Curacao Challenge - Slalom and Freestyle Windsurfing Competition Caribbean

Watch & Learn about some pro gear tuning

marketingcuracao — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:30:15 +0000

We asked Victor Wederfoort (winner 2010 Slalom) and Felix Martina how they set up their gear for the races. It get somewhat technical, so for all you surfers out where, you will like it.

Make sure you watch it to the end so you can see why Hendryck ‘Kamasutra’ Balentien got his new nickname. Also some great impressions of the event.

Production again by Onk. Have fun!

Prize Ceremony

marketingcuracao — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:17:12 +0000

Want to see what all the prize winners look like? It was a very fun night at the beach with a lot of ‘thank you’s going around. The atmosphere was the same as the whole week: a lot of love and a lot of surf-vibe.

The prizes were just awesome with plain tickets, cash prizes, gift certificates, champagne, goody bags, watches and more flying around.

Thanks to:
- All the sponsors
- All the competitors
- All the spectators
- All the volunteers who worked so hard (especially the Lageveen residence)
- All the lycra-buyers & Trustmoore so a donation could be made to cliniclowns
- The Curacao Challenge who donated the remaining lycras to Fundashion St Joris

Final Results Rookies
Final Results All Categories

Pictures Prize Ceremony
By Ilse Bonne

Final Results Curacao Challenge 2010

marketingcuracao — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:02:22 +0000

After 5 days of competition, months of preparation by the organization and the volunteers, the 2010 edition of the Curacao Challenge is over. We had some tough weather conditions making for some tough decisions throughout the week. But one thought remains on everybody’s minds: it was GREAT.

The event proved again successful with hundreds of spectators on the beaches, thousands worldwide on the Internet, a hundred competitors from all over the world, local & international press and excited sponsors.

The results are in and we had some surprises, but also some expected winners in the different categories.

Results Slalom Competition
Open Class
1. Victor Wederfoort (Curacao)
2. Perry van der Wolde (Curacao)
3. Ingmar Schnitzler (Curacao)

Sports Class
1. Ed de Groot (Curacao)
2. Hendryck Balentien (Bonaire)
3. Antonia (Dominican Republic)

Under 18
1. Amado Vrieswijk (Bonaire)
2. Jean Patrick van der Wolde (Curacao)
3. Dylan Robles (Bonaire)

Under 14
1. Jurgen Saragoza (Bonaire)
2. Mathias Verploeg (Aruba)
3. Steven Max (Aruba)

Women
1. Monique Meijer (Bonaire)
2. Nicole van der Velden (Aruba)
3. Eline Marchena (Aruba)

Download Full Results

Results Freestyle Competition
18+
1. Bjorn Saragoza (Bonaire)
2. Hendryck Balentien (Bonaire)
3. Youp Schmit (Bonaire)

Under 18
1. Youp Schmit (Bonaire)
2. Felix Martina (Curacao)
3. Amado Vrieswijk (Bonaire)

Under 14
1. Ethan Westera (Aruba)
2. Kaj van der Lubbe (Curacao)
3. Steven Max (Aruba)

Women
1. Xenia Kessler (Denmark)
2. Hilde Tuinbeek (Curacao)
3. Arrianne Aukes (Netherlands)

Download Full Results

Press pictures by Bea Moedt
Large files, click, wait a bit, right click and ’save image as’. Photos are copyright protected so please mention photographer’s name.

Press pictures by Ilse Bonne
Large files, click, wait a bit, right click and ’save image as’. Photos are copyright protected so please mention photographer’s name.

Final Results Rookie Competition

marketingcuracao — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 03:58:23 +0000

The future is in their hands! Don’t spread this list of names to much because these kids are Curacao’s little secret, our secret weapon in years to come.

Results Rookie Competition
12+
1. Andre
2. Sasoni
3. Maya

10-11
1. Jean Paul
2. Oscar
3. Delano

8-9
1. Indigo
2. Sven
3. Jules

Download Full Results

Day 5: Freestyle – Report & Spectator photos

marketingcuracao — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:59:59 +0000

That Freestyle competition heated up on the final day on the Spanish Waters. The wind was finally waking up and showed everybody that Curacao is one of the best windsurfing spots in the world.

Worker of the day was Youp Schmit from Bonaire competing in the Under 18 category as well as the 18+. The big boys proved a bit too much as Bjorn Saragoza and Hendryck Balentien showed they have an awesome arsenal of tricks.

The result of all the categories will go up on the website tonight.

A spectacular competition like this also attracts a lot of photographers in the crowds yesterday and today. Some of them gave us some of their pictures so thank you for that!

Photos by Didier van der Horst

Photos by Stephan Kogelman

Freestyle is on! Watch the pics

marketingcuracao — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:29:30 +0000

For the first time in Curacao Challenge history a freestyle competition is added to the program. This afternoon the first heats. Tomorrow a full day of competition in this exciting double elimination.

Do you know who is who on the pictures?

Pics by Bea Moedt

Pics by Ilse Bonne

Day 4: Freestyle Results

marketingcuracao — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:42:11 +0000

The Curacao Challenge Freestyle competition is off to a good start. With wind speeds picking up in the afternoon the competitors were able to pull off some big moves. The Freestyle competition makes use of a Double elimination with the first rounds completed today.

Youp Schmit from Bonaire is competing in the Under 18’s and is also trying to see if he can keep his ground in the 18+ category. Surprisingly he managed to do even better between big boys beating Quincy in the semi-final. But his no-handed shove-it didn’t prove big enough to defeat the wide variety of moves by Bjorn Saragoza in the final.

Pictures of Day 4 will follow on this website soon.

Results Day 1

18+
1. Bjorn Saragoza (Bonaire)
2. Youp Schmit (Bonaire)
3. Hendryck Balentien (Bonaire)

Under 18
1. Felix Martina (Curacao)
2. Amado Vrieswijk (Bonaire)
3. Youp Schmit (Bonaire)

Under 14
1. Ethan Westera (Aruba)
2. Steven Max (Aruba)
3. Kaj van der Lubbe (Curacao)

Women
1. Xenia Kessler (Denmark)
2. Hilde Tuinbeek (Curacao)
3. Arrianne Aukes (Netherlands)

Rookie Event Video!

marketingcuracao — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:42:28 +0000

Those rookies went out and gave it all! See for yourself. Another production by Tim.

Day 4: No slalom races due to lack of wind

marketingcuracao — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:22:16 +0000

After no racing on Sunday the expectations for monday morning were high. With winds picking up the surfers went out on the water. Unfortunately the wind dropped again and kept shifting direction even during the two heats that actually started but were cancelled shortly after.

The upside of the wind direction is that it is favorable for our freestyle location at the Spanish Waters. The freestyle competition will be held this afternoon and the whole day tomorrow. We got some late entries in the women’s freestyle who are residing in Bonaire at this time so we have a great field.Tomorrow evening the prize ceremony will be held at Wet & Wild Beach Club.

Sunday Slalom Expression Session

marketingcuracao — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 02:52:40 +0000

So we had gusty winds with wind holes and a wrong wind direction so we couldn’t make sure the buoys could be held in place. That meant no racing for the Sunday, but it did mean we had a lot of competitors going out to show off their skills in front of the press and sponsors.

The result was wind surfers having a blast and enjoying the Caribbean Sea.

After the slalom surfers came in the young freestylers treated the beach spectators on some low wind freestyle moves.

Check out the photo session by Ilse Bonne.