MVRHS senior Rasmus Sayre crowned windsurfing champ

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Magi Foster

After five days of intense racing in Florida last week, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School senior Rasmus Sayre was crowned new World Champion in ISAF-class Kona One. Rasmus secured the title after impressive sailing, winning six out of twelve races, according to a press release. Danish windsurfing legend Tim Aagesen won the silver medal ahead of Nevin Sayre of Vineyard Haven, Rasmus’s father and multiple time raceboard champion, who finished third.

The championship took place on Islamorada in the Florida Keys which has hosted numerous international sailing events over the years. A total of 106 sailors from 13 nations and four continents competed during the five race days. Almost the entire championship was granted good winds ranging from 12 to 30 knots. Rasmus mastered those conditions.

“I am very happy,” Rasmus said. “It’s my first World Championship title and I value it highly. It’s been a challenging championship with a very high level of the competition. I managed to keep my racing on a steady level throughout the five days.”

Windsurfing is in his genes. Nevin is an American windsurfing icon and his mother, Stina, is a former Swedish international windsurfer. His sister, Solvig, sails in the American RS:X-team just as Rasmus does. Solvig also competed in the Kona Worlds where she finished 11th.

Nevin Sayre has won several world champion titles in race board and served as the first president of the Professional Wind Surfers Association.

“Today, I am a proud father,” he said. “I am also grateful for the opportunity to compete in the same international championship as both my children. That is was makes Kona quite unique.”

Kona One is one of the fastest growing windsurfing classes in the world and part of International Sailing Federation. It is a one design class where all sailors use identical boards and men and women compete together. The same sail is used in all conditions and size, according to weight, to make competition as fair as possible.