Ulsan PWA World Cup

Event Preview: Slalom fleets ready for battle round one in South Korea

After the freestyle fleet opened proceedings in Austria 2 weeks ago it is now the turn of the world’s fastest sailors to take centre stage as they prepare to kick off their campaign in Ulsan, South Korea, between the 19th-24th May. Last year saw an enthralling battle for the title, which went down to the wire between — Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde / Chris Benz), Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North) and Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7) — and this season looks set to be just as exciting and intense.

Jinha beach has quickly earned itself the reputation of being the top windsurfing destination in the country, due to it’s beautiful white sand beaches and reliable trade winds, which blow consistently between May and June. South Korea often proves to be one of the most challenging stops on the tour, which will ensure an exhilarating opening to the 2016 PWA Slalom World Tour.

Ones to Watch

Women’s

Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) made an emphatic return to the full slalom world tour last year — after completing her studies — as she recorded two victories and a 2nd place to deservedly capture a second world crown in slalom — to add to her 8 freestyle world titles. Offringa is without doubt the girl that everyone else has to beat and you wouldn’t want to bet against her making a flying start to 2016 as the 24 year old goes in search of back-to-back titles.

Delphine Cousin (Starboard / Gun Sails) relinquished her world crown for the first time in 2 years and she’ll be doing everything in her power to return to the top of the podium. A slow start cost Cousin badly last season as she opened with two 4th place finishes. However, in the final event of last year the 24 year old looked back to her very best as she dominated proceedings in New Caledonia with 7 victories out of the 9 eliminations completed. If Cousin picks up where she left off then Offringa may have her work cut out if she wants to make the perfect start to her title defence. 

Having finished 2nd and 3rd respectively over the last two seasons — Lena Erdil (Patrik / Point-7 / Mystic / AL360) — should again be in the hunt for a maiden world title. The Turkish beauty usually times her starts to perfect and shows blistering straight line speed and she’ll be looking to be coming out with all guns blazing when the green flag is raised. 

Fulya Ünlü (Starboard / Severne) is the brightest young talent on the tour and the 20 year old comes into the new season on the back of her best performance to date, which saw her finish 4th in 2015, while also being crowned the PWA Youth Slalom World Champion for the second consecutive year. Ünlü has all the potential and it will be exciting to see how she has progressed after another winter of training.

Marion Mortefon (Patrik / Gun Sails) ended 2015 in fine form — recording 2nd and 4th place finishes to claim 5th place overall. A slow start here this time last year — 8th — cost her a shot at a podium finish, but if she can pick up where she left off the 24 year old will be battling it out for the top places come the end of the week.

Also in contention will be the likes of Cagla Kubat (Starboard / Severne), Ayako Suzuki (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic), María Andrés (Fanatic / North) and multiple time world champion — Valerie Ghibaudo (Tabou / GA Sails). While Esther de Geus (JP / Point-7) could be the dark horse after a winter of solid training under her belt in Tenerife. 

Men’s

Antoine Albeau staged a heroic comeback in the final event of last year to claim a superb hat-trick of world titles as he staved off the challenges of Pierre Mortefon and Matteo Iachino. As a result he’ll be the one that everyone has to beat when the opening battle begins this week. AA has been hampered by a knee injury over the winter, but is raring to go despite less than ideal preparation and you can expect to see him doing everything in his power to make a perfect start to his title defence as he goes in search of a fourth consecutive world crown.

Pierre Mortefon came agonisingly close to capturing a maiden world title in 2015 as he finished level on points with Antoine Albeau, but unfortunately lost out on count back with AA recording a better result at 4 out of the 6 events in 2015. Mortefon dominated the final event of 2015 and if he’s anywhere near that level of form he’ll be incredibly hard to stop from claiming the first bullet of the year. 

Having led the title race for much of the last year Matteo Iachino fell at the final hurdle in New Caledonia — but 2015 still represented a breakthrough year for the Italian, who completed the overall podium in 2015. The 26 year old barely put a foot wrong during last year’s campaign and he’ll be eager to make a flying start on his new equipment having changed sponsors to Starboard and Point-7 over the winter. Expect to see Iachino battling it out for the top positions come the end of the week.

Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic) will come into the new season full of confidence having equalled his best ever overall result last year — the Brit finished in 4th place in 2015 — a result he had not emulated since 2008. Williams recorded two podiums together with 4th, 6th, 10th and 11th place finishes as he showed the level of consistency needed to compete at the very top of the game and he should be in the thick of the action again.

Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails) is another man who will enter the opening event of the year full of confidence after the Frenchman produced his best performance to date during the last campaign. Bordes finished in the top 10 at all but one event in 2015 and he was rewarded with a fantastic 5th place finish overall. The 31 year old will now be looking to continue his rich vein of form from last season.

Ben Van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails) has consistently been one of the best sailors on the tour in recent years with the flying Dutchman not finishing outside the overall top 6 since 2011. Van der Steen holds all the attributes necessary to battle it out for the world title and based on previous year’s he should be there or there abouts again.

Julien Quentel (Patrik / Avanti) changed sponsors during the close season, which sees him join Patrik and Avanti. Quentel has become a force to be reckoned with over the last couple of seasons — finishing 2013 as the PWA Vice-World Champion — and he’ll be hoping to make a bright start on his new equipment. 

Steve Allen (Patrik / Severne) has been the master of consistency with the Australian finishing between 8th-11th place overall in 6 out of the last 7 seasons. Allen competed at the same high level during 2015 which saw him finish in joint 8th place alongside Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne) — who finished 2014 as the PWA Vice-World Champion. The Frenchman looked backed to his best in New Caledonia, where he recored 3rd place, and he’ll be hoping he can mount another title challenge over the course of the season.

Antoine Questel (Starboard / GA Sails) completed the overall Top 10 last year and the Frenchman will be hoping he can start the season with the same kind of form that almost brought him a maiden event victory here in 2012 — where he claimed 2nd place. 

Also keep an eye out for Taty Frans (Starboard / GA Sails / Mystic), who comes into 2016 fresh off the back of a 4th place in the freestyle, while also finishing last year with a flourish as the Bonairean earned his first podium finish in slalom — 2nd in New Caledonia.

Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Starboard / Point-7) narrowly missed out on a place in the Top 10 in 2015 — finishing 11th — and the Argentinian will be another one to watch alongside a whole host of other names such as; Malte Reuscher (JP / NeilPryde), Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Loft Sails / Mystic), Pascal Toselli (99NoveNove / Point-7), Sebastian Kördel (Starboard / GA Sails) and Marco Lang (Fanatic / North)

While slalom used to be a game purely for those with vast experience there are now several younger sailors starting to flourish and showin no fear in facing their idols with the likes of current PWA Youth Slalom World Champion — Tristan Algret (Starboard / Severne / Mystic), Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / North),  Laurence Carey (Fanatic / North) and Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne) all chomping at the ankles of their more experienced rivals. 

The level of racing on the PWA Slalom World Tour continues to rise every year and as a result every heat is an intense battle and almost anyone is capable of qualifying for the latter stages of each elimination, which will make the opening an event of the year a blockbuster. Make sure you don’t miss any of the action by tuning into www.pwaworldtour.com from the 19th-24th May — here you’ll be able to watch fantastic live coverage via the PWA live stream.

Recap Overall Rankings of the 2015 PWA Slalom World Tour - Women’s

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins) 

2nd Delphine Cousin (Starboard / Gun Sails)

3rd Lena Erdil (Patrik / Point-7 / Mystic / AL360)

4th Marion Mortefon (Patrik / Gun Sails)

5th Fulya Ünlü (Starboard / Severne)

Recap Overall Rankings of the 2015 PWA Slalom World Tour - Men’s

1st Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde / Chris Benz)

2nd Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North)

3rd Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Point-7)

4th Ross Williams (Tabou / GA Sails / Mystic)

5th Cedric Bordes (Tabou / GA Sails)

6th Ben Van der Steen (Tabou / GA Sails)

7th Julien Quentel (Patrik / Avanti)

8th Steve Allen (Patrik / Severne)

8th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne)

10th Antoine Questel (Starboard / GA Sails)

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