Belbeoc among 100 leading surfers
[WINDSURFING] More than 100 leading windsurfers from all over the world, including Frenchman Patrice Belbeoc, the winner of multiple world championships, will test their skills at the World Windsurfing Championships off Northpoint on Wong-Amart Beach in Pattaya.
Vorapant Chotikapanich of the Eastern Windsurfing Club (EWC) said yesterday the club will be staging two world meets - the World Raceboard Windsurfing Championships from November 18 to 25 and the Kona World Windsurfing Championships between November 28 and December 3. "We are staging the two world meets to celebrate the diamond jubilee of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne and also to raise the standards of Thai windsurfing," said Vorapant, who was among the first to introduce the water sport to Thailand. "We also hope that these two events will help establish Thailand as the centre of windsurfing in the Asia-Pacific region. We have received tremendous cooperation and support from both the government and private sector companies," he said Vorapant said the King Power Group of Companies will be the main title sponsor of the Raceboard Championships, while Airports of Thailand Public Company will sponsor the Kona World Windsurfing Championships. Other sponsors include Raimon Land, Singha Corporation, Aisawan Resort and Spa, Thai Airways International, Advance Agro Public Company, Music Television Networks, Boon Property, Oakley, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the National Sports Development Fund. "The World Raceboard Championships welcome interested participants to compete for fun and games. The winners of the Class will be eligible for competitions at the national and international levels, including the SEA Games, the Asian Games and the Olympics," he said. All participants will be using yellow boards, sails and race vests to signify the celebration of the 60th anniversary of HM the King's accession to the throne. The meets have received attention from more than 100 windsurfers from Italy, France, Argentina, Norway, Canada, the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Among them are Belbeoc, Riccardo Giordano, the former European champion and member of the Italian national windsurfing team, and Thai Sa-ard Panyawan, who won the SEA Games crown five times in a row.
Preechachan Wiriyanupappong The Nation
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