| Bernd Flessner and Maciek Rutkowski win the 2009 IFCA Slalom European Championships |
| Monday, 17 August 2009 09:39 |
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This year's IFCA Slalom Youth & Master European Championships at Schoenberger Strand finished as a very successful event for all competitors and partners of the event. Perfect wind conditions with wind forces of up to 7 beaufort allowed slalom eliminations on all six event days. The very challenging conditions required a lot from the 63 starters who completed 12 slalom eliminations in the masters fleet and 11 slalom eliminations in the youth fleet. In the masters fleet the Slalom European Master Champion Title 2009 went to the German sailor Bernd Flessner (GER-16, F2, Neil Pryde). He has now scored three titles this year: the 14th German Master Title, the Slalom World Champion Title and now the European Master Champion Title. In the youth fleet (U-20) Maciek Rutkowski (POL-23, Starboard, Maui Sails) from Poland won the Slalom European Youth Champion Title 2009. The final day of the IFCA Slalom Youth & Master European Championships 2009 presented itself as great as all event days before. Excellent conditions with wind peaks of up to 25 knots allowed one more slalom elimination in both categories, youth and master. On top of the masters fleet there were no surprises anymore. The title candidate Bernd Flessner (GER-16, F2, Neil Pryde) won the last elimination of the event and clearly secured the Slalom European Master Champion Title 2009 with 6.3 points. His strongest rival Helge Wilkens (GER-63, Starboard, Gun) from Germany was always on his heels and became Vice-Slalom European Master Champion 2009 (20.4 points). An exciting fight started about the third place in the masters fleet. Thade Behrends (GER-94, Exocet) from Germany led just two points ahead of Alexander Lehmann (GER-373, Fanatic, North) before the last race. Behrends kept his nerve and secured the third place (31.0 points) in the overall ranking with just one point ahead of Lehmann, who scored the fourth place (30.0 points). The Italian sailor Luis Marchegger (ITA-6, JP, Gaastra) followed in fifth place (47.0 points). In the youth fleet Maciek Rutkowski (POL-23, Starboard, Maui Sails) from Poland made his way through the starter field of 38 youth starters and won the Slalom European Youth Champion Title 2009 with 14.1 points. The vice-title went to Teade de Jong (NED-777, Mistral, North Sails) from the Natherlands (25.0 points) in front of the French sailor William Alikiagalelei (FRA-540, AHD, Loft) with 34.4 points. Place four in the youth fleet went to Thomas Gaudiot (FRA-909, Starboard, Gun Sails) from France. The only German competitor in the top 5 was the current Slalom Vice-Youth Champion Sebastian Koerdel (GER-220, Lorch, Neil Pryde). Best in the category junior (U-17) was Jacek Piasecki (POL-013, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Poland in sixth place. The best girl, with a 27th place, was Marion Mortefon (FRA-118, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from France. Besides the windsurf competition there was a diverse supporting program with lots of funsport activities for everybody at the event venue at Schoenberger Strand. Livebands, DJs and many catering booths catered for all needs during the event and provided lots of entertainment.
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