The third stop of the 2017 Hydrofoil Pro Tour will take place at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, California on August 2–6. Anyone who has raced in this epic location will tell you—they can’t wait to get back. F-One & Manera in North America are proud sponsors of this year’s edition and we can’t wait for the battle to start! Check out this “drone video” from last year edition to give you an idea of the speed. It’s insane.
Racing will occur just off Crissy Field between St. Francis Yacht Club and the Golden Gate Bridge. For four days, kiters will foil at high speeds around the Bay, hovering three feet above the water as they slice silently through it. In addition to the notoriously voracious breeze, these athletes will battle challenging currents and tides. Three race days will feature course racing and one will be a long-distance “Bay Tour” that will test competitors’ strategy as well as stamina.
After racing each night, competitors will gather back on the beach on in the St. Francis to enjoy Golden Road beer and catered meals.
San Francisco Bay has earned its spot at the heart of kite racing. In 2009, St. Francis Yacht Club hosted the first Kiting Worlds and in 2015, the Hydrofoil Pro Tour made its debut with a stop in San Francisco. 2017 will mark the third consecutive year that the Tour will race on the Bay, following stops in La Ventana, Mexico, and Montpellier, France.
