EFPT – Maarten van Ochten

EFPT Lanzarote 2016

Back in Holland again after a great Championships. Finished 14th overall after 2 double eliminations. This championship was “AMAZING”, we’ve had incredible conditions during the contest. Waves, strong wind and level during this contest was the highest we’ve seen so far in any Freestyle competition! Very excited to break in the top 10 again in second double elimination (9th place). Still need to improve my contest sailing more and more. So time to review learn and train harder 😉 Congrats to my friend Steven van Broeckhoven winning the event and of course to all other riders, everyone was ripping so hard! Last but not least, big shout out to the organizers of this event very proffesional we’ve been spoiled by you!

To sum it up: moving forward and craving for more of this!

Words from the EFPT:
“The second Dutchie of the fleet Maarten Van Ochten (JP/Neilpryde) who is having his competition comeback this year went for nice double forwards and air chachoos at the reef. He managed to pull some very decent heats in the single and also double elimination yet had to give way to Loick Spicher in the end”

“Maarten Van Ochten (JP/Neilpryde) was filling his sheet against Manu Rodriguez , Loick Spicher and Tonky Frans who eventually ended his run through in a very close heat. Van Ochten showed shakas, shove it spocks, forwards, air-chachoos, burners, burner 360ies, switch chachoos and airfunnel 360ies and proved that even after a break in competition sailing he was still a rider to watch out for”!

My favorite tools for this contest were:
Boards: JP Australia Freestyle 92L and JP Australia Freestyle 101
Sails: Neilpryde Wizard 4,5 to 5,4
Style: NP Surf 2/2 mission Shortleg and NP Surf Mission Harness

EFPT 9th. place at European Tow-in
Qualification rounds: the Tow-in was a big spectacle every night, every rider in and out of Europe got two runs to put there best performance down. Only the best 3 of each could get their spot into the final. For the final top 10 there was a special place reserved for the very best 4th. position. Actually I never had the chance to practice Tow-in and I knew everybody had a good practice during the lack of wind at several Worldcups or European championships last year. A number of riders have been training this quite a lot during there winter training. I analyzed the previous rounds what to do and what defiantly not to do. Because with tow-in the wind is coming from whole different direction. During the qualification rounds I first went for a save Airfunnel. My plan was making a double rotation but this didn’t worked out yet. The rounds after my first jump every body was getting wild and the level of each rider went trough the roof. I knew I had to step my game for my second run run to qualify myself for the final. So I did. The jet ski was going super fast, the tears where in my eyes and when approaching the jump area I could launch myself in a good Burner 540. The EFPT stated: “The lucky loser, who will join the nine riders of the three qualification runs will be Dutch sailor Maarten Van Ochten, who’s burner scored 28 points and therefor kicked Tonky Frans out of that last place..

The fleet for tonight’s final will be: Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP/Neilpryde), Maarten Van Ochten (JP/Neilpryde), Julien Mas, Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard), Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard), Gollito Estredo (North/Fanatic), Max Matissek (North/Fanatic), Kiri Thode (Starboard), Björn Saragoza (Starboard) and Taty Frans (Starboard). We are expecting an incredible final, which will start at 8.30 pm (Austrian time), like every evening” Yesterday night, the Chiemsee European Tow In Championship went into it’s last round. As the crowds filled the beaches, the ten qualified riders made their way to the launch area. It wasn’t long before Maarten Van Ochten opened the finals, with his first move. The atmosphere was electric and never before has such a large number of people been seen at a tow-in event. Everybody was expecting a lot of the sailors who made it into the final and their high expectations were fulfilled in every kind of way as the riders showed high air moves and powerful combinations that had never been seen before. EFPT: “in 9th place, the Dutchmen, Maarten Van Ochten (JP/Neilpryde) scored 22,75 points for a really nice burner. Maarten told us that it was the second time he had ever tried tow in. Well done”! 1st place and therefor the first European Tow-In Champion EVER is current Freestyle World Champion Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP/Neilpryde) who scored 37 points for the most perfect triple funnel with a sail duck at the end. Coming into the spotlight at full speed, Steven popped his board out of the water three times in a row, like a stone skimming the surface. He was extremely close to the judging platform, the spectators loved it, and showed their appreciation with huge applause. I’m glad taking 9th. place overall in the open European Champions Ships Tow-in 2012! Big congratulations to my teammate Steven van Broeckhoven who won the title.

Photos: John Carter / EFPT