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Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 11:12 am
by Captain John
Nice Job Americans! Looking forward to seeing you all at Crissy on Thurs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KfnGgn- ... r_embedded[/video]

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 1:48 pm
by Aloha
Gorgeous racing - what a different world from Thursday nights at Crissy

Congrats Heinekens SS$$

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 7:41 pm
by kitenaked
Looking forward to Benicia action...

$1200 in cash prizes and plus additional awesome gear prizes...

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 9:37 am
by yojimbo
Do kiters ever race against windsurfers in races like this?

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:06 pm
by Captain John
The only race I know of is the Bridge to Bridge race, which is open to all kinds of crafts, and is not a course race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nLUcCW9xoM[/video]

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 9:40 am
by yojimbo
Great video, fascinating to see those boats tip over when they tack, that has got to be a super crazy transition for them. Getting those boats righted with the sail in the water has got to be a huge pain in the ass. Doesn't give an idea of which craft is the fastest in open water like that, I'm guessing it's one of those big sailboats.

I think it would be great to get the two disciplines together now that kiteboard racing design has matured somewhat to see which is faster.

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 9:44 am
by ozchrisb
There's an article, I thought on here somewhere, about Formula Windsurfers vs invited kite boarders fleet racing over a series of a few races. I think it's called the Cal Cup. The windsurfers are faster upwind, and the first year they raced where faster around the course but recently the best kiters can wind by being fast enough downwind to make up the deficit.
Found one article from 2010 here: http://technorati.com/sports/article/ki ... er-who-is/

Re: Soma Bay Course Racing Championships

Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:35 pm
by usa4
For IKA events- its kite vs kite only but in the SF Bay, the kites and Formula boards have been racing together in a few races at StFYC & Calcup for the past few years.

Normally we have separate starts for the course races but during the long distance races- SF Classic, UN Challenge, Ronstan Challenge & Bridge to Bridge race- the 2 fleets start & race together.
Its always been pretty close- even on a 2 Hour+ race crossing the bay a few times & down to Berkeley & back. For the downwind only races like the bridge to bridge- its no contest- the kite always wins!

The top kite riders have only just been able to get the edge upwind with better angle & faster speed.
Downwind- even the middle of the fleet kite racers can beat top formula riders as the kite goes faster and deeper.

However- you still need to get around the course and more often than none- the formula boards come out ahead as they've been racing for longer and can withstand the lulls and holes more efficiently than the kites.
For how much longer. Im not sure...

Here's the schedule of the calcup races this year @BYC-
April 20
May 25
June 29
August 24
September 21

and the StFYC long distance races
SF Classic- June 8-9
Bridge to Bridge- Sept 18


Steve