EURO CUP PORTIMAO – DAY 2

Friday, 6 May 2005

The Formula Windsurfing World Champion 2000, Wojtek Brzozowski (POL-10, Starboard, Neil Pryde) is leading the Windsurfing Euro-Cup Portimão in front of Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG-3, F2, Neil Pryde) and Ross Williams (GBR-83, Starboard, Gaastra). The second day provided the expected onshore Levante breeze of 8 to 15 knots. Race director Walter Mielke (Germany) decided to go for the discipline Racing. He set up an upwind-downwind-course with a leeward gate. The first race had to be abandoned as the wind dropped and the racers stopped to plane. Bad luck for Gonzalo Costa Hoevel who had almost finished the race in leading position at that time.

After a short break the race was restarted. This time Wojtek Brzozowski had a perfect start and dominated the Race in front of Gonzalo Costa Hoevel from Argentina. The biggest surprise was Davide Beverino (ITA-3, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Italy who just entered the Euro-Cup in the last year and already managed to reach a place on the podium in this race. The Portuguese FW Champion Miguel Martinho (POR-5, Starboard, Neil Pryde) took advantage of his knowledge as local and got third in front of his team mate and Italian Champion Andrea Cucchi (ITA-1, Starboard, Neil Pryde). Przemek Miarczynski (POL-126, F2, Windwing) completed the top-5 in this race.

The next race was started back to back. This time the Italian hotshot Davide Beverino managed the incredible and won the race in front of the Portuguese local Miguel Martinho. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel got third in front of Wilhelm Schurmann (BRA-999, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Brasil and the Formula Windsurfing World Champion 2003 Steve Allen (AUS-0, Fanatic, Neil Pryde) from Australia.

Again the racers were kept on the water. In the next race Ross Williams was able to dominate in front of Gonzalo Costa Hoevel. This time Keith Atkinson surprised his opponents and the experts with a third place which is his first top-10 position in the Windsurfing Euro-Cup. Wojtek Brzozowski managed to defend the fourth position against Davide Beverino.
Without a break the final race was started. It was fully dominated by Wojtek Brzozowski. Ross Williams followed in the second place with Miguel Martinho and Michal Polanowski (POL-16, Starboard, Severne Sails) on his heals. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel completed the top-5.

After four races the worst result of each competitor is discarded. Wojtek Brzozowski is leading with a total of 5,4 points. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel follows in the second place with 7,0 points. Ross Williams and Davide Beverino both have 8,7 points. But in the tie break Ross Williams manages to win the last position on the podium pushing the Italian hotshot in fourth place. The Portuguese FW Champion Miguel Martinho completes the top five with 14,0 points.

For tomorrow the skippers meeting is set for 09:30 with the first possible start at 10:00. The forecasts predict again the same wind direction like today.

Check out these links to download the video from today!

Low Quality:

http://www.choppywater.de/eurocup/movie/06052005low.wmv

Medium Quality

http://www.choppywater.de/eurocup/movie/06052005medium.wmv

The event is covered on http://www.euro-cup.org, http://www.overpower.net and
http://www.formulawindsurfing.org. On the official website www.euro-cup.orga live
ticker is provided.