Windsurfing can be a frustrating sport at times as we are at the mercy of Mother Nature and unfortunately that’s how things unfolded today as we reached the semifinals of the Men’s Freestyle Single Elimination before the wind shut down with just three heats left to finish it.
Conditions varied throughout the day, but most sailors remained on 4.8m or 5.2m to combat the choppy waters on the outside. As things stand only the top four remain in the draw - Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne Windsurfing) booked his place in the Winners’ Final after knocking out Takumi Moriya (Severne Windsurfing), while the other semifinal between Balz Müller (Severne Windsurfing) and Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins) couldn’t be completed before the close of play.
Freestyle
Single Elimination
The Mentor vs The Mentee
In the opening semifinal, which had to be run four times to gain a result due to the marginal conditions, Dieter Van der Eyken lined up against his student Takumi Moriya, who he has been mentoring since Moriya started competing on the Youth World Tour and helping to develop the 20-year-old into one of the best Freestylers in the world. However, on this occasion the sensei still came out on top as the 2015 world champion booked his place in his first Winners’ Final since his title winning year. The conditions were light and technical, but both sailors were still able to bust out an impressive array of moves in such marginal winds, which was just as impressive in itself.
Neubauer within Touching Distance of Second World Crown
The second semifinal between Balz Müller and Lennart Neubauer did begin, but unfortunately by then the wind had deteriorated even further, so after one attempt, the decision was made to call it off for the day. Fingers will now be firmly crossed to be able to finish the Single Elimination, but as things stand Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails) has one hand on the world title after Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) was knocked out in the quarterfinals after an incredibly tight heat against Moriya. In the second round Neubauer set the highest scoring heat of the day - 37.3 points - with the 2024 world champion looking in confident mood.
In the second quarterfinal - Moriya vs Caers - the reigning world champion made an explosive start as he quickly filled his scoresheet. Moriya on the other hand took a much slower approach - almost like the tortoise versus the hare - and this time the tortoise approach won as Moriya slowly built his way into the heat and clinched it with a kabikuchi towards the end of the heat. In the end there was less than a point between them, but in Moriya’s favour.
There are still six days of competition left at the 2026 Citroën Windsurf World Cup Sylt, which means there is still time for the forecast to change towards the end of the week, as things stand things look really on the edge for being able to complete the Single Elimination, while hopefully Tuesday and Wednesday prove windy enough for racing with 14-21 knots currently on the forecast.
The Foil Slalom fleet will meet again tomorrow morning at 10am (GMT+2) for the skippers’ meeting with a first possible start at 11am. The best chance for Monday looks to be between 11am to 1pm with 8-13 knot south-southwest winds currently forecast, but realistically that will be very marginal based off of how Saturday played out on a similar prediction.
Schedule For Day 3 (GMT+2)
- Foil Slalom 10am - first possible start 11am.
- Freestyle will be given an announcement at 11am
- The Wave fleet receive another Lay Day
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