Infinity Welcomes Donato Freens to the Speed Freak Family

18-year-old Donato Freens, the rising star from the Netherlands, emerges onto the global SUP Race scene with an impressive track record. Voted SUP athlete of the year in the 2023 TotalSUP Awards, Freens has been showcasing remarkable dedication and hunger for success event after event. His recent achievements include securing the 3rd overall position on the Euro Tour 2023 and claiming the title of junior vice world champion at the ISA World Championships in France. Now, stepping into his first year in the Open Men’s category, Freens embarks on a new journey with Team Infinity after years of support from Germany-based Light Board Corp. In his first words to TotalSUP under the vibrant Californian Speed Freak colors, Freens expresses his excitement for the journey ahead. Infinity boss, Dave Boehne, welcomes Freens with anticipation, marking the beginning of an exciting collaboration poised for success.

Hello Donato. Congratulations on this new chapter in your career! What made you decide to join the Speed Freak team at Infinity?

Hi Mathieu. Over the past few years, I have developed myself from a scrappy young kid that was competing nationally in mainly protected water environments in flat water long-distance events, to an athlete who is vying for top placings in international events across all disciplines of racing, in mainly unprotected and moving water conditions. For this reason, I was open to a partner that could support me in my ambition to perform across the entire spectrum of SUP racing, supporting me with the best gear possible in the industry but also supporting me in my pursuit to travel to the major races in Europe and elsewhere. I took a long time to consider switching to another brand. I had a great relationship with Gerd (e.d. Gerd Weisner, founder and CEO of Light Board Corp) and I always felt that I was part of a family, a family that you want to stay true to and not just trade-in for a new one. But then Infinity came into the picture with a serious proposition. Infinity is the perfect match for me. They have been in the surf industry for over 50 years, originating from the 70s out of the mecca of US surfing namely Dana Point, California, not only pioneering innovative surf designs from then but also as first movers in the SUP industry, using their wealth of knowledge to create winning SUP designs.

What are your first impressions as an Infinity rider?

Surf is in the veins of the Boehne family, and it shows in how Infinity SUP race boards perform in oceanic conditions. Besides that, Dave understands and has ambition to do what it takes to make boards that work in the flats also. He is a surfer that also appreciates racing, not just surf racing. Dave in his own right is a very respected top level surfer, SUP surfer and racer, besides being a world class SUP board designer. His craftmanship, experience and passion are what attracted me to engage in a conversation, and this it where it ended up! He is very approachable, easy to talk to, and I enjoy listening to what he has to say about SUP. I am joining a very strong and versatile team with big hitters like Arthur, Itzel, Candice, Juliette (e.d. Arthur Arutkin, Itzel Delgado, Candice Appleby, Juliette Duhaime) and many other strong riders, and I look forward to working with Dave and putting Infinity in the headlines as member of the #infinityspeedfreaks!

Have you decided on your Infinity quiver yet?

I am planning to leverage the race line-up of Infinity to suit the type of racing and conditions. That said, as you know, previously I basically used only a single board for all types of racing and conditions, and although I have access to a great lineup of boards that Infinity has got to offer boards, I hope that the EverReady is the type of board I can use in most races and be competing for top placings whatever the conditions. Shortly, I will be able to ride it as a new shipment is coming to Europe soon and I can’t wait to put it into action.

For flatwater racing I will be using the Infinity Whiplash. I have put the board under my feet a few times now and I am very happy with the stability, the top-end speed and the ability to maintain the board at a glide. For 11 City type SUP racing I think the board will work really well and I look forward to using it in protected water environments, such as e.g. the EuroTour Namur race.

For sprint racing, the Infinity Blackfish will be my go-to board, it’s a stable and reliable board for beach starts, and given the hull shape it is very easy to bring it onto top speed and maintaining it over these relatively short distances. Plus it turns on a dime while maintaining control. For all other type of racing, and as my perfect allrounder, I will be looking to use the EverReady, I do not have it in my quiver yet, but can’t wait to get my hands on it, as it seems a great versatile board, suiting a wide range of conditions and racing styles.

So when will your race with an Infinity board for the first time this season?

My season opener will be the Spring Sup Race in Italy. I did not travel to the event last year, but saw the coverage on it and regretted not being there at the start line. It seems that this year it will be an even bigger event, attracting the big names and I am preparing myself to be able to be in the mix.

Live on TotalSUP of course! See you there! What are your season targets?

Last year was a great year for me. If you had asked me at the start of that season whether I would be winning EuroTour races in oceanic conditions and ending up on the podium overall, I would have probably said I hope so, without really believeing it. The competition will be strong this year, there are a lot of good riders, old and new, and the racing calendar seems more compact than last year. I am expecting a lot more competition in each race as more of the top riders will be showing up at the events. The EuroTour is 6 races, all very much accessible on the mainland, so taking the win in an event or prolonging my overall top 3 finish like last year will not be an easy feat. But I will give it my all, and more…

Outside the EuroTour, I will be focusing on the two world championships this year (e.d. ISA SUP & Paddleboard Championships in Copenhagen and ICF SUP Worlds in Sarrasota). I am very much looking forward to ISA Copenhagen. As a young boy I watched the 2017 edition, and thought it was a great event both in terms of spectatorship and atmosphere, but also in terms of racing format and conditions. The ICF Sarasota is another big goal, I have not raced in the USA before, and I am excited to race in the homeland of Infinity. My goal for the season is to enjoy the paddling, make great memories with my fellow competitors, and fight for top placings where I can.

Thank you very much Donato! Now let’s hear it from Infinity’s boss.

Dave Boehne: I believe Donato is super young with a lot of racing ahead of him. He’s already shown that he can mix it up with the best guys at such a young age. He’s fired up, and I feel like we’re partnering up at the perfect time. He’s got the best ahead of him, and that’s exciting. Also, I love the fact that he’s in Europe, he’s young, and he’s fresh—a fresh face. In the Netherlands area, we’ve never had a strong representation up that way. Of course, we’re trying to build our representation in Europe, with a small but strong team—Will Keetly in the UK, Ricardo Rossi in Italy, Tassos in Greece, Arthur Arutkin in France. I felt that Donato was a good fit, and he came at a good time. He’s young, hungry, and he’s only going to get better. It feels a little bit random for Infinity because he is the first team rider that we’ve added to the team that I’ve never personally met. We met through phone calls, video, but I got a very good impression by talking to him multiple times. He’s mature for his age. He’s really well-spoken. He’s a nice guy. He’s super dedicated. And I think he’s going to do a lot of damage this year and make some noise. And we’re stoked.”

To congratulate and follow Donato Freens, visit:
www.instagram.com/donato_freens/
www.facebook.com/DonatoFreens

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