Westerland provided the prefect conclusion to the slalom and freestyle world tours, but a distinct lack of swell left the wave sailors basking on the beach.
From the 24th September through to the 3rd October Sylt’s Brandenburger Strand played host to four full fleets of the PWA’s most impressive windsurfers in a spectacular end of season finale for the disciplines of freestyle, slalom, and women’s waves.
Following the epic surf and gales of last year, it was unlikely that the PWA would be quite so lucky with the conditions again. However, a gusty cross-offshore breeze was enough for the racers and freestylers to turn plenty of heads and draw attention to the water, but wasn’t quite sufficient for any world-class wave competition.
At the end of an excellent week of racing and freestyle, the world champions were crowned in front of the thousands of spectators that had been lining the shores for the entire week, as well as the tens of thousands of online viewers who’d watched the windsurfing live via the world wide web.
Freestyle
The huge crowds witnessed the world’s most tricked up board riders flipping and styling their way to victory on the North Sea over two consecutive days allowing a full single elimination to be completed.
Due to the extremely gusty nature of the wind head judge, Duncan Coombs decided to try out a new format in which heat durations were almost doubled, and tricks counted minimized. This gave the sailors plenty of time to catch a gust and bust out their best move without having to worry about time spent bobbing around when the wind was down.
Four times PWA freestyle world champion, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North) rose to the top of the crop in the new pump and play heat format by fighting with a tactical formula out at the back of the contest area. And, despite this not being the best for the spectators gathered on the shore, it was without a doubt the way in which to win the competition!
From the very first second Estredo hit the water, it was obvious that he’d make it all the way to the final, and when he exploded into action in the gusts, he left many of his rivals absolutely helpless. Anthony Ruenes (Tabou, Vandal) was the first to put up a fight, but his efforts of going big all too often ended with a splash. Next up, Canadian, Philip Soltysiak (Starboard, Dakine) tried to take down the champ, but the Venezuelan continued with his tactical game, tricking it up in the gusts out the back, to leave his opponents wallowing around in the lulls.
The following heat against the king of ‘pop’, Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra) was undoubtedly one of the hottest of the week. Tricks were off the scale, and it resembled more of a final than simply a semi. Nerves had the better of the both of them at the beginning, but eventually Broeckhoven was seen busting out huge konos, culos, and burners, and the world champ was replying with much of the same. It was all too late for Broeckhoven though who had unfortunately already used up some of his six attempts with failed shakas earlier on, handing the heat to Estredo.
The final was another showdown of epic proportions with 2009 Sylt freestyle champion, Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic) fighting hard with Estredo. Frans was one of the only sailors to put on a display of slick double moves in the difficult conditions, but the world champion was on a roll after his previous victory. In the end, the international judging panel gave it to Estredo with a 4-1 decision for pulling off cleaner and higher moves in the toughest of conditions.
Event Results
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
2nd Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic)
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra)
4th Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
2010 Men’s Freestyle Rankings
Venezuelan trickster, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo claimed his fourth consecutive freestyle world title after securing it in Fuerteventura earlier in the year. Three event wins this season prove he’s the number one PWA freestyler to beat, but with such domination this year, it’s going to be a hard task for any other wannabe world champions out there to knock him from his perch. The three sailors claiming second, third, and fourth in the rankings had been locked in an intense battle throughout 2010, which sees them finish the year on equal points. However, it’s Taty Frans who steals second due to his event win in Podersdorf at the beginning of the year, and Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra) who claims third with his string of seconds from the Canaries.
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
2nd Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic)
3rd Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
4th Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra)
Slalom
With no swell on the horizon, the slalom sailors got their chance to impress Sylt’s spectators as soon as the freestylers had finished their single elimination.
Four days of racing took place in the gusty offshore winds which proved tough for the world’s top ranked racers to tame, but with the help of a few caddies, and some patience from the race crew, everyone had a fair chance of choosing the right gear to match the conditions they were dealt during their heats.
Heavy rain and temperatures of around 10 degrees also created some extremely harsh conditions for the racers to endure on occasions, but those with thick skin (and a hooded wetsuit) played a professional game to conquer the brutal North Sea.
The first day of racing saw thirty-five times world champion, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) take line honours in the only winner’s final of the day ahead of the current world champion, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde), and the PWA’s president, Jimmy Diaz (Starboard, North). At the end of day one Albeau commented: “I’m really pleased to be in second, it’s a solid start to the event, but I’m not very happy that it’s Bjorn who’s in front of me!”
To add to Albeau’s frustration, his archrival Dunkerbeck finished the second day of slalom with an impeccable scorecard whilst a premature start in heat 13, forced him to sail in the loser’s final. Albeau redeemed himself in the second heat of the day finishing just behind the legend, Dunkerbeck, but with two further first place finishes, almost every PWA tour pundit was hedging their bets with a return of the Terminator.
On the third day, Albeau’s prayers were finally answered when Dunkerbeck snapped his harness line in an early round heat which saw him failing to qualify for the winner’s final, and allow a new race winner to come forward. This time it was 2009 overall runner up, Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra), who’d quietly been racking up some very consistent results to go from 30th to 3rd in the space of two days! The current world champion finally had his moment of glory in the second race of the day, but with Dunkerbeck hot on his heels, it wouldn’t be enough to overtake him in the event standings.
The final day of racing was one of two separate battles, with Dunkerbeck and Albeau both capable of claiming first, and another for Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) and Maynard who were fighting for third. Dunkerbeck ended his duel by claiming a third place in the first race of the day to secure the Sylt crown with a race to spare. However, Moussilmani and Maynard’s tussle went right to the wire. And, not only was it a battle for their event standings, but the outcome of that one race would determine their overall rankings too. Maynard burst into the front of the pack, and held his ground. But, just as it looked like he’d done his job, disaster struck. Moussilmani rounded the mark and couldn’t pump onto the plane, leaving the race director with no choice but to cancel the heat. In the re-run, Maynard and Moussilmani were neck-a-neck (but not in the lead) in an all-time showdown for that final podium spot. However, a small collision between the two sailors saw them swimming at one of the marks. And unfortunately for Maynard, Moussilmani leapt back on his board first and raced off into the distance to claim his place in the history books.
Event Results
1st Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)
2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)
3rd Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)
4th Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)
5th Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra, Dakine, MFC)
2010 Men’s Slalom Rankings
French racing legend, Antoine Albeau was crowned the king of slalom for the fifth consecutive year following an extremely consistent year on tour in which he never failed to finish out of the top two! His nearest rival, thirty-five times world champion, Bjorn Dunkerbeck came an extremely close second, missing out on the title by just one point. And, another Frenchman, Cyril Moussilmani claimed the final spot on the podium after an extremely close battle with both Finian Maynard, and Micah Buzianis.
1st Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)
2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)
3rd Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)
4th Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)
5th Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)
2010 Men’s Youth (U.22) Slalom Rankings
It’s a tough fleet to crack for the youths, with many of them competing against guys that have been racing at some of the same destinations around the globe for over a decade. The new talent on the tour has to start somewhere though, and despite them being given barely enough room to breathe amongst the giants, it can only be good for their game to race round the course with the legends that have molded the sport.
There were many younger racers that battled it out around the buoys this year, but there can only be one winner. This season sees Frenchman, Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic, North) taking home the youth slalom trophy after an excellent year in which he finished in the top twenty overall. Mortefon qualified for the finals on many occasions, but his best individual race result was in Fuerteventura where he claimed a third place to finish in front of former world champions Bjorn Dunkerbeck, and Kevin Pritchard.
1st Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic, North)
2nd Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)
3rd Antoine Questel (Fanatic, Loft)
Wave
Due to the lack of sufficient wind and waves, neither the men’s or women’s fleets hit the water this week leaving the overall rankings unaffected by Sylt.
Women
The absence of a result this week means that the 2010 women’s wave rankings were decided on just one event in Gran Canaria where Daida Ruano Moreno (Starboard, Severne) once again proved she’s the woman to beat with an outstanding aerial display, and some great wave rides. Her twin sister, Iballa Ruano Moreno (Starboard, Severne) finished a close second, with the fearless Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) claiming the final podium spot.
2010 Women’s Wave Rankings
1st Daida Ruano Moreno (Starboard, Severne)
2nd Iballa Ruano Moreno (Starboard, Severne)
3rd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)
4th Nayra Alonso (Fanatic, Severne)
5th Steffi Wahl (Patrik, Gaastra)
Men
The men’s wave fleet have one final opportunity to prove their worth in 2010 at the hardcore destination of Cabo Verde in November. But, leaving Sylt without a result does mean that there will now be no discard for the year.
Current Men’s Wave Rankings
1st Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC)
2nd Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC)
3rd Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine)
4th Kauli Seadi (JP, NeilPryde, MFC)
5th Dany Bruch (Patrik, Severne, MFC)
Constructors Championship
Following a year of tough competition for the PWA’s finest, JP are just 0.3 points ahead of their nearest rival, Starboard in the board brands championship. However, with one final wave event left this year Starboard could still snatch the title back. Similarly, in the sail brands championship NeilPryde are just 0.3 points ahead of North. But, with riders from both North and NeilPryde in the top 2 overall in the wave rankings, we could see this situation flip in a few weeks time too.
Board Brands
1st JP
2nd Starboard
3rd Fanatic
4th Tabou
5th Patrik
Sail Brands
1st NeilPryde
2nd North
3rd Gaastra
4th Severne
5th Simmer
Where next?
After a short break, the PWA World Tour will move to Cabo Verde for the ultimate wave sailing finale at the infamous breaks of Ponta Preta, and little Hookipa! Be sure to log on to www.pwaworldtour.com to watch all of the action unfold via PWA Live TV from the 14-23 of November.
