Maaike Huvermann and Lennart Neubauer also emerged victorious in the double elimination, making them the 2024 European freestyle champions. Yentel Caers and Lisa Kloster finished the season in second place, while Steven Van Broeckhoven and Elena Dominick completed the podium. The spectators were treated to one of the most radical freestyle shows of the year in over 30 knots of wind and beautiful jump ramps on the choppy Mediterranean Sea in front of the Flisvos Sportclub. Local rider Lennart Neubauer took the momentum of the home crowd with him and delivered a dominant yet emotional victory. The 20-year-old now ends the season as world and European freestyle champion.
Two German riders in the top three
Lisa Kloster and Elena Dominick, who both come from the Kiel freestyle student scene, are currently shaking up the international women's freestyle field. In an extremely tight round, Elena Dominick managed to hold on to the podium at the last second with a beautiful shaka. In the battle for second place, Lisa Kloster did not give up and managed to beat Elena to have another chance to challenge the reigning European champion Maaike Huvermann from the Netherlands in the grand final.
The final was incredibly close. Lisa Kloster showed that all her training is paying off, as she was incredibly consistent in her moves. Despite an almost perfect funnel and a beautiful kono, she was unable to stop Huvermann, who performed perfect shakas on both sides! Maaike won her sixth European title with a culo and a kono.
Exciting comebacks, Niclas Nebelung and Meiky Wieczorek only just miss out on the top spot
The double elimination started to heat up when Jamie Howard prevailed against Kiri Thode and then went head-to-head with the German Meiky Wieczorek who had previously knocked former world champion Dieter van der Eyken out of the race with an incredibly strong performance. This was followed by one of the closest heats in history, which actually ended in a tie. A new heat had to be scheduled, from which Howard emerged victorious. On the other side of the leaderboard, Nebelung was up against an unstoppable Jacopo Testa, who had a run all day and won six heats in a row in the double elimination.
Only Yentel Caers stops Testa and tricks his way into the grand final against Neubauer
After defeating both Nebelung and Howard, Jacopo Testa had a rematch against Takumi Moriya, the 17-year-old rider from Japan who had knocked him out in the single elimination. This time Testa took the win, but his day was not over yet. Testa then had to face Yentel Caers, who once again threw himself into an incredible double air culos to win the heat by one point and then take on Steven Van Broeckhoven. Although Van Broeckhoven tried out the move himself, he was unable to keep up with Caers. Van Broeckhoven therefore had to settle for third place, although the five-time European champion was more than satisfied with his result at this event.
As the beach filled with enthusiastic spectators, the grand final between Lennart Neubauer and Yentel Caers began: Neubauer, taking the momentum of the home crowd and local knowledge with him, was in top form. Despite Caers' efforts, it was Neubauer who prevailed and officially became the 2024 European Freestyle Champion.
Results FPT Naxos 2024
Ladies
1. Maaike Huvermann
2. Lisa Kloster
3. Elena Dominick
4th Melina Vingaard
5. Linda Mankova
6th Bijou Shahmirian
7th Ziva Batis
8th Yvet Van der Molen
Gents
1st Lennart Neubauer
2. Yentel Caers
3. Steven van Broeckhoven
4th Jacopo Testa
5. Takumi Morija
6th Jamie Howard
7th Niclas Nebelung
8th Meiky Wieczorek
