The 2006 Gran Canaria PWA Grand Slam Day Six
13.07.06 –
The double elimination came tantalizingly close to completion today. However Victor Fernandez (E-42, Fanatic / Simmer Sails), and Daida Moreno (E-64, Mistral/ North Sails) continue to sit in pole position in the men’s and women’s wave competition, as the best of the rest fight their way through to meet them in the finals. Conditions allowed competition to be reduced to the last 6 of the men’s and women’s wave sailors, as the clock runs down to see who’ll come out on top.
Today was devoted to finishing the wave double elimination, as high winds and surf blasted Pozo’s rocky beach. As the tide and conditions neared optimum level, competition began soon after lunch.
It was a day where Pozo specialists excelled. Matt Pritchard (US-10 Tabou / Gaastra) was the victim of Gran Canarian legend Marcos Perez (E-7), who went on to beat 2005 world champion Scott McKercher (KA-181, Starboard/ Severne) before eventually losing to adopted local Vidar Jensen (N-44, North). Perez worked hard, but there could be no reply to Jensen’s perfect, stalled one-handed double forward loop! Former Pozo resident Regis Bouron (F-300) beat training partner Xavier Huart (F-33) and earned a match with Nik Baker (K-66, Mistral/ North Sails), before Bouron retired with an injury, gifting Baker a pass into the next round to face Jensen. Baker lost despite solid wave riding, and Jensen just slipped through without the need to pull his signature one handed double out of the bag.
On the other side of the draw Josh Angulo (CV-1) advanced past Orjan Jensen (E-19, North Sails), and Peter Volwater (H-24 F2 / North Sails) defeated local star Jonas Ceballos (E-40, Fanatic / North Sails). Volwater continued on to beat Angulo before he too would come up against Vidar Jensen. Their heat was cancelled as the waves disappeared with the rising tide. When good conditions return, the winner of that heat must beat Bjorn Dunkerbeck (E-11, North Sails), 2005 champion Kauli Seadi (BRA-253, Quatro/ Naish), and current tour leader Kevin Pritchard (US-3 Starboard / Maui Sails), before squaring up to event leader so far, Victor Fernandez to challenge for the event win.
Steffi Wahl (G-303, F2 / North) had a good day in the women’s double elimination, proving herself a real threat by beating Laure Treboux (SUI-4 Naish / Naish), and experienced competitor Junko Nagoshi (J-11 F2 / Simmer). Wahl will face Uli Hoelzl (AUT-123) who defeated Evi Tsape (GR-62), and seasoned campaigner Anne Marie Reichman (H-98, Naish/ Naish). The winner of that heat will go head to head with Nayra Alonso (E-4, Fanatic/ Severne), Karin Jaggi (Z-14, F2/ North Sails), and Iballa Moreno (E-63, Mistral/ North Sails), before they can even think about taking on Queen of the waves, Daida Moreno (E-64, Mistral/ North Sails).
Skippers’ meeting tomorrow is at 09.30 where the PWA event management crew will make their decisions about which disciplines to run after assessing the conditions.
