Windsurf Cup Heiligenhafen: Vincent Langer is Formula European Champion - in the final tiebreak

After four days, the Formula Windsurfing European Championships came to an end on Sunday as part of the Multivan Windsurf Cup Heiligenhafen. The conditions were good and official races were held on three of the four competition days. A total of ten races were on the results list at the end.

The title duel was extremely exciting: the lead kept changing hands between the two dominant riders Vincent Langer and Fabian Wolf. In the end, the decision was made in the final race and was so close that the European title was only awarded in the final tie-breaker stage: Vincent Langer is the new Formula Windsurfing European Champion 2023.

The title duel began on the opening Thursday. Langer won both races of the day, but Wolf was breathing down his neck in both races. With two second places, he kept himself in the title race for the European Championship. After a rest day due to the calm, six races could be started on Saturday, the maximum possible number of races per day. Fabian Wolf pushed himself to the top of the European Championship rankings with several race wins.

Title decided in tiebreak

Before the final day, Langer and Wolf were level on points at the top and the title duel was exciting right to the end. Each of the two was able to record one more race win. At the end of the European Championship, Langer and Wolf were still tied at the top with 11.0 points. This meant that the Formula Windsurfing European Championship title had to be decided in a tie-breaker.

It's never been as exciting as this time." (Vincent Langer)

In the first stage, according to the regulations, the scratch results of the drivers are compared. Both drivers scratch exactly the same results. Then the individual results are compared. Here too, the two rivals remained on a par. The final tie-breaker stage, the better result in the last race, ultimately decided the European title: as Langer was able to secure victory in the final race, he became the new Formula Windsurfing European Champion 2023.

"I am delighted with all my heart to have won my seventh European title. It's never been as exciting as this time. It makes me proud that I was once again able to put Olympic surfer Fabi Wolf in his place in a tough battle," said a delighted Vincent Langer after his European Championship victory.

Fabi Wolf was an equal opponent over four days and probably deserved the European title just as much. His runner-up European title will probably go down in the history of the International Formula Windsurfing Class as the closest and most fiercely contested of all time.

I can't remember ever having to fight and pump like that." (Fabi Wolf)

"It was a tough fight with Vincent and the other Formula racers. Apart from the Multivan Windsurf Cup, I was focussing on the Olympic iQFOiL class. I can't remember ever having to fight and pump like that. In the end, I'm not only happy about the European Championship runner-up title, but also about the perfect competition training," says Fabi Wolf on the final day of the European Championship.

Poland's Tomasz Romanowski proved to be the strongest pursuer of the leading German duo. In no race did he finish worse than fourth place. In the end, his consistently strong performance earned him 24.0 points. This secured him third place on the podium. Pawel Dittrich, another Pole, followed in fourth place; Dittrich is also the best Master. Spaniard Fernando Martinez del Cerro completes the top five, he also won the Masters over 40 category.

Strong juniors at the Formula European Championship

Meno Büchler from Schönberg is the new Formula Windsurfing Youth U-20 European Champion. With 49.0 points, he secured sixth place in the overall field. Formula Windsurfing Youth U-20 Vice European Champion is Leo Richter from Kiel. Felix Wehkamp, also from Kiel, follows in third place.

The battle for the title also raged on in the U-17 juniors' field. After a disastrous start with two early starts, Erik Wehkamp not only got back into the European Championship race on Saturday with a strong performance, but even took the lead. He did not relinquish this lead until the end. He can therefore celebrate the Formula Windsurfing Junior U-17 European Championship title.

Fifteen-year-old Paul Regber and Berlin-based Pello Bo Behrendt fought an exciting battle for second place. In the end, Regber, who comes from near Kiel, came out on top in his regatta debut and crowned his debut with the Formula Windsurfing Junior U-17 European Championship runner-up title. Behrendt can be happy about third place

Windsurf Cup also in Heiligenhafen in 2024

The Multivan Windsurf Cup celebrated a successful return to Heiligenhafen and the Baltic seaside resort presented itself as an excellent host for the windsurfing elite. In addition to the competitions at the European Championships, there was a colourful programme for visitors to the adventure pier in Heiligenhafen. In the event village on the beach, visitors could pass the time at various stands or go shopping. Every evening, the pier forecourt became a party location for the Multivan Windsurf Cup.

During the award ceremony, Eike Doyen, head of tourism in Heiligenhafen, announced the date for next year: From 29 August to 1 September 2024, the Multivan Windsurf Cup will once again be hosted by the Baltic seaside resort of Heiligenhafen.

Results Formula Windsurfing European Championship Heiligenhafen

1. Vincent Langer
2. Fabian Wolf
3. Tomasz Romanowski
4. Pawel Dittrich
5. Fernando Martinez del Cerro

Juniors U20

1. Meno Büchler
2. Leo Richter
3. Felix Wehkamp

Juniors U17

1. Erik Wehkamp
2. Paul Regber
3. Pello Bo Behrendt

Master

1. Pawel Dittrich
2. Jacek Wroz
3. David Coles

Master over 40

1. Fernando Martinez del Cerro
2. Wojciech Olejnek
3. Jacek Dubaniewicz

Also interesting:

• Vincent Langer takes the lead in Heiligenhafen
• Matthias Regber on the new classes in the Windsurf Cup
• Regatta classes: What do PWA, IWT, IFCA and co. actually mean?