DAM-X - The EFPT goes to the Netherlands

by EFPT on 3 Jun 2015 We are delighted to announce that the EFPT DAM-X event taking place in Brouwersdam, Holland from the seventh through the 11th of October 2015 could be confirmed. The top organisation team around Pieternel Van der Linde and Uwe Jendrusch have been working around the clock to make this happen at the Surf- and Zeilcentrum in Brouwersdam, which is supposed to be one of the best freestyle spots around Europe.

After staging an EFPT tow-in comeptition there in 2013 we are more than happy to now run a 10.000 € freestyle event for men, a 3.000 € tow-in event and the first ever ladies EFPT event with 3.000 € prize-money up for grabs. For the first time in the history of the European Freestyle Pro Tour we will therefore have a female tour-champion in 2015. We spoke to Pieternel and former EFPT competitor Maarten Van Ochten, who is part of the organisation team, about their motivation, the event and what riders can expect there.

EFPT: What was your motivation behind organising an EFPT event?

As you know Brouwersdam is one of the best freestyle locations in the World. At the Brouwersdam big names such as Steven van Broeckhoven (JP/Neilpryde), Dieter van der Eyken (Starboard/Severne), Rick Jendrusch (F2/Severne), Davy Scheffers, Yentel Cears (JP/Neilpryde) and Nick van Ingen (North/Fanatic) and the list goes on and on. They all grew up here to be some of the best in the Worlds rankings. The Brouwersdam is one of the best places for training and no doubt for competing too!

EFPT: You are organising the first ever ladies EFPT event. What was your motivation to go for it?

We felt that there’s so much potential for the ladies to compete. Lately the level of the ladies has been gone up a lot. Besides the group of women that do freestyle is increasing every year. The Dam-X event will give those ladies a chance to show the world what they’ve got.

EFPT: What are your expectations for the event?

First of all we hope that the wind conditions for competing will be great so all athletes get fair chances to compete. In other words we are very motivated to run at least one double elimination for both men and women. By running this European Championships and of course the first ever EFPT women event, we aim to promote the sport, as well as to attract and motivate people to pick up windsurfing. Naturally the riders can expect that our goal is organising a very well event for them.

Besides the EFPT, there will be much more going one during the entire week. This event will be a great way to get people in touch and discover the water-sports in the area of Zeeland/ Zuid-Holland. Let’s say we are targeting to raise the awareness and show the potential and diversity of the watersport around this area. That’s why we’ve chosen dates in the Fall, which is the point of time when the area is getting less crowded even though the conditions couldn’t be any better!

EFPT: What can the riders and spectators expect at your event and event-site?

Having an European championship will most certainly not be all that specators will get. That’s why we called it DAM-X. At DAM-X you can also expect a big fun race, which will take place at the weekends. Furthermore we’ll have side events like parties, clinics, school-programs, masterclasses for talents, SUP by night, going live of the RTP (Training Programme in the area) and much more. Basically we’d like to reach out to the windsurfing world, but also motivate and attract those who are not that familiar yet with the sport.

We also asked some riders what they think about the DAM-X event:

Rick Jendrusch (Severne/F2): For me it’s the best to have an event at home! It’s good to compete at my homespot and I have a different kind of pressure. Also I like to show everyone my homespot and motivate people and kids to get into watersports and windsurfing. And I can sleep in my own bed!

Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP/Neilpryde): It’s also my homespot so I am really looking forwards to have it there. This year it is important for me to do the whole tour, especially when it is also happening in Holland. It’s always good to have more events with more prize-money and points. Also it is really a good time there for wind so we will probably get good conditions. I think it’s also great to have an EFPT girls event because they don’t have many freestyle events anyways.

Adam Sims (Patrik/Sailloft): It’s good! I am excited to go there! I really like the place and I am looking forwards to compete at the spot that produced so many world-class windsurfers.

Adrien Bosson (North/Fanatic): I am really looking forwards to this event because I like the place. I competed there two years ago in the PWA event. This year there will also be three events in a row which is great. We can all travel from Sylt to Brouwersdam and then onwards to my homespot in Six Fours les Plages, where we will stage the EFPT final like every year!

Yentel Caers: For me it’s only two hours by car and it is my homespot too. I like both sides of it: the flat bit and the choppy bit but I prefer the choppy bit actually because it is better for air moves. I would like to get a top five position but I am sure it’s going to be hard because there will certainly be many good competitors. And also for the girls it’s sick because they only have one PWA freestyle event in Fuerte this year!

Rick Jendrusch who became fourth at the first EFPT freestyle event in 2015 at Milos Beach also just released a video about his homespot today. Check it out and you will see what we can expect at Brouwersdam!