The PWA World Cup Guincho Wave Contest 2007 – Day One

Heads Roll as the new skool of windsurfing make their presence felt en masse. A day of shock results marked a landmark day for some much-hyped young guns, who showed what the future looks like as the single elimination reached the quarter-final stage. The women’s event went all the way to the semis without such scandal.

Yann Sorlut’s One-handed back loops –
smooth as silk

Victor gets contorted

Kauli goes clew first

France’s Yann Sorlut (Simmer) led the charge by taking the key scalps of reigning world wavesailing champion Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / MauiSails), and John Skye (F2 / Naish). After much hype before the event, Kauli Seadi was tipped to perform, and he did beating Dario Ojeda (Quatro / Gaastra), and Alex Mussolini (JP / NeilPryde), despite not landing his latest stunt the Seadi-Move – a pushloop into forward loop combination.

Also featuring in the last eight were Marcilio Browne (Mistral / Gaastra) of Brazil, Canarian daredevil Jonas Ceballos (Fanatic / Simmer), Moroccan innovator Boujamaa Guillol, wave and freestyle specialist Thomas Traversa of France, and aerial contortionist  Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Simmer) – the first of the  new generation to win an event last season.

They joined the old skool’s last remaining contender – Josh Angulo, who’s as radical, if not more than most of the new kids on the block.

A windless morning gave way to moderate winds and bright sunshine this afternoon. Using 5.0 m- 5.5 sails, the worlds finest wave sailors were out warming up and enjoying head high waves, but the moderate wind strength meant a long, 12 minute heat duration, counting 2 waves and one jump was the call.

Being the season’s first competition featuring the new, restricted 48-man format, there some big names in the first round. Jason Polakow ( JP / NeilPryde), Antoine Albeau (Starboard / NeilPryde), Alex Mussolini,  Boujamaa Guillol, Peter Volwater (F2 /North) and Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde) were all making life difficult for the less experienced. Polakow in particular had to work hard to beat young newcomer Camille Juban (Quatro) of Guadeloupe, with only a last minute helping him through.

In the second round, Thomas Traversa knocked out 2004 World Champ Scott McKercher (Starboard / Severne) with a double forward loop making the difference in the points.

Boujamaa Guillol inflicted more misery on the establishment, by beating Levi Siver of Hawaii. The Moroccan’s wave scores were close to Siver’s, but his jump scores edged it for him to take a vital step forward.

Next for the chop was Volwater – a victim of focused and aggressive sailing by Ceballos, who’s style’s looking particularly edgy and dangerous this year.

More experienced legends stumbled. Albeau, a pretty big name himself, took out Baker, before he was barged out by Jonas Ceballos who’d just accounted for Peter Volwater.

France’s Yann Sorlut (Simmer) then made the news of the day by clinching a famous victory against Kevin Pritchard, and backing it up with another over John Skye (F2 / Naish) to reach the semi’s. Sorlut was ecstatic. ‘Actually I didn’t think I’d sailed that well’ he said. ‘I didn’t expect this, and it appears I did sail good enough to beat him – I don’t know what to say. What a day!’

The massacre continued. Guillol went on to remove Matt Pritchard (Tabou / Gaastra), the 2005 Guincho winner, from the frame, to set up a mouth-watering match against Angulo, who’s already beaten the legendary Jason Polakow, for a fascinating youth vs. experience encounter.

The remaining ties should be scintillating. Traversa faces Seadi, Fernandez must front-up to compatriot Jonas Ceballos, and ‘Brawzinho’ Browne will try to spoil Sorlut’s party.

Women’s Single Elimination

This is the all-important first wavesailing competition of the year for the ladies – all desperate to take the key psychological advantages early season success entails.

Still standing at the semi-final stages, are  2006  World Champion, Iballa Moreno (North), her twin sister, the 2006 Guincho winner Daida Moreno (North), all-rounder Karin Jaggi (F2 / North) and tough Japanese competitor Junko Nagoshi (F2 / Simmer).

The ladies had some of the best conditions today as the sun set over the Atlantic, and the wind swinging more sideshore on cleaner and bigger waves.

The forecast is not that promising, but, at Guincho anything can happen, especially late in the day. Skipper’s meeting is set for 11.00 and a first possible start of 11.30

Don’t miss the chance to follow all of the day’s action using our live event ticker, view our quality photo gallery, read daily news summaries, check the elimination ladders as they’re updated, and more at www.pwaworldtour.com