2012-07-18

Red Bull Storm Chase Coming to Hatteras!?!

The Red Bull Storm Chase has narrowed its short list of international destinations for the upcoming extreme wave/wind surfing window, and Hatteras has made the cut! The listing notes the "US East Coast" yet the marker is firmly planted on Cape Hatteras, and I have been in direct contact with the Chase organizers ironing out details for their Chase to these islands! The Chase will bring PWA international extreme windsurfing superstars to Hatteras! The select group of riders participating includes the very top international PWA ranked wavesailors and with the base organization stemming from Europe, the real heart of international windsurfing, the eyes on Hatteras will be huge! The window for Hatteras will likely be late October into November and focus on our classic Nor'Easter storm sailing conditions, perhaps peppered with some tropical influence. Conditions here can be quite radical, with massive shorepound, ripping current, light apparent wind in the impact zone, and ripping outside conditions, along with massive heavy Hatteras bombers! All in all, quite a challenge even for the top international pros who will be here to experience it!

Between the AWT Hatteras Wave Jam in Sept, to the Red Bull Storm Chase in Oct/Nov, the international extreme windsurfing/wavesailing spotlight will be very focused on Hatteras this Fall. Hopefully both events are served with the epic conditions usually us local guys get to experience along with some visiting sailors!


In local windsurfing news, we are firmly planted this week in a nice Bermuda High set up.  SW winds every afternoon, and a fleeting swell which peaked last Sunday with some of the best light air wavesailing conditions yet this summer.  I scored big just north of Jennette's Pier in Nags Head with super clean long period swell and waist to chest+ average surf size!  Very, very FUN SeaLion sesh with winds averaging 12 mph from the SSW!  Ramp 30 was also hot with the Avon crew catching bigger set wave surf and similar wind conditions!



Following Sunday's excellent surf, we have had daily SW light air SeaLion sessions in fleeting yet fun swell!  Anyone here this week for light air wavesailing is scoring!!
PS:  If you are interested in the SeaLion, contact me!

Here are some more pics from a recent summer sesh at Rmp 30!  (all photos:  Keith McCulloch)