- RED BULL BIG DAYS 2008Youngster Philip Koester dominates his opponents in the icy and stormy waters of the Baltic sea and wins the 2nd edition of the Red Bull Big Days.
20th November 2008:
After a 2 months waiting period a strong storm from north western direction arrived and the best German windsurfers could fight for the waveriding title at Weißenhaus/Baltic Sea. The action can be described as breath taking: doubleloops, tweaked pushloops and for the very first time a pushloop into forward. The spectators, who made it down to the beach, had a great time, although the air temperature only got up to 8°, some hail went down and the wind blew with 7 to 8 beauforts.
32 competitors, who decided to sail in a preround at the morning, had to resist the 8° cold water of the Baltic sea. At 12.00 midday the best 12 sailors out of the qualifacation met the best 12 of the last season´s result.
From the very first moment of the competition the 14 years old Philip Koester, who lives in the bay of Vargas on Gran Canaria, impressed most. The thick neopren wetsuit did not hinder him to show a great performance.
Andy Wolff from Munich, Matze Bade from Kiel and the last years winner Lars Gobisch from Kiel were hard on Philip heels fighting for the this years title.
Lars Gobisch landed the first doubleforward of the day and made it into the final, where he met 14 year old Philip. Andy Wolf and Matze Bade fought in the semi final for the third position. In the small final Andy Wolff felt tired and could not impress with very high stalled forwards like in the heats before. Matze Bade could defeat the former PWA pro with long waverides and high pushloops.
The final was a fight in between old and young, a local windsurfer against a Gran Canaria local. Philip Koester took the victory after a 9 minute long heat. The more radical jumps saved him the first position in the Red Bull Bigdays.
"Incredible, the level of the competitors and the conditions here at the Baltic sea were much better than I expected. I´m really happy to win this competition. I will be back in 2009 for sure. But I will bring a thicker wetsuit," the winner stated after the pricegiving ceremony.
By the end of the day race director Holger Lass sent all participants out on the water for a supersession: Leon Jamaer, a radical youngster from Kiel, landed an extremely tweaked pushloop and could win this title.
>>> SLIDESHOW Red Bull Big Days
Results:
1. Philip Koester
2. Lars Gobisch
3. Matze Bade
4. Andy Wolff
- PENGHU PRO-AM SLALOM CUP
Jesper Orth (AUS10) wins the 2008 Asian Penghu Pro – Am Slalom Cup
With 3 days of competition with any kind of conditions from really light breeze the first day to the renowned Penghu nuclear wind of 50-60 kts the last day, it was a matter of having light wind skills and “big b... skills” handy, to could master the equipment in the 50 kts choppy sea.
Penghu Island is located in between Taiwan and the coast of China and picks up some very strong wind weather patterns, from the months of November to March.
90 competitors were competing in different classes over the 3 days. Jesper Orth AUS 10 was fighting it out in the Pro class and could claim the first position after a total of 7 finals.
“ I’m super happy to be back here in Penghu and winning the Asian Windsurfing Penghu Cup. When the winds kick in here, you’re in for a real beating, with gust hitting up to 60 kts. It was very motivating to see so many local sailors battling those conditions, with a big smile on their face. Organization and the hospitality of the local people was a usual big plus” – says Jesper.
Results:
1. Jesper Orth
2. Paolo Iannetti
3. Alex Mowday