Just as forecast the wind didn’t really start to fill in today here at Weymouth. After discussions of starting either another single elimination or to run a big move supersession, most of the riders seemed to be quite happy with the decision from race director Tom Hartmann, who called it a day around noon. For the reason that many of the competitors had to travel home by car we also decided to advance the prize giving ceremony to 3.00pm. 

 This time we would not only announce the event winner for the Centaur King of the Wind, but also the overall 2012 European Champion. This year really proved itself as a successful one for the EFPT. After the debut in Austria with the first ever European tow in championship, we’ve seen every tour stop with good wind. Sigri started of in August with flat water and moderate wind, France fully kicked in with over 40 knots and wavy onshore conditions and England delivered different wind speeds with flat to choppy water. In general we can say that whoever managed to do well in all of those conditions is well worthy of the overall title!

Even though the fight for the title of the EFPT champion 2012 was a hard one from the start, with top riders like Davy Scheffers, Youp Schmit (JP/Neilpryde), Andraz Zan (F2/F2) and Adrian Beholz (Sailloft) already getting involved in the 3 Style Area Cup in Sigri. The level was already high and the likes of Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard), Rick Jendrusch (F2) and Tonky Frans were all missing at that point. Before the event in France started the outcome for this year was still open, yet we’ve seen familiar faces amongst the top five after every single and double elimination so far.The battle on the last events was not so easy as all the riders tried their best to climb up the ranks. However, as many predicted way back at the start of the season, 20 year old Dutch sailor Davy Scheffers became the new European champion. Davy impressed with a lot of style, power and diversity in all kinds of conditions and always seemed to have his head screwed on. Like this he managed on this tour what he couldn’t yet achieve on the world tour, losing hardly any heats that he sailed. However, after he lost against Belgium pro rider Van der Eyken in France and ‘only’ finished in third place, Scheffers succeeded at the Centaur King of the Wind. 

 We caught up with Davy about taking the event victory and the overall title: 

 ’Ever since I got into professional windsurfing it was always a dream for me to become European champion one day. What I reached today shows me that you can get everything you dream of as long as you keep going for it and work hard. I really like the EFPT because I can travel here with my friends, we are all really close and the sessions on the water are a lot of fun even though it is competition. I am in this sport because I love it and not for the money side of it. I want to keep up the spirit of this tour and hope that we will have even more stops next year!’

The Champ - Davy Scheffers

Already named Big Monday on the schedule, expectations were high, and the day certainly delivered.

Not just big in action but also in names turning up to show their support for the event. Nick Dempsey, Olympic bronze medallist and Ross Williams, Formula World Champion and number one UK rider on the PWA World Tour both in waves and slalom, found themselves watching on as spotlights lit up the bay during the night tow-in super session supported by Red Bull.

With a 9am skippers meeting the day got off to a prompt start. Unusual north-easterlies filled the harbour but provided some nice small ramps for the competitors to launch off of as they spun through their heats. Rick Jendrusch showed one of the most impressive performances as he fought his way back through a number of heats and dispatched of some world class talent on the way. In one heat he managed to land over 15 moves in the 7 minute time frame and sail in with dry hair. Taking home a well deserved fourth place, Jendrusch found his form in this competition and will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the next years.

Despite this it was Davy Scheffers who really stole the limelight during the day time as he not only secured the win for 2012 Centaur King of the Wind but also the title for the 2012 European Freestyle Pro Tour. A double win for the new European Freestyle Champion within the shores of Weymouth where the Olympic Games saw so many other champions crowned there this summer.

The legacy continues!

And so it did, right on into the night. The competitors relocated to the Weymouth Town beach for a tow-in show to remember. As fireworks were ablaze and a bonfire roared over 15,000 spectators filled the beach that evening. Perfectly timed, the finest European freestylers hit the water as the masses arrived, by the final runs the town was watching on as Austrian tow-in weapon Max Mattisek launched into an explosive and perfect double funnel diablo to take first place and a large chunk of the prize money that was up for grabs. Matissek also shone this week as he made his way into the top 10 for the event and finished 7th in the final EFPT rankings.

A special mention to Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers who re-instated himself as the UK freestyle champion just over two weeks ago. He found himself standing in second place on the podium after landing a clean, ankle dry culo in the shallow Atlantic waters. Right in front of the judges, they were suitably impressed to award him the position and he too went home with a healthy chunk of the prize money.

On into the night.

For the competitors and fans of windsurfing, Globalshots laid on a party to remember in the Lazy Lizard. Covered in fluro paint and wrapped to the hilt in glow sticks everyone came together and celebrated not just their results but an epic finale to the tour. Check out plenty more photos from the night and the entire day on facebook.com/globalshots

Bubble slides In The Dark

Globalshots Party Time!

Pics courtesy Globalshots

Scheffers wins!

Check out the second video instalment. Here Adam Sims interviews Tom Hartman and gets his thoughts on the event so far.

Editing courtesy of Blacklab.

Day one of the Centaur King Of The Wind EFPT event was packing everything a European championship spectator could wish for.   The early morning featured a classic Weymouth forecast; strong winds, flat water and sunshine.  This accompanied by music and Euro stars was a winning combo.  After briefings the first possible start was at 11am, there were constant heats until just before dark when the wind dropped after a bit of a freak storm.  Just before it died there was some intense wind and the latter heats were quite spectacular as everyone was stacked, even after mid heat sail changes.

All but the finals of the single elimination were completed, so tomorrow morning we kick off with a spectacular show as the final four meet to do battle.  Next the first round of the ladies Femi Pleasure Queen Of The Wind event will run and following that will be the men’s double elimination.

This first EFPT event in the UK had a strong force of home-grown competitors.  There were twelve UK guys and six out of the seven entered girls.  Of these twelve, four got through their heats.  Andy Chambers, Jamie Drummond, Nick Bentley and Adam Sims all made it through to the second round.  Unfortunately three of these were all in the same second round heat (heats of four) and only Andy Bubble Chambers made it through.  Bubble, the 2012 UK Freestyle Champion then cruised through the semi-final and found himself alongside Adam Gavriel, from Israel, for the losers final competing for third place overall (26 riders).

It’s safe to say that Portland harbour has never played host to so much spectacular freestyle action.  In most of the heats it was difficult to watch as you didn’t know where to look, six judges were needed as the top guys would go from move to move in seriously quick succession.  Today we saw  massive shuv-it spock’s, culo’s, skopu’s, futures, flaka-shaka’s and a huge kabakuchi’s  If you don’t know what these moves are, come and watch and you will see first-hand –  we have another strong forecast and fully expect to get the finals run and most the way through a double elimination as the event is now fully set up courtesy of XPLG. The judges have the system tied down under the watchful eye of head EFPT judge Tom Hartmann.

There will be some sick footage and pics to follow.  Rest assured, with three of four dedicated media guys cutting film as we speak, there will be something pretty special appearing on  soon.

XPLG team

For more info and pics head over to the main site here

Busting the moves in Weymouth

Bubble gives it some

Images courtesy of Global Shots

As well the men’s event, the XPLG team are hosting a women’s freestyle competition too with women’s clothing company Femi Pleasure sponsoring the Queen of the Wind. Online entry for the women’s event will also be online very soon.

King of the Wind

Check out the event schedule on www.kingofthewind.co.uk

Click attending on the facebook event .

Register for the event here.

A few highlights of what’s happening at the event:

Men’s – Centaur King of the Wind (4 day event) – European Freestyle Pro Tour Final Showdown €5000 prize money

Men’s – Tow-in night super session in conjunction with the council Bonfire Night celebrations, estimated 15,000 spectators!!! Schedule for that is tow-in followed by fireworks from the a barge in the sea followed by global party!

Ladies – Femi Pleasure Queen of the Wind (2 day event) – €250 prize money and epic stash prizes from Femi Pleasure

2x Global Rave VIP Parties

1x Chillout Acoustic/Movie night

Get involved!

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