Yeah, finally some time to do an update!
The last tourstop of the Euro Kite Tour took place in Swinoujscie, Poland. The forecast looked really strong, but the direction was offshore. We started on the first day, but the wind was super gusty. I won my first heat with the most underpowered tricks ever, but my opponent crashed his kite and never did any tricks. The 2nd heat I was too underpowered on my 10, but landed a mobe, slim and railey to blind, I switched to 12 in the last minute and did a back to blind airpass. The decision was 2-1 against, too bad. In the double elimination I had my first heat against a polish rider, I won the heat with more variety and power, landing allmost all of my tricks including a real powered mobe5. The 2nd heat was a really good one for me, I landed a backmobe, 313, blind judge, switch railey to blind, slim, super powered kgb and crashed my front blind mobe. Even though I thought I won, the judges decided I did at least 4 tricks outside of the competition area and therefore I lost on a 3-0 decision. I was upset with this result, and tried to speak about this with the judges because I was sure these tricks where not outside the box. This did not matter, so I ended up 13th. My worst result in the tour, but still enough points left to take the 6th place in overall! I am super happy with this overall result, best Dutchy in the tour, and will participate in the tour next year again!
1. Alberto Rondina (IT)
2. Mario Rodwald (DE)
3. Stefan Permien (DE)
4. Christophe Tack (BE)
5. Viktor Borsuk (PL)
6. Tijn van Esch (NL)
There is an article about my competition in Austria in the local and online newspaper headlines.
Check the article by clicking on the image!
(or click here for the badly translated google version 
)
Yes! After some waiting my box-o-pleasure arrived. It is filled with new gear, including some of my new Underwave materials!
So, from now on I will be riding my new gear and accessoiries, and also my new Kondor 3’s.
Thanks Advance Kites and Underwave!
By the way, I have been riding with friends last sunday, and there was also videorecording, so I hope to announce a new movie very soon! Annie is also working on a video of me training, all new recorded materials! Stay Tuned!
I have been sponsored by Sola and Patlove for almost 2 years, but I decided to take the leap and try something new:
Underwave is a young brand in the sector to whom like water sports as a life philosophy. I am going to ride Underwave harnesses as well as wetsuits and accessoiries. Because Underwave is a new brand, I am going to promote it next to Advance Kites. The materials are made of high quality materials and the new harness is very comfortable.
I will place pictures of my new gear as soon as it arrives in the Netherlands!
Check www.underwave.info for more information about the products and company!
This weekend, we had the 1st edition of Friends of Friestyle in Stavoren!
I had never kited in Stavoren before, so I was curious about the conditions. The event started at 9.00h, so we checked in and registered. At 10.30, the skippersmeeting started, with not too many riders. The pro’s had to go first, because we need the most wind. We started in a heat of 4, all riding together. The conditions were reasonably, good wind but choppy water. My first heat went not perfectly, I crashed some tricks and the other riders were doing very good. Because there was wind and time left, we decided to have another heat. In this heat everything went well for me, sticking a kgb, slimchance, 313, blind judge, backmobe, kiteloop kgb, kiteloop hp, and switch kgb. Now it was much more unclear who had won, because heat 2 was the opposite of heat 1. Therefore the judge decided there had to be a 3rd heat, to battle it out once and for all. He would judge this heat clean, so everything could happen! My heat went about the same as heat 2, except the kiteloop kgb, I crashed that one. Instead I did a L3 (kiteloop backmobe). We were all very happy with our heats, and it would be surprise who won. I had no clue, so I decided to just sit it out and wait for the pricegiving. I kited some more, landed my first kiteloop slimchance, then got a (not too warm) shower and then we had a nice barbeque. The pricegiving was very exciting, with Jelle Hak at the 4th place, Jerrie vd Kop 3rd, I was 2nd and Bas Koole took the 1st place, but with very little difference inbetween all places! We were all happy for each other, we all ride together often so we know what tricks one can do. I hope to be at the next Friends of Friestyle event next year too, hopefully with a bit more riders, the same high level riding and good atmosphere!
Results:
Pro comp
1. Bas Koole
2. Tijn van Esch
3. Jerrie van der Kop
4. Jelle Hak
Amateur comp
1. Joost Wagter
2. Daan Wagter
3. Mike Pelle
Female comp
1. Annie de Jong
2. Lisette Blankenstijn
3. Judith Roetman
4. Pietie Terpstra
http://www.friendsoffriestyle.nl
Wednesday, I went out for a nice afternoon session. The forecast looked great, but when I arrived at the spot the wind was gone..
I pumped my 12 anyway, hoping for wind. I got lucky, because after a while the wind started to increase. I had enough pressure, and I was training all of my tricks. However, after a while I missed my KGB! I tried to save my neck by sticking my hand in the water, but it was really shallow and my hand got hurt pretty bad… At first I thougt I broke it, but I could still move my fingers so I thought it wasnt that bad. Unfortunately, the pain was a bit delayed because of the low temperature, and it started to hurt more and more. 2 friends of me helped me out by driving my car (and myself) home, to the hospital.
We had to wait pretty long at the hospital, but after an hour we got reinforced with a bag of potatoe-chips (thanks Floris 
) and right after that the nurse was ready to X-ray my hand. Luckily it was not broken, but the doctor said it was not so strange to think it was, because of the big swelling on my hand. I am happy it is just bruised, it hurts but I will probable be recovered before Sticked 2009 
*** Update ***
Allmost 1 week further, and I am still in pain. I can lift and hold light things now, and the swelling has disappeared, but it looks like I have a more serious contusion than I thought.. 
Yesterday I went to Sola, to get some new neoprene stuff. They supplyed me with the new Sola Proseries Phantom 5/3 wetsuit, which is made off stretchy neoprene with a “anti-smell” wool cover on the inside. It is the warmest double lined wetsuit of the range, but still remains really comfortable and stretchy.
The suit also looks really good, it has a really clean design. I will make some photo’s later today and post them here.
I also got a new neo hood and gloves, to keep me all warm this winter! I think it is really important to keep your head warm, because you loose a lot of warmth in the wind. The gloves are more for comfort, everybody who rides in the winter knows the pain in your hands after the session. I hope to keep my hands warm with these gloves!
Maybe I will have a short session after sundown tonight, if so, I will post some photo’s here!
Nightsession
A couple of weeks ago, we had a nice nightsession at our homespot Workum. Some of the photos look really cool, so I decided to post some here: (click for big)
Invitation
Also other good news: Today I received an email from Jagermeister Wake Riderz, they organize a demo-competition wakeboarding on the cable this weekend in Almere, and they want Bas Koole and me to represent the dutch Kiteboarders! We will compete against pro windsurfers and snowboarders (on the cable), so hopefully I can show off some wakestyle moves
check out their website for more info: http://www.riderz.tv
Welcome on the brand new international TijnvanEsch.com website! I am currently working on layout and content, so the site will form in the following weeks. In time this new site will contain new movies and photos, reports and all sorts of news on my kiteboarding carreer, for starters the upcoming PKRA Germany event which takes place from Saturday the 23rd untill the 31th of August in St. Peter Ording, Germany!
Stay tuned, and Ride Different
