Defi Wind Gruissan 2027

Das Defi Wind 2027 in Gruissan findet vom 6.-9. Mai statt.

Einem mir bekannten „First Timer“ aus UK sende ich nun jede Woche einen Tipp per WhatsApp. Ich dachte mir, ich kopiere diese jeweils auch hier rein - vielleicht passt das ja. Diskussion und mentale Vorbereitung wären hier somit gestartet.

Defi Wind Tip #01: Arrival Day

The Defi Wind runs 6–9 May 2027, so the best day to arrive is the weekend before. The Defi Kite ends on Sunday 2 May, and the Defi Wing takes over on Monday 3 May. Think of it as a shift change: one crowd packs up and leaves just as the next one rolls in — and right in that changeover, spots open up in the Defi parking area. That's your moment to slip in and grab one. Once you're parked, don't move the car again. Bring a bike to get around.

Defi Wind Tip #02: Getting onto the water

There are two beach sections:

• Plage des Chalets (north of the canal, by the Defi Village / parking area): This is where check-in/-out happens, where you get your gear ready and lash it to the poles. On the water it's extremely gusty here — no good for sailing back and forth, and no fun.
• Plage de la Vieille Nouvelle (south of the canal): This is where the race takes place, and where the wind blows steadily.

From Chalets beach to the race area — two ways:

1.) Launch at Chalets and sail under the canal breakwater. That's what most people do.

2.) Swim your gear across the canal — best in two stages: board first (nose into the wind, pile some sand over the nose so the wind can't get under it), then the rig. Take care getting in and out over the rocks, or something breaks quickly.

Way 2 is worth it mainly outside the race (when there's no safety setup in place): you can then launch right off the beach at Plage de la Vieille Nouvelle and stay close to shore — and the closer to shore you launch, the closer you can stay while sailing, which feels much safer in offshore wind. If you launch from Plage des Chalets instead and sail through the wind shadow of the breakwater, you may end up far from shore depending on the wind direction.

Way 2 can also help if you want to train between the Defi Wing Foil races: you stay out of the Wing foilers way, and the moment their racers are through, you can get onto the water right away.

During the Defi Wind, a temporary bridge even goes up across the canal shortly before the start — you can carry your gear across it.

Defi Wind Tip #03: Wind reading

The Defi Wind is a strong-wind long-distance race and only runs in at least 20 knots. That minimum is needed so that with 1,000+ windsurfers, everyone still gets enough wind. Races in over 40 knots happen now and then.

There are two wind stations:

• Gruissan Plage ("SURFONE"): closer to the wind in the start area.
• La Vieille Nouvelle: at gybe mark no. 1.

In a Tramontane the wind at the gybe mark no. 1 is usually stronger than at the start — sometimes up to 10 knots more. So for your sail choice, go by that reading if you don't want to be overpowered. But don't go too small, or you won't get off the line at the start.

Both stations are shown on https://www.winds-up.com/ — a browser app worth registering for. It gives wind speed every 2 minutes, both average and peak, and keeps the history. It also shows wind direction, which tells you on which legs you'll have to point higher. After a session or race, check the wind history and reckon how well your sail size matched it — that's how you build experience.

There's also swarm intelligence in the sail choice: watch what your mates rig, and above all what the pros rig. If the pros go for a 5.x, go really small yourself.

Rule of thumb: as long as there are clouds in the sky, the Tramontane stays weaker. Once they clear, it really picks up.

Defi Wind Tip #04: Off-water training

You know the feeling: after a full-on strong-wind day you're wrecked, even if you train at home or in the gym. Nothing beats windsurfing itself as a workout. But strength and endurance training helps you last longer — and with a Defi entry ahead, that's motivation enough.

A few pointers, mostly for strength work:

• Intensity: Muscles only grow if the sets are genuinely hard.
• Consistency: What counts is training regularly over weeks and months.
• Recovery: Muscles grow after training — give them enough sleep.
• New stimulus: Keep adding weight or switching things up, or you stall.
• Full-body & cardio: Train the whole body — legs included — and mix in cardio and a bit of HIIT.
• Respect your body: With any injury history, switch to pain-free variants (no squats? → wall-sits, step-ups).
• Track it: Log your sessions — looking back is a real motivator.
• Build the habit: Start small and grow it gradually, rather than going all-in from day one.

Defi Wind Tip #05: Medical certificate

To take part in the Defi Wind you need a medical certificate that's no more than a year old at the time of the event — and you have to upload it when you register. Registration usually opens in January, so sort it out in good time.

Heads-up: if you upload last year's certificate when registering, you'll be registered, but you'll later get the message "Votre dossier est incomplet – Certificat Médical". No big deal, though — you can simply hand it in later.

The certificate should be in French or English and clearly recognisable as a medical document — on the practice's letterhead, with signature and stamp. A simple letter from your GP (general practitioner) will do. It could read something like this:

Medical certificate for windsurf sport in competition

To whom it may concern

Dear Madam, dear Sir

Mr. [first name, surname], born [date], [address], has been a patient in our medical practice for years. I examined him today systematically. He is in very good physical condition and able to practise windsurf sport in competition.

Sincerely

What your GP does for such a certificate is up to them — they may know you well enough already, or use the chance for a stress ECG.

Defi Wind Tip #06: Traffic on the water

With 1,000+ windsurfers out there, one thing matters above all: consideration for others, and no false ambition. Always keep an eye on what's going on around you.

Taking the formal rules as known, just briefly:

• Starboard tack (right hand forward) has right of way over port tack.
• Leeward over windward.
• The overtaking rider keeps clear.
• Hold your course: if you have right of way, keep your course steady.

And what has helped me most in practice:

• Look far ahead. The sooner you spot a situation, the more calmly you'll solve it.
• From a long way off you can already tell whether an oncoming rider is moving left or right against the horizon. If they go left, you pass to their right — and the other way round. But if they seem to stay put and just get bigger, you're on a collision course. Act early then, and make your intention clear.
• Be ready to briefly head much more downwind. Sometimes that's the necessary move — to dodge an oncoming group, for example. In real strong wind it's a bit daunting and not easy, but if you have the technique, it helps enormously.
• On the first of the two laps the field is still packed close together. Towards gybe mark 1 — which sits relatively close to the beach — the "lane" gets narrow. There's barely room to overtake without cutting it too fine — unless you're leading the race, of course. So the thing to do is accept the queue and stay in it.

To take the fear out of the thought of all those windsurfers on the water: with these rules, I've never once got into a hairy situation at the Defi.

Defi Wind Tip #07: Upwind challenge

The Defi course is a figure-8. Because the Tramontane can vary slightly in direction, you sometimes have to point higher to reach a gybe mark — and that can get challenging. Above all on two legs:

• First leg: if you start low to leeward, you then have to work your way up to mark 1. Even pros have come unstuck here in certain wind conditions and had to throw in two tacks.
• Second leg: after rounding mark 1 for the first time, you line up mark 2, which also sits close to the beach. There's heavy traffic around mark 1 and a wind shadow with it, which makes the upwind leg harder. And it's deceptive: you get away well, full power, plenty of speed — but killing your height as you go, and then comes the middle of the course, where the wind is patchy and full of holes.

The third and fourth legs are less of a problem — especially the fourth, which runs to the finish line, sitting much lower, so height is no issue there.

How to master the upwind challenge:

• Keep pushing upwind (when you're further out): every gust and every bit of chop nudges you off the wind, so you have to probe constantly how much height you can hold without losing speed. When in doubt, height before speed.
• Pick a target to windward and fix it with your eyes.
• In patchy, holey wind, decide: either stay planing, at the price of heading slightly downwind — or give up planing so as not to lose even more height.
• Fin choice: if you have several fins that fit, go for the slightly longer one (e.g. a 31 rather than a 29 on a 90L slalom board) — more reserve for pointing upwind.
• Harness lines: use adjustable lines in the first place — and shorten them for the upwind fight (longer lines give you control when you're overpowered and can't sheet in fully).
• Body position: in the upwind, shift your weight forward and out, with body tension (pressing through the harness onto the mast foot).
• Safety: if you're a long way out and getting further and further from land — tack and head back to the beach.