FTP podium

FPT King and Queen of the Caribbean in Bonaire

I just competed in the FPT King and Queen of the Caribbean windsurfing championship in Bonaire. It was an honor to share the water with some of the world’s top freestyle windsurfers.

Lennart Neubauer, about to take off for another one of his Culo’s after a flawless Spock. Picture by Ayu Picc

The Double Elimination Championship Match Against Youp Schmit

The double elimination final against Youp Schmit was unquestionably the highlight of the competition for me. I needed to defeat him twice to win the tournament, and I was looking forward to the battle.
For me, the final began with a Culo 360 that nearly collided with Youp as I completed the move. Youp, on the other hand, was not slowing down and returned with a Shaka Flaka.

chainging the Sail

Choosing a smaller Sail Size

I then tried a Flaka Ponch but crashed, so I switched to a lesser sail size of 5.2. In retrospect, that was probably not the best idea for me because I battled with the new sail and ended up crashing a few movements.

Meanwhile, Youp kept piling up great moves on his scoreboard, and it was a true duel between us. I attempted to demonstrate my versatility with Spock Culo’s on both tacks, but I couldn’t quite equal Youp’s strength.

final tricks

The Final Moments

We were both pushing the limits of the competition area at the conclusion of the heat, and we both lost a lot of ground. The heat was finally ended with a Chachoo crash on the buzzer by me, and it was up to the judges to select the victor.

Although Youp won the tournament, I’m quite happy of how I performed throughout the competition, especially in the double elimination final. It was one of the finest heats I’ve ever seen, and I’m glad for the chance to compete against such strong riders.

Starboard equipment

Looking to the Future

Competing in Bonaire was an incredible experience, and I’m thrilled to see what the future holds for me in the realm of freestyle windsurfing. Thank you for joining me on this adventure!

Watch the entire challenging  OFFICIAL FINAL FTP match
Read the Official EFPT article

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