Competition mode
The postponed 2020 Formula Foil Europeans was held on the Azores February 1-6 2021. Severne rider Sebastian Kördel took second place after 15 races completed. Severne caught up with Sebastian for a chat about his first event of the year, about the crazy conditions and his first event riding with Severne sails.
Q. Back on the racecourse, how does it feel?
A. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to showcase my sport in these uncertain times. A big thank you goes out to the organizers for hosting the event! It is a shame that not everybody was able to come but nonetheless we had a week of proper high wind racing. It was thrilling to go all out in those windy “downwinds” and push my limits in very demanding conditions!
Q. This was your first-ever event riding with Severne sails. How do you describe the experience?
A. It feels damn good! I thought I would need to get used to them a little bit on the racecourse but it felt super natural right from the beginning. The easy handling and lightness of the sails really helped me to cope with the harsh conditions and I could focus on racing. Especially the 8.0 HGO felt good when it got really windy! I never used the sail before this event and I could win the windiest race (gusting 40 knots) with it straight out of the box.
Q. You finished second behind Nicolas Goyard. Are you plotting your comeback move already?
A. Absolutely! I have a bit of a history with the new European champion and I’m sure there will be many exciting battles to come in the near future. I closed the gap to him a lot from the last time we met in formula foil and I know that we are developing the equipment in the right direction. If everything goes to plan there will be a world championship in the same place later this year and I’m eager to fight for that title! The path there is clear to me and I have amazing support from all sides. Just need to put everything together.
Q. Which sails did you use?
A. I was using the HGO 8 and 9 and a special proto 10m2 we’ve been working on over the last weeks.
Q. Conditions looked gnarly at times. How did you cope with those nuclear winds?
A. Well, sometimes you just have to hold on, close your eyes and hope for the best. Training in Tarifa where there is quite a stiff breeze from time to time also helps! Haha, but in all seriousness: course racing in nuclear conditions has a lot to do with guts and feeling. You need to go really extreme angles to release all of the pressure in your sail. However, if you overdo it you will explode. Keeping it smooth around the course is what you have to aim for. The guts you need for the moment you pass the top mark and start bearing off!!!
Q. What’s next?
A. Back to training in Tarifa. Then hopefully the tour will start and we can deliver a good show on the PWA Worldcup!
Read more about Sebastian here.
More Severne news
Lina Erpenstein wins her first-ever World Cup in Chile
Severne rider rose to the top of the podium in her first-ever World Cup Victory in Chile. The women’s final consisted of no less than three Severne riders; Sol Degrieck who finished second and Pauline Katz who finished fourth.
THE ACTION IS HEATING UP IN CHILE
One of the biggest windsurf wave events in South American history kicked off on April 1st, and will run through to April 12th. The time has come for the PWA-IWT Chile World Cup, and based on the action we saw last year, we can expect to see high-quality windsurfing.
DON’T MISS THIS MASTERCLASS BY DIETER VAN DER EYKEN
After a successful first edition, Dieter van der Eyken, Rene Egli Fuerteventura, and INNSiDE by Melia, are announcing the second edition of the “Windsurfing Masterclass Fuerteventura”.
GIRLS ON TOUR
On Monday, July 10th, 2023, the second edition of ¨Girls on Tour¨ took place in Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria. This esteemed event was a coaching program exclusively organized by the PWA for women, aimed at fostering their skill development.
SPECIAL WINDSURFING DAYS – EL NINO TURNS ON
Tenerife offered several closely spaced wave sailing sessions around the Christmas period in the winter months with some exceptional conditions with the arrival of the first winter swells.
A particular spot, that did not deliver a single day the previous winter, now had Severne rider Dieter Van Der Eyken as excited as a kid on Christmas day.
TOMMY FRIEDL PROCENTER
Experience laid back windsurfing in the red sea Welcome to the Tommy Friedl ProCenter, your destination for windsurfing adventures nestled in Marsa Alam, El Naaba Bay, along the stunning Red Sea in Egypt. At the heart of the action, the centre operates from the...
2024 Margaret River Wave Classic
The 2024 Margaret River Wave Classic was yet another epic event filled with non stop action from the very beginning until the end. Jaeger Stone took the mens open title and Jane Seman won the womens division.
MARGARET RIVER WAVE CLASSIC 2024
The 2024 Margaret River Wave Classic in Western Australia will happen this year from February 1st – 4th
Severne is proud to support this year’s event, and to see World class wave competition return to “margs” yet again.
West Oz Groms Dominate Oceania Youth Wave Classic
The 2024 Jaffle Shack Oceania Youth Wave Titles just concluded after four days of intense competition and coaching with the likes of Jaeger Stone.
It was undoubtedly one main events of the year for the youths in Australia. The Severne grom team showcased some serious skills and secured top positions in all U18 and U21 divisions.