Florida’s Fleck wins Record 9th National Figure Eight Barefoot Open Title in one of roughest Footstocks ever.

Crandon, Wisconsin – Rough water may have dominated the storyline of the 29^th National Figure Eight Barefoot Championships in Crandon, Wisconsin, but it was nine-time champ Peter Fleck’s losses on Saturday in the Senior Championship and on Sunday in the semi-final round to Chad Mietz that had people buzzing. Because for the first time in five years, it appeared that the 52-year old Fleck was finally showing some chinks in the armor.

But after turning in the only two-figure eights all weekend (the lowest total since 1992, Fleck showed why he is the most dominant Figure Eight barefooter in the history of the sport. Knocking off Madison, Wisconsin’s Chad Mietz to win his fifth straight Open Championship.

The championship for Fleck followed a weekend of surprises, starting with Mietz’s consecutive victories over Fleck in the Senior National Championship on Saturday night. The emergence of first time Footstocker, Kyle Rau of Michigan, who took third overall also caught the field by surprise. Junior champion 16-year old Brody Meskers continued to show he will be a force to be reckoned with the next few years, by not only winning the Junior National Championship but also taking fourth, knocking off his coach and mentor, three-event National Champion, Keith St. Onge.

On the women’s side, former National 3-event champion, Elaine Fatla made her triumphant return to Footstock, after a three year hiatus, and not only won the women’s National Championship over a gutsy performance by Minnesota’s Amanda Cotter, but Fatla took 14^th in the Open division as well. While Wisconsin’s Hailey Gibbon, who narrowly missed the Top 16 in Open, took third.

The Master’s Championship had it’s shared of drama as well, as Jon DeBelak, skiing only 6 weeks after shattering his heel hitting a log, barefooted all weekend on one foot and forced a second championship run before succumbing to Mike Netzer.

The two-day National Championship, which featured 130 professional and amateur footers from Florida to Canada.

Crandon’s own Jakob Weber had an incredible weekend, placing seventh in the Open Division under brutal conditions on Peshtigo Lake.

The tournament’s newest competitive division also proved to be one of the weekend’s most entertaining. The Costume Division, sponsored by BarefootCentral and Eagle Sports had $900 on the line to the 3 top finishers. “Lumberjack” man, Greg Fatla beat “Superman” Scott Wedge to to take the “costume” championship.

In all, over 276 runs were pulled in two days and a record $9000 in prize money was awarded, making it the largest cash prize barefoot championship in the country.

 

2015 National Figure Eight Barefoot Championships Official Results

2015 Winners

1st Pete Fleck (Florida)

2nd Chad Mietz (Wisconsin)

3rd Kyle Rou (Michigan)

4^th Brody Meskers (Wisconsin)

5^th Kyle Kazel (Minnesota)

6th Keith St Onge (Florida)

7th Jacob Weber (Minnesota)

8th Brad Pylman (Michigan)

9^th  Bob Mahnke (Wisconsin)

10^th Dave Hopkins (Michigan)

11th Jon DeBelak (Wisconsin)

12th^h Marc Donahue (Indiana)

13th^h Joe Heilman (Minnesota)

14th Elaine Fatla (Wisconsin)

15th Isaac Auckee (Wisconsin)

16th Luke Bruckner (Wisconsin)

 

Womens

1st Elaine Fatla (Wisconsin)

2^nd Amanda Cotter (Wisconsin)

3^nd Haley Gibbon (Wisconsin)

4^th Victoria Wienser (Wisconsin)

 

Seniors

1st Chad Mietz (Wisconsin)

2^nd Pete Fleck (Florida)

3^rd Brad Pylman (Michigan)

4^th Bob Mahnke (Wisconsin)

 

Masters

1^st Mike Netzer (Wisconsin)

2^nd John DeBelak (Wisconsin)

3rd Wayne King (Canda)

4^th Bob Mahnke (Wisconsin)

 

 

Juniors

1st Brody Meskers (Wisconsin)

2nd Ethan Schulda (Wisconsin)

3^rd Maxwell Wohlleber (Wisconsin)

4^th Payton Blau (Michigan)

 

 

Best of the Worst and Worst

Mike Netzer

 

Costume Contest

1^st Greg Fatla

2^nd Scott Wedge

3^rd Joe Heilman/Amanda Cotter