Junior Starboard Freestylers on top at the FPT stop in Sardinia

The Freestyle Pro Tour made its latest stop on the stunning island of Sardinia, Italy where despite the lack of wind in the first days, Starboard riders Bijou Shahmirian and Leander Halm delivered standout performances.

For Bijou Shahmirian, it was a debut appearance in Sardinia—and a memorable one. Although the wind only picked up on the final day, she made the most of every moment on the water. Competing on the Starboard iGNiTE 78L she finished in amazing third place in the Pro Women's fleet and in first place in the U19 women's fleet. It was the first podium appearance for Bijou and we are sure not the last one.

Bijou about her experience in Sardinia:

“This was my first time in Sardinia, and while we were quite unlucky with the wind conditions (we only had wind on the last day), the island offers a variety of spots that are perfect for different wind directions. I also had the chance to try tow-in for the first time, which was quite challenging at first. However, it was so much fun, and I’m excited to continue to practise it in the future.
Throughout the competition, I sailed with the iGNiTE 78L, which made rotations easy and kept me stable in the choppy conditions. It accelerates so nicely that I was planning earlier even with a smaller sail size.”

Leander Halm had a busy week in Sardinia, going head-to-head with the strong local freestyle crew in several close and exciting heats. Despite the tricky wind conditions, he managed to stay consistent and focused throughout the competition.

Rising to the challenge, Leander delivered a solid performance that earned him an impressive 4th place in the U19 Men’s fleet—a competitive category packed with top young talent. On top of that, he claimed 1st place in the U17 division, showing his dominance among the younger age group.