After four days of freestyle at the 2011 Costa Teguise Lanzarote World Cup, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo rises back to the top in the first leg of the Canarian tour. Here are the final weekend’s reports from PWA press man Ed Sinclair …

Day 3: Four times world champion Gollito Estredo returns to form and storms his way to first place in the single elimination.

Once again the freestyle fleet were greeted with a relaxing morning, providing them with the perfect opportunity to tune their equipment, discuss the previous day’s heats and prepare their minds for the battle ahead.

As midday approached the trade winds kicked into action, and built in strength throughout the afternoon. The world’s finest freestylers were tempted onto the water at 2:30pm providing them just enough time to limber up for the start of competition at 3pm.

With winds blowing between 15-20knots, sails around 5.3m were the weapon of choice, for the final heats of the single elimination.

Picking up the action at heat 23, the sailors were shuffled into their respective finals. Davy Scheffers (Tabou / Gaastra) buckled under the pressure of the Belgian superstar Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra). Simultaneously Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North) defeated Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / Simmer) with his powerful ponchs and super high shakas.

The losers final saw Scheffers up his performance from the previous heat, landing a super clean culo spock and a perfect burner. However Ruenes was determined to continue his path of destruction through the single elimination, and went for every move in his box of tricks, pulling off his trademark no handed funnel and a huge no handed flaka into flaka. Ruenes took the win seeing him earn third place on the overall event standings.

The final saw Estredo and Van Broeckhoven enter the water to battle it out for first place. Estredo was on fine form throughout the heat, taking advantage of the stronger winds and the small waves. He opened with a future and quickly flew through a succession of extreme moves including a fully planning push loop and an air chachoo. Van Broeckhoven crashed his initial move and spent the remainder of the heat playing catch up. Despite the Steven’s best efforts Estredo was back in his element capitalizing on the ramps and big air maneuvers. After a tense wait while the judges calculated the score sheets, Estredo was awarded first place in front of a large crowd on the beach.

Once the victor was crowned, competition continued directly into the double elimination, allowing ten of the eighteen heats to be completed. With the opportunity to improve their overall score, the sailors hit the water with full force ready to take on their opponents.

Ian Mouro Lemos (JP / NeilPryde) worked his way through two close heats, claiming victory over super technical Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard / Gun) and explosive Quincy Offringa (Starboard) with his textbook burners and smooth switch chachoos.

The two Brits Phil Richards (Fanatic / Severne) and Andy Chambers (JP / NeilPryde) both delivered exceptional heats against the style master Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra). However Tonky was living up to his reputation, landing clean culos and even a bonka to seal the deal, seeing him advance past both challengers.

Israel’s Yarden Meir (Fanatic / Simmer) looked to be on a mission, successfully beating Bryan Metcalf-Perez (JP / NeilPryde / Dakine) and Yegor Popretinskiy (JP / NeilPryde / MFC) and advanced into the top eight.

With the wind switching offshore, head judge Duncan Coombs called an end to the day’s competition and released the sailors at 6:30pm.The action will continue through the final heats of the double elimination tomorrow, kicking off at 11am with the skippers meeting and the first possible start to competition at 11:30. Big winds are forecast here in Lanzarote so be sure to tune in to the conclusion of the PWA Costa Teguise World Cup.

Single Results

1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North)

2nd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra)

3rd Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / Simmer)

4th Davy Scheffers (Tabou / Gaastra)

5th Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)

Day 4: The astounding island of Lanzarote delivers remarkable conditions for the final day of competition allowing Estredo to stamp down his authority on the shores of Costa Teguise.

As the sailors awoke for the fourth day of competition, a storm cloud lingered over the event site reflecting the atmosphere between the remaining twelve sailors, as they entered the final heats of the double elimination.

With howling winds forecast the competition was postponed until midday, allowing the crowds on the beach to gather and the tension to rise. When one o’clock struck, the wind was blowing over 20 knots and sea state was choppy with the occasional wave rolling in, ensuring the spectators were treated to an exciting show as the sailors were able to launch into their largest aerial maneuvers.

Heat 44 was first to hit the water, seeing Bonaire’s Bjorn Saragoza (Starboard / Hot Sails) and Belgian Dieter Van Der Eyken (Starboard / Severne) work their way past Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic) and Ian Mouro Lemos (JP / NeilPryde). Mouro Lemos looked to be struggling with the conditions as he failed to complete all the required moves, whilst Van Der Eyken took his first heat by storm sailing a carefully planned out attack on Taty.

Next up, Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) started his rampage through the ranks, squeezing past Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra) in a really close heat that resulted in a two to one decision from the judges in favor of Thode. Meanwhile Yarden Meir (Fanatic / Simmer) hit the water ready to shake up the results and continue with his previous day’s performance. Meir’s opponent Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Dakine) played his consistent card throughout the heat, whilst Meir chose a higher risk strategy, attempting air chachoos and big forward loops to catch the judge’s eye. Meir was rewarded with his efforts and granted access into the next round.

Heat 46 was run in two separate parts allowing the judges to form a panel of five to watch the action unfold. Saragoza continued his winning streak, steaming past Van Der Eyken with his enormous shakas and clean konos. Meir then went on to face the mighty Thode. With little to lose Meir attempted his reckless routine of high power maneuvers; however he looked to buckle under the pressure of Thode and went onto crash many of his critical tricks.

Thode’s charge through the double elimination continued as he stormed past Davy Scheffer’s (Tabou / Gaastra) and Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / Simmer) in two incredible heats, seeing all the sailors bring their most impressive moves to the table. Thode managed to sail his way to victory with his gravity defying kabikutchis and spock culos.

With only one more heat between him and the final, Thode went on to face his arch nemesis Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra). The two sailors matched each other move for move, in what turned out to be astoundingly close heat. Van Broeckhoven’s Bonka and mind blowing no handed burner separated the pair seeing him snatch the win by just half a point on the judges score sheets.

The crowds on the beach were treated to an exceptional display of talent as yesterday’s duo Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North) and Van Broeckhoven took to the water for the final. Estredo delivered a colossal air chachoo providing him with the edge shortly followed by a succession of enormous air moves. Van Broeckhoven fought hard, however he appeared to be overpowered and crashed a few essential moves in his attempt to slay the four times world champion, allowing Estredo to take advantage and win the event title.

The victors were crowned at the awards ceremony on the beach, where each sailor was presented with a novelty trophy. Van Broeckhoven’s second place means he now sits at the top of the overall event rankings and Thode moves down into second.

Winner’s Quote

Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North): “I feel amazing, I am really happy to have won this event, it is my first event of the year and the fifth time I have won here. I feel really confident for the next events and I am really looking forward to Fuerteventura.”

Results

1st Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North)

2nd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra)

3rd Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)

4th Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / Simmer)

5th Davy Scheffers (Tabou/Gaastra)

The PWA circus will now head over to the stunning island of Gran Canaria, for the opening event on the men and women’s wave calendar. The Pozo Wave World Cup runs from the 5th- 10th July, and promises unreal action, sky high jumps, slick waveriding and crazy crashes from the world’s most gifted wavesailors.

Scope the Action

For more information on all the entrants, and to keep up to date with every piece of the action, click on www.pwaworldtour.com

Here you can use our:

– Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins

– Check live elimination ladders

– View results

– Read daily news summaries

– Browse awesome action photo galleries

– Follow the event live, with top class commentary from pros and industry insiders.

Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via [email protected]