Jensen Takes It In Ballistic Conditions!

Norwegian wild flyer, Vidar Jensen (North) has won the mens double
elimination wave performance here at the PWA, Gran Canaria Grand Slam in
epic Pozo wind and waves. Jensen landed an insane one-handed double
forward loop in an incredible action packed final up against local Spanish

sailor Jonas Ceballos (Gaastra, Fanatic). In womens wave double
elimination Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) clinched victory after defeating

Swiss sailor Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows) in the second of two sensational finals.

Todays conditions here in Pozo were out of control with winds screaming
across the course area at times in excess of 50 knots. The closing heats
of this years PWA, Grand Slam started at midday after the judges decided
to wait for the pushing tide and the best possible wave conditions.

In his opening heats against Josh Angulo and Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Neil
Pryde), Jonas Ceballos busted an amazing display of monster back loops all

in excess of fifty feet. Some of the back loops from the Canarian young
gun almost looked like they were simply going to be massive jumps but
somehow Jonas managed to steer the rig around at the apex and float down
into perfect landings. Both Angulo and Dunkerbeck battled hard against
Ceballos but a mixture of his rocket aerial maneuvers mixed with radical
wave 360s and tweaked front side airs proved enough to take Jonas through

to the final.

Jonas opened the final with yet another sick 50-foot plus back loop,
moments later Jensen kept his cool and also nailed a high back loop.
Choosing his ramps wisely during the ten minute final, Jensen filled out
here score card with a Crazy Pete, double forward and finally, the one
handed double which he saved until the dying seconds of the heat as his
closing maneuver. He also managed to connect with two set waves which he
rode from the point all the way through to the beach with a series of
backside and front side airs. Jonas replied with more massive back loops
and a tweaked out ninja table top but seemed to have difficulty finding
the sets for his wave rides. After a tense wait for the judges decision
the result was unanimous with a 5-0 verdict in Jensens favor.

The womens competition boiled down to a major battle between Karin Jaggi
and Daida Moreno. Jaggi stormed her way through the losers bracket by
defeating Anne Marie Reichman (Naish) and Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North)
for her deserved slot in the final. Moreno seemed to struggle in the first

final and crashed heavily on several of her aerial moves. Jaggi meanwhile

sailed a smart heat and racked up the points with a superb display of high

jumps and aggressive wave rides. When the judges gave the decision to
Jaggi, it meant it was all down to the last heat of the day to decide the

ladies winner. This time around Moreno held her nerve and managed to link

together a high scoring heat, action packed with push loops, table tops,
one handed back loops and stalled forwards. Jaggi fought back hard landing

a monster push loop but in the end Morenos local knowledge and mastery of

her home spot here in Pozo proved enough to give her the victory.

Morenos win in the waves means that she has cleaned up here in Gran
Canaria winning both disciplines in convincing style. Her sister Iballa
has also had a successful event after finishing second in freestyle and
third overall in waves. Karin Jaggi has also sailed exceptionally this
week taking second overall in waves and third in the freestyle.

The mens freestyle here in Gran Canaria was dominated by Brazilian
sensation Ricardo Campello (JP, Neil Pryde) who took consecutive victories

in all three rounds. His level of sailing literally blew the rest of the
fleet away and was unbeaten during a single heat of the three Dingle
eliminations. Kauli Seadi (AHD, Naish) of Brazil and Antoine Albeau (Neil

Pryde, AHD) of France took the remaining podium positions with local
sailor Victor Fernandez (Fanatic) taking fourth.

The wind is still howling in Gran Canaria but after a grueling week of
intense competition, this years PWA, Grand Slam is all over. Tonight
proceedings will wind up at the Gloria Palace hotel on the south of the
island for the closing ceremony and no doubt there will be a few sore
heads tomorrow morning.

The PWA tour now moves over to the neighboring island of Fuerteventura for

freestyle world cup and super cross exhibition which commences on the 17th

through to the 24th of July.

VIDAR JENSEN (North)
I am more than happy about winning today. I was watching the heats with
Jonas against Bjorn and Josh and he was just going off and sailing
incredibly. I managed to pull together a pretty good heat against him. I
managed to pull together, I would say a pretty good heat and had all sorts

of jumps. I did not land my one handed double as clean as I had wanted
too. I think he might have been a little bit ahead on the jumps but I was

quite far ahead on the wave rides. I think that is where I won it. I was
unsure about trying doubles on a 3.3m because I did not want to hurt
myself. I think I sailed a very good heat and I am very stoked right now!

DAIDA MORENO (Mistral, North)
In the first final I could not hold on to my sail and did not really land

any of my jumps. After the heat I rigged the sail better and felt a lot
more comfortable. I was more relaxed and used the whole ten minutes of the

heat. I sailed my best and am really happy about the result.

KARIN JAGGI (F2, Arrows)
It was super, super mega windy. I was maxed out on a 2.8m. It was hard to

wave ride with the small sail because I am not really used to it. In a way

I love contests because I would never normally go as high in training.

MENS WAVE RESULTS

1. VIDAR JENSEN (North)
2. JONAS CEBALLOS (Gaastra, Fanatic)
3. BJORN DUNKERBECK (Neil Pryde)
4. JOSH ANGULO

WOMENS WAVE RESULTS

1. DAIDA MORENO (Mistral, North)
2. KARIN JAGGI (F2, Arrows)
3. IBALLA MORENO (Mistral, North)
4. ANNE MARIE REICHMAN (Naish)

MENS FREESTYLE RESULTS AFTER THREE DINGLE ELIMINATIONS

1. RICARDO CAMPELLO (JP, Neil Pryde)
2. KAULI SEADI (AHD, Naish)
3. ANTOINE ALBEAU (AHD, Neil Pryde)
4. VICTOR FERNANDEZ (Fanatic)
5. ROBBY SWIFT (JP, Neil Pryde)
6. TONKI FRANS (Gaastra, AHD)

WOMENS FREESTYLE FIRST DOUBLE ELIMINATION RESULTS

1. DAIDA MORENO (Mistral, North)
2. IBALLA MORENO (Mistral, North)
3. KARIN JAGGI (F2, Arrows)
4. NAYRA ALONSO