The European Freestyle Tour (EFPT) at it's biggest event in Austria this spring will run a ‘Freestyle Classix’ format where the pro riders will have to complete old school moves from a specific list; carving 360s to duck tacks to cheese rolls to backwind gybes. The highest technical move will be a spock 540. Anything beyond that (flakas, switch stance moves etc) just won’t be counted in your heat. This is no showcase; this event result will count towards the overall EFPT Ranking. No wonder the pros are busy dusting down their body drags and push tacks!
Rig flips and body drags from yester-year. PHOTOS BY: Simon Crowther
But how has this come about?
The EFPT had many discussions with the organisers of the Podersdorf event which is held on a lake in Austria with thousands of spectators, similar to the PWA Sylt event in the autumn. It was thought that a return to more simple freestyle moves would make it easier to watch and follow the results for spectators. The organisers are also hoping to get some ‘big names’ from freestyle’s past to enter at Podersdorf to fight against the younger sailors who now dominate the freestyle scene.
But more importantly it would show that ‘freestyle’ is not all about the highly technical array of moves that only a dozen or so sailors can complete consistently. It can be as simple as a one-handed gybe and this should really encourage all of us to get back into freestyle when the waves aren’t around or when blasting on your local lake gets a bit boring.
Andy Chambers representing the new. PHOTOS BY: Alex Williams
The EFPT state very clearly that this is NOT a ‘no vote’ for the ‘new school’ moves and at every other event on the Tour they expect to see new moves and adaptations of the very technical and very hard tricks that sailors practice year round to get right. But it has caused a stir amongst the Pro riders.
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One of those is Jakub Kosmowski who is not so keen on the format as he states in his Podcast below. However, he believes this has all been designed to please the spectators and that means YOU! So he’s put together clips of moves that will count in this NEW format and ones which will NOT count. You decide which you would rather watch and then vote in our poll.
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The technical moves from the new school. PHOTOS BY: Alex Williams
The List
Here is the definite list of moves that sailors must choose from before hitting the water at the Podersdorf event this spring. They are split into three categories. How many can you do?!
360
Backwind jibe
Bodydrag
Carving 360
Duck Gybe
Duck Tack
Heli Tack
Push Tack
Reverse Duck Gybe one-handed
Sail Body 360
Slam Gybe
Speed Gybe
Step Gybe
Upwind 360 |
Backloop
Cheese Roll
Chop Hop
Chop Hop one-handed
Front loop
High jump
One-handed jump
One-footed jump
Shuv it
Spin loop
Table Top
Wymaroo |
Aerial Gybe
Vulcan (Air Gybe)
Spock
Spock 540
Wily Skipper |
Your vote
EFPT 2009 Tour
- Torro d’Andaluz, Tarifa: March 26-29
- Freestyle Classix, Podersdorf, Austria: April 30-3 May
- Milos Beach Lefkada Open, Greece: June 12-14
- Alacati King of the Bay, Turkey: June 18-21
- European Freestyle Jam, Bredene, Belgium: August 13-16
- Prince of the Wind, Naxos, Greece: October 8-11
- Black Sea Cup, Anapa, Russia: October 15-18
More info: www.efpt.net
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