Kiteboarding Race – Nantucket Race Week

As part of the Nantucket Race Week the second annual NRW Open Kiteboard and Windsurf Regatta was held Sunday, August 12 2012. Notice of Race – NRW Open Kitesurf/Windsurf Regatta

Photo Gallery of the Event on ACK.net

Post Race Update:  Holy Gosh! We could not have gotten better conditions if we could control the weather.  It was pretty much solid south for the whole afternoon and people were on everything from 16 – 7s.  The direction was perfect for racing from Bass Pt.  We set a course that was basically centered around the point so it was just awesome for racers and fans alike.  I am just so psyched at how it went down.  I think everyone who participated had a great time and the racing was actually pretty serious.

Three races were run and truthfully the one Windsurfer entered smoked everyone in the first two.  He could just point about 20 degrees or more higher and the kiters just couldn’t stay with him on the upwind legs.  But the kite racing was awesome.  We set a triangle course with the point right in the middle of the windward leg.  So the start was just upwind of Bass and the finish line was on the beach.  You had to run up on the beach to finish.  It was very intense and there were definitely some spills and thrills for the fans on the beach.  The first reach was just a bomber run across the harbor to just underneath Pocomo Pt. and the second was a challenging downwind run.

Each race only took about 20 minutes but they were seriously tiring.  After the racing was over the wind was still decent and the pond on the inside was just classic.  A bunch of people stayed and threw down for a while.  It was a solid day of kiting and a super fun beach party with a lot of kiters.  It is amazing to me how many guys I don’t know who kite out here.  So it was really good to all get together.  There was talk of trying to get some racing going more regularly.  I’m up for it.  It all depends on the conditions and if we can get a few people with boats to run it.  My opinion is the best way to do it is to get a list of people who want to do it and kind of figure out a plan for when it could be and then “pull the trigger” if it looks like it is setting up.

The photographer from the Inky was there and a lot of the action was right off the beach so I think some good photos will come out of it.  Hopefully we will build on this for next year and keep this event going strong.

Last thing.  From now on I’ll be trying a couple of tacks every session.

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The race is limited to 25 participitants.

Registration for the race is here: Kitesurf Regatta Registration .

The competition will be held from Bass Point.  Bass Point is only accessible by boat (unless you are a really adventurous sand driver).  The race will provide boat transportation across to Bass Pt. for participants and fans.

If we get good conditions we will have a Freestyle Espression Session after the races.  When it is on Bass Point sets up better than anywhere I have been as a freestyle stadium.  If the wind and tide line up it could be epic.

Low tide that day is 2:28pm.  If the wind is solid it will be perfect tide at Bass.

Nantucket Race Week