Youngsters on the Tour - the Young and Wild

Within the last years, windsurfing has revolutionized. Additionally continuously succeeding great young talents have increased the rating in the world cup. Those who could once astonish the judges with unbelievable, new feats, can often no longer outstand the next year using the same moves in the international world cup circuit.

World Championship Title before Driving Licencse
This evolution is especially pronounced in the freestyle discipline. While chunky athletes like Josh Stone or even the heavy Frenchman Antoine Albeau, whose style is more powerful than elegant, dominated the scene in the nineties, the young and wild have taken the lead in the new millenium. The only 15-year-old Sarah-Quita Offringa from Aruba could bounce Daida Moreno from her freestyle throne after long years of domination in the women's competition. Ricardo Campello won his first men world championship title at the age of 18, José "Gollito" Estredo with 17 and the new world's best freestyler Marcilio "Brawzinho" Browne with 18 years. The guys have already achieved an eternal slot in the annals of the PWA even before being officially allowed to drink alcohol or make their driving license.

The creative Generation
A break has also taken place in the extremely popular wave competition. Björn Dunkerbeck, who now focuses on slalom and speed, and Kevin Pritchard, serial world champion of the past decade, can no longer really compete with the new stars. The 2007 world championship was decided between the radically surfing 23 year old Spaniard Victor Fernandez and the just one year older Brasilian talent Kauli Seadi, who combines the creative freestyle tricks of the new generation with his smooth wave rides and thereby lands jumps that windsurfing had never seen before (have a look here). In the wave world cup though, routiniers like Nik Baker or Kevin Pritchard still play a decisive role thanks to their enormous experience. However, with riders as Graham Ezzy, the next, young wave champions may grow up.

Windsurfing more spectacular than ever
In freestyle, the new, flexible light weights are already ahead. Dexterity instead of muscle power, creativity in place of standard maneuvers: the prototype of the successful windsurfer has changed. Standing still means losing ground. That is more than ever true for the new competition windsurfing. The sport will benefit from this progression. The level is rising continuously, what will surely please the audience.