Catalunya PWA World Cup

Round 3 of the PWA World Slalom Tour took place in the beautiful Bay of Roses, located in the Costa Brava region of Catalunya, Spain. It was slalom sailing at its best, hammering winds meant massive action allowing 8 eliminations to take place.

Competition opened up straight away as the local Tramontana wind kicked in directly after registration. The race crew laid down an enormous four-gybe downwind course, to test the world’s best to the maximum. Winds blowing 30 knots ensured 7 races could be completed in the first three days and a further elimination was spread out over the remainder of the event.

Battling through the high winds Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) managed to secure himself a massive lead, taking the top position in the first four rounds. As the week progressed the conditions calmed allowing Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / Dunkerbeck Eyewear) to return to form securing two race wins of his own. Not wanting to lose out on his event winner status Albeau put in a stunning performance, absolutely dominating the 7^th race.

The conditions really backed off for elimination 8. Spread over three days, it wasn’t until the closing hour of the competition that Catalunya provided winds strong enough to compete. With little to lose Albeau looked to be taking things easy.  Dunkerbeck came in second, enough to boost his ranking at this event and hold onto the series lead. Special mention has to go to Alberto Menegatti (Starboard/ Gaastra) for winning his first PWA race.

Race by race

Elimination 1 – Battle commences

The big names returned to Catalunya to prove that experience pays, off easily cruising through the early heats. Dunkerbeck fell victim to a crashed gybe at the first mark of the semi-finals and failed to qualify for the winner’s final.

With Dunkerbeck missing in the winner’s final Antoine Albeau took the opportunity to get a notch on the scoreboard and mark his return, having played second fiddle to Dunkerbeck in the previous two events.

Elimination 2- Costa Brava carnage

Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails) and Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / DaKine) claimed first place positions all the way to the winner’s final where they went on to  take third and sixth place respectively.

Dunkerbeck took two big hits in the semi-final resulting in a broken mast and again missing out on a place in the winners final.

The loser’s final saw the Tramontana hitting speeds of 30 knots at the start line catching many of the sailors out who were still on their big gear. The sailors were barely able to hold on as they blasted around the course.

Albeau cleaned up in the second elimination by sailing the perfect round, securing first place in each heat and a well-earned victory in the winner’s final.

Elimination 3- Tearing Tramontana

Costa Brava delivered a day to remember with a cross shore breeze blowing well above 40 knots. Complex slalom conditions took the sailors to the limit. Many of them struggled to complete the course in the early heats; with gear too big, the wind proved too much to contend with.

Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North Sails) put in a sterling performance, his childhood high wind experiences obviously paying off as he took down challengers heat by heat.

Albeau pushed the start hard in the winner’s final but a drag race down the straight put Cyril in first. Albeau’s spectacular gybe saw him take the inside line and distance himself from the rest of the pack. It came down to Cyril Moussilmani and Pascal Toselli (RRD/ Point- 7) to fight it out for 2^nd and 3^rd.

Elimination 4- Survival mode

The wind was still howling for elimination 4 but by this time the sailors were well tuned into the crazy conditions.

The loser’s final was a really tidy affair. Faultless sailing in this heat kept the pack really close together until the final marks. Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde) battled his way to the winning post closely followed by Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde) and Ludovic Jossin (Loft).

Dunkerbeck’s debut in the winner’s final saw him off to a slow start but his spectacular sailing allowed him to push past the fleet into 3^rd place. Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft Sails / Mystic) erupted out of the starting gates, but he was unable to match Albeau’s straight line speed. Albeau stole the race win with a lead well over 100 meters.

Elimination 5- Rise of Dunkerbeck

The Tramontana dropped it down a notch for day three’s racing, providing much more comfortable conditions for the sailors to compete in.

Angulo’s demise came early on in the losers final before they were even racing; his premature start ensured an early exit. Benoit Moussilmani (Tabou / Simmer) took first place having duelled all the way to the finish line with Toselli.

An electric final marked the return of Dunkerbeck. Timing the start to perfection he flew in front of the fleet. Albeau’s attempt to take his inside line only resulted in a loss of speed. It came down to a man on man show-down at the final mark where a stunning gybe from Dunkerbeck drove him clear ahead of Albeau providing him with enough ground to win.

Elimination 6 – Dunkerbeck’s double

Reduced winds put the sailors on sails around 8.6m for elimination 6.

The winner’s final saw the sailors take it easy on the start line, not wanting to make a mistake at this crucial point in the competition. Buzianis took the lead around the first mark, drama came when Albeau dropped his gybe causing Dunkerbeck to pile into the back of him. Buzianis, Volwater and Van Der Steen led the charge around the second and third marks. Dunkerbeck managed to use his upwind advantage to bear away and overtake the five sailors ahead of him to claim a comeback from sixth to first, leaving Buzianis reeling in shock.

Elimination 7 – Albeau strikes back

Van Der Steen and Cyril Moussilmani’s early demise saw them open up more room for Dunkerbeck to make it into the winner’s final.

Three men stole the show in the losers final; Angulo’s aggressive start put him in the lead early. Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra) and Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North) fought it out for 2^nd and 3^rd until the fourth mark. Williams return came on the final straight taking down Angulo and Mortefon, as he claimed this race as his own.

Albeau stormed the winner’s final of elimination 7 opening up a tremendous gap early on; this race was his from the start.  Dunkerbeck started off buried at the back, he managed to reel in the rest of fleet however he was unable to make the distance Albeau had created.

Elimination 8 – Frustrating Fluctuations

Spread over three days, elimination 8 fell victim to inconsistent conditions. The sailors waited patiently for the thermal to kick in each afternoon. It wasn’t until the closing hours of the competition that Catalunya provided enough wind creating a turn in the results.

Menegatti managed to win his first PWA race leaving Dunkerbeck to take second, moving his event ranking from third to second. Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North) moved down into fourth.

Winners Quote

Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde)

“I am feeling good; this is the first event I have won this year. I did really well at the beginning winning four races in a row, and then a 2^nd and 3^rd. Today was hard so I didn’t want to push too much. Now I am feeling confident for the rest of the season”

Event results

1^st Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) 5.5
2^nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear) 21.4
3^rd Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard /Loft / Mystic) 24.0
4^th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North) 32.0
5^th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde) 34.0
6^th Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails) 39.0
7^th Pascal Toselli (RRD / Point-7) 50.5
8^th Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde) 53.5
9^th Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / Da Kine) 54.0
10^th Sylvain Moussilmani (Tabou / Simmer) 57.5

Current overall standings
Men (after 3 events)

1^st Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear)
2^nd Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde)
3^rd Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North)
4^th Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard /Loft / Mystic)
5^th Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails)
6^th Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / DaKine)
7^th Jimmy Diaz (Starboard / North)
8^th Micah Buzianis (JP/ NeilPryde)
9^th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde)
10^th Benoit Moussilmani (Tabou / Simmer)

Albeau has proven that he is still very much in the fight, but despite a near disastrous start Dunkerbeck did enough to protect his fragile lead in the PWA Slalom Ranking, going into the next Event in Aruba in June. With just a few points separating the 2 giants of Slalom, and a further 4 events remaining, the title is still very much up for grabs!

Back on the road

The PWA team will now be heading to the beautiful island of Bonaire in the Caribbean for round three of the Freestyle world cup taking place on Jun 12 - Jun 16 2011. The island’s trade winds provide perfect, steady conditions for flat-water sailing in beautiful Lac Bay, where shallow waters and a clear sandy bottom will provide an excellent environment for the world’s top freestylers to do battle.

Scope the action

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