Tenerife PWA World Cup

Event Summary: Tenerife delivers outstanding conditions for 5th consecutive year as Victor Fernandez and Daida Moreno reign supreme

At the start of the week the forecast was looking marginal at best for the fifth edition of the Tenerife PWA World Cup and there was more a question of whether it would be possible to gain a result - rather than trying to predict who would win. 

In the four years prior Tenerife had always delivered outstanding conditions and thankfully the wind and wave gods were smiling upon us again to setup an at one-time unlikely grandstand finale to end of the event. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday solid waves were accompanied by winds gusting in excess of 50 knots creating world class conditions in El Medano once more - as the world’s most radical sailors produced what the Head Judge Duncan Coombs described as someone of the best jumping ever seen.

Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North / MFC) was truly on-song in the double elimination - just as he was in Pozo - as the Spaniard denied Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne) a maiden victory on the PWA Wave World Tour to be crowned champion, whilst Daida Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) maintained her unbeaten record for 2015 to extend her lead at the top of the overall rankings.

Men’s

Just as in Pozo Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North / MFC) hit top form in the double elimination to defeat Jaeger Stone twice in the double elimination to become the first man other than Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) to stand at the top of the podium in Tenerife. The Spaniard delivered a supreme performance as he combined full rail gouging turns with radical goiters - as well as landing numerous perfect double forwards and huge one-footed backloops to topple Stone from the top. Victory in Tenerife sees Fernandez assume control at the top of overall rankings.

Jaeger Stone wowed both the crowds and the judges throughout the week with this radical wave riding - consisting of super fluid and stylish vertical snaps together with radical takas right in the pocket. The Aussie went all the way for the first time in his career in the single elimination to claim victory, but couldn’t quite hang onto a maiden win in the double. Stone made an explosive start to the double elimination final with a fully planing tweaked pushloop, but that cost him dearly with his board snapping a few minutes later. The twenty-four year old still pushed Fernandez all the way and whilst disappointed not to clinch his first victory added: “It’s obviously a bit disappointing to snap the board, but that’s competition. The bigger board felt a bit big in the air, but I’d have taken second place if someone had have offered me at the start of the week. I’ll just try to learn from the whole experience and come back stronger.” Stone’s standout performance sees him move up into third place overall.

Philip Köster took an earlier than expected exit in the single - 5th - after going down to an on fire Jaeger Stone. However, the two-time world champion was firing on all cylinders in the double as he thrived in the nuclear winds that he is so used to sailing in at home in Pozo. Köster is renowned for his jumping ability and his performance of Saturday was nothing short of exceptional as he launched into fully planing doubles and some of the biggest and cleanest pushloop forwards ever seen. The twenty-one year old left a trail of destruction on his way to defeating - Adam Lewis (Fanatic / North / SWOX), Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing  / MFC), Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins / SWOX), Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD) and finally Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC) to fight back into the top three - before eventual winner Victor Fernandez halted his comeback. Köster now occupies second place in the overalls after two events.

Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD) sits in fourth place overall after finishing in joint fifth in Tenerife. The Spaniard produced a near perfect wave riding performance in Heat 32 against Köster as he earned outstanding wave scores of 9.38 and 10.12 points - landing the biggest frontside 3 witnessed in competition to reassert his name as the frontside 3 King.

Ricardo Campello moves up to fifth in the overall rankings after claiming fourth place in Tenerife. Campello produced one of the jumping performances of the week in Heat 33 - landing an amazing pushloop forward and a massive double forward. The thirty year old actually out jumped Köster - the only man to do so in the entire week - but couldn’t find the wave scores he needed meaning he missed out by just 0.88 of a point despite a heroic jumping effort.

Reigning world champion - Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) - occupies sixth place overall after the second event of the year. The Frenchman again showed his superb wave reading skills to deliver the trademark late hits we’ve become accustomed to seeing, but could only manage joint 7th here. Traversa will now be hoping to head to Cold Hawaii and retain his event title to kick start the defence of his title.

Dany Bruch (Starboard / Challenger Sails / AL360) backed up his excellent start to the season - 4th in Pozo - with another top ten finish at his home-spot. The German was able to defeat Klaas Voget (Fanatic / Simmer / MFC) in an extremely close heat to book his place in the top ten - as he final wave of the heat proved to be the difference such was the closeness between the two sailors. Bruch was hampered by a shoulder injury sustained during the event, but came up against an on-form Robby Swift in the next round, who ended his comeback. Bruch now sits in seventh place overall.

Robby Swift was in fine form in the double elimination as he rotated through several excellent double forwards, whilst impressing on the wave with powerful going turns to earn himself sixth place overall in Tenerife after defeating Dany Bruch and Thomas Traversa. Swift’s fine start to the season sees him rise to eighth in the overall world rankings. 

2013 PWA Wave World Champion - Marcilio Browne - returns to the world’s overall top ten after claiming joint seventh in El Medano. The Brazilian again showed his world class jumping ability as he landed a monstrous stalled double, but was unlucky to run into Philip Köster who stopped him from progressing any further in the double elimination. 

Britain’s Adam Lewis completes the overall top ten at this stage of the season after storming back through the double elimination. Lewis lost out to fellow countryman - Ben Proffitt (Simmer) - in the first round of the single, but was on fire in the double as he defeated Julian Salmonn (Severne), teammate Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / North) and Aleix Sanllehy (Tabou / GA Sails) to battle back into joint 9th place. 

Women’s 

Daida Moreno protected her unbeaten record for 2015 with another jumping masterclass to keep her sister - Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) - at bay. Daida landed huge table top forwards and super stylish backloops, whilst also linking together fluid waves to reign supreme once more and extend her lead at the top of the rankings.

Iballa Moreno looked to be in unstoppable form in the double elimination as she produced several waves in the excellent range as she combined fluid vertical turns with an outstanding frontside aerial to firstly defeat Amanda Beenen (99NoveNove / Point-7) and secure her place in the top two. Iballa looked to be in good shape in the final too with another two excellent waves in the bag, but crucially couldn’t land her second jump, meaning she was powerless to stop Daida gaining victory number two of the season.

Amanda Beenen was clearly delighted with her efforts this week as she earned herself a well deserved podium finish for the first time in her career. Beenen edged a narrow duel against Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins) in the battle for third and fourth with just 0.37 of a point separating them. In the end it was Beenen’s massive forward which proved to be the difference. The twenty-eight year old also pushed Iballa Moreno all the way in the next heat - landing a radical tabletop forward on the way - but couldn't quite stay ahead despite a great effort. 

Sarah-Quita Offringa completes the overall top three at this stage of the season after another excellent performance. Offringa landed perfect pushloops and forwards, whilst executing some slashy turns on the wave as she continue to progress. The Aruban gem finished the week in fourth place overall.

Steffi Wahl (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg) showed once again that she is one of the most stylish wave riders on the tour as she combined more fluid backside smacks with vertical frontside snaps, but unfortunately despite getting the better of the waves couldn’t stop Sarah-Quita Offringa from progressing in the battle for fourth and fifth. Wahl sits in fifth place overall after the second event of the year. 

Alice Arutkin (Fanatic / North) and Justyna Sniady (Simmer / Mystic) share joint sixth in the overall rankings after both finishing in joint seventh for the second successive event.

Youth’s 

Marc Paré (99NoveNove / Simmer / Maui Ultra Fins) was disappointed with his third place finish in Pozo but responded in the perfect fashion in Tenerife. The seventeen year old landed a text-book backloop before earning 9 points on his final wave as he rotated through a stylish taka to steal the victory from under the nose of Julian Salmonn, whilst the podium was completed by Noah Vocker (Fanatic / North / Maui Ultra Fins)

Siam Park Dunkerbeck Challenge

The curtain was brought down on the 2015 Tenerife PWA World Cup in spectacular fashion as Ricardo Campello stole the show at Siam Park for the Dunkerbeck Challenge, which took place on the final night. Campello dominated the event last year and this time around it was no different as he landed an absolutely insane double pushloop to defeat Adam Lewis - who took home second place - and Antoine Martin (JP / NeilPryde / MFC) - who completed the podium.

Tenerife pulled through again in the end despite a shaky looking forecast at the start of the week to provide another scintillating week of action, packed with some of the biggest stunts ever seen. El Medano once again show cased itself as a world class destination for wave sailing and the PWA would like to extend their thanks to the locals for the fantastic hospitality again and to Dany and his team for making the event possible. 

Where’s Next on the PWA World Tour?

After a short break the men’s slalom fleet are readying themselves for their fourth battle of the season, whilst the women will be returning to action for the first time since Korea in May as both slalom fleets prepare to once again descend upon the beautiful turquoise waters of Alacati from the 17th-22nd August - for what promises to be another adrenaline-fuelled week of racing. Make sure you tune into www.pwaworldtour.com to follow the event as it happens. 

Result Men’s Double Elimination - Tenerife PWA World Cup:

1st Victor Fernández (Fanatic / North / MFC)

2nd Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne)

3rd Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)

4th Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC)

5th Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD)

6th Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins / SWOX)

7th Thomas Traversa F3 (Tabou / GA Sails)

7th Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC)

9th Adam Lewis (Fanatic / North)

9th Florian Jung (RRD / Gun Sails)

9th Camille Juban (Quatro / Avanti)

9th Dany Bruch (Starboard / Challenger Sails / AL360)

Result Women’s Double Elimination - Tenerife PWA World Cup:

1st Daida Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)

2nd Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)

3rd Amanda Beenen (99NoveNove / Point-7)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)

5th Steffi Wahl (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg)

6th Greta Benvenuti (Patrik / Point-7 / AL360)

7th Alice Arutkin (Fanatic / North)

7th Justyna Sniady (Simmer / Mystic)

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