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This year, 44 brands presented their equipment on the fine sandy beach in Burgtiefe on Fehmarn. From Thursday to Saturday, winds of more than 30 knots were blowing sideshore to diagonally offshore over the surf festival area. So this year the good surfers got their money's worth and the small boards and sails were put to good use. The sometimes heavy showers on Friday afternoon did nothing to dampen the great atmosphere. On the final Sunday, the beginners and intermediates enjoyed sunny weather and moderate winds.
Surf-Festival Charity Partner DKMS
Charity partner DKMS gemeinnützige GmbH was on site for the first time. Numerous guests at the surf festival not only learnt about blood cancer - almost 500 visitors also registered as potential stem cell donors. Lina Erpenstein, herself a medical student and one of the best wave surfers in the world, also appeared on Fehmarn as a new ambassador in the fight against blood cancer and promoted the idea of registering as a potential donor.
Record attendance at the surf festival
The move into Beach Camp at the surf festival started as early as Wednesday afternoon. More than 650 vehicles with over 1300 campers created a great festival atmosphere at the camp.
Of course, this also applied to the evening parties. Lina Erpenstein's performance on Saturday was once again the highlight. So that the holiday guests in the surrounding holiday homes were not disturbed too much, the Silent Disco was held for the first time from 23:30, where the party could continue with headphones with three different music channels.
Infotainment for beginners, intermediates and experts
The programme for visitors with an interest in the subject has also expanded significantly. At the Mercedes-Benz Riders Academy, there were not only lectures and seminars by professionals such as Bernd Flessner and Klaas Voget, but also information from Sea Shepard about their fight for clean oceans and the topic of Surfer's Ear.
Manuel Vogel, riding technique expert, long-time tester and editor of surf magazine, also had a lot to offer at the surf festival. In addition to practical tips on planing, trapeze surfing, the right equipment settings and much more, he also gave specific purchasing advice for different boards and sailing groups for the first time on the Beach Talk stage on the beach.
Action at the surf festival - it's a tradition
There was also plenty of sport on offer on the water - either to do yourself or just to watch. The Bitburger 0.0% SUP Challenge was once again enthusiastically received: You could register spontaneously on site for this stand-up paddle surf race and put your SUP skills to the test. This was not always so easy in strong winds and high waves. Nevertheless, the team races were great fun and the Bitburger 0.0% tasted really good after the work was done.
The Mercedes-Benz German Freestyle Challenge probably experienced its best year at the SUrf Festival. Three days of crisp wind and international guest starters such as Balz Müller and Youp Schmit ensured breathtaking action. The national freestyle elite has now reached a level that is fully suitable for the World Cup. You can read a bigger story about the Challenge in the next issue.
And even those who like it a bit faster could really step on the gas at the Racer of the Ocean. Some of the top German racers were at the start, but also - and this is much more important - many newcomers to the regatta. The two organisers, Leon Delle and Oliver Tom Schliemann, held a training camp at the surf festival especially for them.
You can find even more photos and information on the Facebook page of the Mercedes-Benz Surf Festival and, of course, in the big follow-up report on the surf festival in the next issue of surf magazine.
