The Pumpfoil Contest organised by 1001 Grad Events, the creators of Racer and Winger of the Sea, brought the trendy sport to the boat harbour in the heart of Kiel on Sunday. The 15 registered participants were divided into four groups, with the top two from each group qualifying for the quarter-finals. A tight slalom course across the boat harbour was then completed in a direct duel. "Exciting head-to-head races, tragic crashes and spectacular finishes provided plenty of emotion and a great atmosphere, and not just for the participants," wrote the organisers.
Kai Steimer and Hannes Beck as well as Andreas Schneider and Dylan Wichmann faced each other in the semi-finals of the best four pump spoilers. Kai Steimer and Dylan Wichmann won the semi-finals and advanced to the final. Dylan Wichmann, who comes from South Africa, gave the competition an international flavour. Andreas Schneider won the small final for third place.
Eddy Möller is the youngest pump spoiler at the age of eleven
In the final, Steimer and Beck gave each other no quarter, and for the first half of the race the two pump spoilers were separated by less than a board length. In the end, however, Dylan held his nerve and gave Kai Steimer no chance of overtaking him. As a result, the South African won the final and the contest to thunderous applause from the numerous spectators, relegating Kai Steimer to a respectable second place.
At the subsequent award ceremony, there were other prizes in addition to the goodie bag that all participants received when they enrolled. There was a special honour for Anne Unruh, the only and therefore best lady in the male-dominated field. In addition, Eddy Möller, who at just 11 years old was not only the youngest participant but also presented the best show in a short expression session, was honoured and presented with a hoodie from Salty Elements. In addition, the three podium finishers Andreas Schneider (3rd place), Kai Steimer (2nd place) and Dylan Wichmann (1st place) each received an Ice Watch voucher worth 100 euros, which was provided by partner Ocean Global.
