The U.S.Cellular US Open Windsurfing Regatta draws top professional and amateur sailors from across the nation and around the world.  Competing in several class styles, you’ll witness the return of Ian Baranse who placed second in last year’s Amateur Olympic Division, Jan Hoogland of Camus, WA who took 1st in the Amateur Grand Masters, and the anticipated return of Jimmy Diaz coming back to defend his National Championship title.  The U.S.Cellular US. Open Windsurfing Regatta plays host to the ladies as well.  Expect another highly contested race between last year’s 1st and 2nd place winners, Corpus Christi’s own Jennifer Racette and Karen Marriot of Lakewood, CO.

In addition to all the great racing action, this year’s event is packed with lots of activities for the entire family.  The Boy Scouts Boardsailing Mini-Camp will again take place, a kite sailing exhibition, a kayaking demonstration, lots of giveaways, free skin cancer screening, good food, drinks, and tons of fun for the entire family. 

Set atop the beautiful elevated bluff at Oleander Point in South Cole Park,  Corpus Christi can boast of our ‘World-class Conditions’, excellent winds, warm semi-tropical weather and a challenging race course. 

The site allows spectators and sailors to enjoy optimum viewing of the races as the colorful sails dot the horizon from start to finish.  Its what makes our ‘Sparkling City by the Sea’ one of the premier windsurfing sites for amateurs and professionals alike. 

The U.S.Cellular US Open Windsurfing Regatta takes place from noon until dusk, May 25th - 29th, 2000, is wheelchair accessible and FREE to the public.  Pack up your lawn chairs, blankets, boards, blades and bikes and bring your family out for the Memorial Weekend filled with lots of racing excitement and family fun as U.S.Cellular presents the 13th annual US Open Windsurfing Regatta.  Sponsored in part by Whataburger and Continental Airlines 

Media Sponsors include: KRIS Channel 6,  KDF-Fox,  KBSO, The Texas Eagle Radio Network and Pacific Broadcasting.  The U.S. Cellular US Open Windsurfing Regatta is produced by E. M. Marketing Co.

For More Information, contact:  E.M. Marketing 
        Elaine Motl 
        4838 Holly Road, Suite 206 
        Corpus Christi, Texas, 78411 
        (361) 985-1555 

1989-1992
Dan Byrne

1993-2002
Elaine Motl
 

1994-1995
 South Texas Pontiac 
Performance Team

1999-2001
U.S. Cellular

In the fall of 1992, the Caller-Times announced they would no longer sponsor the event and passed the torch to E.M. Marketing Co., a Corpus Christi based event management company.  E.M. Marketing's president, Elaine Motl, was a founding member of the Corpus Christi Sailboard Association (now called the Corpus Christi Windsurfing Association) and a US Open Committee member since 1989.  E.M. Marketing produced their first US Open right on schedule in 1993.

In 1994 and 1995, E.M. Marketing secured a new title sponsor for the US Open, PONTIAC, through the South Texas Pontiac Performance Team; and the event continued to be a great success with top windsurfers from around the world including Anders Bringdal, Matt Pritchard, Tom Pace, Jimmy Diaz, and Alf Imperato. During this time E.M. Marketing also began to tape the event for airing on the Prime Sports Network reaching over 1.3 million households from 1994 - 1996.

Then in 1996, the US Open, which had traditionally been held during Memorial Day week, was held from July 23-28, 1996 as Corpus Christi became not only the host Site for the 9th Annual US Open, but also the host city for the 4,000 member United States Windsurfing Association's National Championships. While the US Open has always been held in Corpus Christi, the National Championships are held in a different host city each year rotating around the country by region.
The National Championships had been scheduled to be held in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1996. However, because of Hurricane Marilyn that hit St. Thomas on September 16, 1995 causing an estimated $800 million worth of damage, the event could not be held there.  Motl, a former USWA board member, came to the aid of Bill Collins, the producer of the St. Thomas event and the president of the USWA, and offered to the host the Nationals concurrently with the US Open.

Over the years the event has had the support of 100's of racers, sponsors, and volunteers with the shores packed by thousands of spectators. In 1998, the event's 10th Anniversary, the US Open returned to Memorial Week and was again another great regatta thanks to the help of companies like Gulftech Masts & Booms, Continental Airlines, WaterStreet Market, NeilPryde Sails, Diamond Shamrock, Whataburger, Land & Sea Motors, and Wahoos.