SOMES Butcher moves premises PAGE 28 . 1 - Wednesday, August 7, 1985 - suore News Windboards on wheels IN THE BEST of evolutionary traditions, wind- surfing is making a tentative move from crowded aquatic origins to less competitive terrestrial grounds. My TIM RE AW Windboards that have sprouted everything from racing keels to hotdog. suils to pintailed sterns for better manocuvrability and = speed on water have now evolved wheels in) preparation to tackle the unforgiving asphalt and concrete sur- faces humans have been up against since our forefathers crawled from the oceanic depths. Windsurfing sailed into existence in 1969, aboard the inventive leisure time fun in- stincts of two Santa Monica surfers who were looking to inject some challenge into those Californian days when wind was more plentiful than surf, Now the French, whose gift for the extreme can match the Californian silt for the inventive blueprint for blueprint, have prt wheels and inflated Michelin tires on the classic wind- board chassis. Thierry Damilano, restau- ranteur, B.C. Windsurfing Champion, and owner of a Norblan speed sail land windsurfer, says the idea for the board originated with Baron Arned de Rosenay, a demented French adventurer who used his design to cross the Sahara Desert in 1976. The speed sail, he says, uses virtually the same lightweight sail, flexible boom and mast technology used by the windsurfing in- dustry. The four foot by 10 inch speed sail truck chassis is made of aluminum and topped with mahogany deck- ing. At 11 -gs., it is approx- imately half the weight of same of the heavier wind- boards on the market such as the Crit’ 601. Though the speed — sail looks like the ideal way for the dispossessed sailor to get around town, mastering land surfing is a difficult and, with pavement replacing waler, a dangerous pursuit. With the comparative reduced resistance of wheels against pavement over board against water, speed sails, says Damilano, can reach speeds of 40 to 50 mph: “In THE NORTH SHORE OQiympic Horel Rowdymen advanced to the Western Ball Hockey League finals after a first place finish in the three- team round robin semi- finals. The Rowdymen ad- vance to the best of three Tunisia they have had them up to 60 mph."* To add to the excitement, speed sails do not come equipped with such reassur- ing features as brakes or steering wheels ar seat belts or horns to blare in a last flailing attempt to inform others that you are out of control. Ideally, says Damilano, the speed sailor should already be an ac- complished windsurfer and should be outfitted at the very Jeast with protective helmet and kneepads. The flat expanses and soft surfaces of sandy Lower Mainland Seaches such as Jericho and White Rock, therefore, make the perfect areas to speed sail. Thus far, speed sailing remains a largely European sport with fullscale world competitions having taken place for the past 12 years in such countries as Belgium and France. North America, however, remains suspicious of this French cross between sailing and skateboarding and distracted with the more leisurely pursuit of — basic windboarding. Greg McMillan, manager of West Vancouver’s Village Board Sails Ltd., says speed sails must be specially ordered from France. The basic chassis and wheels run to around $600, the cost to have one shipped from France would be $200 or more, mast and sail would ‘be another $500: *‘So you'd pretty well have to be a board sailor with your own board sailing gear to begin with to make it economically feasible, but it is a great sport.** Damilano describes the exhileration of speed sailing through early morning beach mist as ‘fantastic, really in- credible.” But around Vancouver, he concedes, urea for speed sail use is limited. Paul Winterton, owner of Vancouver’s Windsure Windsurfing Lid. says he respects the sport of speed sailing, but sums up its luck of local popularity with an observation into the general osyche of, Lower Mainlanders: ‘*People would just rather be on the water." league finals along with the Exhibition Park Racers. Defending league champions, Burnaby Beavers were eliminated from further playoff ac- tion. The Rowdymen cap- drone aa NEWS photo Stuart Davis PRACTISING the mode of transport prefezred by the landlocked sailor or the jaded windboard fanatic, Thierry Damilase cides his French-made Speed Sail land cruiser. The board, outfitted with Michelin fires, is capable of speeds af up to 60 mph, Though popular in Europe, speed sailing has yet to catch on in North America. en head to finals tured three of a possible four points in the cound robin playoff series. in their first game, the Rowdymen defeated the ex-park Racers 3-2, Trailing 2-0 early in the second half, the Rowdymen’s offence ex- ploded for three unanswered goals. Earl Graham, Blair Hid- dleston, and Jeff Yehia, with the winner, scored for the Rowdies. Rowdymen goalie Jeff Wiltshire was brilliant in goal, and was named the Labatt's player of the game ja the televised con- test. in their second game of the series, the Rowdymen and the Beavers played to a 5-5 tie. The tie eliminated the Beavers because of their previous 2-1 loss to the Racers. Once again the Rowdymen were forced to come from behind as they trailed 3-0, Tim Mills had two goals for the Rowdies while Blair Hiddleston, Earl Graham, and Jeff Yehia added singles.