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The annual Sturgeon Stampede Winter Kiteboarding Classic will be held Feb. 11-13, 2011 on the ice off Fisherman’s Road Landing on lake Winnebago, Fond du Lac, WI. The event is organized by WAK (Winnebago Association of Kiteboarding) with support from Wind Power Windsurfing & Kiting Center. Click here for the Notice of Event flyer. | Click here for the WAK web site.  2011 WAK Sturgeon Stampede Event flyer The 2010/11 Winter Sailing Season started Dec 5 – 7 for Team Wind Power. Ed Schneider, Bruce Jondle and myself sailed off Wendt’s Supper Club located on the west side of Winnebago, half way between Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. As you can see in the video the ice was black and smooooth. 3″ of awesome ice. Monday Ed and I returned to get more of it. Tuesday I sailed the Winterboard in front of the shop. The ice there was rough for a freeskate but oka for the Winterboard. Checkout the video below for sampling of the action we enjoyed.
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Freeskate and Winterboard on Lake Winnebago - See more images in the photo gallery The following Saturday Matt Schmitz, Jeff Ross, Don Altmeyer and Steve Shapson kited at Wendt’s in 50/50 ice/snow conditions. Ed Schneider and myself tried the Freeskates and Winterboards. The ensuing Blizzard conditions, quickly drove us to Wendt’s friendly and finely stocked bar. Sunday we had the first Blizzard of the season, which blew all the snow off the lake. The 40 to 50 mph winds opened the north end of Lake Winnebago. After the Blizzard and few very cold days we have crystally ice/snow on most of the lake but the North end has glassy ice where it opened Sunday. There is a tentative DN Iceboat regatta to be held on the north end near Neenah Sat and Sun Dec. 18 & 19. Team Wind Power plans to be there to sail the freeskates and Winterboards and enjoy the Regatta action. Wind Power just found some brand new Winterboards which are really hard to find. Don’t wait get your winter ride today! There are also Freeskates available. See online store for more information. We currently have 10 -12 ” of ice in front of the shop. Contact Wind Power to get the latest ice conditions and where we are sailing or kiting. Kevin’s cell 920-251-1002.
Race Results (.pdf): A-Fleet results | Sport-Fleet results | Workshop Fleet results | All Fleet results This was the 25th Annual Wind Power Championships on the south end of Windy Lake Winnebago. The weather forecast had light wind for Sat. afternoon and Sunday, but the wind Gods were with us and we had great conditions. Regattas are a fun time when Windsurfers get together, attendance based on wind conditions can often leave one wishing they had attended as was the case at this event. Go to a regatta to hang with a great bunch of sailors, get out of the rut, improve your abilities, have fun while learning from others. Racers always get the most out of the wind. Wind Power was honored to have racers attend from out of state: TBay Ray from Thunder Bay Canada, ,Joe Boersma and his son Mark from Mich., Jeff Deganor Mich,, Niles Book from the UP, Tom Stokes from Ind., Larry Reed, Randy Howell. Friedehlm and Steve Calloway from Ia., Robin Shaw brought his Monster Van all the way from Ia., The Johnson family of 4, Adam Anderson, Jerry B and Peter H from Mn., The Mike Reed family, Mic Igoe and his mother Jean, Steve Willits, Alex Monroe and his new wife all from IL. And not least, all those fun racers from Wisconsin.
54 racers in all, 27 in the A-Fleet, 18 in the Sport Fleet and 9 in the Workshop Fleet were treated to the wind left over from Friday. Figure 8 Slalom racing was setup right off the beach for Sat. morning. The wind was forecasted to become light in the afternoon and hold for the rest of the weekend. Some tried using shortboards or Formula boards others used their longboards and there was very exciting racing with a lot of action at the jibes. Every race Saturday had a different winner in the A-Fleet, Jim Magnuson won 2 slalom races in the Sport Fleet and Andrea Gratton dominated the Workshop Fleet. After 3 races of slalom and a short lunch break the racers were treated to the World Famous M Course (see image below). The M Course has 5 jibes in a row and that can be challenging. A Course race should be a test of sailing in all points of sail and the M course does it the best. The A-Fleet did an extra windward/leeward. The afternoon course race had the wind die as predicted and the second race was cancelled. Everyone got ready for the evening meal and MoWind Year End Awards at the Sunset Supper Club next door to the race site. After a free drink on the SunSet Supper Club a great meal of pasta, chicken, salmon or prime rib followed. Arden Anderson and Don Altmeyer handed out this years MoWind Awards. Don picked out a nice navy blue windbreaker with the MoWind logo and 2010 Race Series printed on it. Go to the MoWind web site; www.mowind.org. to see the 2010 year end results and class winners. The famous bonfire followed and as the evening got late the wind started to build. Those who were last at the fire were hoping the wind would hold for Sunday racing. Click to Image Start Slideshow Sunday mornings 9:30skippers meeting had light wind. Again the World Famous M Course was set. Racing was fun with the A-Fleet and Sport Fleet starting together. A total of 45 at the start meant for some interesting jocking for position especially in the last minuet to the start. A good position at the start was important to get clean wind for the upwind race to the first buoy. During the first race the wind started to build. By the start of the second race you could almost plane and smiles were everywhere on the race course. Races 6, 7, 8 and 9 had planning conditions which lead to a lot of excitement on the course. Some racers were jibing out of control, either from the challenge of their equipment or their ability for the wind strength. Carnage at the jibe marks can attest to that. A few of the starts had some big crashes with 5 or 6 racers in a pile. There was even a high speed collision at the windward mark on the last race resulting in a big hole in the bottom of a sail. Even with all the action and crashing everyone had a blast. Everyone was smiling and tired when they returned to the beach after 5 races. Sunday was some of the best conditions for course racing at any MoWind event this year. A footlong Sub for lunch was followed with the Year End MoWind raffle that Peter Hartwitch so graciously ran. Neils Zaunmueller won the grand prize a KA Sail, Tom Stokes, Del Carpenter and Phil Barhouse each won a GPS, and the Windtronics Wind Meter went to Jeff Adamski.
 The 'M' Race Course Awards and door prizes were handed out for the wrap up of another great Wind Power Championships.
Kevin would like to thank all of those who took time from their busy schedules to attend. Most importantly he would like to thank those who helped make the event run smoothly. Ann Gratton race director, Greg Liefer and Leah Altmeyer race committee, Peggy Wing for her excellent photography all weekend (next year she is racing), Mary Davies for registration and running the shop, Jennifer Wettstein assisting in the planning and organizing, Mike Bierworth for computer and web site support, My mother, brother Andy, niece Andrea and nephews Rob and Blaise for help in so many ways. Many Kudos to the gracious prize sponsors: NAISH, Maui Sails, Chinook, Aerotech Sails. See you next year, bring your friends and family!
Race Results: 2010 Winnebago Super Crossing Results (.pdf) Friday Sept.24th was a day to remember with near perfect conditions for a Winnebago Lake Crossing from the south end to the north end, a distance of 26 miles. The wind direction was WSW so getting to High Cliff State Park meant sailing on a broad reach. With winds in the upper 30’s gusting into the 40’s it would be challenging to say the least. 4 kiters: Don Altmeyer, Ed Schneider, Jeff Ross and Matt Schmitz left around 10:30 all on 8m kites except for Ed on an 11m. At around 11:00 Jeff Knutson who sponsored the race had the 14 Windsurfers line up on the 1st sand bar off Roosevelt County Park and take off after the 3rd horn in the high winds for High Cliff.
With the kiters gone from the horizon I beach started my Naish Super Cross 114 with Naish Force 5.0. I immediately accelerated to a high speed. Getting comfortable in the footstraps I started to bear off to the ledge by Stockbridge that looked like a far away island from the beach. I noticed most of the fleet was down wind of me making for Deadwood Point. I could clearly see Andy’s 6.2 sail screaming for the point along with Zack and Jacob. I wondered how Andy could hold down that 6.2 so well, for I had my hands full with the 5.0 and I wasn’t even bearing off enough to make High Cliff. I noticed Magnus just downwind of me and both of us needed to bear off a lot. I reached back on the boom and over-sheet at the same time bearing off towards the island of land in the far distance. Immediately accelerating to an uncomfortable speed charging down the face of the wave trying not to plow into the back of the wave I was about to overtake. I’m working and breathing hard, going way faster than I’m comfortable and I need to go 25 more miles like that! I also know from experience that the north end of the lake has bigger waves and often the wind is stronger. After crashing twice, I admit defeat. I know I can not make it with the equipment I choose. Rather than beat my beaten body some more I’d jibe and come back to the stairs. On the way back I see Magnus trying to bear off, Andy and Jacob sailing past Deadwood Point. The rest of the group seemed to be between the Point and the south end of the lake, all struggling. I could see Mark Schmitz struggling on my 4.2 after I pressured him into giving the Crossing a try with the 4.2 because his smallest sail is a 6.5. I wanted to go and trade sails with Mark so I could continue on the Crossing but decided it would only make getting back worse for Mark. Click to Image Start Slideshow tip: watch the slideshow full-screen for best quality image (click the ‘square’ at right end of slideshow controls) Once back on the Beach I saw Arden finish rigging his 5.3. He was leaving the water when we started the race because he was overpowered on his 6.2 and went home to get a smaller sail. I watched him sail north with the 5.3 and could see he was still too over powered to make 26 miles. Racers were returning to the beach and I decided the best thing I could do was go up the east side of the lake and try to find racers who abandoned the race. While I was leaving Neils Zaunmueller was dropped off by a Sandy Beach resident who saw he needed assistance and brought him and his gear back. I called Jeff Knutson and he was already at High Cliff getting ready to cook brats and serve beer to the finishers. I found Magnus just coming at Club Altmeyer, he was wore out. We loaded his equipment and headed north to Fisherman’s Road. We saw a lone sailor sitting on his board drifting in. Low and behold it was my brother Andy. He has broken his mast with his face after his 3rd wipeout. (He got a black eye) Tom Stokes called me and gave me an update of the sailors back at the shop. All sailors were accounted for except Jacob. I called Jeff and he could see 4 kiters in the horizon. After loading Andy’s gear we headed north again to Columbia County Park in Pipe. There we found Jacob’s gear on the lawn in tack but no Jacob anywhere. We let Jeff know and by then the kiters were in, enjoying the great picnic Jeff brought for them. We headed back to Wind Power not happy about Lake Winnebago kicking our butts. It was still blowing hard when we got back. Most everyone rigged smaller sails (4.2 – 3.8) and sailed till dark. Jeff Knutson and the kiters returned from High Cliff and we all shared our experiences. Matt and Trip joined me for a sunset kiting session on our 8m kites. I think I could have been on a 5m. Again thanks to Jeff Knutson of A-A Exteriors.com for another great job running the Winnebago Super Crossing. Lesson learned, get out on the water and tune, and don’t rig too big when your heading north to the other end of our great Lake. Either way it was a very fun and windy day. I am already looking forward to next years crossing! Hoping to get conditions like we had to give it another try. Problem is we get conditions like that about once in 8 – 10 years. We’ll see what next year brings. Kevin Gratton – USA 8 Background Info:Kevin Gratton, owner & lead instructor of Wind Power Windsurfing & Kiting Center, had shoulder replacement (right) in December of 2009. For years Kevin had shoulder problems that kept him off the water and with significant physical limitation and pain. After the surgery, during Kevin’s therapy he teamed up with the ‘Back in Action Rehabilitation Center’. Kevin is back on the water and windsurfing again. Kevin had offered the ‘back-in-action’ team to a one day Windsurf Clinic and it was help on Sunday September 12, 2010 at Roosevelt County Park in Fond du Lac (across from Wind Power). Following is a summary of the clinic/picnic and back-in-action comments. You can find more info and a link to ‘Back in Action Rehab’ below.
Those of you who missed the Windsurfing Picnic, you should put it on the top of their to-do list for next year. It was such a success we are going to do it again. Windsurfing, Sailing and Fun on the Beach: Back-in-Action by Popular Demand! Back-in Action therapist John, Jennifer, Erik, Mike and assistant therapist Lynn along with Hailey (John’s daughter and Lexis, Mike’s girl friend) spent the afternoon learning how to enjoy the water and wind with a surfboard and sail. Kevin Gratton, a past and future product of Back-in-Action’s therapy, put on an afternoon of fun for those who helped him so graciously return to Windsurfing after his shoulder replacement. Kevin was so happy with the his many hours spent at Back-in Action doing therapy he felt it was the least he could do to introduce the sport of Windsurfing to everyone at Back-in Action. Kevin is looking forward to the second annual Wind Power/Back-in–Action Watersports picnic this coming spring. Kevin feels confident some of this years participants can help me teach the ones that were not fortunate to make it this year. He also thinks they can probably incorporate some of the techniques they learned into their everyday therapy, LOL Everyone had a great time with many laughs. The water was refreshing with the 80 degree temps. Images of the event can be seen in the windsurf gallery or click the image below.  2010 Wind Power & 'Back in Action' Clinic/Picnic
We don’t have pictures of Mike because he is a diehard Packer fan. Hailey gets the award for the most effort, she was always going somewhere, she sailed till she was exhausted. John went out the farthest, Jennifer stayed warm in her wetsuit. She didn’t really need it as she was never in the water. Lynn was playing Helga and getting in everyone’s way. Erik did well with his red-eye handicap. A few dips in the lake help clear the cobwebs. After sailing the group enjoyed brats and hot dogs from John’s grill, and a few well deserved beverages. Kevin had a great time and is looking forward to next year’s party as well as more time doing Therapy with the great gang at Back-in-Action. Next year Kevin plans to include Kids Sailing and Stand Up paddling… Comments from the ‘Back-in-Action’ Clinic/Picnic participants“Awesome Stuff!! Lot’s of Fun….” John“Keep up the good work…You do a great job at instructing, very comfortable and supportive. “ Jennifer“I had a blast, getting to see John in a bathing suit was added bonus…
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Copyright © 2012 Wind Power Windsurfing & Kiting Center Blog - All Rights Reserved |
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Weather:6 mph SSW 74 °F
 | | Warm with light SSW winds. |  |
| 1/2 windsock | Local conditions are Light. | Water season | |
| See the Weather Center for all the Live Observations. | |||
| updated: Friday May 18th, 2012 at 1:30 pm (CDT) | |||
 | Naish Bolt 16 m & Uni Con Sys complete Used Kite Year: 2011 / Size: 16 m / Status: Used Retail Price: $ 1,949.00 | $ 1,350.00 21% off |
 | Naish Helix 8 m w/Univ Con Sys complete Used Kite Year: 2010 / Size: 8 m / Status: Used Retail Price: $ 1,509.00 | $ 795.00 11% off |
 | Naish Haze XL 144 Used Kite Board Year: 2010 / Size: 144x46.5 / Status: Used Retail Price: $ 629.00 | $ 450.00 16% off |
 | Mistral Syncro Style 84 Board Year: 2008 / Size: 237x59 / Status: New Retail Price: $ 1,449.95 | $ 695.00 7% off |
 | Naish Helix 10.5 m w/Univ Con Sys complete Used Kite Year: 2010 / Size: 10.5 m / Status: Used Retail Price: $ 1,659.00 | $ 795.00 15% off |
 | Naish Explorer 2-Line 10 m complete Kite Size: 10 m / Status: New Retail Price: $ 949.95 | $ 160.00 51% off |
 | Naish Cult 15 m w/Univ Con Sys complete Kite Year: 2010 / Size: 15 m / Status: New Retail Price: $ 1,749.00 | $ 995.00 34% off |
 | Naish Boxer SLE 6 m w/ CS20 complete Used Kite Year: 2007 / Size: 6 m / Status: Used Retail Price: $ 1,094.00 | $ 399.00 31% off |
 | Naish 23.5 ARX W/Booster lines complete Used Kite Year: 2002 / Size: 23.5 m / Status: Used Retail Price: $ 1,619.95 | $ 350.00 11% off |
 | Weather Center Sensor Cam - Aug. 1, 2011 updated: 01:42:21 pm - Sep 12, 2011 views: 42 length: 00:01:48 |
 | Bob at Strawberry updated: 03:09:55 pm - Mar 11, 2012 views: 95 length: 00:02:55 |
 | Wind Power Snowkiting in Utah 2011 updated: 09:30:44 pm - May 6, 2012 views: 668 length: 00:03:01 |
 | Having Fun at the Snow and Ice Worlds Thursday Feb 23, 2012 |
 | Wind Power is traveling to the WISSA Snow and Ice World Championships! Tuesday Feb 21, 2012 |
 | 2012 Sturgeon Stampede, this Weekend! Tuesday Feb 7, 2012 |
 | Wind Power had fun at the Strictly Sail Show in Chicago Monday Feb 6, 2012 |
 | Wind Power goes to the Strictly Sail Show at the Navy Pier in Chicago! Saturday Jan 21, 2012 |
 | 2011 Annual Winnebago SuperCrossing and Wind Power Championship Regatta Monday Sep 12, 2011 |
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