Long distance, sprint, technical and freestyle: Numerous German champions at the SUP & Wingfoil Festival on Fehmarn

Two days of sunshine for the SUP competitions and a stormy Sunday with ideal conditions for the Wingfoil Freestyle Championships - the SUP & Wing Foil Festival on the south beach of Fehmarn presented itself from its best side from 1 to 3 August 2025. The German SUP Open Ocean and Wingfoil Freestyle Championships attracted numerous top athletes, while water sports newcomers took the opportunity to gain their first experience with taster courses. There was also yoga on the beach, expert talks and parties in the evening!

Long distance race from Gold to the south beach

The competition started on Friday afternoon with the long distance race. Almost 70 participants from Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark set off on the approximately twelve-kilometre course. The course led from the starting point in Gold to the finish at the festival site on the south beach - a particular highlight was the passage under the Fehmarnsund Bridge. In summery temperatures and ideal paddling conditions, the internationally successful Dane Emma Freja Pedersen came out on top in the women's competition. Benjamin Bossack secured victory in the men's competition. The fastest paddlers needed around an hour to complete the challenging course, which required not only strength but also tactical skill.

• Crossing the Fehmarnbelt on a SUP - Bastian Grimm on his paddling adventure on the Baltic Sea

The second day of the competition was all about the technical race. In what continued to be perfect summer weather, the SUP athletes had to master a four-kilometre course with numerous buoy roundings directly in front of the festival site. Here too, Emma Freja Pedersen was able to utilise her experience and technical superiority to secure her second victory of the weekend. Multiple German champion Norman Weber triumphed in the men's event, putting all his experience to good use and leaving the competition in the dust.

Wingfoil freestyle in perfect storm conditions

Sunday presented itself with overcast skies and partly wet conditions - but the constant south-westerly wind provided ideal conditions for the wingfoil freestyle competitions right on the shore. 21 of the best German wingfoilers showed off their skills and impressed with spectacular jumps and tricks. Particularly pleasing was the strong participation in the U-15 age group, which had the largest field of participants. To the delight of the local fans, local Theo Buchwald, who had just celebrated his 13th birthday, secured victory in this category. In the U-19 category, Willy Christahl, who had recently won the World Championship title in his age group and has now added the German championship title, came out on top.

In the men's open class in wingfoil freestyle, the participants delivered a thrilling final. Lasse Harbacek from Hamburg beat off the strong competition with an impressive final trick to take the German championship title. Franz Rapolder and Henning Nockel completed the podium. The SUP athletes' sprint races also took place on Sunday alongside the wingfoil competitions. Skadi Langbein won the women's and Vince Duschneit the men's races over the short but intense distance.

In addition to the sporting competitions, the festival offered an extensive supporting programme for participants and visitors. A particular eye-catcher were the almost 60 impressive off-road motorhomes that had travelled to the Explorer magazine expert talk and could be seen on the campsite site right by the sea. And of course there were also the legendary festival parties on both evenings!

Results SUP & Wingfoil Festival Fehmarn

Freestyle DM Wingfoil Open Class

• 1. lasse Harbacek
• 2. Franz Rapolder
• 3rd Henning Nockel

U-19

• 1 Hubert Christahl
• 2. jost Brandel
• 3. Johann Dietze

U-15

• 1 Theo Buchwald
• 2. Wilhelm Christahl
• 3 Tebbe Voget

SUP Long Distance Open Class Ladies

• 1. Emma Freja Pedersen
• 2nd Marit Miedema
• 3 Marin Roeboer

SUP Long Distance Open Class Men

• 1. Benjamin Bossack
• 2nd Basti Grimm
• 3rd Vince Duschneit

SUP Technical Race Open Class Ladies

• 1. Emma Freja Pedersen
• 2nd Marit Miedema
• 3 Josephina Karst

SUP Technical Race Open Class Men

• 1. Norman Weber
• 2. Sebastian Grimm
• 3. Anton Birkicht

SUP Sprint Open Class Ladies

• 1. skadi Langbein
• 2 Josephina Karst
• 3rd Emma Freja Pedersen

SUP Sprint Open Class Men

• 1st Vince Duschneit
• 2. Maui Sach
• 3. Norman Weber