2024 Citroen PWA Windsurfing World Cup Sylt

Entries are now open for Sylt

Dear Sailors,

Entries are now open for the 2024 Citroen Windsurfing World Cup Sylt.

Please note that entries will close on 8th September

Entries will be handled via a dedicated online entry system on the PWA website.

In order to use the system, you must be an existing member of the PWA who has competed before at events, has a profile on the PWA website, and we must have an up-to-date email address for you registered on our system.

New competitors who have not participated at PWA adult events before and wish to enter should complete the NEW COMPETITOR FORM BY CLICKING HERE

You can find the login for the PWA Entry System HERE.

You can find detailed event information HERE

When you use the system for the first time after your account has been set up, please click on the “forgot password” link and follow the instructions on screen. If your email address is not recognised, but you have competed before, it is possible that we have a different address for you on our system, so please contact entry@pwaworldtour.com to change your address.

Once you have reset your password, return to the login page and login with your email address as your username, and the password you have created.

You will then see a list of events for which the entry process is active.

Select the event you wish to enter and you will be taken to a list of disciplines available to you. You will also find key event information on this page as well as a link to more detailed sailor information about the event. Please make sure you check all information before entering. then select the discipline you wish to enter and follow the on-screen instructions.

If prompted to do so, please complete a wildcard application on the online form provided.

IMPORTANT – WAVE SAILORS – Due to the ongoing integration between the PWA and IWT rankings through the unification process, you ,may be asked for a wildcard even though you do not need one. If you are asked then please complete the form anyway just in case. All existing IWT rankings and results so far this year will be given thorough consideration to ensure that anyone who should have a place, will get one.

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your entry, to the email address you have used to login. This just means we have received your application, it DOES NOT mean you have a place in the event.

If you do not receive an email confirmation, please check your junk mail folders. If you have still not received an email within 4 hours, then please contact entry@pwaworldtour.com.

If you wish to enter more than one discipline at an event, you must submit an entry and repeat the process for each separate discipline.

Submitting an entry does not guarantee a place in the event. Once entries have closed. The final entries will be collated and you will receive confirmation of whether you have received a place in the event from the PWA. Please do not book flights, accommodation or make any non refundable arrangements until you have received confirmation that you have a place in the event.

Prior to the closing date for entries for the event, you may also check to see if you have submitted an entry application and, if necessary, cancel your entry through the same process. Please note that you will not receive a confirmation email if you cancel.

Once entries have closed, any enquiries about entries should be sent by email to entry@pwaworldtour.com.

Kind regards

The PWA

Celebrating 40 fantastic years of World Cups in Sylt

The 2024 Citroën Windsurf World Cup Sylt marks the 40th anniversary of this wonderful event, which has produced many magic moments over the years, both on and off the water. Over the coming ten days (27th September - 6th October) the Men’s Freestyle world title will be decided, while the Men’s and Women’s Wave and Foil Slalom fleets will also be in action as their own world title races gather pace as we head towards the business end of the season.

Marcilio Browne

When it comes to delivering the widest range of conditions imaginable, Sylt certainly never disappoints as you never quite know what you are going to get on this wonderful island. In strong onshore winds, a colossal shore break develops - ready to crush the hopes of any unsuspecting competitors - along with powerful waves of up to three or four meters in size, which can provide amazing, but extremely challenging, wave sailing conditions, whilst also posing a stern test for the slalom and freestyle fleets. On the other hand, Sylt can also produce great racing and freestyle conditions, when offshore winds grace the island with their presence, although it can then be bitterly cold. One thing is for sure, to win here you need to be the complete all-rounder, who is willing to have their mettle tested to breaking point.

Wave

Women’s

Lina Erpenstein (Severne / Severne Sails) is enjoying her best season to date on the World Tour. The German started the year by earning her first event victory in Chile before adding a solid second place to her results in Pozo. Erpenstein then rekindled that taste of victory in Tenerife with a superb display and she comes into Sylt as the current World No.1 having won two of the three events she has entered thus far in 2024. The 27-year-old will be buoyed by the home crowd and she’ll be looking to use that energy to continue her outstanding season, which currently sees her in pole position in the world title race.

Lina Erpenstein

The overall standard of sailing in Tenerife was arguably some of the highest ever seen on the Women’s Wave World Tour and a large part of that is thanks to a group of young, thriving talent, who are pushing each other to the next level - namely; current World No.2, Alexia Kiefer Quintana (Duotone Windsurfing), Maria Morales (Goya Windsurfing), Sol Degrieck (Severne Windsurfing) and Maria Behrens (Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins), who finished second here last year, and you can expect to see them feature heavily here.

Maria Behrens

Of course, reigning world champion, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) should be in the mix too. The Aruban has already added another two world titles to her name this year - taking her to a grand total of 24 - and will be looking to bounce back from a fourth place finish in Tenerife after winning in Gran Canaria to kick start her campaign.

Sarah-Quita Offringa

Elsewhere, Marine Hunter (Quatro / Tribal Windsurfing) produced a turn up for the books last year as she claimed the top spot on the podium, while Pauline Katz (Severne / Severne Sails) will be searching for another top five and beyond finish.

Marine Hunter

Men’s

Things remains incredibly tight at the top between Marino Gil (JP / NeilPryde), who is searching for his first world title, and Victor Fernandez (Duotone Windsurfing), who already has three world titles to his name and is enjoying a resurgent season, which has seen him finish on the podium in three out of four events (Japan, Chile, Gran Canaria & Tenerife). Fernandez has an excellent track record in Sylt with his ability to make challenging and tricky conditions look seemingly easy and he’ll be looking to continue his rich vein on form, while Gil will be looking to record his best result to date in Sylt to keep pace in the world title race.

Victor Fernandez

The home crowd will be cheering on 5-time world champion - Philip Köster (Severne/ Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) and Julian Salmonn (Bruch Boards / GUNSAILS) - both of whom still remain in the mix to challenge for the world title come the decider in Maui, Hawaii, while Leon Jamaer (Flikka / GUNSAILS) will also be a home favourite.

Julian Salmonn

Other names to watch out for of course include reigning world champion, Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing), who is looking to complete a hat-trick of world titles and remains firmly in the mix, Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins), who led the rankings a little earlier in the season, Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde), Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins), Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails), Marc Paré (Simmer / Simmer Sails), who completed his comeback from injury with a superb victory in Tenerife, Jules Denel (Tabou / GA Sails), Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails) and Antoine Martin (Starboard / North Windsurfing) - plus a few others.

Marcilio Browne

Foil Slalom

Women’s

For the first time in many years, the best female racers in the world will return to Sylt to compete, but they will be greeted by very different conditions compared to their previous outing in Fuerteventura.

As the current World Tour leader, and after winning in Fuerteventura so comprehensively, Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui) will start as the pre-event favourite. The racing often takes place in the lightest winds of the event with the Men’s Freestyle and both Wave fleets also competing in Sylt, but that could bode well for Lemeteyer, who recorded an excellent victory in Lake Garda in 2023 in lighter airs.

Justine Lemeteyer

Marion Mortefon (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) will likely be Lemeteyer’s biggest rival with the former three-time world champion being the only other sailor to claim an elimination in Fuerteventura (4 bullets). However, after winning the opening three eliminations in Fuerte she then found it hard to pin back Lemeteyer, so it will be interesting to see if she can stay closer to her compatriot this time round.

Marion Mortefon

Reigning world champion - Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) - started the season by completing the podium in Fuerteventura, but was never really in contention for the victory. Expect to see the Spaniard pushing hard here as she looks to remain firmly in the world title race conversation heading into the decider in Japan in November.

Blanca Alabau

Elsewhere, watch out for Germany’s very own Alisa Engelmann (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), who made a fast start to life on the World Tour - narrowly missing out on the podium in her opening event in Fuerteventura, Femke van der Veen (Starboard / Severne Sails), Mae Davico (PATRIK / Loftsails/ PATRIK Foils), Anna Biagiolini (PATRIK / Point-7) and 14-year-old Bobbi-Lynn de Jong (Starboard / NeilPryde), who just achieved two podium finishes in mixed fleets at the PWA / IWT Cold Hawaii Youth Wave and Slalom World Cup.

Men’s

Having secured his maiden event victory on the World Tour in Fuerteventura, Daniele Benedetti (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) will enter the second event of the season as the No.1 seed, however, the racing was phenomenally close in Fuerte, so much so that heading into the final elimination, anyone out of the Italian, Pierre Mortefon (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils), Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails) and Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) were all still in with a shout of winning the event, and all four of those sailors should be challenging for top honours again here.

Matteo Iachino being pursued by Cedric Bordes, Enrico Marotti and Nicolas Goyard last year

Meanwhile, Alexis Mathis (Tabou / GA Sails) enters Sylt on the back of recording his best result to date on the World Tour - fifth in Fuerteventura and the 22-year-old will look to build upon that fine start to the season over the coming 10 days.

Alexis Mathis

Having signed off the last season with back-to-back event victories, Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), will probably have been disappointed with his sixth place in Fuerteventura. The Bonairean consistently hit the crossbar in the semifinals as he only qualified for three out of seven winners’ finals, but on each occasion then won each of the four b-finals he was involved in. Vrieswijk has won here for the last two seasons, so will be hoping to bounce back by completing a hat-trick of event wins in Sylt.

Amado Vrieswijk

Elsewhere, the home crowd will pinning their hopes on Michele Becker (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde) and Fabian Wolf (Starboard / Severne Sails), who started the season with 7th, 11th and 13th place finishes respectively. Becker will have fond memories returning to Sylt having secured his maiden bullet on the World Tour here in 2023.

Michele Becker

Having been concentrating on their Olympic campaigns earlier this summer, both Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) and Johan Søe (FMX Racing / Point-7) return to the fray and both should be major threats here.

Nicolas Goyard

The likes of Maciek Rutkowski (NeilPryde), Jordy Vonk (Duotone Windsurfing), Thomas Goyard (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), Bruno Martini (JP / NeilPryde), Benoit Merceur (Severne / Severne Sails), Noah Vinther (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), Cedric Bordes (Severne / Severne Sails) and Alexandre Cousin (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) plus a few others will be vying for the top ten and beyond.

Freestyle

Men’s

This time last year, Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) earned his first victory on the World Tour, and now just twelve months later, the 20-year-old enters Sylt as the No.1 ranked sailor in the world having fought back to win in Fuerteventura. The young Greek looks remarkably cool, calm and collected while competing, and having won the last two events, Neubauer will have his sights set on not only defending his event title here, but also securing is maiden world crown.

Lennart Neubauer

However, both reigning world champion - Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) and Adrien Bosson (Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins), who finished second in Fuerteventura will have different ideas. Both men suffered narrow one point losses to Neubauer in the double elimination in Fuerte and will be hoping to reverse those outcomes this time out.

Yentel Caers

Given their remarkable consistency you’d expect that the 2024 Men’s PWA Freestyle World Champion will come from one of the top three sailors. However, with that being said, there are only two events to count this year, which means that there is absolutely no room for error with no discard to fall back upon. So one false move, or any untimely equipment breakages, could still throw the world title race wide open.

Adrien Bosson

Balz Müller (Severne / Severne Sails) enters Sylt as the next closest contender after producing a brilliant comeback through the double elimination in Fuerteventura. The Swissman remains one of, if not the most innovative sailor in the world, and he’ll be hoping to use that innovative instinct to keep himself in contention.

Balz Müller

As we saw in Fuerteventura, once you are into the top 16, almost any sailor is capable of beating each other on their day, so don’t be surprised to see the likes of; Sam Esteve (JP / NeilPryde), Youp Schmit (Tabou / GA Sails), Antony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails), Jacopo Testa (WeOne / Point-7 / AL360), Steven Van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS), Antoine Albert (Goya Windsurfing), Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne Sails), Amado Vrieswijk and the youthful talent of Takumi Moriya (Severne / Severne Sails) all pushing for the top positions.

Steven Van Broeckhoven

Looking Ahead

In true Sylt fashion, the forecast suggests that we’ll see a great variety of conditions with anything from moderate to storm force 8 winds currently predicted. Of course a lot can change in terms of the forecast over a 10 day period, but Friday (which is normally just a registration day) and Saturday both look extremely windy, so we should hopefully see an explosive start to the 40th anniversary Citroën Windsurf World Cup Sylt.

Forecast for the first four days of the Citroën Windsurf World Cup Sylt

You can stay up to date with all the latest developments from Sylt — including live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply by clicking HERE and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing

- Instagram: @pwaworldtour

- X: @pwaworldtour

- YouTube: @pwaworldtour

Registered, rigged and ready for a nuclear looking Saturday

The opening day of the 2024 Citroën Windsurf World Cup Sylt saw the sailors registering for the next nine days of competition during the morning, before preparing their gear in preparation for tomorrow, which looks set to be an extremely windy one with the forecast currently predicting winds of up to 38 knots.

Throughout the day several sailors took the opportunity to warm up as strong port tack winds and Sylt’s typically chunky waves provided some fun conditions.

Leon Jamaer soaring high

Earlier in the day we caught up with Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui) and Lina Erpenstein (Severne / Severne Sails), who lead the Women’s Foil Slalom and Wave rankings respectively, while we also managed to grab a word with Daniele Benedetti (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails), who leads the Men’s Foil Slalom and Victor Fernandez (Duotone Windsurfing), who is firmly in the hunt for a fourth world title:

Justine Lemeteyer: “It’s my first time on the island ! It’s a spot that looks like my place (I am coming from North of France) with waves, shorebreak and current, but more extreme… I am happy that the girls are gonna race here and I am excited to see how I will perform in these conditions which are really different from Fuerteventura.

Since Fuerteventura I competed in two world championships. One in iQFOiL and one in fin slalom where I finished second. I also went to Hawaii to develop next year’s S2Maui sails. I have recovered from the trip and time difference and I am ready to go battle it out on the water!"

Lina Erpenstein: “I’m pretty excited for the World Cup Sylt. We have a crazy forecast ahead of us and it’s hard to say which conditions we will get. Since Tenerife I’ve been very busy with my studies as it’s the final year of my medical degree and exams are approaching fast. Honestly I don’t know how this can be my best year on tour ever as most of my time goes into my studies at the moment. Something must have clicked this season going from 3rd and 4th places to winning events, but I honestly don’t feel like I’m doing anything different. Either way it’s very exciting and I’m happy and proud of where I am at the moment. Still Sylt is a black box and anything can happen here, so for sure it’s going to be an interesting week!“

Lina Erpenstein

Daniel Benedetti: “I’m feeling good and prepared for the event, I just can’t wait to race again.

I managed to win the Fuerteventura World Cup, and now it’s time to race again here in Sylt. Honestly I don’t feel so much pressure, because the championship is still long with two events to go, but I will try to do my best and maybe repeat what I did in Fuerte.

Competing here in Sylt is really challenging because of the waves, also just getting in and out is not so easy because of the shorebreak, so it’s also really important to choose the right set up for every elimination.

I have been in Lake Garda for the last few weeks preparing for the event, so I feel ready to rock! As I mentioned before the championship is still long, so there is lot way to go, but it’s the first time for me to be leading the Tour and I think it’s normal to have a bit of pressure, but I also like it.”

PWA: Last season things didn’t really go your way, but this season it seems like you are back to your very best… did you make any changes to your approach and/or what do you think has made the difference?

Victor Fernandez warms up

VF: "Last year I missed the first event in Japan and then a few things did not go my way, but that's how it can be when you compete, so you always learn. This year I was windsurfing a lot and I am just having fun."

PWA: Historically you’ve got a great track record competing in Sylt - what do you think of Sylt?

VF: "I like competing here, I like when conditions change as it is challenging. This is my 24th year coming to Sylt so I have windsurfed here in many different conditions over the years. I am felling well, I was in Mauritius with my family for 2 weeks and I windsurfed everyday. Then I went home to Spain for a week and I sailed at my home spot which is super fun. I am ready to compete here."

The Freestyle and Wave sailors will meet bright and early tomorrow morning at 07:30am (GMT+2) for the skippers’ meeting with the action commencing from 08:00am onwards.

You can stay up to date with all the latest developments from Sylt — including live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply by clicking HERE and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing

- Instagram: @pwaworldtour

- X: @pwaworldtour

- YouTube: @pwaworldtour