The main festival idea - to acquaint Russian outdoor enthusiasts with the booming worldwide sport. "Metropolis surfing" has been very popular in recent years - from Canada to Australia.
In pursuit for the $15,000 prize, many foreign professionals came to Russia - multiple world champion Dominic Lagace, well-known Canadian sportswoman Caroline Villeneuve, Sebastien Balland from France, Korina Smyrek, Emmanuel Daboni, Martin Suter, etc. In the end, they took the top lines of the pedestal, but got these places not without a fight.
"Surfing in Moscow was not so easy, - said Caroline Villeneuve. - Russian athletes progresses very quickly. So even if they are not yet succumbed to us foreigners, they occupy the second and third places. Russian surfers take form a boat surfing all that they can. If they will continue to develop at such a pace, soon it will not to be good for European contestants".
Organizers decided to hold the event in the festival mode. Besides the sports part, plenty of entertainment was provided. All visitors can test and learn something new: several types of yoga (including new to Russia SUP-yoga), skimboarding, classic skateboarding, beach volley, custom bikes, child's classes, indoboard, etc.
"I believe that we managed to realize the main festival mission - wakesurfing promotion among the broad masses in Russia, - said event organizer Alyona Pischulina. – More than 2000 people came to Royal Bar beach in order to cheer for Russian athletes and try a variety of active beach holiday. We intended to make this festival an annual, and I tell you a secret: we are going to hold the Wakesurf Cup event in St. Petersburg in July this year".
Women
Skim Pro
1. Caroline Villeneuve
2. Nataliya Dmitrieva
3. Kseniya Naumova
Surf Pro
1. Korina Smyrek
2. Aloyna Pischulina
3. Svetlana Mishanova
Men
Skim Pro
1. Dominic Lagace
2. Sebastien Balland
3. Alexander Kashnikov
Surf Pro
1. Martin Suter
2. Artyom Khalyavin
3. Ien Voght
Photo: Anna Shakhova, Mikhail Serbin
Text: Helga Shoshina
Source www.wakesurfcup.com
