Latest news with #wingfoiling
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Fin and Foil: Wind sports championship heading back to Stranraer
The waters near a south of Scotland town are to host a major sports competition for the second time in a matter of Scottish Fin and Foil Championships is the latest event to descend on Stranraer with 80 to 100 windsurfers and wing foilers expected to take comes after the international SkiffieWorlds saw thousands compete in community-built boat racing on Loch latest three-day event - which starts on 8 August - took place in Stranraer last year too. Fin and Foil, now in its third year, will see "the UK's finest windsurfers, wing foilers, hydrofoil sailors and their coaches" converge on Stranraer. Competitors will take part in four days of training followed by three days of high-speed racing across multiple event is being supported by Stranraer Water Sports Association. Kevin Packer of the group said the association was "thrilled" to welcome a "world-class water sports event" to Loch Ryan."The Scottish Fin and Foil Championships offer spectators a completely different experience to SkiffieWorlds but an equally enjoyable one," he said."The sight of these colourful sails and lightning-fast hydrofoils racing across our beautiful loch is spectacular."Danny Hawthorn, who chairs Scottish Fin and Foil, said Loch Ryan offered a "perfect combination" of conditions like reliable wind, sheltered waters and excellent shore estimated 50 to 60 volunteers are expected to be involved supporting both land and water-based operations. Organisers said traditional windsurfing classes were available for the local community to try the competition showcases wider efforts to boost Stranraer's transformation into a major water sports started earlier this year on a water sports hub in the town and it is scheduled to open next summer.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Wing foiler with suspected spinal injury saved from sea in Devon
Emergency services have described how they worked together in a "complex life-saving operation" where a man suffered suspected spinal injuries while wing RNLI said two lifeguards responded to the emergency at Bantham beach just before 11:00 BST on Sunday after spotting a man waving for help in windy conditions more than 200m (656ft) from they arrived on scene, the pair found he had had an accident with his board and he was taken back to shore on the rescue lifeguard beach Sedgewell Cove coordinated a response from the HM Coastguard and the air ambulance arrived to take the man to the hospital. 'True professionals' Luke Lane-Prokopiou, Seasonal Lifeguard Supervisor, said it was "a fantastic show of multi-agency" teams "working in harmony".He said: "Without the initial actions of RNLI Lifeguards this could have been a very different outcome. "We could not be prouder of how our RNLI Lifeguards acted, they were true professionals in a complex lifesaving operation."The service said lifeguards would be on Bantham beach throughout the summer between 10:00 and 18:00 BST.
