2014 welcomed the first ever Freestyle Windsurfing State Championships ever held in Western Australia. On 1st February 2014 top level local and visiting international sailors amassed to Woodman Point, the world-class freestyle windsurfing location just 10 minutes south of Fremantle.
The party kicked off on Saturday with a massive sound system delivering fresh beats, friendly Red Bull girls, BBQ, refreshments, and waterside couches just 2 metres from the sailing zone providing spectators with a fantastic experience.
Conditions were all-time with low-tides, no kites and a powerful 20-25 knots breeze delivering pancake-flat conditions. Heats kicked off at 1pm and ran all afternoon through the double elimination ladder, the crowded gathered at the water’s edge to watch the final heats at 5pm. Woodies did not disappoint, the wind had filled to over 25 knots in the gusts, allowing the competitors to launch into some of the latest aerial manoeuvres.
The winners
In the end the international contingent was too much for the locals with first place taken out by the super talented European shredder Chris Kalk, Skopu-king Malte Hecht took out second, and the podium was rounded out by Andreas ‘The Beard’ Larsen. Locals Al Bentley and James McCarthy-Price filled out the top 5 respectively. The winners were then presented with aptly selected trophies for the first ever Woodman Point Freestyle Windsurfing Competition to an admiring crowd.
As night set on, the competition shifted from Burners and Culo’s to Mai Thai’s and Mojito’s in a Fremantle Tiki Cocktail Bar where notable spectacles such as Al Bentley’s fin-busting shallow water Switch Kono and various noble entries into the best crash award were discussed in depth. The bar has been set very high and we can’t wait for next year’s Freestyle State Championships! Yew! This event was organised by Windsurfing WA and sponsored by Severne Sails.
Final Results:
1. Christofer Kalk
2. Malte Hecht
3. Andreas Larsen
4. Al Bentley
5. James McCarthy-Price
© windsurfingwa.org.au, severnesails.com | PICS: Neng, Alisa Sørensen, Madhu
