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Formula Windsurfing European Championships 04-12 June Ialisos/Rhodes
(Greece) at Forum Beach Hotel, Ialisos Beach
The Windsurfing World is coming to Rhodes
Ialisos/Rhodes, London, Kiel, May 31st 2005.
From June 4th to 12th the Formula Windsurfing European Championships
will
take place in the beautiful town of Ialisos / Rhodes (Greece). Over
100
competitors from 26 different countries representing 4 continents
are
already registered for the Championships. Among them will be the
whole elite
of the racers. The winner of the event will be crowned as official
Formula
Windsurfing European Champion 2005. The Championship is a qualification
regatta for the 2005 Formula World Championships and a Level 1 Formula
World
Ranking event. The event offers a total prize money of EUR 20.000,00.
Competitors also fight for ranking points in the Euro-Cup, windsurfing's
premier racing and slalom series.
In the men's fleet with already 98 registered racers all but one
of the top
ten formula sailors from the 2004 World Championship including World
Champion Micah Buzianis (USA-34, F2, North Sails) will come to Rhodes.
Wojtek Brzozowski (POL-10, Starboard, Neil Pryde) will face a tough
challenge to defend his European title. However he is one of the
favourites
after his victory at the first Windsurfing Euro-Cup in Portim?o
(Portugal).
Other hot names are Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG-3, F2, Neil Pryde)
and Ross
Williams (GBR-83, Starboard, Gaastra) who got second and third in
Portugal.
Last year Williams was able to win the Formula Windsurfing Grand
Prix in
Ialisos. In the meantime the level of competition got extremely
high and
there are ten to 15 racers who have chances to win the event.
15 of the elite female racers are already registered in the women's
fleet.
The World Champion 2004 and defending European Champion, Dorota
Staszewska
(POL-1, Starboard, Maui Sails) will once again face stiff challenge
from
Allison Shreeve (AUS-911, F2, Neil Pryde), and the World Champion
2003
Christine Johnston (GBR-93). The participation of the 2004 Olympic
Gold
Medalist, Faustine Merret (FRA-9) may very well bring a surprise
to the
established formula racers.
The huge participation level is a great success for the International
Formula Windsurfing Class and the hosts in Greece. But on the other
side it
will be a tough challenge for the organizers and the race crew.
They will be
forced to run the split fleet system as it will be impossible to
start the
whole fleet together. The fleet will be divided into two halves
and run a
qualification series of eight races. Then the best 50% of each fleet
will
qualify for the gold fleet to fight for the European FW title and
the prize
money.
Ialisos on Rhodes island is famous for its racing conditions. The
legendary
Greek Meltemi wind blows sideshore from the left with 10 to 25 knots
every
day which provides a perfect situation for Formula Windsurfing.
This will
ensure the chance to run the full number of races for the 15 race
series.
The venue offers enough space for the racers and their equipment
and optimal
access to the water. The infrastructure with the Forum Beach Hotel
and the
Rhodes Windsurfing Academy right at the beach is perfect for great
windsurfing events.
So everything is perfectly prepared for the Formula Windsurfing
European
Championships 2005. The official competitions will take place from
Tuesday
June 7th to 11th. The closing ceremony with prize giving will take
place on
Saturday evening.
The event is covered on www.euro-cup.org, www.rwa.gr and
www.formulawindsurfing.org. Besides the reports and the results
you will
also find a live ticker on www.euro-cup.org and a live cam on www.rwa.gr.
So
check out the internet!
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Hosted by: Municipality of Ialisos, Island of Rhodes
Organized by: Rhodes Windsurfing Academy (RWA)
Supported by: Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Aegean, Southern
Aegean
Region, Prefecture of Dodecanese (D.O.T.), T.E.D.K. - PRO.TOUR
Main Sponsors: CONN-X, Hyundai, Oxbow, Boll?, Water Park
Sponsors: Rodos Palace Hotel, Motorola, GA Ferries, Shandy Rock,
Rodos Tour,
Colorado Entertainment Center, Naftilos, E.N.AK, Extreme Sports
Shops
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Comments:
Achilleas E. Tzimas (local organizer & director of the Rhodes
Windsurfing
Academy): "Ialisos and Rhodes are prepared for one of the biggest
Windsurfing events in the history of the island. We will do everything
to
ensure a great Championship for the class, an unforgettable stay
for the
competitors and spectacular races for the spectators and media."
Ceri Wiliams (Chairman of the International Formula Windsurfing
Class):
"Congratulations to the event organisers for assembling such
a strong Race
Committee and a very supportive team of sponsors. We are especially
thankful
for the continued support of the Ministry of Tourism in Athens and
the
Municipality of Ialisos on Rhodes."
Matthias Regber (Director Windsurfing Office): "We are more
than happy to
return to Rhodes for the Formula Windsurfing European Championships.
Ialisos
is one of the best venues for Racing in the whole World. I am looking
forward to a great event!"
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Contacts and further Information:
Achilleas E. Tzimas (local organizer)
Rhodes Windsurfing Academy
URL: www.rwa.gr
E-Mail: achilleas@rwa.gr
Ceri Williams (Chairman)
International Formula Windsurfing Class (IFWC)
URL: www.formulawindsurfing.org
E-Mail: FW@internationalwindsurfing.com
Matthias Regber (Director of the Windsurfing Office)
Choppy Water Event Management GmbH
Ma?mannstr. 11, 24118 Kiel, Germany
URL: www.euro-cup.org
E-Mail: info@choppywater.de
We will provide daily press releases, results, news etc. for the
media. We
can also provide high quality pictures and video footage in TV quality
from
the event. If you are interested to receive anything of these please
feel
free to contact Matthias Regber at the contact address above.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Choppy Water GmbH
Ma?mannstr. 11
24118 Kiel
GERMANY
Phone: +49 (0) 431 / 971 98 98
FAX: +49 (0) 431 / 971 98 99
E-Mail: info@choppywater.de ; m.regber@choppywater.de
Internet: www.choppywater.de ; www.windsurfcup.de ; www.euro-cup.org
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