WINDSURFING Windsurfing set to make a strong comeback

The Yachting Malta Windsurfing Festival, held in St Paul’s Bay on 8th and 9th August, has been hailed a success, and it may well mark the start of a revival for a sport that once ruled Malta’s bays.

The eighties and early nineties were the golden years of windsurfing in Malta. Peter Bonello represented Malta at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, achieving what was then Malta’s best ever Olympic placing. Jean Paul Fleri Soler competed at the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Games, and Andrew Wilson raced the Mistral One Design at Atlanta 1996. Francesca Vincenti never had the chance to go to the Olympics, as there was no women’s event at the time, but she ranked among the top ten at World, European and Pre-Olympic championships.

The sport’s popularity waned in the 1990s. After a long hiatus, a group of sailors from the Malta Young Sailors Club turned their attention back to windsurfing and, with the help of Jean Paul Fleri Soler, started training regularly. They approached Yachting Malta and the St Paul’s Bay Local Council to organise a two-day festival with two aims: to give those who had been training a chance to race, and to generate interest among the public.

The festival attracted a good mix of veterans and rookies, who enjoyed excellent racing conditions. Among the veterans were the Fleri Soler brothers Jean Paul and Mark, Albert Fenech and Ray Agius Condachi, while the younger generation included Zach Zammit, Karl Miggiani and Benjamin Vassallo.

Benjamin Vassallo won the Junior Class after three races, and Zach Zammit was the clear winner in Slalom. The Long Board LT Class, which has seen a rise in popularity, drew the largest number of participants over eight races. Despite not having competed for over two decades, Jean Paul Fleri Soler gave a demonstration of his expertise, winning the Long Board and Freestyle classes. His brother Mark, fresh from seventh overall at the Italian National Championships, won the LT Class.

“It has been around 22 years since I last raced. This weekend brought back some very nice memories of being out on the water. It was great to see some old timers race with the newer generation of windsurfers. The idea was to have fun but also to start reviving the sport in Malta,” said Jean Paul Fleri Soler.

Trophies were presented by Yachting Malta Chairman John Huber, who praised the Malta Young Sailors Club for bringing the initiative to fruition. Organiser Karl Miggiani announced plans for four events a year and thanked Yachting Malta and the St Paul’s Bay Local Council. Part of the registration fees was donated to Żibel, the environmental NGO.

Photo Credit: Yachting Malta / Alex Turnbull