Gran Canaria local Nayra Alonso has to miss out on this year’s PWA Wave event in Pozo, due to the inescapable fact that she and hubby John Skye are expecting their first baby. 

However, Nayra’s team-mates Laure Treboux and Eva Oude have also been training in the Canaries for a little while, so Nayra took the time to catch up with the girls and report on their training so far.

While Eva chose Pozo to get use to the contest venue straight away, Laure preferred Tenerife where she could more easily combine her wave contest preparation and also keep training freestyle for her upcoming Freestyle contests. With determined attitudes to raise the level of the women fleet, both of them are strong contenders for this year’s event in Pozo Izquierdo, so lets see what are they up to.

Laure, you have spent the whole winter in Australia and now you are training in Tenerife, and Eva, you were in South Africa and now you haven been in Pozo for a while, your port tack wave sailing must be even more solid this year, what are your expectation for this year’s event?

Laure: This last season in WA hasn’t been the best so I didn’t sail as much as I would have wanted to, but we travelled up and down the coast a lot, hunting for wind and waves and scored some really good days. The conditions there are very different from the Canaries, but I guess all the time spent on the water pays off anyway. I’ve been trying to improve my jumping as it’s what I need to do better here in the Canaries. Let’s see what happens in the events, everyone has been training a lot so you never know what to expect until you are actually there.

Eva: Hope so! It helps I have the perfect wave board now (Fanatic quad 69L). Hope to learn a lot this year. Cause Studying and training at the same time is not always the easiest combination. Then a few weeks of sailing and than only learning and walking around in the hospital for a few months. But now still two more weeks to improve my sailing before the contest! Wind, you can come back!

They say Pozo is a tricky place to sail well, what was your first impression when you first arrived in Pozo this year Eva?

Eva: Finally really windy again! In February in South Africa I had so much just-planning conditions and light wind. Wasn’t good for jumping (maybe just 2 days). Missed the jumping part. So for sure Pozo will give me some nice jumping conditions. Though I have to say, had already a few days where even my smallest sail 3.4m was just not controllable anymore.

Laure, Why did you choose to go to Tenerife to train instead of Pozo?

Laure: I really like Tenerife, the windsurfing, the place, the people… to me it’s the perfect playground for the summer. It’s got a good variation of conditions and waves – Cabezo, the Harbor Wall, the Bay. The level on the water is really high, which is great for inspiration and motivation, and lots of my friends are here.

So I decided to be based here for the summer and travel to events from here. And I can also train freestyle here.

What moves are you “polishing” at the moment for the events?

Laure: Backies, takas, going bigger on forwards

Eva: Stalled forwards, backloop, pushloop

Last week the conditions were pretty hectic down there in the Canaries.. How was your first impression sailing this kind of conditions this year?

Laure: I hadn’t sailed for a few weeks before coming out, got off the plane and straight to the water, 3.4 stacked with good waves, the proper “welcome to the Canarias”! And it’s been super windy everyday since then. This is what I came here for, so it’s been awesome. My body’s complaining a bit but that’s ok, I’m used to it.

Eva: Impressive. Everything I tried did get two times as hard/high. Or it was punished twice as hard as I used to be. Hope we will get a little bit less wind and still some waves. Yesterday I sailed with 3.7m full power and it felt like there was almost no wind anymore?! Crazy how fast I get used to the strong wind.

Knowing that it will be the same for everyone, which type of conditions would you prefer for the contest?

Laure: I’m hoping for 4.0-4.2 and good waves – but it’s Pozo and I expect it’ll be 3.0 stacked!

Eva: Hope to use my 3.4m sail: strong wind (but not to crazy strong) and waves for sure!