From May 3 to 12, 2024, Gruissan will host the Wind Challenge, the world's largest international windsurfing competition, now a flagship event for windsurf, kiteboard and wingfoil enthusiasts and professionals alike. This one-of-a-kind competition, often compared to the "Woodstock of boardsports", promises to attract participants of all ages, from novices to world champions, in a festive atmosphere blending sport, culture and leisure.
Just before the Olympics
The 22nd edition of the Défi Wind de Gruissan will take place in a very special context this summer, just before the Olympic Games, offering competitors a foretaste of the Olympic atmosphere. With events scheduled for the DÉFI KITE, DÉFI WING and DÉFI WIND disciplines, the event will be spread over almost ten days of intense competition and festivities.
2000 people on the water
This year, 2024, some 2,000 participants are expected to compete in the various races, while over 30,000 spectators are expected to experience this major sporting event. The Défi Wind will be held on the Plage des Chalets in Gruissan, a site renowned for its ideal conditions for windsurfing, thanks in particular to the regular blowing of the Tramontane, a local wind that can reach speeds of over 35 knots.
Among the renowned competitors, Antoine Albeau, the emblematic figure of world windsurfing, and Nicolas Goyard, winner of the previous edition and recently selected for the Olympic Games, will mark their presence at the competition. They will be joined by hundreds of amateurs eager to measure themselves against these icons of the sport.
The Defi Kite from May 3 to 5 will be the show. Then the Defi Kite from May 6 to 8, with this year's 10 km to 20 km race on Plage de la Vieille Nouvelle. Last but not least, Defi Wind from May 9 to 12, with a 40-km race between Gruissan and Port La Nouvelle and back. A real marathon!
The Wind Challenge has thus established itself as a major event in the surfing calendar, not only for its sporting performance, but also for its unique atmosphere, reinforcing its status as the world's biggest surfing competition. "This year I'm relaunching my 100% girls' coaching, with some new faces. With my new equipment supplier, Patrik Windsurf, I can't wait to line up for the race - it's going to be great!" explains Marion Mortefon.
"The challenge is going to have a special flavor this year, as it's the first international event of the season, with all the "crème de la crème", but also hundreds of amateur participants! It's a really unique mix: you're up against the world's best, but you're also sharing moments with windsurfers from all over the world", says Pierre Mortefon.
