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kristin
Taking place the first week of July every year, the Highland Spring HIHO is the only windsurfing event of its kind. It brings together a few professional but mostly recreational windsurfers from all over the world for 7 days of racing through the British Virgin Islands. This year was no different. Andy Morrell, who won the event in 1986, now runs it. “This has been a great week. I think it's the dream of every windsurfer,” he says. “It's 150 miles of fabulous windsurfing through the islands. We had great conditions this year, we were very lucky.” Lucky indeed, with almost perfect winds at 15-20 knots, there were successful races happening every day.
Though the windsurfing is what draws people to the British Virgin Islands for the event each year, it's not the only thing on the agenda. Racers and their friends and family, as well as people who come just for the experience, live on a fleet of captained Moorings catamarans for the week as they travel through the islands. Having the yachts gives the attendees a chance to experience almost a dozen different islands as they traverse the BVI's. Included are lunch on secluded beaches after the morning's race and parties at local hot spots at night. Some of the favorite locations this year were lunch at Trunk Valley Bay with an afternoon trip to the Baths, and the highlight of every year, the pirate-themed party at The Last Resort off Trellis Bay. Ed Sparrow from title sponsor Highland Spring attends every year. “Events like this just don't happen” he says. “A tremendous amount of planning goes in to make sure everything runs like clockwork. And it does. Andy and his team have put on a fantastic week.”
Highland Spring HIHO is definitely an international event. The top 10 finishers of the race this year represented 10 different countries, from Brazil to France to Thailand. David Burch and his wife Pauline hail from the UK and one of his favorite things about the event is the variety of skill of the windsurfers, from the skilled to the average, and being able to talk to people like Brazilian pro windsurfer Wilhelm Schurmann. Schurmann won the top spot this year, finishing all the races in first place. He was pressured by top regional racers including Jean-Marc Peyronnet of St Martin and BVI racer Sam Talbot, but he was in a different league: faster and stronger than his fellow racers. “What a great week,” he said afterwards. “I remember coming to the BVI's about 15-years ago. It's great to be back.”
During the award ceremony on the last night, Sparrow was already thinking ahead to 2009. “Next year is the silver anniversary. 25 years of HIHO. Highland Spring will be here, I know Andy will, all the guys that you know enjoy windsurfing, try and get them here next year, it will be a great party.”
Highland Spring HIHO Final Results:
| # | LAST | FIRST | COUNTRY | TOTAL |
| 1 | Schurman | Wilhelm | BRA | 4.5 |
| 2 | Peyronnet | Jean-Marc | SXM | 12 |
| 3 | Talbot | Sam | BVI | 22 |
| 4 | Rhodes | Rupert | UK | 22 |
| 5 | Montauzou | Alain | FRA | 30 |
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