2005 PWA Bonaire Event Preview

On the 15th of May the 2005 Professional Windsurfers Association Freestyle tour gets off to a flying start in one of the world’s most beautiful windsurfing locations; Lac Bay, Bonaire. For a full week the world’s best freestylers will pull out all the stops to take the lead in the 2005 freestyle ranking. With this year’s event being moved from December to May for even better wind conditions and a $70,000 prize purse, the stage is set for some spectacular action.

Home of freestyle wizards Taty (Starboard, MauiSails) and Tonky Frans (F2, Gaastra), Lac Bay is rapidly climbing the charts of top freestyle venues around the world since the first PWA contest on Bonaire back in 2002. With its turquoise water, consistent tradewinds and super-flat water, Lac Bay offers some of the best freestyle sailing in the northern hemisphere.

Both men and women will attend the event, giving all sailors the opportunity to demonstrate their moves after a winter of hard training. In the men’s competition, 2004 runner up Kauli Seadi (Quatro/ Naish) is sure to be going all out to snatch this year’s title from his fellow countryman and reigning freestyle champion Ricardo Campello (JP/ Neil Pryde). Both sailors will undoubtedly astonish the judges with mind-blowing repertoires, as will Douglas Diaz (Fanatic/North), Robby Swift (JP/ Neil Pryde) and the rest of the highly competitive field.

In the women’s competition the level of sailing has reached impressive heights, often putting the girls right up there with the men. Daida Moreno (Mistral/North) will surely try to prolong her title, with her sister Iballa (Mistral/North) and Karin Jaggi (F2) breathing down her neck.

The action is expected to be hot and the media coverage high, providing all the ingredients for a memorable kick off of this year’s PWA freestyle tour. Tune in daily on www.pwaworldtour.com between May 15 and 22 for news, results and pictures from the 2005 Bonaire King of the Caribbean.