Prepare for breakneck speeds and cunning tactics as the PWA’s fastest race fleets descend on Ulsan’s Jinha beach for the opening round of the 2010 slalom season.
From May 15th through to May 21st an elite group of windsurfers will battle it out around the buoys to make their mark on the first stop of the 2010 PWA slalom world tour. The beautiful beaches around the town of Ulsan will provide a dazzling backdrop to the fierce competition that will be taking place on the tropical waters of the Sea of Korea.
Tipped For The Top
Men
We wouldn’t expect anything less than for the undisputed champion of modern slalom, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde), to be firing on all cylinders and to clean up at yet another event. He’s dominated the racing scene in Korea for the past two years, and hasn’t dropped out of the top 3 for as long as we can remember, so we doubt he will here.
The only people to have knocked Albeau from the top spot at an event over the last four years, and have the serious potential to do it again, are British boy racer Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra) who beat him in Podersdorf last year, the terminator Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) who took honours from Albeau in 2008 at both Alactai and Sylt. And, Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra, Dakine) and Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) who finished first and second respectively at the first ever PWA world cup in Ulsan during 2007, leaving Albeau to settle for third.
Also in with a chance of claiming a place on the podium is heavyweight speedster, Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra). Following an impressive run of events towards the back end of last season, Maynard climbed the ranks to finish second overall. With a new sail sponsor to impress and plenty of determination, you can count on him hitting the racecourse hard this year, starting with Ulsan.
Another name whispered through the wind is that of flying Frenchman, Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North). He notched up a few podium finishes last year, and we’ve been told by more than one source that he’s up to speed and ready to make his mark.
Women
The ongoing battle between Switzerland’s amazingly successful world champion Karin Jaggi (Patrik Diethelm, Severne) and the fierce French champion Valerie Ghibadou (Tabou, Loft) finally tipped in Ghibadou’s favour last season, with her taking three straight bullets and the world title. As it stands, Ghibadou is yet to enter Korea, leaving the doors wide open for the legendary Jaggi to claim an early lead…
That is if the likes of hardened young racer Sarah Herbert (Starboard, Naish sails) and freestyle world champion turned slalom racer Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra) allow her! Herbert had a successful season in 2009 scoring higher than Jaggi at the final event in Alacati, perhaps she’ll claim her first crown in Korea. Offringa entered just one round of racing last year, as a bit of taster, and finished ahead of both Jaggi and Herbert. Being used to toppling seasoned pros off the top spot surely makes Offringa a likely contender in Korea.
In it to win it
With a €55,000 prize purse up for grabs, expect high-octane explosive action whilst the very best sailors in the world push their boards to the limits around the fast and furious downwind slalom course.
Keeping In The Groove
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
There’s also a dedicated event website for fans at www.pwaulsan.com
PWA / Paul Griffiths
