Segreto, segreto… fino al 1° maggio avevamo “ordine” di non  parlare della nuova formula di gara che accompagna Red Bull Storm Chase 2012… lo so che non stavate nella pelle per sapere di che cosa si tratta e così ho pensato bene di lasciarvelo in Inglese! Video di presentazione su www.redbullstormchase.com

Are You Ready for the Ride of your Life?
Red Bull Storm Chase is back • 10 windsurfers – 3 storms – 1 champion • Rider registration and spot  submission starting May 1st.
3 fat storms above 10 Beaufort, 10 sailors, and the entire planet as a stage. These are the breathtaking ingredients for the most challenging windsurfing contest of all time. Starting on May 1st you can suggest your favourite spots as competition grounds on www.redbullstormchase.com. You can also register to take part – if you dare. 10 Storm Chasers will be voted by the windsurfing community around the world between July 2nd and July 16th. From August 1st until November 30th the Red Bull Storm Chase is on.
What does it feel like in the eye of a raging storm? The 2006 Red Bull Storm Chase Europe created the concept of windsurfing genuine storm conditions. This time it’s going global. By hunting down 3 massive storms anywhere in the world, the 10 best athletes will battle for the crown of ultimate storm windsurfer. The contest format is simple: 10 riders compete in the first mission. Six of them advance to mission number two. In the final mission the top 4 riders will battle for the ultimate Storm Chaser’s crown. To guarantee raging conditions, Red Bull Storm Chase 2012 will be mobile to the max, with a 4-month holding period and just 48 hours to mobilise riders and global contest crew on-site before the storm strikes. The starting flag goes up when the winds exceed 10 Beaufort (54 knots / 100 kmh / 62 mph). On May 1st  anyone who dares can apply for a starting place at the event website: http://www.redbullstormchase.com.
Heavy weather skills, gear and full commitment to the event are required. When the storm calls there can be no excuses! But we don’t need to tell you that, do we?
World-class windsurfing needs first-rate judging and so in association with the PWA (Professional Windsurfers’ Association), World Tour Head Judge Duncan Coombs will oversee the contest. “The Red Bull Storm Chase opportunity gives us a dream contest. On tour, we usually arrive somewhere in the hope of scoring good conditions. Now we’ll travel to the storm instead of waiting for it to find us. We can expect to pull-off a competition in the most extreme wind and wave conditions, in new-found places. We will do our best to push the boundaries of competition and to explore the world’s most radical conditions.”
By submitting spots and voting the riders, anyone can be a part of the Red Bull Storm Chase without even getting wet. Your choice of mission locations is critical. Until the end of May you can suggest spots for the three missions. In early July a distinguished panel of experts will nominate the top 50 candidates from the submitted riders for the public voting stage. During a 2-week online voting period, you can pick your favourite high wind wave specialists from the pro and amateur windsurfing scenes. The 10 athletes with the most votes will be battling for the ultimate Storm Chaser‘s crown.
The global hunt begins on August 1st and will run for a period of four months until the end of November. At www.redbullstormchase.com you can be involved in all stages of the event and view all daily updates, rules, results, photos and videos. Top PWA Waverider Klaas Voget, a participant in the first Red Bull Storm Chase back in 2006 and Location Explorer for the current event, is already hyped-up for the new format. “The first round in Europe was a real blast. Now storms can be chased all over the world with the chance to fight against the best windsurfers in the world in super-radical conditions. This Red Bull Storm Chase is the absolute challenge. I’d be so stoked to earn selection again. I’d better order some very, very, very small sails soon!”
If you miss the chance to get your hand on a 3.0 sail don’t miss the chance to be part of the event.
Hook yourself into www.redbullstormchase.com and enjoy the ride. One thing is for sure: 2012 will be the year of the Storm Riders.
Red Bull Storm Chase 2012
May 1 - May 30: Spot submission: www.redbullstormchase.com
May 1 - June 28: Rider registration: www.redbullstormchase.com
July 2 - July 15: Top 50 Online Voting for the 10 finalists
August 1 - November 30: Contest, 3 storms
Website: www.redbullstormchase.com