THE 2011 PWA SURF WORLD CUP, NEUSIEDLER SEE Day One: A day of contrast welcomes the PWA’s freestyle fleet to the Austrian leg of the World Cup.

The competition’s opening day in Podersdorf was greeted with wall to wall sunshine and a light onshore breeze, giving a relaxed atmosphere to the formality of fleet registration. At the final count, an impressive 47 man fleet registered to do battle for a slice of the event’s €30,000 prize fund, and the all important championship points on offer.

Heading into the afternoon, Lake Neusiedler continued to deliver warm temperatures and sun in equal measure, but unfortunately showed no sign of producing any usable wind. Then, in characteristically unpredictable Austrian style, the sun was shut off, and replaced with thunder, lightning and strong offshore wind, bringing the becalmed event site to life.

Unfortunately, head judge Duncan Coombs was unable to send the sailors out to compete while there was still lightning in the vicinity of the sailing area, and on the storm passing, the wind was to vanish, never to return.

That marked the end of a typically volatile day in Podersdorf; we will pick things up tomorrow morning from 9.00am, when the sailors have their skippers meeting.

Tomorrow evening will also see the SURF magazine tow-in night session, where the cream of the world’s freestylers will be getting slingshotted lake-side, in a battle for all important bragging rights.

Scope The Action

For information on all the entrants, and to keep up to date with every piece of the action, navigate to www.pwaworldtour.com

Here you can use our:

• Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins

• Check live elimination ladders

• View results

• Read daily news summaries

• Browse awesome action photo galleries

There’s also a dedicated event website which can be found @ www.surfworldcup.at

Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via [email protected]