The Champions of Europe - Again
North Kiteboarding team members Sabrina Lutz (Germany) and Mario Rodwald (Germany) are the 2013 European Freestyle Champions in Kiteboarding.
Stefan Spiessberger (NKB) wins the tour stop. North Kiteboarding domination.
The German front-runners Mario Rodwald (22) and compatriot Sabrina Lutz (24) went into a thrilling competition in Castelldeldefels, Spain. The weather gods gave their support to the 78 riders from ten nations and so the kiteboarders took off to run the single elimination on the stormy mediterranean waters of Castelldefels. In the athletic freestyle competition the riders compete against each other in a knock out system. Judges award points for the most complex tricks and jumps. Everything went well for the two german front runners until some upset was caused in the semi-finals.
Austria's Stefan Spiessberger (24, NKB) who was close on Rodwald's heels in the overall ranking, kept his nerve and won over the German in the semi finals in a very tight match. Rodwald finished third, but Spiessberger continued his winning strike and sent spanish superstar Alex Pastor to the second place. The Austrian's win wasn't enough however to prevent Rodwald from defending his 2012 European Championship title.
In the women's division, Sabrina Lutz faced a similar fate and she too lost and won at the same time. She lost in the semi finals against her nemesis, the reigning european champion Annelou Lammerts (20) and she also managed to finish in third position, but despite her loss against Lammerts, the girl from germany won the title! She had simply already gathered enough points to secure the 2013 title. Danish talent Therese Taabbel (17) secured a second place in Castelldefels.
The winds soon calmed down and the racers were sent out to battle out their tour winner on a course staked out with buoys. Again it was a german who managed to get in front. Florian Gruber won over Julien Kerneur from France and Russia's Ivan Doronin. Then the wind decided that it was time for siesta and returned only on the very last day, when two more races could be run. Florian Gruber won race two and got a second place in the last race, which secured him the event win. However he couldn't get the overall titel due to two missing points that made North Kiteboarding team rider Maxime Nocher from France a very happy tour winner while securing a safe 2nd place in Castelldefels! Well done Maxime!
Congratulations to the whole North Kiteboarding Team, dominating the European Tour!
Freestyle - European Champions 2013
Men's divison
1. Mario Rodwald (Germany, North Kiteboarding)
2. Stefan Spiessberger (Austria, North Kiteboarding)
3. Jerrie van de Kop (Netherlands)
Women's divison:
1. Sabrina Lutz (Germany, North Kiteboarding)
2. Annelous Lammerts (Netherlands)
3. Nanette Lammerts (Netherlands)
Freestyle - Results for Tour stop Castelldefels
Men's divison
1. Stefan Spiessberger (Austria, North Kiteboarding)
2. Alex Pastor (Spain)
3. Mario Rodwald (Germany, North Kiteboarding)
Women's divison
1. Annelous Lammerts (Netherlands)
2. Therese Taabbel (Denmark)
3. Sabrina Lutz (Germany, North Kiteboarding)
Course Racing - 2013 Tour winners
Men's divison
1. Maxime Nocher (France, North Kiteboarding)
2. Florian Gruber (Germany)
3. Blazej Ozog (Poland, North Kiteboarding)
Women's divison:
1. Katja Roose (Netherlands)
2. Aga Grzymska (Poland)
3. Anastasia Akopova (Russia)
Course Racing - Results for Tour stop Castelldefels
Men's divison
1. Florian Gruber (Germany)
2. Maxime Nocher (France, North Kiteboarding)
3. Julien Kerneur (France)
Women's divison
1. Astrid Berz (Switzerland)
2. Katja Roose (Netherlands)
3. Anastasia Akopova (Russia)