Davidoff Cool Water Sylt PWA World Cup

Event Summary: Dieter Van der Eyken crowned champion of the world, whilst Matteo Iachino heads to top of slalom rankings

The wind may have not played ball for much of the 2015 Davidoff Cool Water Sylt PWA World Cup — with it being possible to complete just one slalom elimination, but there was still plenty of entertainment with SUP Races and some of the most spectacular tow-in windsurfing ever seen wowing the massive crowds.

Freestyle

After a long 10 days on hold — Dieter Van der Eyken’s (Starboard / Severne) — agonising wait was brought an end today as he was officially crowned the 2015 PWA Freestyle World Champion. The Belgian maestro won his maiden event in Fuerteventura, in July, and can now add a maiden world title to his name.

Van der Eyken reacts to becoming world champion for the first time: “It feels unbelievable to be world champion, but I think that I still need a couple of weeks to let it settle in. It’s been my longest and most stressful 10 days of my life. At least if there’s a proper forecast you can completely prepare yourself for the contest, whereas with a marginal forecast you are never quite sure if you are going or not, so you are on the edge the entire time.”

Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails) finishes the year as the vice-world champion, whilst fellow Bonairean Amado Vrieswijk (JP / NeilPryde) completes the prestigious podium for 2015 — the first time which he has done so.

Slalom

Matteo Iachino (Fanatic / North) claimed his second event victory of the season with a clinical performance in the only race completed in Sylt, which sees the Italian assume control of the title race as he displaces Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde / Chris Benz), who finished third, from the top of the rankings for the first time this season. With just one event to go Iachino will have his fate in his own hands when the title race is decided in New Caledonia in November. 

Iachino moves to the top of the rankings: “I’m feeling really good, but it’s still hard to believe that I won two events in one season. It’s also crazy that I made my fourth podium in a row from the five events this year. The season has been amazing and the training has paid off. My equipment is working great and I’m already looking forward to Noumea.”

“From here I’ll go home and relax, probably do a bit of surfing to take my mind off windsurfing for a little while, so that I can clear my mind and then I’ll be back training full power for the show down in New Caledonia.”

We also spoke with Antoine Albeau and he had this to say on his third place finish: “I’m happy because it could’ve been worse. Like last year we did one slalom here, but last year I missed out on a place in the final. So I think third is good, the bad thing for me is that Matteo [Iachino] won, so now he is leading the tour. We’ll just have to see how it goes in New Caledonia. We are almost equal, so whoever beats who there will be the champion.”

Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails) moves up to fifth in the overall rankings after finishing on the podium for the first time in his career. The Frenchman claimed second place in the opening elimination and now overtakes teammate Ben Van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails).

Bordes on finishing in second place: “It’s okay to finish on the podium, but in my mind nothing has changed because it was only one race. Luckily that one race went well, but I don’t feel in my mind i’m second, top ten yes, but it’s a nice bonus. What I am proud of is the loyalty we have shown the brand, a few years ago there were a few problems with the Gaastra team, but together with Ross [Williams] we’ve improved the gear and I think you can really see that with mine and Ross’s results now, so it’s great to see the hard work pay off.”

Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North) was knocked out in the quarterfinals here, but still completes the top three as he can simply discard this result. This also means that Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic) remains in fourth place overall after a tenth place finish. 

Andrea Cucchi (Starboard / Point-7) recorded his best result of the season after taking home fourth place in the final, whilst Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde), Antoine Questel (Starboard / GA Sails) and Kurosh Kiani (Starboard / Point-7 / Maui Ultra Fins) all to achieved their best results of the year with fifth, seventh and eighth place finishes respectively, which sees Quentel and Questel rise into the overall top ten.

Steve Allen (Starboard / Severne) continued his fine form with a sixth place, which sees the Australian to move into seventh in the overall rankings.

The top ten at this stage of the season is completed by Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Starboard / Point-7).

Tow-in Freestyle

Adam Sims (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg / Flymount) won the opening tow-in of the week with an amazing spock into culo, which earned the Brit 29.8 points out of a possible 30. Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP / NeilPryde) wasn’t far behind with an immaculate air funnel into burner, but his 28.5 points weren’t quite enough to stop Sims. Meanwhile, the podium was completed by Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / North / Maui Ultra Fins), who rotated through an impressive pasko after finding a rare ramp on the inside. 

Philips Night Tow-in Super Session Final

Taty Frans (Starboard  GA Sails / Mystic) — who qualified for the final due to an injury to Adrien Bosson — took home the top prize with the only double move of the evening — a double funnel, which earned 22 points.

This left six-time PWA World Champion — Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North / MFC) — to settle for second place with an air funnel/burner, followed by Steven Van Broeckhoven, who had the last opportunity to impress, but tripped his rail after the opening rotation and could do nothing to prevent Frans from clinching the title.

Saturday Tow-in Final 

The action in the final was insane and Julien Mas (JP / Avanti), Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne) and Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo all earned perfect 10s from the judges, such was the level of their displays. Mas rotated through an amazing pasko 360, which looked like it would be difficult to match, but Vrieswijk rose to the challenge as he launched into an absolutely massive pasko. Gollito saved his best effort until his last run to force a three way sail off for the title, after landing a quite ridiculous pasko into shifty.

The three remaining sailors were given one chance to shine and it was Vrieswijk, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he rotated through the first ever tow-in double air culo to deservedly be crowned the winner ahead of Gollito and Mas.

Where’s Next on the PWA World Tour?

The men’s and women’s wave fleets will be in action again from the 16th-22nd October as they head for Crozon Morgat, France, for the penultimate wave event of the year. Make sure you tune into www.pwaworldtour.com to stay up to date with all of the latest news via the PWA live stream and live ticker. 

Overall Standings 2015 PWA Freestyle World Championship:

1st Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne)

2nd Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails)

3rd Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne)

4th Nicolas Akgazciyan (99NoveNove / Point-7 / AL360 / Maui Ultra Fins)

5th Antony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails)

6th Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic)

7th Davy Scheffers (Tabou / GA Sails)

8th Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North / MFC)

9th Tonky Frans (Tabou / GA Sails)

10th Philip Soltysiak (Starboard / Sailworks)

Overall Result of the 2015 Davidoff Cool Water Sylt PWA World Cup - Men’s Slalom

1st Matteo Iachino (Fanatic / North)

2nd Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails)

3rd Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)

4th Andrea Cucchi (Starboard / Point-7)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde)

6th Steve Allen (Starboard / Severne)

7th Antoine Questel (Starboard / GA Sails)

8th Kurosh Kiani (Starboard / Point-7 / Maui Ultra Fins)

9th Malte Reuscher (JP / NeilPryde)

10th Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic)

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