Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup
Pozo Izquierdo is set to be thrust into the windsurfing limelight once again over the next 9 days as the 2023 Gran Canaria PWA Windsurfing World Cup takes place between 1st-9th July. The event is always one of the most spectacular events on the calendar with Pozo’s nuclear winds (30-50 knots) allowing the best wave sailors in the world to launch into gravity-defying stunts. However, this year promises to be even more spectacular with the welcome return of slalom for the first time since 2009, so if and when the waves aren’t playing ball, you will be treated to some of the highest octane racing on the planet.
Pozo Izquierdo is internationally famed in the windsurfing world due to its unrelenting wind and steep waves. The combination of these two factors creates the perfect playground for the world’s most extreme sailors to defy gravity and perform the biggest stunts on the planet, whilst they will test the mettle of the racers to their limit. The local effects mean that even the slightest breeze can soon be accelerated to nuclear strength, with the wind peaking at around 50-60 knots, which often results in the guys and girls reaching for their smallest equipment, which even then, sometimes isn’t small enough.
Wave
Women’s
When it comes to the Women’s Wave here in Pozo Izquierdo there is one name that is synonymous with the event such has been her level of domination here throughout her career. Of course we are talking about Daida Moreno (Bruch Boards / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins), who fought back here last year to defeat her sister Iballa (Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) in the Double Elimination - meaning that Daida has now won all but one event here since 1998. So, when it comes to predicting the winner it is of course incredibly difficult to look much further than the 18-time World Champion.
However, that’s not to say that it’s a foregone conclusion and with a competitive women’s lineup there will be plenty of challengers waiting in the wings to see if they can dethrone Daida. Having won the Single Elimination here last year, Iballa could well prove to be the biggest danger again, whilst reigning world champion - Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) - will be frothing to take on the Moreno Twins again on their home waters.
Elsewhere, the likes of current vice-world champion - Justyna Sniady (North Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) - will be looking to make a strong start in her first competitive appearance of the year, as will Germany’s Lina Erpenstein (Severne / Severne Sails). Both women have sailed well here in the past and have the potential to challenge for the podium.
It will also be interesting to see how the youthful talents of Alexia Kiefer Quintana (Fanatic / Duotone), Sol Degrieck (Severne / Severne Sails) and Maria Morales (Goya Windsurfing) have progressed with another year of sailing under their belts.
Men’s
There are still a few question marks over the fitness of the current defending event champion - Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) - after the 5-time world champion fractured a bone in his foot in May. However, last week Köster did release a statement saying that it looks promising that he will be able to compete, but we will just have to see if it impedes his sailing at all. If the 29-year-old is anywhere near full fitness then he may prove difficult to stop again as he has won 7 out of the 11 events here since 2009, whilst only two other men have managed to claim victory here during that time - namely current World Tour leader - Ricardo Campello (Naish / Naish Sails) - in 2019, who will be looking to keep his momentum going as he goes in search of securing his first wave world crown, and Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Duotone), who is a Pozo expert that has won 3 times here since 2009 - (2010, 2014 & 2016).
However, there are several other suitors who will be trying to lay down the gauntlet to be crowned this year’s champion. Defending world champion - Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing) will be an obvious threat. The Brazilian staged a rousing comeback in last year’s Double Elimination to fight back into second place and possesses all the manoeuvres necessary to challenge for top honours, whilst the likes of Spain’s Marc Paré (Fanatic / Duotone), Marino Gil (Goya Windsurfing), Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins), Josep Pons (CS Custom Boards / Point-7 / Black Project Fins) and Alessio Stillrich (Simmer / Simmer Sails) will all fancy their chances.
Elsewhere, the likes of Bapstiste Cloarec (RRD / RRD Sails), who won the last event in Fiji, Antoine Martin (Starboard / North Sails), Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde), Arthur Arutkin (Fanatic / Duotone / Black Project Fins), Julian Salmonn (Bruch Boards / GUNSAILS), Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails), Jules Denel (JP / NeilPryde), Dieter van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails), Leon Jamaer (Flikka / GUNSAILS), Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins) will all be hoping to challenge for the top 10 and beyond.
Red Bull Rockets
The Red Bull Rockets awards is back again for 2023, so once again you can expect to see the sailors boosting some of the biggest jumps of the year. A special prize will be awarded to the athlete who achieves the highest jump of the contest in both the men’s and women’s fleets.
Slalom
Women’s
Current World Tour leader - Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL) - produced a dominating performance in the season opener in Lake Garda in May, but the young French girl will face a completely different challenge if she is to try and repeat that here. It will be interesting to whether she continues to try and compete on the Foil or at which point she will have to switch to fin.
Elsewhere, Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) will look to continue her fine start to the season after claiming a solid second place in Italy, whilst current world champion - Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone) will no doubt be setting her sights on the event victory. A slow start in Italy cost her slightly, but she fought back well to claim the final place on the podium and the strong winds should suit her.
Having missed the opening event of the year, Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) makes a welcome return and the former 5-time world champion is another sailor who is likely to enjoy the extreme slalom conditions, so the 32-year-old will likely to be a major threat here, as will Sarah-Quita Offringa, who will be competing in both the Wave and the Slalom, whilst Jenna Gibson (Fanatic / Duotone) will be hoping to challenge for the podium.
Men’s
An elite 32-man fleet will line up for the first Men’s Slalom contest in Pozo since 2009 as the best racers in the world prepare to battle it out in some of the most exhilarating slalom conditions with nuclear winds and treacherous waters providing the ultimate test.
Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) hit the ground running to start the season as the Pole secured his first 5-star event win on tour to hold the early season title race lead. Rutkowski qualified for all four winners’ finals in Italy and will be hoping to be able to display that level of consistency again to keep his world title defence on track.
However, he is going to face a major challenge to do just that and if we are fortunate enough to score Pozo’s nuclear winds it’s likely that the majority of the fleet will switch back to the fin, which could see the likes of Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails) and Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) potentially dominate proceedings, as they used to do together with Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde), in the pre foil days.
Other sailors likely to thrive on the fin include Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone), Antoine Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui), Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde), Cedric Bordes (Tabou / Severne Sails) and Taty Frans (Future Fly / Point-7).
Elsewhere, it will be interesting to see how William Huppert (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils), who is a high wind foil expert, approaches the event and whether he will be able to foil or whether he will be forced to switch to fin also - depending on the conditions. Meanwhile, Michele Becker (Patrik / Patrik Sails / Patrik Foils) will be hoping to continue his fine start to the season along with teammate Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Patrik Sails / Patrik Foils).
The start of the season may not have gone quite the way Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) would have envisaged and the Bonairean will be looking to bounce back into the top 10 here at a minimum, whilst the likes of Bruno Martini (JP / NeilPryde), Ingmar Daldorf (Tabou / GA Sails), Nicolas Prien (JP / NeilPryde) and Malte Reuscher (Tabou / GA Sails) all have the potential to challenge for the top 10 and beyond if everything clicks into place.
As well as the main pro contests the next 9 days will see some of the best up and coming youths battling it out for top honours in their respective fleets, whilst there will be a Masters division in the waves.
The current forecast looks as though it will be a windy and wavy start to the event, so make sure you don’t miss any of the action by tuning into www.pwaworldtour.com over the next 9 days - here you’ll be able to follow all of the action as it happens via the PWA live stream.
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Schedule For Day 1: (All Times GMT+1)
- Registration: 10-11am
- Skippers’ Meeting: 12pm
- First Possible Start : 1pm