Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt

Day 6: Yentel Caers Completes Superb Come Back In The Double Elimination To Be Crowned Freestyle World Champion For First Time & A Bitter Sweet Victory For Vrieswijk

After a tricky start to the day, the wind eventually came good on the sixth day of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt to allow the Men’s Freestyle Double Elimination to be completed in bitingly cold and choppy conditions, while the 2019 Men’s PWA Freestyle World title was also decided.

Freestyle

At the beginning of the day - Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne) - led the race to become the 2019 PWA Freestyle World Champion after winning the Single Elimination on Tuesday. However, with fate out of his own hands the Bonairean would face a tense wait to see whether either - Youp Schmit (I-99 / Avanti) or Yentel Caers (I-99 / Point-7) - could mount a comeback through the Double Elimination into at least 6th place - at which point either Schmit or Caers would be world champion.

Both men safely made it through their second round heats, but Schmit - who only had knee surgery a month ago - fell in the third round to Antoine Albert (Goya Windsurfing) to leave just three men standing in the race of the 2019 Freestyle World title - Caers, Vrieswijk and Steven Van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS / Shamal Sunglasses).

Caers could’ve been forgiven for showing some sign of nerves as he bid to win his first world title, but he showed absolutely no signs that he may falter. The Belgian confidently overcame - Giovanni Passani (Tabou / GA Sails / AL360) - next before winning a tight heat against - Sam Esteve (JP / NeilPryde) - to leave him just one heat win away from becoming the world champion.

The all important heat - Heat 30b - would be against Antoine Albert (Goya Windsurfing) - after the New Caledonian defeated Jacopo Testa (RRD / RRD Sails / AL360). Heat 30b proved to be another tight heat and for a little while Albert was leading as the lead swung back and forth, however, a late well executed pasko allowed Caers to replace a forward loop on port tack to claim the all important victory and complete a superb come back through the double elimination to claim his first PWA Freestyle World Championship.

Amado Vrieswijk did everything in his power to win his first world title, but this time around it wasn’t meant to be with Caers denying him. The Bonairean defeated - Gollito Estredo (Fanatic / Duotone) - in the double elimination to win the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt, but despite winning two out of the three events this season he misses out by just 50 points - with the disappointing 9th place in Fuerteventura costing him dearly, so the wait for a maiden world title goes on for the 23-year-old. Vrieswijk eventually finishes the season as the vice-world champion.

9-time world champion - Gollito Estredo - produced a superb come back in the double elimination to earn his first podium of the season after winning 6 heats on the bounce against; Antony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails), Francesco Cappuzzo (RRD / RRD Sails / AL360), newly crowned Freestyle world champion - Yentel Caers - Dieter van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails), Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) and finally Steven van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS).

Steven van Broeckhoven slipped one place to third for the event, but the Belgian completes the overall podium, which is the first time the 2011 world champion has finished in the overall top 3 since 2014.

Elsewhere, Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins), will remember this day for a long time to come after the 15-year-old recorded his first heat wins on the world tour after claiming the scalp of 2013 world champion Kiri Thode (Severne / Severne Sails) in Heat 18b, before also beating Riccardo Marca (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins).

Thursday looks like a lay day judging by the forecast, which currently predicts virtually no wind before turning to an easterly air flow for the Friday and into the weekend. With the Wave and Freestyle contests already completed, the focus is now solely on the Foil and they will meet again at 10am (GMT+2) tomorrow morning for their skippers’ meeting with the action commencing from 11am onwards - conditions depending. 

To stay up to date with all the latest developments from Germany — including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Result 2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Women's Wave

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Maaike Huvermann (NED | Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) 
3rd Justyna Sniady (POL | Simmer / Simmer Sails / AL360)
4th Lina Erpenstein (GER | Severne / Severne Sails)
5th Iballa Moreno (ESP | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)

Result 2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Men's Wave 

1st Thomas Traversa (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)
2nd Marcilio Browne (BRA | Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Philip Köster (GER | Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Victor Fernandez (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone)
5th Antoine Martin (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
6th Adam Lewis (GBR | Fanatic / Duotone / SWOX)
7th Jaeger Stone (AUS | Starboard / Severne / SWOX)
7th Marc Paré (ESP | Simmer / Simmer Sails)
9th Alex Mussolini (ESP | RRD / RRD Sails)
9th Ricardo Campello (BRA/VEN | Brunotti Boards)
9th Jules Denel (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
9th Klaas Voget (GER | Fanatic / Duotone)

Result 2019 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Men's Freestyle

1st Amado Vrieswijk (NB | JP / Severne)
2nd Gollito Estredo (VEN | Fanatic / Duotone) 
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | Starboard / GUNSAILS / Shamal)
4th Adrien Bosson (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)
5th Dieter van der Eyken (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
6th Yentel Caers (BEL | I-99 / Point-7)
7th Antoine Albert (NC | Goya Windsurfing)
7th Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA | RRD / RRD Sails / AL360)
9th Sam Esteve (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
9th Balz Müller (SUI | MB-Boards / Severne)
9th Jacopo Testa (ITA | RRD / RRD Sails / AL360)
9th Antony Ruenes (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)

Overall Ranking 2019 PWA World Tour - Men's Freestyle

1st Yentel Caers (BEL | I-99 / Point-7)
2nd Amado Vrieswijk (NB | JP / Severne)
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | Starboard / GUNSAILS / Shamal)
4th Youp Schmit (NB | I-99 / Avanti)
5th Adrien Bosson (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)
6th Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (VEN | Fanatic / Duotone)
7th Antony Ruenes (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)
8th Dieter van der Eyken (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
9th Sam Esteve (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
10th Giovanni Passani (ITA | Tabou / GA Sails / AL360)

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