Almost 700 entrants have registered so far for this, the 13th year of Defi Wind, a major windsurfing competition which takes place annually at Gruissan in the Aude region of France.
Just three weeks from the event itself, this level of registration is good and confirms a growing trend: Defi is now firmly part of the globalisation.
At least 22 countries and 6 continents will be represented at the beginning of May in Gruissan in the Gulf of Lion. It is not just the fact that 22 countries are represented but 35% of all competitors will come from outside France, a level of foreign participation never seen before in the entire history of the contest.
This confirms Defi’s status as the most important windsurfing meeting in the world. Not that this is a surprise for the organisers who encourage openness to the outside world, whilst respecting the values of sustainable development.
Gruissan, capital of windsurfing films
Defi Wind is a meeting, a festival, where the evenings are just as important as the days. The evening of Friday May 10th will be really special for lovers of windsurfing film when we reveal the winners of the DEFI WIND MOVIE contest.
The winners of the competition, which is unique in the world of windsurfing and organised for the first time with Riders Match, will be announced by a prestigious jury under the presidency of Philip Köster (youngest wave champion in the world).
Even though the winning films won’t be known until May 10th, the competition has got off to a great start already with more than 50 entries on the theme of “Windsurfing in all conditions” lodged with Riders Match for judging.
Rules of the game are simple: anybody can submit a film based on the theme, 5 minutes max, and votes are cast by viewers directly on the web site. Positions are updated on the site in real time so you can watch the leaders change as it happens. Voting will be stopped a week before judging and the six most popular films will go forward to the main competition for viewing by everybody on the movie night. Four extra films, selected by the organisers from all the entries, will be entered as wild cards, bringing the final number for judging to ten.
Click here to view the fifty films already submitted.
Final judging and prize giving for the Defi Wind Movie will start at 21:30 in the Defi village.
Everything you need to know about Defi
Name: Defi Wind, Gruissan
Type: International windsurfing open trial
Also Known As: Le Defi
What’s different: There’s nothing else like it anywhere in the world
Established: 2001
When this year: 9th to 12th May 2013
Where this year: Gruissan, Aude, Languedoc-Rousillon, France
The race: Long distance, open to all. Competitors all start on the same line, best on the planet alongside all the rest. Leg distance 50km
The sport: Modern windsurfing
The show: Between 500 and 1000 competitors all in the same place at the same time on the same start line
The event: A truly international, prestigious and popular assembly
The public: Many and varied
Principal partners: The town of Gruissan; Tourist Office; the region of Languedoc Roussillon; Phoebus Casino; Wind Magazine; Sooruz; Grand Narbonne; FFvoile
Organisation: Gruissan Windsurf Organisation; Ilago Event; Wind Magazine
Art Work: Beach Concepts
Contact : Ilago Event – tel : +33 296 85 43 87
