Worldcup – Maarten van Ochten

PWA Fuerteventura day 1 and 2
After a long day of waiting we started the single elimination in Fuerteventura. The scene right now in Fuerteventura is a little different than a couple of days ago. Like the past weeks we’ve been only using the smallest gear and there where plenty of waves all over the place. Right now everybody is on their biggest gear and the water is pretty choppy. Not really the typical Fuerte conditions. Yesterday my first heat was against Max Matisek from Austria. Max has been training and improving a lot this year so tough competitor like all the others. We both didn’t perform really well, actually I was crashing a lot and was getting really nervous as I wasn’t performing my heat as I would like to. In the end it was a close dissension but I advanced to next round. Now I had to face the Belgium Dieter van der Eycken. I started of good with Aifunnel, Burner puneta and Shovit spock. Suddenly I was crashing moves and forcing them with less style amplitude, Dieter was also not sailing is his best heat but still sailing good. The final result rather surprising to me. A very close heat but Dieter took the edge and worked his way up to 4th place in the single elimination. Tomorrow we will continue with the double elimination. So I hope the conditions turn up good and let’s wish for some waves for even more excitement on the water.

Photos: John Carter

PWA 2010 9th. place in the Worldcup
I just came back from Munich, where I had a highly interesting distributor meeting from JP Australia and Neilpryde. Looking back to this year we’ve had 4 PWA competitions. We started of in April in Podersdorf, Austria. My preparation for the 3rd year on the PWA Worldcup tour was a little different than other years. After having a big injury in 2009 during the Worldcup in Lanzarote, I could slowly started windsurfing by the end of October. In between I’ve had to face 4 months of recovering, which field forever. By the time I received my new gear, temperatures where already getting cold in Holland. All tough I was more than stoked to boost my level a lot even in those temperatures. Cold weather didn’t do me ant harm and windsurfing was so much fun whilst others were complaining about the cold. My next stop this year was the Caribbean where I arrived the 1st of January. The first one half month in Aruba was absolutely great everyday really strong wind good for 5m2. My next stop was Bonaire where I almost stayed for an entire month. Shortly after my departure from Bonaire I flew straight to Holland where, I had a short pit-stop befor leaving to Podersdorf. A twelve hour drive Austria. This huge event started of good for me. I ended up being on 5th. position which was a great start for the season. After the competition I went back to Holland where there was no wind at all for couple of weeks. Just one week before leaving to Lanzarote I decided heading to the North of Denmark. Denmark was just great. Wind nearly everyday and all sorts of conditions, couldn’t wish any better.

Lanzarote
when I arrived I was quite amazed because of the flat water conditions. It was such contracts if one would compares it to previous year (3-5m waves ). Light winds and no waves, which was quite a surprise for everybody in this competition. I managed to reach the top 10 again ending on the 9th place in Lanzarote. At the same time in the overall ranking I kept being 5th overall! After the competition I went back to Holland and disastrous no wind for a couple of weeks again. Just one week before my advanced departure to Lanzarote in decided heading to the North of Denmark. Denmark was in one word GREAT, everyday wind and really good spots for windsurfing in wavy conditions or just on choppy water on the local lakes.

Fuerteventura
This location is always challenging, it’s windy pretty much everyday for 4,5m2 and smaller. Mostly combined wind choppy/ flat and sometimes wavy water. Before the competition I was hit by the flue, which was already popular during my to stay in the hotel from Lanzarote. After being out of the water for almost 9 days, I wasn’t not really in shape competing. My body was stiff from the high fever I’ve had and I field really weak. But never the less I was still motivated competing for a high score at this event. After sailing the first and second day a good performance things went wrong on the third day. The fourth day I found myself chrasing really hard during the first heat. My overall score was horrible and I was upset about my ranking.

Sylt
Before heading to Sylt I had the opportunity training in Egypt, Dahab. Dahab is just great, providing winds everyday. Also the water conditions were great flat, choppy and even on the outer reef little wavy and big ocean swell. This location “Kamikaza” is quite similar to the sometimes hard conditions in Sylt, Germany. Having sailed a lot I field prepared for Sylt and was ready to fight my way back in the top 10. During the competition in Sylt the wind was really light and I was sailing on my biggest gear a 5.7 Firefly 2011 and my JP Australia Pro 107. Having a few good heats I managed to end up in 9th position. My last heat felt great for this year, my really strong against my opponent Taty Frans NB 9 Vice World champion. This heat was so close end it just kept me away for advancing another round going for 5th place. This gave me again a good feeling what will be more possible in the near future.

Overall
This year was hard start but I was more motivated then ever and my main goal was top 10 overall in the Worldcup. At the same time I was aware that this goal was definitely possible. But still I had to face really tough seeding after competing in just one event last year. Right now the level in Freestyle is extremely high and it’s really challenging putting it all together in the heat of the moment. After being 5th overall in the world after two Worldcup event it felt surreal, great and hungry for more! Than having an upset moment in one event where I couldn’t perform my best dropping a lot on the overall ranking (14th overall). Fighting my way back in the Final big PWA Worldcup in Sylt securing 9th place overall in the World! Finishing as best Dutch rider in Freestyle and best performing Dutchmen in the Worldcup overalI! I reached my target for this year and it’s a satisfying feeling. I’ve been been proven and I know, there’s way more possible in the near future! Special thanks to all my sponsors, family and friends who believed in me and support me since the start of proffesional career!

Photos: John Carter and Tom Brendt