Windsurfing history on Yuandang Lake: from 7 to 11 November, 13 of the world’s best freestylers will be battling it out for victory at the first PWA event in China. Thanks to foiling, this contest can be a spectacular show even in light winds.
A first for the PWA and a completely new stage for windsurfing: the Professional Windsurfers Association is making its debut in China. The Shanghai Freestyle Foil Invitational will bring together the international elite of foilstyle – including the newly crowned freestyle world champion Lennart Neubauer and foilstyle pioneer Balz Müller. The event will take place on Yuandang Lake, just outside the megacity of Shanghai.
Foilstyle takes freestyle to new heights
Balz Müller is regarded as one of the original pioneers of freestyle foiling. This relatively new discipline combines classic freestyle manoeuvres with the possibilities offered by modern foils: riders can jump significantly higher, rotate in the air for longer during tricks and perform spectacular manoeuvres even in relatively light winds and flat water.
That is precisely where the format’s great potential lies. Whilst traditional freestyle contests rely on strong winds, Foilstyle can also work in locations that were previously hardly ever considered for professional windsurfing events. Shanghai could therefore be more than just an extraordinary debut – the contest may well be a foretaste of how the World Tour will tap into new markets in future.
World Champion Neubauer: “Like a portable wave”
Lennart Neubauer is one of the favourites. The newly crowned freestyle world champion is looking forward not only to the competition, but also to this destination, which is new to him: as most events take place in Europe, he is keen to discover a completely new side of the world.
Neubauer mainly uses foil freestyle on days when the wind is light. It allows him to stay on the water, keep fit and maintain a good feel for sailing. He now has hardly any fear of the foil: “The foil doesn’t scare me any more. Once you’ve got used to not kicking your legs during a water start, everything’s actually just as it was before – just a bit higher. Basically, it’s as if we’ve got a mobile wave with us wherever we go. And that’s exactly what I like about it.”
These 13 drivers will be competing in Shanghai
The Shanghai Freestyle Foil Invitational boasts a star-studded line-up:
- Lennart Neubauer (GRE | Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
- Balz Müller (SUI | Severne Windsurfing)
- Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
- Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | WeOne / GUNSAILS)
- Takumi Moriya (JPN | Severne Windsurfing)
- Sam Esteve (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
- George Grisley (UK | Duotone Windsurfing)
- Tigo Kort (NED | JP / NeilPryde)
- Bodhi Kempen (NED | Duotone Windsurfing)
- Tim Gerdes (CZE | HeyYou Sails)
- Dudu Levi (ISR | Future Fly / GUNSAILS)
- Luka Stomp (CUR | Point-7)
- Leander Helm (GER | Starboard / Severne Sails)
With Neubauer, Müller, Caers and Van Broeckhoven, several generations of the world’s freestyle elite will be competing against ambitious young riders. Leander Helm will be representing Germany. From 7 to 11 November, Yuandang Lake will be the stage to see who wins the inaugural event – and whether Foilstyle really has what it takes to usher freestyle into a new era.
Julian Wiemar
Editor surf
