EFPT 2023 was exciting to say the least! From some cool women’s heats, to Lucie Honegger sailing as the only girl in the first ever foilstyle competition.

Pictures by Protography Official.

What is the ERPT?

Founded in 2003, the European Freestyle Pro Tour is closing the gap between the freestyle level of Europe and the rest of the world, having already held events in 11 European countries, with over 500 registered riders. As the competition is sanctioned by the IFCA, this means that the winner of the tour represents the official European Freestyle Windsurfing Champion.

This year’s event was held in Vieste, southeast Italy, in the middle of sunny June.

Women’s heats

Lucie Honegger: The first woman competing in freestyle windfoil

To top it all off, the competition saw some incredible guts from windsurfer and windfoiler Lucie Honegger. Even though there were no women’s heats yet for the foilstyle category, she decided to compete anyway with the boys. It’s thanks to the boldness of women like Lucie that women’s presence and visibility in different watersports is increasing. As they said, “Well-behaved women rarely make history”!

Lucie commented on her Instagram: “Sailed my heats today as the only girl in the first ever @freestyleprotour foilstyle competition. I‘m enjoying ripping it on the water with the boys, trying to show my best.”

If you’d like to hear more about Lucie’s experience of competing as the only woman, we’ll soon be recording a very special podcast episode with her – so stay tuned!

Interested in windsurfing? Read our other windsurf articles here!