Wijk aan Zee: “Peter Volwater Wave Classic” – the organisers on the Netherlands’ new wave contest

The windsurfing scene in the Netherlands is very vibrant, yet apart from “De Slag om Domburg”, there are very few competitions, particularly on the open sea. A group of locals from Wijk aan Zee want to change that. They have launched the “Peter Volwater Wave Classic”, which is intended to honour the memory of the World Cup competitor who passed away in 2015. The standby period begins in September; the event will take place on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, with the final ‘GO’ for the maximum of 48 competitors being given no later than 48 hours beforehand. Gijs Jansen and Bas Molenkamp talk about the idea and the team behind the new format.

How did the idea for this competition come about?

Gijs: I’d had the idea in mind for a while. Very little has been organised in the Netherlands for years, so I thought we should do it ourselves. We have a wonderful sport and it deserves a platform. Last year, after ‘De Slag Om Domburg’, I pitched the idea to a few windsurfing mates in Wijk, and that’s how it got off the ground.

This event is named after Peter Volwater. What is the story behind it?

Gijs: The idea to name the event after Peter Volwater came from Patrick Smits. Wijk aan Zee was his home town, where Peter laid the foundations for his career. Many of the locals and regulars in Wijk are contemporaries of Peter’s and have shared some great adventures with him. So it seemed only natural to name our event after him.

Bas: We all looked up to Peter. He’d turned his – and our – passion into a career; he had boundless energy and always led the way at full steam with a broad smile on his face. It’s really lovely that the path through the dunes, which we walk every time we have a session, bears his name, and that we can name our contest after him.

​We all looked up to Peter. He had boundless energy and always led the way at full steam, with a broad smile on his face.”

Why is Wijk aan Zee the best venue for this competition?

Gijs: The first time I went windsurfing in Wijk, I was out with Peter; I think I was 16 at the time. The road running alongside the dunes and the blast furnaces was truly surreal. I’d never seen such beautiful waves in the Netherlands before. An unforgettable experience. Apart from this ‘wonderful’ backdrop, Wijk is, in my opinion, one of the few spots in the Netherlands where the conditions are almost always good. And there’s a warm and passionate local scene that turns every day of windsurfing into a party.

Bas: It also helps that Wijk is very centrally located; windsurfers come here from all over. The group from Friesland all come to Wijk when the conditions aren’t right back home, and the same goes for the lads from the south when the wind’s too southerly there. In Wijk we’re all one, and you get a real mix of dialects here!

Peter was an icon. How will his style and personality be reflected in the layout and atmosphere of this event?

Gijs: I hope that all participants will push themselves a bit harder than usual during the event. Just as Peter would say: give it your all with a big smile on your face. And encourage everyone, whatever their level!

Bas: Peter did that too. I was out at Ho’okipa once, which I found absolutely dreadful because of the waves near the rocks. Peter was there as well and took the time to give me some tips. Whilst the aerials were flying past my ears, I finally managed to catch a wave just right. Back on the beach, Peter greeted me as if I’d just won the Aloha Classic. He always motivated you to work even harder.

Who’ll be behind the wheel at this event?

Bas: (laughs) A bunch of enthusiastic lads.

Gijs: None of us has any experience of organising a windsurfing event. But we’re enthusiastic, and we’ve competed in enough competitions to know what’s important and how we want it to be.

Bas: We complement each other well as a group. We have several entrepreneurs, people who work in the film and media industry, or who work for the government and have good links with the local community. There are also lots of windsurfers who are keen to help and contribute their ideas. We take this very seriously. A foundation has even been set up.

What is the format of the competition?

Gijs: The idea is to run a single-elimination tournament with an intermediate round for the losers of the first heats (replay round). We’ll put together a panel of (former) top windsurfers to ensure everyone is judged as fairly and accurately as possible. The event will easily last six to eight hours and take place over a single day. As well as prizes for the winners, there’ll be plenty of other prizes on offer, and if the weather permits, we’ll round things off with a mass-start fun race or something similar. And let’s not forget a beer afterwards!

Bas: Organising a whole event like that in a single day is pretty tough. Luckily, the lads from The Battle of Domburg ready to help us with this. It just goes to show that windsurfers really are a close-knit group.

Is this an event for die-hard pros who do double loops, or is the bar set lower?

Gijs: Everyone is welcome. We’re obviously hoping that the top Dutch riders will turn up, but the main thing is that all the participants give it their all – and ideally go that extra mile. And that the top four put on a brilliant final show at the end!

Bas: We also hope that everyone will stick with us for a long time. We’re in talks with the new owner of the “Aloha” beach bar so that we’ll have a good place to meet up during the day.

Under what forecast is the go-ahead given?

Bas: We get nervous when the ‘sewer rat’ is lying outside the door (Editor’s note: A term used by locals to describe wind that blows straight across the English Channel and produces good waves for the spot). The event takes place when the wind is blowing from the south-west at 25 knots or more. There are always waves then – that’s the beauty of Wijk.

You’ve just mentioned *De Slag Om Domburg*; how do you make sure you don’t get in each other’s way?

Gijs: They’re sort of like our role models and help us a lot. The idea is not to get in each other’s way, but to complement one another. For the best conditions in Domburg, you need a different wind direction, so that should work out fine, of course.

Bas: We’ll never get in their way. And if the weather gods decide that both spots are good, then Slag takes priority.

Gijs: ‘Wouldn’t it be mad if both events were to take place in 2026! One more and we’ll have a Dutch Wave Tour!’

What would you like the participants to talk about when they’re having a beer (or a hot chocolate) in the evening, reflecting on the day?

Gijs: I hope we’ll all share a passion for the sport. That that one jump, that one wave or that one fall will be talked about and remembered. And that new goals and ‘rematch’ agreements will be made for the next edition!

Bas: It’s brilliant what we share as windsurfers, and it’s great that we’re always pushing each other to get the best out of ourselves.

One last question: I’ve heard you haven’t decided on a logo yet?

Gijs: Haha, that’s right. We’ve been experimenting a bit with AI and it’s sparked lots of ideas, but we haven’t found the perfect logo yet. At the moment, we’re using the ‘Plankzeilertje’ logo with H-24, but we’re still on the lookout for a talented graphic designer who can pull it off really well. So if anyone sees this as a fun challenge: get in touch!

For further information and to register, please visit petervolwaterwaveclassic.nl or via Instagram @petervolwaterwaveclassic