the Atlanta Boardsailing Club
windsurfing, kiteboarding and wingsurfing in the Southeast

It's almost that time. We've already announced it but some people just won't show up until we write an article about it. We're having a Holiday Party! What? Now you need details? Well, why didn't you say so?

The Details!

It's that time again! The world's second longest running windsurfing race - the Fall Classic. This year is the 39th running and, like a fine wine, Sigourney Weaver and Sean Connery, it keeps improving with age. Here is the official announcement, the Notice of Race. For you non-racey types (most of us), it includes the schedule of events, and other stuff that you'd want to know. This is a great race for racers and great weekend for non-racers.

The Atlanta Boardsailing Club and Lake Lanier Sailing Club
invite you to compete in the
39th Annual Atlanta Fall Classic
October 13-15, 2017

Summer is here. In a lot of places, summer means gentle breezes or more. Bonaire is breezy in June. Same with the Mediterranean, Hawaii, the Gorge and the Atlantic coast. Here, we have hot air whose only movement is straight up in the afternoon into the stratosphere igniting a thunderstorm.

Let's be honest. Atlanta just isn't really windy. Sure, in late fall, winter and early spring we can get some good winds but unless you are absolutely a) mad, and/or b) hard-core, you may decide windsurfing on a 42 degree (Freedom Unitsahrenheit) isn't for you. If you are a) mad and/or b) hard-core, you still have to come to grips with the fact that for much of the year whitecaps just aren't a regular thing.

Before kitesurfing or kiteboarding made it big in the U.S., kiteskiing was a thing. Not skiing like they do in Norway but like Cypress Gardens, FL. In 1995, kiteskiers were invited to ESPN's Extreme Games (now X-Games).

Bill Herderich summoned up this gem of an article from the bowels of his basement, the American Kiter Fall 1995 issue with an article about the event. Unfortunately, it isn't the inspiring story of the early days but, in a tale we all recognize, how not enough wind not only kept the event from running as planned and gave them virtually no airtime but gave ESPN the excuse to underpay the competitors.