Wave alarm at the Windsurf Cup on Sylt, but in the end it was mainly racers on the podium: a heavy summer storm with lashing rain and Sylt-typical chaos waves only attracted Nick Spangenberg from Germany's top wavers to the island. The tents and stands on the promenade remained closed due to the storm, and foil or fin racing was out of the question. The waves were once again significantly higher than the day before, making it impossible to send boats out onto the North Sea for the regatta organisers. The organisers therefore dismissed the racers in these disciplines for the day and concentrated entirely on wave riding, watched by a few weatherproof spectators.
Vincent Langer surprises the wave experts
Multiple German, European and world champion Vincent Langer is actually known for his success in the foiling and fin slalom disciplines. But for his "mission title" at the DWC on Sylt, where the German championship title was also awarded, he had obviously also prepared for the wave discipline. The Kiel native impressed the judges above all with his wave rides and clever tactics. In the final, he surprisingly prevailed against wave specialist Nick Spangenberg, who had travelled to Sylt especially for the GWA Championships because of the wave alarm.
The performance of Oliver Schott, who finished third on the podium as Grandmaster (Ü50), was also particularly remarkable. He strategically organised his heats and was always able to score points with a decisive wave ride shortly before the end of the heat. In the B final, he met local Sylt rider Irfan Celikay and successfully fought his way through to third place.
Fin and foil slalom titles still open
The youngsters also took advantage of the extreme conditions to put their skills to the test. Mika Henning and Jesper Mo Thomsen shared first place in the U21 youth category. Keno Recke and Jesse Richter finished joint third.
The most exciting question for the coming days is when the waves will be small enough to get the regatta boats out onto the North Sea. If conditions are favourable, the racers could get their chance on Thursday and Friday, as there are still titles up for grabs in the foil and fin slalom. The "Tower Race" on the opening day does not count towards the official ranking.
