2013 Lord of the Wind - Day 1

Jan 12, 2013

Author: Words and Photos Dylan Murphy

The day had finally arrived! After weeks of anticipation and stoke before the event, everyone was ready to get racing. The evening before was full of registration, rules and regulations. The whole crew was told to be at the beach for the morning skippers' meeting at 9:00 to review start sequences, questions and concerns other racers might have. Upon our arrival, the water was glass; not a breeze or whitecap in sight. All of the competitors were fairly disappointed, especially since the forecast called for steady wind throughout the day. A few competitors went home for food or more clothes, but as they returned, the wind had come up out of nowhere and the race directors were staring races within 15 minutes. The first course race was a bit of a scramble to be ready, but nearly everybody made it out O.K. They completed 3 rounds of each division for course racing, and then moved to slalom races at about 3:00. I would have to say, out of the two races, slalom is a lot more fun for the spectators to watch since it is so fast paced and you can always see the riders. They managed to complete the first heat of men's elite slalom before buoy #2 escaped and floated down south with the wind and waves. Most assumed the race directors would simply reattach the marker and get on with the next heats, but they decided to just call it a wrap for the day. A few were disappointed, and a few just packed up and drove home, but there were still many riders who hadn't had their fill of kiteboarding that day, including myself. At the end of the day, a bunch of us went out and had a really laid back session as the sun was setting. These conditions made for some great photos and a lot of fun. After the wind had died off, most of the competitors packed their gear up and started taking the shuttles down to Spa Buena Vista for the evening reggae party. A buffet full of Mexican cuisine awaited us, accompanied by good music and a nice atmosphere. Day one was awesome, and I'm excited to see what the next day brings, especially since they will be starting the hang-time and freestyle competitions. Can't wait!—Dylan Murphay

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• 2013 Lord of the Wind Results

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