The International Windsurfer Ibiza Meeting kicks off with over 50 registered windsurfers

The IWIM is being held for the fourth consecutive year at s’Arenal beach, organized by Club Nàutic Sant Antoni and featuring specialists from six countries.

More than 50 windsurfers are competing this weekend at s’Arenal beach for the 4th edition of the International Windsurfer Ibiza Meeting (IWIM), which in 2025 introduces two different competitions. Tomorrow, Friday April 2, a Long Distance race will take place, while on Saturday April 3 and Sunday April 4, the usual circuit races will be held in the bay. Participants from six countries (South Africa, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and Spain) can register for both challenges or choose to compete only in the Saturday and Sunday races.

The event, organized by Club Nàutic Sant Antoni, the International Windsurfer Class Association, and the Balearic Sailing Federation, kicked off today, April 1, with registration formalities, gear preparation, athlete weigh-ins, and the organization of competition groups. Eduardo Thermes, Windsurfer class manager for Europe, and Cristina Roca, national Windsurfer secretary, have also arrived to support the event’s organization, coordinated by CNSA sports director Enrique Mas.

The Long Distance race will be held tomorrow, April 2, starting at 4:00 p.m., while the circuit races will take place on Saturday at midday and in the afternoon, and on Sunday in the morning. Once again, s’Arenal beach will be filled with the colorful sails that define this class. Athletes are staying at the Ses Savines Apartment Hotel, which also serves as the event headquarters—where the social side is just as important as the sporting one. Many participants are accompanied by their families, and over the coming days will enjoy live music, a sunset dinner at Café del Mar, and a large paella feast before the Sunday awards ceremony at Ses Savines.

Among the top contenders for the title are French champion Eric Belot, a four-time Olympian, and Andalusian sailors Nacho Pérez and Tristán Melgarejo. Among the women, standout competitors include CNSA sailor Oren del Álamo, who has claimed major victories in this event, along with Pilar Prieto from Castilla-La Mancha and Italian competitor Manuela Archidiacono.

The "Windsurfer" board originated in France in 1973 and became popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with numerous world championships being held. Over time, it became obsolete, replaced by newer, faster, and lighter board types. In recent years, however, the class has been revived by an international group of enthusiasts who now organize competitions around the world. Many of the participants are around 50 years old and use the regattas as an opportunity for tourism, enjoying local cuisine, and connecting with other athletes.

The International Windsurfer Ibiza Meeting is sponsored by the Consell Insular d’Eivissa, the Sant Antoni de Portmany Town Hall, Balearia, and Café del Mar.