The PWA Tour returns to the Netherlands
Only two days are left until the start of the DAM7 Festival in Brouwersdam. The event will host a PWA freestyle event for ladies and men and as well an EFPT European Freestyle Tow-in Championship from the 8th till 14th September 2013. During 7 days of competition a lot of action can happen and we for sure will see many exciting heats during this week. We will be there and produce daily video updates to keep you updated, what’s going on at the DAM7 Festival. Check out the full program on the event website and we hope to see you at the beach! Watch the event trailer below, see a picture of the event site and read an interview with the organizer Reinder Holtkamp below.
EVENT PREVIEW
WHAT’S THE DEAL?
Jose “Gollito” Estredo and Sarah-Quita Offringa, who reigned victorious in the last freestyle event in Fuerteventura, are the current tour leaders. Both can win the PWA freestyle title at Brouwersdam. The hardest opponents of Sarah-Quita are Arrianne Aukes from the Netherlands and Yoli de Brendt from El Yaque, Venezuela. Gollito’s biggest rivals in the men’s category are Steven van Broeckhoven, a Brouwersdam local, Kiri Thode, absolute Flat water freestyle expert, Tonky Frans, Antony Ruenes, style master from France and Dieter van der Eyken, who knows the spot very well. Davy Scheffers, Amado Vrieswijk and Youp Schmidt are on the list for the podium in the men’s category, too.
THE LOCATION
The event site
THE ENTRIES
Almost all big names are on the entry list for the men except Adam Gavriel from Israel, who will be on Maui, Hawaii instead. The Swiss freestyle freak Balz Müller can’t come too, he has to work. In total 48 men and 14 ladies are registered for the first edition of a PWA freestyle worldcup at Brouwersdam.
On the ladies list are two new names and one well known wave sailor, who will give her a try in the freestyle discipline for the first time. Both riders, Lizzie Smith (27) from UK, and Hanna Heldemann (19) from Germany will have their PWA debut at Brouwersdam. Wave sailor Eva Oude Ophuis will compete in the freestyle discipline on the PWA World Tour for the very first time. Overall there are 15 ladies from 10 different nations registered. Most of the female sailors, 4 in total, are from the Netherlands.
In the men’s category are 48 riders from 17 different countries registered. That’s the maximum of sailors an event can have. So we will see 12 first round heats. Most of the male competitors are from the Netherlands as well, 10 in total, followed by 5 riders from Bonaire and 5 riders from France.
Riders from 18 different countries are registered in both fleets.
The entries for the PWA freestyle event (Source: PWA)
Interview with the event organizer Reinder Holtkamp by Chris Yates (PWA press officer)
PWA: You’re bringing the PWA back to the Netherlands for the first time in 15 years. How did you come up with the idea?
Reinder: The initiative came from the Zeil & Surf Centrum Brouwersdam. They asked me to create a board sport event concept around the PWA World Cup in the Netherlands. My company KEXcom.nl creates experiences around brands and themes. A good example, created and designed by us, is the famous Heineken Experience in Amsterdam. So together we came up with this event concept.
PWA: What kind of sports can the visitors expect at DAM7?
Reinder: First and foremost a lot of windsurfing. Besides that, there will be Cable Wakeboarding, SUP, BMX/ Skate and the unique Waterjump! Visitors can buy an “Activity ticket” in our ticketshop here, and experience all the different sports! Visitors only pay for the parties and for activities.”
PWA: You’re organizing a festival around the PWA. Why did you name it DAM7?
Reinder: The event is located at the Brouwersdam. This is an embankment of the famous Dutch ‘Delta works’ to protect the Netherlands from the sea, in Zeeland. The Brouwersdam is the 7th construction of the Delta works and that’s why it’s called DAM7.
PWA: What can people expect at DAM7 festival?
Reinder: There will be a lot action, competition and demos in windsurfing. As already mentioned there will also be the opportunity to try/see wakeboarding, Tow-in Freestyle, BMX, SUP’n and the unique Waterjump. The Waterjump is 26 feet high! On the 7th of September, we will start the opening ceremonies with our special guest, Olympic Champion Dorian van Rijsselberghe. You can also enjoy a great variety of music with different DJ’s and bands playing throughout the week. Until the 14th September we have various parties, a movie screen on the water and much more! Check our website for all the parties.”
PWA: Why did you choose the area Zeil en Surfcentrum Brouwersdam to organize the DAM7 festival?
Reinder: The area has great facilities and a natural arena, so the audience can see the action closeup. The location is famous throughout Europe and attracts a lot of great windsurfers.
PWA: How many people do you expect?
Reinder: That’s not easy to say, because it’s the first edition. But we hope to attract approximately 50,000 people over the week.
PWA: What are your expectations about the festival in the future?
Reinder: We hope the event grows to be a famous fun & board sport festival. Our first and foremost expectation is that we want introduce the Slalom discipline to the event next year. Besides that, there are plans to build a permanent cable wakeboard track at the Zeil & Surfcentrum, which will also make it possible to organize wakeboard championships. In the past I have organized Kiteboard Worldcups and maybe it’s possible to have one in the same week on the other side of the dam. Podersdorf, Austria is great example of that. So 7 days of action at the Brouwersdam every year!
PWA: Which sailors are you looking forward to see in the Netherlands?
Reinder: I hope to see all the riders and of course the top 10 of both the women and men.
PWA: Which bands will be performing?
Reinder: Baskerville. Jungle by Night, Maison du Malheur, Pinata, By the Rivers, The PAcific Riders, Paullie wants a cracker, Gregor Salto and more. We as well have a special kids performance of Djumbo on Wednesday afternoon, 11th September.
