2002 Ireland PWA Wave Grand Prix Preview
The 2002 PWA Irish Wave Grand Prix, presented by Bord Fáilte, will take place off the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry from 3rd to 10th October. Over 80 professional windsurfers from 20 countries, including Ireland’s best, will be descending on Castlegregory and Brandon Bay, to compete for the prestigious title of Wave World Champion and 65,000 Euro prize money.
This is the third year that the PWA (Professional Windsurfers Association) has staged the event in Ireland, considered by many aficionados as one of the best windsurfing spots in the world. The 2001 world champion, Björn Dunkerbeck of Andorra will be back in Dingle to defend his title. The current Irish Wavesurfing Champion, Oisin Van Gelderen, from Skerries, Co. Dublin has qualified for this event along with brothers Timo and Finn Mullen from Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
Throughout 2002, the competitors have participated in PWA World Tour events around the world where they have picked up points and the Irish Wave Grand Prix is the climax to the season where the new PWA Wave World Champion will be crowned. The windsurfers will compete in elimination heats, gradually progressing to a final showdown on the waves. They are judged on style, difficulty of maneuvers and overall impression.
“The seas off the Dingle Peninsula are perfect for wave and windsurfing with wave heights often topping the windsurfer's masts," said Mr. Andrew Owen, event organizer. “This event combines the world's best windsurfers, the visually spectacular sport of windsurfing and the beautiful natural environment of the Dingle Peninsula to produce a world-class event."
Highlights of the event in Dingle will be televised in a 30-minute show which will be broadcast to over 100 countries and over 200 million potential households, showcasing not just windsurfing but also the Dingle Peninsula.
Sponsorship by Bord Fáilte is via its International Sports Tourism Initiative. This Initiative was established by the Government in 2000 to identify and sponsor high profile sporting events that have the capacity to enhance Ireland’s reputation as a premier sports tourism destination.
Mr. John O'Donoghue TD, Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport, said, “The establishment of the Irish Wave Grand Prix as a permanent and prestigious fixture on the PWA World Tour is a credit to the organizers and to the local people of Castlegregory. There is nothing as enlivening as the sight of wind surfers speeding gracefully and skillfully across the waves and nothing quite complements that image more than the beautiful coastline of County Kerry."
The sport of windsurfing is one of a group of lifestyle sports that sits comfortably at the crossroads of sport, music and fashion and this blend, together with its' dynamic nature ensures a broad audience and a bright future. The PWA Irish Wave Grand Prix reflects this pedigree with activities planned off the water that include fashion shows, live bands and a lively party scene. The action on the water will be intense but it won’t stop there.
Based in Hawaii, the PWA membership consists of over 250 elite athletes, both men and women, who have reached the top of their sport.
