Sport Today

The extreme games are coming to RI and windsurfing is one of the
events, along with street luge,sky surfing,barefoot ski jumping,
and bungee jumping, just to name a few.The games will be broadcast
by ESPN. Windsurfing will be out of second beach in Middletown on
Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday afternoons,thermal permitted.Come
to RI or watch it on tv.This is the first time this games are being
held, and if nobody watches them, it'll be the last.

Pablo--

I think it's great that they're having the games, but if the promos on
ESPN are any indication of what the coverage is going to be like, count
me out.  The "kewl" video effects IMHO suck big time.  I want to watch
windsurfing, not some crappy vid FX that someone thinks generation X will
like so they have them take up a 1/3 of the screen.  Plus did you notice
that some of the events they showed in the previews were from 1993?  Also,
 from what I can tell from the TV schedule, it looks like windsurfing
will get maybe 15 minutes of coverage per telecast if we're lucky.

        They may be extremely lucky, because it'e suppose to blow
Tuesday ( 20-25 NE ).
        This has been as bad a spring/early summer as I can remember.
( Oh last Sun/Mon was good at Kalmus after 5pm ( 4.0) But there have
not been many days to speak of.
        One comment on the access/money/parking. It costs 8$ a day
to park at Kalmus and most beaches on Cape Cod. At Chappy ( the best
place on Buzzards Bay) you can't sail unless your a resident. ( summer only)
        Anyone sailed the Bic Vivace "263" or Saxo "265" ?

Do you/anyone have a schedule for when windsurfing will be broadcast ?
According to the limited TV section of the Philadelphia Enquirer,
windsurfing will be covered on Tuesday and Thursday. Is Wednesday to
be televised too ?  What times and channels will be covering it (ESPN
or ESPN2).  I've been trying to get into the ESPN website for more
info but it's always so overloaded !

Thanks,
Gary

It looks like ESPN and espn2 are both carrying a combination of live
events/news and events recorded and edited that day.  You really have
to look at ESPN/espn2 to get the broadcast schedule times. Last night
the live news segment after the BMX dirt jumping said nothing about
windsurfing today.  Probably a good thing. I dont see much wind. Too
bad it wasnt held yesterday AM (20-30 ESE on the Cape in the AM). I
plan to tape the Thursday and Friday segments since I will be out,
just to catch everything.

I must say, so far I have completely enjoyed the coverage.  I have
discovered I really enjoy watching the "extreme" sports that are new
to me....and I am not a TV sports junkie.  I got a big kick out of the
street luge and downhill inline stuff.  I hadnt seen either before.

Walter

It looks like ESPN and espn2 are both carrying a combination of live
events/news and events recorded and edited that day.  You really have
to look at ESPN/espn2 to get the broadcast schedule times. Last night
the live news segment after the BMX dirt jumping said nothing about
windsurfing today.  Probably a good thing. I dont see much wind. Too
bad it wasnt held yesterday AM (20-30 ESE on the Cape in the AM). I
plan to tape the Thursday and Friday segments since I will be out,
just to catch everything.

I must say, so far I have completely enjoyed the coverage.  I have
discovered I really enjoy watching the "extreme" sports that are new
to me....and I am not a TV sports junkie.  I got a big kick out of the
street luge and downhill inline stuff.  I hadnt seen either before.

Walter

|> It looks like ESPN and espn2 are both carrying a combination of live
|> events/news and events recorded and edited that day.  You really have
|> to look at ESPN/espn2 to get the broadcast schedule times. Last night
|> the live news segment after the BMX dirt jumping said nothing about
|> windsurfing today.  Probably a good thing. I dont see much wind. Too
|> bad it wasnt held yesterday AM (20-30 ESE on the Cape in the AM). I
|> plan to tape the Thursday and Friday segments since I will be out,
|> just to catch everything.
|>
The first round of races was yesterday, but it wasn't televised.  I think
the TV coverage is supposed to be today sometime (Wed), at least that is what
was said on TV.  I don't know if I believe the ESPN web site, since they
said that windsurfing was going to be televised last night (Tuesday).

Anyway, here is an update of what I read on the ESPN web site...

The conditions were ideal at Second Beach in Middletown as the men's and
women's windsurfing got underway Tuesday in the inaugural ESPN Extreme
Games.  Six*** male and eight female competitors from around the world
took the rough, choppy Atlantic Ocean head-on in the obstacle course
portion of the windsurfing competition.  The obstacle course set two
surfers against each other in a single elimination format.  Competitors
must round six buoys scattered in the water as well as jump two obstacles.
The first surfer to cross the finish line moves on to the next heat.  Form
held as the world's No.1 Bjorn Dunkerbeck defeated Micah Buzianis of Paia,
Hawaii, in the men's final.  Dunkerbeck took advantage of Buzianis's
misfortune on the second obstacle as Buzianis and his board went down in
the cold water.  Dunkerbeck moved ahead by almost 100 yards and cruised to
an easy victory.  Dunkerbeck, a native of Denmark, has won many world class
competitions th is season but felt the Extreme Games event was a watershed
event for his sport.  "This is a great competition with the best surfers in
the world," Dunkerbeck said.  "The conditions were perfect for me.  The
wind was just strong enough for me to do well."  Dunkerbeck, who resides in
Spain, has won seven consecutive world titles (1988-199 4).  The
25-year-old, who is fluent in five languages, is the biggest windsurfer in
the competition.  At 6'4, 210 lbs., Dunkerbeck feels that he has a distinct
advantage on the other surfers because of his larger stature.

"When I get my board moving, it's tough for me to stop," Dunkerbeck said.
"My extra weight allows me to go faster."  Many of the spectators were
looking for an all-brother final, as both Matt and Kevin Pritchard were
among the field of 16.  Matt was bounced in the first round while brother
Kevin defeated Alf Imperato and Phil McGain before losing to Buzianis in
the semis.  "We were both surfing well," Kevin said, referring to he and
his brother.  "Unfortunately Matt had a tough ride in the first heat.  It
would have been cool to surf against him in the final.  It doesn't matter
now though because I didn't make it either."  The women were not as
fortunate with the wind conditions.  By the time that the six women got on
the course, inconsistent winds had forced a postponement until Wednesday.
The first four heats were completed before officials called it a day.
Angela Cochran from Paia, Hawaii got through the first round and will face
MarielDevesa in Wednesday's semis.  In the lower half of the bracket, Jayne
Fenner-Benedict will square off with Jutta Mueller.