Flashback Friday | Break the Surface: Geneva and Naxos 2024
September 19, 2025
Flashback Friday closes out with two of the most dramatic stops of 2024: Geneva and Naxos. This weekly series has taken us back through the highlights of recent seasons, and this final chapter brings the action right up to date, revisiting title battles across Tow-In, Foilstyle and Freestyle.
The episode opens with riders reflecting on how far the tour has come. Geneva, in particular, has proven how adaptable windsurfing can be—thanks to the Tow-In format, big crowds in the heart of the city get front row seats to the action. “As long as there’s water, there’s potential for Tow-In,” was the sentiment, as riders explained how the winch setup lets them perform without wind and bring freestyle closer than ever to urban audiences.
Day one in Geneva kicked off with the Foilstyle skipper’s meeting, but the wind quickly faded. Instead of giving up, the riders got creative, merging Foilstyle gear with Tow-In for a unique crossover session. With no forecast on the horizon, the focus shifted firmly onto Tow-In. Practice runs and side sessions filled the event site, with Leander Halm even snapping his boom in half while pushing the limits. In the first qualifier, JP Australia/Neilpryde teammates Yentel Caers and Sam Esteve set the tone—Yentel stomping a Double Air Culo, Sam rotating through his signature One-Handed Double, and Maaike Huvermann leading the women’s fleet. Both Yentel and Sam broke down their moves, explaining Geneva’s unique setup: a steep wave from the boat and speeds topping 70 km/h. Talk even turned to the “SamAir”—the first ever Triple Air Rotation, pioneered by Esteve in Geneva the year before. Could it ever be done in regular freestyle? “Not yet,” Yentel laughed, “but the time will come.”
The second qualifier confirmed the finals cast. In the women’s, Lisa Kloster got the better of her group to line up another duel with Maaike, while Tigo Kort, Lennart Neubauer, Jamie Howard and George Grisley booked their places alongside Yentel and Sam. By finals day, the tone was clear: “Safe is not on the menu.” Maaike narrowly edged out Lisa to take the women’s crown, before Yentel delivered the biggest moment of the event—a towering Triple Air Rotation, the most explosive SamAir ever landed in competition. It sealed him the Geneva win, but Lennart’s second place secured the overall European Tow-In title, thanks to his earlier victory in Vieste. Jamie Howard rounded out the podium in third.
From there, the spotlight shifted to Naxos, Lennart Neubauer’s home waters. Demand to compete was so high that a qualification round was needed, with local shredders Stamatis Promponas and Sokratis Saraliotis earning their way into the main fleet. The remaining slots went to Julien Join, Tommy Coppola, Gianluca Sorrentino and Sam Green, setting the stage for a stacked contest. The women’s fleet was the biggest of the year, with Maaike Huvermann and Lisa Kloster once again leading the charge, joined by Elena Dominick and Linda Mankova in the semifinals. Maaike claimed the single elimination after a classic showdown that we’ve seen a few times before against Lisa Kloster.
By day two, the wind was howling, and the upsets rolled in. Meiky Wieczorek, in his FPT debut, knocked out Niclas Nebelung, while Takumi Moriya took down 2022 champion Jacopo Testa. Yentel was in unstoppable form, throwing down Double Air Culos in every heat. But the standout was Lennart—backed by hundreds of fans on his home beach, he delivered the highest heat score of the event in his single elimination final against Steven van Broeckhoven.
The women’s double saw Elena Dominick hold onto third with a last-minute Shaka, while Maaike once again overcame Lisa to take the win. In the men’s, the ladder was full of drama: Dieter Van der Eyken battling Niclas Nebelung and Meiky Wieczorek, Jamie Howard clashing with Kiri Thode, and a Howard vs Wieczorek heat so close it had to be resailed. From the opposite side, Jacopo Testa fought his way back, defeating Takumi Moriya to meet Yentel, but the Belgian had too much in reserve and moved on to face Steven. The freestyle legend couldn’t hold Yentel back, and the final showdown was set: Caers vs Neubauer. With the beach packed and the crowd roaring, Lennart sealed the deal, taking the event win in front of his home fans in one of the most emotional moments of the season.
As the dust settled, the picture was clear. Lennart Neubauer had done what no rider before him had achieved—securing Tow-In, Foilstyle and Freestyle crowns in a single season. The 2024 Triple Crown was his, confirming him as the most versatile freestyler in the world.
That’s a wrap for Flashback Friday. From epic battles to breakthrough performances, we’ve revisited it all.
But while the throwbacks may be complete, the story is far from over—Break the Surface is just getting started. Coming soon: a brand new episode from Paros 2025.
