BARASSIE BEACH, TROON 

We’re Back! 

The Scottish Windfest Returns to Barassie Beach, Troon! 

From Friday the 21st to Sunday 23rd of September, the Scottish Windfest, Scotland’s only wind and water sports festival is back bigger and better than ever.

Organised by local enthusiasts, the Scottish Windfest is a grass-roots festival held at Barassie Beach, Troon. With over 250 participants and around ten thousand spectators expected over the weekend, the Scottish Windfest is one of the UK’s top extreme sports events.

Many of the UK’s top wind sports stars will be in attendance, all vying to win titles in a range of exciting disciplines. This year we are delighted to announce that the British Kite Surfing Association (BKSA) is bringing the Scottish leg of their UK tour to this year’s Scottish Windfest. This represents a significant coup, as the BKSA represents the highest level of domestic competition within this newest of Olympic sports.

However, the Scottish Windfest remains a mass-participation event at its heart, with plenty on offer for wind and water sports enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.

Even complete beginners are well catered for with a unique programme of hour-long taster sessions available in a range of exciting wind and water sports: windsurfing, kite flying, stand-up paddling, sailing, blo-karting and kayaking.

For those happier to remain on dry land, there is a family funfair, climbing wall, laser quest and a range of trade and retail stands, along with representatives from the RNLI and HM Coastguard.

So the message is simple: If you want an action-packed family weekend, head to Troon on the 21st-23rd of September!

Follow the action at:

http://scottishwindfest.com

http://www.facebook.com/scottishwindfest 

Early bird entry rates available on the website here

Scottish Windfest 2011

Check out Dave White’s first picture gallery from Saturday 17 September at Scottish Windfest 2011 in Troon.

The Scottish Windfest is a grass-roots inspired event, organised on behalf of the Scottish windsports community. With on-site camping and live music, plus two days of fantastic wind sports action, the festival is set to be an unmissable event for spectators and participants alike!

More at www.scottishwindfest.com

Action at Barassie Beach, by Richard Whitson

TROON, UK: On Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of September 2011, the biggest wind and watersports festival ever held in Scotland takes place at Barassie Beach, Troon, on the West Coast of Scotland.

The Scottish Windfest is a grass-roots festival, organised by local enthusiasts. However, with over 200 participants and thousands of spectators expected, there are few events taking place in Scotland that will match the visual spectacle created by the Scottish Windfest.

Many of the UK’s top wind sports stars will be in attendance, including Scotland’s own Holly Kennedy, 20, ranked 5th on the PKRA World Freestyle Kitesurfing Tour and England’s Adam Sims, the top ranked sailor on the UKWA Freestyle Windsurfing Tour.

However, the Scottish Windfest is about much more than just elite riders, with plenty on offer for wind and watersports enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.

Even complete beginners are well catered for with a unique programme of hour-long taster sessions available in a range of exciting wind and watersports: windsurfing, kite flying (precursor to kitesurfing), stand-up paddling, sailing, blo-karting and Kayaking. For the truly adventurous, all six sports can be sampled for just £20 / £16 (under 18s) with individual taster sessions costing just £7 / £5 (under 18s).

For online booking, visit www.scottishwindfest.com

For those happier to remain on dry land, there is a family funfair, Segway hire, climbing wall, laser quest and a range of trade and retail stands, along with representatives from the RYA Scotland, RNLI and HM Coastguard.

So the message is simple: If you want an action-packed family weekend, head to Troon on the 17 & 18th of September!

David Naylor and John Blackwell, Sailrepairs' owner

Sailrepair, the windsurfing shop in Helensburgh, Scotland, has teamed up with local windsurfer David Naylor in a sponsorship focussing on Maverx masts, for which Sailrepair is the sole importer to the UK.

David, on the left in the picture, will be representing Sailrepair on the south side of the Clyde estuary, including the popular Troon area.

John Blackwell, Sailrepairs’ owner, pictured on the right, said “I am very pleased to have David on board. His enthusiasm is an example to us all. He is known to sail at three different spots all in the same day, so its not surprising he is a familiar face to windsurfers on the Clyde and beyond and has a wealth of local knowledge and experience.”

David said “Having owned and been impressed by Maverx for a while now I welcome this great opportunity to convert fully to these top performing masts and help promote the brands qualities.”

You can meet the Sailrepair team at the upcoming Scottish Windfest event in Troon on 17/18 September where Maverx masts and other demo gear will be available to try out.

Sailrepair

Sailrepair have been making windsurfing sails since 1985 and have to providing a full range of services to the sport of windsurfing, including:-

- Invisible repairs to any sail using matching materials and stitching patterns

- A custom made-to-measure sail design and manufacture service with Sailrepairs own “Silversurfer” brand.

- Board repairs…we like a challenge!

- A well stocked shop featuring Witchcraft “unbreakable” boards, as well as all the main board and sail brands, MaverX masts and a wide range of accessories

- A friendly welcome and helpful advice for everyone, from beginner to expert

- An active user-forum is hosted on our website, Sailrepair.co.uk

Scottish Windsurfing Festival action from 2007

On the 17^th and 18^th of September all eyes will be on Troon on the West Coast of Scotland, where the 2011 Scottish Windfest will be taking place. Over the course of the weekend, hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators will attend the largest wind sports event ever held North of the Border!

Inspired by events held on the South Coast, including the National Windsurfing Festival, the Scottish Windfest is set to be a spectacular free-ride festival, featuring windsurfing, kitesurfing and a range of complimentary sports and land-based activities. The full programme is still being finalised, but one thing is for sure: there will be something for everyone at the Scottish Windfest!

Events already lined-up include Kit Demos, Beginner Sessions, Master-Blasters (all ages and abilities), GPS Speed-Sailing, as well as the “Scotland’s Most Extreme” Free/Wave Expression Session.   However, the highlight of the 2011 Scottish Windfest is certain to be the “Beach-to-Beach Challenge”– the UK’s only mixed Kitesurfing and Windsurfing drag race!

Rippers from both sports will line up on Troon’s iconic South Beach, before putting the hammer down for a 5km dash around the harbour to the finish line at Barassie Beach.   While the race is sure to be great fun for all those taking part, we can be sure that the outcome will be on everyone’s mind:  will the winner be kite-powered, or can a windsurfer reign supreme?

SWF ambassador Alan Jackson at Barassie

Legendary British slalom champion, Alan Jackson, who is backing the event as an official ambassador, can hardly wait: “Fingers crossed we get the conditions for the Beach-to-Beach.  Everyone knows that the kiters think they are fastest, but I’m pretty confident that a windsurfer can put them in their place!”

Alan continued: “Joking aside, it is really good to see an event like this taking place in Scotland.  Having travelled to loads of events across the UK over the years, I am sure that this one will be totally unique and I hope that it is a real success!”

In addition to the amazing wind sports on offer, anyone who has experienced Scottish hospitality will know that things are sure to go off with a bang at the Saturday night party which is being held in aid the RNLI. Hundreds of revellers will pack the beach-park marquee for a top night of music and all round Scottish bonhomie.  This is going to be the party to end all parties, and you definitely do not want to miss it!

Scottish Windsurfing Festival action from 2007

The Scottish Windfest is a not-for-profit event, organised by a committed bunch of enthusiasts from the local windsurfing and kitesurfing scene, with financial support already pledged by South Ayrshire Council and the MV Hillhouse Trust, a local charitable organisation.

Festival director, Robin Nicol, today called on the windsurfing industry to embrace the event: “The response so-far to the Scottish Windfest has been tremendous, and we are really grateful to everyone from the industry who has confirmed their attendance.  We are hopeful that all manufacturers and distributors can attend and support the event.”

He added: “Scotland offers some of the best conditions in the UK, and Tiree has for years provided a showcase for brands and their sponsored riders.   Growing the sport within Scotland will benefit everyone involved in windsurfing, and so we hope that folk travel up.  In return we promise them a fantastic weekend, as well as some top action on the water!”

The official website of the Scottish Windfest is now live at www.scottishwindfest.com, where you can find out all the latest festival news. Online entry for the freeride events will be opening in June.

Scottish Windfest logo