Hi all,
Attached are some beauitful photos from the Big Downwinder on Saturday. It was an amazing event. Those of you who didn’t attend….. block off your diaries for next year at this time, you missed something special !!! Huge thanks to all the volunteers who helped in many ways, and to all our wonderful sponsors;
Rodgers Dental; Colgate; A.C.T. Builders; Watercooled Sports; Small Planet Sports Shop; Fanatic Windsurfing; G Force Paragliding;Queenstown Fibreglass; Mike @ G Force; Windsurfsue ; DB Export 33; Winnies Bar and Restaurant; Glenorchy Hotel
Below are the main results. If anyone wants access to more photos or more results just get back to me. Sue 
Main Results;
Overall; 1st Mike Holland (Kite); 2. Bennett Jones (Kite); 3.Thomas Rold (Kite); 4. Gavin Jackson (Wind); 5. Blake Porter (Kite); 6. Georges Millett (Kite); 7. Dan Willemse (wind); 8. Guilhem (Kite); 9. Graeme Evans (Wind); 10. Ben Collins (Wind). Please note that Bennett Jones and Blake Porter are 16 and 15 yrs old respectively… incredible results guys !
Womens 1st Sue Bradley (Wind); 2. Simone Jackson (Kite); 3. Lucy Waters(Wind); 4. Lynne Donaldson (Wind); 5. Cari Hall (Wind). With the womens results it should be noted that Simone Jackson did I think 3 or 4 rescues along the way and if she hadn’t would have whooped my a**** and won the womens !
Well done and thanks to everyone for taking part.
Press release;
Annual long distance wind riders event on huge success !
39 windsurfers and kiters from all over the South Island descended on Glenorchy on Saturday 27th Feb for the Southern Lakes Windriders Club’s annual downwinder sail from Glenorchy to Piegeon Island. They were rewarded with a stunningly sunny and warm day.
It was a spectacular site at the start with an array of coloured kites and windsurfing sails that quickly dispersed at varying speeds downwind. Winds were gusting approx 25 knots with variable and at times challenging wind conditions.
The informal race started at Glenorchy and finished on the Glenorchy road at the beach opposite pigeon island, a course of approximately 10 kms. First to arrive at the finish line was local kiter Mike Holland (Queenstown) using a large 17m2 sail. First windsurfer was Gavin Jackson(Dunedin) on a 6.0 sail. 39 competitors took part in the event(compared to 19 last year) with the youngest kiters achieving fantastic results; Bennett Jones, 16yrs old (Dunedin) came in 2nd overall and Blake Porter(Dunedin) only 15yrs old came in 5th overall. Participants travelled from as far afield as Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargil….. with one competitor even from the USA.
Supported by the coastguard and two other smaller locally owned boats manned by volunteers, the event is a memorial to previous club secretary Jude Green.
Event organiser Sue Bradley hailed the event a huge success. “It was amazing to see so many people taking part, the sight as the start was a real tear jerker all these pretty coloured sails in this gorgeous setting.. and what fun ! That was the most fun I’ve had on a windsurfer in a long time ! “
Ends.
Further info; Sue Bradley 027 640 8596.
