JP is proud to announce the signing of one of the biggest European slalom and speed talents – Ben van der Steen – NED-57.
Ben, who won several Dutch Speed and Slalom Championships as well as the 2008 ICFA Slalom Championship, has just received his new JP quiver and is training with and fine tuning the boards in Cape Town at the moment. He’s also spending some time testing together with JP shaper Werner Gnigler.
Ben soon realised that his new Slalom-VI boards are fast – very fast. A week ago he won a local race at the Windsurfing Club on Rietvlei, the small freshwater lake next to Table View. And last weekend he totally dominated the slalom event at the Langebaan Lagoon, the last leg of the SA Championship, by winning all of the 7 races.
Ben states, “Just had some racing practise to try the new gear and all seems to go very well. We did 7 races and I got 7 bullets with some races where I was almost a leg ahead. I sailed the 68 with 7.8 and a 40 and 38 fin. The winds were between 10 and 25 knots for the racing. The board was really flying especially now as I am getting dialled-in a little after a few days of sailing on it now.”
Ben is focused on slalom and speed events for the near future. In 2009 he finished 11th in the PWA Slalom ranking his plan is to break into the top-5 for 2010.
All the best, Ben!
