2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam Pro-AM

Date: Jun 19 - Jun 26 2011 Disciplines: Women Freestyle, Men Freestyle, Women Slalom, Men Slalom Location: Aruba

 

The Caribbean island of Aruba is one of the most popular windsurfing and kitesurfing destinations in the world. The best wind speeds are from January through August (20 - 30 knots), while they slow down to 10 to 20 knots in the months September to December.

In 1988, the PWA (then PBA) added the Aruba Hi-Winds Pro-Am, then in its 2nd edition, to the World Tour. Windsurfing legends like Robby Naish, Anders Bringdal, Pascal Maka, Nevin Sayre and Björn Dunkerbeck came to the island to compete. The women, like Jutta Mueller, Nathalie Simon and Britt Dunkerbeck came as well.

In the early nineties, one of the most grueling events of the entire PWA-tour was held on Aruba: the legendary Round-the-Island Race, a long distance race of around 70 miles, which was won twice, in under five hours, by Björn Dunkerbeck.

As government sponsorship dried out in the mid-nineties, the Aruba Hi-Winds survived as an amateur event; it was held at the Fishermen’s Huts and welcomed new additions to its menu: Freestyle (‘King of the Huts’) and Kitesurfing at the rugged north coast.

2011 is the 25th edition of the event and adding to the celebrations is the PWA World Tour, making a stop on Aruba with its Freestylers and Slalom racers. This Grand Slam event, held from June 19 to 26th is followed by the 25th Annual Aruba Hi-Winds, together making it a true Pro-Am extravaganza, something the entire island is looking forward to.

Visit us at: www.hiwinds-aruba.com

 

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