To all the teams, coaches, organizers and hosts, committees, and support personnel, a big thank you for the wonderful event at Costa de Caprica. TeamUSA enjoyed the competition and learned a great deal, all while making new friends and meeting new people. Club Overpower did a fine job of hosting the event and helping us with all the logistics.  Also, a big thank you to the boat drivers, who helped us each day get water to the racers out on the course.

Important international regattas are new to this generation of US sailors. We were an inexperienced but eager team. Everyone made us feel welcome and we appreciate that very much. We hope to compete now much more often than in the past.

To the competitors and coaches we all want to say thank you, especially those that were the winners, who showed us what we must do to improve. A competition is a learning experience and to see the wonderful sailing of other who competed with us was good for our team.  For our young sailors to be out on the course with all of you was a treat.

We salute you all.

TeamUSA is excited about the future and more events, so we look forward to seeing you again.

Best Regards,

Charles Ivey
Coach, USWA's TeamUSA

Formula Experience Europeans Championships 2003

Costa de Caparica, Portugal

Event Report

By: Theo Don

Class Chairman

Overpower did an excellent job in organising the 2^nd Open Formula Experience Europeans.  Despite the present lack of sponsors for windsurfing and the fact that the beach at the original location was completely swept away last winter forcing to relocate to a different venue. This meant a lot of travelling to and from the hotels and camping’s. But it must be said that Overpower solved this problem in an excellent way. On the beach, the organisation was in order. Free drinks by Frize [very welcome in these high temperatures], free lunches for competitors, a life guard station with first aid and a beach restaurant within walking distance. Guy Chilvers of Bic Sports did an excellent job as commentator and keeping everybody up to date.  Something very special was the high quality video production that Overpower arrange and that was shown on national TV for 10 minutes every night. It gave a very good idea of what Formula Experience is all about.  On the website you can have a look at these video clips.

The Organisation on the water was smooth.  The race crew was very experienced and did a good job.  The only problem was that the race crew wanted perfection and waited for the right wind.  This meant we lost some races but in the end we got 10 races for all divisions which is not bad at all.  We had a scary moment when a start of the 11 sqm division interfered with the 8.5's that were finishing.  In hindsight, it would have been better to use a separate finish ship.  The Race Supervisor was Don Sutherland, one of the most experienced race managers in the World with a vast knowledge of windsurfing [He did the Formula Windsurfing Worlds in 2000].  He translated the wishes of the class to the race crew very effectively.

The race conditions were good.  Only one day was lost due to insufficient wind.  During the other days, the wind filled in during the afternoon.  The average wind speed was between 10-15 knots.  The sea state was moderate with rolling waves.  We were told by several USA kids that they really enjoyed this as they are used to chop which is more difficult to navigate. The only problem was a shore break that, depending on the tide, built up to about 1m [3 feet]. Some competitors were not used to this, in particular the younger kids from the USA.  Unfortunately some masts and sails were trashed before a very effective helper system was established. Others however used the surf to their advantage with some wave sailing and jumping between races.

The ASA boards proved to be very strong and we heard many positive remarks.  Some competitors are used to full on Formula Boards and told us that these ASA boards are easier to sail as they stick to the water better.  So ideal for less experienced competitors. In speed and feel they are identical to Full Formula boards.  Both the BIC and Starboards are strong and we had very little damage.  A Polish competitor used his Bic for jumping and wave sailing.  The board and fin survived. [Much to the delight of the author of this report who would have had to take up the bill].  One of the young USA sailors tested the impact resistance of the Starboards by ramming his 156 into the start boat.  Competitor and 156 survived without negative effects.  That could not be said of the start vessel that was holed. Luckily for us above the waterline or we would have had a swimming start crew and race supervisor.

It is clear that we still have to refine the class rules on rigs and fins.  To our surprise we had some perfectly legal masts underweight and extra weight had to be added. Next year, we must of course use a more simple and more permanent solution.

We got some very useful comments from competitors and coaches [Thanks you Bruno de Wannemaker, Didier Flamme and Charles Ivey for your input].

We had one sail measured at the request of a competitor (all had the opportunity to do so) to see if it was legal to use. It was the BIC Space Dog [2 cams] 8.8 sqm.  It was measured by the official class measurer Peter England who measured numerous sails before.  The Space Dog 8.8 measures in reality 8.462 sqm.  And thus is legal in the 8.5 sqm class.  This is not as surprising as it seems.  Most sails have a stated size that is way bigger than the actual measured size. In bigger sail differences up to 0.5 sqm are not unusual.  Of course there are always people who do not want to accept the outcome.

One of the future events that promises to have many countries attending are the Formula Experience Asian/Pacific Championships in Thailand [second  week of December].  A European Team in the capable hands of team captain Wojtek Brzozowski will be there and we understand that the USA and Canada are interested too.

In the mean time, Ricardo from Peru is working very hard to set up Formula Experience is South America.  At the moment he is working on the South Americans due to take place in Brazil in September.

More info: iatenautica@bol.com.br or Ricardo at info@wind-adventure.com.

Net year, the Europeans 2004 will be held in Oostende, Belgium, early August.  We are negotiating about having a Worlds in the USA.

More info to follow.

Many thanks to all the people that worked so hard to make these Europeans a success.  In particular José and Isabel of Overpower Club.  And also thanks to BIC and Starboard for providing the charter boards.

Theo Don

Class Chairman

22.08.2003

Competitors from the 4 Continents were in the Formula Experience European Championships 2003.  Now back home, the many athletes, judges, coaches and family had to do a long trip.  We hope it was a nice one !!!

After this second edition of the Formula Experience European Championship, nothing will be as before !!!  Federations, Associations and Clubs look in a different way at this new Class.

All will see in this Class the future of Windsurf Racing;  a Class with the irreverence of the youth and the wisdom of the veterans.

The Overpower Club is happy that so many beautiful and competitive people who want to be always on top had come to our country.

Our congratulations to all these boys and girls, they were our tutors.

Congratulations to the coaches, especially to the irreverence of Bruno from Belgium, the knowledge of Didier from France, the “soul spirit” of Xavier from Mauritius, the capability of Charles from USA to listen to 13 minidevils and Steve from UK, that brought a very pretty blue and yellow colouring to the beach.

It was very good to count on the good nature of Guy Chilvers on the P. A. System, he provided the entertainment even when there wasn’t wind !!!

Felipe Bellini, Donald Sutherland, Marc Cardon, Peter England - the International Jury - were always available to listen to the competitors and solve their questions with wisdom and justice.

Peter England, always with the weighting-machine on the hand, had solved the problems with the 100% carbon masts and Marc Cardon even before the competitors arrival, had the results in the Notice Board.

The Race Committee presided by António Peters and supervised by Donald Sutherland had done 10 races with good wind conditions.

The security in land and sea was excellent and Vitor Neves and their “muchaxos” were at their best.

We think that all these things had helped to produce a great Championship !!!

A special thank to Theo Don that choose Overpower Club to do such an important event.  We will be always available to help Formula Experience to be one of the most important Windsurfing Classes.

To the parents that were present in Costa de Caparica and that weren’t able to see their kid’s performances, congratulation hugs for the wonderful sons that they have.

We are preparing a DVD and a Photo CD to remember later this Championship.  Meanwhile, the daily videos of the Championship are available on the Web Page down.  Enjoy it !!!

A special thank to the sponsors that made the Event possible:  Almada City Hall, Viagens Abreu, Frize, Europcar and ARVC- Regional Sailing Association.

Keep surfing,

Isabel & José Guimarães

Overpower Club

Je suis vraiment très heureux d’être ici.

Le premier Championnat à Brest en France l’année dernière, juste après la naissance de la classe et la fabrication des premières planches, avait permis de constater que l’idée intéressait beaucoup de monde. Ce second Championnat d’Europe de cette jeune classe permet de le confirmer : 57 compétiteurs venant de 11 pays et 4 continents, 6 teams nationaux avec entraîneurs, c’est un véritable succès, très encourageant pour tous ceux qui travaillent, depuis plusieurs années, à définir et promouvoir cette classe conçues pour les jeunes.

La plage est idéale pour ce genre de compétition, le soleil et le vent sont présents, l’accueil chaleureux, l’organisation parfaite, le pays accueillant, tout est réuni pour faire de ce Championnat un succès et un événement dont tous les participants garderont un très bon souvenir.

Un grand merci à tous les compétiteurs et à leurs accompagnateurs, au comité de course et au jury et surtout aux organisateurs.

Marc Cardon
Championships Official Scorer &
Formula Experience Class Board Member

The three man strong Polish team are not only into high level racing, like all Polish windsurfers in every windsurfing class but also have eyes for other things. Here is their account:

Luckily for us, the Formula Experience Europeans are in Portugal. That means we have the opportunity to do some sunbathing and have some beachfun with the other teams while waiting for the racing. Listening to the music and sleeping is also part of our activities. 

The shore break is a bit of a problem sometimes but the competitors help each other to get through here. In Poland, they would probably just laugh at each other.

We are happy with the promotion of FRIZE, (drinks) that gives us the opportunity to cool down in the warm (40 degrees when their is no wind) weather. Some of my friends would like to have airco on the beach, unfortunately for them that is an impossible thing.

The only problem we have is that we never seem to get enough to eat. The organisers provide free lunch pakkets with sandwishes, juce and apples but we can always eat more.

We sure are having a great time here.

Max Wojcik
 Poland

National-youth teams are back active in shortboard windsurfing.

At the 2003 European Championships Formula Experience we find after a break off several years, again National teams, coaches and boats. The USA, Canada, Martinique, France, Belgium, the UK and even Thailand are present all proudly behind their national flag and dressed in uniforms. The US team found Dakine to sponsor them and have all the same high tech backpacks, lycras, trapezes,….. the rumour is 10,000 dollar worth of gear. The French team looks very nice in their blue, white red shorts and polo’s sponsored by the FFV and the Banque Populaire. The Britisch team seems to be very close with Bic and are all racing and sailing on Bic formula Windsurfing boards and Spacedog sails. The Belgian team has a sponsor that provided them with Rietveld Shorts in the colors of there national flag: black, yellow and red. The thai team seems to be very close to Starboard but with Svein Rasmussen, ceo of Starboard living in Thailand that seems very normal.

More and more countries are realising that the future of competitive windsurfing and perhaps even Olympic windsurfing lies in shortboards and in the youth. 

The basic philosophy off the Formula Experience class: to provide a cheap platform for first time competitors where they can compete in a “one-design”-alike class on production ASA boards with affordable rigs seems to work. After some fine-tuning of the class rules and a the installation of a democratic chosen executive the Formula Experience class deserves his place as a ISAF International Class.

The friendly atmosphere on the beach between the competitors, coaches, and parents is not only caused by the sunshine and the daily breeze but also by the efforts of Overpower, the organising Club in Costa da Caparica – Portugal.
Free transport, camping, lunches and plenty of water and shade are provided. Also the race crew seems to know what they are doing although it’s difficult for me to control myself and not constantly give imput to the Race supervisor and his crew……. We look forward to the BBQ and Beach-party on saturday night……..

The daily coverage of 10 to 12 minutes on the Portuguese National Sport TV gives a lot of attention to the event. Very good work from a dedicated videocrew !! 
A fun event, like always. 

Bruno De Wannemaeker
Coach Belgiam Youth Team

Ce championnat est une étape importante pour les compétiteurs français, il fait parti des objectifs de la saison sportive pour la fédération française de voile. La classe Formula Experience a été intégrée dans la structuration sportive française car elle répond aux besoins de développement des clubs, cette notion de One design et de simplicité permet aux jeunes compétiteurs de commencer ce sport sans a avoir un gros budget d’achat de matériel.

Pour cette épreuve ici au Portugal, nous avons toutes les conditions matériel, d’organisation, de plan d’eau et météo pour avoir une belle épreuve. Toute l’équipe d’OVERPOWER est vraiment bien organisée et a tout fait pour les compétiteurs. L’équipe du Comite de Course et sur l’eau est à l’écoute des compétiteurs et des coachs ainsi que les officiels, je pense que c’est important pour faire une belle épreuve et le développement de notre sport.

Depuis le début de ce championnat nous avons des conditions de vent medium avec du soleil qui avantage les compétiteurs un peu plus léger mais comme les parcours sont petit tout le monde se retrouve a égalité. Ces parcours favorisent la vitesse et un travail tactique sur les départs ce qui est très instructif pour les jeunes.

Dernier point, le matériel étant One design sur 2 marques BIC SPORT et STARBOARD cela ne permet pas la course a l’armement et favorise chez les compétiteurs les facteurs de la performance pour le jeu de la régate.

Didier Flamme
Technical Director Windsurf French Sailing Federation

Windsurfing Formula Experience begins another great experience in Almada, Portugal.

Waikiki Beach, Almada is the host venue for the second annual Open European Championship of this exciting new Windsurfing Class. The class brings high quality, low cost equipment together to attract young and older sailors to compete alongside each other. The youngest is 12 years of age and the oldest is 54 years of age!

Hosted by the Overpower Windsurfing Club, this Championship is bringing a fantastic international spectacle to the Costa de Caparica. Over 60 competitors from 10 countries are expected to compete offshore from the tented marquee complex that has been built on the Waikiki beach. Many sailors have travelled great distances from outside Europe to compete, from as far as Thailand, Mauritius, USA and Canada . Portugal has three high quality competitors with one having travelled from the Azores.

Today saw the Opening Ceremony at midday, when the sailors were welcomed to the Championship and introduced to the officials. Antonio Peters of Portugal is the President of the Race Committee and will ensure high quality racing throughout the Championship races which will be run daily until Sunday 17th August.

In the afternoon a Practice Race was run over a box, four mark course to allow the sailors and the Race Committee to test their skills and equipment!

Tomorrow Thursday 14th August will see the start of serious competition with at least four races expected to be run from midday. It is to be hoped that the wind will join the sunshine in ensuring the success of the event. Finally, it is also hoped that international partying will not affect the competitor`s performance. This is also a fun event with a great social scene!

Donald Sutherland [UK]
Formula Experience
Race Supervisor

Dear All. 

The Formula Experience Class could be the future for junior and youths in our exciting sport of windsurfing. It gives everyone the opportunity of competing on low cost equipment. Bic Sport are pleased to be associated with the Class and look forward to it growing in all countries around the world. 

As in the 1st European Championships in Brest, France last year everyone helped everyone. It was FUN, FRIENDLY and we all went away saying "SEE YOU NEXT YEAR". 

May I take this opportunity on behalf of Bic Sport in wishing you all a good journey to the Championships and a successful event. 

See you at Waikiki beach!!
Best Regards,

Guy Chilvers 
Bic Sport - Formula Experience Committee

»» Bic Sport
»» Guy Chilvers
Windsurfing - Surfing - Kitesurfing - Kayak
Phone: 0044 [0] 7785 303042

The Event Program is available online.

You can find all the information about the competition.

»» Event Program

Caros Amigos,

Portugal é mais uma vez palco de uma competição de alto gabarito internacional. Desta feita trata-se do Campeonato da Europa de Formula Experience, uma modalidade que visa tornar o Windsurfing um desporto ainda mais popular. 

O evento terá lugar de 12 a 17 de Agosto na Praia do Waikiki, Costa de Caparica, num ambiente escaldante de Verão, onde poderemos ver e ouvir os Velejadores desta Competição trocarem as suas impressões em russo, chinês, flamengo, inglês, francês, alemão, espanhol e até português.

Este Campeonato, sendo uma Prova com status Continental vai contar, porque assim os regulamentos da Classe o permitem, com a participação de atletas de todo o mundo e de todos os escalões etários. À data encontram-se já 15 países inscritos no Campeonato, sendo curiosamente os U.S.A. o País que nos envia a Velejadora mais jovem da Prova, Lené Botha com 12 anos, e a Alemanha o Velejador GrandMaster, Murat Tüten um jovem de 51 anos de idade.

A Equipa que defenderá as cores nacionais estará representada pelo campeão nacional de Race 2002 - Miguel Martinho e pelo campeão regional da Madeira - Ricardo Rodrigues que será o tutor de Rubens Afonso, uma jovem promessa do Windsurfing Nacional.

A expectativa para este Campeonato é grande pois esta modalidade potenciará, quem sabe, as novas estrelas do século para os Jogos Olímpicos de 2008 em Beijing, China.

O Comité Olímpico e a ISAF-International Sailing Federation estão ainda a apreciar os Projectos para a futura Classe de Windsurfing, mas seguramente, a Formula Experience será no futuro, o Figurino Desportivo que potenciará as principais modalidades dentro do grande universo do Windsurfing.

Aproveitamos a oportunidade para convidar todos os portugueses a assistir a este importante acontecimento mundial, nas praias da Caparica, ou através da janela digital para o mundo, no site oficial do evento: www.overpower.net, ou na página da Formula Experience Class em: www.formula-experience.org.
Para quem optar pela tranquilidade do lar poderá seguir os acontecimentos através da Sport TV, que fará a cobertura diária do evento. O Correio da Manhã e o Mundo Náutico acompanharão o desenrolar da Prova na qualidade de Media Partners.

Os principais sponsors desta importante competição são a Câmara Municipal de Almada, as Águas Frize, as Viagens Abre, a Europcar, entre outros.

Esperamos por todos na Praia do Waikiki - Costa de Caparica de 12 a 17 de Agosto para o espectáculo que preparamos especialmente para Si.

Bom vento e boas ondas,

José Guimarães
Clube Overpower

European Championships Sticker

»» Click & Print

Formula Experience European Championships 2003 - The Championship…

After one look at the competitor’s entry lists until today, Formula Experience Class concludes: the Championship in 2003 can be one of the most participated in the last times, has already the registration of more than 50 Sailors and more than ten countries represented…

More information’s:

»» Theo Don

Notice of Race for the Windsurfing Euro-Cup Paros » online

Paros [Greece], 30.07.2003

Attention competitors! The Notice of Race for the Windsurfing Euro-Cup Paros is online and you can download it. The document contains a lot of important information for the next event of the most important racing series of the windsurfing world. Besides the usual travel and accommodation infos and the provisional schedule there are a lot of interesting background facts. You can register online through the online form.

In order to ensure that the successful competitors receive their prize money safe and fast the local organizer is obliged to transfer the complete amount to the account of the Windsurfing Office in advance. This has to be done until Thursday, August 14th latest. So we will be able to announce on Friday, August 15th if the event is confirmed or not. Please check out the official website of the Windsurfing Euro-Cup www.euro-cup.org for further information. CU in Paros!

»» Euro Cup Home

Participant Countries list in the Formula Experience European Championships 2003, on 31.07.03:

United States of America » Saint Martin » Portugal » Belgium » France » Russia » Germany » Canada » Spain » Poland » Italy » Mauritius » Thailand » United Kingdom

»» Competitors Entry List

There are already appointed some of the “Captains” of the main National Teams.  They are very important personalities from the windsurfing world, which will have the hard mission to contribute with their help for the formation of the character and aptitudes of these new elite of competitors.

Belgium - Bruno De Wannemaeker
France - Didier Flamme
USA - Charles Ivey
Poland - Maciej Dziemianczuk  

Dear Windsurfers,

We are very pleased that the Formula Experience European Championships 2003 is taking place in Portugal.
Having the best sailors of the class present in this event gives our organization increased responsibility, our goal being to live to the Class’s maximum standards.

  We feel doubly proud, for having been responsible in the past for the introduction of Formula Windsurfing in Portugal with the Overpower Competitions and for taking part in the future, organizing an event that will make part of the first steps in the selection of the winners of the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing, China.

We wish a great Championship to all the participants in the Formula Experience European Championships, mostly to the youngest, with results that help them to become a part of the “Elite Competitors”.

Good wind and good waves,

José Guimarães
Chairman Overpower Club

Forwarding Official Travel Agency

Abreu Viagens, SA, will be the Official Travel Agency of the 17th Regatta Overpower - Portugal Open, Windsurfing Formula Experience - European Championships 2003 forwarding, insures the following services to the participants and staff in the event:

-  Accommodation, transport and rent a car;

-  Custom clearance formalities at Lisbon Airport;

-  Domestic transportation from airport at Lisbon to Costa de Caparica;

-  Transport and custom clearance formalities after the Championship;

-  All logistic, transporting, forwarding, custom clearance information.

»» VIAGENS ABREU, SA
Incoming Department
Phone: +351 214 156 107 - Fax: +351 214 156 383

»» Manuela Grácio   

News »» 21.07.2003

Organising Committee, International Jury, Race Committee & Class Representative.

The Team that makes the technical management from Formula Experience European Championships 2003 is now established. This Team is composed by representatives of five European Countries; they are very experienced people in the direction of sportive events.

The appointed technical team will surely contribute so that the event can be a mark in the history of Formula Experience!!!

The Team

Welcome to the second edition of the Formula Experience,

After the successful event in Brest, France, last year, we are now the guests of the Overpower Club in Portugal. Overpower is a club with a long standing tradition of hosting Funboard and Formula oriented events, both national and international. Combined with the excellent sailing conditions and the warm hospitality characteristic for the South West of Europe, we are sure we shall see a good event.

Waikiki Beach, Costa de Caparica (Lisbon) boasts good thermal winds in the 11-17 knot range.  Perfect conditions for racing on modern boards.

Formula Experience is a windsurfing class based on the modern wide style boards, generally referred to as Formula boards.  Boards that have an unprecedented wind range.  The wide hulls in combination with the large modern rigs make planning in winds as low as 7-8 knots possible.  But, exiting action in 30+ knots of wind is also possible.

What sets Formula Experience apart is that it is specially intended for non-professionals.

The boards are in the more durable and cheaper ASA skinned constructions while the rigs are subject to class rules to prevent exotic and very expensive materials turning racing into a check book affair.  These characteristics give this class a special appeal for juniors, youth and in general amateur racers. The course lay out and the overall set up of this event is also done with this group of racers in mind.

The two leading board manufacturers in the World, BIC and Starbord make this type of racing even more accessible by providing charter boards.

Theo Don
Chairman Formula Experience Class

Greetings from Almada City Hall Mayor

The City of Almada has the pleasure to receive the 17th Regatta Overpower Portugal Open - Windsurfing Formula Experience European Championship 2003, organized by Overpower Club, which will take place from 12th to 17th August in Praia da Sereia, Costa de Caparica.

Such an important event deserves our best support and full attention.

Almada City Hall wants to welcome all the athletes in this competition, and to applaud the Overpower Club for the organization of the Windsurfing European Championship 2003, that makes our country very proud and it will be, certainly, a successfully event.

Maria Emília Guerreiro Neto de Sousa
President Almada City Hall

Tides Table Costa de Caparica - [Cascais Port]

Acknowledgements

The organisation of the 17th Regatta Overpower - Portugal Open, Windsurfing Formula Experience - European Championships 2003 is grateful to the Almada City Hall, the State’s Tourism, the Sport Department, and to all people that made this event possible.

ARVC - Associação Regional de Vela do Centro
Câmara Municipal de Almada
Capitania do Porto de Lisboa
Centro de Lazer S. João
Clube de Pneumáticos de Portugal
Correio da Manhã
Europcar
FEC - Formula Experience Class
FPV - Federação Portuguesa de Vela
Frize
ISAF - International Sailing Federation
Junta de Freguesia da Costa de Caparica
Mundo Náutico
Overpower Club
Paisagem Protegida da Arriba Fóssil da Costa de Caparica
Sporttv
Super Bock
Viagens Abreu
Waikiki Bar

»» Overpower Club