Freestyle Pro Tour Paros: Strong winds and new format make for a crazy freestyle spectacle, Lennart Neubauer wins the single elimination

The start of the Freestyle Pro Tour on Paros could not have been more action-packed: With wind speeds of up to 30 knots, the world's best freestylers showed off their skills and thrilled the spectators on the beach with spectacular manoeuvres. A new competition format, in which only a minimum number of moves per side are required, ensured more variety and a significantly higher willingness to take risks on the part of the athletes.

New competition format provides even more radical action

According to Head Judge Flo Ragossnig, the new format is designed to reward the variety of moves more than pure consistency on both sides. This leads to more action and excitement for the spectators. The athletes now only have to show at least one move per side, which leads to more willingness to take risks and gives them more freedom to organise their runs. The result was heats full of moves with the highest level of difficulty and daring combinations.

Caers and Neubauer dominate single elimination

Two favourites emerged in the first few rounds: Belgium's Yentel Caers opened his first heat with a huge double air culo directly in front of the judges, who scored from a boat on the water, and received 8.2 points for this. He was in impressive form throughout the day and scored over 40 points in almost every heat. Reigning world champion Lennart Neubauer was also in top form, leaving the competition in his wake with combinations such as Double Burner and Air Flaka Ponch. Caers and Neubauer, the two dominant riders of the day, met in the final. Both delivered a high-class exchange of blows with top-class moves. Caers once again performed his parade move, the double air culo, and added an air kabi and a shifty shaka. Neubauer countered with a Double Air Culo, Air Funnell Burner and Double Culo of his own on the outside and Shifty and Air Flaka Ponch on the other side. In the end, the Greek Neubauer came out on top by a wafer-thin margin with the highest heat score of the day of just under 45 points.

Youth classification with strong performances

The young athletes also put in impressive performances despite the challenging conditions. Italy's Pier Bongianni came out on top in the youth and junior rankings. Particularly noteworthy was the performance of 12-year-old Konstantinos Promponas, who already showed clean spocks and demonstrated the potential of the next generation.