The 2006 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day Seven
28.07.06 –
Taty Frans (NB-9, Starboard/ MauiSails) and Laure Treboux (SUI-4 Naish / Naish) advance through the first double elimination at Sotavento, as world champion Ricardo Campello (V-111, JP/ NeilPryde) crashes out early once again. Single Elimination winners, Jose Estredo (V-1Fanatic / North) and Sara-Quita Offringa (ARU-91 Starboard / MauiSails) were on standby today, and must be beaten twice by anyone intending to take their event leads.
Sara-Quita free of pressure on her day off
Anxton Goita
Daida watching and waiting
After a poor showing in the single elimination many people were expecting a fight back from 3 times, and reigning world champion Ricardo Campello (V-111, JP/ Neil Pryde). Everything looked on-course for the 21 year old Venezuelan as he beat a spirited Matteo Guazzoni (I-711 RRD / Simmer), before winning a tough heat against Hawaiian Nick Warmuth (US-36 Starboard / Gaastra). But Campello’s campaign came off the rails when he was comprehensively knocked-out by Bonaire style master Taty Frans (NB-9, Starboard / MauiSails). Like yesterday, there was further upset when Kauli Seadi (BRA-253, Quatro/ Naish) was defeated by the innovative French trickster, Thomas Traversa (F-3, Tabou / Gaastra). Traversa and Frans eventually met each other in heat 62, and it was Frans who came up smiling with a hard fought win.
On the other side of the draw Leo Ray (F-200 Naish / Naish) had a good day, beating Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers (K-540 Tabou / Gaastra) and Andre Paskowski (G-2, F2 / North) before he finally lost to Antxon Otaegui (E-169 JP / NeilPryde). Otaegui was on fire today, excelling in the choppy conditions, but against Frans he just fell too much whilst Frans pulled an outrageous double flaka, and compounded his win with a switch-stance chacho-into-flaka combo!
With form like this, many think Taty Frans could go all the way. But, it’s worth remembering that he’d have to beat yesterday’s top four riders – Anthony Ruenes (F-85, Tabou / Gaastra), Kiri Thode (NB-61 Gaastra / Starboard), brother, Tonky Frans (NB-7 F2 / Gaastra) and then beat Jose Estredo TWICE before even thinking about taking the event lead!
Ruenes and Estredo were seen out practising today and with tricks like the Batel (A funnel-brabu…) not seen on a judges sheet yet, there’s no doubt the final stage action will be the best ever seen in PWA Freestyle competition.
