The Press Conference for the presentation of the EUROPEAN WAVE & FREESTYLE
FUNBOARD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2001 was held today 25 June in CASINO DO ESTORIL.

The Du Arte Garden Bar was decorated specially for the occasion. As the guests
arrived they received several merchandising from the Clube Overpowers sponsors
and a Press Kit with all the available information about the Event.

Next, a magnificent cocktail offered by CASINO DO ESTORIL was served.

The big attraction of the Press Conference was a windsurf simulator that was
built specially for this occasion. A ventilator with a wind speed of 8 knots
for this windsurf demonstration provided the wind.

Miguel Torres Marques – Race Director, in name of Clube Overpower (Event’s
Organiser), opened the Press Conference thanking all the supports already received
from Companies and State Organisations, which wanted to associate to this great
international event that is going to be held in Portugal for the first time.

The Press Conference speakers were Luc Rogier – IFCA’s Vice President, Henrique
Fonseca – APF President, José Manuel Carinhas – Costa do Estoril Tourism
Board, Remédio Pires – Vice-President of ARHCESM, Frederico Aflallo –
Cascais City Hall, António Carneiro – ARVC.

Following the Press Conference were several journalists

In the Beach everything is set to receive the competitors that came from all
over the Europe searching for the title of European Champion.

We hope the weather conditions will be on our side, because Guincho is considered
one of the best spots in the world.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The European Wave & Freestyle Funboard Championships 2001 has begun today
in Guincho, with the presence of the best European European Funboarders, which
have come to Guincho because of the wind and waves. Guincho is considered to
be one of the best summer spots of the planet.

In this first day of this event the competitors formalised the inscriptions,
check and weigh the material. At 11.00 am took place the opening ceremony, that
was attended by Press, Official Entities, Sponsors and Supporters of the Event.

This Ceremony was presided by Miguel Torres Marques as Race Director that presented
the Event and all the Staff and wished the best of luck to all competitors.
After this presentation, the guarantee of a well-organised championship was
in the air.

Concerning the weather, the forecast is for a big swell followed by strong
winds on Thursday what from the start is a guarantee of unforgettable moments
in Guincho. For this big event, Clube Overpower invites everybody to show up
in Guincho during this week where you can see the best manoeuvres from the best
European competitors.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

In the second day of the event, 1st of the competition, the wind was not in
Guincho.

During all the day there was never enough wind to start the competition.

The beach was great, with lots of beautiful people and a sunny day and the
competitors enjoyed what the day had to offer.

The weather forecast of the Portuguese Weather Institute is very positive so
from Thursday on the promise of good wind and waves in the air…

At the time that this Press Release is being done, the beach is becoming empty,
the competitors are going away because they have lots to do tomorrow.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The Wind is finally in Guincho !!! The conditions for a great championship
have arrived.

Guincho is an excellent spot with waves during all year, but today they were
perfects. Around 12 o’clock the wind blowed at 14 knots, but it was not enough.

The beginning of the competition will took place at 6:00 pm and is not finished
at the time that this Press Release is being done. Between the competitors are:
Tristian Boxforf (3rd in World Waves), Luís Caliço, Daniel Parres,
Timo Mulen and Francisco Fonseca (1st Youth Junior World Waves).

Miguel Torres Marques directed the event, coordinating a board of international
judges that included judges from Portugal, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Belgium and
Finland.

The first series was a single elimination to be able to get a quick final result.
The second series was a double elimination. If there is a third series the competitors
will be able to discard their worst result.

For tomorrow is expected a windy day with excellent sea conditions. The next
days promise to be very good.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Following a night of gale force winds competitors found their sails and boards
scattered around the beach and buried under sand drifts.

With all the competitors equipment recovered the competition started at 13.00.

Good waves, at 1.5 metres, and very strong winds, 35-40 kts, gave perfect conditions
for the competitors to execute their best manoeuvres. Tristan Boxford won the
1st round of the European Funboard Wave championships, with Daniel Parres in
2nd, Luis Caliço in 3rd and Ross Williams in 4th.

On the beach the spectators and media watched the action with great enthusiasm.

Tonight at 20.30 the competitors of the EUROPEAN WAVE AND FREESTYLE FUNBOARD
CHAMPIONSHIPS 2001 are invited to the CASINO DO ESTORIL for a meal and a show.

Tomorrow, Friday, is the final day of competition, and with more strong winds
forecast the competition will begin at 12.00.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Once again the termal winds of Guincho blows strong from the Northwest, between
35 and 40 knots, with waves between 2 and 3 metres.

The competition started at 13.00 allowing the final of the European Funboard
Wave Championships to be run in perfect conditions. Tristan Boxford, from England,
won the final, and is now the new European Funboard Champion in the wave disipline.
In second position was John Skye, also an English competitor, and in 3rd place
Daniel Parres from Spain. The womens Champion was Angela Martinez and the youth
Champion was Francisco Fonseca, sailing at his home beach.

At 15.00 the first European Funboard Freestyle Championships began, where sailors
had to perform difficult manoeuvres in front of a panel of judges. In the all
English final, it was John Skye who won and will be the first ever European
Funboard Freestyle Champion for the next year. In 2nd place was Andy King, with
Matt Pearch and Lees Sheaff taking 3rd and 4th. The womens Freestyle champion
was once again Angela Martinez and the youths was won by Edgar Ezequiel.

The completetion of the first ever Funboard freestyle Championships here in
Portugal, will allow Freestyle to become part of the World funboard championships
of the future.