Pritchard takes two divisions
KAHULUI – A dose of strong Maui trade winds was all Matt Pritchard needed to feel better Saturday.
Pritchard overcame a bout with the flu to win two divisions at the Da Kine Classic on Saturday at Kanaha Beach Park.
The Da Kine was the second of five events in the 23rd annual Maui Race Series.
Pritchard won the pro and the 19-39 divisions. The 33-year-old from Haiku just returned two days ago from the Professional Windsurfing Association’s Guincho Wave Contest in Portugal, where he finished ninth.
“I was sick for a day and a half, that travel achy flu feeling,’’ Pritchard said. “I love racing down here. It’s fun gauging my speed with all the fast Maui boys. It’s great practice, a great tune-up.’’
Pritchard was also happy to win the Da Kine because the company recently became his newest sponsor.
“I just signed a deal with Da Kine. I had to represent since this is their event,’’ he said.
Pritchard almost had a flawless day, winning six of eight races.
A mental mistake in his first heat of the 19-39 division cost him a bit.
“I was pumping to go downwind at the start,’’ he said. “I kind of forgot about the rope tied to the buoy. I hit the rope and went over the handlebars.’’
By the time Pritchard got back on his board, he was in last place. He recovered to finish third, then he won the next three heats.
Phil McGain, who won the pro division last week, was second. He also repeated as the 40-49 division champion – McGain has yet to lose a race in that division.
Kai Lenny, a 14-year-old from Paia, finally defeated Skyler Haywood, a 17-year-old senior-to-be at Seabury Hall, to win the junior men’s title.
Lenny won three of the four races. Last week at the Neil Pryde Slalom, Haywood defeated Lenny every race.
“It’s the first time I won the slalom in a couple of years,’’ Lenny said. “My jibing was really clean. He’d get me in the straightaways, and I’d catch him at the jibes.’’
Lenny, who is 5-foot-1 and 95 pounds, was using a 4.2-meter sail. Haywood, who is 6-foot and 140 pounds, was using a 5.1-meter sail.
“I made a few mistakes,’’ Haywood said. “I was taking my jibes too wide.’’
The other division winners were Mike Warmuth (50-59), Szabolcs Maguranyi (60 and over), Tatiana Howard (women), Bernd Roediger (menehune), Kristen Orth (junior women), Eyal Shelef (waveboard), Todd MacFarlane (semipro), Jay Lee (expert), and Doris MacFarlane (advanced).
The next MRS event will be the Quiksilver Cup, scheduled for June 30 at Kanaha.
MAUI NEWS(June 17, 2007)
