Tarifa End Report

The Toro Andaluz ends with the Victory of Normen Günzlein (JP/NP)!!!

A amazing start in the new season, in fantastic conditions, a great organization and perfect performances on the water.

Tarifa, often called the European capitol of windsurfing didn't disappoint us at all. What more an you wish for the first event in a new season? Nothing!!! Sure a second double elimination would have been great, sure a bit more stable condition would have made it easier but as windsurfers we're used to life with compromise and what we got here again was just perfect!!! No doubt...

Normen takes home a lot of points for the overall title, that's for sure. He is the one that the guys will be chasing now but as the young German is a pro he will handle the pressure for sure. Competing for many years on the tour, having a lot of experience he will take good care to stay in leading position.

Kevin Mevissen (RRD) on the second place is fully on fire, coming to Spain he had not much freestyle practise on his account, you might say none. His awesome performance on the water infected him again and its clear that we will see him on some other efpt stops as well.

The man of the event has to be Steven van Broeckhoven though, almost unknown to European riders he kinda appeared out of nowhere, eliminating big names all over the ladder. The Belgian magazine cant wait to get him close for some interviews and reports how he did but we can tell you straight away: GREAT!!!

The first event of a season is always a good place to see what to expect over the rest of the season. In this case Tarifa was amazing, the well known riders in the event have to watch out for the newcomers and also know now which moves they need to get in first positions.
so the next weeks before Podersdorf will be full of practising and preparing for that one, especially as it will be a combination with the PWA.

We sort of had a foretaste of what to expect, Raimondo Gasperini (Starboard), who was practising in Jeri this year started a project to support young talents and he brought some brasilian hotshots as well as Italiian styler to the Andalusian beach. The X-Ray project is fantastic; supporting riders to give them some event experience is just great. Although the brasillians cant become European Champion obviously they still improve their contest sills and push the level massive...

Wow, we had a immense competition fleet and its so hard to mention all riders, 35 riders from 15 nations hit the water leaving impressed spectators behind. Moves like double flaka, ponch, switch chachoos, super high shakas seem to become standard and if a rider is not able to do it at the beginning of the event he practises them between the heats and shows (or tries to show) it in his next heat. The excitement in this competition was amazing so if you have the chance to visit a event near you, that's definitely something you should do.

As the forecast for the last day was not good the complete (and it was complete) efpt family met at the "café del mar" in tarifa city. A super nice place, stylish as hell so it was just the perfect place to celebrate the start of the tour and the end of the event. The group went crazy all night and could only be stopped by the fact that the police shut down the place in the morning hours. Nevertheless the guys continued in tarifa downtown and surprisingly were all present at the today's super session at one pm. For the last time in this year they showed the crowds on the beach what first class freestyle is all about!!! Smiling faces all over the place showed once again that they're not just amazing competitors but a bunch of good friends who live for this sport, travel the continent and just want to know who will be the best in the end.

Hard to say our "good buys" once again to the friendly people who organize the event and support us with all we need to run the competition. But gypsies as we are we have to go and can only promise to be back next year...

As great and fantastic it was the stories told around the world about tarifa and the region of Andalusia will be just the best. We highly recommend this place to everyone in Europe and around the world. Every windsurfer and kitesurfer who wants to have a good time, great conditions and stay in a place which is fully addicted to water sport will be damn happy to come here!!!

Again we take a bow, say "gracias" and hope it was a good show!!!

DaMike

for EFPT

 

01	Günzlein Normen	GER	G-186	JP/NP
02	Mevissen Kevin	NED	H 79	RRD
03	Otaegui Antxon	ESP	E-169	JP/NP
04	Van Broeckhoven Steven	BEL	B72	F2
05	Roßmeier Michael	AUT	AUT 256	Exocet/the Loft
06	Popretinskiy Egor	RUS	RUS-11	JP/NP
07	de Weerd Remko	NED	H-23	Tabou/Gaastra
07	Paskowski Andre	GER	G-2	Fantic/North Sails
09	da silva danilo menez	BRA	bra 83	Fanatic/North Sails
09	Olandersson Andreas	SWE	S-66	Fanatic/Simmer Style
09	Stråhlén Niklas	SWE	S-4444	RRD/Simmer Style
09	Sumereder Michael	AUT	AUT-9	RRD/North
13	Akgazcyan Nicolas	FRA	F 400	Starboard/Gun Sails
13	Kosmowski Jakub	POL	POL 288	Tabou/Gaastra
13	souza de pedro edvan	BRA	bra 250
13	Žan Andraž	SLO	SLO 49	RRD/the Loft
17	De Rycker Roeland	BEL	B67	The Loft
17	Dixon Colin	GBR	k 99	Tabou/Gaastra
17	Forstenlechner Lorenz	AUT	Aut-7	F2
17	Janssen Kenny	BEL	B34
17	Kruse Stefan	GER	G 360	F2
17	Petrisie Ruben/Bang	NED	NB-50	Exocet/the Loft
17	Slabe Tine	SLO	SLO 6	F2/Naish
17	Spadea Nicola	ITA	I 44	Starboard
25	Alvarez Mauricio	AUT	AUT 86	Tabou/Gaastra
25	Caers Jelle	BEL	B 47	F2/the Loft
25	Caers Rolien	BEL	B74	F2
25	Pollet Arthur	FRA	BRA218
25	scheuble pete	SUI	sui 969	JP/NP
25	Seyss Alexander	AUT	aut-61	Naish/Naish
25	teixeira francisco samuel	BRA	bra 64	Starboard
33	Cervero Rafael	ESP	E-13	The Loft
33	Gasperini Raimondo	ITA	i 157	Starboard
33	Van der Eyken Dieter	BEL	B35	Starboard