-----Original Message-----
From: WindsurferOD@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WindsurferOD@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of ct249
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2005 9:15 AM
To: WindsurferOD@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WindsurferOD] WALLY NEWS

JUNIORS

The Junior programme at DAC is a happening thing, with about nine kids
from 11 to 15 sailing on Wednesdays and taking their first steps into
racing. The juniors are being supported by the uni club, Windgeniuty
(who have lent three boards) and Windsurfing NSW (who provided funds
for three of the new 4.5m sails from Barracouta).

However, the boards are only on loan and will have to go back to
Windgenuity in the new year (hopefully after a spell at Belmont on
Lake Macquarie where there is another group of young Wally sailors).

If anyone knows of any Wallys (or TC Beachers, which are also useful)
mouldering under houses could you please contact me as even beaten-up
free or cheap boards could be very useful.

I am also trying to get together a board which was donated to DAC.
It's in good condition but is only a bare hull. If anyone has any old
gear that could be used to fit it out, could you please drop me a line.



DAC WINDSURFER REGATTA

The DAC Windsurfer regatta for 2005 attracted a total roll-call of 19
Wally sailors to our fair waters that nestle so romantically between
the freeway and the shopping centre.

The 12-strong fleet of "senior" competitors wasn't massive, but it was
an increase over the numbers we've seen over the previous two years.
Sailors from DAC, Macquarie Uni and Narrabeen fleets were joined by
Lyndon Adams, who made the effort to come down from Lake Macquarie
(and was justly rewarded with third overall).

Unfortunately, overseas holidays and the conditions took a toll on the
very enthusiastic new sailors from Macquarie Uni, and only Elise Trask
competed in the Short Course fleet, an event for less experienced
sailors using 4.5m sails. She did a great job, improving every time
she hit the water (and as the weekend went on, "hitting the water"
became more and more a figure of speech rather than the literal truth).

The first event on both days was the slalom racing. With lots of
semi-controlled gybes, a few crashes, and plenty of close racing, it
got good reviews and plenty of people were saying "we should do a lot
more of this".

The course races had everything from blasting westerlies through to
zephyrs from the north-east, and that was just in the first race!
Unfortunately, the conditions blew a few sailors right out of
Saturday's sailing. Just as in the slalom, racing was so close that
there was a tie for 5th in one heat.

Handicap starts were used for three slalom heats and one course race,
which seemed to work well. Trent Hooper, Deborah Apthorp and Jerome
all got into the picture on handicap. Jerome ended up by being top
Silver Fleet sailor for the weekend.

But enough of the old farts - the big news was the roll-up of juniors.
The emerging group of juniors sailing Windsurfer One Designs on Lake
Macquarie couldn't come down because of a clashing dinghy
championship, but all but one of the local juniors made it to the DAC
regatta. They made a healthy total of five sailors, plus a couple of
younger sailors who joined in to paddle around in the first heat.

Many of the kids are showing signs of real talent, especially
considering some of them have still only been on a board about four
times. They had already put the oldies to shame the previous Wednesday
when they had gone out for a blast in a big westerly when racing was
cancelled and most of their elders were skulking on shore. All five of
the older sailors have been outstanding at one time or another over
the last two sailing days, and it's amazing to see someone like Trent
Billington tacking and gybing with style on the fourth or fifth time
he's stepped on a board. Trent, Rhys Thompson and Angus Barbary each
took a heat, with Brendan Campbell and Erin Thompson also sailing
well. Pics are on the Yahoo site.

Thanks to Stu and Bev Long and James Grunfelder (who helped set the
course on Sunday rather than racing), to Jerome for the use of his
boat, to the parents of the juniors, and to Lynden Adams for coming
down from the Lake.

Junior

1-      Rhys Thompson
2-      Angus Barbary
3-      Trent Billington
4-      Erin Thompson
5-      Brendan Campbell
6-      Miriam Campbell
7-      Kurt Billington


Adult                        Slalom            Course Racing

=1      Martin Stone             1            2
=1      Chris Thompson            2            1
3      Lyndon Adams            3            4
4      James Grunfelder      4            5
5      Chris Harris            5            6     
6      Roger Crawford            12            3
7      Jerome                  6            9
8      Deborah Apthorp            8            7 (first Silver fleet)
9      Elise Trask            11            8 (first Short Course)
10      Ross Kelly            7            =12
11      Trent Hooper            9            =12 (2nd Silver fleet)
12      Leanne Murdoch            10            =12 (3rd Silver fleet)




LONGBOARD HAPPENINGS

Just when the dropping of the IMCO from the Olympics seemed to spell
problems for longboards, three of the major  board manufacturers have
seen the light and started bringing out new longboards. The Exocet
Kona is basically a lightweight modern Wally; not a surprise as the
man behind it was one of the first Windsurfer champions.