Contributed by Loh Hao Ming

Singapore, Friday, December 24, 2010 — Come January 2011, Singapore will play host to the best in Asian Windsurfing. The Singapore Windsurfing Association has secured the rights from the International Windsurfing Association (IWA), the international sanctioning body for the Asian Windsurfing Championships, to host the Asian Windsurfing Championships for various windsurfing disciplines in Singapore for the next four years, starting with the 2011 edition.

The 2011 Asian Windsurfing Championships will be held in conjunction with the SIM 30th Singapore Open Windsurfing Championship from 12 to 16 January 2011 off the waters of East Coast. There will be six different classes ranging from the professional circuit Formula class to the Olympic class, RS:X. There will be a total of 36 different categories that competitors will be competing in, making it one of the largest windsurfing competitions in the region.

From seasoned Olympic contenders to the best in Asian Windsurfing, the event is expected to see an estimated 150 competitors from 10 countries. Top windsurfing teams from Asia, namely, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia have already confirmed their participation in the event. Joining them on the water will be Singapore’s very own Audrey Yong, Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist, and Singapore’s budding windsurfing national squad. All eyes will be on Audrey and her sparring partner, Amanda. In last year’s event, Amanda inched ahead of Audrey to get a bronze on the last day of racing.

Ceri Williams, the IWA Executive Secretary, commented: “The IWA, on behalf of its member classes, is pleased to be associated with the SIM Singapore Open Windsurfing Championships. The 30th Edition, which will include the 2011 Asian Championships for the “one-design classes”, marks the beginning of a programme of co-operation with WAS that will bring a succession of major championship events to Singapore.”

One of the biggest windsurfing events in Asia, the Singapore Open Windsurfing Championship is organised by the Windsurfing Association Singapore with SIM Global Education (SIM GE) as the title sponsor.

Mr Lee Kwok Cheong, CEO for SIM said: “SIM Global Education is proud to sponsor the Singapore Open Windsurfing Championship for the second consecutive year. This sponsorship is in line with our holistic education approach in encouraging our youths to not just succeed academically but to also develop their other talents. We don’t see ourselves as a school, and we don’t try to mould students into one mode. Rather, we provide platforms such as this windsurfing championship for each student to find his or her own mode. Supporting this windsurfing event will also provide an arena for our local windsurfing teams, including SIM’s very own, to compete with the best in the region and hone their skills.”

With attractive cash and product prizes up for grabs, the SIM 30th Singapore Open Windsurfing Championship promises intense competition as windsurfers, both local and foreign, battle it out in the challenging North-East monsoon winds.

A signing of the MOU for holding the Asian Windsurfing Championship for the next 4 years will be held on 8th January 2011.

Event Details
Racing in six different classes begins on 12 January 2011 at 11am, NSRCC (10 Changi Coast Walk), and lasts till Sunday, 16 January 2011.

Event Website
http://www.singaporewindsurfing.org

Directions to NSRCC
http://www.esrcc.com.sg/contact/location.html