2002 PWA Freestyle Qualifier Neuesiedler See Austria Day 1
Registration day and start of the PWA Freestyle Qualifier in Podersdorf, Austria.

Friday April 27, 2002
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Perfect Freestyle conditions today at Podersdorf, Neusiedler See, Austria.

The wind came in smoothly at around 11 O’ clock and everybody was prepared
for a relaxed morning. A little bit later the riders couldn’t believe their
eyes because the wind picked up heavily within 15 minutes and sails down to
4.2 had to be rigged in a hurry.

The show went off and spectacular freestyle action could be seen. The 32 riders
fleet showed a lot of classic moves due to the fact that a new scoring format
was used including conventional tricks. But also top moves like Grubbies, all
variations of Spocks and clew first Spocks and even flat water Goyters and an
unbelievable new move from North Sails team rider Web Pedrick (North Sails/AHD):
a flat water Taka, he calls the Swazy, were performed.

A whole round was completed and the winner of the first round was the top seeded
Dutch rider Remko de Weerd (Gaastra/AHD),followed by Diony Guadagnino (Neil
Pryde/JP), Web Pedrick (North Sails/AHD) and Raimondo Gasperini (Fanatic). The
head judge decided to go straight into the losers round, since it is a double
elimination.

Late in the evening the wind dropped and only a few heats remain to finish
the second round of the double elimination. The winner of the first round, Remko
de Weerd (Gaastra/AHD), is waiting for one of the following riders who are still
in the race to battle for the first place:- Martin van Geenhoven (North Sails/AHD),
Diony (Neil Pryde/JP), Alex Humpel (Neil Pryde/JP), Michi Schweiger (Naish/Naish),
Andy Pusch (Neil Pryde/JP), Raimondo Gasperini (Fanatic), Web Pedrick (North
Sails/AHD)

2002 PWA Freestyle Qualifier Neuesiedler See Austria Day 2
It just can¹t get better at the PWA Freestyle Qualifier in Podersdorf
Sunday April 28, 2002
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Wind, sunshine and thousands of spectators made this an epic freestyle day.

The competition area was moved a little bit further out because of the wind
direction from southeast. The wind picked up during the first hour of the competition
and the riders decided to rig sails between 4,7 and 5,2 meters.

The mission of the day was to complete the six remaining heats of the double
elimination. We saw a very strong performance from two Austrian riders Michi
Schweiger (Naish/Naish), and Alex Humpel (Neil Pryde/JP), who got fifth and
forth respectively.

It was a hard battle between the top three riders: Top freestyle rider Web
Pedrick (North Sails/AHD), from the Gorge was, in spite of an excellent performance,
beaten by Diony Guadagnino (Neil Pryde/JP), the young rider from Venezuela who
showed amazing moves and amongst many others a perfect back loop on flat water.
He then had to face Remko de Weerd (Gaastra/AHD), and was sailing at his best
to beat the Dutchman in the first final.

Since Remko won the first round and Diony the second final of the so-called
double elimination, another final had to be sailed to decide whom the absolute
winner of this first double elimination was. This time the Dutchman showed all
his tricks in a very clean and technically brilliant way and took the lead over
Diony Guadagnino (Neil Pryde/JP), who seemed after so many heats a little powered
out.

Result after one double elimination:
1. Remko de Weerd (Gaastra/AHD)
2. Diony Guadagnino (Neil Pryde/JP)
3. Web Pedrick (North Sails/AHD)
4. Alex Humpel (Neil Pryde/JP)

That is the result at the moment, but the races go on for two more days.

With an explosive exhibition session, where all the riders showed their best
moves very close to the crowd, this amazing windsurfing day came to an end..
But now the second discipline, the party discipline is on schedule: Tonight
with a nice little party at the famous Martinskeller.