PWA Fuerteventura 2016

The penultimate day of the Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam — organised and sponsored by René Egli — didn’t quite go as the excellent forecast suggested with heavy cloud cover scuppering the local effect. The conditions proved quite tricky with the wind remaining gusty for much of the morning and afternoon, but eventually it was possible to complete a further elimination as the wind stabilised for a couple of hours, while throwing up a few surprise results.


Elimination 8 Winners' Final

Elimination 8

For the first time this week 3 out of the top 4 put a foot wrong today as firstly Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails), followed by Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde) crashed out after jumping the gun in the quarterfinals.


A moment of reflection - Antoine Albeau

This potentially opened the door for Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic / Shamal Sunglasses) to reduce the margin between himself and Albeau at the top of the event rankings, but the Brit too fell at the quarterfinal stage after dropping his first gybe. Williams managed to fight back into 5th in Heat 12, but ran out of room before he could reel in Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg), who booked his place in the second winners’ final of the week.


Ross Williams

This means that in the most likely event of one final elimination tomorrow that it will probably be a head-to-head battle between Albeau and Williams for the event title. AA holds a 6.9 point advantage over the Brit heading into the final day, so the reigning world champion only requires a 6th place finish or better to ensure his opening event win of the season — assuming both sailors qualify for the winners’ final, which as today proved is no given.

Winners’ Final

The wind picked up for the winners’ final and Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7) made a great decision to change down to 6.2m, while Ben van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails), Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / NorthSails) and Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / NorthSails) were overpowered on 7m sails. The race for the opening buoy saw an intense battle, but after an excellent start it was Iachino who held a closely contested lead, however, the Italian was soon given a clear advantage as van der Steen and Mortefon collided, while taking down Vonk in the process. With clean winds, Iachino, soon extended his lead and it wasn’t long before he was celebrating his second bullet of the week, which sees the 26 year old rise to 4th in the current rankings. After avoiding the carnage at the first buoy, Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic), broke through to clinch second, which is the Bonairean’s best result of the week, followed by Julien Quentel (Patrik / Avanti), who has sailed consistently all week and Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne), who completed the top 4.


Matteo Iachino celebrates bullet No.2

Unfortunately, Pascal Toselli (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails), suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first semifinal and everyone at the PWA would like to wish the Frenchman a quick and successful recovery. Toselli had enjoyed an excellent week up until this point and looked set for a top 5 finish come the end of the event.


Pascal Toselli receiving medical attention

Elsewhere, Maciek Rutkowski (Tabou / GA Sails), bounced back to form after a disappointing opening few days as the Pole qualified for his opening winners’ final of the week — eventually finishing 5th.


Maciek Rutkowski takes 5th

The forecast shows excellent wind for the final day and crucially, unlike today, it predicts clear skies which should hopefully provide a thrilling finale to what has been an amazing event. The skippers’ meeting has been called for 10:30am with the action commencing from 11am (GMT+1) — if conditions allow. Make sure you tune into www.pwaworldtour.com to follow the racing live.

To see all the latest from the event — including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply click%3D251%26cHash%3D87feed297876f6fee6cc6a39b0b1ba1e"]HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Current Ranking Men’s Slalom — Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam

1st Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)
2nd Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic / Shamal Sunglasses)
3rd Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / NorthSails)
4th Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7)
5th Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails)
6th Julien Quentel (Patrik / Avanti)
7th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne)
8th Pascal Toselli (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails)
9th Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic)
10th Ben van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails)

Fuerteventura lived up to its reputation with 8 days of howling winds — frequently above 40 knots — to produce an epic freestyle and slalom show for the Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam — organised and sponsored by René Egli. At the end of the competition Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) secured an incredible 9th freestyle world title, while Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne) tasted victory for the first time in the mens. Meanwhile, Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde), bounced back to his best to dominate the slalom and collect his first event victory of the year.

Freestyle

Women’s

Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) once again proved unbeatable as she extended her unbeaten run to an incredible 9 years to deservedly collect her 9th world freestyle world title — 11th overall with a further 2 world crowns in slalom. Offringa combined the latest power moves together with some of the older sliding moves to see off Maaike Huvermann (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) and Oda Johanne (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins).


Sarah-Quita Offringa

Maaike Huvermann grew in confidence throughout the event and she ends 2016 as the vice-world champion, which is her best result so far. Huvermann was able to show her true talent after a disappointing single elimination and by the end of the week she was even beginning to give Offringa a run for her money — consistently landing regular konos and shakas.


Maaike Huvermann

Oda Johanne (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) sailed well once again and the Norwegian secured her place on the podium for the 3rd consecutive year. Johanne earned 2nd place in the opening single elimination, but slips back one place to 3rd with Huvermann gaining the upper-hand in their next two battles.


Oda Johanne

Meanwhile, Arrianne Aukes (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins) rises to 4th in the overall rankings this year, while Maxime van Gent (JP / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) and Olya Raskina (JP / NeilPryde) complete the top 6.


Arrianne Aukes

Alexa Escherich (JP / NeilPryde) made her debut this week and she walks away as the 2016 PWA Youth World Champion

Men’s

Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne) built on his opening performance of the year in Austria, where he finished 2nd, to go one better in Fuerteventura as the Bonairean came back through the double elimination to beat Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) and claim a maiden event victory. Success here takes Vrieswijk to the top of the overall rankings with one freestyle event to go — Sylt between 30th September until the 9th October.


Amado Vrieswijk

Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / NorthSails / MFC) had to settle for 3rd place here, which sees the 6-time freestyle world champion fall one place to 2nd in the overall rankings. Uncharacteristically, Gollito, crashed a couple of moves against Vrieswijk in Heat 50, and his last minute shifty did not count due to having completed his scoresheet, which led to a slender 1.8 point defeat. However, Gollito, is still firmly in the hunt for a 7th world crown and once again oozed style in each of his heats.


Gollito Estredo

Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) properly announced himself on the world stage this week by storming to victory in the single elimination. The young Belgian produced a powerful display to defeat Vrieswijk, but couldn’t quite hold off his challenge in the double. Caers will still walk way from this week delighted with his performance after finishing on the podium for the first time and he currently completes the overall podium.


Yentel Caers

Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne) was a man on a mission in the double elimination as the Belgian recaptured the form which saw him crowned world champion last year. Van der Eyken won 7 heats on the bounce by defeating — Francesco Cappuzzo (RRD / RRD / Flymount / AL360), Balz Müller (Patrik / Severne), Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails), Nico Akgazciyan (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) and Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Sailworks) to rise from 9th to 4th and is now 5th overall in the world.


Dieter Van der Eyken

Phil Soltysiak was delighted to sail his way into the top 4 in the single elimination and the Canadian leaves Fuerteventura with a superb 5th place, which sees him rise to 7th overall


Philip Soltysiak

Meanwhile, Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic) remains 4th in the overall rankings after a joint 7th place alongside fellow Bonairean Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails).


Taty Frans

Slalom

Men’s

The opening two events of year had proven tricky for Antoine Albeau, but the reigning world champion was back to his very best over the last 5 days to dominate proceedings. AA claimed 4 bullets and qualified for all but two winners’ finals as he claimed his opening event victory of the year, which sees him rise to 5th in the overall rankings.


Antoine Albeau celebrates

Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic / Shamal Sunglasses) continued his great start to the season as he too qualified for every winners’ final bar two. The Brit finished 3rd here last year and was able to go one better this time around as he claimed 2nd place. Williams showed brilliant pace and gybing throughout and he remains in 3rd place overall — firmly in contention for the world title.


Ross Williams

Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / NorthSails) still holds control of the 2016 title race after completing the podium. The Frenchman failed to win an elimination this time, but showed the level of consistency required to challenge for the top and he remains the man everyone has to catch.


Pierre Mortefon

Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7) made a flying start to the week as he secured the opening bullet after an enthralling finish against Antoine Albeau. The Italian was able to clinch a further victory in Race 8 to secure 4th place here to maintain 2nd place overall.


Matteo Iachino

Julien Quentel produced a brilliant set of results to record his second top 5 finish of the year and is currently 7th in the world rankings, while Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails) and Ben van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails) achieved their first top 10 finishes of the year with the latter winning the final elimination of the week.


Ben van der Steen

The top 10 is completed by Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic), Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne) and Pascal Toselli (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails), who hangs onto 10th place after having to withdraw from sailing on the last day due to a shoulder injury sustained on Day 9.


Taty Frans

The last 5 days of racing produced some of the most exciting slalom in year’s with the sailors skills and tactical awareness being tested with a variety of courses, while there were thrilling finales and brutal crashes to make it a show you couldn’t take your eyes off.

Thanks to René Egli for once again organising a fantastic event, which will be remembered for a long time, and to everyone who was involved with the event. The PWA looks forward to returning again.

To see all the latest from the event — including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply click%3D251%26cHash%3D87feed297876f6fee6cc6a39b0b1ba1e"]HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Where’s Next on the PWA World Tour?

The second stage of the PWA Wave World Tour starts tomorrow with the Tenerife PWA World Cup running between the 1st-7th August. Make sure you tune into www.pwaworldtour.com to follow all of the amazing action as it happens via the PWA live stream.

Overall Ranking 2016 PWA Women’s Freestyle World Tour:

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Maaike Huvermann (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Oda Johanne (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Arrianne Aukes (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins)
5th Maxime van Gent (JP / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)

Overall Ranking 2016 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Men’s Freestyle

1st Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne)
2nd Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Gollito Estredo (Fanatic / NorthSails / MFC)
4th Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne)
5th Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Sailworks)
6th Nico Akgazciyan (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
7th Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)
7th Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails)
9th Jacopo Testa (RRD / RRD / AL360)
9th Tonky Frans (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg / AL360)
9th Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP / NeilPryde / Shamal Sunglasses)
9th Balz Müller (Patrik / Severne)

Current Ranking 2016 PWA Freestyle World Tour: Men’s

1st Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne)
2nd Gollito Estredo (Fanatic / NorthSails / MFC)
3rd Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde)
4th Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)
5th Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne)
6th Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails)
7th Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Sailworks)
8th Balz Müller (Patrik / Severne)
9th Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP / NeilPryde / Shamal Sunglasses)
10th Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins)

Overall Ranking 2016 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam: Men’s Slalom

1st Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)
2nd Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic / Shamal Sunglasses)
3rd Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / NorthSails)
4th Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7)
5th Julien Quentel (Patrik / Avanti)
6th Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails)
7th Ben van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails)
8th Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic)
9th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne)
10th Pascal Toselli (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails)

Current Ranking 2016 PWA Slalom World Tour: Men’s

1st Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / NorthSails)
2nd Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7)
3rd Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic / Shamal Sunglasses)
4th Pascal Toselli (99NoveNove / Challenger Sails)
5th Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)
6th Arnon Dagan (RRD / NeilPryde)
7th Julien Quentel (Patrik / Avanti)
8th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne)
9th Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic)
10th Steve Allen (Patrik / Severne)