Sport Today

The windsurfing world lost a great person this weekend when Armin
Korst died while windsurfing on Saturday. Armin was sailing on the
Sakonnet River off of Sandy Point Beach in his Portsmouth RI
neighborhood. Armin had left his house around 2:00 and his body was
found at 5:00 on the Tiverton side of the river.

I was sailing at Newport's First Beach Saturday and the conditions
were 5.5. The area where Armin was sailing is about 7 miles upriver
from the ocean, so he was in similar wind conditions. Knowing Armin
and his sailing abilities, I don't feel the conditions were a
contributing factor to his death.

Police do not feel foul play was involved in his death.

I know there are many people out there who have met Armin and who will
miss him. Also, there are many people that windsurf who have
benefitted from Armin's work in the windsurf industry. Armin was the
US importer for ICC/Aquata. He also imported the Zeiner brand of
harness.

Armin is survived by his wife and 2 children.
--
Drew Jenkins            "Attitude is Everything"

Actually, the wind had picked up to the point that I was able to get out
on the river from the Tiverton side on my 8'3" board w/a 4.7M sail between
2p and 5p (I'm 6' 175lbs). I didn't see anyone out there except the guys I had
launched with.

Ironically, I had been mentioning earlier how I was not going to go out there
without my helmet, because even if you get knocked out and someone sees, it's
going to be a while before they can get to you, resuscitate you, and get you in.
(I did end up out there alone without my helmet jumping for a while). While
I am now an even more ardent believer in never sailing alone, after hearing
this tragic news, I also have to wonder if anyone could have done anything to
help if they had seen him go down.

Was it a heart attack, did they say? Or strictly accident?
I heard he was 53(?).

Whatever it was, it is a horrible tragedy and loss.
It sounds like he was a great guy with a lot of past contributions to the
expansion of the sport. He'll surely be missed.