Mercedes-Benz Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam

Day 5: Bosson Levels Up Freestyle World Title Race After Claiming First Victory, While Offringa & Campello Win Wave Single Eliminations

The non-stop action continued on Day 5 of the Mercedes-Benz Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam as a further 11 hours of competition was completed the most hardcore conditions of the event yet as the North Sea brewed up a storm that claimed a few victims along the way. By the end of the day a further 3 results have been gained in the Men’s and Women’s Wave and Men’s Freestyle.

Wave

Women’s - Single Elimination

The Women’s semifinal saw an incredibly high level as Lina Erpenstein (Severne / Severne Sails), Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins), Steffi Wahl (Sailloft Hamburg and Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) went all out in the battle for a place in the Winners’ Final.

In the a-panel of Heat 15 Offringa faced Erpenstein and it was the German who made a flying start as she immediately launched into a big backloop to earn 5.38 points, but Offringa soon pegged back Erpenstein by linking together a 7.07 point wave before then going into the excellent range as she landed a frontside air - 8.55 points to advance into the final. Meanwhile, Iballa Moreno, successfully booked her place in the Winners’ Final by defeating Steffi Wahl. Iballa made a strong start as she landed a huge forward loop and then she too landed a frontside aerial to advance.

Unfortunately for the Winners’ Final the wind swung more onshore, so Heat 17 was a slight anti-climax after such a high level in the semifinals. For a long time it looked as though Iballa was on course for victory after kicking things off with a massive backloop - 5.88 points - while Offringa crashes her tweaked pushloop attempt, but Iballa find the wave scores she needed to kill Offringa off and that proved costly in the end with Offringa staging a late comeback as she posted her best two wave scores with her last two efforts - 5.12 points and 4.12 points - to snatch the victory from Iballa’s grasp.

In the battle for 3rd and 4th there was almost nothing to separate Lina Erpenstein and Steffi Wahl with both girls going blow for blow throughout Heat 16. In the end there was less than half a point separating them, but the verdict went the way of Erpenstein, who takes home 3rd place in the single elimination.

The opening round of the Women’s Double Elimination was also completed and Arrianne Aukes (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins), Justyna Sniady (Simmer / Simmer Sails / AL360) and Maaike Huvermann (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) are all safely through.

Men’s - Single Elimination

In the rerun of the Men’s Winners’ Final Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) started in the same fashion as yesterday as he opened proceedings with a planing backloop. However, Ricardo Campello (Brunotti Boards / Point-7) hit back almost immediately by landing the first double forward of the contest and then quickly added a solid 6 point wave to his scoresheet to take the initiative in the final. For a while Traversa’s timing seemed slightly off, but the Frenchman hurled himself back Into contention as he landed a frontside 360 before backing it up to earn the highest single wave score of the final - just under 8.5 points. Unfortunately for Traversa, Campello then followed suit on the wave behind to reestablish his advantage which proved pivotal. Traversa did have one more chance but he couldn’t quite land his massive frontside 360 attempt and with it the victory was deservedly Campello’s.

Meanwhile, Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD Sails) sailed through the pain barrier, after injuring his ankle yesterday, to claim 3rd place by defeating Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses) in a very close duel. In fact Mussolini needed a last minute wave to turn the result on it’s head.

Double Elimination 

Title Race

At the start of the event there were 5 title contenders, but at the close of play today that number has dropped to 4 after Antony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails) completed an unlikely double in today’s Double Elimination as he once again proved to be Marcilio Browne’s (Goya Windsurfing) nemesis. 

That leaves Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Duotone / Shamal Sunglasses), Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) and Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses) all still in the hunt as they look to deny event and world tour leader Ricardo Campello a maiden wave world title.

Köster began his comeback through the Double Elimination today and is still alive and kicking in the race for the title after winning 4 heats on the spin against - Dieter van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails), Moritz Mauch (Severne / Severne Sails), Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / SWOX) and Josep Pons (Simmer / Simmer Sails) and will now face Antony Ruenes next. Köster had to produce a couple of late escapes in a couple of heats, but also pulled of a few moments of magic and he’ll be raring to go early tomorrow morning. Köster requires a top 2 finish to win the title.

The same is also true for Fernandez, who would have been wrong to think that teammate and good friend - Klaas Voget (Fanatic / Duotone) - was going to go easy on him in Heat 28a as the German went all out for the victory. In the end Fernandez’s clinical double forward was the difference and he will now face Leon Jamaer (JP / NeilPryde), who continues to take maximum risk with critically late hits. The German needed the result to be overturned against Adam Lewis (Fanatic / Duotone / SWOX) in Heat 28b after a one-foot backloop was judged as a regular backloop. At the end of the heat there was just 0.06 of a point between them, so upon being shown video evidence the result was changed. 

Having finished 4th in the Single Elimination - Jaeger Stone - is the last title contender, but in order to win his first world title nothing but a victory will suffice for the Australian. He awaits his opponent in Heat 32.

Freestyle

Single Elimination 

Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) was the standout sailor today as the Frenchman levelled up the Freestyle World title race by claiming his first victory in a Single Elimination with a hugely impressive and explosive display of sailing. 

The 27-year-old posted a heat score of 155.4 points in 3 consecutive heats as he showed not just an explosive array of moves, but also the level of consistency that is required to go all the way. Bosson’s victory was made all the more impressive as he defeated two-time vice-world champion - Amado Vrieswijk (JP / Severne), who was below par but can have absolutely no complaints, 2011 PWA Freestyle World Champion and Freestyle juggernaut - Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP / Gun Sails) - and then last but not least 8-time PWA Freestyle World Champion - Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / Duotone) - who classed today some of the hardest conditions he has ever sailed in. The Venezuelan posted the highest scoring heat of the day - 163.3 points - against Sam Esteve (JP / NeilPryde) in the semifinals, but couldn’t quite replicate that score in the final.

Meanwhile, Van Broeckhoven won the battle for 3rd and 4th between himself and Esteve, which guarantees him his best result since 2014 - when he won the event in Leucate, France. 

Title Race

It is now looks like a straight fight for the title between teammates Adrien Bosson and Gollito Estredo with Amado Vrieswijk now out of the running for this year’s title. Yentel Caers (JP / Point-7) can still mathematically win the title, but faces an extremely tall order to do that as he would need to win the entire event, which would require him to win 11 consecutive heats from now. In this scenario, Gollito, Bosson and Caers would all finish tied on 19,800 points, but Caers would win the tie break unless the decision was made to sail several sail offs. However, that is a long way away right now and we will visit that if and when it becomes more of a possibility. 

The opening two rounds of the Men’s Double Elimination were also completed. 

With the wind and waves expected to be at their strongest and biggest tomorrow morning an early call has been made for the Wave fleet - with the hope of trying to complete the Double Eliminations - if conditions are suitable. Skippers’ meeting times for all disciplines can be found below.

Skippers’ Meeting Times Day 6 (All Times GMT+2)

- Wave Skippers' Meeting - 7:30am - first possible start 8am
- Freestyle Skippers' Meeting - 8am - first possible start 8:30am
- Slalom Skippers' Meeting - 10am - first possible start 11am

To stay up to date with all the latest developments from Germany — including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page.

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Result Women’s Wave Mercedes-Benz PWA Super Grand Slam - Single Elimination

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU - Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)

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

3rd Lina Erpenstein (GER - Severne / Severne Sails)

4th Steffi Wahl (GER - Sailloft Hamburg)

Result Men’s Wave Mercedes-Benz PWA Super Grand Slam - Single Elimination

1st Ricardo Campello (BRA/VEN - Brunotti Boards / Point-7)

2nd Thomas Traversa (FRA - Tabou / GA Sails)

3rd Alex Mussolini (ESP - RRD / RRD Sails)

4th Jaeger Stone (AUS - Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses)

5th Josep Pons (ESP - Simmer / Simmer Sails)

5th Victor Fernandez (ESP - Fanatic / Duotone / Shamal Sunglasses)

5th Adam Lewis (ENG - Fanatic / Duotone / SWOX)

5th Antony Ruenes (FRA - Tabou / GA Sails)

Result Men’s Freestyle Mercedes-Benz PWA Super Grand Slam - Single Elimination

1st Adrien Bosson (FRA - Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)

2nd Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (VEN - Fanatic / Duotone)

3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL - JP / GunSails / Shamal Sunglasses)

4th Sam Esteve (FRA - JP / NeilPryde)

5th Loick Spicher (SUI - RRD / RRD Sails)

5th Amado Vrieswijk (NB - JP / Severne)

5th Dieter van der Eyken (BEL - Severne / Severne Sails)

5th Balz Müller (SUI - MB-Boards / Severne Sails)

Current Ranking 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam - Men’s Slalom
*After Two Eliminations 

1st Pierre Mortefon (FRA - Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins)

2nd Antoine Albeau (FRA - RRD / NeilPryde)

3rd Antoine Questel (FRA - Starboard / S2Maui)

4th Ross Williams (GBR - Tabou / GA Sails / Shamal Sunglasses)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (FRA - RRD / Severne)

6th Matteo Iachino (ITA - Starboard / Severne / Shamal Sunglasses)

7th Julien Quentel (SXM - Patrik / Avanti)

8th Basile Jacquin (FRA - RRD / Point-7)

9th Nicolas Warembourg (FRA - JP / NeilPryde)

10th Andrea Ferin (ITA - RRD / Challenger Sails / AL360)

Current Ranking 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam - Men’s Foil
*After Two Eliminations

1st Matteo Iachino (ITA - Starboard / Severne / Shamal Sunglasses)

2nd Antoine Albeau (FRA - RRD / NeilPryde)

3rd Nicolas Goyard (FRA - Tabou / GA Sails)

4th Alexandre Cousin (FRA - Patrik / GA Sails / Chopper Fins)

5th Julien Bontemps (FRA - JP / NeilPryde)

6th Amado Vrieswijk (NB - JP / Severne)

7th Antoine Questel (FRA- Starboard / S2Maui)

8th Mateus Isaac (BRA - JP / NeilPryde)

9th Arnon Dagan (ISR - RRD / NeilPryde)

10th Steve Allen (AUS - Patrik / Severne)

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