The PWA Hawaii Pro – Presented By Severne Sails Preview
The event we have all been waiting for is all set to roll…For the first time in four years, the Professional Windsurfing Association are returning to the spiritual home of windsurfing; Hookipa Beach Park, Maui, Hawaii, for the PWA Hawaii Pro presented by Severne Sails.
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Commencing on the 29th March and running through until the 5th of April the worlds elite wave sailors will gather at Hookipa to battle it out at the worlds most famous wave sailing break. The $30,000 Prize fund will be split between the fleets with $25,000 allocated to the men and $5000 to the women although the real prize is the prestige that goes with winning a Hawaiian wave sailing event. Past winners at Hookipa include, Jason Polakow, Nik Baker, Robby Naish, Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Rush Randle and Dave Kalama. To join this elite list of Maui winners is probably the ultimate goal of every sailor on the PWA wave tour.
Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands, is home to many of the worlds top wave sailors. Its position means that it receives uninterrupted Pacific Ocean swells combined with steady trade winds making it a superb wave sailing venue. Five miles outside the windsurf town of Paia is Hookipa, the worlds most famous wave sailing break and every contest there is filled with expectation of epic conditions. Trade winds generally kick in around 11 am and usually blow around 10-25 knots. The winds, combined with huge swells breaking onto Maui’s notorious reefs, Hookipa is perfectly set up for cross offshore pure down the line wave riding.
This years PWA Hawaii Pro is all set up to be a classic event with a prestigious line up which includes current wave champion Josh Angulo, Brazilian samba sensation, Kauli Seadi (AHD, Naish), Australian wave guru Scott Mckercher (Starboard), ex world champ Jason Polakow (JP, Neil Pryde), Francisco Goya (Fanatic) of Argentina, Britain’s Nik Baker (Mistral, North) and Kevin Pritchard (Gaastra, starboard). Many sailors will have to qualify for the main event during a one-day trial event to be held on the 29th March. The qualifying entry list is already looking formidable with the likes of Jason Stone (Gaastra), Sam Ireland (Neil Pryde, Starboard), Sean Ordonez, Jason Prior and Rush Randle all without rankings and forced to battle it out with the Hawaiian locals for the right to compete. To date the women’s fleet has attracted 18 entries which includes the likes of Daida Moreno (Mistral, North), Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows) Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North) Anne Marie Reichman (Naish), Jennifer Henderson (Starboard) and Colette Guadagnino.
The event will conclude with a huge party on the 5th of April where the winners of the PWA Hawaii Pro, presented by Severne Sails will be crowned. Stay tuned to the PWA web site for all the news, pictures and results brought to you daily when the event kicks off on the 29th March.