Slalom specialist Freddie Winter got the feeling of the top of the podium for the first time in nine months when he won the Botaski Pro Am at Sesena in Spain on Sunday 26th June. Joel Poland came 3rd in tricks.  

It’s Freddie’s first victory since the MasterCraft Pro at Ski Fluid in Florida in September 2022 and it was a hard-fought one with a lot of skiing rounds to get through over two days.

Freddie Winter. Photo: Johnny Hayward

Eight men from 18 went through to Sunday’s head-to-head final rounds after two preliminary rounds on Saturday. Freddie was joint top seed with the USA’s Nate Smith after both scored identical and incredibly high scores of 5 @ 10.25m (round one) and 1 @ 9.75m (round two).

Freddie saw off Jon Travers of the USA and Adam Sedlmajer of the Czech Republic to set up a last two battle with Italy’s Brando Caruso who had caused an upset by beating Nate Smith in the semi-final – the first time the world record holder and current World Champion has been beaten since 2021.

Brando and Freddie both scored 3 @ 10.25m in the final, forcing a run-off which Freddie won by half a buoy (3.5 @ 10.25m). He put everything on the line to secure the win, catapulting out of his ski head first in his effort to beat Brando’s score.

Laying it all on the line.  Photo: Johnny Hayward

“I have had too many second places in the last six to nine months so I am very happy to be back at the top of the podium,” he said.

“It was quite dramatic and I am very sore but I live to fight another day.”

Freddie on top with Nate Smith (3rd). Photo: Johnny Hayward

Freddie had spent time training with his UK coach, Steve Glanfield, at Oxford Wakeboard & Ski Club before the event.

“The 10 days skiing at Oxford felt like the perfect training, not least because it felt like I was home. Oxford Wakeboard & Ski Club has been my European base for the last 10 years and I have probably won more tournaments just after leaving Oxford than Florida in the US where I spend most of my time.”

In 2017 Freddie trained at Oxford before travelling to France where he became World Champion.

Congratulations to the two other Brits who also made it through to the head-to-head rounds at Botaski. Rob Hazelwood finished 6th. Tom Poole – in his second successive Pro final – was 8th.

In the men’s tricks, last year’s winner Joel Poland made the podium again but had to settle for third place this time though, once again, he matched his PB and British record of 12,160 in round one. The world record holder Pato Font of Mexico was the winner and Adam Pickos of the USA was second.

Joel 3rd in men's tricks. Photo: Johnny Hayward

Full results of the Botaski Pro Am can be found here.