Competition is ON!

The Quickening!

Images credit JIm Brooks.

Following yesterday’s full day of action, Thursday brought even more wind and waves and with it there were more shock results;

The Pro Championship event had finished by Tuesday but with 5 of the top British pros still on the island of Tiree, event organisers Puravida along with the BWA and RedhandedTV organised the first ever Last-man-standing pro knockout event aptly named ‘The Quickening’.

5 of the top pros go out for a 10 minute heat with the the top 4 advancing. The top 4 do the same with 3 advancing. You get the picture. until after 40 gruelling minutes of fierce competition…”There can only be one”.

And the man to raise the Tiree Wave Classic 2014 is Phil Horrocks (Gaastra/Tabou) with Aleksy Gayda (RRD/RRD) in second and Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers (Pryde/JP) taking third place.

Whilst this Pro event results won’t count towards the 2014 championship, we are sure to see a return of ‘The Quickening’ in future.

Another fantastic days sailing from the Ladies fleet who are ripping at the moment. Justyna Sniady (Simmer, Simmer) dropping 2 rounds to arch rival Sarah Bibby (Simmer/Simmer) but still 8.2 points ahead she is now impossible to catch. Bibby will be happy with her day as she overtakes Kellet but with a further day’s sailing there may still be chance for Kellet to retake the 2nd.

Ben Page and Tris Levie provided the most excitement today. Tris sitting in joint 7th at the start of the double elimination managed to advance past 3 sailors to finish in an impressive 4th overall place. If that wasn’t impressive enough then SWA sailor Ben Page threw in a repeat performance of 2013 by also advancing but this time Ben fought from 3rd place to get his first overall win at this event. 13 year old Freddie Ide now sits in a very impressive 4th place. Not bad for a young man competing in a fleet beyond his age!

Standout performance of the day must surely go to big Dave White who started in 4th and charged through four rounds to finish in first place. Kyle McGinn will be hoping for a re-match with a day to go. 

There still remains one more day of possible competition.Head Judge Willy ‘Angus’ MacLean has planned this to be at the legendary Maze on the west Coast of Tiree. The Maze is a notorious venue offering bone-crushing swell and waves to match. This tour has proved that the results can change as quick as the wind and if tomorrow does deliver at the Maze we will be in for more shocks and surprises.

Report by Nigel Treacy, BWA Chairman.