X edizione per la Defi Wind di Gruissan (Francia)!!! Ormai uno degli eventi windsurf più attesi dell’anno. È semplicemente una Long Distance, vince chi arriva primo, si può iscrivere chiunque e con qualunque attrezzatura da windsurf. In questo evento è proprio il caso di dire che l’importante è esserci… Poi ovviamente parteciperanno anche i grandi campioni che si daranno battaglia per arrivare primi, ma tutti gli altri partecipanti sono li per divertirsi, con uno spirito e mentalità che non può che far bene al nostro sport! Nel 2001, alla prima edizione della Defi Wind, gli iscritti alla Long Distance erano 110, nel 2009 ci sono state 1500 richieste di iscrizione di cui sono state accettate “solo” 900, purtroppo però l’edizione non è stata fortunata a causa della completa mancanza del vento. Quest’anno, nel 2010, per celebrare come si deve il decimo anniversario della manifestazione, gli organizzatori vogliono raggiungere un traguardo importante: 1000 iscritti!!! Roba da far girare la testa! La defi Wind 2010 di Gruissan si svolgerà da 12 al 16 maggio, non perdetevi l’occasione e iscrivetevi anche voi! Entrerete a far parte della storia! www.defiwind.com

Press Release DEFI WIN 2010
1000 WINDSURFERS WILL CROSS THE STARTING LINE IN GRUISSAN FOR THE 10TH EDITION OF THE DEFI WIND
In South of France, we used to say the wind drives people mad... and it is obviously true as 1000 windsurfers will be there in Gruissan, from may the 13th to the 16th , to defy the local Tramontana and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Défi Wind, the most popular race in the world.
Gruissan showed up thanks to Luc Besson, who realized the movie « 37,2° le matin » in 1988 describing the amazing atmosphere on the « plage des chalets » (chalets beach). Surrounded by mountains and shores, this nice village is ready to welcome you on site and make you spend an unforgettable windsurfing moment. In this quiet town we can find some quite strange people, completely mad about windsurfing. These riders, who still have long hair and their large pants on, – even though time is running out and they are not all that young anymore! - are members of a kind of sect called “Gruissan Windsurf” and play for ages with the famous Tramontana on the water. They used to organize lots of important windsurfing events in Gruissan such as the French Windsurf Championships and now their life is regulated each year since 2001 by the Defi Wind, the biggest windsurfing meeting ever, organized by some few windsurfers... for lots of windsurfers!
They come from all over the globe, they meet at the same place, at the same time, on the same starting line to commune together and share their passion. In 2001, birthday of the Defi Wind in Gruissan, no one could immagine the importance that this event was going to have. In fact nobody thought at this time that their fun meeting between passionate windsurfers would become the most popular windsurfing event in the world! 6 editions out of nine have been largely blessed by Eole as the wind conditions were perfect and, during each edition of this event; the greatest windsurfing stars came and joined us. The Defi Wind helped at the same time to re-activate the sport and the windsurfing market, giving birth to a new discipline in this sport: the Long Distance. To sum up, the Defi Wind will simply be an explosive French cocktail in 2010, with 1000 professional and amateur windsurfers on the same course. It is a mythical number of participants, today still not reached, by any types of water-sports event!

THEY WERE 110 COMPETITORS IN GRUISSAN IN 2001. THE « DEFIEURS » WILL BE 1000 IN 2010 ON THE STARTING LINE OF THE DEFI WIND. IN LESS THAN A DECADE, THE DEFI WIND HAS BECOME THE MOST POPULAR WINDSURF EVENT IN THE WORLD!
A unique concept
Launched by Philippe Bru (Beach Concept) and Gille Debrix (Editor in chief of Wind Magazine), this amazing event is based on a very simple idea: bring together in the same place, at the same moment, and on the same starting line all windsurfers, amateurs and professionals. Participating in the Defi Wind means not only sailing with the best specialists of the discipline but also realizing its own best performance on this great race. This is the real strength of this event, where pleasure and surpassing oneself are the only true values to handle.
1000 entrants only...
This year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event, we will welcome 1000 windsurfers to dash forward along the Gruissan coast... But for 4 years now, the organizers have to limit the maximum number of entrants to satisfy security and organization requirement on such a huge event! Last year, more than 1500 entry requests have been received in 3 days after the registrations opened, while only 900 entrants could be accepted. The opening of the registrations has now become a date not to miss for every windsurfer. To take part into the event only one thing to do: register online from the official website of the Défi Wind “www.defiwind.com”.
A world-wide reputation
Spectacular images of the Defi Wind showed up quickly all round the world thanks to the medias and seduced windsurfers from Europe but also from Australia, Russia, New Zealand or even USA. These passionate riders, coming each year more numerous, don't hesitate to cover hundreds of kilometres to take part into the Défi Wind, which definitely is the only event of the kind in the whole world!

DEFI WIND IN NUMBERS
1000 racers
200 km of race
20 countries
250 people at the organisation
70 boats and jet skis for safety
100 buoy
Media coverage value for 2009 > 1M€

THOUSANDS OF KILOMETRES COVERED TO DEFY THE TRAMONTANA, AND THE BEST WINDSURFERS OF THE WORLD?
Windsurfing, more than a sport: a lifestyle
Windsurfing is part of the great sport family called « water-sports » or « surf-culture » which holds a very special place in people's mind. When practising any kind of water-sports we finally join a group of people that are attached to the same values, the same rituals and basically the same type of lifestyle. This search for pleasure, this quest of adrenaline, this idea of taking a chance, the discovery of new natural and savage landscapes... all these motives lead to a strong attachment to the community, pushing the individuals to react massively. These communities not only promote fundamental values such as freedom, thrills and the love for wide virgin spaces but also emphasize the importance of respecting the environment. These communities have a particularly good attention from the media on that subject, and tend to take advantage of this position to raise in public their environmental preoccupations. Thanks to this new image of a free lifestyle, closer to nature, and based on the search for pleasure and adrenaline some surf-wear brands such as Oxbow, Quicksilver or Billabong have today built a real empire!
Windsurfers live for their passion!
The typical profile of a “Défieur” (racer of the Defi Wind!) is then quite easy to imagine. He is above all a passionate, deeply involved in the practice of his own sport: windsurfing. When he's not sailing on the water, he spends the major part of his free time organizing his windsurfing sessions and checking up his equipment. He's ready to cover more than 800 kilometres in two days to get his weekly dose of adrenaline and don't hesitate to overload the estate car when going on holidays with all the family in case he could be able to sail a little bit! Windsurfers like to meet together and to share their experiences, what they do quite often through web sit forums. The Défi Wind is the place where this world of windsurfing can gather around, share information, meet the champions and show what they are able of on the water!

IN GRUISSAN, WIND AND WINE ARE COMPLETELY PART OF THE LOCAL PATRIMONY, BUT STILL, WINDSURF HAS ITS OWN IMPORTANCE TOO AND IS ONE OF THE LOCAL TRADITIONS.
Gruissan (Aude / Languedoc Roussillon)
About ten kilometres east from Narbonne, Guissan has been for a long time a small wine growers and fisher's village. With its old town centre, built circularly around a central point and its wide beaches, Gruissan is considered as one of the most beautiful village in France.
The country of the « Tramontana »...
Gruissan is situated right in the Gulf of Lion, and is directly hurt by the puffs of the Tramontana, strong, dry and regularly blowing wind coming from the north west (offshore wind). Coming from the Pyrenean mountains, the “Tram” speeds up little by little till it hurts Gruissan's beaches, for the great happiness of local riders. This wind offers an exciting playground for windsurfers and the flat water allows beginners to discover new sensations while windsurfing! The wind blows in Gruissan really often, making this spot famous in the world of windsurfing, especially in Europe, with more than 20 windy days per month all the year long.
... and of windsurfing!
But if Gruissan is so famous in the world of windsurfing, it is also thanks to the high quality of its sport facilities. In fact, we can find in Gruissan two sailing centres giving everybody the chance to begin or improve its own level in sailing. There is also a water park called “Mateille”, where beginners can't be afraid of getting lost in the sea! What's more, during several years, Gruissan have been organizing one of the best step of the Windsurfing French Championships.

MICROSOFT AND DOTVISION EQUIP THE DEFI WIND WITH HIGH TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND CREATE AN INNOVATIVE WEBSITE
Developed by Dotvision, the website of the Défi Wind is using the brand new last Microsoft web solution: Silverlight. To miss nothing in the beauty of the action!
- HD pics reader, with the possibility to zoom at the heart of the action
- Smooth HD video reader, with adjustable streaming option. The image flow can adapt itself to the
bandwidth to give you the best image quality possible. This year the development goes beyond and will allow all users to follow the event in live through MyGeoLive: as if you were on place!
- Live Web Cast with info, pics and videos updated regularly in real time
- Live tracking of the 30 best windsurfers to know who is in the lead of the competition during every key time of the race
- MyGeoLive will be relayed through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube

THE DEFI WIND: FOUR DAYS OF INTENSE COMPETITION, WATER-SPORTS ANIMATIONS, LIVE MUSIC AND BEACH PARTIES.
The sport above all
With a first possible start on Thursday 13th at 2 pm, the organization has only one thing in mind: go on with as many races as possible during these 4 days to crown the best riders of the Defi Wind 2010 on several 40km courses along the beach. While the leaders will finish this water marathon race in less than an hour, others, slower, will have to sail many hours before crossing the finish line. A physical and mental performance our athletes have prepared very hard all year long with personalised training programs. For those who don't want to take part in the competition, some activities will be set up on site such as windsurfing and stand up paddling initiations, show and new equipment testing in a friendly atmosphere.
Beach Parties
The Defi Wind is a Night & Day concept: water-sports village with different activities all day (tests, initiation, shows, contests, live music), parties on the beach with BBQ, local products testing (mussels, wines...), DJ's sets, live music and a water-sports movie festival.


MAI, WEDNESDAY 12TH
10am / 1pm & 4pm/ 8pm: Welcome of the Défieurs
(Registration confirmation, collection of the lycras) - Gruissan Palais des Congrès
2pm / 6pm: Preparation and training of the Défieurs - Gruissan Plage (beach)
MAI, THURSDAY 13TH
7am / 10am: Welcome of the Défieurs
(Registration confirmation, collection of the lycras) - Gruissan Palais des Congrès
1pm: First information meeting
3pm: First possible start
3pm / 6pm: Activities, Interviews, Beach Music, Booths & Shops...
7pm: Opening ceremony (Presentation: best riders, guest stars, nations...)
10pm / 2am: Live Music & Dj's set - Gruissan Plage (beach)
MAI, FRIDAY 14TH
9am: Information meeting
10am: First possible start
3pm / 6pm: Activities, Interviews, Windsurf Arts, Beach Music, Booths & Shops...
9.30pm/ midnight: Water-sports movie festival – amateurs movie only – Gruissan Le Forum
MAI, SATURDAY 15TH
9am: Information meeting
10am: First possible start
3pm / 6pm: Activities, Interviews, Windsurf Arts, Beach Music, Booths & Shops...
8pm: Official dinner, BBQ on the beach
9.30pm/ 3am: Défi Wind Party (The official one!) + live music, DJ's Sets - Gruissan Plage (beach)
MAI, SUNDAY 16TH
10am: Information meeting
10.30am: First possible start
3pm / 4pm: Activities, Interviews, Windsurf Arts, Beach Music, Booths & Shops...
4pm: Price giving ceremony – Gruissan plage (beach)

Defi Wind
Philippe Bru
Beaches Concepts
9 Rampe Pech des Moulins – 11430 Gruissan
Phone: +33 4 68 49 88 31 – Fax: + 33 4 68 49 64 41
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Defi Technologique | Dotvision
David Boulanger / Guillaume Pelletier
26 Bd Malesherbes – 75008 Paris
Phone: +33 1 47 70 25 25 – Fax: +33 1 55 06 10 35
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Communication/Press
Marion Raïsi
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Phone: +33 6 23 22 83 89
Laetitia Briand
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Phone: +33 6 60 76 92 78

Gruissan Tourism Office
Bd du Pech Maynaud – 11430 Gruissan
Phone: +33 4 68 49 09 00 – Fax: + 33 4 68 49 3312
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