schauinslandreisen Windsurf World Cup Sylt
Sylt is known for testing the mettle of the sailors - both mentally and physically - and the 2023 schauinslandreisen Windsurf World Cup Sylt proved no different with a huge variety of conditions occurring over the last 10 days. From float and ride to bolt onshore wave competition, to relatively flat racing to contending with waves the best sailors in the world had to be ready for whatever Sylt was ready to throw at them.
Wave
Women’s
There is a new name at the top of the Women’s Wave podium after a real turn up for the books after the single elimination began in float and ride conditions - before being completed in more typical onshore Sylt conditions. The name on top of the podium? Marine Hunter (Quatro / KA Sail), who knocked out the current World Tour leader - Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) - with a powerful display of sailing, whilst also showing no fear of attacking the lip in the semifinals before taking down - Maria Behrens (Duotone / Duotone Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) - in the final to claim her biggest moment to date!
Behrens herself walks away from Sylt with her best result to date after claiming also negotiating her way into the winners’ final after securing impressive victories over Lina Erpenstein (Severne / Severne Sails), who will no doubt be disappointed with her result, but should take heart from the fact she produced the second highest scoring heat of the contest and was just unlucky to be against an on form Behrens in the quarterfinals, followed by Justyna Sniady (North Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) to earn her first podium on the World Tour.
Third place probably wasn’t the result Sarah-Quita Offringa was aiming for here, but as always she was as humble and respectful in defeat as she is in victory. The Aruban remains on course for a third Wave world title - holding a 2,350 point lead heading into the title decider at the prestigious Aloha Classic later this month.
Men’s
Unfortunately, only the first round of the Men’s single elimination could be completed before the conditions deteriorated meaning that the top 16 sailors who advanced share joint first here.
Freestyle
Just like in the Women’s Wave there is a new name at the top of the Men’s event podium after Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) produced a faultless display to claim his maiden victory and fully complete his comeback having suffered a serious knee injury in November 2021. Neubauer has been on the radar for quite some time as a former Youth and European champion, but will be delighted to sign off the season in this manner. Victory is Sylt also sees the 19-year-old finish 2023 as the vice-world champion and you certainly wouldn’t bet against him going one better next time around.
Neubauer also threw the world title race wide open after defeating Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) in the second round of the single elimination to leave Caers with a mammoth comeback. However, in the double the Belgian, who was world champion in 2019, really found his flow as he produced a stunning comeback, which saw the 28-year-old win 8 consecutive heats, while also posting a heat score above 40 points on six of those occasions - the only sailor to break the 40 point barrier during the entire contest. So, it is fair to say Caers is the worthy winner of his second world title, having also won in Fuerteventura in July. Caers now has two world titles to his name.
Adrien Bosson (Duotone / Duotone Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) completes the prestigious overall podium for 2023 after another extremely solid set of sailing. The Frenchman finished second in Fuerte - only losing out to Caers in a Super Final - while finishing 4th here.
Steven Van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS) shows no signs of slowing down as the 38-year-old continues to mix it with the best in the business. The Belgian completes the podium here, which sees him finish 2023 ranked in an impressive 4th place.
Last year’s vice-world champion - Jacopo Testa (AV Boards / Point-7 / AL360) - walks away from 2023 ranked 5th overall, followed by 2021 Freestyle world champion Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), while the top 10 is completed by Antony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails) - 7th - Antoine Albert (Goya Windsurfing) - 8th - Youp Schmit (Tabou / GA Sails) and Balz Müller (Severne / Severne Sails), who both finish joint 9th.
Youth World Champion
Takumi Moriya (Severne / Severne Sails) also enjoyed a fantastic first year on the World Tour with the 17-year-old finishing the season ranked in an extremely impressive 14th place overall, which sees him deservedly become the 2023 Youth Freestyle PWA world champion and he looks a real talent for the future.
Slalom
Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) successfully defends his event title from 2022 to climb to 4th in the overall rankings with an event to go as he continues to go from strength-to-strength this season. The Bonairean recovered from two quarterfinal exits in Eliminations 3 and 4 by recording a third, fourth and a bullet in the last elimination of the event to rise to the top of the rankings for the second successive year. Vrieswijk will go to Japan with an outside shot at the world title.
Like Vrieswijk, Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails) has recorded a better result at each event as the season has progressed. The Italian finishes second here in Sylt after missing out on the winners’ final just once in 7 eliminations, which propels him to joint top of the rankings together with Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails), who endured his worst result of the season - 8th, which he discards - to be tied on 30,300 points heading to Japan.
Pierre Mortefon (Duotone / Duotone Sails / Phantom Foils) was able to win one elimination over the last 10 days, but also records his worst result of the season - 9th, which like Rutkowski he also discards. It’s worth noting that while Mortefon and Rutkowski finishes 8th and 9th here, just 4.7 points separated 4th to 9th. Mortefon remains firmly in contention for the world title heading into Japan as he is just 100 points off the pace. As is Johan Søe (FMX Racing / Point-7), who produced another super consistent performance to fly into world title contention.
Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) follows up his win in Fuerte with a solid third place here. There were question marks about whether the Frenchman would be competitive in Sylt’s lighter winds - having registered high wind equipment specifically for Sylt - and apart from the first day of racing where the wind was particularly light, he was able to fight it out for pole position.
Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) was making his first appearance of the season having been concentrating on his Olympic campaign and the Brazilian seemed to make a seamless transition back to life on the World Tour. Isaac was leading the event after the opening 4 eliminations, but eventually faded slightly to finish 5th here, which still represents a solid start.
Elsewhere, Michele Becker (Patrik / Patrik Sails / Patrik Foils) earned his first bullet in the very first race of the event, but after that high the German then had to steady the ship in the second half of the event, which he did brilliantly to secure 6th place as he continues his excellent first full year on the World Tour.
The top 10 is completed by Italy’s Bruno Martini (JP / NeilPryde) - 7th - and Croatia’s Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde).
That concludes another action packed 10 days in Sylt, which has seen a great variation of conditions and results and we hope you have enjoyed the action as much as we have. A huge thanks to the local organisers and we look forward to returning in 2024.
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Result 2023 schauinslandreisen Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Women’s Wave
1st Marine Hunter (FRA | Quatro / KA Sail)
2nd Maria Behrens (GER | Duotone / Duotone Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Justyna Sniady (POL | North Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
Result 2023 schauinslandreisen Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Men’s Slalom
1st Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Severne Sails)
2nd Matteo Iachino (ITA | Starboard / Severne Sails)
3rd Nicolas Goyard (FRA | Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
4th Johan Søe (DEN | FMX Racing / Point-7)
5th Mateus Isaac (BRA | Severne / Severne Sails)
6th Michele Becker (GER | Patrik / Patrik Sails / Patrik Foils)
7th Bruno Martini (ITA | JP / NeilPryde)
8th Maciek Rutkowski (POL | FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
9th Pierre Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Phantom Foils)
10th Enrico Marotti (CRO | JP / NeilPryde)
Overall Rankings 2023 PWA World Tour - Men’s Freestyle
1st Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
2nd Lennart Neubauer (GRE | Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Adrien Bosson (FRA | Duotone / Duotone Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | Starboard / GUNSAILS)
5th Jacopo Testa (ITA | AV Boards / Point-7 / AL360)
6th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Severne Sails)
7th Antony Ruenes (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)
8th Antoine Albert (NC | Goya Windsurfing)
9th Youp Schmit (NB | Tabou / GA Sails)
9th Balz Müller (SUI | Severne / Severne Sails)
Result 2023 schauinslandreisen Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Men’s Freestyle
1st Lennart Neubauer (GRE | Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | Starboard / GUNSAILS)
4th Adrien Bosson (FRA | Duotone / Duotone Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
5th Jacopo Testa (ITA | AV Boards / Point-7 / AL360)
6th Antoine Albert (NC | Goya Windsurfing)
7th Balz Müller (SUI | Severne / Severne Sails)
7th Takuma Sugi (JPN | Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins)
9th Takumi Moriya (JPN | Severne / Severne Sails)
9th Youp Schmit (NB | Tabou / GA Sails)
9th Sam Esteve (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
9th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Severne Sails)