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Moritz Mauch is one of the best wave surfers on the planet. His level of wave riding in particular is exceptionally high and has earned him the respect of the scene. After travelling with sails from Sailloft Hamburg until recently, Moritz is now switching to Simmer Style - and shows in a first clip that he seems to feel pretty comfortable with his new equipment.
Star DJ Martin Garrix supports Ricardo Campello
"He loves windsurfing and knew I'd lost my sponsors, so he called me and said: 'Bro, do your thing, I'll support you'," Ricardo writes on Instagram - and posts an awesome clip with pictures from Pozo and Martin Garrix's gigs. "It's such an honour to be supported by such a legend of the music world! This is probably the first time a music star has endorsed an athlete!" Garrix has previously been on the water with Sarah-Quita Offringa and Oda Johanne and is a big fan of fun sports. Ricardo has apparently decided in favour of NeilPryde sails after testing several brands in recent weeks. He also continues to ride his old Naish boards, which he has re-sprayed with the colours of Venezuela.
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Antoine Albeau now on Ensis
Ensis is bringing a true legend into the team with Antoine Albeau. The 26-time world champion and reigning world speed record holder in windsurfing retired from the PWA tour in 2022, but continues to compete in speed events and runs a surf school in France. In future, Antoine will take to the water with wings, boards and foils from Ensis. "Wingfoiling is perfect for this experienced water sportsman," writes his new partner. "Ensis is proud to work with him and his sailing centre, the Ecole de Voile de la Couarde." Antoine loves downwinders, makes impressive jumps and can be found in big waves, Ensis continues.
We One gets Dennis Müller
Müller thanked Karin and Patrik Diethelm for five unforgettable years in a farewell post earlier this week. The 35-year-old professional is now looking forward to the future: "I'm really looking forward to the new collaboration with We One. Gerhard, Paul, Ben and I had a long chat at boot Düsseldorf and you immediately got the feeling that we have the same values and goals for the future. Everyone is equal, we want to make this incredible sport available to every water sports enthusiast at fair prices and the promotion of young talent is our common focus. With Gunsails as our team partner for German distribution, this partnership couldn't be better.
"Dennis is a great brand ambassador for our young brand," emphasises We One. "We are delighted to have a professional athlete on the team who gives something back to sport through youth development. We have great projects planned together, so follow us on our journey together."
Maciek Rutkowski now drives Neilpryde
Just last week, the Polish racer announced his separation from the Italian sail brand Challenger. The 2022 slalom world champion is now racing with sails from Neilpryde - but not in combination with boards from JP. An official board sponsor has not yet been announced.
"Maciek has shown his potential in many ways in recent years," emphasises the Neilpryde brand. "Since Covid, he has been one of the strongest and fastest racers out there. The Weilmeister title in 2022 speaks for itself. Maciek's energy and passion for the sport are unrivalled and make him a great asset to our team, not only on the water but also on the beach, where he represents our sport with all his passion."
Rutkowski's statement on the change:
"I grew up with the Neilpryde team, collecting VHS tapes and catalogues, I actually wanted to be a freestyler like Josh Stone or a waverider like Polakow, but being from Poland, I had no choice but to race... like Antoine! Or my current friend Wojtek Brzozowski, who had just won a Formula World Championship title with the Neilpryde RS1. I won a junior world championship title in Formula with the first Ultra-Cam RS:Racing in 2007. 17 years later I still feel the same - Neilpryde is the Ferrari of windsurfing and I feel very grateful and honoured to join such a glorious team. After spending a few days on the water with the sails, I'm as impressed and excited as I was as a kid and can't wait to travel the world with the sails and get started in the World Cup. It's going to be a fun year!"
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Miguel Chapuis now on Flikka Boards
"Just in time for the trip to Chile", Miguel Chapuis has received his new boards from Flikka, as he writes on Instagram. The next Wave World Cup starts in Chile on 1 April, at which the Tarifa local will be competing with the new boards. Flikka is thus continuing to expand his wave team, with Leon Jamaer and Bernd Roediger, among others, also riding the customised boards from the Czech Republic. A few weeks ago, Miguel Chapuis announced his departure from his long-standing partners JP-Australia and NeilPryde. North Sails as new sailing sponsor presented.
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Maciek Rutkowski no longer with Challenger Sails
After his Separation from FMX Racing Maciek Rutkowski is now also without a sailing sponsor - at least for the time being. The 2022 slalom world champion announced his separation from the Italian brand at the weekend with a post full of memories and thanks to the team. But behind the scenes, there has clearly been less of a good mood in recent weeks and months. "I don't understand how, after six years and all these amazing successes, you can just say: 'I'm not going to pay you' and that's it," Maciek vented his annoyance via Instagram. "So I sent reminders, offered payment plans, waited, stayed patient and believed in the basic human dignity of honouring an agreement. Well, that never happened, so it seems this story will have another chapter... and unfortunately it won't be a happy one. It's a shame that a lifelong friendship can so quickly turn into a legal dispute...". The Pole emphasised that he understood the difficult situation in the industry, as well as the fact that he missed out on defending his title in the final event of last season.
Rutkowski also parted ways with his previous board sponsor FMX Racing a few weeks ago, following rumours of disagreements surrounding the disqualification of Rutkowski's team-mate Johan Soe in Japan. In the middle of the pre-season preparations, Rutkowski now needs new equipment suppliers - but he also announced: "Fortunately, there will be a lot of positive news soon!"
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Pierre Mortefon competes in Slalom X with boards from FMX
Pierre Mortefon recently announced that, following his surprising departure from Duotone, he is now working with the Foil specialists from Phantom works together. The Frenchman has now followed this up by getting his boards from FMX Racing for the new Slalom X discipline. In Slalom X, the riders take on a course with fins that can be equipped with obstacles or use elements such as beach starts. At the same time, the "normal" slalom becomes a pure foil discipline.
Pierre Mortefon said: "I am happy to start this collaboration with Finian (Maynard, editor's note.) and FMX for the PWA Slalom X Tour. It's exciting to separate the 2 disciplines as I'm still a fin lover! That's why I set out to find the best boards, as I also want to compete for the title on the fin. I've known Finian since the beginning of my career, he's always been a big name, a super fast guy and has a real passion for the sport. After testing and exchanging a few boards we decided to give it a go together! I think I'll have good material under my feet with FMX and in my hands with PHANTOM - I can't wait to get started!"
Owner/designer Finian Maynard said: "Pierre is definitely one of the best slalom racers of the last ten years, his success speaks for itself. He is a passionate fin racer and has big goals for the coming season. FMX shares this drive and is delighted to welcome Pierre on board and provide him with the equipment he needs to launch his assault on the inaugural Slalom X World title. It's going to be an exciting year!"
Jules Denel joins Tabou & GA Sails
With his latest video Jules Denel has produced a great clip of the winter storms in his native France entitled "Jules is one of them". More than ten minutes of action - with footage from JP-Australia and NeilPryde, just as we know Denel (see our collection Posting of the day). However, the decisive twist comes at the end: Denel announces that he will be leaving his previous sponsors after eleven years and will be riding for Tabou Boards and GA Sails from now on. So far you can only see him doing his first check of the new equipment on land, but more great clips are guaranteed - then certainly together with his friend and now team colleague Thomas Traversa.
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North Sails signs Miguel Chapuis
North Sails is expanding its team: Spanish World Cup pro Miguel Chapuis is now travelling with the black cloths. He wrote on Instagram: "I've admired North for as long as I can remember. It was mainly because I saw the pictures of my mum and uncle from the 80s with their North sails and heard the stories that these were the sails that every windsurfer in Tarifa wanted to have. Now this admiration has grown even more after testing the first generation of Wave sails and seeing the potential of this new technology. I'm looking forward to using these sails and increasing my level of performance on the water."
In January, Chapuis announced his separation from JP-Australia and NeilPryde, who had previously supported him for seven years. He has not yet announced which boards the Tarifa local will be riding in the new season.
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Felix Volkhardt now on We One and GunSails
The We One freestyle team continues to grow: Felix Volkhardt has just announced that he will be competing with the black and turquoise boards from Austria with immediate effect. The brand, which was only founded in 2023, had previously signed up Jacopo Testa, Marten Molenaar and Lucas Nebelung. Volkhardt will also be sailing with GunSails. "I'm really looking forward to working with a great team and raising my level even further," Volkhardt wrote on Instagram. He previously travelled with Severne equipment for six years.
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Pierre Mortefon now drives Phantom
Pierre Mortefon has found a new home with the French foil specialists from Phantom. The brand, with which Nico Goyard has been achieving top results for years, announced the collaboration with Mortefon on Instagram.
"Pierre will compete in both foil and fin slalom using our successful equipment, such as the IRIS Rs sails that Alex Cousin used to win the French slalom championship two years ago," writes Phantom boss Alex Udin. "I am very happy about this collaboration. Pierre and I have a common goal: to win the PWA World Championships in Foil Slalom and Slalom X."
The collaboration got off to a successful start: in one of the first sessions with the new equipment, Pierre Mortefon broke the 40-knot mark with the foil and set a new personal best of 40.3 knots. "I've been dreaming about it, now it's happening! The perfect combination to fight for the world title again, let's go!" said Mortefon.
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Naish separates from Ricardo Campello - is the end of his career imminent?
Naish Windsurfing is parting ways with its top rider Ricardo Campello, Campello himself announced today. He writes in a detailed statement on Facebook:
"As you may have heard, the company was sold in the middle of last year and the new owners want to cut costs and not invest in the core business of the company, windsurfing! I know Robby is very upset about the decision they made without his consent.
When I signed with Naish three years ago, I thought I would be with them until the day I retired from competition. Sadly, that's not going to happen!
That really surprised me, because the whole team was really happy to have me on board at Naish. We developed the best equipment and the best image the company has had in a long time and I never thought they would let me go, especially at such short notice.
Working with the whole Naish team over the last three years has been great, especially with Michi Schweiger and Nils Rosenblad and everyone else who has been involved in the past. Personally, I think I've done everything right, from revitalising the whole windsurfing brand and reintroducing it to the windsurfing world to developing the best equipment the company has had in a long time. I have positioned the brand back on the podium in 2023, produced great photos and videos and secured coverage in magazines and online! I really don't understand what their goal is, but I honestly wish them nothing but the best.
Windsurfing has been my life since I was 13 years old and I have dedicated 100% of my time and energy to it, risking everything to be the best in the sport. This is not the way I wanted to end my career (I'm not saying I'm done yet), but I feel like it's coming to an end. Not because of age or anything, but as an athlete you have to be able to make a living from your sport, otherwise there's no point!
I currently have no equipment sponsors for the 2024 season. My two other sponsors have cut my salary significantly. Many other brands have already closed their budgets and the big companies have already secured their most important riders. That leaves me with limited options."
Marino Gil Gherardi joins JP-Australia/NeilPryde
He grew up in the Goya family, now Marino Gil Gherardi is switching to JP-Australia and NeilPryde. The surprise runner-up at the last World Cup in Pozo announced his new partners in an Instagram clip. "It makes me so proud to join this team with its long history and top riders! They inspire me to keep pushing my level and take the next step in windsurfing! It's about being part of a passionate team, with strong values on and off the water, driven by the desire to give the best for our sport!" Marino writes. "I hope you are ready for a year full of action. I'm so excited to share my new chapter with you! And I hope you enjoy it as much as I do."
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Marc Paré back at Simmer Style
"Welcome home!" writes the new old sponsor, "Back home baby!" says Marc Paré happily. The Spaniard today announced his return to Simmer Style, where he was already under contract until 2020. In December, his previous sponsor Duotone had surprisingly shown Paré the door. "I'm over the moon to be back with my first sponsor and my family Simmer Style," Paré wrote on Instagram. "I'm really looking forward to what's to come in the future with Simmer and riding the great equipment again. Thanks to everyone at Simmer for taking me back under their wing and making me feel at home again!" This development doesn't come as a complete surprise, Paré had brought out his old Simmer boards again shortly after leaving Duotone and posted several clips with material from Simmer. To celebrate his return, there's now a short clip with some crisp action!
Simmer is also excited about the renewed collaboration: "After spending some time with Marc in January, sharing our vision for the future of the brand and showing him the products we are currently working on, we agreed that Marc should return to the Simmer Style family. We believe in building long-term relationships with everyone in our company. Many of our team riders have spent the majority of their careers as part of the Simmer Style family. We have long-term relationships with all of our suppliers, and most of our internal staff have worked for the brand for over ten years. This creates a strong team that grows together over time. We all look forward to working with Marc throughout his career to achieve all of his goals," the website states. Marc Paré will again play an important role in the development of the boards and sails.
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We One brings in Maarten Molenaar
We One is building a strong freestyle team for the new season: The Austrian board brand, which only launched a year ago, has signed Maarten Molenaar as its next trickster. The filmmaker and tour manager of the Freestyle Pro Tour has just released his film "Pasko - The Magic Move" in which he explains how he learnt his dream move after suffering from testicular cancer. Molenaar was previously on Starboard and says of his new partner: "I'm very excited to be joining a new team full of motivated people who have a vision for our sport. A lot is going to happen this year and I can't wait to share it with you all!" Previously, We One had already signed Jacopo Testa and Lucas Nebelung.
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Lars Poggemann joins FMX, Jonne Heimann leaves JP-Australia/NeilPryde
Lars Poggemann, third in the DWC Foil 2023 annual rankings, will be racing with boards from FMX Racing in the new season. "I'm looking forward to training and racing with the new boards," he wrote on Instagram. He is thus leaving his previous sponsor Patrik - he has not yet commented on which sails he will be riding in future.
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Shortly beforehand, Jonne Heimann announced his departure from JP-Australia and NeilPryde: "Unfortunately, I'm leaving JP/NeilPryde after just one season. I am very grateful for the support and success we have achieved together and a little sad that this journey has already come to an end." Nevertheless, Heimann, who finished fourth in the 2023 DWC Foil classification and sixth in the Fin Slalom, is looking forward to what lies ahead. He has not yet announced any new partners.
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This is what Maciek Rutkowsi says about his retirement from FMX Racing
A few days after FMX Racing announced its decision to to part ways with the 2022 world champion Maciek Rutkowsi alongside three other ridersThe Pole has now commented on this himself via Instagram. In the five years of working together, the board brand has developed from start-up to constructor world champion (2022), and he himself from 14th place to the world title, writes Rutkowski. "I've given absolutely everything to the brand, from working on the water and in the gym, to leading development and testing at a time when one of the biggest revolutions in the sport was happening, to promoting the boards as best I could, recommending team riders and more. There aren't many brand-rider collaborations that are this extensive and close, so you get emotionally involved and feel a certain connection and start to care about the brand's success as much as your own..." the post reads.
"When you're then reminded that it's still a business, it just doesn't feel good. But I'm sure at some point I'll be able to appreciate what we've achieved together and realise that a year too early is probably better than a year too late! So thanks for all the lessons, including this last one, and I'll see you on the water," Rutkowski said in his post. Rumour had it that in connection with the Disqualification of Johan Søe at the last event of the season in Japan There have been disagreements between Rutkowski, who finished third in the world championship, and FMX boss Finian Maynard. The Pole has not yet announced a new sponsor.
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Jacopo Testa joins We One
Jacopo Testa first announced the separation from his longstanding board sponsor AV Boards at the weekend and then announced his new partnership with We One. In Testa, the Austrians have gained a prominent team rider who won the EFPT Tour in 2022 and was fifth in the PWA rankings last year.
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Marion Mortefon and Jimmy Thieme on Patrik
According to a report in the French Windsurf Journal, Marion Mortefon died just a few days after she had her Off at Duotone had announced that she had found a new sponsor. She has now confirmed this herself via Instagram. Patrik Windsurfing will be equipping last season's World Championship bronze medallist with boards, sails and foils with immediate effect. Jimmy Thieme is also switching from Duotone to Patrik and will continue to promote racing on the fin. The magazine also reports that Patrik is in talks with a "major customer", which may be announced in February.
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FMX parts ways with Rutkowski, Cousin, Questel and Jacquin
FMX Racing, the board brand of shaper and ex-worldcupper Finian Maynard, brought the year to a close with a nice video. So far, so normal, but the Instagram post contained some significant news: The brand is parting ways with Maciek Rutkowski, Antoine Questel, Delphine Cousin and Basile Jacquin. Questel announced his retirement from the PWA Tour shortly afterwards, but this development comes as a surprise, especially with regard to Rutkowski, who won his first world title on the boards in 2022 and led the rankings for a long time last year. "The 6-year journey with Maciek in particular was very successful and we really appreciate his commitment, we have achieved a lot together," the post reads. He has not yet announced a new board sponsor. FMX also announced a detailed post about Maciek Rutkowski. The only remaining riders in the international FMX team are Johan Søe and Justine Lemeteyer.
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Miguel Chapuis no longer with JP-Australia/NeilPryde
Spanish waverider Miguel Chapuis announced his departure from JP-Australia and NeilPryde: "The time has come and after 7 years it's time to say goodbye to NeilPryde and JP-Australia, the first brands that really trusted me and supported me to become what I am today. Looking back, I can only be grateful for the opportunity and the trust you had in me!" Chapuis writes in his Instagram post. He has not yet announced any new equipment partners.
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Change at Duotone - Pierre and Marion Mortefon are also out
What's going on at Duotone? According to Marc Pare (see below), Pierre Mortefon and his sister Marion have also just announced that they will no longer be supported by Duotone. As with Pare, this decision seemed to have come suddenly and unexpectedly. "What can I say, I'm only just beginning to realise it," writes Pierre Mortefon in his Instagram post with lots of pictures from his 14-year partnership with Duotone and Fanatic/North respectively. "14 years swept away, at the end of this year, so late, without warning, without soul...". Neither has yet announced a new supplier. This means that Duotone has not only thrown its best waverider out the door, but also its best slalom riders in the women's and men's events of the past season. Both Paré and Mortefons are among the world's best with realistic ambitions for the respective world championship titles. And for all of them, the end of their co-operation seemed very unexpected. The exciting questions now are which riders will still be affected and what strategy Duotone is pursuing in terms of team riders.
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Marino Gil Gherardi separates from Goya
Marino Gil Gherardi is considered one of the biggest talents on the PWA tour, always supported by Goya Windsurfing. But now the Spaniard has announced his departure without revealing his new partner. Marino posted a few pictures from his eight years at Goya, including many with Francisco and Lalo Goya. "I would like to thank Marcilio Browne for including me in this team when I was 13 years old. Thanks to Lalo and Francisco for giving me the opportunity to be a professional in the sport I love and for helping me over the years to reach the point where I am now!" writes Marino. He also thanks shaper Keith Teboul. Numerous pros wish him all the best in the comments, including friend and training partner Liam Dunkerbeck.
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Steffi Wahl now sails Goya sails
Steffi Wahl and Sailloft have always felt like they belonged together. But the Schönberg native has just announced that she will now be taking to the water with sails from Goya. When it comes to boards, she will remain part of the team at Rostock custom manufacturer Windflüchter. Dominik Röckl is also switching to Goya. Steffi's surf buddy Bulgenslag aka Frithjof Blaasch - who will also be riding Goya in future - has put together a great clip from the first sessions with the new sails:
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Marc Paré no longer with Duotone
He is regarded as a mega-talent and upcoming world champion, but Duotone has not extended Marc Paré's contract, as the brand announced on Facebook. "The industry is going through a critical phase and unfortunately some difficult decisions had to be made. We would like to thank Marc for his tireless support and hard work during his years at Duotone and wish him the very best for his future career," the post reads. The Spaniard has not yet commented himself.
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Fabian Wolf moves to Starboard/Severne
From FMX and GunSails to Starboard/Severne: German champion and DWC tour winner Fabian Wolf recently presented his new sponsors. As Wolf also competes on the iQFoil in addition to the DWC, this combo makes perfect sense. Next year, Wolf also wants to compete in international PWA events and prove himself there.
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Max Rowe now on Duotone
Former freestyle worldcupper Max Rowe switches from Simmer Style to Duotone. The Brit immediately showcased his new material with a great action clip:
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Jason Polakow now drives Quatro and Goya
This is not a change of sponsor like any other: Jason Polakow leaves JP-Australia and now rides Quatro and Goya. It was actually thought that the Australian had a lifelong contract with the brand that bears his initials, even though he has not been directly involved for some time and sold his last shares back in 2013. Polakow showed his new Quatro boards, which come in the legendary wing design like his first strapper models in the early nineties.
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Lucas Nebelung joins We One
The still relatively new board brand We One from Austria has signed its first German rider, Lucas Nebelung. Lucas has been competing on the black and turquoise boards since the autumn.
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