The biggest Freestyle Pro Tour event of the year is just one month away! From the 22nd to the 26th of May, the world’s best freestyle windsurfers will travel to Vieste in Italy for the 4th edition of the FPT Vieste. Hosted by Panini di Mare, this event will be the first ever FPT event to run all three disciplines: Freestyle, Foilstyle and Tow-In. Men, Women and Youth&Juniors will all be present in the beautiful area around the Gargano National Park to score the first big points of the 2024 season. Curious about what to expect? Still want to register? Read all the details below!
Registration still open
Registration for the 2024 FPT Vieste is still open till the 22nd of April. Do you still want to compete? Make sure to sign up HERE.
Going triple for the first time
This years FPT Vieste will boast all three disciplines on tour. Freestyle, Foilstyle and Tow-In. After the successful debut of Foilstyle in 2023 and the exciting “Tow-In in Town” showcase, all three disciplines are ranked in one event for the first time ever. Vieste will therefore also be the official kick off to the 2024 Foilstyle and Tow-In tour. Next to the Women and Men, the fleet will also by enriched by the Youth&Juniors this year, opening the revered Spiaggia Lunga arena to the future of our sport. Curious about the potential of the event? Check out a glimpse of it in last years highlight clip.
An event with building history
The 2023 FPT Vieste will be the 4th edition of the now cornerstone Freestyle Pro Tour event. Back in 2019, the inaugural competition saw Yentel Caers (JP/NeilPryde) win in front of Jacopo Testa (WeOne/Point-7) and Giovanni Passani (WeOne/Gunsails). With great conditions that year, Caers went on to win the 2019 European and World Title that year. In 2022, riders were met with world-class freestyle conditions again. Jacopo Testa took revenge in his home country this time, and won the final against Yentel Caers. Testa went on to win the 2022 European title, setting a precedent for the Vieste event being an early indicator of a riders success on tour that year. Check out some of the action from the 2022 edition, with strong winds and perfect ramps:
In 2023 two new fleets were added to the competition. The Women’s fleet was introduced to the Vieste waters, as well as the Foilstyle fleet. The latter turned out to be a bullseye, as the conditions for regular freestyle never really materialised. After a windless EFPT Geneva 2021, this event was the first ever Foilstyle event with wind, and it immediately showed its potential as a discipline bridging the gap between Tow-In and Freestyle. With most riders uncertain about where they stand in the pack, the heats were exciting and full of progression. Yentel Caers proved to have mastered the foil the best so far, taking the win thanks to his impressive Foil Paskos. With some wind available, the Women’s fleet managed to get a result. It comes as no surprise that the multiple European Champion Maaike Huvermann (Severne/Maui Ultra Fins) took the win, however she had to put in a lot of work to claim it. Lisa Kloster (MB-Boards/Sailloft), Clare Elliott (Duotone) and Oda-Johanne Brodholt (Starboard/Severne) were all hot on her heels in the marginal conditions.
Follow the event
An event with a building history of firsts, the 2024 FPT Vieste is poised to be raising the bar once again! If you do not want to miss anything, make sure to tune into the Livestream and follow our social media for updates on conditions and times. We hope to see you there!