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On 17-18 December 2022, the TSUKASA Hamanako Freestyle Championships 2022 (the fourth competition of the JWA JAPAN TOUR 2022-23 FREESTYLE) took place at Murakushi Coast (along Lake Hamana) located in Nishi-ku, Hamamatsu, in Shizuoka Prefecture. And the 16-year-old Takumi Moriya (@takumi.moriya_j171), a Pro-Class freestyle windsurfer who belongs to Cataler, participated in and splendidly won the competition.

The windsurfing freestyle championships is a tournement where the double-elimination format (※) is employed.

Takumi Moriya first appeared from the second round of the Winners’ bracket. After defeating Rita Hashimoto, Takuma Sugi, and Kango Iketeru, he was provisionally in the 1st place before competing against the sailor from the Losers’ bracket.The sailor surged from the Losers’ bracket was Takuma Sugi, who is ranked 9th in the world standings. Although defeated by Sugi in the Losers’ Final, Moriya won the terrific victory in the Grand Final to become a champion.

With the victory in this competition, which was the last event of the 2022/23 season, Takumi Moriya rose to the 1st place in the JWA overall season rankings, defending the last season’s No.1 position.

(※)Double elimination

The double-eliminaion is a type of knockout-style tournament. In this format, consolation matches (repechage) are given, and all competitors have a chance to win until they lose twice. (In a single-elimination tournament, one loss results in elimination from the tournament, while in a double-elimination tournament, two losses lead to elimination.)In the final, a competitor who has not lost competes against one who has surged through consolation matches.In a double-elimination tournament, all competitors start competing in the bracket called “Winners’.” If a competitor in the Winners’ bracket loses one time, he or she is arranged into the other bracket called “Losers’.”

Following is the result of the competition:

Winner: Takumi Moriya
Runner-up: Takuma Sugi
Third: Kango Iketeru
The winner in the Non-Planning Spacial Class was Kango Iketeru.

Cataler YouTube Channel will soon provide the exciting footage of the event, and off-the-competition footage of the sailors, among others.

Cataler will continue to support Takumi Moriya as he keeps on working hard toward his goal: “I want to make many more people become familiar with windsurfing.”