Catalunya Costa Brava PWA World Cup Super-X Day One

Tuesday June 13, 2006

Round One finished! Straight off the back of his Guincho victory, Kevin Pritchard (US-3 Starboard / Maui Sails) sealed victory in the first round of this year’s Super-X series. Only just making his first round and semi-final heats, he then turned it on to power to first place in the final. 1st Kevin Pritchard

2nd Nicholas Akgazciyan (F400 Neil Pryde Sails)

3rd Antoine Albeau (F-192, Neil Pryde)

4th Matt Pritchard (US10 Tabou / Maui Sails)

5th Peter Volwater (H-24 F2 / North Sails)

6th Ross Williams (GBR-83, Tabou/ Gaastra)

7th Nik Baker (K-66, Mistral/ North Sails)

8th Vidar Jensen (N-44, North)

15.45

A few starts have got underway and cancelled due to lack of wind or shifting direction on the course. Heat one featured Super-X World number 3 Kevin Pritchard,and 6th Ranked Julian Taboulet, who had to work hard and start three times before they finally finished their race.

Phil Horrocks (K-303 JP /Pryde Sails) finally took the honours, followed by John Skye (K-57 F2 / North Sails) in second, and Kevin Pritchard ( US-3 Starboard / Maui Sails) and Julian Taboulet who also booked their places in the Semi final.

Stay tuned for more later.

13.45

With registration complete we have a 32 man fleet all set to race. The thermal wind is already hovering around the minumum 12 knot mark – a good sign this early in the day. The riders are all out practising and are completing spocks and planing tricks, ready for a first possible start at 14.00.

Check in later for a progress report.

Registration Day

The PWA proudly return to Catalunya’s Bay of Roses, and the town of Empuria Brava’s La Ballena Allegra 2 campsite for the Eighth successive year.

Super-X is the PWA’s dynamic obstacle race format; combining full speed slalom-style racing with the latest freestyle moves. For the spectator this virtually guarantee’s seeing spectacular crashes even from the world’s best windsurfers capable of top level freestyle and racing skills combined.

Baia da Roses is located in the northern part of Spain’s popular Catalonian Costa Brava coastline. With its year round consistent wind conditions, Roses is one of the country’s best windsurfing spots, and often boasts super strength Tramontana winds which whistle down from the magnificent Pyrenean mountain range that rises majestically above the region. In the summer months it’s possible for both Tramontana and thermal winds to provide planing conditions. 2006 sees a change in Super-X with wind minimums being lowered to allow sails as large as 8.0sqm to be used in winds as low as 12 knots. Should the breeze be this light the riders will be instructed to make manoeuvres such as upwind 360’s instead of forward loops and spocks, but still have to make duck gybes at each turn and jump the inflatable obstacles.

For the PWA riders 8th visit to the 12 km sandy bay there’s a total prize purse of €30.000 up for grabs. The 2006 Costa Brava Super-X kicks off directly after the Guincho Wave Contest, on June 13th – 18th.

Log onto www.pwaworldtour.com for all the latest news, pictures and result from the Spanish coast as the world’s finest windsurfers go head to head for their share of Super X glory.

There’s a daily movie magazine available at high.tv

Today is registration day so check back later for news of the heat draw. You can also look at last weekends action from Portugal in the Guincho event summaryand Guincho event galleryto look back at the spectacular conditions.