Bonaire has announced that it will host the Professional Windsurfing Association’s (PWA) inaugural event for 2005. Building on the successes of the last two years in which Bonaire hosted the King of the Caribbean Freestyle Pro-AM, the PWA in conjunction with the Bonaire Sailing Foundation (BSaF) have determined that the next King of the Caribbean (KOTCaribbean) event will take place May 15-22, 2005.Ê More than forty top windsurfers from around the world are expected to compete in the week-long event at Bonaire’s Lac Bay, for a US$65,000 purse ($55,000 for men, $10,000 for women).

Local favourites from the Bonaire windsurfing team that are expected to compete include Everon (Tonky) Frans, who took first place at the 2002 KOTCaribbean and is the #5 ranked pro in the world (2003), Tonky’s brother Elton (Taty) Frans ranked #4 (2003), and up and coming Kiri Thode, who is ranked #34.

On the women’s side FemkeÊvan der Valk, who is originally from Holland but now resides and trains in Bonaire, is expected to compete.

As one of the first events of the 2005 PWA calendar year, the 2005 KOTCaribbean will undoubtedly attract a strong entry list with entrants looking to make an early mark on the Freestyle rankings.

It will also be the first opportunity for the world to see what’s hot and what’s not after a winter of training and development. In addition May 20 -  22, 2005 during the KOTCaribbean, Bonaire will host the Kids World Freestyle Championships. The best youth sailors from the region and around the world are expected to compete and show off their new moves.

An undiscovered windsurfing paradise, offering incredible sailing conditions on crystal clear turquoise waters, in 2002, the KOTCaribbean became the first PWA windsurfing event to be held in Bonaire, catapulting this beautiful location to the forefront of the windsurfing community.

The 2003 event once again made for an unforgettable finale to the Freestyle tour with superb conditions.

The King of the Caribbean is organised by the Bonaire Sailing Foundation (BSaF) in conjunction with the PWA. BSaF is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation that for the past decade has organised Bonaire’s Cultimara Cup for windsurfing and the Bonaire International Sailing Regatta. The PWA is an organisation of approximately 300 windsurfers who compete at a number of events around the world and are followed closely by more than 11 million amateurs.For more information on this event visit www.bonaireworldfreestyle.com.

The past two years the event took place in December.ÊÊ
——-