Perfect season kick-off for Viola

Neusiedl am See, Austria

by Viola Lippitsch

At the very first weekend of May, our athlete Viola Lippitsch kicked off the season at the KIA Beach and Surf Fest in Neusiedl am See – and what a start it was. Competing against a strong field, Viola delivered an outstanding performance and secured 1st place in Freestyle.

From intense competition on the water to the unique atmosphere of the event, here’s Viola’s personal recap of an unforgettable weekend at the KIA Beach and Surf Fest.

The first tour stop of the season took place at the KIA Beach and Surf Fest in Neusiedl am See and it was the perfect way to kick off the year. The event atmosphere was amazing, with lots of people, beautiful weather, and a super positive vibe all weekend long. The only thing missing at first was the wind, which kept everyone waiting and checking the forecast constantly.

Since the conditions were too light in the beginning, we started with a pumpfoil competition. It was a really fun challenge and a great way to still get on the water despite the lack of wind. I managed to finish in 2nd place, which already gave me a great start into the weekend.

The next day, the wind finally arrived just enough for us to run both the race and freestyle disciplines. We started with racing, where we completed six races in total and I was super happy to win all six of them. It felt great to find a good rhythm on the course and start the season with such strong results.

After racing, we moved straight into freestyle. Even though the wind stayed very light, we managed to finish the competition just in time before it completely dropped. Riding with the bigger wings definitely helped in those conditions, and I was really happy to take another win and finish 1st place in freestyle as well.

Overall, it was an amazing event and the perfect season kick-off for me. I’m super proud of my results, but even more happy about the fun atmosphere throughout the whole weekend. A special highlight was spending time with the supportive FLYSURFER community at the FLYSURFER test stand – great people, lots of motivation, and an awesome energy on and off the water.

Viola, you did a great job. What an amazing season kick-off. Congratulations! Go ahead

Photos: © Michael Rubendunst, Dominik Matesa // Austrian Sailing Federation
All results: https://www.alleswind.at/news/detail/finale-beim-kia-beach-surf-fest-2026/