Defi Day 3 - Le vent est mort

The wind is dead: Long live the Defi wind

The wind reports this morning confirmed what most had suspected would happen; Le vent est mort. I cancelled the last night of my hotel stay, packed up my room and headed to the beach to de-rig my last sail.

A light rain kept things pretty subdued as many of the remaining competitors were washing and rolling up their gear.The famous Tramontane wind had given up.

A quieter day on the Defi beach in Gruissan

I got an email from my new UK windsurfing buddies that they were already on the road. They were hoping to catch some English channel wind and waves on their way home.

I never did meet up with the one other north american competitor but I did see pictures being taken of him with the US stars and stripes during the international flags photo shoot.

I did meet New York Times photographer George Steinmetz who had flown in to do a photo essay of the Defi windsurfing tribe. I think the action from last year's sunny and very windy event may make for better images, but there is no masking the passion the tribe here has for our sport. I'm very much looking forward to seeing his pictures. Here is my favourite shot of the event so far, captured from the video link below...

Nice shot of the start. The boat raced to the beach with us
windsurfers passing behind it at full speed.

I began the drive home through the rain and noticed a lot of campers and cars with trailers with Gruissan bumper stickers heading north. I put in the fabulous band Las Vegas Wedding's CD that I bought at the concert last night and relived that awesome part of the Defi. I'm sure I'm missing a good party tonight too, but I hope to come back some day, maybe with my kids as competitors too?

The car is packed; but I'm sad to be leaving Gruissan and the Defi

PS while I was in Gruissan, I found out there is another windsurfing race next weekend right at the Marignane Le Jai sailing spot closest to my temporary home in Aix-en-Provence. I may hold on to the rental slalom gear for another week. I'm loving the French passion for windsurfing and racing events and plan to make the most of my last two weeks in France.

Here is a great video of the Thursday race at Defi 2011.