2024 Freestyle Pro Tour Vesoul - Caers defends his Vesoul win

2024 Freestyle Pro Tour Vesoul podium winners © Freestyle Pro Tour

Caers was unbeatable in Vesoul once again © AALVAA Media

The second edition of the FPT Vesoul took place this weekend and Yentel Caers (JP/NeilPryde) was victorious once again.

The Belgian dominated but was challenged on occasion by Foivos Tsoupras (Duotone/ Maui Ultra Fins) who came in second, and Maaike Huvermann (Severne/Maui Ultra Fins) who completed the podium. With countless local representation and upcoming new talent on the water, this showcase Proving Grounds Series Tow-In event showed the potential of Freestyle regardless of the location. Read the full event report below.

Conditions were tricky in Vesoul with rain all over the place on both event days. Riders registered on the Saturday morning and went out for a practice session before the main event would commence. Similar to 2023, the event saw locals Nascimo Fournier (MB-Boards/Sailloft) and Salome Fournier (MB-Boards/Sailloft) enter. Joining them was Matthieu Fontaine (GA-Sails/MB-Boards) who has improved tremendously over the last year. Furthermore joining the practice session was Leander Halm (Starboard/Severne/Maui Ultra Fins). The young german got the taste of the Tow-In discipline at the Surffestival in Fehmarn and later in Vieste and was now improving rapidly run by run.

With the rain clouds cleared the official competition got under way. It was the best run out of three counting, giving the riders room to experiment with the artificial wave created on each run. Showing their experience, Foivos Tsoupras and Yentel Caers opened with moves so good that their first run ended up being their counting one. Tsoupras did a 7.67 Pasko, and Caers topped that by adding a 360 for a 9.67 score. Maaike Huvermann and Nascimo Fournier opened with a Burner while Salome Fournier and Leander Halm took the safer route attempting an Air Jibe and Funnel respectively.

Matthieu Fontaine during a practice run - photo © AALVAA Media

From there things only heated up. Halm clearly gained some confidence and completed his scoresheet with an Air Funnel and a Burner. Especially the Burner was impressive, as the junior had just learned the move for the first time only a couple runs before that. Scoring him 5.5 points he was in a good position in the midfield. Matching Burner scores with last years women's Tow-In European Champion Huvermann, meant that the Maaike had to step things up. She's been one of the few riders consistently doing Culo's in Tow-In, and she managed to deliver on that promise. With 7.33 points, she shot herself up into the top 3 with Tsoupras and Caers.

Halm going for a stylish Air Funnel - photo © AALVAA Media

Matthieu Fontaine also did a Culo, underlining that he means business. Unfortunately it was not enough to surpass Huvermann. The two leaders were not sitting ducks in the meantime, both were pushing the limits of Tow-In in their own way trying to outdo each other. Caers was on a Double Air Culo mission, stomping two renditions of the move, both in the excellent score range, but not improving on his first run. Tsoupras was on his own path, knowing that he would need to come up with something fresh and surprising to take down Caers. He got very close twice, on what can be described as a Pasko Cana Brava. Missing the landing though, his plans did not materialize.

Salome Fournier in action - photo © AALVAA Media

The rest of the field was scrambling to move up in the rankings, and we saw a Spock from Salome on her final run. Nascimo attempted to add a Skopu to his scorecard but did not quite get the move to stick. The two will be happy with their performance in front of their home crowd but would have liked a better overall result. Managing to put in a sprint to the finish was Fontaine, who was tied on scores with Halm. With a sail-off between the two to break the tie, the two traded Air Funnels in front of the judges. Fontaine edged ahead, managing to secure himself 4th place.

How radical is that from Tsoupras? - photo © AALVAA Media

What a result! Vesoul delivered once again in action and hospitality. The Freestyle Pro Tour is excited to be back there once again in 2025! Check out the official results below.