German Windsurf Cup

The German Windsurf Cup (DWC) is the highest-ranking German regatta series in windsurfing . The series will be held with several tour stops between the end of April and the beginning of September on the beaches of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea or inland spots .

description

The German Windsurf Cup has been taking place without interruption since 1992. Precursors go back to the 1980s.

Four disciplines are carried out at the German Windsurf Cup: racing as a tactical discipline, wave and freestyle as maneuver-oriented disciplines and slalom as a technical discipline.

European and world championships are also regularly held as part of the events of the German Windsurf Cup .

Choppy Water GmbH has been exclusively responsible for the German Windsurf Cup since 1998. It works with the German Sailing Association (DSV) and the German Windsurfing Association (GWA).

With a total of over 200,000 spectators every year, the German Windsurf Cup is not only the largest platform in windsurfing in Germany, but one of the most important institutions in the water and fun sports sector in Germany. This attracts partners and sponsors. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has been the title sponsor of the German Windsurf Cup since 2014 (with a one-year break) , which is why it bears the official title of “Multivan Windsurf Cup”. Further sponsors are Flensburger Pilsener , Windsurfing Chiemsee , LVM Versicherung and Maui Jim sunglasses .

For the venues, the events are highlights of the annual event calendar. They offer a program for local visitors and attract day tourists.

history

The German Windsurf Cup emerged in 1992 from the merger of the “Funboard A-Cup” windsurf regatta series organized by the Association of German Regattasurfer (VDR) and the “Wave Slalom Cups” organized by the German Wave Slalom Association (GWSA). At first there was no central marketing or professional organization. 1997 threatened the end of the series.

In 1998 Choppy Water GmbH took over the German Windsurf Cup and created a professional organization. As a result, the series took a dynamic upswing. Today the German Windsurf Cup is considered one of the strongest national regatta series worldwide.

Disciplines

Racing

Racing is the tactical discipline in the German Windsurf Cup. Similar to a Formula 1 race or a sailing regatta , all participants usually start together. The athletes then have to complete a given course as quickly as possible. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. Most of the time it is not possible to surf the direct route from one mark to the next. Therefore, the athletes have to be tactically smart about their maneuvers.

Modern foil material is used in racing. The boards are equipped with a hydrofoil construction so that the windsurfers seem to float weightlessly over the water. The foil material works extremely effectively, so that competitions are possible even with minimal wind speeds (from 5 knots) and the riders can reach a multiple of the wind speed.

In 2019, the world sailing association World Sailing named iQFOiL, a new one-design material for the 2024 Olympic Games . This material is also used in the racing discipline in the DWC.

slalom

Slalom is the technical discipline in the German Windsurf Cup. The drivers have to complete a slalom course here. The field of participants is divided into starter groups (so-called "heats"). Normally the first half of a heat always qualifies for the next round until the placements are determined in the finals.

Slalom is the fastest discipline in the DWC. Under suitable conditions, drivers can reach top speeds of over 70 kilometers per hour here. Competitions are possible from four wind speeds (11 knots).

The heats only last about five minutes and promise speed duels and buoy fights. That is why the slalom discipline is popular with participants and spectators.

Wave

Wave is the freestyle of windsurfers in the waves. This is not about speed. Rather, the athletes have to offer a spectacular show of jumps and surfing. The performance of the surfers on the water is assessed by a jury.

Wave is often considered to be the supreme discipline in windsurfing. In any case, it makes the highest demands on the conditions. The discipline can only be carried out from a suitable direction when the wind is strong enough and with sufficiently high waves.

Freestyle

Freestyle is also about a spectacular windsurfing show on the water. The freestyle discipline is usually carried out on water that is as flat as possible. Only under such “laboratory conditions” can the freestylers present their skills with multiple rotated jumps and elegantly slid maneuvers. Here, too, at least six wind speeds are necessary to ensure sufficient pressure for the small freestyle material.

TowIn-Freestyle is a special form. Instead of the wind, a motorboat , jet ski or winch is used here to accelerate the surfer. The driver holds on to a leash and then shows his spectacular tricks - even without any wind. This format is mostly used as a supplement when there is slack or as a special show competition.

German championship in windsurfing / Surf Cup Sylt

The German windsurfing championship takes place every year in the last week of July as part of the Sylt Surf Cup on Sylt . With over 120,000 visitors, this event is the season highlight of the German Windsurf Cup and the largest national windsurfing event in Germany.

The championship is advertised internationally. That is why the event also attracts international windsurfers who challenge the German elite . If a foreign participant wins, he will receive the title "International German Champion". The best placed German starter will consequently be the "German Champion".

The championships are held in the disciplines of racing, slalom, wave and freestyle.

Winner of the German Windsurf Cup

	Jumpsuit	Racing	slalom	Wave	Freestyle
2016	Vincent Langer	Vincent Langer	Vincent Langer	Leon Jamaer	Matthias Genkel
2017	Gunnar Asmussen	Vincent Langer	Gunnar Asmussen	Leon Jamaer	Matthias Genkel
2018	Gunnar Asmussen Vincent Langer	Nicolas Prien	Vincent Langer	Matthias Genkel	Niclas Nebelung
2019	Nicolas Prien Gunnar Asmussen	Nicolas Prien	Gunnar Asmussen	Leon Jamaer	Valentin Böckler