2024 Fuerte PWA WC Tag 4

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Der vorletzte Freestyle-Tag des 2024 Fuerteventura PWA World Cups begann mit einem etwas bizarren Start: Der Regen von gestern Abend hielt bis in den Morgen an, was zu dieser Jahreszeit sehr ungewöhnlich ist, und das bedeutete, dass der Wind, ähnlich wie am Samstag, anfangs leicht und unbeständig war. Erst am Nachmittag frischte der Wind endlich auf - wenn auch schwächer als an den ersten drei Tagen -, so dass die Double-Eliminationen der Damen und Herren beendet werden konnten.

On the opening day, the competitors were left running for their smallest equipment as nuking winds and choppy waters greeted them, while to conclude this year’s contest they were left searching for their biggest gear, which provided a thorough all-round test of their freestyle abilities.

Freestyle Women’s

Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) finishes the fourth day of the 2024 Fuerteventura PWA World Cup with another world title to her name as the Aruban gem secured an incredible 15th Freestyle world crown - and 23rd overall - after producing a blend of sliding and power moves to see off the challenge of Oda Brødholt (Starboard / Severne Sails) in the final.

Things could yet get even better for Offringa as she will be vying for world title No.24 from day six onwards here as the 33-year-old will be also be competing in Slalom X and as things stand she leads the world title race having won the opener in Gran Canaria earlier this month.

Having produced a superb display against Maaike Huvermann (Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) in Heat 34, Brødholt ensured that she would finish 2024 as the vice-world champion at worst as she successfully defended her second place from the single elimination. The Norwegian was understandably delighted upon hearing the news that she had secured her place in the overall top two for the first time since 2015, while it also vindicated her decision to warm up for the event in Dakhla, Morocco, beforehand. Against her nemesis, Brødholt shone as she produced a powerful display of sailing to deservedly gain the upper hand after landing a mixture of shakas, culos, air funnels and a regular kono.

Having finished fourth in the single elimination, Huvermann battled back to secure her place on the prestigious event and overall podium after firstly bringing Elena Dominick’s (Severne / Severne Sails) come back to an end, before exacting revenge against Lisa Kloster (MB Boards / Sailloft Hamburg) to advance into the top three. The 26-year-old looked more comfortable in the slightly lighter and flatter conditions as she consistently landed a combination of flakas, shakas and funnels on both tacks.

Lisa Kloster may have just been denied a maiden podium, but it’s clear she has made another marked step up in her sailing performance over the last year and she is now a genuine podium contender moving forwards.

Men’s

Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) had arguably been the stand out rider in the single elimination as the only sailor to have broken the 40 point barrier, and ultimately, the 20-year-old managed to completed a brilliant comeback to win the opening Freestyle event of the season, while claiming back-to-back victories on the World Tour having also won in Sylt at the end of last year. Neubauer looked equally as comfortable in the light winds as he did the nuking winds, so it seems the sky really is the limit for him and he no doubt has his sights set on capturing a maiden world title come the end of the year.

That’s not saying that that’s going to be easy though as the newly crowned champion of Fuerteventura was pushed all the way in the double elimination. Firstly by reigning world champion - Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) - and then by Adrien Bosson (Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins) in the Super Final, both of which Neubauer would ultimately win by about a point, but crucially when he needed it, as he did against Caers, he produced the goods to crucially find a way to win.

Bosson starts the year with a second place, but he was right on the cusp of securing a great victory. The Frenchman wasn’t at his best during the opening final, but in the super final, the 2022 world champion really upped his game and only missed out on the top spot on the podium due to Neubauer landing a late double culo and kabikuchi.

Caers, meanwhile, missed out by the same narrow fate as he lost out on 35.1 points compared to 36.1 points - such is the closeness in performance level between the very top guys. The margins are so fine, that even if a move is anything but textbook, that it could prove to be the difference to be advancing or ultimately being eliminated. Third place probably doesn’t represent the start the reigning world champion would have envisaged to his campaign, but such are the fine margins, that he’ll remain more than in contention heading into Sylt.

Balz Müller (Severne / Severne Sails) secures his best result to date on the World Tour after climbing through the double elimination into fourth place. On his way to fourth, Müller landed numerous trademark cheese rolls into flakas - a move he invented - to take down Youp Schmit (Tabou / GA Sails) and Sam Esteve (JP / NeilPryde), before his good friend, Caers, proved a step too far. Müller really resonates the essence of what freestyle truly stands for and deservedly walks away with his best result to date.

With the double eliminations concluded with a day to spare that means that tomorrow will see a super session if the conditions are suitable. A skippers’ meeting will be held at 13:00 with a first possible start at 13:30.

Result Fuerteventura PWA World Cup - Women’s Freestyle

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Oda Brødholt (NOR | Starboard / Severne Sails)
3rd Maaike Huvermann (NED | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Lisa Kloster (GER | MB Boards / Sailloft Hamburg)
5th Elena Dominick (GER | Severne / Severne Sails)
6th Lina Schmied (AUT | GUNSAILS)
Result Fuerteventura PWA World Cup - Men’s Freestyle

1st Lennart Neubauer (GRE | Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Adrien Bosson (FRA | Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
4th Balz Müller (SUI | Severne / Severne Sails)
5th Sam Esteve (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
6th Youp Schmit (NB | Tabou / GA Sails)
7th Jacopo Testa (ITA | WeOne / Point-7 / AL360)
7th Antony Ruenes (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)
9th Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | Starboard / GUNSAILS)
9th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Severne Sails)
9th Nicolas Akgazciyan (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
9th Antoine Albert (NC | Goya Windsurfing)