Summer Road trip to Women’s Formula Cup

Since those days I have kept in touch with my good friend Lill, first via faxes and letters and now by e-mail. As much as technology has advanced so has the racing equipment. Lill, always a step ahead of me began Formula racing last year. After being bombarded with mails all winter and hearing about the women’s camp in Lake Garda I decided to put away my freestyle gear for the summer and found myself at the end of June in Norway with Lill ready to make some new racing memories. 

Armed with our 250 page Michelin road map book, covering most of Europe we set out for our first stop in Northern Germany where this years 3rd women’s cup was being held. 

Our Formula history…

Carrie: Being a virgin to Formula racing, I was relieved to hear that there is a silver fleet for women. This meant that if I felt I couldn’t finish the race or was not fast enough to keep up with the best I could opt for one round of the course and still be counted. This also helps keep you out of the way of the men’s fleet who (thanks to Dorota) start after the women which means no waiting for postponements are false starts. Due to my past racing experience I found myself very fast to the upwind mark but needed some tips on how to power up downwind. It didn’t take long and it was great racing with so many other women on the course. 

Carrie rides on: StarBoard 156, Sailworks NX 8.2, 9.0 and 10.4 and uses a 64 and 70 inch Deboice fins. 

Lill: Got into Formula last year. I just had to try this out after being stuck on land with my freestyle equipment while my sailing friends where flying around on the water. I started with a StarBoard 175 and 9.0 and soon completed with a 8.0 and a 9.8. My first couple of races felt more like personal disasters, I nearly threw the stuff away but this soon changed again after putting a little effort into technique and training. The way to a decent level is not far… and this is where the real fun begins! It was great to discover coming to the all girl-camp at Lake Garda this spring that there in room for both novices and experts. I am enjoying Formula more and more! 

Even sailing on my Formula gear in wind that would allow me to bump and jump around on my smaller stuff! Competing with girls is great, it makes up for all the sailing I have to do alone with the men here in Norway! 

She now rides a StarBoard X186 and Gaastra N3 8.5, 9.8 and 10.9

And we think this is some of the coolest things about attending a women’s world cup event:

1) Meeting the other Formula girls
2) Being interviewed and photographed by a German teen magazine for girls
3) Being asked for your autograph (even if they don’t know who your are)
4) The thousands of spectators
5) The ultra huge live action screen showing action from the water

The fun begins…

The event in Sylt, Germany was a wet and cold adventure. The waves when we arrived where high as roof tops and we where forced to stay on land the two days we had planned to get some water time together. Out of the 5 day event we found our self on the water only 3 days racing. The first days in not to good conditions, due to the large ocean swells that had not calmed down. For us it was a cold disaster. The next day things where a bit better and finally the last day we started to feel comfortable with this quite hostile location. Sylt was more of an onland event than an onsea event for the women sailors. (Our advice to girls going for their first races: Choose the event sites carefully!)

We where happy to leave Sylt and try out the famous Autobhan in Germany heading for Poland. 960 kilometers on the highway in speeds that would lift the heavy hat on any Canadian mountain-police (Lills word). 

Poland, the country that has some of the worlds best Formula sailors and races. The leading power in growing the Formula windsurfing. The roads gave us a bumpy start, but this soon changed when we hit our apartment on the Baltic-Riviera and was faced with 25 degrees. The race was very professional and the girls turned up in big numbers (also due to a rapidly growing girls fleet in Poland). Sponsors and event organizer took really good care of the competitors. Bringing our equipment to the beach, guarded parking and beach, free bottled water and nice goodie bag when reiterated. 

The racing got going after two days of extreme heat. And we had some really good action on the water. The girls starting line had 18 girls for 10 different countries! We raced in 9-30 knots! Using all our 3 sails. The level is getting better and better and in the 18 girls fleet we all had someone to fight with. We guess this is the biggest change.  We where both very happy with this event. Carrie that was not as used to the equipment and sailing format got some great advice on how to set up the equipment and felt more confident by every race making it to the top mark  just behind the top five sometimes and waving hello to Lill ahead of her. Lill’s smile grew larger as the wind got stronger. A 25 knots smile is a BIG smile!

We must also tell all girls out there that the events ends with a real good party and also that the girls are very good at taking care of each other and one must never be scared about coming to an event and having to feel alone! 

A little input on the equipment and training! 

Racing on Formula gear are different from the smaller equipment many of us are used too. But once you manage a few basic techniques its just gets more and more fun. It is a little like learning to snowboard… you feel like a fish on land the first time and then it gets allot easier really fast! Of course most of us wow our eyes when we hear about the size of the sails and board. But looking at the many girls attending the events in Europe holding a 10+meter sail is possible for all girls. It is all about getting used to sailing it. Lill was proud to announce to Carrie after attending the first ever girls-camp in Lake Garda that the girls are of very normal size and of all ages. 

Of course as in every other sport you have a big advantage of being in good shape. Especially around the shoulders and upper back. Your legs also takes a lot of work. Most of us already go to the gym and do some work out. A good vascular condition is always good, so use those spinning classes or the treadmill. And the rowing-machine is great for windsurfing (we have to pump those big sails). Concentrate on the shoulders and back when you lift weights, don’t use too heavy weights but many reps. Pull things towards you rather than lift. Your legs are going to take a lot of work and your stomach and back need some tuning before the season starts! And if you don’t want a nice wide back… well don’t Formula windsurf. 

On the water you can go by yourself or with a training partner. Have a watch on and do exercises like tack every 30 sec or jibe every 30 second. Go for shorter intense runs, like 20-30 minutes. Time your tacks; get them down to 15 sec… Get to know your equipment. And if you have a partner, try changing one little thing at a time and see the difference. And if you have nothing better to do, it is to your advantage to  practice pumping the sail in light wind to get onto a plane earlier and work the sail better!

And last but not least: Get one of those EasyUphaul devices, they really work!

Formula windsurfing is not only about racing!

Looking at the equipment and checking about one should think that the best joy of Formula gear is being on the race-course. WE say NO! The most impressive aspect is that this new wide gear it that its enables you to go for a cruise in wind and to places you never thought possible… round that island… to that thing in the horizon… racing is only part of the sailing! Having a good time windsurfing is still the whole point!

When you do get on a race course. 

A gentle warning: Racing together with the men on the Euro-cup means being on the course with up to 100 other sailors! So it is a good idea to learn the basic rules for sailing. Who has right of way, what if we have a recall, the flags etc. Being prepared helps you feel more confident on the water, and keeps you from doing to many unnecessary mistakes. Being at the skippers meeting is very important when you are fresh. And never be afraid about asking the event managers or other sailors if there is something you are wondering about, or if you need some help tuning your equipment. If you have the chance you should join some local races. Never be afraid, everyone has been a beginner! 

The time for getting girls into Formula racing is here!

All over the world the numbers of girls getting into formula is growing in large numbers. The train is about to leave the station and now is the chance to get on board. This years Women Cup is the first proof that we are getting in the focus. So get into the sport. Ask your question on the Star-Board forum. Make yourself seen and attend the camps that will pop up all over the world. Join your first race. Ask if they can make a silver-fleet. Find someone to train with. With a little work you will soon sail next to them! 

The internet is a resource and meeting place for Formula windsurfing girls: www.women.formulaworlds.com. This page is made for the women in Formula windsurfing, Dorota Staszewska, the world champion is the editor and working hard for the women. Here you can find some good information and also the name of you countries national representative. (In Canada you can reach Carrie Strangway at carriestrangway@compuserve.com ) If you don’t have one, then be one yourself! 

Good luck! We are looking forward to see you next year!

Lill Bente Hollstedt is sponsored by: H-Window fiberglass, StarBoard, SeaSport, Maxim sports Nutrition, North Sails Sportswear and currently sits in sixth place on the Women’s Euro cup!

Carrie Strangway is sponsored by: Roberts Sails, Starboard,  Trident Sports, Lululemon, Signature Suites and currently sits in 7th place on the Women’s Euro cup!