2016 European Youth Freestyle Championships - Tough fight on Day 2

by Kite Classes on 16 May 2016 The youngest competitors delivered great action on day two at the 2016 European Youth Freestyle Championships in Noordwijk, Holland!

After a great competition yesterday we were ready and excited to see the boys U14 and the girls showing their best tricks on the water today.

After a sunny Skippers meeting at 09:30 we were able to start the first four girls' races at 10:00 am. French Rider Célia Salome was up against Chiara Adobati from Italy, while Nina Font (ESP) competed against Senne Bruijn (NED). The wind was more onshore and all competitors needed to get used to the rough conditions. The wind direction and the high waves were pushing the riders towards the shoreline so that some riders crashed their kites on the beach and needed assistance from their caddies. Senne Bruijn and Célia Salome couldn't win their first races, but got the chance to compete in the second round against each other to follow the other girls into the third round.

At the second race Spanish girl Osaia Reding Commaille, youngest one in the division, competed against Dafne Dijkman from the Netherlands. For Dafne it is the third competition in her life and it was hard to ride against Osaia who already attended a few events in the past. Nevertheless both competitors did their best, Osaia advanced to the third round, whereby Dafne got another chance to climb up the Elimination ladder by riding against Eva Dupont (FRA), who lost her first race against Sorsha van der Ark (NED).

Colleen Falempin (FRA) and Pippa van Iersel (NED) were pre seeded and joined the other girls straight at round three. Four tough and close races later the participants for the Semi Finals were Nina Font (North Kiteboarding) against Senne Bruijn (Ozone) and Pippa van Iersel (Airush) against Chiara Adobati (Cabrinha). After the high tide the conditions were slightly better in the morning so that the girls had a bit more space between the waves to take off for their tricks. In between their races the riders warmed up at the Hot Tubs at the beach and supported each other during the competition. Spanish Rider Nina Font advanced into the finals after a great race against Dutch girl Senne Bruijn.

The second semi-final didn't lose excitement. Pippa van Iersel won close against Chiara Adobati, who turned 16 years today. Two more races were missing at the girls division to complete the elimination ladder. Senne Bruijn and Chiara Adobati met at the losers final to fight for a place on the podium. Pippa van Iersel and Nina Font completed the Youth European Championships at the Kiteboard Open in Norrdwijk with a great performance on the water.

Next to the girls division we were able to run the U14 boys. In total twelve young riders delivered great action inside the competition area. In the first race one of the youngest competitors, Lau Duprez (BEL), competed against Joris Herrewijnen (NED) and Wout Knipscheer (NED) and became second. The following race was dominated by Hugo Metton from France followed by Dutch rider Nout Mul and Ilyah Muns (NED). Race number three included another young Dutch competitor (Duuk van Hees), Oscar Perrineau from France and Jaap van der Kommer from the Netherlands. Perrineau advanced directly into the next round, whereby van der Kommer and Duuk van Hees were fighting for one of the coveted seats in the quarter finals.

The final race of the first round was with Jis van Hees (NED), Ties Verlinden (NED) and Hugo Zirkzee (NED). Ties secured the third place in this race and competed against Duuk van Hees in the next round, in which he unfortunately lost so that Duuk met his older brother Jis in the quarter finals. The race between the brothers was very close. Duuk won against his brother by only a few points difference and advanced into the semi-finals.

Lau Duprez won against Ilyah Muns, but lost against Hugo Metton in the quarter finals. Wout Knipscheer won the race against Nout Mul and met Joris Herrewijnen in race number nine where Herrewijnen made his way via the semifinals against Metton into the finals.

After four races Duuk van Hees managed to reach the loser final with F-One Team Rider Hugo Metton. At the final Heerwijnen met Oscar Perrineau.

All results will be announced tomorrow afternoon at the prize giving at 15:00 pm.

We look back to another successful day at the Youth European Championships 2016 and welcome all riders and parents to join our Judging clinic tomorrow morning at 10:00 am at the beach. There our team will answer all your questions about competitions and judging criteria.

As mentioned before the prize giving will be at 15:00 pm. We hope to see you all tonight for the big beach party at the event! Let's celebrate the success of the first Youth European Championships!