Wind Powered Racing Season Kicks Off On San Francisco Bay
The San Francisco Bay area is lucky to have one of the most robust wind sports racing scenes in the world. We are even luckier that it's hosted by one of the most progressive yacht clubs on the planet.(photo by Bryan McDonald)
To be honest we have always considered what we do ‘sailing’. Whether you are Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, or Wingfoiling in reality it’s all just sailing to us. Admittedly it is on some pretty diverse and dynamic ‘boats’. So, with that said it makes perfect sense the racing action on The Bay is centered around a yacht club.
Speaking of being lucky for us that yacht club is the St. Francis. The club and its members have been long-time supporters of our sports. In fact, they host what is the longest-running windsurfing race in the world, the San Francisco Bay Classic (40+ years now). Over the years the St. FYC has been a big part of pushing the evolution of racing in many disciplines. The club started with windsurfing, and quickly embraced kiteboard racing as it evolved from fins to foils. Lately, the club has become a huge proponent of Wingfoiling being one of the first clubs in the world to do so. The results have produced some of the best 'sailors' in the country and stoked a vibrant inclusive alternative 'sailing' scene here on The Bay.
This year’s calendar is action-packed and features some big changes, particularly on the Wingfoiling front. To kick the season off the St. Fyc is hosted the “No Strings Attached” regatta back on April 16th. Featuring Wingfoil racing only it was one of the first dedicated winging races on the planet and we were proud to sponsor it. To get a sense of the action is like check out the video below.
One of the big changes to this year's racing will be to the long-running Friday Night Windsurfing races. This year will see the Wingfoilers and Windsurfers lining up head to head. It should be a sight to behold with Foiling Windsurfers going head to head with the Wings in some thrilling spectator-friendly course racing. The Bay Challenge, and the Bridge To Bridge races also return for the 2023 season alongside the Thursday Night Hydrofoil kiteboard races. You will also find 7 downwind slalom races on the calendar for both the Wingfoilers and the Windsurfers. The club actually added 3 additional slalom events this year to meet the demand. This is one jam-packed agenda!
Racing is open to everyone, not just club members. One of the best parts of joining in is that St Francis opens its doors to registered racers for the day. Take a sauna and a shower after racing and then retire to the grill room for burgers and beers while taking in one of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge that can be had. You can find the full calendar of events below or as always on our website calendar.
No one's been at it longer than the Fleet 18 Windsurfing Crew on the Foster City Lagoon. In what just may be the most fun low-key racing in the country this group has been at it for decades. Fleet 18's vibe is for a fun social event that runs on Tuesday Nights all summer long. More on Fleet 18 Here
If you have never raced before we highly encourage you to join in. You will find an inclusive and supportive group of people that like to go fast and have fun doing it!
St Francis Yacht Club Event Calendar
2023 Schedule
June 1 Kite
June 2 Slalom
June 7 Wind
June 16 Slalom
June 30 Wind
July 7 Slalom
July 13 Kite
July 15-16 SF Classic UN Challenge
July 21 Wind
July 28 Slalom
Aug 10 Kite
Aug 11 Wind
Aug 11-13 US Open
Aug 24 Bridge to Bridge
Aug 25 Wind
Sept 7 Kite
Kite racing photo from 2010!
