SOMWR Movement 10 x Marignane PWA Grand Slam
Day 9 of the 2021 SOMWR Movement 10 x Marignane PWA Grand Slam saw a tow-in Freestyle contest held in the afternoon with very light winds meaning there was no chance of official competition.
After the completion of the tow-in contest, the 2021 PWA World Champions were presented in Marignane with 7 new World Champions being crowned by the end of the day.
Tow-in Freestyle
14 sailors signed up for the tow-in Freestyle contest in the afternoon - with 12 men and 2 women registering. The sailors were given two attempts each to land their best move - with the highest scoring move to count.
In the end, Youp Schmit (Tabou / GA Sails), took home the victory after landing a double culo, which earned him 8.33 points. Newly crowned Freestyle World Champion - Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne) - came close to reeling in his countryman, but his air funnel burner fell slightly short at 7.83 points. Steven Van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS) completes the podium after receiving 7.66 points for a triple funnel attempt.
2021 World Champions
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) came into 2021 SOMWR Movement 10 x Marignane PWA Grand Slam with 17-world-titles to her name, but just 9 days later the Aruban can now call herself a 19-time World Champion after adding the 2021 Freestyle & Slalom world titles to her current haul. Maaike Huvermann (Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) finishes the season as the Freestyle vice-world champion again, whilst Oda Brødholt (Starboard / Severne) completes the prestigious podium. Marion Mortefon once again finishes as the vice-world champion in Slalom, whilst Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) completes the overall top 3.
Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL) won the Foil event in Israel earlier this year and with no races being completed here the 29-year-old walks away from 2021 with a maiden world title. Meanwhile, Helle Oppedal (Duotone) and Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne / Starboard Foil) both earn their first overall podium finishes on the world tour.
Nicolas Goyard (Phantom Windsurfing) produced an amazing performance in Israel to blow away the rest of the fleet and with no racing here the 25-year-old claims his second world title having won the Foil World Championship in 2019. With Slalom & Foil merging together in the men’s division the racing side of the sport is evolving and at the moment it is Goyard who is leading the way. 2019 Slalom World Champion - Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL) - finishes this year as the vice-world champion, whilst William Huppert (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL) is perhaps the shock result of the season. The 26-year-old completes the prestigious overall podium having only achieved one top 10 finish before this year, so his hard work on the foil has clearly paid off.
For many years people have been expecting - Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne) - to win a Freestyle World title. The 25-year-old first look set to win the top honour in the sport in 2016, but as the years rolled on you had to wonder if it would happen for the Bonairean, who has come so close on so many occasions before. The good news for Vrieswijk is that that chapter is finally closed with the 2021 European Freestyle Champion finally getting his hands on the world title. Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) finishes as the vice-world champion - as he did in 2018, whilst 2019 World Champion - Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) - completes the podium.
Youth World Champions
Away from the pro division the U20 Boy’s & Girl’s World Champions were also crowned here in France. In the Girl’s U20 - 15-year-old Maria Morales (Goya Windsurfing) - claims a huge victory despite her young years to claim the top place in the U20’s ahead of Maria Behrens (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) and Line Bang (Goya Windsurfing).
Meanwhile, Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails) claims the top honours in the Boy’s U20 division after holding off a tough fight from Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Black Project Fins) and Marino Gil (Goya Windsurfing).
That concludes the event here in Marseille, France, we’ll be back in 2022 when hopefully the world has returned to some sort of normality. Until then, take care have a great Christmas and New Year and see you in 2022.
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Women’s Slalom
1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
3rd Delphine Cousin Questel (FRA | FMX Racing / S2Maui)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Women’s Freestyle
1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Maaike Huvermann (NED | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Oda Brødholt (NOR | Starboard / Severne)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Women’s Foil
1st Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
2nd Helle Oppedal (NOR | Duotone)
3rd Blanca Alabau (ESP | Starboard / Severne / Starboard Foil)
Overall Ranking 2021 Youth PWA World Tour - Girl’s U20 Wave
1st Maria Morales Navarro (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Maria Behrens (GER | Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Line Bang (DEN | Goya Windsurfing)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Men’s Slalom
1st Nicolas Goyard (FRA | Phantom Windsurfing)
2nd Pierre Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL)
3rd William Huppert (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Men’s Freestyle
1st Amado Vrieswijk (BON | Future Fly / Severne)
2nd Adrien Bosson (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
Overall Ranking 2021 Youth PWA World Tour - Boy’s U20 Wave
1st Takuma Sugi (JPN | Tabou / GA Sails)
2nd Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP | Starboard / Severne / Black Project Fins)
3rd Marino Gil (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)