Storm rider Haifa - coverage and films collected over the years • Surfing competition in the winter storm

1. Yaron Hanan asked why there was no national media coverage?

   So it is that last night, on the Great Land program, Haifa "went on the national wave" or rather our mayor went on the wave
   And he played his character (see link below). Oh our shame in Haifa, how our mayor is portrayed in the national media.
   Unfortunately for us and to our shame, this is probably the image of Haifa and we can only say that the municipality of Haifa honestly earned this image.
   And if this is the image and in fact it is no longer the image but the real truth, then it is probably also a throwaway
   About the amazing event of the Storm Rider competition that we had on Saturday and that did not receive proper coverage in the national media.
   The Municipality of Haifa channeled huge budgets to the Department of Public Relations and Spokespersons and we are witnessing many seemingly flattering articles that appear
   in the national media about the municipality, but the very fact that it did not see fit to publicize such an event and take care of media coverage, then this is a statement.
   It is not at all understandable how much audacity the municipality has to add a comment on this issue. Suddenly the Haifa municipality claims to understand surfing
   and explain how the competition is conducted.
   The municipality has no right to do any kind of trampling in order to receive credit regarding the sport of surfing. Before you invest budgets for construction
   The surfing club... And don't send the surfers to find donors....
   This is the same municipality that was determined to destroy the beach. This is the same municipality that does not see fit to finance the construction of the surfers' club.
   This is the same municipality that does not understand that the development of popular water sports is of great educational value for the youth who will find their thrills in the waves of the sea
   And alongside prominent educational figures from the population of older surfers, instead of finding his thrills in a glass of wine.
   This is the same municipality that saw fit to invest in beauty queen contests and beer festivals that led Haifa to star in disgraceful statistics
   Instead of investing in more important things such as the development of water sports and thus actually bringing the Haifa people closer to the sea, and connecting passwords
   Haifa to the sea or connecting the sea to Haifa will thereby gain practical validity. The municipality of Haifa is years behind in the concept of water sports development
   And while Haifa is dozing off as usual, the Kiryat Yam municipality was already ahead of us when they chose to invest in building a club for the development of water sports for youth.

   In the near future they will start building the Allenby interchange and the surfing club should be built under it. The construction of the interchange should last about a year and a half.
   Let's hope that in the competition in two years we can, if not inaugurate the surfers' club, then at least lay the cornerstone.
   We all wish that in the next competition we will have a new mayor with a completely different approach to surfing and water sports in Haifa,
   And he will do his best to come to the competition (as a spectator only...), not because it will contribute to his image, but because he will truly cherish the surfers and recognize
   In the contribution of water sports to the residents of Haifa in general and to the youth in particular.
   Many thanks to the organizers of the competition and to the participants and photographers whose photographs convey the experience of the competition in a small way to those who did not come out on the other side.
   Itay Munitz, it seems to me that you will put Haifa on the right track when your photographs win competitions.

2. Storm-Raider 2012: "It wasn't sport, it was survival"
   About 50 extreme surfers, of which 10 are teenagers, competed on Friday in the midst of the biggest storm this year, in waves that are about 6 meters high and in a wind of 50 km/h, in jumping and riding the waves in the "Storm-Rider" 2012 competition on behalf of Molly The late Grover, which took place for the tenth time in a row.
   The competition is held under knockout conditions, with 4 surfers in each division. Each surfer tries to impress the judges with the performance of jumping on the waves and riding them. According to Arnon Dagan, one of the organizers of the competition, who is also the world champion in extreme surfing: "The surfer flies at a speed of about 50 km/h and he encounters a wave that also flies at a similar speed, the encounter creates a "ramp" that allows for a series of exercises such as jumping and riding the wave. Access to the beach is also by riding/flying on the waves.
   As mentioned, the competition uses the no-out method, the winners of each round continue to the next round and so on until the final round where the two best compete. 4 experienced judges, with proven surfing experience equipped with binoculars, are the ones who determine the winners with a separate score.
   Storm Rider 2012 took place this year on the stormiest day this winter, defined by Uri Dagan, one of the organizers, as "particularly extreme weather conditions, in sea conditions, at a very high level of risk. The strongest storm in which the competition took place in the last 10 years". In addition to this, during the competition, a torrential rain also fell, which did not even disturb the hundreds of spectators who gathered on the rocks of the beach and the structure of the Yatava restaurant and cheered on the performance of the surfers.
   Arnon Dagan said during the competition that the difficult conditions are a celebration for surfers. "I've been waiting for a day like this for 10 years since we announced the competition." Another surfer, one of the most experienced in Israel, who came out of the stormy sea said: "It's not a sport - it's survival."
   The ceremony to announce the winners of the competition will be this Tuesday at 21.00 at the Haifa Cinematheque in an event where the films shot during the competition will also be screened.

3. Amazing pictures.
   the question is: How is it that no national media covered this competition?. That evening they showed windsurfers from Tel Aviv from Ashdod on TV, Just not from Haifa!

   All the best to the organizers, but mark yourself a big "N" in the media matter...

4. Thousands of visitors, dozens of surfers, wind speed approaching 50 knots, a winter experience
   Bustling, excellent planning and execution, what more do you need?
   Only that the level and quality will continue to increase year by year and we will have more events on this wonderful beach
   That we all mobilized and will mobilize to keep and protect him!

   Best regards,
   Yaron Hanan

5. It was wonderful! Although I arrived late and stayed less than an hour - but it was worth it!
   I would appreciate it if everyone would share pictures and clips.

   Shabbat Shalom!
   my son

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