Andy Rice

Andy takes a whistlestop tour around some of Europe’s most iconic racing events, plus musings on the issues of excessive weight gain for on the Formula Kite circuit...

I’m half way through an eight-week tour of Europe which has been a good reminder of the full breadth and diversity of our sport. From commentating at the Bosphorus the beach, the two riders stood with their backs to each other as the three-person jury reached their shoreside verdict. Newland was in oods of tears as she

Cup in Istanbul and the Barcolana in was told of her disquali cation

Trieste, to the hardcore competition while Pulido bounced back into of the 470 Europeans in Turkey and the waves, ready to contest the

Formula Kite Worlds and Europeans four-rider nal, from which she in Sardinia and Greece respectively. would take the bronze medal. e Bosphorus Cup and the Pulido copped a lot of heat

Barcolana are both big boat races on social media, the weight of but more than races they’re a parade opinion seemingly against the of sail, a festival of fun which also Spaniard. But that protest is an happen to help promote the cities inevitable part of growing pains in which they take place. Sailing as the sport loses its naivety through the Bosphorus is a real treat, one that event founder Orhan Gorban “More than races they’re, and innocence to modernday Olympic campaigning and created more than 20 years ago when he a festival of fun which also all the pressures that go with it. convinced the authorities to close the narrow passage between the Black Sea help promote the cities in Pulido’s point of view is pretty straightforward: “When we go out and the Mediterranean to commercial which they take place” and race each other, we are racing shipping for a six-hour window. If with the knife in the teeth, it’s you’ve never heard of the Bosphorus Cup before, Google full-on war. When we come ashore we are friends again.” it and then nd out how to charter a boat next year! Newland and others will take some persuading to come e same for the Barcolana. Even though entries were around to this point of view but, like it or not, Pulido’s point down this year (at a mere 1619 boats on the start line), it is of view will win out in the end. When you make a pact a breathtaking tra c jam of sailing yachts. Most people are with the devil, ie becoming an Olympic class, sometimes there for the sheer experience of being part of the biggest the fun and the friendship is pushed down the priorities. sailboat race in the world, others are there very much for the Where Pulido will struggle to win her side of the win. So much so that one Maxi skipper threw a glass of beer battle is the growing size of kitefoilers. Even in light over a rival who had protested him and now nds himself winds, in fact especially in light winds, the heavier at the mercy of a Rule 69 hearing for Gross Misconduct. I riders are able to hold down bigger kites and generate spoke to a rules expert about this and he said the best thing higher levels of apparent wind. With top-end upwind to do - if you choose to douse your rival with beer - is to speeds of 23 knots, even in just 8 knots of true wind, and laugh while doing it. Don’t scowl and look like you mean it, downwind speeds sometimes in excess of 40 knots, heavy otherwise Rule 69 will come calling. Intent is everything. bodyweights are easily justi ed. e fastest female riders

Talking of protests, there are strong signs that the young are operating between 68kg and 80kg, while Pulido has and fun riders on the Formula Kite circuit are having to grow to do long hours in the gym to get herself over 60kg. up quicker than they might have liked. Turning from a beach Daniela Moroz, who has just won her sixth world event where riders are there for the pure fun of it, but now title, has increased her weight to close to 70kg, although to a high-intensity campaign where achieving a particular she’s not particularly happy doing so. e American result determines whether or not you’ll receive funding for rider is keen to see maximum kite sizes limited to take the coming season - the priorities are beginning to shi . the pressure o the women having to get fat to be fast.

On the nal day of the European Championship on a Toni Vodisek, the 95kg Slovenian who has just won windy day in Nafpaktos, Greece, and there was a touching his rst men’s world title, walks around proudly with of control lines between two riders in one of the semi- his dad bod, even though he’s in his early twenties. nal heats. Generally the riders have all signed up to a e same challenge faces the windsur ng athletes

‘gentleman’s agreement’ where they shrug o marginal who used to try to be as skinny as possible for the now contact between lines or kites as part of the game. is extinct RS:X board. Now they are trying to bulk to be as PHOTO: ISTOCK time, however, Gisela Pulido from Spain decided to protest her rival from France, Poema Newland. With their 15 square metre kites hovering above them on heavy as possible for the foiling replacement, the iQFOiL. It’s a tricky subject and one that will need resolving if athletes are to be encouraged to look like athletes.

ANDY RICE As a sailing journalist and TV commentator Andy has unparalleled knowledge of the performance racing scene, from grassroots to elite level