Flashback Friday | Break the Surface: Season 2022

Flashback Friday is back with another dive into the Break the Surface archives—released on YouTube for the very first time. This week we rewind to the 2022 season opener at the Surf Opening in Lake Neusiedl, Austria, where a stacked fleet of the 40 best riders in the world hit the water, including Steven van Broeckhoven, Yentel Caers, Dieter van der Eyken, Amado Vrieswijk, Jacopo Testa and more. It was also a historic moment, marking the first-ever women’s competition at the event.

The opening day brought light winds, but as conditions built, the action fired up. The men’s fleet delivered insanely close battles between some of the best riders in the world, while Maaike Huvermann proved untouchable in the women’s division. In the end, Jacopo Testa secured victory in the single elimination, and when the wind failed to return for the double, those results stood as the final rankings.

From there, the tour headed south to Vieste, Italy, where powerful swell and clean ramps created perfect conditions for big moves on the way out and high-speed combos on the way in. Yentel Caers claimed the single elimination, before Jacopo fought his way back in the double, setting up a dramatic superfinal showdown. With barely a point between them, Testa edged out Caers to take the win in front of a buzzing home crowd.

Unfortunately, with later events postponed or cancelled and no wind for a last push in Geneva, the season was cut short after just two events. That meant Jacopo Testa was crowned Men’s Champion and Maaike Huvermann took the Women’s title, wrapping up a season that was short, but packed with intensity and action.