KIA @coldhawaii World Cup day one: Klitmoller bursts into life for the world’s most radical waveriders, allowing a dramatic start to the opening round of competition as the sailors ripped, slashed and turned their way through each heat.

An exquisite start to the 2011 PWA Kia @coldhawaii World Cup witnessed forty-four of the world’s finest waveriders register for the third stop on the men’s wave tour. Gentle winds and small waves caressed the Klitmoller shores whilst the sailors rigged their equipment and prepared for the week’s competition.

Once the formalities of the morning were completed, head judge Duncan Coombs placed the sailors on standby, well aware of the impending storm on the horizon. The winds and waves built throughout the afternoon until they were thrashing the coastline, and were big enough to tempt the elite riders away from the comforts of the beach. Once the conditions were at a suitable competition standard the PWA crew wasted no time in kicking off the proceedings and swiftly worked through the action-packed opening round of competition.

PWA legend Lars Petersen (JP / NeilPryde), made his return to the competition scene with his exceptional wave selection allowing him to sail past his opponent Thomas Wessel Svensson (Gaastra) with ease, whilst Phil Horrocks (JP / Gaastra) went about landing a clean set of aerials, earning him enough point to defeat his contender.

Mikkel Asmussen (RRD / Simmer / MFC) was next up to impress the judges with his wave rides and a tweaked pushloop, obviously comfortable sailing on the North Sea. As was Andreas Olandersson (Simmer / MFC) in his heat against, Stefan Gobisch (JP / Simmer). Olandersson pulled a super-high pushloop and a backloop when the wind was at its most deadly.

The slickest wave rides of the day came from Brit, Adam Lewis (Point-7). Lewis ripped each wave to pieces with his super-aggressive top turns, both impressing the judges and guaranteeing his pass into the second round.

Despite missing the initial three minutes of his heat, Kevin Mevissen (Mystic) came back with a vengeance and made a superb recovery. Mevissen picked up a head high wave and worked it for all it was worth pulling a backside hit, two frontside smacks and a taka on the end for good measure.

Closing the day’s competition, Germany’s Florian Jung (RRD / Gun / Dakine / Maui Ultra Fins) whipped up a frenzy on the waves, and pulled a series of smooth turns on a record number of waves to secure his victory against Casper Lykke Pedersen (Fanatic / NeilPryde).

Eager to take advantage of the down time earlier in the day the PWA caught up with the pair currently in joint second place, Kauli Seadi (JP / NeilPryde) and Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde / MFC) about their plans in Klitmoller.

PWA: How are you feeling about the year so far?

Campello: “It could be better, I haven’t had the best results but it could be worse as well. I always like to be on the podium, but the level is super high so anything can happen. I hope we get great wind tomorrow.”

Seadi: “I think the year is going great, the standard is really high and the boys are all over-prepared. Each year the standard gets higher and higher, a lot of the guys have been training the jumping and I think that really helps on the tour. I am happy to be in second.”

PWA: Have you done any special training for Klitmoller?

Seadi: “I have been at home, it’s port tack there now. We had some really strong days and I have been on 3.6 and 4.2, so that’s good practice for here.”

Campello: “I hope that the forecast comes tomorrow, and then it will be the conditions I really like. Port tack, big waves and strong wind, I am going to concentrate and try my best to get through each heat.”

PWA: Any special plans to take on Philip Koster (Starboard / NeilPryde / Dakine / Maui Ultra Fins)?

Seadi: “I think Philip is really solid, but anything can happen now. I think anyone in the top nine can make it onto the podium. I will just try my best to get through the heats.”

PWA: Have you been training any special moves for this event?

Campello: “I have been training all the moves and depending on who I come up against I will try the pushloop forwards and the big double forwards, I think they are the moves that score the most.”

With an epic forecast on the cards and rumors of the fifty year storm on the way, the second day of competition promises ferocious waves, howling winds and insane action as the higher seeded sailors enter the competition. The skippers meeting will kick off at 7:30am with the first possible start to competition at 8am.

Scope the action

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