After six days, the GWA Championships 2023 came to an end on Sunday as part of the Multivan Surf Cup Sylt. The event was a complete success. Official scores were achieved in all three disciplines. The decision in wave riding was made on the second day of the event. The 17-year-old Anton Richter from Kiel is the new GWA Wave Champion 2023. In the two disciplines Foil Slalom and Fin Slalom, however, it remained exciting until the final day, which once again provided good competition conditions. Fabian Wolf is the new German Foil Slalom Champion. Vincent Langer secured the title in the Fin Slalom.
Langer still a force on the Finn
Even though Vincent Langer no longer takes part in all the regattas of the Multivan Windsurf Cup, he has lost none of his class. In the absence of the two currently most internationally successful German slalom riders (Michele Becker and Nico Prien are competing in the PWA WWorld Cup on Fuerte), Langer took the title after four eliminations on the Finn ahead of his long-time rival Gunnar Asmussen and youngster Anton Richter. In the end, the race was really close. In the final race, Gunnar Asmussen was able to secure another heat win. This brought him to within one point of the leader Vincent Langer. However, it was not enough to dislodge him from the top spot. Langer had ensured a sufficient lead on the previous days with two heat wins and a second place. Langer won with 2.0 points and thus became GWA Fin Slalom Champion 2023. Gunnar Asmussen from Flensburg became GWA Vice Champion 2023 in Fin Slalom. Youngster Anton Richter secures third place, pushing his brother Leo Richter into fourth place. The top five is completed by Justus Schott (GER-29, Patrik Boards, Duotone).
Foil specialist Fabi Wolf wins
In the foil slalom, things got really exciting once again towards the end. Five riders were in close contention and fancied their chances of winning the title. In the decisive final, Vincent Langer had a perfect start. Unlike most of his competitors, he started with the fin and not the foil. He had good speed and control on the straights. Langer went into the first gybe in the lead. However, Fabi Wolf utilised the advantages of the foil in the gybe and was able to pass Langer. Wolf did not let the lead slip away. His lead increased metre by metre, so that in the end he won the race with superiority. With two heat wins, a second, a third and an eighth place, he scored 2.0 points. This also secured Wolf victory in the event classification. Fabi Wolf is thus GWA Foil Slalom Champion and German Champion in this discipline.
There was a tough battle for second place behind Fabi Wolf. Vincent Langer had to hold his own against Dutchman Koen Hessels, youngster Anton Richter from Kiel and Lars Poggemann. With extremely sensitive jibes, Langer prevented his pursuers from overtaking him and thus defended second place. Koen Hessels from the Netherlands achieved his best result to date at the Multivan Surf Cup Sylt with third place in the last race. The 17-year-old Anton Richter impressed with 4th place ahead of Lars Poggemann and Gunnar Asmussen.
With second place in the final race, Vincent Langer also secured the runner-up title in the foil slalom. He has one win and two second places. With 4.0 points, he is only just behind the newly crowned GWA champion Fabi Wolf. Gunnar Asmussen secured third place on the podium in the foil slalom discipline. He won two eliminations. However, he made too many mistakes to make it all the way to the top. With sixth place in the final race, however, Asmussen was able to secure 6.0 points and thus third place. Lars Poggemann followed just two points behind. Jonne Heimann completes the top 5.
Strong field of youngsters
Jonne Heimann is also the new GWA Youth U21 Champion in Foil Slalom. Leo Richter is Vice Champion U21 Foil. Dutchman Koen Hessels is third Youth U21. Anton Richter is GWA Youth U19 Champion ahead of Meno Büchler and Keno Recke. Erik Wehkamp is the GWA Junior U17 Champion in the Foil Slalom. Pelle Bo Behrendt can celebrate his Sylt premiere with the GWA Vice Champion title in the Junior U17 category.
Leo Richter is the new GWA Youth U21 Champion in Foil Slalom, ahead of runner-up Jonne Heimann and Dutchman Koen Hessels. Anton Richter is GWA Youth U19 Champion ahead of Dutchman Thijs Hannemaaier and Keno Recke. Erik Wehkamp is GWA Junior U17 Champion in the Fin Slalom
Family reunion in the wave
The GWA Champion titles in the Wave were awarded in rough conditions on Wednesday. Youngster Anton Richter from Kiel crowned his impressive performance at the Multivan Surf Cup Sylt. He beat his brother Leo Richter in the final to become GWA Wave Champion 2023 at the age of just 17. Leo Richter is runner-up. Mats von Holten beat Philip Richter, the father of the two finalists, in the B final. Von Holten can therefore celebrate third place on the wave podium, while Philip Richter completes the convincing family performance with fourth place.
The Multivan Surf Cup Sylt was a great success. Many thousands of visitors came to Brandenburger Strand in Westerland over the six days of the event and watched the exciting competitions of the windsurfing elite on the North Sea. In addition to the sport, a large supporting and party programme invited visitors to enjoy and participate.
Further information can be found on the official website of the Multivan Windsurf Cup .
