Kona World Championship coming to Florida

The 2016 Kona World Windsurfing Championships will be held for only the third time in USA on October 28 to November 2 in Islamorada, Florida Keys. Over 110 former champions and competitors will be competing from 12 different countries including China, Mexico, Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, Denmark, Holland, United States and Germany. Last year’s event was held in Denmark.

The field features some of the best windsurfing racing talent in the world, top champion windsurfers from North and South America, Asia and Europe including Jan Tak Hiuig (Netherlands), the 2016 U23 World Champion; Bjorn Holm (Sweden), 2013 and 2008 Kona World Champion; Adam Holm (Sweden), 2012 Kona World Champion; Tom Aageson, 2011 Kona World Champion; Bruce Matlack (Florida), former National and World Champion; Andrea Holm, 2013 and 2012 Woman’s Champion; Kajsa Larsson (Sweden) 2012 and 2008 Women’s Champion; Nevin Sayre (Martha’s Vineyard), 5 time U.S. National Windsurfing Champion; Dominique Vallee (Quebec), top women windsurfer and 3rd Place overall at 2010 Kona Worlds (Miami); and Rob Evans (Minneapolis), 1997 Ice and Snow Surfing World Champion, 1992 Barcelona Pre-Olympic team and 9-time Inland Lake Yachting Association Champion.

This Regatta will have a special appeal being a world championship, and being held in the Florida Keys for the second time in 3 years.

After recently receiving the prestigious “Brand of the Year” award within the windsurfing category at SurfExpo in Orlando, Florida, Kona Windsurfing expects an increase in number of competitors for the upcoming 2016 Kona World Windsurfing Championships. The award was presented by AWSI (Association of Wind & Water Sports Industries). “We are extremely happy and proud for this recognition. This has been possible thanks to the devoted work by many within the global Kona community,” says Joachim Larsson Owner and CEO of Kona Windsurfing.

The prize was presented at Surf Expo in Florida, the largest and longest-running board sports and beach/resort lifestyle tradeshow in the world. Retailers all over the USA had cast their votes on the nominated brands. Kona won in the windsurfing category. Joachim Larsson has lived a life symbolizing the evolution of windsurfing. As one of the world’s windsurfing pioneers he has been shaping this world from the very beginning and for the last decade.

“We have worked hard for ten years to establish and develop our offering to the market,” Larsson continued. “The industry recognition makes us ready to work even harder. Our ambition is to establish Kona communities in all continents the coming two years,” added Larsson.

The Kona brand is closely connected to Kona One which is one of the fastest growing windsurfing classes in the world and officially recognized by World Sailing. Founded on a one board concept, the Kona One Class was the first in the history of windsurfing to eliminate weight advantages and ensure fair, tactical racing for all competitors. It is a one design class where all sailors use identical boards and men and women compete together. The same sail is used in all conditions and sized according to each person’s weight, to give conditions which are as fair as possible. In this vein, it is also a non-pumping class.

The week-long World Championship will attract the top U.S. and international men, women and youth windsurf racers in the largest, most balanced, equal and one-design competition ever experienced. The competition will be held off the shores (Atlantic Ocean) at the Guy Harvey Outpost Islander Resort. Last held in the United States in 2010 in Miami Beach, the Kona board provides the best overall performance of any board in wind ranges from 5-20 knots, and speeds up to 48 mph. Add to that four sail sizes and various weight classes, the event will offer the most balanced playing field in windsurfing racing history.

“When you host the Kona Worlds at the Guy Harvey Islander in the Florida Keys, it adds the perfect vacation scenario to the competitive challenge, drawing many who just want to be at the big event,” said event organizer Michael Fox. “With over a dozen nations from four continents represented, only the Olympics can boast a stronger draw. With over 100 competitors in this premier world-wide racing event, this is the largest one-design windsurfing Regatta in the world,” added Fox.

Besides the 100 competitors, he event will include 350-400 sailor family members/handlers, 15 committee members, 2,000 spectators/fans and corporate sponsors and media partners.

Since the 1970’s, Florida has established itself as a top U.S. venue for competitive windsurfing with over 25 major races having been held in Florida over the last 30 years. While the Windsurfer® was invented in California in 1969, Florida was one of the early growth markets for the sport.

Florida benefited from being a winter getaway for Northerners, so the Midwinters and other regattas become very popular. The Manana Regatta was held in Key West from the late 1970s into the mid 1980s. Popular Windsurfing hubs sprang up in Key Largo and Islamorada in the Keys. The Islamorada Pro-Am started in 1984 and ran for 20 years. The Calema Midwinters, hosted by several Florida east coast cities, started in 1985 and remains one of the largest and most successful regattas in North America.

The Kona concept was born from the memories of the early years when fun, fair racing provided friendships amongst windsurfers of all ages and skills. With the Kona One-Design sail-size-to-weight program, windsurfers of any weight and/or age can have an equal chance to win. The playing field is more level than ever before. Tactics, board skills and endurance shall be the defining difference.

From its conception in 2006, the class has grown quickly, recognized as an official sailing class by ISAF (now World Sailing) in 2009 and now, well over 3,000 boards worldwide. Prior to the 2012 North American Champs in Minnesota, nearly all Kona racing in North America was done in Florida. The 2010 and 2014 Kona Worlds held in south Florida did more to introduce Kona to the continent than anything before and since.

Florida still hosts more Kona Regattas than the rest of North America. Besides hosting a large Kona fleet at Midwinters, Calema has introduced Kona camps, clinics and racing series to the Florida community and the nation.

The Kona Worlds will determine the top windsurf racers in the world for 2016 in various classes of competition. Spectators can view competition on shore or from private boats on race course.

Event details – Class history

Source: Tim Browne, Kona World Windsurfing Championships