| The 2010 Défi Wind expects 1000 windsurfers in Gruissan |
| Friday, 15 January 2010 14:51 |
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In South of France, we used to say the wind drives people mad... and it is obviously true as 1000 windsurfers will be there in Gruissan, from may the 13th to the 16th , to defy the local Tramontana and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Défi Wind, the most popular race in the world. Gruissan showed up thanks to Luc Besson, who realized the movie « 37,2° le matin » in 1988 describing the amazing atmosphere on the « plage des chalets » (chalets beach). Surrounded by mountains and shores, this nice village is ready to welcome you on site and make you spend an unforgettable windsurfing moment. In this quiet town we can find some quite strange people, completely mad about windsurfing. These riders, who still have long hair and their large pants on, – even though time is running out and they are not all that young anymore! - are members of a kind of sect called “Gruissan Windsurf” and play for ages with the famous Tramontana on the water. They used to organize lots of important windsurfing events in Gruissan such as the French Windsurf Championships and now their life is regulated each year since 2001 by the Defi Wind, the biggest windsurfing meeting ever, organized by some few windsurfers... for lots of windsurfers! They come from all over the globe, they meet at the same place, at the same time, on the same starting line to commune together and share their passion. In 2001, birthday of the Defi Wind in Gruissan, no one could imagine the importance that this event was going to have. In fact nobody thought at this time that their fun meeting between passionate windsurfers would become the most popular windsurfing event in the world! 6 editions out of nine have been largely blessed by Eole as the wind conditions were perfect and, during each edition of this event; the greatest windsurfing stars came and joined us. The Defi Wind helped at the same time to re-activate the sport and the windsurfing market, giving birth to a new discipline in this sport: the Long Distance. To sum up, the Defi Wind will simply be an explosive French cocktail in 2010, with 1000 professional and amateur windsurfers on the same course. It is a mythical number of participants, today still not reached, by any types of THEY WERE 110 COMPETITORS IN GRUISSAN IN 2001. A unique concept Launched by Philippe Bru (Beach Concept) and Gille Debrix (Editor in chief of Wind Magazine), this amazing event is based on a very simple idea: bring together in the same place, at the same moment, and on the same starting line all windsurfers, amateurs and professionals. Participating in the Defi Wind means not only sailing with the best specialists of the discipline but also realizing its own best performance on this great race. This is the real strength of this event, where pleasure and surpassing oneself are the only true values to handle. 1000 entrants only... This year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event, we will welcome 1000 windsurfers to dash forward along the Gruissan coast... But for 4 years now, the organizers have to limit the maximum number of entrants to satisfy security and organization requirement on such a huge event! Last year, more than 1500 entry requests have been received in 3 days after the registrations opened, while only 900 entrants could be accepted. The opening of the registrations has now become a date not to miss for every windsurfer. To take part into the event only one thing to do: register online from the official website of the Défi Wind “www.defiwind.com”. A world-wide reputation Spectacular images of the Defi Wind showed up quickly all round the world thanks to the medias and seduced windsurfers from Europe but also from Australia, Russia, New Zealand or even USA. These passionate riders, coming each year more numerous, don't hesitate to cover hundreds of kilometres to take part into the Défi Wind, which definitely is the only event of the kind in the whole world!
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