Who can go downwind the fastest? A windsurfer on a formula board, an Aussie 18 sailboat, or a kiter? This year it was a kiter, Cabrinha’s Jeff Kafka, from Pacifica, Calif. He dominated the field of 40 boats in the 9th annual Ronstan event. Kafka used his 14m Cabrinha Contra and his custom “prisoner of wind†quad fin kite/surf board. To capture the 2006 title. The race start is at the scenic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco with the finish at the Bay Bridge; a distance of 5+ miles as the crow flies. Although the winds were a bit light, 15-18, Kafka won by one of the largest margins in race history. The race record of 16:23 is held by world champion windsurfer, Micah Buzianis.
