The Division II European Championship weekend was organized on the Heegermeer by WaterSportvereniging Heeg, in collaboration with the IWA (International Windsurfing Association) and the Division II Class Association. The Division II windsurf board is a former Olympic class from 1988 and 1992, with which Stephan van den Berg, among others, sailed the Olympic Games. Participants came from all over Europe and beyond, namely Greece, France, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands. The international official and judge of the event, Bruno Marques, appointed by the IWA, came from Brazil.
In addition to a great series of 11 races, the participants are also treated to a fun program with a barbecue and a true eleven-city experience. On Saturday afternoon various participants surfed through Heeg to Watersportcamping Heeg, where after a beach start a competition was sailed over various pools and ditches behind Heeg.
In the end Petros Katsareas from Greece became European Champion in the A-class, the class with the traditional harness from 1988. Fellow Greek Chris Valavanis was second and Kay Buerger from Germany was third.
In the C-class with modern rigging, the Frenchman Alain Cadre has become European Champion. Irek Kutyla from Poland was second and Dutchman Vincent Thoms from Scheveningen finished in a deserving third place.
All pictures by Thamara Jurgen Putsies
More pictures here : https://www.facebook.com/D2EC2019/