Kuantan Challenge 2008 - Windsurfing & Kitesurfing Regatta

Playground In The Sun

Pahang, blessed with some 210 kilometres of beautiful shoreline, once again played to the annual host windsurfing and kitesurfing regatta.

Dubbed as Kuantan Challenge 2008 - Windsurfing and Kite Surfing Regatta, the 3-day event washeld at Balok Beach's Recreation and Water Sport Center, Kuantan.

Balok Beach 15km north of Kuantan in the sub-district of Berserah is also the official venue of the annual international windsurfing event, the "Monsoon Madness". Here many stunts and antics of professional windsurfers and kitesurfers are displayed as they boldly challenge the rolling waves of Balok Beach.

Almost 50 participants from Thailand, Singapore, Britain and local surfers participated in the event which is divided into theree categories - windsurfing, kitesurfing and power kite.

Windsurfing is the popular offshore water sport which is fast gaining popularity among local surfers. Although the sports has long been very popular among westerners, it was only in early 1980's that windsurfing was introduced to Malaysian waters when a group of windsurfing enthusiasts from Kuala Lumpur tried the game in Balok, Kuantan during monsoon season. They found out that the open water with the wind speed 8 to 20 knots per hour was very suitable for windsurfing.

Malaysian windsurfing grew steadily during the 80's and early 90's, attracting major sponsors, media coverage and culminating in the Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) holding major World Cup events in Kuantan in 1990, 1992 and 1993.

Top winners of the various categories for the recent regatta are, Yeap Leong Soon for windsurfing (Formula Board), Sakulfaeng Kookiat for windsurfing (Shortboard), Zainal Misran for windsurfing (Raceboard), Phaetraksa Phanuwat for kitesurfing (Professional) and Martin Fernandez for kitesurfing (Beginner)

The Kuantan Challenge 2008 - Windsurfing & Kitesurfing Regatta is organised by The Pahang State Government through Fraser's Hill Development Corporation (PKBF) and with the cooperation of Hudata Intergrated Co.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Kuantan
• Challenge
• 2008
• Windsurfing
• Kitesurfing
• Regatta
• balok
• beach
• pahang
• tourism
• surf
• spotrs

[artemis7812]

great event! awesome people.. i was one of d technical crew.. ;p