Gran Canaria PWA World Cup
Another full day of competition on day two of the Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival saw both the men’s and women’s double eliminations completed as Pozo delivered the goods again - with further strong winds and excellent waves for the majority of the day. At the start of play Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) and Daida Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) were looking to defend their double elimination crowns and that’s exactly what they managed to do as they make a perfect start to the season. However, there were several other standout performances today as several sailors battled their way back through the double elimination in both the men’s and women’s divisions.
Men’s
Comeback Kids
Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North / MFC) won the most heats out of anyone today as the Spaniard won six heats on the bounce to improve his joint fifth place in the single to second overall for the contest. Yesterday Fernandez looked below his usual polished best, but he was in devastating form in the double as he ended the hopes of; Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / North), Antoine Martin (JP / NeilPryde), Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne), Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails), Dany Bruch (Starboard / Challenger Sails / AL360) and finally Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD) to complete an amazing comeback - landing countless perfect double forwards, monster backloops and text-book goiters.
Jaeger Stone was the other standout sailor of the day in the men’s fleet as he won four successive heats to move up to sixth overall. The Australian landed a fully planing goiter out in the flats to dispatch of Josep Pons Casanova, before pulling off a last minute bolt upright double to end Marcilio Browne’s (Goya Windsurfing / MFC) hopes. Stone then defeated Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins / SWOX) in a close fought heat, before advancing past Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC) with Stone’s wave scores proving to be the difference, although Campello did feel that his pushloop forward was underscored. Stone’s charge back through the double was finally ended by Victor Fernandez.
Winners’ Final
Fernandez’s reward for his comeback was a dual against Philip Köster in the men’s final and both sailors produced a fantastic display. However, just like yesterday, Köster was in imperious form from the word go. The twenty-one year olds first run proved fruitless with no ramps appearing, but the next time around he launched into an absolutely brilliant planing double forward, before stomping an ankle-dry pushloop forward. On the wave Köster was in similarly devastating form as he combined a sick air shaka off the lip with a couple of vert, powerful frontside snaps. Fernandez tried to reply with tweaked backside airs and perfectly executed goiters, but it wasn’t enough to overhaul Köster’s lead as the German made the perfect start to the year.
Philip Köster reacts to remaining unbeaten in Pozo this year and becoming the champion:
“I’m super stoked to win again today - I want to say thanks to Iballa and Daida for making the event possible. It’s been an amazing event with great conditions and I always enjoy competing here. The final was very tough with Victor, who had been on fire. I was nervous before the final, but thankfully things went my way and I’m very happy to win it.”
Women’s
Winners’ Final
Reigning world champion - Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) - defeated Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins) to set up another final against her sister Daida. If Iballa was to win the event then she would need to beat Daida twice. However, Daida, was in no mood to give Iballa a second chance as she produced a clinical performance - particularly in the jumping department where she landed a massive stalled forward and a completely one-handed backloop - for the entire rotation. Things didn’t quite click for Iballa in the final and it was soon revealed that Daida would once again be the champion of Pozo.
Daida Moreno speaks after winning the 2015 Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival:
“I’m really stoked, this is a really special place for me, even though people might think I’m winning all the time. For me it’s just the proof that I push really hard and my training and all my hours on the water have paid off. This year is also really special to me because I finished university and now i’ll have much more time for training. Me and Iballa have great support from out sponsors - especially Anfi, Severne and Starboard, so we can go ahead and compete on the whole tour and try to get the best results in the world. Last year I managed to win here and in Tenerife, but that doesn’t mean that I can win the overall title as last year proved, but it’s a really a good start and like I said this place is special to me, which makes it more special.”
Steffi Wahl (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg) won four heats in a row today with her stylish backside riding doing plenty of damage together with her consistent forward loops. The German defeated Waka Nishida (Goya Windsurfing), Justyna Sniady (Simmer) and Caterina Stenta (RRD / RRD / Maui Ultra Fins) - who also impressed with her stylish wave riding to earn her best event result so far - before also beating Amanda Beenen (99NoveNove / Point-7). Wahl then faced Sarah-Quita Offringa in the battle for third and fourth and looked to have gotten the better of the lady from Aruba, before Offringa snatched the victory with her final wave to earn her second podium finish on the PWA Wave World Tour.
Overall Men's Results Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival Festival PWA World Cup:
1st Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Victor Fernández (Fanatic / North / MFC)
3rd Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD)
4th Dany Bruch (Starboard / Challenger Sails / AL360)
5th Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails)
6th Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne)
7th Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC)
7th Antoine Martin (JP / NeilPryde)
9th Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins / SWOX)
9th Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / North)
9th Omar Sánchez (Angulo / KA Sail / Dunkerbeck Eyewear)
9th Jules Denel (JP / NeilPryde)
Overall Women's Results Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival PWA World Cup:
1st Daida Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Steffi Wahl (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg)
5th Amanda Beenen (99NoveNove / Point-7)
6th Caterina Stenta (RRD / RRD / Maui Ultra Fins)