The first ProAm Windsurf Cup took place in Torbole on Lake Garda (Italy) on the weekend of 13-14 April. The inaugural event of the new format as part of the California Windsurf Cup, which was initiated by the German Windsurfing Association (GWA), was organised by Windsurfing Austria together with Circolo Surf Torbole. Almost 40 starters from seven nations travelled to Lake Garda for the premiere event, including 20 Germans. In line with the concept of the ProAm Windsurf Cups, the level ranged from professionals, such as former world champions and world cup winners, to newcomers to the regatta.
The riders could choose between the two disciplines fin slalom and foiling. With sunshine and sufficiently stable wind conditions, twelve foil races and seven fin slalom races were held over two days.
Jacopo Gavioli unbeatable on the foil
Lake Garda local Jacopo Gavioli dominated the foiling discipline. The Italian youth driver won all twelve races and led the results list after the first day of the regatta with an ideal score of 5.6 points. The Austrian Daniel Riegler followed in second place with nine second places and 16.0 points. Third place went to Justas Katkus from Switzerland with 22.0 points.
Jacopo Gavioli also won the Youth U21 classification ahead of Mistral Matulja from Croatia and Tjalve Boettger from Germany. In the Junior U17 classification, the athletes from the windsurfing team of the Sailing Association of Schleswig-Holstein (SVSH) all made it onto the podium. The best junior U17 is Paul Regber ahead of Julian Ahrens and Oke Hochschild.
Vincent Langer has to start on a rental board - and wins
In the Fin Slalom, former world and European champion Vincent Langer lived up to his role as favourite. He won all but one of the fin races. Until shortly before the start, Langer was desperately searching for his Falcon 140 slalom board, which was supposed to be delivered to him on Lake Garda. However, it had gone missing somewhere on the haulage route. Langer was therefore forced to make do with a Duotone Jag Freeraceboard from the local centre. With six heat wins from seven races, Vincent Langer proved that you can also win races with freerace equipment in ProAm Windsurf Cups.
With the ideal score of 3.5, Vincent Langer won the Fin Slalom discipline at the ProAm Windsurf Cup in Torbole. The Austrian Markus Purwitzer followed in second place. He took second place in five races and therefore has 10.0 points in the results list. Third place went to the German Christian Hirschberg. He was the only one to secure a race win alongside the dominator Langer. Local Guido Matthias Olbino won the Youth U21 classification.
The organisers described the premiere of the ProAm Windsurf Cup in Torbole as a complete success thanks to the professional organisation and an attractive field of participants. "The idea of combining established regatta riders with beginners and weekend racers was a complete success," they wrote in their report. The professionals were able to compete against each other, while the weaker racers were able to gain their first experience and experience the fascination of a regatta in a family atmosphere. In addition to the action on the water, there was also a rider dinner with Italian specialities for all riders and their companions on the evening of the first day of the event.
