First of all, a little overview, the Wind Challenge: what is it?
A wild beach that stretches over 10km in the Aude, in Gruissan ( Occitanie ). A local wind called the tramontana, competitions and events that bring together all water sports enthusiasts. All created in the form of a festival that celebrates the passion of windsurfing.
This year, the Wind Challenge once again brought together thousands of enthusiasts, pros and amateurs from around the world, to celebrate its 20th edition. The event took place from 20 to 29 May It gathers 3 distinct events: the Wing Challenge and the Kite Challenge and the famous Wind Challenge.
This year we had the chance to present some Rack Ta Board products. And this is thanks to the partner brands that have chosen to trust me to exhibit their products in the exhibitor village.
A short briefing on the results of this edition:
Défi Wind proved that windsurfing still has a lot to tell. 200 km were run by more than 1250 participants from over 45 nationalities. More than 100 world titles and Olympic medals were on the starting line. From all disciplines!
For the first time on a Wind Challenge and in a strong tramontane, it was a foil board that put everyone in agreement thanks to Nicolas Goyard, member of the French team and reigning World Champion. In the women’s category, Delphine Cousin won.
Image source : Gruissan Méditerranée
Zoom on the brands that have trusted us to exhibit their models:
For this 20th edition, Rack ta Board had the privilege to be contacted to create customised and made-to-measure products:
Rack Ta Board adapts to each brand to create products adapted to the needs of our partners and customers.
Adapted racks, engraved logos on our products…
Duotone – Fanatic
Duotone is a new brand in the world of water sports. It was born out of a difference of opinion between the German company Boards and More and North Sails Groupe America which produced the North Kiteboarding brand.
The brand respects its values and continues to develop its products with unparalleled quality. Thanks also to state-of-the-art technology.
Their official website: https://www.duotonesports.com/
Leur site officiel : https://www.duotonesports.com/ It was created in 1981 by a team of true enthusiasts. The latter spend more time at work than on the spots. Apart from its experience, Fanatic also managed to stand out in several respects.
One of its greatest assets is the ability of its employees to create innovative boards and new board shapes. The products from this brand are of excellent quality as they are based on extensive technical research and impeccable design.
Their official website: https://www.fanatic.com/
Slingshot – North
The Slingshot brand was founded in Columbia, North America. The designers of the brand are brothers Jeff and Tony Logosz, who were inspired by the early kiteboarding experiments in Columbia in the 1990s. Columbia is now recognized as the birthplace of kitesurfing. Slingshot is located in Hood River, Oregon.
Slingshot specialises in kitesurfing, wakeboarding and stand up paddling. This brand offers state-of-the-art products, always in a creative and original spirit. In 2007, it made a name for itself in wakeboarding by creating a range of flex boards. This allows it to remain at the top of the market.
Their official website: https://www.slingshot.fr/
Founded in 2001 in the tradition of North Sails (windsurfing and boat sailing). The North Kiteboarding brand has quickly established itself as a leader in the kiteboarding market.
The German entity is the permanent innovation and the quality of construction. North Kiteboarding is also very interested in the kiteboarding discipline. North kites and boards are of high quality.
Their official website: https://northkb.com/
Tabou – Gaastra
Gaastra was born in the 19th century in Holland. It is one of the oldest known brands in the field of windsurfing. Over the years, the company has grown significantly. It has diversified its products and has also become a ready-to-wear clothing brand. Almost all the collections presented by Gaastra were inspired by nautical wear. It mainly produces sailor’s clothing such as coats, crew jackets, etc.
Gaastra aims to advance the evolution of their foils without compromising the quality of the final product. Before each foil or spare part goes into production. Every parameter is validated to ensure that the foils deliver the performance and durability you expect.
Their official website: https://www.gaastra.com/
Tabou was founded in France in 1991 by Fabien Vollenweider, famous for producing exceptional and innovative windsurf and foil boards. He has been shaping for over 30 years and remains a shareholder in Tabou to this day, reflecting Fabien’s passion for shaping, branding and the quest for innovative board design year after year.
Each Tabou product is the result of this passion and the expertise that Fabien and our world-class team of riders bring to the development process. This leads to a range of boards that combine high performance, ease of use and durability in all types of conditions.
Their official website: https://tabou-boards.com/
We would like to thank Duotone, Fanatic, Slingshot, North, Tabou and Gaastra for their trust and the exhibition of our products during this 2022 edition. We would also like to thank the Défi Wind for the organisation of its event, which brings together enthusiasts from all over the world every year.
Official website of the event here
Hope to see you all in 2023 🙂
