Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

Caribbean Foiling Championships - Day 2

by Margot Mesnard 23 Feb 2020 03:06 GMT 21-23 February 2020

16 years old professional kitefoiler from Barbuda, the sister island in Antigua and Barbuda, wins race on second day of the Caribbean Foiling Championships, the first event of its kind in the Caribbean, taking place in Orient Bay from February 21-23.

Saturday 22nd of February was Day 2 of the Caribbean Foiling Championships. It started as an optimistic morning, all competitors were already in full gears at 8.30 a.m. waiting for the wind. Fueling on fruit juice and fresh apples provided, they were all excited for a healthy and sporty day out on the water.

Around 10 a.m., the wind started building up as a cloudy system was coming from a southeast wind towards Orient Bay. The course of the race was explained by the Race Officer and all heads nodded in approval, most liked how the race was set-up. Buzzing and rushing around, all competitors went in the water ready to race. Unfortunately, the wind dropped as quickly as it had arrived and contestants had to come back to shore, or with the help of the rescue boats of Wind Adventures.

In the afternoon, clear skies made way to a timid wind and all contestants went back in the water, well decided to give it a try. The race was officially launched for the professionals only, having a special type of kite that works in light wind. The windsurfers could not get enough speed to start foiling, and the kites used in the leisure category were not adapted to the conditions. Florent Parrossel from Saint-Martin, registered in the leisure category takes it with a calm attitude: "I came to have fun and I only brought a small kite of 9 square meters. If there is not enough wind I prefer to enjoy the day at the beach. "

Coming from Barbuda, 16 years old professional rider Tiger Tyson came in first of the race after doing a tactical tack move that got him well ahead in the race. He explains in a determined way: "It was super light and gusty wind but those are actually my favorite conditions. I'm very happy and looking forward to hopefully a good day of racing tomorrow." Olivier Blotière from Martinique came second of the race and sums up with a smile: "It was complicated, but we were able to foil for a while even before the start of the race. Orient Bay is a beautiful playground for foiling."

Members of Saint Martin Tourism Bureau also came for a visit during the afternoon. Cheering with the crowd as a professional kitefoiler managed to relaunch his kite from the water, a technical move when there is lightwind, they said that events such as the Caribbean Foiling Championships bring excitement to the island.

Overall, it was a fun and positive race day, with a friendly spirit over competitiveness. A volunteer for the event recaps: "What I liked most about today is how all competitors were really excited as soon as they could feel a gust of wind. They all kept having trust that the wind was going to come, they were dedicated and focused on the competition. But no matter what, they were all helping each other out to set-up their gear and come in and out of the water."

Sunday 23rd is the last day of the Caribbean Foiling Championships with an early raced planned if there is no lack of wind. Prize giving is scheduled at 2.30 at Wind Adventures in Orient Bay.

Full results available here.

Related Articles

Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots! Posted today at 5:22 pm
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue. Posted on 14 Jul
2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta kicks off
The first week of the OCR includes five Olympic classes The highly anticipated 2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta officially commenced on Saturday, 12 July, marking the beginning of Olympic campaigns since the venues were announced. Posted on 14 Jul
Australian sailors take to Olympic waters
Regatta serves as an important test, not just for sailors, but also for organisers The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta is set to get begin, marking the first major combined event on the waters of the LA 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 12 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 2025 Preview
The fourth stop of the five series Sailing Grand Slam circuit Over 200 elite athletes from 42 nations have converged on Long Beach to test their skills on the same waters that will host sailing events during the LA2028 Olympic Games as they compete in the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta July 12-20 Posted on 12 Jul
20 Canadians set for Long Beach Grand Slam Event
The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta will be held July 12-20 20 Canadian sailors will take part in the fourth and next-to-last event of the 2025 Sailing Grand Slam Series, the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta, to be held July 12-20 at one of the two Olympic venues for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 10 Jul
2025 IKA Youth Europeans in Gizzeria overall
Once again, Gizzeria delivered near-perfect racing conditions Once again, Gizzeria delivered near-perfect racing conditions, with a steady thermal breeze sweeping in from the Tyrrhenian Sea across the Calabrian coast. Posted on 7 Jul
Red Bull Sailing Academy Opens
A new hub for current and future superstars to reach the top of their sport Marina Monfalcone, North Italy, made waves yesterday, as sports superstars gathered to open the Red Bull Sailing Academy, marking the beginning of a new era in the sport. Posted on 6 Jul
2025 IKA Youth Europeans in Gizzeria day 4
It's been a week of steady breeze and near-perfect conditions off the Calabrian coast It's been a week of steady breeze and near-perfect conditions off the Calabrian coast, and Gizzeria has put on a great show as host of the 2025 IKA Youth European Championships. Posted on 5 Jul
2025 IKA Youth Europeans in Gizzeria day 3
The invincibles stumble during qualifying The men's competition has moved into its decisive phase, with the top 22 riders now forming a gold fleet. After Saturday's racing, only the top ten will qualify for the medal series and today, the pressure began to show, even on the frontrunners. Posted on 4 Jul