The countdown is on – in less than 2 months the first PWA Freestyle event and EFPT Tow in European championship 2012 will take place at Podersdorf, Austria. The world´s best freestyle windsurfers will be back again on lake Neusiedl in the east of Austria. The „Surf Worldcup Podersdorf“ takes  place for the 15th time and will host windsurfing action from the 27th April till 1st May 2012.

 

  

The PWA Surf Worldcup Austria  will be the first  freestyle event of the 2012 PWA freestyle season. From the 26th of April till the 1st of May the world´s best men freestyle windsurfers will fight for the title at Podersdorf. Most of them have trained really hard during the winter months all around the world to raise the windsurfinglevel again. 35.000 € prizemoney can be won in total and will be splitted among the top 16.

The venue from the air - Pic: Surfworldcup Podersdorf

THE FAVOURITES

The favourites are the reigning worldchampion Steven van Broeckhoven (B-72) from Belgium, who has won the last year´s event at Podersdorf, 4 times freestyle worldchampion Gollito Estredo (V-01) from El Yaque, Kiri Thode (NB-61), Youp Schmit, Tonky and Taty Frans from Bonaire and young upcoming talents like Davy Scheffers from Holland or Dieter van der Eyken from Belgium. Of course, there are many more big names on the list like the two French sailors Anthony Runes and Julien Mas, Canadian Phil Soltysiak, Yarden Meir from Israel, Russian Yegor Popretinsky, German Tilo Eber or Edvan Souza and Mouro Lemos from Brazil, who can always fight for a top result. In the strong international fleet will be several local heroes, like lake Neusiedl local Max Matissek, who trained at Brazil and Bonaire while the winter months, Michi Rossmeier from Tyrol or Alex Seyss from Vienna.

 

Event organiser Gerhard Polak is as well looking forward to the event: “We decided to run an event for the Freestyle windsurfers again and for the visitors, who are really interested in the sport. We will run a tow-in contest, organized by the EFPT and sponsored by Windsurfing Chiemsee. So, the action is guaranteed.”

Gollito Estredo Tow in - Pic: PWA/John Carter

TOW-IN

The Tow-In Contest will be held from the 27th till the 30th of April with a start at 20.30 each evening. The final will be a night session on Monday 30th of April. The winner of the Tow-In event will be the European Tow-In champion. On Monday evening no entrance fee to the event area will be charged. Everybody can enter the area for free, watch the Tow-in session and enjoy the  Chiemsee party till 1.00 afterwards.  

“The night tow-in was a huge success in 2011 and attracted much attention from several sides: the big audience on the beach, the media and the industry itself. So no matter if you are a fan of tow-in windsurfing or not, everything that makes people aware of a sport that doesn’t get as much media attention as other extreme sports (e.g. snowboarding), should be considered good for it. These are the reasons, why the EFPT’s approach is: what´s good for the sport, is good for everyone involved in it and there for it should be promoted. Even though results of this event will not be included in the overall ranking and the tow-in will never replace ‘real’ windsurfing, we still hope to present a great show in this growing field of freestyle windsurfing and increase public awareness of this sport that we all enjoy so much.” (Hanna Poschinger, EFPT media representative) 

Steven van Broeckhoven - Pic: PWA/John Carter

Besides the pro-events a lot of additional action for the public visitors will happen on the huge eventarea. Almost all big Austrian shops or importers will be present with their latest 2012 gear. The programm contains as well clinics for windsurfers, Stand Up Paddle sessions at the Pepsi SUP Area, Slackline acitivites, Beach Volleyball, Speedminton and much more.

As well the evening hours with several concerts and parties on five covered floors will offer great entertainment. The visitors can party together with the windsurfing stars.

Thousands of spectators are expected to visit this 15th editition of the Surf Worldcup in Podersdorf and be part of the programm during the day and the night. We, as Continentseven will have also a tent there, where lots of action will happen. Stay tuned for a more detailed programm.

 

Text: © Continentseven.com 2012

 

 
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