THE FOUNDATIONS
This stunning Scottish Island was first nailed on the map as a windsurfing jewel by the inimitable Andy Groom and his friend Joe Kelly in the mid-eighties. For some obscure reason they decided to adopt the concept of a competition on an isolated Island; a project surely destined for failure. But never doubt the determination and ambition of a certain Mr Groom, who set his goals high and never faltered in the quest to achieve his dreams. Some might say that Andy had illusions of grandeur, by spending the funding on TV crews, helicopters, photography and special guests, but his thrifty investments built a platform that made Tiree an extremely Professional event and one that everybody wanted to partake in. His aspirations culminated with the visit of the PWA World Tour back in 2007 that Crowned Kauli Seadi as World Champion after a tense and dramatic week.If memory serves me correct, casks of a unique blend of maturing whisky, awarded as prizes to Kauli, Josh Angulo and Victor Fernandez must, by now, soon be ready for collection! There was a brief period of hibernation between 1998 and 2001 when Tiree failed to materialize but the event came back with a vengeance in 2002 and seems to gather momentum every year.