked the ministry to evaluate and correct the navigation ordinance in a timely manner - if necessary by decree, in order to suspend the wingsurfing ban and allow water sports schools and recreational athletes to practise the sport."
If you would like to read the underlying legal text, you can find it here HERE .
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