the wind beneat WHAT’S
the wind beneat WHAT’S THAT SPORT? Windsurfing is a surface water sport using a windsurf board, also commonly called a sailboard, usually two to five meters long and powered by a single sail. A windsurfer is steered by the tilting and rotating of the mast and sail as well as tilting and carving the board. Kiteboarding, also known as kitesurfing and fly surfing, involves using a power kite to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard. The athlete uses a board with foot-straps or bindings and a large controllable kite to propel himself and the board across the water. 32 CHALDEAN NEWS AUGUST 2007
For most of his adult life, Joe Bidawid has pursued the waves and wind of the Great Lakes region. Hailed as the pioneer of high-performance windsurfing and kiteboarding, Bidawid turned a passion for water sports into a successful career as a professional athlete at a young age. Years of competing throughout the Midwest led to national and international competitions, bringing him world-class pro status and the moniker of “Godfather” of Great Lakes kiteboarding. “My whole thing is, I do what I love, I chase a new feeling, and I never feel like a pioneer, but then you look back and you see that you inspired many people,” said the Farmington Hills resident. “A lot of people refer to me as a ‘Great Lakes waterman,’ and I take pride in that.” Now at the age of 40, Bidawid will combine his enthusiasm for the Great Lakes with an important cause as he tries to shatter the record around a littleknown sport. During the last two weeks of August, Bidawid will attempt to stand-up paddle board 60-80 miles on Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to Chicago. His effort isn’t just to take on the record books, but more importantly to raise money and awareness for cancer. Bidawid’s father, Kamal, died in the late 1990s after a long and painful struggle with the disease. h his wings Athlete has a cause – and a goal BY JEREMY HULL It was the memory of his father, someone who had always supported Bidawid in his dreams, as well as the letter from a close friend newly diagnosed with cancer, Steve Skillings, that inspired Bidawid to make a significant impact towards cancer research. “Steve wrote in the letter, ‘If we all chip in and support research in our lifetime, we could see a cure,’” recalled Bidawid. “That statement really motivated me.” Paddle boards got their start in the Hawaiian Islands several hundred years ago. Similar to the longboards used in surfing, they are slightly longer and utilize a one-sided paddle to create momentum. Introduced to the sport last summer in Hawaii, Bidawid said stand-up paddle boarding provides strength-training benefits for the entire body, and expects its impact to be enormous throughout the Midwest. “It’s a really attainable thing,” said Bidawid. “Ironically most of the interest I get is from young kids, because they are just enamored from it and that for me is a real indicator.” Professional surfer Laird Hamilton established the long-distance record for stand-up paddle boarding last summer when he crossed the English Channel — 17 miles — in six hours. Bidawid expects his attempt to take between 18-24 hours, and will rely on his longtime knowledge of the Great Lakes to see him through to the Windy City. “I’ve been on the lakes for 20 years and I know the conditions really well,” he said. “Historically, the last two weeks of August provides the calmest weather window, and that’s what I need.” Bidawid will have a safety boat following five miles behind him in case of an emergency. In addition to wearing a wetsuit, his on-board gear will consist of a satellite telephone, fresh water supply and energy bars. Other than his board and paddle, it’s just Bidawid and the lake. “My biggest obstacles will be seasickness, cramps and blisters,” he said. “Those are the only things that could cause me to have to stop.” In order to prepare for the attempt, Bidawid created a rigorous training schedule of padding two to three times a week and strength training in the gym when he’s not on the water. Once every three weeks, Bidawid includes what he calls “constant motion,” in which he works out continuously in the gym for eight hours. “I talked to a few people who had done this,” he said, “and they told me the best way is to stay in motion and keep using your muscles.” While his mother, Amina, cannot wait for the day when her son relaxes his strict diet to enjoy her Chaldean cooking, she and his other family members are rallying for him and his cause. Bidawid said he draws inspiration not only from them, but from the entire Chaldean community. “I’m very proud of my Chaldean heritage, and I really want the young Chaldean people to understand that it doesn’t matter how long they’ve been in this country, you can do anything you want,” he said. “To get where I’m at took the love and support of my family, and I see that as a common thread throughout the Chaldean community. The young people should realize that and use it as a power source.” To learn more about supporting Joe Bidawid’s effort and to donate to the American Cancer Society, visit www.lakemichigancrossing.com. AUGUST 2007 CHALDEAN NEWS 33
