This weekend saw the return of international cable park competition to the legendary location of Wasserski Langenfeld. What really made this competition special was the prominence of the female riders alongside the boys. They were not a side show or after thought but as much a part of the main event as they deserved to be and the level of competition and riding showed why female riding deserves its position centre stage in 2017.
The girls mean business in Langenfeld
The course itself was also something more than a bit special with 6 UNIT-hacks which is where a combination of modules are joined together in a new and never before seen ways to create obstacles that allow the riders to hit them in many different ways which adds an extra element of individual style to the runs.
How much do you want to ride this setup?
With 13 female riders registered in the competition there were 2 qualification heats with the top 4 from each going through to the main event.
This heat was a show of class for the french rider Maryh Rougier (FRA) who after spending her winter training in CWC was on fire scoring a massive 68.33 points which was the highest qualification score of the competition. This gave her the win over solid performances from Courtney Angus (AUS) and Anne Freyer (GER), with Naomi Wetzels (GER) grabbing the final spot.
The second heat was slightly closer but it was event favourite Julia Rick (GER) who secured the first qualification spot with a score of 66.67 to edge out Maxime Sapulette (NED) and Anna Nikstad (USA) with Angelika Schriber (RSA) coming in a very close 4th with only 3 points beteween her and 3rd place.
Angelika Schriber getting her pop on during her heat. PHOTO: Stijn Vanoverbeke
We really would have loved to have been at the event (we tried but it didn’t work out in the end) to give you a run down of exactly what went down in the first round, but unfortunately we can only tell you that it was Ann Nikstad, Courtney Angus, Maxime Sapulette and Julia Rick who advanced to the super final.
It can be tough in park competition with a crash essentially ending your run, so the next time you ride your local cable thing about the best tricks you can do it a single lap without crashing to get yourself into the competition mindset.
In the end it was the Anna Nikstad who took the win with her stylish riding just allowing her to edge out the favourite Julia Rick to stand on the top step of the podium.
She put down a perfect executed and technical run with rail to rail transfers and stomped a big “KGB” of the Kicker, which stood against Julia’s “313”. At the End Anna Nikstad claimed her first win at a major international event at the first edition of the LANGENFELD OPEN .
Anna Nikstad securing the win
This is overwhelming! I am so happy to win this unique event. I am looking forward to the second edition of the LANGENFELD OPEN 2018. – Anna Nikstad
Maxine Sapulette grabbed third and a crash from Courtney Angus mean’t it was not to be her final as she grabbed 4th place.
Anna Nikstad takes a popular win on the podium
There is no doubt that the real winner in this competition is women’s wakeboarding as the level and media coverage of the girls increases and the competition between the riders heats up.
A huge show of appreciation must go out to all the organisers at Langenfeld for putting on such an awesome event.
One cold morning in Lisbon heralds a day when endings and beginnings coincide. It is the last day of 2017 – the day I start wakeboarding and discover a new world in Portugal.
Sina Fuchs’ stylish riding and creativity immediately caught our eye. Progressing like crazy and always having fun, she put together some exclusive clips and made time for WakeSista to answer a few questions.
Here is Lisa’s run from the Plastic Playground stop 2 in LONDON.
This weekend the London tour stop of Plastic Playground took place in Liquid Leisure. Find out what went down with the ladies with all the results and exclusive images.
Anna Nikstad joins the Liquid Force Team and here is a first video filmed & edited by William Klangby as a Liquid Force rider.
