January, 2010

Weta Class

New for Highland Spring HIHO 2010 is the addition of WETA trimiran racing. WETA’s are 13ft long and 10.5ft wide. Easy to sail with up to 19 sq meters of sail area they are ideal for a week of inter-island racing through the BVI. The WETA fleet will cover between 5-40-miles (9-72km) every day and cover 200+ miles (380km) of racing during the event. WETA racers enter a boat and can race with up to 5-people during the event. Charter fee is $400 per boat. The WETA fleet will join the rest of the Highland Spring HIHO fleet for lunches on the beach. WETA racers and their friends & family will be accommodated aboard our fleet of Moorings yachts as the event winds its way through the British Virgin Islands.

For all particpants of the 2010 Highland Sping HIHO - WETA Class please use the WETA Class Registration forms specific to your event.

December, 2009

2008 Winner Returns to Compete For 2010

Wilhelm Schurmann of Brazil who won the Highland Spring HIHO 2008 will return for the 2010 event. Sponsored by Neil Pryde & Starboard, Wilhelm’s resume includes many windsurfing World and National titles and a lust for adventure. He and his family undertook a circumnavigation by yacht when he was 8 years old. Highland Spring HIHO is one of his favorite competitions. “Where else can you sail all day through the most beautiful islands in the World, then enjoy a great party at night,” asks the Brazilian pro.

October 20, 2009

Annie Nelson Photos

We’ve uploaded some great photos by Annie Nelson that really capture the essence of the event. Go here to the gallery section of the site to enjoy them. Annie was a windsurfing medalist in the 1984 games, then competed in the 1986 Johnnie Walker Hook-In-Hold-On event. She returned this year as a captain and snapped a few great photos in her spare time.

  »  View HIHO Photo Gallery

Junior World Champion Sebastian Kornum of Denmark and Antiguan Eli Fuller won their respective division in this years Highland Spring HIHO 2009 event. Kornum won the Open Class with first place finishes in the final four races. Fuller was even more dominant with wins in all but one of the Techno fleet races.

The fifty racers from 14-different countries in the two classes raced for 5-days through the British Virgin Islands. Conditions started light but built throughout the week with the final two days seeing great Summer Tradewinds sending the racers around the islands. Racing included the exciting Anegada race (won by Ricardy Maricel) and the longer Trellis Bay-Peter island downwind monster. Organizers threw in an around Little Thatch race, and the usual race around Sandy Cay finished off the week of competition.

“It was a great week,” reports organizer Andy Morrell. “Fabulous racing with our usual great serving of adventure & parties.”

  »  Race Results & Event Summary

In a deal worked out with sponsor Neil Pryde, we are offering racers the option to buy their sails and rig components following the event. Great value is on offer with sails priced as low as $295.

At these prices you can easily pay the airlines unsavory excess baggage charges, or even ship the gear back by FedEx!
Here is a link to the pricing.

The annual Highland Spring HIHO event is windsurfing's greatest week of racing & adventure. It's an intoxicating combination of great windsurfing, sailing and island exploration. The essence of the event is a week-long windsurfing & sailing odyssey through the British Virgin Islands aboard captained catamarans provided by The Moorings, the World's largest charter company.

2009 is the events 25th anniversary. Started in 1979, Highland Spring HIHO has been held every year (except 1987-1992) and ranks as the World's best-known windsurfing competition. Join racers from around the world.

Top US paddler Ernie Johnson from California will make race in the SUP class in this years Highland Spring HIHO event. Johnson, a multi-race winner in the fledgling SUP circuit is juiced to be racing in what is shaping up to be the best long-distance event in the sport. “I’m very excited to race for 6-days through the British Virgin Islands,” he said. “Living on a yacht and touring through the islands will be great.” Johnson was last in the Caribbean in November when he won Puerto Rico’s first pro paddle event.

Highland Spring HIHO 2010 is adding a stand-up paddle category. Look forward to 6-days of great inter-island paddle racing. We’re making it easy by having new Starboard 12’6” Cruiser boards on-hand to rent for $250. All you need to bring is a paddle (but we can provide this too). The racing will be hot with long inter-island courses, plus island circumnavigations. Paddlers will race for 1-2 hours p/day, but longer on one or two days. The SUP fleet will live aboard our yachts with the rest of the HIHOers.

Get ready for next years event. Dates are June 27 to July 4. We board the yachts in Sunday, June 27 and set sail for a week or racing & adventure. We’ll have all new info on our website shortly but if you are chomping at the bit you may register at the 2009 prices. Just go here [link to registration page] and register. Include a note that you wish to participate in next year’s event. By the way, for Highland Spring HIHO 2010 we’ll be adding an SUP class so they’ll be even more racing.

The 25th anniversary edition of the annual Highland Spring HIHO event is a sell-out. We have a record 40 registered Techno 2 racers, plus racers confirmed in the Open class. There is room for more racers but we have no equipment left to rent. Top races registered include Eli Fuller from Antigua, Jean-Mark Peyronnet from St Martin and Martinique racer Jean-Francois Peyronnet. “This is going to be a great week of racing,” says race director Simon Woods.

Brazilian pro racer Wilhelm Schurmann aced this years Highland Spring HIHO event.  more...