This is the biggest indoor stadium I have ever been to. Flashy lights, cameras from every angle, tight security and fancy. Gotta love that. This was my first time being in Poland and my first  impression was wauw. I like this country.

Okay let's start: The pool was alteats from what I heard. 90 x 34 meter with 34x big fans that blew wind of more then 30 knots, so for sure it will be epic and as they where expecting more than 40.000 people, it was the biggest crowds I have ever seen in my life. Nerve wracking. But cool.

Freestyle
I was in for the main freestyle event together with Steven, Tonky, Gollito, Dieter & Davy. On the first day we had a practice run in the morning and the guys who had wild cards had to make/quaify the trials to see who will get to next 8 spots to make the the top 16 for the night.  As the pool will always be a difficult place for freestyle due to the wind being gusty it was not easy to do big air move like cull, kono burner, so most of the guys was trying to go big while crashing and getting low points. In the end I just did what I knew I could and what the judges would like and got in to the main event on Saturday, with Nicholas, Rafael, 4 riders competing in the main freestyle event to see who will take the indoor freestyle title.

With 2 moves to be done on port and starboard tack, the best one of each tack will count. Starboard tack: double spock & switch chacho diablo & Port tack Double flaka and a puneta attempt. Nicholas had a sick chacho on port and an okay gozada on starboard but was okay to give him point as far the judges to book his place to 1st leaving me in 2nd. While rafael from curaçao got 3rd and Max finished 4th.

Equipment use : Loco pro 4.8 and flare 91
Freestyle results:
1st Nicholas
2nd Taty
3rd Rafael
4th Max
5th Rick Jendrush
6th Tonky
7th Dieter
8th Davy

Slalom
I did the trials and got in the top 16 as I had a time around the course at 48sec. I was on my TRX 6.3 and starboard Kode 94. but as the main event got on the way and we had 4 people starting to go around the course. The camber sails were not easy to go out of the jibe as the course was pretty short and the truth is a non-camber sail would have work better. I was thinking of the Switch or the Global, but hey I had fun while it lasted but one thing is for sure... these TR-X sails I love them.

Congratulation to Ben Proffit for winning the slalom. Happy for you buddy :) was great to see you steal the show.
2nd Nicholas
3rd Mateo
4th Andrea
5th Juien
5th Gollito
7th Ricardo
13th Taty

Jump
As scary as it might seem to pass that fin right in the middle of the ramp to get air and do your jump, I just went for it but again I made it thru the trials and got in the top 16. In The trails I made a big One footed loop and got 21 points and I even got the highest score in the trials. How cool is that with beating most of the wave guys :).

Then when I just had to land another one foot forward to book my place to the main show. I had a big one footed forward again, but somehow as I landed the sail went down or my hand slipped and I couldn't claim it and missed my landing and was out of the main event. I was on my loco 4.8 and code 94/futura 90. Congratulations goes to

1st Thomas "Table top/ninja kick
2nd Ricardo "pushloop
3rd Antoine  
4th Jules
5th Ben
6th Alex
7th Andrea
11th Taty

Bjorn Speed Challenge: straight line starboard tack.
12 of the best guys that the PWA selected: Matteo 43,6, Nicholas 43.8, myself 42.9. The second run Nicholas was still in leading while Matteo 2nd, Andrea 3rd, and I moved down to 4th. While I did my 2nd run going back I notice that I was going faster on port and I realized that the front strap was on the outside strap position. So, five minutes before my last run I quickly change the starboard tack strap position to the same as port tack all the way on the outside and I made my TRX 6.3 really lose to get more profile.

As I got down the ramp, the board quickly get on speed and I just let the gears flow to get a perfect gust and I leaned back while the board in just 1-2 sec just lift off from the water and got down. I stopped to not go outside of the pool. While I looked to my brother I see him jumping from far and as I look up I see 45.679km. WAUW!!!! I screamed so much I was so happy I made those changes and going back to wait for 3 more guys to do their last run. The tension started to build. Tonky told me, you got it because the other guys will not make it faster, but still Matteo went. He got less then 43.6. andrea 42. Then the last guy Nicholas 43.4... So as soon as I saw the 43 off nicholas , Man I was like hands in the air screaming and just couldn't believe it.

It's been awhile I haven't been on the podium and now I am here in Poland and I got a:

• 2nd place for freestyle using my Mauisails Loco pro 4.8 and starboard flare 91
• 1st place for the fastest guy of the pool using my production Mauisails TRX 6.3 and my production starboard futura 90 with a drake 38cm fin.

Nothing special about the gears. I am so happy and writing this still I feel so excited and the smile is huge.. :) :)
 
Taty Frans NB-9 :)

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