Prodigy Class Association
MISTRAL PRODIGY CLASS ASSOCIATION
Welcome to the Mistral
Prodigy Class Association homepage! Prodigy is a windsurfing
one-design race class that appeals to both beginners and experts.
Prodigy Championship Report
The 2007 class championship was again held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, October 26-28. The event was sponsored by Liquid Surf and Sail, and hosted by the Fort Walton Beach Yacht Club. The weather was great, and conditions varied. Friday we had one race in very light conditions. Saturday the wind freshened up considerably, and we were planing off the wind in 14-18 knots. The downwind leg of the course created an opportunity for strategic choices between going deep, risking falling off a plane, or going wide and fast. Sunday was expected to be even windier, but it died off somewhat. There was still planing to be done, if you caught a good puff, and positions changed quite a bit during the races. In total we had 10 races, with interesting, competitive sailing. Last year's champion Lee Huels was again the winner by a wide margin, although he didn't quite win every race this time. Al Simmons had a chance to beat him in the first race, with a good lead opened up in the first lap. Al is a very strong pumper in light wind, but that was his downfall in this case, as there was a huge windshift just as he started his last downwind leg; Al pumped harder and harder, going slower and slower, started to think he was hung up on something, and finally realized too late that after a nearly 180 shift he was pumping into the wind. Lee was quick enough to take advantage of the opportunity and slipped by him.
Results:
Lee Huels, 1st overall, 1st in middleweight division
Joe Marotti, 2nd overall, 1st in lightweight division
Nat Siddall, 3rd overall
Al Simmons, 1st in heavyweight division
Rounding the downwind mark. L to R: Susan Simmons, Peter Donitz, Nat Siddall, Al Simmons
Higgins Lake Regatta Report
We tested our extreme light wind sailing skills this year, and the experienced dinghy sailors did well. First timer Sean Fidler took third, and veteran Chris Barry took first. We had a Prodigy fleet of 17 boards, plus an RS:X, who unfortunately took second place. It seems that the larger sail is more of an advantage in very light wind, but Eric is pretty skilled, and it was competitive but fluky racing in any case. Complete results here.
Light wind starts are a test of patience. Rod Clevenger, Nat Siddall, Dave Chapman, L to R. (Photo by Carol Goodman)
Prodigy Discussion Group
We now have a Prodigy discussion group on Yahoo, thanks to Joe Marotti. You can reach it by clicking on the link to the left. Please stop by and let everyone know what you are up to, what's on your mind, and whether you have a used Prodigy for sale.
North American Prodigy Championship 2007
For the second time the championship will be hosted by Liquid Surf and Sail in Fort Walton Beach, FL. The event is scheduled for October 26-28, and will be open to other hybrid-type boards as well. There will also be Formula racing. We are expecting a strong presence from the growing fleet in Texas, plus the regulars from the Midwest and Florida. You can get more information at info@liquidsurfandsail.com or 888 818 9283. A notice of race will be posted here.
Prodigy Class North American Championship 2006
The Liquid Surf and Sail Fall Showdown provided the most wind so far for a Prodigy Championship. The event was held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, October 27-29, at the Fort Walton Yacht Club. For awhile it looked like there might be too much wind. Friday practice races were cancelled in the face of driving rain, 30 mph gusts and a tornado watch. It was still cold and windy during the skippers' meeting Saturday, but the wind mellowed by white flag time, and the sun came out later. We shared the course with Formula boards the first day, with very interesting racing in the up and down, shifting winds. Sunday we were on our own in a steady light breeze. Several Prodigy regulars were missing, but the class was enhanced by a group from the Houston area who have got a fleet of 24 boards going. They brought some very experienced competitors and some very successful newcomers--a good mix. The defending champion, Lee Huels, was nearly untouchable on his home water, but Kevin Gratton of Wisconsin did manage to beat him in one race, and took 3rd overall in his first Prodigy championship. Mark Zuteck was 2nd, and Lee the 2006 champion. Complete results are here
North American Champion Lee Huels. (Photo by Don Spencer donspencer005@hotmail.com)
Higgins Lake Regatta 2006