Report of the 2nd Annual Windsurfing Canada 2003 Quebec Formula Championships

THE "DEFI" IS A CHALLENGE ALL RIGHT IN '03

Sam Ireland shows the hardiest around the course in five races

Over half the 33 registered competitors did not manage a result in the one day of racing on Sunday June 1st as gusty offshore North winds swept down onto Lake St. Pierre at the beautiful Centre nautique de Francheville training site. The first day was calm, but very eventful as Sam Ireland gave two clinics, the first with emphasis on sail rigging and gear, and the second concentrating on Formula starts, strategy and tactics. 

Quebec City's Eric Girard (the double-mast high Maui wave specialist) was on hand as well with his clinics on flat-water freestyle technique!

One of Canada's top pros Sam Ireland, First Place (Starboard, Neil Pryde, C3 - Deboichet) had no trouble cleaning up, showing his Eurocup prowess (where he finished in the top ranks in 2002, and will return to do 5 or 6 more events this year.)  Event organizer and Montrealer Yu-Wei Yang, 2nd Place (Men) (Starboard F147, NeilPryde, C3) sailed well in the cold, powerful gusts, scoring one bullet. 

3rd Place was Geoff Mitchinson from Barrie ON (Starboard, NeilPryde, Star-Curtis-Techtonic) and in 4th Place was (surprise!) Eric Girard, another Canadian (wave) pro (Starboard Go, Severne sails, Deboichet). Another welcomed return was Alain Bolduc 5th Place (Canada's top ranking Olympic man just back from an excellent Mistral result in the Netherlands). 

First Master (6th place) was won by Jan Wroblewski of Mississauga ON (Starboard, NeilPryde, Deboichet-Starboard), followed by 7th Daniel Lefebvre (Men's fleet) of Quebec, 8th Rick Collins (Men's fleet) of Ottawa, 9th Hadrian Corning (Men's fleet) of Montreal and 10th Ian Matthews (just graduated from Youth, 19, Men's fleet) of Toronto.

Top Junior (at 14 going on 15) was Thomas Soltysiak (13th place) of Markham, ON  (3 races) who beat his brother Phil Soltysiak, with gear problems but who scored two 12th places, finishing 14th overall.  The new Formula Experience (youth) fleet made a brave appearance, which included 14-year old novice Guillaume Pichon of Ottawa, who suffered a separated rig and had to swim ashore. Indeed as the day got colder and the gusts built, the slight majority of the fleet abandoned the course.  But, not so veteran Jacques Van Geenhoven (11th overall, Masters Raceboard), who turned in a stellar performance. 

Congratulations go to the fine RC work of Dominque Vallée, her family and the crew of Centre nautique de Francheville. Windsurfing Canada was pleased and honoured to be associated with the event, and we look forward to future great Formula season-openers in the challenging conditions that Le Défi de CNF provides in spades!   Special thanks goes to Yu-Wei Yang and associates for their invaluable help on behalf of Windsurfing Canada, and to the event sponsors: Au Vent Fou, Voile Libre Direct,  2 Rad,  30 Noeuds, Sport Radical, Sharks, Neil Pryde, Trident-Starboard, QFA and of course CNF.

A l'an prochain...