Poole's Windfest celebrated its seventh year with four days of action on and above the water as well as on the beach at Sandbanks.
 | | Windfest |
This year's event featured the Windsurfing Association (UKWA) windsurfing freestyle final, round 2 of the kite boarding British Tour (KBBT), and the UKWA Slalom Challenge UK windsurfing downwind slalom race. The women's professional KBBT Kiteboarding competition was won by Jo Wilson who beat Kirsty Jones and Annalisa Dovey. The mens' top spot went to Jo Ciastula who finished ahead of Denzil Williams and Robin Snuggs.
Two new windsurfing competitions featured in this year’s event; the Super X National Championship, where windsurfers will jump over buoys and the F2 Speed Challenge Sponsor. For the first time Windfest played host to the Thundercats International Championship Round 2 race where competitors go head-to-head at high speed.
 | | Tom Court |
Amongst the local contingent at Windfest was former British Kitesurfing Junior Champion, Tom Court who was using the event to work on new handlepass manoeuvres. He's aiming to embark world kite surfing tour after he finishes school.
A marquee village exhibited the latest kite and windsurfing equipment, with special 2006 previews and the showcase of the British Olympic Windsurfing Kit, throughout the four days. Amongst the other events was a team race held on Thursday where windsurfers and kitesufers raced from Kimmeridge Bay back to Sandbanks - strong tides forced the kitesurfers to withdraw and the overall winner was Olympic Bronze Medallist, Nick Dempsey. The British Grand Slam Beach Volleyball tournament was also over the weekend. Sandbanks beach has been highlighted as a potential training venue in advance of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
 | | Beach Volleyball |
The competition was the culmination of the beach volleyball season where teams throughout Britain have been accumulating points at nationwide competitions. The top eight men’s teams and the top four women’s teams gained automatic qualification to the British Grand Slam, whilst a further four men’s and two women’s teams made up the draw as ‘wildcards’. The mens' title was eventually won by British pairing of Jody Gooding and Gregg Weaver while Shauna Mullin and Mel Coutts won the womens' competition.
After all the exertions on and off the water, there was plenty of partying to be done in a huge marquee on Sandbanks beach - Friday night was the Butterfly Ball to raise money for the charity, Surfers Against Sewage and 1,500 party goers attended the famous Windfest Party on the Saturday night.
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