Baie Des Ha!Ha! Closed.

Here is what I found:

To all the participants of the Québec cup or the 30th WISSA competition that will take place in Saguenay from the 26th of February to the 7th of March 2010.
On Friday February 19th, municipal and governmental authorities closed the Baie des Ha! Ha! for various considerations . All activity on the Baie des Ha !Ha ! has been prohibited including snowkite. Fortunately, the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean offers many other excellent locations with amazing slidding conditions. All races will take place in different locations and all of the programmed activities will be maintained. For the moment to continue reserving your rooms at the hostels that were suggested. A bus service will be provided free of charge that will transport all competitors to the race sites. All activities will take place at the hostels as originally planned, and all information will circulate at these locations. We suggest that all competitors follow the evolution of the situation on our website and sign up to our newsletter. As of Tuesday new information will be posted on the website.

And here is the explanation:

Ice fishing is over on the Baie des Ha! Ha! this winter. Mild weather, the huge cracks in the ice and water on sites forced Fisheries and Oceans Canada to order the end of the season. The 1,400 cabins located in L'Anse-à-Benjamin and in the area of Great Bay had to be removed Monday. The operation began Saturday morning. The President of the Association of white peach of Great Bay, Richard Lavoie, had expressed doubts however about the possibility that all the cabins can be removed on Monday. He hoped that the ice bridges would take the blow. The municipal police of Saguenay has assigned additional officers this weekend in the Bay district. The fishing season was to end next March 12.


In the mean time start of a race in Russia (Zhigmore):

WISSA 2010 at Lac St.Jean!

I do not know what happened but apparently the Championship location has changed. Please update your travel and accommodation plans!

Infolette received today:

WISSA 2010: Program of the Event

Place Place the 30th city to be WISSA Saguenay (Baie des Ha Ha!), Quebec, Canada.

It is certain that the final version of the programming will be translated into Français.

Briefly:

Friday, February 26: Opening of the kite park, friendly race track groomed (all day) and free trials. In the evening, cocktail and music under the tent.

Saturday, February 27: Freestyle Attraction activities (kiteparc, groomed and kite), family games, evening show, beer and cock

Sunday, February 28: Home Athletes and free tests.

• 17h15 Opening Ceremony 30th Anniversary Special and Dinner.

Monday, March 1:

• 9hr to 12hr Registration WISSA, take 2. Free practice. Match Soccer Snow, Autograph and interviews with athletes (journalists and public).

Tuesday, March 2: 

• 9hr to 10hr free trials. 
• 10hr to 10h30 meeting of riders and officials. 
• 10h30 to 16hr competition (for the family ice skating and baseball). 
• 18h30 We're going to see a professional hockey game:)

Wednesday, March 3:

• 9hre to 10hre free trials. 
• 10hr to 10h30 riders meeting and official.
• 10h30 to 16hr competition begins (Family Triathlon snow skiing Mount Bélu). 
• 18hr to 20hr movie kite!

Thursday, March 4:

• 9hre to 10hre Free Practice
• 10hre to 10h30 the riders meeting and official
• 10h30 to 16hr competition (family for ice fishing and taffy Maple.
• 17hr to 19hr Dinner 20th Anniversary of Air Concept.
• 19hr speaker

Friday, March 5:

• 8h30 to 9hr free trials. 
• 9hr to 9h30 Meeting. 
• 9h30 at 16h30 competition (for the family rally in the village of ice, and jump "hooked").
• 1717h00 dinner tourtière of Lac-St-Jean. 
• 19hre: Release kite night

Saturday, March 6:

• 9h30 Meeting of course. 
• 10hr to 16hr competition (long distance and speed run) activities freestyle (for family, putting and jump addicts).
• 16h30 cocktail at the top of Mount Bélu.
• 18h30 scrolled Athletes. 
• 19hr evening closure of music, show and more ....

Sunday, March 7:

• 9hr to 11hr Farewell Brunch.
• 11h00 at 15h30 activities freestyle (kite park, groomed and free kite).
• 16hr : END

ALL DAY

• Childcare available
• Games Inflatable known place and acrobatic trampoline
• Test kite
• Groomed and kite park

---

This information was received from Quebec on Sep.16th. It is published with minimal editing - just formatting. I am still awaiting for the responses to the following questions:

1. Is this information official?

2. Is this information final? (it has been a month since the info was sent out)

3. Who represents the Organizing Committee? (a person and/or organization reference for Canada Immigration clearance)

4. Official address and contact information for Organizing Committee?

5. Do you have Notice of Race? (classes information, race programs, age groups, awards categories)

6. Do you have Race Rules? (WISSA rules or WISSA-referencing)

7. Accommodation information and special rates?

8. Transportation from Airport to the race site information?

9. Sponsors information? (to avoid conflict of interest with foreign sponsors)

10. Media information? (coverage, exclusivity of rights on video-photo coverage - also for foreign sponsors)

I will be publishing all updates as they arrive.
--
Dibutil

WISSA 2010: Conditions in Quebec

October 12th, Mt. Valin

Lac Saint-Jean

by William Tuthill

19 April on Lac Staint-Jean near Chicoutimi, Quebec - near the site of WISSA 2010. This area has a very different climate from other parts of Quebec such as Montreal and Quebec City. Winters are long, and spring offers lots of sailing in warmer temperatures and steady winds.



This is Kite designer and builder Benoit Tremblay. Notice that the ice goes on and on all the way out over the horizon.



The little ones often go along for the ride. One day they will be kiters too.

Quebec Cup

by William Tuthill

Greetings WISSA Friends

Here is a post from our friends in Saguenay - the site of WISSA2010. They have been running an annual event at this site - Baie des HA HA! Seriously - that is the name- Bay of HA HA!. It includes the (!) in the name - check the map. It is just one more interesting and different thing about the Saguenay region of Quebec. More about that later.

For now, read the review by Benoit Tremblay of Concept Air, and see the interesting twist that has been added to the usual WISSA mix.

---

OOOOOOOOOOH! Boy, I was would like.. (I don't know how write this) so much than you was there and to see that show... a great show Very windy all the set up was so almost perfect.. a very good team of voluntary... big usual tent.. inflatable tent with Rock group on ice.. special lunch on ice for the riders.. many bathroom.... big sound system.. 3 hot and big fishing shack for that the rider can put a ski boots or just warming up.... 5 days of speed run(Monday until Friday) on groomed highway (1/2 mile on 150 feet) the winner was Dominic Robichaud on is first ride and it was the last one because at the end of the day a raining storm during 1/2 hour with st-Elmo fire on the leg of Dominic, each ride cost 2$ and of the end we spit the $ between the best we had 137 inscription 274$.. Yes... the speed finish Friday at 6 pm, Saturday 8 triangles and the wind relax Sunday forecast 30 to 70 with sunny in afternoon... 5 triangles the morning and log distance in after-noon.. for this race... not for compilation.. I put a Da-kine Pyro harness (232$) on the picket on the starting line and the first have that like a cowboy race.. no complication for the point just one winner... but many one have fun... the winner have a GPS aboard and he run 87.8 KM... 60 registrations for the race.. 25$ you have for each registration for free 12$ of different Canadian cheeses, you can win a Smart 6.5, many many Dakine product, many nice price. Like sunglasses, etc. etc. 80 persons on the dinner party... the road conditions of Friday were so bad than we was lost some 20 persons was can going because the road was insecure...

WE ARE READY TO START TO WORK FOR 2010! THE TEAM IS IN FIRE!!!

Please send back at my friend Georges and Charles..........

Ben

Some Pictures HERE

Benoit Tremblay, Concept Air
222 rue Saguenay, St-Fulgence, Qc, Canada, G0V 1S0

Telephone: (418) 674-VENT (8368)
Sans frais: 1-877-545-VENT (8368)
Telecopie: (418) 674-2432

http://www.conceptair.com
http://www.freakdogkites.com

"Ryde The Bull"

---

Parlez vous "Franglais"?

Voila a report from this past weekend at Saguenay. I have NO doubt that these guys are up to the task of organizing a first class WISSA event. They have been organizing the "A-traction" for well over a decade, and it has become a venerated part of the Coup de Quebec. They are thrilled to be hosting the 30th anniversary of WISSA - the oldest and longest running international competition in the history of:

1] Windsurfing - yes it is true - older than any competition held on water!
2] WINGsurfing - It is the only international racing venue for wings
3] Schneekiten - [as they say in German] WISSA had Kites on the line in 1993 in Choinice, Poland - before that actually - I have photos going back to 1987. There is no snow kiting racing venue with a longer racing pedigree than WISSA Boasting session over - read the report below & get psyched for next year. Please pass this around.

All are welcome!

Will

Report from Gaspe

By William Tuthill

Greetings All

Here is a quick report from lasts week's epic adventure to the race site for WISSA 2008.

It is Sunday night, and we have just returned from driving over 2000 km for WISSA. It was a productive trip.

The 3 day trip up took place during a record breaking storm that dumped 10- 50 cm. of snow and rain up and down the east coast. The whole family, with gear, and a load on the roof battled gale forced winds and swirling snow while packed into my rather small Honda. It was a stressful ordeal, but on Wednesday 18 April, 2007 we met up with Dominique Robichard [chief organizer for WISSA 2008] at Val Briiliant on the shores of Lac Matapedia. Things are looking GOOD!


There is a 9 member organizing committee, with a budget, and a plan.
The original accommodations were to be some condominiums on the lake, but they were just sold making them unavailable.
As a perhaps better substitute, the organizing committee has secured the base lodge at Val d'Irene Ski Mountain instead. Web: Val d'Irene

The base lodge has 26 rooms and a total capacity of 120 persons. It is 14 km. from the lake and will be connected by buses running continually between the two locations.

At the lake, there is a community center which will serve a center of activity for skipper's meetings, lunches, and equipment storage.

The lake is beautiful! We sailed on 60 cm. ice with the typical strong NW winds. At 20 km. x 3-5 km. there is plenty of room to move! The town of Sayabec is at one end and Amqui is at the other. Val Brillant is in the middle. There is NO DEVELOPMENT on the north side of the lake! This makes for exceptionally pure scenery.

Dominique has gone off to windsurf at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina for a week, and I have to get back to work. Just know this as you go into your summertime routines- WISSA 2008 is well under control! The dates are 10-17 February 2008, and we are looking forward to seeing you there. :-)

Look for more information and photos of Lac Matepedia on the WISSA web site soon.

Don't forget to "summerize" your skis!

Will

p.s. The ice on Matapedia is still good!

William Tuthill writes...

Having missed the WISSA 2007 W.C. in Haapsalu, Estonia, I will do the next best thing. Next week, I plan to meet with the a group of kite sailors at the site of last year's W.C. in Trois Rivierres, Quebec. The purpose of that visit will be to round up competitors for WISSA 2008 which is scheduled to take place in Val Brillant, Quebec, February 2008.


After Trois Rivierres, we will go to Val Brillant, to meet with Dominique Robichard, who is in Estonia now, to make plans at the site of WISSA 2008. The lake and facilities at Val Brillant are capable of sustaining a large crowd. The risk of a "no ice" cancellation is minimal at this site, and winds are known to be reliable.

We will meet to discuss lodging options, transportation, and other things.

After the visit to Val Brillant, I hope to attend the "Stormboarding" Kite sailing event in Vermont, U.S.A..

It is a relatively new event, but the goal is to create interest in WISSA among kiters in that part of the U.S.A..

During March, there are two more event goals:

1. The newly formed NASA (North American Skimbat Association) hopes to have a first ever rally of Kitewings or Skimbats in the Lake Sunapee area of New Hampshire. Over 25 wings have been sold into the New England area since September 2006 and interest is building. A "fun racing" event for wings on Lake Sunapee could be used to bolster participation at WISSA 2008. Naturally, the event will be open to all 3 WISSA classes.
   
2. Every March, ConceptAir hosts an event known as "The Attraction". The event has been going on for many years. I hope to attend so that we can encourage the attendees to plan for WISSA 2008.
   

We had a scare with the weather in Estonia this year, but in the end the conditions came through. Cool heads prevailed, and by all accounts the organizers are doing a tremendous job. They deserve much praise for their faith and dedication- we look forward to hosting them in Quebec in 2008!

Stay tuned to this web site for breaking news about ice and snow sailing happenings worldwide.

2006 Race Notice

You can download the WISSA 2006 Race Notice in PDF format here

NOTICE OF RACE
26th Ice and Snow Sailing World Championship
February 6-12, 2006
Le centre Plen-Air Ville-Joie, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
ORGANIZATION
World Ice Snow Sailing Association (WISSA)
PURPOSE OF THE EVENT
The purpose of the World Ice& Snow Sailing Championship is to define the World Champion in each of the defined race classes, in each of the defined competition. Serving the objective to promote the ice and snow sailing worldwide the best racer in each defined age divisions is recognized.

RACE CLASSES
Open class	Any sled using a windsurfing rig.
Freesail	Wings, skate sails, skimbats and similar.
Kites	Overhead sails, parawings and similar.

DIVISIONS
Junior	under 19 years on February 6, 2006
Master	40-50 years on February 6, 2006
Grand Master	50-60 years on February 6, 2006
Great Grand Master	60 years + on February 6, 2006

COMPETIONS
Course races	Up to 10 races on a triangular course (same for all race classes). The course races competition can be includes by the decision of the Race Master if a minimum of five (5) races where accomplished.
Speed trials	Up to 3 runs. Speed will be measured with a radar gun and/or a GPS unit. There will be no class segregation in the speed trials.
Long distance Race	Course and conditions to be determined at skippers meeting.

AWARDS
A class will qualify for awards if there are at least five (5) competitors registered.
A division will qualify for awards if there is at least (5) competitors registered that meet the age criteria. If a division does not qualify then each participant in this division will be assigned to the nearest group by the age or to the nearest group of the participant’s choice.
The winner of each competition in every class is awarded with the title of the world Champion in the competition of the class.
The final winner of each competition in every class is awarder with the title of the “World Champion in the competition of the class among women”.
The winner of each competition in every class in every qualified division is awarded with the title of The “Champion of the Division in the competition of the class”.
PRIZES
Prizes will be awarded to the best three competitors in the course race in each class and division for men and women.
Prizes will be awarded to the best three competitors in the long distance race in each class and division for men and women.
Prizes will be awarded to the best three competitions in the speed trials in each division for men and women regardless of the race class.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Competitors must be officially registered and must have signed a “release and hold harmless” certificate. Competitors must be willing to race at their own risk.
No organization or individual will be held responsible for any moral or material damage that may be sustained during travel of arrival at the championship venue
It is the responsibility of each competitor to participate in the safest possible manner at all times.
Helmets must be worn during competition and protective clothing is highly recommended. Life and liability insurance coverage for the period of the event is also strongly advised.
RULES
The competition will be governed by the Racing Rules of the ISAF, suitable for ice and snow sailing, the WISSA Rules, the Notice of Race (except for alterations stated in the sailing instructions), and the Sailing Instructions.
WISSA Rules and Sailing Instructions will be available at the time of final registration and check-in.
The sailing instructions may be modified at skipper meetings.
In fairness to overseas travelers, the maximum sail size for the Open Class will be restricted to 7.5 square meters.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Date	Event
Monday, February 6, 2006	9:00 to 19:00 Registration
	20:00 Dinner
	21:00 Opening Ceremony
Tuesday, February 7, 2006	Course Races
Wednesday, February 8, 2006	Course Races
Thursday, February 9, 2006	Course Races and Speed Trials
Friday, February 10, 2006	Speed Trials and Long Distance Race
Saturday, February 11, 2006	Long Distance Race20:00 Closing ceremony
Sunday, February 12, 2006	Freestyle Demo

SITE INFORMATION
The races will be held at Plein-Air Ville-Joie on Lake ST-PIERRE located about 125 km east of Montreal. Lake ST-PIERRE is about 22 km long and 7 km wide. It is known for good winds. Surface conditions in February are usually is the best conditions of the whole season.

Conditions
Average Temperature	-12 Celsius
Average wind	23 km/h
Surface	snowed surface
Ground quality	Hard
Ice	no exposed ice

Plein-Air Ville-Joie is a year-round outside activities center situated near Trois-Rivieres. The centre offers an ideal set-up, because competitors from all participating countries can sleep, eat, compete and socialize at the same location. This compares favourably with the concept of an Olympic Village. The event organizers have negotiated special rate packages and strongly recommend registering at Plein-Air Ville-Joie center as soon as possible. All costs quoted in the notice of race are in Canadian Dollars (CAD$)

REGISTRATION FOR ACCOMMODATION
Anyone needing accommodation should register directly with Plein-air Ville-Joie or with Wax Design.
Plein-Air Ville Joie
Shared accommodation: 2 per room

WEEK package	WEEK-END package
Simple bed, 3 meals per day, access to the site, access to activities, taxes included. 538.32 tx incl in ($CAD)	Simple bed, 3 meals per day, access to the site, access to activities, taxes included. 302.52 tx incl in ($CAD)

Every single person is responsible for all his actions and promise to pay for all damage.

Plein-Air	Wax Design
Ville Joie11441, rue Notre-Dame Ouest Trois-Rivieres (Secteur Pointe du Lac) Quebec, Canada, G9B 6W5 819-377-3987	270, rue Lacerte Trois-Rivieres Quebec, Canada, G9A 3C2 1-877-699-5196 +011-819-693-5196 819-693-5196

REGISTRATION FOR RACING
A pre-registration form is attached to this race notice. Please fill it out and return it to the Event Coordinator once you have made up your mind to participate. Please send it by email.
Registration will take place from 9:00 to 19:00 on Monday 6, February 2006 at Plein-Air Ville-Joie center. The registration fee is $99(CAD$), which includes a $10 donation to WISSA. The entry fee is to be paid in cash upon registration and will not be refunded.
TRANSPORTATION
Competitors flying into Montreal International Airport and in need of ground transportation to Plein-Air Ville-Joie should contact Mathieu Cote, Event co-Coordinator for assistance in arranging the transfer. We’ve got a school bus in disposition. The equipment will be stock inside the bus. We’re in processing of having this service for at less $40 each person. The trip takes about 1.5 hours. The bus will be at the airport at 15:00 and quitting the airport at 17:00.
NOTE TO ALL COMPETITORS
It is not possible for the event organizers to reach every potential participant with this race notice. Please make photocopies and distribute to other sailors in your area, and do your part in offering the opportunity to participate in a world championship.
Please bring along a flag from your country. Also, it is recommended to BRING WHITE CLOTHES FOR THE BAL EN BLANC for Monday night at the official opening ceremony.
If you have tourist information of your area, ice and snow sailing video films or any other interesting information about your region, please bring it along. The evenings at Plein-Air Ville-Joie will provide good opportunities for sailors to learn about conditions in other parts of the world. The event also provides a good chance to purchase equipment.
Out-of- Country participants should keep their receipts to claim a refund of 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST) which can be claimed upon departure from Canada.
CONTACTS

RichardBealieu, Event co-Coordinator	Mathieu Cote, Event co-Coordinator	Plein-Air Ville Joie
270, rue Lacerte Trois-Rivieres Quebec Canada G9A 3C2 1-877-699-5196 819-693-5196 Fax: 819-693-2990 E-mail: wax@waxdesign.ca	819-693-5196 819-693-2480 Fax: 819-693-2990 E-mail: wax@waxdesign.ca	11441, rue Notre-Dame Ouest Trois-Rivieres (Secteur Pointe du Lac) Quebec, Canada G9B 6W5 819-377-3987