2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup
Pozo strength winds greeted the crew and competitors on Day 7 of the 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup, but as the morning progressed the wind dropped back slightly meaning the men were generally competing on 4.0-4.7s, whilst the waves improved with the tide on the push which allowed the Men’s Single Elimination to be whittled down to just the top 4 men - Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins), Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Duotone), Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) and Ricardo Campello (Naish / Naish Sails), Unfortunately, the conditions dropped right before the finals and they will now hopefully be completed tomorrow.
Men’s
In the opening men’s quarterfinal - Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) - caused one of, if not the biggest upset of the day as he earned a quite brilliant victory against Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing), who would’ve started the heat as the favourite. The Brazilian made a solid start by landing a perfect 8 point double forward, but always looked vulnerable as he failed to record a significant wave score. With the door still open, Traversa seized the opportunity perfectly as he struck late in the day by dropping his two best wave scores in his final 3 waves to turn the heat on its head and book his place in the semifinals.
On the b-side of Heat 21, there were plenty of fireworks as Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) and Marc Paré (Fanatic / Duotone), who were two of the top sailors yesterday, lined up against each other. The duel didn’t disappoint as between them they recorded the top two jumps of the day. Köster earned 9.23 points for a massive stalled double, whilst Paré raised the bar even higher by launching into an even bigger stalled double, which scored an almost perfect 9.77 points. Paré may have been able to just edge out Köster in the jumping department - 15.77 points to 15.73 points - which is no mean feat in itself, but ultimately it still wasn’t quite enough as the 5-time world champion progressed with a score of 27.6 points to 25.9.
Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) earned himself a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time by defeating - Morgan Noireaux (JP / NeilPryde / Black Project Fins) - in the round of 16. The 18-year-olds reward would be a tie against Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Duotone), who has been one of the best performers here for over a decade and he used all of that experience and poise to bring Dunkerbeck’s fine run to an end with a polished display. Dunkerbeck will still be delighted though as he finished joint 5th in the Single Elimination.
2019 event champion, Ricardo Campello (Naish / Naish Sails), just overcame Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / SWOX), who was sailing with an injured shoulder, in the last quarterfinal, but there wasn’t much to separate the two sailors. In the waves there was just 0.62 of a point between them, so the battle would be won in the air. Campello landed a perfect 8.12 point double and a stylish tabletop forward, whilst Swift rotated through a big 6.8 point one-foot backloop to keep himself within striking distance. However, despite desperately hunting for a ramp for the majority of the heat, Swift just couldn’t find the ramp he needed to land the clean double forward that he needed, so it would be Campello who would march on into the semifinals.
After knocking out Browne in the quarterfinals, the next question was could Traversa cause another upset and takedown Philip Köster in the semifinals? The 2014 world champion gave it a good go as he showed off more excellent rail work and frontside 3s to outscore the German on wave scores, but he couldn’t quite find the jumping scores he needed to prevent Köster from advancing. TT did have an opportunity in the dying seconds of the heat as he rotated through a double forward, but with the mast touching the water, Köster would survive unscathed. Köster looked as cool, calm and collected as ever as he quickly landed a double forward and a stylish one-foot backloop, whilst he looked confident on the wave combining rail turns with 360, takas and reverses. The 28-year-old will now have a shot at winning a 7th event title here over the weekend.
Victor Fernandez produced an almost buzzer beater against Ricardo Campello to secure his place in the Winners’ Final in Pozo for the first time since 2017. The Spaniard was trailing heading into the final couple of minutes, but linked together his best wave of the heat, which included an excellent frontside 360, to surge into the lead and with no time to respond the defending event champion would be knocked out in the semifinals. Fernandez had kind of slipped under the radar until today, when he once again showed why he has been so successful here over the years with excellent double forwards and solid rail work inflicting the damage. Campello was a little unlucky as he sailed solidly throughout, but it wasn’t quite enough against the Spaniard. Campello will now face Traversa in the battle for third and fourth, whilst Fernandez and Köster will battle it out for the top honours.
Boy’s U20
After making it through the semifinals, Titouan Flechet (Tabou / Hot Sails Maui) and Liam Dunkerbeck lined up against each other in the Boy’s U20 Winners’ Final. Dunkerbeck, who was still in the main event at that stage, produced a brilliant display to claim a comprehensive victory as he landed a textbook one-foot backloop and a double forward, whilst he was able to link together a 6.5 point wave to claim the top prize. Flechet sailed a solid semifinal, but things never really clicked in the final.
In the battle for third and fourth, 17-year-old - Hakata Ishii (RRD / RRD Sails) - deservedly claimed the final place on the podium as he defeated Nick Spangenberg (JP / GUNSAILS / Maui Ultra Fins) as the young Japanese sailor came out on top in both the jumps and wave riding department.
The forecast for the weekend looks excellent with the promise of more wind and waves on the horizon, so we should see the conclusion of the Men’s Single Elimination before beginning the doubles. The sailors will meet again at 10am (GMT+1) tomorrow morning with the action commencing from 10:30am (GMT+1) onwards.
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Result 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup - Women’s Single Elimination
1st Iballa Ruano Moreno (ESP | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Daida Ruano Moreno (ESP | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Justyna Sniady (POL | North Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
5th Maria Morales (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
5th Alexia Kiefer Quintana (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone)
5th Marine Hunter (FRA | KA Sail)
5th Sol Degrieck (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
Current Ranking 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup - U20 Girl’s
*After 1 Final
1st Alexia Kiefer Quintana (GER | Fanatic / Duotone)
2nd Isabel Trivino Delgado (ESP | Severne / Severne Sails)
3rd Julia Pasquale (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone)
Current Ranking 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup - U17 Girl’s
*After 2 Finals
1st Maria Morales Navarro (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Sol Degrieck (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
3rd Annagiulia Piccaglia (ESP)
Current Ranking 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup - U20 Boy’s
*After Single Elimination
1st Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP | Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins)
2nd Titouan Flechet (FRA | Tabou / Hot Sails Maui)
3rd Hakata Ishii (JPN | RRD / RRD Sails)
4th Nick Spangenberg (GER | JP / GUNSAILS / Maui Ultra Fins)
Current Ranking 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup - U17 Boy’s
*After Single Elimination
1st Tobias Bjørnaa (DEN | Fanatic / Duotone)
2nd Anton Richther (GER | JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Carlos Kiefer Quintana (GER | Fanatic / Duotone)
4th Grigoris Stathopoulos (GRE | Severne / Severne Sails)
Current Ranking 2022 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup - U15 Boy’s
*After 1 Final
1st Peter Gobisch (GER | Fanatic / Duotone)
2nd Arthur Van de Brande (BEL | RRD / RRD Sails)
3rd Javier Escribano Toribio (ESP | Quatro / Goya Windsurfing)