The ultimate day of the Surf Worldcup 2018 here in Austria has been providing the perfect weather for the schedulded tow-in competition.First round on the water has been the ‚losers round‘ of the previous qualification rounds. All the riders, who didn’t make it into the final this afternoon, could fight for the last two spots one more time.
Seven riders were trying to improve their scores to compete for the 3.000€ prize-money and valuable points for the overall tow-in ranking of 2018. German sailor Valentin Böckler (Gunsails) was the surprise of the day and managed to pull the highscore with a double air funnell. Riccardo Marca (North/Fanatic) from Italy was leading after the first round with an air burner 360 and could take second place in the end. Since Loick Spicher (RRD/RRD) was pulling out of the competition, Adam Sims (Sailloft/Patrik) could take his spot with the next highest score and moved on the final.
After the prize-giving for the freestyle competition, that was taking place on the stage in front of hundreds of specators, the big tow-in final began. Sam Esteve (JP/Neilpryde), Mattia Fabrizi (Patrik), Julien Mas (JP/Gunsails), Giovanni Passani, Max Matissek (North/Fanatic), Valentin Böckler (Gunsails), Riccardo Marca (North/Fanatic) and Adam Sims (Sailloft/Patrik) got the chance to fight for the top places. With three runs each and a boat that was creating a ramp, the show that the riders were putting on has been second to none.
Winners of the freestyle competition after a little champagne shower
It looked like a burner and double air burner festival out on the water, where the guys were spinning through their rotations accompanied by their favorite song playing on the big speakers right at the beach. Showmaster Julien Mas from France, who is known to be one of the best in this discipline, claimed his double air burners and was leading the pack with 9,81 points throughout the whole first and second round. Local boy Max Matissek was at his heels with an air burner 360 (7,81 points).
Giovanni Passani taking third place
To say that the riders were on fire is a huge understatement considering the highest score of the day: Mattia Fabrizi went through the most perfect double air burner one handed, landing upright on his feet. The judges honored his trick with the maximum of 10 points. Even though fellow country men Giovanni Passani and Riccardo Marca were trying to match his move in their last runs, their scores couldn’t quite reach Fabrizis excellence.
Mattia Fabrizi with his high scoring move
Top three of the tow-in competition:
1st Mattia Fabrizi
2nd Julien Mas
3rd Giovanni Passani
Celebrations – Top 3 of the tow-in
We are looking back on an event, that has been as amazing as it can be and to say it with the organisers words: ‚If you could wish for the event to be a certain way, you would wish for it to be like this one was.‘ The beach of Neusiedl am See was packed over the whole weekend, the conditions for tow-in were great during the evenings and the howling southerly wind brought warm temperatures and the perfect weather for the freestyle windsurfing competition.
The next EFPT stop will be in Sardinia in the end of May, where the hunt for the European Freestyle Pro Tour title will continue.
Julien Mas from France