WindFestival, the largest Expo in Italy dedicated to sea and wind action sports, has reached its eighth edition and returns to Diano Marina from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 October with a doubled exhibition area that gives a nod to the Urban Sport. The event is organized by TF7 Open Sport Asd in collaboration with the Municipality of Diano Marina, Department of Sport and Municipal Spa Management.
This year the WindFestival will be organized as usual on the beach of Diano Marina extending also within the city center to offer the public new adrenaline-fueled experiences of urban sports such as Skate, Bmx, Parkour and Mountain Bike and the consolidated appointments with the stands of the major brands of sports equipment, water competitions, exhibitions, lots of music with concerts and dj-sets, beach parties, free equipment tests, classes for approaching activities for beginners, fitness classes and the unmissable appointment with the bikini contest.
The organizers Valter Scotto and Andrea Ippolito tell us: “In seven editions we have consolidated WindFestival as the largest Expo in Italy dedicated to sea and wind action sports. This year we decided to double the exhibition area, going to involve the city center and including the entire Urban Sport sector among the disciplines proposed. Moreover, thanks to the collaboration of local associations, we have created an area with sports at 360º with the aim of presenting families and children with the possibilities of sports activities that can be practiced in the Diano Marina area. You will have the opportunity to approach windsurfing, surfing, stand up paddle, kitesurf as well as mountain biking, skateboarding, parkour, bmx and the local sailing, soccer, running, volleyball, dance, martial arts, basketball, water polo, tennis and Fitness. To stimulate the participation of children we have prepared a card on which to collect the stamps to be affixed after each mini lesson: once you have tried all the activities and completed the card, young sportsmen will be entitled to a gadget to be collected at the secretary's office. When they asked us if we were crazy we answered: Yes! ".
Numerous schools have already confirmed their presence, many of which come from other regions: in particular Francesco Favettini's participation in the Corri sull'acqua project - Windsurf4Amputees, Holder of "2 Sides Watersports Center Porto Pollo", instructor is very welcome 2º level FIV sailboards and windsurf instructor and SUP VDWS, Favettini is part of the Paralympic work group Sardegna FIV and is the creator of Adaptive Windsurfing, the first project in the world that brings prosthetic wearers closer to the sport of windsurfing and recently expanded to all physical disabilities. Since the first edition the Windfestival has supported the amputee boys who have been able to choose between different disciplines. This year the Paralympic days with performances and competitions dedicated to adaptive athletes have been included in the calendar in collaboration with the CIP (Italian Paralympic Committee) Liguria.
In water sports, safety is an absolute priority and will be guaranteed by the rescue aquabikes of the K38 Rescue Team by Fabio Annigoni, national jet ski champion, and by the Kingii personal flotation device, the event's Water Safety Partner. Furthermore, a village will be set up in the village entirely dedicated to the emergency where the Golden Cross, the Red Cross, the Fire Brigade will be present and where rescue simulations will be carried out dedicated to families and children.
For the entire duration of the event mini-lessons will be made free from 30 minutes, both for adults and for children, to bring all people as close as possible to water and wind sports; Windfestival is not only sports, expo, exhibitions, music and parties but also large schools that enrich the event with great proposals.
There will be contests dedicated to stand up paddle, one in the long distance and a sprint race, a sailing challenge with the Optimists and two regattas that will see the return of the Windsurfer class aiming to relaunch the whole Windsurfing sector, one in the long distance and a sprint race. To follow performances of sup, surf and foil windsurfing also with the aid of the tow by the jet skis.
The official calendar of exhibitions, contests and lessons will be available for the entire duration of the event both on the windfestival.it website and at the event office.
For running lovers there will be events with the race: the second edition of WindRun, mini-races for children and a race on stilettos while beach volleyball will have both a mixed training 3 × 3 tournament and an 2 × 2 mixed.
A circuit will also be set up on the beach for Yamaha mountain bike and pitbike performances and, for those who want to keep their feet firmly on the pedals, we have arranged a Bike Shuttle for the lovers of enduro and downhill, excursions from the village in both mountain and e-bike mountain bikes (electric pedal assisted bicycles) with the aim of encouraging and involving also the breathtaking hinterland of the Diano Gulf.
The night events will start on Thursday 3 October with the opening party, will continue on Friday 4 October with an evening dedicated to the years 70 / 80 / 90 and closing Friday night 5 October with the Bye Bye Summer Dance Party during which we will live the expected competition Bikini Contest of which the winner will be announced on Sunday afternoon with the help of the popular jury.