2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam, PWA Freestyle und Slalom

Auf Aruba geht es los...

Zitat von PWA

2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam

Event Preview: Gear up for some explosive action as the world’s finest freestyle and slalom sailors assemble in Aruba for the second leg of Caribbean competition.

The dazzling island of Aruba has a rich tapestry of windsurfing history, having previously hosted PWA (then PBA) events for ten consecutive years. After a 13-year break the PWA will be making its return to the island for 8 days of exhilarating action. From the 19th – 26th June the world’s most outstanding freestyle and slalom sailors will take to the crystal clear water, to fight it out for all important ranking points and a share of the €90,000 prize purse.
Due to its tantalizing trade winds and relaxed Caribbean culture, Aruba has established itself as one of the most idyllic windsurfing locations in the world, and therefore the perfect spot to host the next stop on the world tour. The action will take place off the white sands of Palm Beach, marking the 4th Slalom and Men’s freestyle event of the season and the 2nd women’s freestyle show-down.
Aruba has previously seen many windsurfing god’s confront their demons on its shores including the speed machine, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear), and the world famous ripper Robby Naish.

Aruba: The low down

Local legend and three times world freestyle champion Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) has provided us with an insight into why Aruba is the perfect spot for the next stop on the world tour.
“The moment you step out of the airport you will slip into the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere of the island. Competition will take place at the Fisherman’s Huts, where the water is shallow, blue and perfect for freestyle. As you go out a little deeper into the slalom area it gets a bit choppy, but not too much because the surrounding reef keeps it relatively flat. The trade winds blow from the north east usually between 15-25 knots but it can get up to 30 when it’s really going for it. Aruba is an amazing place and there are loads of things to keep you entertained.”

Dates to Remember
19th June: Freestyle registration and start of freestyle competition.

22nd June: Slalom registration

23rd June: Final day of freestyle / First day of slalom competition.

26th June: Final day of slalom and slalom awards ceremony.

Keep an eye out

Slalom Fleet

Forty of the world’s fastest men have signed up to take on the fourth stop of the 2011 slalom tour. Big names Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear), Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) and Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North) will be fired up after the disputes in Costa Brava, and ready to defend their positions as current leaders on the tour.
After spectacular performances earlier on in the season, Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic), Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / Dakine), Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails) and Jimmy Diaz (Starboard / North) will be pulling on the power in an attempt squeeze out some extra speed, in order to ruffle some feathers at the top of the rankings ladder.
Also in the mix Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra), Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde) and Finian Maynard (RRD) will be looking to deliver perfect performances in Aruba to cover up any mistakes made early on in the season. These racers are big contenders to make some changes to the top of the scoreboard.
Entering round three of the women’s slalom world tour, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) currently holds the top spot. As competition moves onto her playground she will be more inspired than ever to claim this event for herself, in front of her home fans.
However Offringa has some tough competition and these ladies won’t let her take it without a fight. Korea’s winner Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou / Gaastra / Mystic) looks to be back on form having suffered from a shoulder injury this winter, her second appearance this season in Aruba is sure to put her in a strong position at the top of the table.
Former world champion Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne) will be re-joining the tour in Aruba having unfortunately missed out on the competition in Korea. She will be ready to reinstate her position back at the top of the podium.
Rapid racers; Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North) and Lena Erdil (Loft / Mystic / AL360) and Lise Vidal (Exocet / North) have each scored consistent positions so far this season and they will be on the hunt make their way to the front.
Freestyle Fleet
The freestyle fleet will be making the small hop from Bonaire to commence round four on the 2011 tour. Fresh from his second event win of the season, Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) will be hungry for more, and ready to fight off the attacks from the European freestyle wizard Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra), and fellow Bonaire boys Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic) and Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra).
Three times world champion Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North), is yet to claim an event victory this season, he will be looking to give everything he has got in Aruba to make his mark on the 2011 world tour.
Also bidding for the top spots Canadian Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Dakine), and Dutch whiz kid Davy Scheffers (Tabou / Gaastra) who will be taking full advantage of Aruba’s super flat water to work their way through their most radical moves.
Standout sailors Bjorn Saragoza (Starboard / Hot Sails), Choco Frans (F2), Dieter Van Der Eyen (Starboard / Severne) and Youp Schmit (JP / NeilPryde / Dakine) will also be making an appearance in Aruba where they will continue their rampage towards the top of the rankings.
Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde) will also be making his 2011 debut freestyle appearance, expect to see massive moves as three times world champion makes his way through the heats in a bid to get his claws back into the top spot.
Aruba will see the female fleet enter round number two of their 2011 tour, multi-talented Offringa is likely to have the upper hand having been raised on the turquoise waters of Palm Beach.
Hot on her heals Swiss styler Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North), will continue her campaign to take lime light away from Offringa. Having challenged Offringa in the four finals in Bonaire, Treboux’s motivation looks to be at an all-time high.
Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Dakine) and Yoli De Brent (Fanatic / North) currently sit slightly further down the ranks, they will be looking to make the most out of their time in Aruba to prove themselves worthy of a position on the podium.
Keep your eyes peeled from June 19th as the world’s finest freestylers promise to shake up the Caribbean culture with an array of acrobatic excellence, followed by pedal to the metal, edge of your seat action, from the slalom fleet.

Scope the Action

The PWA is proud to announce that the entire 2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam Pro-Am will be streamed live via PWA TV on www.pwaworldtour.com. Weather depending, coverage of day one of competition is scheduled to begin at 2pm Sunday 19th June (UTC -4), when the sailors will take to the water.

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

Alles anzeigen

Nix an Tag 2:

Zitat von PWA

2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam

Day 2: Scorching sun, torrential rain, raging thunder and bolts of lightning continue to play havoc with the Caribbean trade winds haunting the second day of competition in Aruba.

A challenging day for the sailors and judges alike saw weather of all varieties plough through the competition area. As the riders arrived for the skippers meeting they were greeted with wall-to-wall sunshine and a gentle but building offshore wind; however the atmosphere at Fisherman’s Huts quickly changed as a thick blanket of cloud rolled across Aruba.
Several weather systems passed over Palm Beach bringing with it squalls lasting long enough to raise the hopes of the race crew, followed by large patches of virtually no wind at all. In an attempt to complete the opening heats of the competition, the judges headed out to sea to their floating platform. Heats 1 and 2 were started twice however the wind dropped within the opening minutes, leaving the sailors to wallow around on the crystal clear waters with barely a breath of wind in their sails.
As midday approached a particularly ominous cloud entered the competition arena stirring up a frenzy between the local organizers and the PWA judges. It was believed the cloud would bring with it winds of hurricane strength and forks of lighting. In order to make use of the wind the PWA crew were insistent on staying out to sea, however it was ultimately decided for the safety of all involved to head back to shore and place the competition on standby.
The PWA caught up with head judge Duncan Coombs to talk us through the conditions on the water.
“The set up here is fantastic; the judges are based on a pontoon out to sea so they will have a great view of how each move is completed. It has been a difficult day, the wind has been very temperamental, each time we went to start the heats it dropped, we were out of sync with the gusts. As a race director the conditions have been really frustrating the wind is unpredictable, and at some points we have had lightning. If the conditions remain the same tomorrow we will have to think about extending the heats in order to push through the single elimination and secure a result.”
Davy Scheffers (Gaastra / Tabou) provided us with an insight into the conditions on the water from a sailor’s point of view.
“The wind is really gusty it can change from two knots to twenty knots in two seconds. I was on my 5.2m but I could have been on a 4.2m or 8m. The conditions certainly weren’t suitable for competition.”
Hot shot Remko De Zeeuw (F2 / Gaastra) has been drawn in the first heat, he took the time out to tell us how he was feeling having been out in the tough conditions all morning.
“It was quite a difficult day as my heat started a couple of times and I had to be ready to hit the water the whole time, I really hope the wind comes tomorrow.”
The sailors remained patiently on standby throughout the afternoon, but with no change in the wind and a thick grey cloud still lingering over the event site the sailors were released at 4:00 pm. A promising forecast is lined up for day three of competition, the skippers meeting is planned for 9:30 am with a first possible start at 10 am.

Alles anzeigen

Das war Tag 3:

Zitat von PWA

2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam

Day 3: The Aruba Hi Winds erupts into action seeing Steven Van Broeckhoven and Sarah-Quita Offringa emerge victorious in the single elimination.
Aruba disposed of its dark cloak of clouds, and unveiled the glorious conditions that have engraved it on the map as one of the world’s finest windsurfing locations. With wall to wall sunshine and crystal clear turquoise water providing the perfect playground for a freestyle frenzy, the Caribbean trade wind’s kicked in like clockwork and continued to build throughout the day.
Eager to take advantage of the breeze the PWA crew wasted no time in heading out to sea and putting the sailors into competition sequence. With the gusty wind blowing between 15-20 knots the heats were extended to nine minutes, and it was decided the best three out of six moves in either direction would count toward the sailor’s scores.
A turbulent day of competition saw a number of highly ranked sailors lose out unexpectedly in the early heats, as they struggled to dial into the conditions. Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers (JP / NeilPryde) fell to the hands of Tilo Eber (JP / NeilPryde). Next up robot Russian Yegor Popretinskiy (JP / NeilPryde / MFC) lost out to young Bonaire go-getter Youp Schmit (JP / NeilPryde / Dakine), and in the same heat consistent Canadian, Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Dakine) was unable hold his own against the might of Julien Mas (Patrik / Hot Sails).
Mas was charging hard and took the day by storm, destroying his challengers one by one as he worked his way into the top 8 and secured himself 5th place in the event after the single elimination.
In the semi-finals arch rivals Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra) and Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) took to the water. Fuelled by his second place in Bonaire Van Broeckhoven brought a series of outstanding combination moves to the table. Taking advantage of the nine minute heat, he timed each maneuver to perfection securing his way passed a devastated Thode. On the other side of the heat Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North) faced the style master Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra). Frans fought hard, having just taken down his brother Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic) in the previous heat he was firing on all cylinders unleashing his biggest moves. It did little to phase the four times world champion Estredo as he sailed a well-planned out heat granting his pass into the winner’s final.
Winner’s Final
Van Broeckhoven and Estredo entered the final both hungry for victory. Van Broeckhoven opened with a funnel, which was upstaged by Estredo’s double. The sailors then embarked on a game of one up man-ship as the opening minutes of the heat flew by. Van Broeckhoven separated the pair with an enormous kono, Estredo took that as his cue to unleash his more ferocious moves, landing an incredible spock culo and a burner 900 in quick succession. Both sailors fought tooth and nail, busting out everything in their armor of tricks but ultimately a 3-2 decision from the judges crowned Van Broeckhoven as the winner.
Women’s Fleet
Opening up the women’s heat’s experienced competitors Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North) and Yoli De Brendt (Fanatic / North) pushed ahead of Mio Anayama (NeilPryde) and Maxime Van Gent with their display of consistent switch stance maneuvers, seeing them make their way quickly into the semi-finals.
On the other side of the elimination Xenia Kessler (JP / NeilPryde) took down Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer) for the first time, having lost out to her four times in Bonaire. Kessler looked to favor the slightly choppier water and the stronger winds of Aruba.
In the semi-finals Treboux quickly disposed of De Brendt displaying a particularly impressive heat, she landed a clean shove-it spock and a high switch kono. Meanwhile Offringa appeared to be in the zone claiming a shaka, and an array of switch maneuvers as she worked her way past Kessler.
Winner’s Final
The final once again came down to the duo of Treboux and Offringa, with both sailors well aware of each other’s tactics and trade mark moves. Opening up the heat both women struggled to land their initial moves, however as the minutes passed by Offringa relaxed and flew through her routine taking advantage of her home knowledge to land her tricks to perfection. Stylish Treboux fought back with her one handed e-slider and switch kono, but it was too little too late.
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
“I feel great, I started the day helping with the commentary on the beach so that really relaxed me and I didn’t worry too much about my heat. My first heat was good but the second heat was great. I sailed really well landing all my switch moves and a shaka, I really enjoyed it. In the final I was quite nervous and I didn’t sail as well as I could, but I still landed some big moves and I won. I am really happy with the result.”
Events Results
Men’s Freestyle single elimination
1st Steven Van Broeckhoven (Gaastra / F2)
2nd Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North)
3rd Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
4th Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra)

Women’s Freestyle single elimination
1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
2nd Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North)
3rd Yoli De Brendt (Fanatic / North)
4th Xenia Kessler (JP / NeilPryde)

Wanting to make tracks into the double elimination head Judge Duncan Coombs wasted no time in restarting the competitions, however it was a battle against the fading conditions as the wind only allowed two heats to be completed. The sailors were released at 6:00 pm. The final day of the freestyle will commence at 9:30 am with the skippers meeting and a first possible start to competition at 10am.

Alles anzeigen

Steven weiterhin voll dabei:

Zitat von PWA

2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam

Day 4: Belgian freestyle maestro, Steven Van Broeckhoven and Caribbean Queen, Sarah-Quita Offringa blow the competition out of the water to secure their places at the top of the freestyle rankings in Aruba.
The fourth day in Aruba marked the final day of competition for the PWA freestyle elite. Having completed the single elimination yesterday, the ensuing double elimination would determine the event standings, and crown the competition winners.

With the warm Caribbean trades blowing twenty knots plus, the crew took to the turquoise water at the first opportunity and informed the sailors so take sails around 4.7 – 5.1m to power them through their routines. Head Judge Duncan Coombs announced the heat times would be reduced to eight minutes and the best three out of six moves would count in either direction.

The first major upset came early on in the day when Davy Scheffers (Tabou / Gaastra) lost out to Bonaire hot shot Florian Wegerer. Scheffers went about his typical heat of astounding double maneuvers, but Wegerer sailed the heat of his life. Unleashing a colossal burner and a mammoth culo, the Bonairean won the favor of the judges meaning an early exit for Scheffers’ from the competition.

The standout sailor of the double elimination was Brit Andy Chambers (JP / NeilPryde). After a disappointing start to the competition, Chambers fought back through five heats raising his result from 17th to 9th. Chambers exploded out the gates in each heat displaying a collection of carefully polished moves allowing him to blitz his way past the light wind wizard Caesar Finies (Starboard / NeilPryde / Dakine), flying Frenchman Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard / Gun) and Brazilian Levi Lenz (Dakine).

Moving toward the final heats of the day the current tour leader Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) sat in third place and knew he was in for a tough day. His first challenger Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic), brought with him a multitude of mind-blowing maneuvers, however Thode was ready for him and went about upstaging Frans at every opportunity, guaranteeing his route into the next heat.

Thode’s next encounter was against four times world champion Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North). This one was to be an absolute treat for those lucky enough to watch it, yet posed an almost impossible task for the judges to separate the pair. Following much deliberation, Thode was ultimately awarded the victory, in what was dubbed the closest heat of the event.

Final
Having defeated Estredo, Thode went through to face his nemesis Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra) in the final. The wind was extremely light with the occasional 20-knot gust blowing over the competition area, giving the nimble Thode a big advantage. Van Broeckhoven switched to his larger gear prior to the heat to ensure he wouldn’t suffer. Thode opened the heat with a clean switch chachoo and a double flaka, as he was unable to bust the biggest moves in the lighter wind. Van Broeckhoven bided his time and waited for the larger gusts to power him through an enormous culo and a burner. It came down to tactics as both sailors kept one eye on the clock and another on the gusts. Van Broeckhoven managed to seal the deal with a final sequence of explosive maneuvers; thus securing his win in the final and the overall event win.
Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra)
“I was quite nervous and I had to wait all day for my heat. The wind was really gusty and we had to time our moves to perfection, it is really crazy I just did my thing; I knew the judges really like the big moves so I tried make every move as high as possible. I am really happy and I am looking forward to the next event.”
Women’s Fleet
Opening up the women’s double elimination Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Dakine / AL360) and Mio Anayama (NeilPryde) took their heats by storm taking down new ladies to the tour Maxime Van Gent and Amanda Westera.
Aukes and Anayama went on to battle each other; Anayama displayed a consistent set of tricks, whilst Aukes looked to be finding the chop too much to deal with. Aukes dropped a number of critical moves allowing Anayama a free pass into the next round.
Anayama went on to face Xenia Kessler (JP / NeilPryde), Kessler sailed the day like her life depended on it, landing clean forward loops, fast flakas and perfect grubbys in front of the judges. Kessler went on to work her way through two more heats, defeating Anayama and Yoli De Brendt (Fanatic / North) raising her result from 4th to 3rd.
Kessler’s next opposition was Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North) with the prize at stake, a coveted place in the final. Kessler fought hard throwing down every move in her armory, however Treboux’s powerful Swiss style swayed the judges and saw her take her familiar place in the final.
Final
The women’s final witnessed Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) and Treboux take to the water for the sixth time on the 2011 world freestyle tour. Lighter winds meant both parties had to work particularly hard to land their moves in the allocated time. Treboux went big attempting her shove-it spock and switch kono but the risk didn’t pay off and she crashed hard, putting her on the back foot for the remainder of the heat. Offringa took advantage and sailed the perfect heat on her home ground, even managing to blow a kiss at the judges mid maneuver. Offringa landed every move in quick succession and went onto to claim her crown at the 2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam.
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
“I was really confident today and I knew I had to do my best. The wind was light, and I had to pump a lot in the heat to do my moves. I managed to land everything I wanted to and I didn’t fall in once. It’s amazing to win on my home island.”
The 2011 Aruba Hi Winds Gland Slam Freestyle Results
Men’s
1st Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra)
2nd Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
3rd Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North)
4th Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic)
5th Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra)
Women’s
1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
2nd Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North)
3rd Xenia Kessler (JP / NeilPryde)
4th Yoli De Brent (Fanatic / North)
5th Mio Anayama (NeilPryde)
Tomorrow we hand over to men’s and women’s slalom fleets, for their first day of competition. Racing is scheduled to commence 10:30 am; following the 10.00 am skippers meeting (all times are UTC-4).

Alles anzeigen

Zitat von Spaddl

huch
ok =)

aber kann ja mal passieren, fallen auch recht häufig welche ins wasser. hätte ich nich gedacht das das bei den profis auch ohne fremdeinwirkung passiert.

Passiert ihm in dem Zusammenhang nicht zum ersten Mal, aber egal. Es gibt ja hoffetnlich noch ein paar Rennen...

Das war der erste Slalomtag:

Zitat von PWA

2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam

Day 5: Antoine Albeau and Karin Jaggi storm into first place after an epic opening day of slalom at the Aruba High Winds Grand Slam!
The fifth day of competition in beautiful Aruba saw a change in discipline, as the freestylers packed away their gear the slalom fleet were released on to Aruba’s glistening water for their turn to fight it out for first place.
The Caribbean trade winds cranked it up a notch, proving that Aruba’s pristine turquoise waters were not only a freestyle haven but also a dreamland for the men and women’s slalom fleet. The racers took to the water by mid-morning and competed relentlessly until the golden sun had dropped behind the horizon. By the end of a hectic day of thrills and spills on the water, two eliminations and then the opening round of the third elimination were completed.
The big five shake ups of the day
1. After an outstanding start to the first heat of the day, disaster struck for Peter Bijl (JP / NeilPryde) due to his mast snapping at the first gybe mark, seeing his early demise from elimination 1.
2. Eager to prove himself on the racecourse, freestyle fanatic Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic) fell victim to his own excitement leading to three consecutive premature starts.
3. New boy to the tour Juan Marino (Starboard / MauiSails) proved he is a force to be reckoned with, blitzing his opening race against highly ranked sailors Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North) and Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde).
4. Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde) took down Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear) causing an explosion at the third mark in the second winner’s final, ensuring a few expletives was shared prior to finishing the race.
5. Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) failed to make the winner’s final in the first elimination. Offringa crossed the start line early in the loser’s final in an attempt to fly past her competitors, a disastrous start for Aruba’s finest female sailor.
Men’s elimination 1 final - Bjorn’s back in town.
Dunkerbeck stormed the start in the winner’s final leaving the rest of the pack to wallow in his wake. Arnon Dagan (Tabou / Gaastra) steamed down the second straight in an attempt to match his opponent but lost it on the gybe allowing Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic) to sneak into second and then on to his position the rest of the way around the course. Further down towards the back of the pack Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) fought for fourth place against Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra). The final straight saw Van Der Steen squeeze out a couple of extra knots, leading to a man on man drag race against the mighty Dunkerbeck. The crowds on the beach erupted at the photo finish, but ultimately Dunkerbeck held his cool and claimed the first win of the day.
Men’s elimination 2 final - Albeau strikes back
The sailors burst out the starting gates and the pack stuck together throughout the first leg of the race. The first gybe saw Albeau spot his line early and deliver an exceptionally clean undertake allowing him to pull on the power, and force his way into first place. Carnage came at the third mark when Buzianis lost control and piled into Dunkerbeck sending his equipment flying. Albeau managed to increase his gap from the fleet and cruised undisturbed around the rest of the course, securing him the event lead.
Women’s Elimination 1 final – Jaggi steals the show
A clean start for the women saw Colette Guadagnino (JP / NeilPryde) fly in front of the rest of the fleet, leaving Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne) in second. Carnage at the second gybe mark saw Guadagnino go down, followed by the rest of the pack. Jaggi managed to avoid the drama and sail a smooth race all the way to the finish line, asserting her position back at the top.
Women’s elimination 2 final – Offringa’s return
Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North) stole the start in the second women’s final, followed by Offringa and Jaggi. Offringa charged her way round the second and third marks and managed to break her way into first place by the fourth. The girls fought hard down the final straight as Arutkin was determined to take back her winning spot but once Offringa had the finish line in her sights there was no stopping her.
Results
Men’s fleet
1st Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde)
2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear)
3rd Arnon Dagan (Tabou / Gaastra)
4th Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic)
5th Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde)

Women’s fleet
1st Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne)
2nd Zofia Klepacka (RRD / North)
3rd Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou / Gaastra / Mystic)
4th Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft / Mystic / AL360)
5th Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North)

With another perfect forecast lined up for day six, tune in tomorrow for another full throttle day of racing. The skippers’ meeting is planned for 10 am with a first possible start to racing at 10:30.

Alles anzeigen

Das war Tag 6:

Zitat von PWA

2011 Aruba Hi Winds Grand Slam

Day 6: Antoine Albeau and Karin Jaggi play their consistent card’s to secure their positions at the top in Aruba’s testing trade winds.
A dark cloud lingered over the event site throughout the day leading to a tactical day of racing on the Caribbean’s azure blue water. The gusts came through blowing anywhere between 8-20 knots leaving the sailors hard pressed for equipment choice when race director Juan Antonio Aragon called a start to the day’s proceedings at 10am.
Fired up from yesterday races the PWA crew flew through two more eliminations and the opening round of a third before the winds backed off and the sailors were released, exhausted after a hard day in the office at 5:15pm.
Standout sailors
There were a number of sailors that really stepped up their game today in the lighter winds.
Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft / Mystic / AL360) put in an outstanding race in the elimination three women’s final. Erdil stormed off the line and sailed a stellar race, fending off Karin Jaggi (Patrik /Severne) to secure her first ever women’s final win.
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) disposed of her opening disastrous streak and went on to win the winner’s final in the fourth elimination. Offringa crossed the line well over 100m in front of the rest of the pack.
Finian Maynard (RRD) delivered an exceptional day of racing seeing him work his way into fifth position having claimed a first place in elimination three losers final and a fourth place in fourth elimination showdown.
Up and coming British slalom campaigner, James Dinsmore (JP / NeilPryde) also deserves a mention. He made it all the way through to the loser’s final, proving he has what it takes to compete with the PWA’s most established pros.
Men’s elimination 3 final – Albeau puts one more in the bag.
Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) opened the winner’s final with a blinding start securing him a significant lead after the first gybe. Arch nemesis Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear) failed to break through the pumped up fleet after starting at the back of the pack. Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North) stormed off the line in the lead, but the pressure was too much as he dropped his gybe at the first mark allowing the rest of the sailors to fly by. Dunkerbeck switched into turbo drive as he stormed down the second leg, but with the lighter winds he could only manage to claw back into fifth place. A lull at the fourth mark saw the fleet hit a standstill but it had no effect on Albeau as he blew the competition out the water with a lead over well over 100 meters.
Men’s elimination 4 final – Clash of the titans
After a disappointing start in previous winner’s final Dunkerbeck made sure he was first over the line in this elimination. Eager to make his mark Maynard held second, fighting off Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic) and Albeau. A slick gybe from Albeau saw him undertake the two off them and slide into second place. The remainder of the final became a two-man drag race between the sentinels of windsurfing. Dunkerbeck charged around the remaining marks with a hungry Albeau nipping at his heal. Both sailors unleashed everything they had in their armor to squeeze out every inch of speed but ultimately Dunkerbeck emerged victorious with Albeau second by a board length, leaving the crowds on the beach in hysteria at the excitement of the photo finish.
Women’s elimination 3 final - Erdil emerges victorious
The women’s final opened up with a cautious start, as the ladies were unwilling to make a mistake early on. Disaster struck at the first mark for Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou / Gaastra / Mystic) when she lost control of her equipment and went down leaving her to fight for sixth place. Erdil spotted her opportunity early on and steamed into first place past Jaggi. Erdil managed to hang on to her lead throughout the remainder of the race as an enraged Jaggi went full throttle but she was unable to close the 30m gap.
Women’s elimination 4 final- Offringa cleans up
Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North) exploded over the start line placing her in first immediately, however Offringa was looking to make up her early mistakes and gave it everything she had on the second straight to steal first place. Chasing close behind the two leaders Fanny Aubet (JP / NeilPryde) put in a faultless race in an attempt to catch her enemies. Offringa managed to hold Arutkin off for the remainder of the race securing another victory to the sounds of the cheers from her home fans.
Results
Men’s Fleet
1st Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde)
2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear)
3rd Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic)
4th Finian Maynard (RRD)
5th Arnon Dagan (Tabou / Gaastra)
Women’s Fleet
1st Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne)
2nd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
3rd Fanny Aubet (JP / NeilPryde)
4th Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft / Mystic / AL360)
5th Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North)

Alles anzeigen

Ben van der Sten ist ganz schön gut dabei, ist mir auch schon auf den letzten Cups aufgefallen.

Wäre gut, wenn er mal zwischen Albeau und Dunkerbeck fahren kann. Das schafft ja mal irgendwie seit Jahren praktisch niemand...