The 2008 Catalunya Costa Brava PWA Slalom World Cup – Event Preview
Slalom’s biggest fleet in 8 years dawns upon the Spanish town of Sant Pere Pescador, in the Golf De Roses for the 2008 season’s second Men’s and Women’s Slalom clash, from the 10th-15th of June.
The slalom fleet blasting
Gybe mark action
Sunny skies over the Costa Brava
The Gulf of Roses extends for twelve kilometres along Spain’s Costa Brava, to the north of Barcelona. The area’s a tourist hot spot, and a popular windsurfing destination. Over the summer months a steady thermal breeze buffets the coast, which is more or less a permanent fixture from June to September. The only exception can be the abrupt arrival of the nuclear Tramontana, a katabatic wind that howls down from the Pyrenean Mountains.
The area boasts an impressive competition pedigree, playing host to both PWA freestyle and super cross showdowns in the past. However, this year will witness the cream of the slalom fraternity from both the men’s and women’s divisions.
The €45,000 prize purse has certainly helped to lure competitors to Sant Pere Pescador’s Mediterranean shores, and the event proudly lays claim to having the largest slalom fleet in 8 years, including nearly 80 entrants in the men’s division.
Expect to see slalom’s biggest players jostling alongside a talented contingent of local racers hoping to cause upset within the ranks.
Defending their positions will be; 2007 World Champion and last year’s event winner, Antoine Albeau (Starboard, NeilPryde), last year’s event runner up Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde, MFC), Ex-World Champion Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra), speed merchant Finian Maynard (NeilPryde), and one of the undisputed legends of windsurfing, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (T1, North Sails).
In the women’s fleet, competing at this location for the first time, there’s Swiss legend and 2007 World Champion, Karin Jaggi (F2, North Sails) who’ll be trying to ward off advances from the likes of Valerie Ghibaudo (Tabou, The Loft) and Sarah Herbert (Starboard, Naish).
Blink and you’ll miss something, so be sure to keep up to date with every piece of the action at www.pwaworldtour.com
