News from the EFPT about the Austrian tow-in event…
With less than two months until the first major freestyle competition of the year kicks off in Austria, the EFPT have release details of the tow-in event to be held at Podersdorf.
While the ‘traditional’ freestyle event will be run by the PWA, the European Freestyle Pro Tour will be running a tow-in event alongside. The event last year was a huge success and repeatedly drew the crowds to the waters edge as the world’s best battled it out behind the jetski, with a brilliant floodlit final to cap it all off.
Handing over to the EFPT for their take on the event…
“For 14 years now, the Surf Worldcup has been opening event for the season on the ‘sea of the Viennese’ , Lake Neusiedl. It is the unique mix of trend sports and it’s lifestyle that attracts an average of 85.000 visitors every year. After so many successful years, it became obvious that results in the windsurf competition at the Austrian Surf Worldcup were possible, but couldn’t be guaranteed. The event itself always presents a firework of supporting programs, ranging from the best parties of the year, to live acts, BMX and skateboard shows, SUP contests and a huge amount of exhibitors from the board-sports industry and beyond. Despite everyone having a great time, there have been some years where it was impossible to show people why this event was organised in the first place: to stage a freestyle windsurfing competition. So how do you give spectators the chance to see what it’s all about and riders the chance to compete if there is no wind?
Tow-in windsurfing opened new perspectives. Suddenly it didn’t matter if it is day or night, wind or no wind, the sea or a lake, a national or international event. As tow-in developed more and more, the action got closer to the beach, moves got faster, higher and more radical and the spectators love it. This year for the first time, the EFPT is running the tow-in event in Podersdorf, with the perspective to drag attention to the European Freestyle Pro Tour.
The night tow-in last year was a huge success and attracted attention from several sides: the big audience on the beach, the media and last but not least the industry itself. So no matter if you are a fan of tow-in windsurfing or not, everything that makes people aware of a sport that doesn’t get as much media attention as other extreme sports (e.g. snowboarding), should be considered good for it. These are the reasons why the EFPT’s approach is: what is good for the sport, is good for everyone involved in it and therefor should be promoted.”
Read the full report on the EFPT website HERE.
