PWA World Windsurfing Tour

West Side

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:28:00 +0100

Recently a solid swell lit up the west coast of Maui and Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins) was one of the pros who took the opportunity to score some relatively rare west side waves.

Morgan Noireaux: "Scored a really fun swell at one of my favorite spots on Maui. It had been 3 years since we had a proper swell there so I spent the day on the water and was stoked to have Matty there to film with the drone.

Filmed By Matty Schweitzer

Gear used:
@jpaustraliacom 83 Ultimate wave
@NeilPrydeWind 4.5, and 4.7 Combat
@BLACKPROJECTWINDSURFING 14.5 and 9 quad set"

You can see Morgan Noireaux enjoying the west side of Maui @ https://youtu.be/AyEeQKOHIns

Thank You Antoine Albeau

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 08:46:03 +0100

In November last month Anotine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) officially announcement his retirement from competing on the PWA World Tour. Albeau is one of the most famous and successful windsurfers off all time, winning an incredible 25 world titles over the last 30 years. No his long time sponsor NeilPryde have released a short edit to pass on their regards to AA.

NeilPryde: Antoine Albeau announces his retirement after 30 years of incredible results and memories.
Thank you Antoine for your dedication, passion and commitment to excellence throughout the journey.
We hope you will enjoy your retirement as much as you have enjoyed competing all over the world!"

You can see NeilPryde's good bye to Antoine Albeau @ https://youtu.be/XcdwtJ_5mck

Maui Round 2

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 09:27:30 +0100

Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins) broke into the overall top 10 in the Men’s Wave division this year after recording results of 8th, 17th and 9th in Cabo Verde, Pozo and Sylt respectively. The young and highly talented Japanese sailor is equally adept on port and starboard tack, which makes him a threat anywhere in the world.

Sugi haș been lucky enough to be spending plenty of time in Maui, Hawaii, this year and the 20-year-old has just released a new edit from his latest stint at Ho’okipa, which you can see @ youtu.be/eJrywGGxw9E

Absent From Japan

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 04:27:14 +0100

Nico Prien (Starboard / NeilPryde) was originally on the entry list for the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup, which took place in November last month. However, the German was forced to withdraw from the contest due to being hit by illness just before the start of the event.

Prien is back to give a little update on exactly what happened @ https://youtu.be/fA8CeKQfeGs

Sunset Cruising

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:21:51 +0100

Windsurfing means different things to different people, but for Federico Morisio (Starboard / Severne Sails) this session encapsulated everything that windsurfing means to him...

Federico Morisio: "To me this is what windsurfing is all about: freedom, speed, adrenalin and fun; these shots couldn't show it better! But here's the full story behind the video:

Last summer while I was in Fuerteventura I was lucky enough to meet Andrea Dal Canton, which isn't only a super enthusiastic windsurfer with great photography and filming skills, but also an incredible FPV drone pilot.

One day we met at the spot of Punta Blanca, on Fuerteventura's North Shore and gave it a go to film with his FPV (first person view) drone; which is a super fast and agile drone that permits to get incredible footage but that it's also easy to crash given its high speed.

With only 4 batteries available we had time for just a few runs, but these were enough to land some backloops and get some wave rides, right during sunset and before the wind died.

I'm so stoked that we got to film those moments and be able to share them with you all, sessions like this one are special and one of the reasons why I windsurf!

Video filmed and edited by Andrea Dal Canton

Press the "Like" button if you do liked the video and comment below your thoughts and which was your favourite part!"

You can see Federico Morisio's sunset cruise @ https://youtu.be/vyImUZO3vc0

Mini Pipe

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 08:41:26 +0100

Kai Lenny (Goya Windsurfing) is the allround waterman - winning multiple world titles in SUP, whilst he remains one of the best wave windsurfers in the world - qualifying for several Aloha Classic finals in the process. Conditions weren't firing earlier this month in Hawaii, but that didn't stop Kai from having some fun...

Kai Lenny: "The Hawaiian winter hasn't fully kicked in just yet, closer to summer time conditions. We make the most of what we have and today it was Windsurfing at Backdoor Pipeline on a less than threatening day lol. Always fun to ride different boards at different spots."

You can see Kai Lenny enjoying summeresque Backdoor @ https://youtu.be/KlsyD2shjSE

Maui Spring 2022

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 05:17:56 +0100

Ricardo Campello (Naish / Naish Sails) has been spending plenty of time at Ho'okipa, Maui, over the last few years and the 37-year-old has been digging through his hard drive archive footage to select out some of his best waves from spring earlier this year.

Campello finished 5th overall in the Waves this year and will be back to make another bid for the Wave World title, which has eluded him thus far, claiming several places on the overall podium along the way.

You can see a few of Ricardo Campello's best waves from spring 2022 @ https://youtu.be/uV_QLvSf8kg

Mauritius Magic

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 09:20:25 +0100

Leon Jamaer (Flikka / NeilPryde) has recently been spending some time out in Mauritius where he scored some memorable conditions - the highlights of which you can see @ https://youtu.be/0U4Q0zsLHaI. You can also read a little catchup with Leon below:

Why did you decide to head over to Mauritius?

I planned to get away with my girlfriend and seven month old daughter after the season and asked for parental leave at work. Initially we planned to go to Maui but the prices for cars, accommodation and so on just didn’t make any sense to us. At the same time, my friend David Jeschke convinced me to come to Mauritius. He has been going there the last six years and told me about the world class down-the-line conditions, warm weather and easy going lifestyle. It turned out to be the best decision as we could combine family life with some memorable windsurf sessions.

Looks like you are riding consistent at the moment, what gear are you using?

I was using the Neilpryde Combat in 4.7 and 5.0 - two sizes were easily enough. I am really used to the Combat and don’t need to think about the sail on the wave. Flikka made me a bigger and slightly stretched version of the board I used in Pozo and Sylt. It has enough volume to float in almost zero wind, but is agile enough so I feel comfortable at the critical part of the wave. I played a lot with trim and fin setup to maximise the potential of the board. Mauritius with its laboratory-like conditions was perfect to feel the small differences.

How have you found to move to Flikka boards?

After 8 years on JP boards I felt I needed a new feeling under my feet. With Flikka I found new motivation in working with a brand that breathes windsurfing and builds really good boards that help me improve and be ready for the world cups. On top, their handmade construction really makes a difference when it comes to weight-strength-ratio and quality of all the details like boxes, inserts or footpads. I prefer to take only a few boards on trips and competitions, which I know well and I can really trust, rather than taking lots of sizes and backup boards. So far it has been really fun to test many different shapes and work on boards that work best for me.

Do you have any plans for this winter?

I probably won’t escape the European winter too much. I hope I will get some good sessions in Denmark where I didn’t sail much this year. I will also have an eye on the Atlantic storms and can hopefully do some strike missions. I would love to go to Ireland at some point, but you never know at which place it comes together. If the PWA is going to resume in Cape Verde in February / March I want to be ready. The 2009 Cape Verde event was before I entered the tour and this years event our daughter was born the same time. It is a lifetime goal to compete in Ponta Preta with pumping conditions and the best riders in the world!

Thanks, Leon.

Alaçati Wind Fest

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 05:39:19 +0100

Coming straight off the plane from the PWA event in Japan, Race Director Emilio Galindo and PRO Ben van der Steen, immediately started a 5 day non-stop racing program that saw the Youth and Junior sailors compete in round after round of exciting slalom racing. For the first time, the PWA incorporated foil slalom as a separate discipline in a youth and junior event - allowing for non-stop action throughout the entire event with not a single moment of emptiness on the schedule.

From the very first starting gun in the U21 Fin Slalom Division, it quickly became apparent there was going to be a big fight between Armand Genevois, John Soukos, and Max Baaijen. In each round, the big three fought it out on the race course showing skills that made it clear that these sailors are ready to compete against the men on the PWA World Tour. Ultimately, the fight came down to Genevois and Soukos, who constantly battled for the top spot over the course of 15 full rounds. In the end, it was the Frenchman Armand Genevois who came out on top beating his Greek counterpart by less than 3 points.

On the girl’s side U21 Fin Division, we saw the big fights between Anna Biagiolini of Italy and the incredibly consistent Elif Ercan of Turkey. At only 16 years of age, the already multiple time junior world champion, managed to earn a brilliant haul of 10 bullets, which saw her deservedly take the title. Anna Biagiolini came in a clear second with her own display of consistent sailing, whilst there was a fight for the final place on the podium between Idil Babaoglu, Asya Vaircioglu, and Sinem Alper, which Vaircioglu would eventually win to deservedly claim the last spot on the podium.

In the U17 Boy’s Fin Division, there was a seesaw battle between the top four of Mert Kacan, Ozan Ozay, Ibrahim Ali Donmez, and Tan Tandogan. Mert Kacan showed his gybing prowess and control in the high winds to claim victory in this highly competitive division. Ozan Ozay mounted a comeback in the later stages of the event to claim 2nd after edging out Ibrahim Ali by just 0.6 of a point!

The U17 Girl’s Fin Division once again saw the power of Elif Ercan dominating her proper age group ahead of Sinem Alper and Zeynep Hacudi.

In the U15 Boy’s Fin Division, it was Kaan Erdogan who mounted a come from behind victory after Burak Orhan had built a lead earlier in the week. With a strong finish at the business end of the contest, Kaan was able to cement his victory in this hotly contested division ahead of Burak Orhan and Can Eskinazi.

Cagla Anadol was the clear winner of the U15 Girl’s Fin Division showing great consistency throughout the event. In second place, Zeynep Tecmen showed tremendous tenacity in the high winds to earn a well deserved spot on the podium followed by Damla Kurtdemir, who takes home 3rd.

The U13 Fin Division showed remarkable skills from some of the youngest competitors - especially on the windy days where winds gusted up to 30 knots. It was Yaman Ozkayagan, who showed the best speed, control, and consistency in the difficult conditions to claim the U13 title. Ali Demirci showed tremendous fighting spirit coming in 2nd, and Daghan Dalan claimed the final place on the podium after recovering from a slow start and making a strong finish.

The Foil Slalom divisions had some of the most exciting racing of the week - especially as the winds kicked in in the middle of the contest. There were incredibly exciting battles once again in the U21 Youth division between Armand Genevois from France, John Soukos from Greece, and Max Baaijen from the Netherlands. This time, however, Genevois showed more pace than the rest, so this combined with his aggressive gybing saw him claim an authoritative victory, followed by Soukos and Baaijen. These three once again showed their incredibly high level - demonstrating that they are ready to take the next step on to the Men’s PWA Slalom World Tour.

The U17 Foil Slalom saw a very close battle between the two Turks Ibrahim Ali and Tan Tandogan, and the German Benedikt Emser. After 13 rounds only 6 points separated 1st to 3rd, and it was Ibrahim Ali who took the victory showing tremendous grit after suffering a hairline crack on his foot in the middle of the week. Benedikt Emser followed in second with Tan Tandogan claiming the last spot on the podium.

In the U15 Foil Division, it was the talented Burak Orhan, who dominated throughout the week by winning a hugely impressive 10 out the 12 races. The fight for 2nd and 3rd was a great one between Cinar Tuncar and Talha Uner, who fought amazingly until the end to be separated by less than two points, but In the end it was Tuncar who would just come out on top to secure second place ahead of Uner.

The U21 Youth Foil Slalom Division saw once again a dominating performance by the relentless Elif Ercan, who had a perfect event on the foil claiming all 11 rounds. She was followed by the strong performance of Anna Biagiolini of Italy and Damla Kurtdemir of Turkey.

The last category of the Alacati Windfest was the Sompo Kid’s Cup. This was an unofficial category with kids as young as 8 years old racing a simplified course in winds at times gusting to 30 knots! These future up and coming racers looked like they had the most fun out of all the kids showing incredible excitement every day despite the difficult conditions. Irem Metin was the clear winner ahead of Selin Diaz, Melis Kocabay, and Sofia Senturk.

That brings an end to a very exciting event full of action on the water and a great atmosphere on the beach that saw Roberto Hoffmann hyping the kids up all week long. The PWA is committed to bring more Youth and Junior events to fruition for 2023 in all disciplines paving a clear pathway for the stars of the future.

A big thank you to all the sponsors of the event and to Alacati for showing once again what an incredible venue it is to host PWA events. See you next year!

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 06:18:11 +0100

The previous two editions of the Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup (2018 and ’19), were held in May, but with COVID causing a delay to this year's event it was pushed back until November, which proved to be a great success with Tsukuihama Beach producing the best wind conditions we have seen in Japan so far with racing being possible on every day of the event, whilst it provided a stern test for the sailors with competition taking place in anywhere from flat water and 5-10 knots of wind, to 35 knots and ultra choppy hardcore slalom. With two world titles on the line, things became incredibly tense on the final day…

Slalom

Women’s

Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone) came into Japan as the defending Foil PWA World Champion, but with this being the first Women’s event in which fin and foil were combined it was always going to be intriguing the effect that that would have on the results. In the end, Mortefon proved dominant on both the fin and the foil as the 30-year-old recorded two bullets, a second and a third in the opening 4 eliminations to build an unassailable lead. The final day was the only time that Mortefon missed out on a place in the Winners’ Final and she would eventually win the event by 7.6 points. Mortefon was in a different league for the majority of the event and deservedly walks away with her second world crown.

Mortefon’s closest challenger was Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL), who was making her debut on the full PWA World Tour. The French girl was incredibly impressive - being the only sailor to be able to boast a 100% qualifying record for the Winners’ Finals, whilst she never finished lower than 5th in the 5 eliminations completed. Lemeteyer walks away from 2022 as the vice-world champion and she looks like a real name to watch in the coming seasons.

The French have been a dominant force in the world of Slalom for many years and they show no signs of relinquishing that position as they walk away with an all French podium with Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) completing the prestigious overall podium. The 5-time world champion snatched the final place in the top 3 after claiming her second bullet of the week in the last elimination to pip Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails) to third by just 0.6 of a point.

Oppedal has to settle for fourth place just ahead of - Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) - who claimed her maiden bullet on the World Tour in Elimination 2 and looked as though she could become Mortefon’s main threat after finishing second in the next race, however, her challenge for the title drifted away as she finished the event with and 8th and 10th place.

Men’s

Heading into the final day of the event the Men’s World title race was balanced on a knife edge with it being mathematically possible for one of four sailors to come out on top - Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails), who led the world rankings at that stage, Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails), Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde), who led the event ranking, and Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) and the final day didn’t disappoint with drama that you couldn’t have scripted taking place.

Disaster struck for Rutkowski in the quarterfinals as he was eliminated from Heat 9 after hitting a piece of debris whilst prominently placed. At that moment it looked as though Rutkowski’s world title dreams were turning to tatters and his emotion understandably boiled over upon returning to the beach as his dream day looked like turning into a nightmare.

Rutkowski would spend the rest of the day having to agonisingly watch the racing, whilst hoping that results fell in his favour to claim a maiden world title. Both Iachino and Marotti qualified for the Winners’ Final, so the race for the title would come down to that one heat. In order for Iachino to deny Rutkowski the Italian would have to finish two places ahead of Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils), or hope that Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) would finish in the top 3. In the end, Iachino would only finish fourth, but Rutkowski was still made it sweat it out as Soe chased - Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) - down the home straight for third, but it wouldn’t be long until Rutkowski’s earlier shouts of anger were replaced by screams of joy as he survived a rollercoaster of a day to be crowned the 2022 Men’s PWA Slalom World Champion. Rutkowski’s journey has been years in the making and his hard work has finally paid off!

Matteo Iachino eventually finished level on points with Rutkowski, but agonisingly loses out on countback. The Italian has been incredibly close to adding to his maiden world title from 2016 on a couple of occasions now and whilst it will hurt to be on the wrong side of the decision this time there were plenty of positives to take away from this event and 2022 as a whole. Iachino claimed his first bullet on the World Tour since 2019 (5* event) in Elimination 2 and he has finished on the podium in each event this year. You can expect to see Iachino challenging for top honours again in 2023.

Enrico Marotti completes the prestigious overall podium after claiming a superb first victory on the World Tour. The Croat finishes with counting results of two firsts, and two second places such was the standard of his performance in Japan. Marotti has been one of the quickest sailors on tour for a few seasons now, so it was just a question of finding the consistency to crack the top and it seems like he may have well just figured out that formula, so he will be an even bigger threat next year!

Amado Vrieswijk came into Japan leading the event rankings after claiming a brilliant victory in Germany, however, things didn’t quite go the Bonairean’s way this event with moments of bad luck costing him dearly. In the end, a fifth place finish here would’ve been enough to see Vrieswijk claim the world title, but he eventually finishes 4th overall after finishing 7th in Japan, which is hugely impressive given this is his first full year focusing on Slalom. Vrieswijk is one of the most talented all-round sailors in the World of windsurfing and he’s already claimed multiple discipline victories on the World Tour and he’ll be a serious threat moving into 2023 onwards.

Nicolas Goyard may not have been able to defend his world title from 2021, but the Frenchman will have been delighted to finish the season the way he did by claiming second place in Japan, whilst having every chance of winning the event heading into the final race. Things didn’t really click for 26-year-old in Germany, so it was important for him to bounce back and he did just that - winning two out of the 5 eliminations - and finishing just two points behind Marotti. Goyard’s excellent second place here sees him climb 4 places in the overall rankings to finish 5th for 2022.

Brazil’s - Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) - finishes the 2022 season ranked 6th in the World. Isaac bounced back brilliantly from a quarterfinal exit in the second elimination, but then not finishing outside the top 10, whilst he signed off the final race with a solid third place.

For the first time in seven seasons - Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) - misses out on a place in the overall top 3, bringing an end to a remarkable run, as the Frenchman has to settle for 7th in the overalls for 2022. Mortefon has been one of the top racers on the planet since 2014, and whilst this represents a little hiccup on his sublime record, things just never really went his way over the course of the last 5 days. Expect to see Mortefon bounce straight back next season.

Alongside event winner, Enrico Marotti, Johan Soe is the only other sailor to be able to boast a 100% qualifying record for the Winners’ Finals. Soe may still be only be 18-years-old, but he’s already marked himself as one of the best emerging talents in the World. The Dane, who was competing in his debut season on the World Tour, finished 5th in Japan to cement his place in the overall top 10 - 8th - which is an incredible feat. Soe possesses all the hallmarks to be a future World Champion.

The overall top 10 is completed by - Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone) - who finishes the season with two tenth place finishes, and Sebastian Kördel (Starboard / Severne Sails).

The end of the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup also means we wave goodbye to one of the greatest windsurfers in history as Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) hangs up his boom from the PWA World Tour. AA will be a sorely missed character on the tour having won an incredible 25 World titles across multiple disciplines in a career spanning 3 decades. Everyone at the PWA would like to wish Albeau all the best for the future and to congratulate him once more on a remarkable career.

The 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup provided an incredible 5 days of racing, and we hope you enjoyed the action as much as we did. The Foil once again demonstrated its value on multiple occasions by transforming what would’ve been lay days into close quarters, exciting racing and we looks forward to returning to Japan next year. So until next time, we would like to extend our thanks to the organisers and all of the volunteers - without whom it would not be possible to run this fantastic event. See you again in 2023.

You can fins a full recap from all the developments from Japan— including live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply by clicking HERE and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

Previous Live Stream & Highlights

You can find earlier live stream footage plus highlight videos via our YouTube channel HERE. Click 'Videos' for highlights and 'Live' for previous live stream footage.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- Twitter: @pwaworldtour
- YouTube: @pwaworldtour

Result 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Slalom

Overall Ranking 2022 PWA World Tour - Women’s Slalom

Result 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Men’s Slalom

1st Enrico Marotti | CRO (JP / NeilPryde)
2nd Nicolas Goyard | FRA (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
3rd Matteo Iachino | ITA (Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Maciek Rutkowski | POL (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
5th Johan Soe | DEN (FMX Racing / Point-7)
6th Mateus Isaac | BRA (Severne / Severne Sails)
7th Amado Vrieswijk | NB (Future Fly / Severne Sails)
8th Pierre Mortefon | FRA (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils)
9th Basile Jacquin | FRA (FMX Racing / Point-7)
10th Jordy Vonk | NED (Fanatic / Duotone)

Overall Ranking 2022 PWA World Tour - Men’s Slalom

1st Maciek Rutkowski | POL (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
2nd Matteo Iachino | ITA (Starboard / Severne Sails)
3rd Enrico Marotti | CRO (JP / NeilPryde)
4th Amado Vrieswijk | NB (Future Fly / Severne Sails)
5th Nicolas Goyard | FRA (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
6th Mateus Isaac | BRA (Severne / Severne Sails)
7th Pierre Mortefon | FRA (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils)
8th Johan Soe | DEN (FMX Racing / Point-7)
9th Jordy Vonk | NED (Fanatic / Duotone)
10th Sebastian Kördel | GER (Starboard / Severne Sails)

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:48:06 +0100

You couldn’t have scripted the drama that unfolded on the final day of the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup as emotions reached boiling point in the race for the World titles. The racing itself took place in 6-12 knots of wind meaning textbook gybes and perfectly timed starts were the order of the day in order to succeed as dropping off the foil would usually lead to elimination.

Slalom

Women’s

For the first time this week Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone) missed out on a place in the Winners’ Final, which was somewhat of a shock given she had not finished outside the top 3 in the opening 4 eliminations. However, having built a solid 6.6 point lead there was little cause for worry and as soon as it was announced that the racing had officially been called off it was quickly apparent that she was deservedly the 2022 Women’s PWA Slalom World Champion. Mortefon has performed on a different level to everyone else this week and a second world title is her just reward.

Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL) made an extremely impressive debut on the full PWA World Tour, which saw her qualify for every Winners’ Final, whilst not finishing worse than fifth once. That level of consistency deservedly sees her crowned the vice-world champion and she is certainly one to watch closely in the coming seasons.

Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) claimed the closing bullet of the week, which proved to be crucial in deciding the final position on the prestigious overall podium. The 5-time world champion started the day in 6th place, but with that bullet she leapfrogs Ma Kwan Ching, Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) and Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails) to complete an all French overall top 3, whilst Oppedal agonisingly misses out by just 0.6 of a point.

Men’s

World Title

The race for the Men’s World title took an unbelievable twist as Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) was eliminated in the quarterfinals after hitting a plastic bag when prominently placed on the opening reach of Heat 9. Rutkowski was left understandably livid and heartbroken as it appeared that his world title aspirations were now in tatters, whilst it potentially opened up the draw for Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails), Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) and Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) depending on how results unfolded.

After a few quick calculations it soon became apparent that Rutkowski was still in with a great chance of becoming World Champion, the only difference now being that he would be totally powerless in having a say on the outcome, so he would have to agonisingly watch from the beach and pray that results fell in his favour. Rutkowski just missed out on the event title in Sylt after being pipped to the top spot on the podium by - Amado Vrieswijk - and it looked as though history may repeat itself in a horrible turn of events.

With Rutkowski’s main rival for the title - Matteo Iachino - safely qualifying for the Winners’ Final the world title would all come down to that one heat, and with it now mathematically impossible for Iachino to finish worse than third it would be a straight fight between them. However, it would still be a tall order for Iachino to come out on top as the Italian either needed to beat Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) by at least two places, so that he would move into second place and pip Rutkowski to the title. The only other hope for Iachino was for Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) to finish in the top 3, which would’ve seen the Dane leapfrog Rutkowski and deny him the title.

Soe Near, Soe Far

In the end, things didn’t quite go Iachino’s way in the final with the 2016 World Champion ‘only’ finishing 5th, but Rutkowski was still made to sweat it out as Johan Soe chased Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) down the final straight hunting for the third place which would derail Rutkowski’s dream, whilst making Iachino’s. Isaac would hold on though and Rutkowski could finally breathe a huge sigh of relief after surviving an almost unbearable rollercoaster ride as he was officially crowned the 2022 Men’s PWA Slalom World Champion for the first time in his career! Ironically Isaac inadvertently denied his teammate the world title, whilst if the standings between Isaac and Soe were reversed, it would have Soe denying his teammate.

The loss will obviously hurt Iachino, who also came agonisingly close to a second world crown in 2019, but you can expect to see him challenging for top honours again next season.

Marotti Tastes Victory For The First Time

Away from the world title race, there was a separate, equally exciting battle for the event title between Enrico Marotti and Nicolas Goyard. Before the final there was just 0.7 of a point between them, so it would be a straight fight between the two top ranked sailors and the final certainly didn’t disappoint as they went rail-to-rail in a classic race. Marotti did brilliantly to hold his nerve under intense pressure as the Croat signed off the event in style by claiming his second bullet of the week, but more importantly it secured him his maiden victory on the World Tour, which sees him ranked third in the overall rankings.

Goyard walks away from the event in second place, whilst Iachino completes the overall podium,

Today also marks the end of a legendary career for the one and only Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde), who brings down the curtain on a career spanning 3 decades. Albeau goes down in history as one of the greatest windsurfers in history - having won 25 world titles across multiple disciplines, whilst he still remains the fastest windsurfer on the planet with his world record. From everyone at the PWA we would like to wish Antoine all the best for the future and congratulate him on an unbelievable career.

We’ll take a full look at the event rankings in the event summary in a couple of days time. For now we’d like to pass on a huge congratulations to the newly crowned world champions, whilst also paying a huge thanks to the event organisers and volunteers for making the event possible.

You can stay up to date with all the latest developments from Japan— including live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply by clicking HERE and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

Previous Live Stream & Highlights

You can find earlier live stream footage plus highlight videos via our YouTube channel HERE. Click 'Videos' for highlights and 'Live' for previous live stream footage.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- Twitter: @pwaworldtour
- YouTube: @pwaworldtour

Result 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Slalom

Overall Ranking 2022 PWA World Tour - Women’s Slalom

Result 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Men’s Slalom

Overall Ranking 2022 PWA World Tour - Men’s Slalom

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 08:37:25 +0100

The penultimate day of the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup produced by far the windiest and choppiest conditions that we have seen in Japan, which made for an exhilarating morning of racing as the world’s best racers battled it out in winds of anywhere from 20-35 knots. As well as some world class racing there were also several brutal crashes as the sailors had their mettle tested to the limit, whilst with the wind and water conditions being extreme enough there were plenty of fin versus foil battles.

Slalom

Women’s

Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins) continued to lay down the gauntlet today as she looks to add a second world title to her name. The reigning Foil World Champion produced a phenomenal display today in the nuclear winds as she destroyed the rest of the fleet to claim an emphatic victory in Elimination 4, whilst also extending her lead to 6.6 points heading into the final day. The 30-year-old is yet to finish outside the top 3 in the opening 3 eliminations, so it would need a massive turn of events to deny her the event and world title, but she won’t be getting complacent.

Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / Point-7 / LOKEFOIL) continues to sail incredibly consistently in a wide range of conditions and the newcomer took away third place in Elimination 4 to defend her second place in the event rankings. However, she now has Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) breathing down her neck. The 26-year-old may not have been able to take full advantage of her discard opportunity - finishing 8th in Elimination 4 - but that is still enough to see her gain three places from 6th to 3rd, whilst she now trails Lemeteyer by just 0.7 of a point with a day to go.

Elsewhere, Ma Kwan Ching and Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails) remain in 4th and 5th place respectively, whilst Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui), who started the day in third falls three places to 6th. The 5-time world champion wasn’t happy with not being given enough time to change to the equipment she wanted and eventually finished 9th.

With the strong winds on offer this morning, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) recorded her best result of the event so far after doing brilliantly to fight back into second place despite dropping her opening gybe, which sees the Aruban move into 7th from 11th, whilst Sarah Jackson (Fanatic / Duotone) climbs into the top 10 - 9th - after finishing 6th despite sailing with a broken metatarsal.

Men’s

World Title Race

The Men’s world title race will go down to the wire after the title race took another dramatic twist today after Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails), who started the day leading the event and the world rankings, failed to qualify for the Winners’ Final for the first time this week, which swung the door open for Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails). The Pole would go on to secure 4th place in the final, which would actually see Rutkowski fall one place in the event rankings to 5th, but with Iachino only able to record a 9th, and other results not going his way, or in Rutkowski’s favour depending how you look at it, that would cause the Italian to drop from 1st to third, which hands the advantage to Rutkowski heading into the final day. However, there is no breathing room for either sailor because as things currently stand they would be tied on 20,200 points (Rutkowski would win on countback), so any changes in their event rankings tomorrow will have huge effects on the overall outcome.

Whilst it still seems most likely that the title race will come down to a battle between Iachino and Rutkowski, there are still certain scenarios where both Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) and Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde), who currently leads the event could still win the world title:

If Iachino and Rutkowski were both to fall at least one place (to 4th and 5th respectively) and Vrieswijk was to finish 6th or better he could still win. If that were to happen and Marotti was to win the event all 4 sailors would finish tied on 20,100 points, so the title would then be decided on countback between Vrieswijk and Marotti.
If Iachino and Rutkowski were to fall at least one place and Marotti was to not win the event - a 6th place finish or better would be good enough for Vrieswijk to be world champion.
If Iachino and Rutkowski were both to fall at least one place and Vrieswijk finishes 7th or worse - then a victory for Marotti would guarantee him the world title.

In terms of the race for the event title, things couldn’t be much closer with just 0.7 of a point separating Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) and Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils), whilst Matteo Iachino is still only 2 points off the top, so things could still go either way in the race for both the event and world titles, so tomorrow promises to be a tense and exhilarating day with plenty on the line.

Marotti currently leads the event with counting results of a first and two seconds - discarding a 5th - such has been his level at this event and he now has every chance of winning his first event and possibly a world title.

Nicolas Goyard’s second bullet of the week allowed the Frenchman to discard a 16th place from the second elimination, which saw the current Slalom World Champion climb from 7th to second and he now has every chance at the event title.

Elsewhere, Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) remains in 5th place after another 5th place finish today, whilst Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) breaks back into the overall top 10 - 6th - after being able to discard a quarterfinal exit from the second elimination with a 10th place finish today.

Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) looked as though he may be able to sign off his final event on the PWA in perfect fashion as he led the Winners’ Final of Elimination 4. The 25-time world champion produced a brilliant first couple of gybes to move to the front of the pack, but a brief touchdown at the third gave Goyard and Marotti all the opportunity they needed to deny Albeau. However, AA still recorded his best finish of the week - 3rd - which sees the Frenchman climb from 15th to 7th.

The top 10 is currently completed by - Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) and Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point-7).

The forecast for tomorrow looks as though there should be enough wind for at least one more elimination with moderate to strong northerly winds currently predicted. With that in mind, the sailors will meet at 8am tomorrow morning with the action commencing from 8:30am (GMT+9) onwards.

Previous Live Stream & Highlights

You can find earlier live stream footage plus highlight videos via our YouTube channel HERE. Click 'Videos' for highlights and 'Live' for previous live stream footage.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- Twitter: @pwaworldtour
- YouTube: @pwaworldtour

Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Slalom
*After 4 Eliminations

Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Men’s Slalom
*After 4 Eliminations

1st Enrico Marotti | CRO (JP / NeilPryde)
2nd Nicolas Goyard | FRA (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
3rd Matteo Iachino | ITA (Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Maciek Rutkowski | POL (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
5th Johan Soe | DEN (FMX Racing / Point-7)
6th Mateus Isaac | BRA (Severne / Severne Sails)
7th Antoine Albeau | FRA (JP / NeilPryde)
8th Amado Vrieswijk | NB (Future Fly / Severne Sails)
9th Pierre Mortefon | FRA (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils)
10th Basile Jacquin | NC (FMX Racing / Point-7 / Phantom Foils)

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 10:19:01 +0100

Day 3 of the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup eventually produced the most racing of the event thus far, but we had to wait a little longer than expected for the wind to kick in, whilst racing conditions remained tricky throughout with gusty winds - anywhere from 8-25 knots - making equipment choice extremely difficult. In the end, there was plenty of exciting racing whilst there were some massive crashes along the way, which ultimately allowed 3 eliminations to be completed in the Men’s and 2 eliminations in the Women’s.

Slalom

Women’s

Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone) led the overnight rankings having won the opening elimination of the week yesterday, and the 30-year-old enjoyed another solid day of racing as she recorded a second and a third place to extend her lead to 5.3 points.

Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL), who is making her debut on the World Tour, enjoyed an excellent day with a 3rd and a 4th, which sees her currently occupy second place ahead of Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui), who bounced back from an 8th in the opening elimination of the day, by signing off with her first bullet of the event.

Ma Kwan Ching and Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails) currently sit in 4th and 5th place, but that could all change once the discard comes into play after the completion of Elimination 4. Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails), who claimed her maiden bullet on the World Tour after producing a brilliant last gybe to pip Mortefon to victory in Elimination 2, potentially stands to gain the most from the discard as it would give her the opportunity to discard a quarterfinal exit from the first elimination, which could see her fly up the rankings as she backed up her bullet with a solid second place. Alabau is currently 6th, but could quickly become Mortefon’s main threat.

Men’s

Things remain incredibly tight at the top in the Men’s fleet after the opening 3 eliminations with just 1 point separating Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails), who leads the overnight rankings, and Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) at the close of play.

Iachino scored his first bullet on the World Tour since November 2019 (*5-star event) in the second elimination, which he backed up with two, thirds to head up the rankings. The Italian has looked extremely quick and quietly confident in all 3 eliminations and he is currently in pole position for the world title as he looks to earn his second world crown. As things stand, Iachino holds a 100 point advantage over Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) and 200 points over Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), whilst in the event rankings he has more breathing room as Rutkowski currently trails Iachino by 7.3 points, whilst Vrieswijk finds himself even further back - 13.3 points.

World title hopefuls - Vrieswijk & Rutkowski - both suffered some unlucky moments today, which could yet prove pivotal in deciding who ultimately wins the world title. After missing out on the opening Winners’ Final, Vrieswijk bounced back with an excellent third place to bring himself back into contention, but then suffered a broken boom in the Winners’ Final of Elimination 3 meaning the Bonairean had to settle for eighth place, which sees him currently ranked 5th. In the scenario that Iachino was to win the event and Vrieswijk could climb two places to third, the two sailors would then be tied, so the title would be decided on countback. Vrieswijk is currently 6 points behind 3rd place title rival Rutkowski.

Meanwhile, Rutkowski was left fuming after finishing 8th in the second elimination after getting a boom wrapped around his head. However, the Pole, who finished fourth in the first elimination, kept his title hopes alive after flying down the final reach to snatch second place in the last elimination of the day, which could yet prove to be a massive moment depending on how the rest of the event plays out. So for now it is advantage Iachino, but it is far from over with two days to go.

Enrico Marotti enjoyed a fine day as the Croat recorded a first, second and a fifth to put himself in serious contention for the event title, whilst Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) continues to sail superbly and the young Dane is currently ranked 4th after the opening 3 eliminations.

Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) finds himself in 6th place after a 5th and a 9th today. The Frenchman was involved in an accident on the start line in the Winners’ Final of Elimination 2 together with Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) and Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point-7), who was later disqualified from the final for dangerous sailing. Mortefon and Isaac both suffered damaged foils, whilst the Brazilian also sustained a cut to his upper leg.

Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) made the perfect start to the event as he reeled off a bullet in the opener, but then suffered a semifinal exit in Elimination 2. The 2021 world champion then bounced back with a 4th in the last race, so he is someone who stands to potentially gain a lot upon the completion of Elimination 4.

The top 10 is currently completed by the French trio - Basile Jacquin, William Huppert (Fanatic / Duotone / Phantom Foils) and Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Patrik Sails / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils), who won the second elimination b-final.

Another notable performance today goes to 16-year-old Will McMillan (Starboard / Severne Sails), who qualified for the top 16 twice as he really took it to his peers - eventually recording outstanding 12th and a 14th places.

Elsewhere, Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde), who announced he is retiring from competing on the PWA prior to the event, qualified for his opening Winners’ Final of the week - where he finished 6th, whilst Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone) also booked his place in a first Winners’ Final of the event.

The forecast for tomorrow looks as though there could be the potential for more racing, although the best chance will probably be in the morning as the wind is expected to drop throughout the day. The sailors will meet again at 8am tomorrow morning with the action commencing from 9am (GMT+9).

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- Twitter: @pwaworldtour

Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Slalom
*After 3 Eliminations

Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Men’s Slalom
*After 3 Eliminations

1st Matteo Iachino | ITA (Starboard / Severne Sails)
2nd Enrico Marotti | CRO (JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Maciek Rutkowski | POL (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
4th Johan Soe | DEN (FMX Racing / Point-7)
5th Amado Vrieswijk | NB (Future Fly / Severne Sails)
6th Pierre Mortefon | FRA (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils)
7th Nicolas Goyard | FRA (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
8th Basile Jacquin | NC (FMX Racing / Point-7 / Phantom Foils)
9th William Huppert | FRA (Fanatic / Duotone / Phantom Foils)
10th Alexandre Cousin | FRA Patrik / Patrik Sails / Choppers Fins / Phantom Foils)

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Sat, 12 Nov 2022 07:23:59 +0100

Foil reiterated its value on Day 2 of the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup as a result was gained in the Women’s Slalom, whilst the opening elimination of the Men’s Slalom now just requires the Winners’ and b-final to be sailed to gain a result there too. In the years before Foiling, today would’ve ultimately been a lay day, but instead, the world’s best racers were able to provide some entertaining racing, although even with the advent of Foiling, today was right on the limit when it comes to competable winds (5-10 knots), which meant perfect gybes were imperative to succeed, whilst most mistakes were severely punished.

Slalom

Women’s

Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone) struck first blood in the opening elimination of the Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup as the reigning Foil World Champion produced a phenomenal first gybe to manoeuvre her way passed - Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails) - who had led down the opening reach after making a brilliant start. Claiming the opening bullet of the week gives Mortefon a great platform on which to build as she looks to earn her second world title.

Oppedal will be pleased with her solid start to the event and seemed excited about tomorrow’s expected strong winds, so she will likely be one to watch again. The top 3 was completed by Ma Kwan Ching, who showed excellent pace throughout in the light airs.

Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) had been prominently placed until the third buoy, but then dropped off the foil in the light airs, which allowed Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL) and Rina Niijima (Starboard / Severne Sails) to overtake and claim 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.

Men’s

One attempt was made to run the Men’s Winners’ Final, but with the wind dropping when Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails) was in the lead the heat was abandoned, and with the wind failing to return we will have to wait until tomorrow to see who claims the first bullet in the Men’s fleet.

Out of the current top 10 only World Tour leader Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), current No.8 Sebastian Kördel (Starboard / Severne Sails) and No.10 Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone) missed out on a place in the Winners’ Final as the majority of the top seeds made a strong start to proceedings. So, also joining Matteo Iachino in the final are; Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde), Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7), Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails), Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails), Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils), Nicolas Goyard (Phantom Boards / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) and Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point-7 / Phantom Foils), who qualifies for his first Winners’ Final of the year. *5-star event.

Tomorrow looks as though it could provide the best racing of the week with a solid forecast on paper, which should hopefully see an action-packed day. The wind is expected to increase from 15-19 knots in the morning to gusting to 30 knots from the south-southwest by the evening.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- Twitter: @pwaworldtour

Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Slalom
* After 1 Elimination

1st Marion Mortefon | FRA (Fanatic / Duotone)
2nd Helle Oppedal | NOR (Starboard / Severne Sails)
3rd Ma Kwan Shing | HK (Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Justine Lemeteyer | FRA (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL)
5th Rina Niijima | JPN (Starboard / Severne Sails)
6th Delphine Cousin Questel | FRA (FMX Racing / S2Maui)
7th Megumi Iseda | JPN (Starboard / Severne Sails)
8th Mae Davico | FRA (Loftsails)

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 09:03:59 +0100

With registration completed by 11:30am the 2022 Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup was officially declared open at 1pm during the opening ceremony. Throughout the morning plenty of sailors took the opportunity to squeeze in a last minute tune up with moderate winds on offer, but as the start time edged closer the wind began to slowly drop, which meant the race crew needed to move the course further out in order to find competable wind - roughly 6-10 knots.

In the end, the racing turned out to be extremely stop-start with 4 general recalls in the opening 6 Men’s Heats, whilst one sailor was disqualified from the opening heat for crossing the line in the last minute, whilst not actually being involved in Heat 1 either.

The only real upsets in the first 6 Men’s Heats were that Taty Frans (Future Fly / Point-7) and Arnon Dagan (Future Fly / NeilPryde) both failed to advance into the top 32, whilst the likes of Antoine Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui), Bruno Martini (JP / NeilPryde) and Basile Jacquin (I-99 / Point-7) all cruised through their opening heats.

Elsewhere, it was a largely successful day for the local Japanese sailors as 7 of them progressed into the top 32; Kouichiro Kaku (Starboard / Severne Sails), Shinya Kunieda (Patrik / Loftsails), Daisuke Ikoma (RRD / NeilPryde), Tomonori Anami (Starboard / Severne Sails), Sota Kanagami (Tabou / GA Sails), Anami Kenta and Norio Asano (Fanatic / S2Maui).

Unfortunately, only one heat of the Women’s opening elimination was able to be completed before the wind became too light. 5-time world champion - Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) claimed a clear cut victory in the opening quarterfinal, whilst Yuki Sunaga (Loftsails), Miki Yamabe and Veerle ten Have (Starboard / Severne Sails) secured the remaining places in the top 4 to qualify for the opening semifinal.

Earlier in the day we asked Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) how she was feeling ahead of the first 5 star Women’s Slalom event since June 2021 to which she added: “I’m super excited, it’s also the first event where we are combining fin and foil. Here it’s likely that it’s mostly going to be foil, but there are a lot of girls here from outside the PWA, so it’s pretty exciting to see so many new faces here and it’s also been a long time since we competed, so I’m excited to see what happens”

This is one of the biggest Women’s racing fleets we have seen… certainly in recent years at least (28 registered sailors), what are your thoughts on seeing so many girls competing?

It’s great to see such a big fleet with a high level. Everyone is going fast, so it’ll be interesting to see how the racing plays out.

How has your preparation for the event been and what are your expectations?

“I’ve been training quite a lot. I spent the winter in Tenerife and then summer in between Tarifa and Lake Garda, which are great spots and I feel ready for everything. It would be great if we don’t have to wait on the beach ha. After that just try my best to do good starts and perform how I know I can.”

Thanks, Blanca. Good luck for the event.

The forecast for Saturday currently looks relatively light with the best of the wind forecast for the morning. The sailors will be at 9:30am for the skippers’ meeting with the action commencing from 10am (GMT+9) onwards - depending on conditions.

Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 04:49:54 +0100

The elite of the racing world are currently descending upon Yokosuka, Japan, in preparation for the Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup, which takes place between 11th-15th November. Over the next 5 days the Men’s and Women’s Slalom World titles will be decided, so it promises to be an enthralling event.

Tsukuihama Beach, Yokosuka City, is situated approximately 80km southwest of Japan’s capital Tokyo. Yokosuka blends city life with the sea, while also being a Naval Port. Yokosuka occupies most of the Miura Peninsula and is bordered by the mouth of Tokyo Bay to the east and Sagami Bay on the west, which provides a beautiful backdrop. As Tsukuihama Beach is almost completely protected it can provide great flat water racing conditions. As well as its maritime connections Yokosuka is also famous for it’s locally grown produce and there is even a tourist farm where you can pick your own strawberries, sweet potatoes or tangerines depending on the time of year.

Slalom

Women’s

There is a strong lineup for the first 5-star Women’s Slalom event where Foil and Fin will officially merger. In total 31 of the best female racers are currently registered to compete in Japan where the world title will be decided in an exciting winner takes all battle.

Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone) will enter the event as the defending Foil World Champion, whilst Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) enters the fray as the Slalom World Champion, and it’ll be interesting to see how the merge goes.

Mortefon and Offringa will be up there as two of the favourites, but there are a whole host of other women waiting in the wings to take their shot at the title. Sara Wennekes (Future Fly / Severne Sails) was hugely impressive in Croatia as the 26-year-old dominated a strong fleet by claiming 5 bullets out of a possible 8 and if she sails anywhere near those levels again then she’s an obvious threat to come out on top.

Other likely contenders include Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails), who finished as the Foil Vice-World Champion in 2021, whilst she just pipped Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) to the final place on the podium in Croatia and both girls will be in the hunt for the top places again over the next 5 days.

Of course with 4 Slalom and 1 Foil world title - Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) - can never be ruled out and the 31-year-old will be hoping to mount a strong challenge in Japan.

The British trio of Jenna Gibson (Fanatic / Duotone), Sarah Jackson (Fanatic / Duotone) and Alice Read (Fanatic / Duotone) will also be hoping to throw there names into the mix, whilst a strong contingent of Japanese women - led by Mio Anayama (FMX Racing / S2Maui), Fujiko Onishi (Future Fly / Point-7 / Chopper Fins), Ayako Suzuki (Tabou / GA Sails) and Yuki Sunaga (Loftsails) - will be hoping to use home waters to their advantage.

Men’s

Having snatched a dramatic late victory from the claws of Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails), Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) enters the world title race in pole position, but with just the two events this year he has no room for error if he is to clinch a maiden Slalom world title. The Bonairean alluded that he thought he could challenge for a podium in Sylt and he more than delivered on those words with a super victory. Vrieswijk suffered a deep cut to his toe at the recent IQ World’s, but assuming he isn’t too badly hampered by that injury, he’ll be vying for the podium.

To lose the event in the manner that he did in Sylt will have been a hurtful blow for Rutkowski, but there were more positives than negatives to take away from Germany and he finds himself thoroughly in contention for a maiden world title in Japan. The Pole qualified for 80% of Winners’ Finals in Germany and a similar performance here would give him a great chance.

The racing in Germany was unbelievably close with just 9.3 points separating first to fourth, whilst just 3.7 points separated 5th to 7th, so any slip ups are likely to be severely punished, whilst bullets are becoming even more valuable to give yourself a little extra breathing room.

Former world champions - Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails) and Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) - are both prominently placed to attack the top too having first 3rd and 4th respectively in Sylt and you can expect them to be in the thick of the action, whilst things didn’t go the way of defending world champion - Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) - he too can never be ruled out from challenging for the top, but from 9th place a title defence looks unlikely.

Some of the biggest news ahead of the event is that Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) will bring down the curtain on a glittering PWA career, which has spanned 3 decades and yielded an incredible 25 world titles. Albeau has written himself into the windsurfing history books and he will now try and sign off an outstanding career in style.

Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) was Mr. Consistent in Germany with the Brazilian not finishing outside of the top 11 in the 10 eliminations completed, whilst he qualified for 60% of the Winners’ Finals to put himself firmly in contention for a place on the overall podium. However, if he’s to aim for the title he may need to find a way to eke out a little bit more performance and convert some of those Winners’ Finals into bullets and second places.

Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) finished 6th overall in Germany after signing off the event in style by claiming back-to-back bullets and if the Croat can hit the water flying in Japan then there’s a genuine contender for the event title, but for a shot at the world title he would need results to fall his way.

At just 18-years-old, Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) produced one of the standout performances of the event in Sylt, which included his maiden bullet on the world tour, and the highly talented young Dane will be hoping to be challenging for the top 10 and beyond again.

Like Soe, Sebastian Kördel (Starboard / Severne Sails), notched up his first bullet on the world tour in Germany to claim 8th place and the German is more than capable of challenging for the podium positions here. The strength in depth in the Slalom field is phenomenal at the moment, so in any given elimination the top ≈25 guys are all capable of qualifying for the top 8.

Other names that are likely to be challenging for the top 10 and beyond include, but not limited to; Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone), who completed the top 10 in Germany, Rytis Jasiunas (Future Fly / Point-7), Nico Prien (Starboard / NeilPryde), fellow Frenchmen - Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils / Chopper Fins), William Huppert (Fanatic / Duotone / Phantom Foils), Cedric Bordes (Tabou / Severne Sails), Julien Bontemps (JP / NeilPryde), Antoine Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) and Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point-7), whilst if things click into place Bruno Martini (JP / NeilPryde), who won in Croatia, should be there or there abouts.

Just as in the women’s fleet, there are a whole host of local sailors who will be hoping to make their mark on the event.

Looking Ahead

The forecast currently looks as though we will see a range of conditions with the opening day currently promising moderate northeasterly winds, whilst by Sunday, winds in excess of 30 knots are predicted, so it looks as though the world’s best racers will face a true test of their abilities.

Make sure you tune into www.pwaworldtour.com over the next 5 days to see how the world titles battles turn out as you’ll be able to follow the action as it happens via the PWA live stream with Ben Proffitt to guide you through all the racing.

Also if you don’t already, follow us on our Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @PWAWorldTourWindsurfing
- Instagram: @pwaworldtour
- Twitter: @pwaworldtour

Schedule For Day 1: (All Times GMT+9)

Registration: 10:00-11:30am

Outer Banks

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 10:39:50 +0100

Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde) has been on his travels again, this time taking him to the other side of the Atlantic... more preciesly Hatteras.

The German will be competing in a couple of days time in Japan as the Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup begins from the 11th November and runs until the 15th.

To see how Nico Prien's latest travel adventure went have a look @ https://youtu.be/VRYovkJ41Ok

Canarian Summer

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 10:23:49 +0100

Marc Paré (Fanatic / Duotone) enjoyed his best season to the date on the World Tour as the 24-year-old finished 7th overall in the waves, whilst at last months Mercedes-Benz Sylt Windsurf World Cup, the Spaniard recorded his maiden podium on the World Tour with a terrific performance in Sylt, which saw him advance into the Winners' Final with a powerful array of sailing, eventually finishing second to Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins).

Like many of the pros, Paré, spent a decent chunk of his summer in Gran Canaria & Tenerife and you can see the highlights of that training stint @ https://youtu.be/g8cFAqeKr90

Pozo 2022

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 09:31:54 +0100

Baptiste Cloarec (RRD / RRD Sails) finished the 2022 season ranked 25th overall on the PWA Wave World Tour after recording one joint 17th result in Cabo Verde followed by joint 25th places in Gran Canaria and Sylt.

The young Frenchman spent plenty of time in the Canaries this summer and his latest highlights reel comes from Pozo Izquierdo and is packed with plenty of action both in the air and on the wave.

You can see the 21-year-olds latest radical edit @ https://youtu.be/oICj6NU7azs

Freestyle World Champion

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 08:10:58 +0100

Last month, Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) was finally able to make his dream a reality, after coming agonisingly close in the past twice before, by securing victory at the Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt to claim his maiden world title. The 31-year-old found himself on the wrong side of the result in 2018 and 2021 to finish the season as the vice-world champion in both instances, and after Jacopo Testa's (AV Boards / Point-7 / AL360) almost perfect run in the final it looked as though the writing might be on the wall again. However, Bosson, dusted himself off, regrouped and then went toe-to-toe with the Italian in a pulsating Super Final in which the two sailors were almost inseperable with just 0.1 of a point between them. After many close calls in the past, this one finally went in the favour of Bosson and we recently caught up with the Frenchman for an interview which you can read below:

Hey Adrien, how’s it going? You’ve had a little bit of time for the news to settle in that you are the 2022 PWA Freestyle World Champion… how does it feel to finally get your hands on the top prize having missed out so narrowly twice before?

"Hi Chris,

I’m feeling good. After I came back home straight from Sylt, I could celebrate the title here with friends and family, and I went slowly back to my normal life. I got so overwhelmed by all the messages and so many people from my town congratulated me when I saw them at my centre.

Being World Champion was one my dreams when I was a kid starting windsurfing. I did my first PWA during summer 2009 after my high school diploma and I started the full tour in 2012. It has been a long way to get to the top level in freestyle and reaching the podium places. Since 2016 I had my first PWA podium and then the highest hopes came in my mind. So yes it feels so good to get it after trying so hard for so long."

Did you ever start to get a feeling that it may never happen for you? And what were your thoughts heading into Super Final against Jacopo?

"The final day was so stressful as I was waiting on top for the best rider of the day. I had everything to lose and Jacopo everything to win. Conditions were definitely not like in the single elimination with much lighter winds. I always get a bit more stressed when it is light, because the time is running faster, you have less opportunity to send moves, it is more about luck sometimes to get the gust or the ramp and I just prefer power In my sail when I am competing.

Jacopo was sailing amazing that day, the first final he had a perfect run and it was hard for me mentally to go into the super final. Before the super final I felt like it was a replay of 2018, winning the single in strong winds and losing the double in lighter conditions, but I just thought I have one more chance to go for it. Since I started competing I had so many tight losses and I know that there is always a chance to turn it into winning until the timer is not over. So I just kept doing my run during that heat, it ended up so close and turned my way. I just kept trying and finally it paid off! The taste feels even better as it would have been super hard to get another 2nd."

As always Sylt delivered super demanding Freestyle conditions, but you were one of the sailors who handled those conditions best… do you train a lot in tricky conditions and do you enjoy that kind of challenge?

"When I look back, I always had good fun sailing in Sylt and it is probably the event where I am the more constant and where I had my best results. I like to freestyle in chop and waves, I like strong winds as well. Every tricks feels better and it is much faster and higher.

I was really surprised to perform that well during the single as the conditions were really difficult and my warm up session was a disaster. As every summer I was working a lot, not much wind and not so much training on and off the water. I had two weeks in September to get back in shape for the upcoming world cup, so I didn’t feel really confident, but somehow I could perform good tricks as soon as the first heat started. I just kept on doing the same runs with big jumps going out and power moves coming in, it was a lot of fun ! With one or two PWA freestyle per year, finally we had proper hardcore conditions. I think last time it I had a fun freestyle event was in 2019… in Sylt ahaha."

How have you been celebrating since Sylt? And what are your plans for the winter?

"Of course and I’m still celebrating ;)

I will stay home until mid December, then I will head down south to have fun around CT.
I would like to go to the Canaries or Cabo Verde during the winter to do some wave sailing too.

Thanks for the interview and see you guys on the water"

Thanks, Adrien, and congratulations once again!

If you would like the chance to learn from one of the best in the business then also be sure to give Adrien's centre a follow on Instagram: @la_cahute_gliss_center

Backloop Top Tips

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 05:12:17 +0100

A couple of weeks ago Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails) released the first part of his backloop tutorial, now the 2015 PWA Freestyle World Champion is back with part two, which sees him breakdown the rotation and the landing phase.

Dieter Van der Eyken: “The backloop is one of the most technical and most fun moves out there in windsurfing.

Whether you are going for your first backloops or already land your backloops in this clip I will give you different key top tips for both the rotation and the landing of the move.

Tips that can help you land your first ones or get your backloops finally more consistent & controlled.

For the takeoff part be sure the check my previous clip @ https://youtu.be/4ff73tL_hlU

Let me know in the comments below which tip helped you the most for your backloop.

Big thanks for the sailors who send in some of their footage for this clip to have better example footage.

For regular updates on top tips & windsurfing coaching camps make sure to subscribe to my newsletter to always stay up to date.

http://eepurl.com/hyuqgX"

You can see part two @ https://youtu.be/vyroE0O_xss

Wave x Freestyle

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 07:30:31 +0200

What's better than Wave or Freestyle? Wave combined with Freestyle and that's exactly what the Fanatic and Duotone team have been busy enjoying in Maui, Hawaii.

Watch their latest clip @ https://youtu.be/gqhqv8MZ9Lo to see newly crowned Freestyle World Champion - Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) - in action alongside teammates - Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Duotone), Marc Paré (Fanatic / Duotone). Arthur Arutkin (Fanatic / Duotone / Black Project Fins) & Maria Andrés (Fanatic / Duotone).

20 Minute Challenge

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 10:07:47 +0200

Earlier this summer, Marc Paré (Fanatic / Duotone), Josep Pons (CS Custom Boards / Point-7) and Ben Proffitt took part in a frontside 360 challenge in Gran Canaria, see how the challenge went down now @ https://youtu.be/4ZQisezhs4A

Windsurfing.TV: "20 min heat… 3 riders – Marc Paré, Josep Pons and Ben Proffitt... who can do 3 different 360's (and the most) in 20mins?

Judges... you guys at home... tell me in the comments who you think won!"

Alaçati Wind Fest

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:39:12 +0200

With the success of the Youth & Junior Wave events in Gran Canaria and Denmark earlier this year, the PWA is delighted to add another Youth & Junior event to the calendar - this time in Alacati, Turkey, which you may remember as Alacati hosted world class PWA events for over 10 years and was always a firm favourite with the best racers in the world due to its idyllic conditions.

As we strive to create a stronger base for our sport in the Wave, Slalom, and Freestyle disciplines, the Alaçati Wind Fest, which will take place between 16th-20th November, will play an important role in helping to develop the next generation of racers and the PWA is happy to be able to add a Youth & Junior Slalom event in the waters of the beautiful Alaçati Bay

Having been a stalwart on the World Tour for years, this year will see the re-emergence of Slalom in the Aegean waters with a two discipline slalom event: 1. Fin only Slalom. 2. Foil only Slalom. The youth and juniors will be able to showcase their skills where they will be the stars of the show hosted at the Cagla Kubat Windsurf Academy. We look forward to a great event and the start of a new era in Alaçati bringing the Youth and Juniors to the forefront of the sport.

As previously mentioned the 2022 PWA Youth & Junior Slalom World Cup / Alaçatı Wind Fest will feature the following 2 disciplines:

1. Foil only Slalom
2. Fin only Slalom

Awards will be given to each discipline separately and sailors will be able to register for either discipline or both. Links for Event Registration and Notice of Race can be found below:

To register for the event visit @ https://form.jotform.com/222775773185063

Notice of Race: https://caglakubatwindsurf.com/download_file/view/1171/1

Gran Canaria Part II

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:05:55 +0200

Ricardo Campello (Naish / Naish Sails), who finished the 2022 season in 5th place, is back with the second part of his highlights from Gran Canaria this summer. As always, his latest edit is packed with radical action.

Ricardo Campello: "Part 2 of my Gran Canaria video, filled with good action and the best, crash part! check it out!"

You can enjoy Ricardo Campello's latest edit @ https://youtu.be/ZV-ao3qJd_4

Hood River

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 06:55:55 +0200

Hood River, AKA the Gorge, has long been known for its howling winds and lumpy waters making it a great spot for any budding wind enthusiasts.

Recently, Arnon Dagan (Future Fly / NeilPryde) and his team rider Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) headed out to the Gorge for a combination of slalom jumping and freestyle - the highlights of which you can see @ https://youtu.be/NNKTsWNgfhw

Whirlwind

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:32:00 +0200

At the recent Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt - Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) - would add to her already incredible haul of world titles - bringing the grand total to a staggering 20 now - with 13x Freestyle, 5x Slalom and 2x Wave. You can see a super short, but action packed clip of the Aruban's highlights thus far @ https://youtu.be/kNI53HStUk0

Sarah-Quita Offringa: "My year summed up in 45 seconds! I need more time to do all the trips I want to do."

Summer 2022

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 05:56:31 +0200

Carlos Kiefer Quintana (Fanatic / Duotone) already caught the eye when competing in the U13s division a couple of years ago. However, since then the hugely talented youth has been improving a rapid rate and has taken his sailing to an incredible level at the age of just 15-year-old.

Watch Carlos Kiefer Quintana’s latest edit @ youtu.be/QtVK_428Eo4 - consisting of his summer highlights and you’ll be amazed with double forwards, totally one-handed forward and backloops, plus much more.

Carlos Kiefer Quintana: ” Pozo 2022 and some of my skills at 15 years of age.
Bucket list for Summer 2023: pushforward and frontside 360.”

Technique Time

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 10:28:29 +0200

Have you been struggling with over rotated backloops or out of control straight jumps? If so, Dieter Van der Eyken might just have the key tip to improve your jumping.

Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails): “Looking back at the footage from the last Severne shoot I got a unique angle on the take-off towards a Backloop that is ideal to explain the mistake I see many people make when getting into jumping, both backloops as well as straight jumps.

In this 2 min clip, I explain the common mistake I see many people make in the take of towards the Backloop but also the take-off in normal high straight jumps that make them lose control.

This clip is based on side onshore conditions, the most common in most spots around the world for jumping, and focuses on creating the ideal run up towards a ramp/wave to get maximum control & height out of your jumps.

Besides the talking, there are extra key pointers are added in the text to break it down into different steps.

A more detailed explanation of the rotation in the air & the landing of the Backloop itself will follow soon as the focus here is on the take-off which is half of the job.

If you have any further questions, or comments please don’t hesitate to write them down below so I can get back to you a.s.a.p.

For specific coaching questions feel free to contact me by direct message.

Hope you enjoy the clips and can get more air time during your following session!”

You can see Dieter Van der Eyken’s top takeoff tip @ youtu.be/4ff73tL_hlU

The Storm Chaser

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 06:35:00 +0200

Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) is well known for his storm chasing escapades. Now the Frenchman has recently teamed up with Jack Pirie to record a new short movie "The Storm Chaser", which you can now see the premiere of @ https://vimeo.com/756733631

Jack Pirie: "The Storm Chaser is a new short film from writer/director Jack Pirie. The film follows storm-chasing legend Thomas Traversa as he embarks on a perilous journey in search of a mythical storm, the likes of which the world has never witnessed.

A genre-blurring docu-drama about the profound encounters between humans and nature at its extremes.

Featured on Directors Notes > directorsnotes.com/2022/10/10/jack-pirie-the-storm-chaser/

We shot most of the windsurfing footage over three days with a crew of just four people, mostly around Northern Spain. Much like the themes of the film itself, production was a constant and humbling game of chess, waiting for the moment when the weather was ready to give us what we needed (a Producer’s worst nightmare). Pierre Bouras, the legendary (and superhuman) Jetski driver, was given the task of riding alongside Thomas with the cameraman Jamie Hancock (windsurfing cinematographer) clutching on the back, skirting the edges of 14+ ft high waves trying to avoid being devoured, and capturing tiny moments of Thomas in flow."