Most of us find windsurfing in general to be the most complete sport they ever done. Over the years the sport developed and changed. Material has pushed windsurfing to the very edges and especially racing has seen a huge change in appearance. Today’s equipment, especially in competition, can cover a wide range of conditions and sailing angles are not critical anymore. The formula windsurfing development brought wider board maybe that was one of the reasons for the revival of slalom racing recently. Some find that Formula Windsurfing explored the limits of the equipment a little too far. It brought us slalom and freeride equipment that works well in the lower wind range and that brings pleasure to many of us resulting in more sailing days than before.
To combine all the good in our sport we have brought the idea forward to organize racing in a competiton format that allows more people to enjoy the best of their equipment and that will bring more people to the race course. We think that a combination of limited equipment, fewer rules and creative courses that can be realized.
Slalom XL is nothing more than sailing creative courses with a limited size of material:
Boards:
max 85 cm
Sails: max 10.0 m2
Fin: max 50 cm
Windlimit: Suitable (planing) conditions
Rules:
All
rules should be minimized without loosing the spirit of the format.
Wind
v.s. preferred course:
<15 knots
Preferred long distance heats (low wind course)
Heats preferred above full fleet
No 100% downwind legs
15-25 knots
20% upwind preferred above 100% up down
25 knots>
All courses, anything can be done, from full fleet upwind to downwind
heats or combinations. Minimize the number of marks in case of drifting
danger; beach starts and fixed marks are an option
Number
of competitors v.s. starting pool
<20 competitors Full fleet starts
20> competitors, Single elimination, (=3 or 7 starts)
Always aim for 3 eliminations per day, therefore no loser rounds.
With a large number of competitors the 6-group-pool-system (=15 starts)
(Gouwzeepool system)
Aim for the day: 1 full completion + long distance or grand final
Counting
Elimination, Long distance, short or long course all count for
1 race and are added.
Discard at 3, 7, 12, 18
Operational
Remarks:
• Always communicate the heat status clearly
• For the 6-group system colors for A-F are preferred.
• Start sequence long enough to get to the start but short enough
to keep a good pace (4 min prefered)
