The PWA Hawaii Pro – presented by Severne Sails – Day 5

Wave sailing legends, Jason Prior (Neil Pryde), Rush Randle (Neil Pryde), Levi Siver (Starboard) and Jason Polakow (JP, Neil Pryde) were the line up in today’s final heat here at the PWA Hawaii Pro presented by Severne sails. After a 20 minute display of insane radical wave action, Polakow and Siver advanced into the final six and now face Kevin Pritchard (Starboard Gaastra) and Kauli Seadi (Naish, AHD) in their next heat when competition resumes. Meanwhile in the women’s competition Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows) and Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North) won their way back through the losers bracket with rock steady performances in manic huge wave conditions.

With Hookipa firing on all cylinders yet again today with mast high waves and 15-25 knot trades; it was the perfect platform for Jason Polakow (JP, Neil Pryde) to deliver a vintage performance of radical wave sailing, winning his way through five insane heats taking down the worlds best along the way. With the likes of Nik Baker (Mistral, North), Scottie McKercher (Severne, Starboard), Jason Stone, Rush Randle (Neil Pryde) and Jason Prior (Neil Pryde) cast aside, Polakow was on the warpath, taking no prisoners as he battled his way back towards the double elimination final. Attacking the waves with clinical precision, Polakow busted some huge tweaked aerials, wave 360’s and gauging cutbacks as he re stamped his authority here at his home stomping ground of Hookipa.

Matching the Aussie wave guru blow for blow, Polakow protégée Levi Siver seemed the only sailor with the ammo of maneuvers to match the ex world champions performance out on the battleground today. Siver advanced alongside Polakow in the final heat, after nailing a sick wave 360 and busting out several insane tweaked airs hammering the final nail in the coffin to Prior and Randle’s hopes of event victory.

Canadian wild man Jason Prior lived up to his reputation today after executing several suicidal double loops and some massive push loops in his earlier heats. Meanwhile Hawaiian waterman Rush Randle had also been on formidable form cranking out some massive aerials and wave 360’s.

Other highlights in the men’s competition today included several cleanly landed goitas from Kevin Ponichtera, some massive aerials from Josh Stone (JP, Neil Pryde), monster one handed tweaked aerials from Jason Stone and insane back loops from Kai Katchadourian.

In the women’s battle Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North) and Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows) were the two stand out sailors of the day, both coping with the massive waves with incredible bravery. Despite a massive forward loop and some huge aerials, current world wave sailing champion Daida Moreno was unable to match the superior performances of Jaggi and Iballa in the final women’s heat of the day. Moreno and Jaggi will face Anne Marie Reichman (Naish, Naish) of Holland and Maui local Jennifer Henderson (Starboard) when action resumes tomorrow.

Levi Siver (Starboard), Jason Polakow (JP, Neil Pryde), Kauli Seadi (AHD, Naish), Kevin Pritchard (Gaastra, Starboard) and Keith Teboul are the five sailors remaining with a shot at knocking current wave champion Josh Angulo off the number one slot here at the PWA Hawaii Pro, presented by Severne sails. With such a formidable line up on deck ready to do battle, could not have been scripted better for the climax of what has already been one of the most exciting events in PWA history.

Stay tuned to the PWA website for the concluding news pictures and results brought to you here from a front row seat here at the Hookipa auditorium and do not forget to check out www.high.tv for the latest action in full screen, full motion video!

Jason Polakow (JP, Neil Pryde)

“It was a long day at the office for me today. I lost so early in the single elimination it has made it really tough doing the double because you go against so many people. I think I sailed at least five heats today and am really happy that I am still in. That last heat was against a lot of good guys and was almost like a final. I am just happy that I was one the two that got through. The conditions were great, the waves were glassy and it was pure wave riding. The waves were setting up really nice and were not too much from the west. All in all it was just a great day for wave sailing. We were having half hour sessions on our own out there in great conditions; we don’t normally get that, so that in itself was worth going in the contest for!”

MEN’S SINGLE ELIMINATION RESULTS:

1. Josh Angulo
2. Keith Teboul
3. Kevin Pritchard (Gaastra, Starboard)
4. Kauli Seadi (AHD, Naish)

WOMEN’S SINGLE ELIMINATION RESULTS:

1. Motoko Sato
2. Jenny Ellefson (Neil Pryde)
3. Jennifer Henderson (Starboard)
4. Anne Marie Reichman (Naish)

EVENT SPONSORS

Severne Sails, Da Kine, The Islands of Aloha, Maui Windsurf Company, Neil Pryde Maui, Hi Tech, Second wind, Power 101.1