Open Fleet Qualifier and Women's Single Elim: FPT x Windy Days Podersdorf Day 3 Recap

After two days of waiting, Day 3 of FPT x Windy Days Podersdorf finally delivered the first proper windy action of the event. With the skipper’s meeting called for 6:00am and the first possible start scheduled just thirty minutes later, riders were greeted by light but contestable conditions as competition got underway with a first: the debut of the Freestyle Pro Tour Open Fleet.

Designed to give riders of all backgrounds and skill levels the opportunity to experience competition in a professional event environment, the new format immediately proved its worth. Among the standout performers was Ben Behrendt, who put together impressive heats heats, consistently filling out his scoresheets and showcasing style in light-wind conditions. His sailing was rewarded with a first-round victory over FPT returnee Andreas Rossler. Behrendt’s run would come to an end one round later, however, as local ripper and returning competitor Max Brinnich showed exactly why he was considered one of the favorites in the open fleet.

On the opposite side of the ladder, Max Matissek rolled back the years. After a long break from competition, the Austrian legend looked right at home on the water, steadily advancing through the rounds to set up a final showdown with Brinnich. By the time the final hit the water, the wind had reached its strongest levels of the day, allowing both riders to put on a show. In a closely contested battle, Matissek narrowly edged ahead by just over a single point to claim victory. With the Open Fleet complete, the four coveted qualification spots into the Pro Fleet were secured by Max Matissek, Max Brinnich, Michi Czech and Johannes Kratky, making it a clean sweep for the local Podersdorf riders advancing to the pro fleet.

The Women’s Fleet also managed to get through a full single elimination. Lisa Kloster looked untouchable throughout the division, winning every heat by more than seven points and demonstrating impressive consistency from start to finish. On the other side of the ladder, Ziva Batis faced a challenge from Melina Schutt, who had arrived in Austria fresh off a third-place finish in the Danish Open Mixed Fleet a few days earlier. The two delivered one of the closest heats of the women’s heats, with Batis narrowly advancing to the final. There, Kloster once again showcased her experience, putting together a complete scoresheet while Batis struggled slightly as the wind dropped while she was out on her 4.4, which allowed Lisa to run away with the victory

The Men’s Pro Fleet also got underway, with four heats completed before conditions deteriorated. The standout battle of the day saw Adam Sims take on young gun Pier Bongianni. In one of the closest and most entertaining heats of the event so far, experience narrowly got the better of youth, with Sims advancing by roughly a single point. Jacopo Testa, Bodhi Kempen and Yentel Caers all secured victories to move into the next round.

Unfortunately, just as Heat 5 between Arne Jorn and Manolis Chrysopoulos was set to begin, the wind dropped off significantly. Despite three separate attempts to resail the heat, conditions never recovered and the judges were forced to call an end to competition for the day.

With that, Day 3 came to a close, marking the first day of the event to feature freestyle competition on the water. While tomorrow’s forecast looks like no competition will take place, riders will once again hit the water for some tow-in runs, with Sunday’s potentially offering a chance to finish the Men’s Single Elimination

Make sure to stay tuned to the Freestyle Pro Tour social media channels and website for the latest event updates from Podersdorf.