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!
Again, I found myself in the Heerenveense Courant (our local newspaper) today! It is an article about Annie’s and my 3rd place on the Dutch Championships (written in Dutch offcourse). A real eyecatcher with the big color picture!
Check it out!
This weekend, it was the 4th and last possible date for the Dutch Championships (NK Kite). The forecast looked okay, just a little offshore (southern wind) for Saturday. Annie and I drove off on Friday, camper fully loaded with kites and boards. We arrived in Scheveningen in the evening, where the crew was building the stands for the event. We had a beer and then we went to sleep for a fresh start in the morning.
Saturday 8 November
We woke up early for the registration, which was from 8 to 9 in the morning. We registered and payed, and we met the other riders. The wind was really gusty and offshore, so the competition was posponed to the early afternoon.
At 12.45 the first heats started, the riders on 9 to 11m kites. I was in heat 5, so I had the chance to look a few heats with my clothes on. The heats were 3 or 4 riders, and the best 2 would go to the next round. When my heat started, I was pretty confident I would make it to the next round. I was riding strong, landing almost all of my tricks. It was good enough for the next round, which would be head to head.
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After some waiting, it was time to ride in the 2nd round. Again, it all went well for me and I landed even a swich move; swich KGB. I tried a swich Slim, but I crashed that one. I advanced to round 3.
In round 3 I maintained my constant riding, landing my reportoire in the gusty offshore wind. I was super stoked and confident I made it to the next round. I advanced to round 4!
In round 4, I was up against Johnno Scholte (a little ripper), so I had to go for the max to make it. I was really tired from the last heats, and I didnt landed as much as before. The wind was also super gusty, so that was not making it any easyer. Unfortunately, Johnno landed a bit more tricks than me, and he won the heat. I was up against Koen van Bolthuis in the Losers Final.
Even more tired than before, I had to take it up to Koen in the falling darkness. I had a hard time landing my powermoves, so I tried to fill it up with more easy moves like S-Bends and grabs. By the end of the heat, I had no idea if I had made it or not, and the organisation would not give away the results.
We packed our kites, and made a nice healthy meal to gain some energy for the next day! We went to bed early, to be fit for the next competition!
Sunday 9 November
We woke up early (again) because skippersmeeting was at 08.30. The heats started right away, because it would be good wind for the entire day. The plan was to complete the womans singles, and womans and guys double eliminations. The guys who lost their first heat had to ride first, than the ladies singles, and then guys/girls/guys/girls etc. I was in heat #33, so I had to wait a couple of hours. I watched Annie fight back in the doubles, which was really cool to see, and offcourse I watched most of the guys heats.
Then the announcement came: the results of yesterday! I was 3rd, Koen 4th! I was super happy, becouse I had to ride less to have a chance for the 1st place. It turned out Klaas Adema beat Johnno Scholte in the finals, so if I would win in the doubles I had to take on Johnno again.
When my heat was about to begin, I put on my wetsuit and got myself ready. I went out on the red flag, to test my power. I was really powered on my 12, but since the wind was gusty and offshore (again) I thought it would be the best size. I had to take on Jerrie v/d Kop, a young rider who was fighting back in the doubles and even beat Koen for the 4th place. I knew he was getting tired, but I didnt want to take any risk, so I went for it. I landed a nice powered KGB, Frontmobe, Blind Judge and a backroll into flat 3 to secure my win. I made it, so I was at least 3rd!
After a 10minute break I had to go for the next heat, up against Johnno. I was still on my 12, but the wind was a bit more powerfull than before. I had a hard time landing my tricks, and I whiped out pretty hard on a KGB, and after that I whiped out again on a slimchance. I knew I had to land more tricks to win the heat, so I went for it 200%, and managed to land a Hasselhoff. I was trying to do a backmobe to secure my win, but I was too tired and overpowered. The jugdes decision: Johnno won. I was a little disapointed, because I really wanted to compete against Klaas, but overall I was happy with my performance. I packed my kites, and we watched the final: Johnno vs Klaas again! Johnno won, and the final had to be done again: the winner would be the champion! The 2nd final was a close competition, Klaas with power and variation, and Johnno with technical tricks. When the heat was over I didnt know who won.
The prizegiving was really cool, because we knew that Annie, Klaas and I would be on the podium for sure!
Annie was 3rd in the ladies competition, Katja Roose 2nd and Jalou Langeree 1st (again!)
I was 3rd, but it was not clear who won in the mens final… The announcer told us when I was already on the podium: Johnno was 2nd! That ment that Klaas Adema was 1st, and he was super stoked! It was really cool to see him that happy he won, I thought he was going to cry hehe 
www.kitesurfshots.nl
After the prizegiving, we went to a restaurant for some pizza, and then we drove home. It was a great weekend, and the first Dutch Championships ever to have a complete single and double elimination in both Men’s and Woman’s competition! I thank my sponsors for the great support, without them it would not be possible to ride at this level!
So now I am going to train for the next competitions (next year), I have seen that my level of riding is one of the top of the Netherlands and I am sure I can perform even better next year!
