Cape Town SA
Down Wind Dash 2012

237 kite and windsurfing competitors took part in this year’s famous long distance, race from Langebaan, reaching for over 20km to the port of Saldanha.

Run by the Saldanha Beach Sailing Club since 1986, The Dash has seen all kinds of weather conditions. This January the regular seasonal wind showed-up with a constant 20 plus knots over most of the course, with lighter patches nearer the finish line.

Since Jonathan Fisher’s inaugural victory, a windsurfer has held line honours despite stiff challenges from kiters in recent seasons.

Favourites for the event were the Italian Champion Alberto Menegatti, ‘The Flying Camel’ Arnon Dagan and Italian Wave Master Andrea Rosati challenging the best SA windsurfer and Kiters.

First off the line were the 2 Italians, Menegatti and Rosati, arriving at full speed around the first mark with Dagan hot on their heels. Menegatti fought to control the gusts on his 8.6 over the second leg, leaving the door open for Dagan, on a 7.9, to gybe around him and shoot ahead over the 3rd leg’s rolling swell and chop.

Menegatti managed to stay in touch with Dagan and by the end of the 3rd reach, near lighter conditions they remained very close together.

The deeper downwind, lighter course section over flatter water allowed Menegatti to overtake just before the last jibe and scream down the final reach to victory.

Throughout the race Andrea Rosati’s good start and consistent speed allowed him to hold 3rd place throughout, despite some hairy moments over the 3rd reach, which denied the first-placed kiter - Heckroodt Colin – a place on the podium.
195 competitors finished to demonstrate the level of commitment amongst the fleet.

Alberto Menegatti:
‘A very exciting race, with hard conditions for me because my choice of sail turned out to be too big over most of the course. I'm very happy anyway with my gear that showed me great performance in hard conditions. My 8,6 Vapor together with my 107 iSonic and my Z fin is just an amazing combo that I’m looking very forward to race on in 2012! A very special thanks also to my new trainer Roberto Actis who helped me get into perfect shape for this event. Thanks to all my sponsors’