Windsurfing a fringe sport!

I think windsurfing has evolved into a fringe sport! I see it every
day here in Corpus Christi. Twelve years ago, on a windy day it would
be hard to find a parking place at the most popular venues. Now, we're
lucky if you see 5 or 6 cars at the most popular sites. There used to
be 4 windsurfing shops here but now there is just one, Worldwinds at
Bird Island. Lucky for us it is a good shop with enthusiastic people!
Some windsurfers just flat burned out on the sport and moved on to
other hobbies. I had a guy call me yesterday trying to sell all his
windsurfing gear. He got into motorcycles in a big way and has no
interest in windsurfing and he sail hard and often for 8 years. Some
windsurfers got old and just can't muster the enthusiasm to hit the
water. Some switched to kiting and some moved to the mountains. Some
never made the switch from thinking of it as an "Xtreme Sport" to
letting it be a "Life Sport", The one thing we all failed to do was
bring new, young people into the sport to keep the stoke alive. Many
people tried, but windsurfing just didn't seem to connect with the new
generation.

Also, a couple years of light winds didn't help! This year is shaping
up to be more like one of the great years like "back in the day"!
Since January I've sailed about 3 days a week, with 2 of those days
being in wind in excess of 30 mph! Today it was winds 26 to 35 mph
with gusts near 40!


So, yes, my opinion is "it has become a fringe sport", but heh, it's
my fringe sport!

more focus on developing youth and junior windsurfers -Techno 293 and FE classes ; and programmes for young slalom and freestyle riders ( eg IFCA festivals and *board pro kids )

"more focus on developing youth and junior windsurfers -Techno 293 and FE classes ; and programmes for young slalom and freestyle riders ( eg IFCA festivals and *board pro kids )"

empty words. if you want masses to be involved you should live in communism and get huge support from state. or be a good lobist. "windsurfer lobist???" - "lobist of what???". sounds like anecdote

Indeed.
Where i live in Canada theres 6 to 8 guys that sail here, in a city of 125,000 people.
talk about fringe !!!
Most people like sports that are easy. Tradtionally sports in this northern Canadian town in the summer are baseball ie: slowpitch in the summer ,and fishing hunting if those are sports!
There easy to do and dont take much effort.
even skiing up here has taken a backseat to snowmobiling ,used to have 5 ski hills 20 years ago now theres 2!!!!
skiing being alot harder to master then operating the throttle of a snowmobile. Snowmobilign a heelof alot more expenisive .
i guess thats why jetskiis are so popular with the redneck crowd as a water activity, again i wont call it a sport.
shredulato

It has also declined in Europe.

doesn't hurt to give it a nudge, raise the profile a bit
be proud of your sport who knows what can be achieved
http://www.nationalwindsurfingweek.org/

[steveC]

I have to sadly admit that windsurfing is a fringe sport, but that doesn't take from the stoke of its steely core. Much of the time I sail alone, but that doesn't discourage me. The fact that most don't seem to participate, doesn't limit the vision and opportunities, because I find that those that see windsurfing when things are up, understand what's going on. I know that they're clearly envious. Their obvious interest, focus and overall appreciation says it all. The best in life takes a bit of stress and challenge, but the rewards are truly worth it.

Fringe Sport? does it really matter, I prefer it that way!!!!!!!! there 's enough people involved worldwide for companies to still invest in it, that's good enough!!!!!

Well to be honest, it was a blow to my fragile male ego, when I was hitting on a hot young thing at a Maui hotspot...proudly announced to her I was a windsurfer from Colorado....she sniffed: "Windsurfing is so not cool..."

Ugggggg.....

[pierrec45]

> there 's enough people involved worldwide for companies
> to still invest in it, that's good enough!!!!!

You don't understand much, do you? Companies don't "invest" in your well-being. They develop products that will make profits, they create a need with magazines 2008 new board reviews and make sails .02 meters apart so you feel you need to buy more to be like the pros they flash all over the net and mags and videos you buy. NONE of the current windsurfing suppliers are NPOs. And this is all normal.

And prices are not going down at all because fewer people sail, no scale savings, less competition, etc.

Back to the topic: yes it is fringe now. I don't care about being a freak (I do freestyle, and often sail old gear, so I'd better not care about being a freak).

I just find it sad for those who could get into our great sport and don't, that's all. All those that wanted, were taught on the wrong equipment/conditions and gave up. Those that think it's an expensive sport by looking at the quiver guys (it's not an expensive sport) and won't try. Those that go to stores and are told that kiting is more fun and the "in" thing, and so on.

Too bad for them. Not enough sports and outdoor activity in our society - no need for stats here.

Not enough passion - just look around. Too many people watch TV and shop and renovate their house forever.

Not enough cheap fun in our society - skiers always require the latest expensive gear, all local sailboats here are brand new and quarter million min, etc.

That's all.