Long Distance recognition, wave action and clinics ...
Another beautiful day here in Daklha under the sign of wind and waves still in the place. If Philippe Bru had decided to take the racers into a "race" recognition around the Lagoon of Dakhla, Didier Lafitte in charge of the "wave division" decided to send the windsurfers on the water in the afternoon while surfers, SUPers and kitesurfers had to wait patiently.

Race recognition…
"There will be a 90 km long distance program as soon as the conditions allow it" says Philippe Bru, Sports coordinator of the Festival, to the 10 windsurfers and 15 kitesurfers present for the briefing. "Ideally, we will go around the lagoon in order to show you the "natural" marks located around the course." Early in the afternoon, a shuttle was arranged so that some competitors could be aware of the challenge that awaits them and thus evaluate the playground. Equipped with "trackers" (geo-localization system), they can be followed live on the website www.mygeolive.com as soon as the race will be officially launched. We just wait for ideal conditions, with a ideally oriented wind and not too violent. A possible departure is planned today in the afternoon above the « island of the Dragon », north of the lagoon. Appointment has been done at the Ocean Vagabond center windsurfing around 2pm.

Action in the waves!
If the kitesurfers, SUPers and surfers already enjoyed an early session in the waves of Foum Labouir in the morning, it's around mid-afternoon that windsurfers have entered the arena for the official "waves" competition. Indeed, the wind forecast was not that good for the coming days, so the wave division director Didier Lafitte decided to start the challenge between pros and amateurs earlier than expected. Excellent idea, since the conditions were relatively good: 1 to 2m high waves despite a wind that will drop before the end of the contest. Among the 21 riders, 8 Moroccans, 2 girls and 11 international riders battled with incisive surf in pure down the line conditions. 3 young Moroccan accessed to 1 / 2 finals in style Soufiane Sahli, Abderazak and Abdelfettah Elabdi) but soon the Moroccan champion Guilloul, young Hawaiian Roedinger (see interview attached), Canarian Ojeda, Venezuela Guadagnino, and Frenchies André, Taboulet and Etienne found themselves into the final. A finish that may be rerun as soon as the wind will be back (Friday?). Stay tuned.

The workshops are full ...
Established by the school "Bouj 'Windsurf Aventure", these clinics offer free workshops for initiating the same sports that can be found on the Festival, windsurfing, paddling and kitesurfing. Monitors Ahmed, Hamza, Mustafa Lotfi are available to the curious who want to enjoy such an initiative. Located on the beach of "camping Moussafir" or on the beach "Nbaika" (in the heart of Dakhla!), these workshops have already received more than 80 people in 2 days.

Dakhla’s peninsula on fire!
Incredible, unforgettable, magic, unreal and even awesome could be the first words you have in mind if you want to resume today’s action hère in Dakhla. Just because once again, the local magic was on to deliver a great show in windurfing, surfing and stand up paddling. Wind, perfect waves and champions that do not have any regret of their trip to take advantage of worldclass conditions ! Resume of an incredible day.

Windsurf/kitesurf : Dakhla’s bay on a good day...
He prefered to expect the best conditions to launch this race. And it was worth it. Today, Philippe Bru is a happy man because after a 40km downwind run from the North of the lagoon, the fleet of windsurfers and kitesurfers could make it safely down to the « camping Moussafir » beach, enjoying a great race format. 40km of pure downwind is not a simple affair, even for champions who are used to train in even harder conditions. In 15/20 knots of wind and about 1h after the start launched right under the « Dragon Island », frenchies Gerald Pelleau and Bieuzy Mauffret crossed the finish line, ending respectively 1st and 2nd in front of slovenian Tine Slabe in the windsurfing category. 1st woman is the caledonian Sarah Hebert. In the kitesurfing division, french speedchampion Alex Caizergues takes the 1st place while Fabienne d’Ortli wins in the women category. Local Sofiane Hassouni is the first moroccan kitesurfer while Fayçal Hmidi is the 1st local in windsurfing. Tomorrow is supposed to be more windy. So when we ask Philippe Bru if he’s going to launch the longest windsurfing race in the world (90 km), he has only one answer : « if the conditions allow it, Inch’Allah ! ».

Shortboard/bodyboard/longboard and stand up paddle : Foum Labouir’s waves – a neverending story…
No wind and glassy waves up to 2m in the big sets… No need to waist time to launch the end of the surf competition that started yesterday with the Morocco’s top 16 in bodyboard and shortboard. In cool conditions, Abdel El Harim confirms his high level in the shortboard division while Sfiane Bensmail wins in the bodyboard category. Right after that, the organization launches the longboard compétition. This time, the internationals enter the aréna. With top names like Skinner, Mc Philips, Ingleby or Lloyd on the list, guys like Castera, Chatain and Deniel had to play the game. In conditions that were becoming a bit more difficult due to an increasing wind and a low tide, Skinner and Lloyd make it to the finals with Deniel and Castera. According to the conditions, they may battle tomorrow in a final that we expect to be really hot ! Later in the afternoon, waves were still in. Wind increased again and the organisation launched the SUP contest. If Greg Closier, Eric terrien or Remi Quique were the specialist of the discipline, more than 20 participants registered with windsurfers and also surfers that were already in the surf competition this morning ! In unreal conditions with long and hollow sections despite of a stron side offshore wind, americans Lloyd and Mc Philips, hawaiian Roediger and frenchies Closier, Deniel, Quique, Terrien, Chatain, Etienne, Jézéquel, Carpentier make it to the 1/3 finals in an explosive show that will remain in the sports memory of this festival ! The end of the contest could be run in the next days.

A short videoclip from the action:

Next forecast says stronger wind and even bigger waves for tomorrow. Stay tuned for more action from Dakhla!

Results of the day :

Longue Distance #1

Windsurf Men
1/Diony Guadagnino
2/Bieuzy Mauffret
3/Gérald Pellleau
4/Tine Slabe
5/Alain De Gendt
6/Jochen Krauth

Windsurf Women
1/Sarah Hébert (New-Caledonia)
2/Faustine Merret (France)
3/Marion Raïsi (France)
4/Maria Andres (Spain)

Kitesurf Men
1/Alex Caizergues (France)
2/Sofiane Hassani (Morocco)
3/Renaud Madier (France)

Kitesurf Women
1/Fabienne d’Ortoli (France)
2/Marie Desandre (France)
3/Sjoukje Bredenkamp (South Africa)

Pics: Jean Souville

Bron: www.dakhla-festival.com en www.facebook.com/Festivaldedakhla