SURF DM - Finals
‘Perhaps the best DM ever’ is how the German Surfing Association (DWV) described it at the Night of the Champs on Thursday in St. Girons Plage. On the fifth day of the #surfDM, the results of the finals were announced and the new champions were crowned.
This was preceded by the final, where Wavetours was represented by team riders Tim Elter, Dylan Groen, Arne Bergwinkl and Lilly von Treuenfels. And they were very successful, as all team riders managed to secure a place on the podium.
The cadet final started in perfect conditions, where Tim Elter achieved the highest score during the 2018 Surf DM with a score of 15.03. This makes the 2017 winner of the Groms category our champion in the Cadets class this year, which Tim was visibly delighted about at the award ceremony.
Tim not only competed in the cadets, but also in the junior class. Here he competed against team-mate Dylan Groen as well as Juan Fischer and Lenni Jensen in approximately 6ft waves. The last places were particularly close, as Tim Elter secured third place with a gap of just 0.97 points to fourth place. Further ahead, Dylan Groen unfortunately had to admit defeat to his mate Lenni, leaving Dylan, who lives in Portugal, with the title of 2018 runner-up in the Junior Men class.
Lilly von Treuenfels probably had the biggest crew of fans both during the contest and on Thursday evening. The 18-year-old competed in the Longboard Women and Open Women finals, where she was accompanied by plenty of support from the Wavetour team Seignosse. While the competition showed a stronger side in the longboard, Lilly was able to assert herself in the final heat and surfed her way to third place in the Open Women. Frankie Harrer finished in second place, directly behind Rachel Presti.
As always, the Open Men’s final was a highlight. This year, the final heat with defending champion Arne Bergwinkl, Dylan Groen, Leon Glatzer and Lenni Jensen was incredibly exciting. Dylan Groen impressed with radical top turns, while Arne Bergwinkl’s beautiful cutbacks had the spectators in raptures. Arne’s final air reverse earned him second place on the podium, where the 2017 German champion Leon Glatzer had to admit defeat. Leon went one better and surfed the highest wave score of the final with a score of 7.50. Right behind Arne, namely with just 0.37 points less, Dylan secured the bronze medal.
Andi Jakob Barkowski, surf instructor from Vieux Boucau, also scored big in the Masters category. The Wavetour veteran won the class and gave free rein to his emotions by cheering for all he was worth.
The results were celebrated with the Wavetour team and guests at the Night of the Champs. Even the camps from Moliets and Vieux Boucau were well represented. In the best of moods, people chatted, celebrated and laughed into the night, bringing the #wavetoursfamily even closer together. This wonderful evening brought #surfDM 2018 to a successful close and we say Ciao, see you next year.
Photos: Patrick Steiner