The 2008 Colgate World Cup, Sylt

The 2008 Colgate World Cup, Sylt ? Event Preview

Sylt?s iconic Westerland beach provides a fitting backdrop for the final chapter of the 2008 season to be written into the annals of windsurfing history.

Celebrating 25 years of competition since the birth of the seminal Sylt World Cup, the 2008 season will reach its final destination on the historic sands of Brandenburger Strand, from Sept 26 ? Oct 05.

Nine days of Super Grand Slam competition will witness the women?s fleet battling it out for the Wave Title, while the men?s fleet engage in all three PWA disciplines; Wave, Freestyle and Slalom.

What?s At Stake?

Besides a hefty prize purse, the Sylt World Cup is the final, definitive stop that will determine the ultimate standings for the 2008 season.

Women?s Wave

In the women?s wave discipline, Daida Moreno (North) tops the current standings after victory in Pozo, however an uncharacteristic fifth place last year in Sylt may be playing on her mind as the event draws ever closer. Hot on her heels is sister Iballa (North), the 2007 World Champion and Sylt runner up last year. The Moreno?s are fiercely competitive and will throw everything they have at this event to retain their reputation as the best female wave sailors in the world.

Another heavy weight contender for the 2008 Wave Title is last year?s event winner Nayra Alonso (Fanatic, Severne). Currently ranked 5th, Alonso adapts her sailing well to the unpredictable Sylt conditions, and will be hungry to make this her second year on the top of the podium.

Also in contention is Karin Jaggi (F2, North). The Swiss sailor boasts a wealth of competition experience, and has shown she?s still very much a force to be reckoned with after finishing 3rd in Pozo this year.

Out of the running for the 2008 Wave Title (Wahl didn?t compete in Pozo), but very much with a point to prove, Steffi Wahl (F2, Gaastra) is a wild card that?s capable of big things. After finishing 3rd in Sylt last year, and backed by the local crowd, Wahl will be hell bent on climbing higher up the podium this year.

Men?s Wave

Entering Sylt, the top ten wave sailors sit tantalizingly close to each other. Topping the ranks is 2007 World Champion, Kauli Seadi (JP, NeilPryde, Mormaii, MFC). Seadi?s sailing is polished, fluid and dangerously creative, but a 3rd place in Pozo has shown he far from unbeatable.

Sitting in second place is Spanish sensation, Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC). Fernandez was runner up in the 2007 season having lost the title by just one heat, however this certainly doesn?t suggest he?ll occupy the same spot this year. Faultless execution of the Pozo crown in July sees Fernandez enter Sylt on a high. A betting man would definitely fancy his chances with this 24 year old all rounder.

Also in the running are the likes of Josh Angulo (MauiSails, Dakine), Marcilio Browne (Mistral, Gaastra), Robby Swift (JP, NeilPryde) and Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC). In fact, it could be argued that standards are so high; anyone in the current top 20 could have a good shot at the podium.

The ultimate event wild card has to be Jason Polakow (JP, NeilPryde). This icon, big wave junkie and undisputed legend is something of a down the line specialist, but flair never disappears, even if the conditions do.

Men?s Freestyle

The battle for the 2008 Freestyle World Title is very much a two horse race between Marcilio Browne and Jose Estredo (Fanatic, North, MFC). Estredo lost out on the 2007 title to Browne, in a nail biting double elimination that saw the title decided on the result of a single heat. Estredo won the event, but Browne the World Title.

This year the situation is equally close, but somewhat more technical. For Browne to retain the World Title, he has to win the event, and hope for Estredo to finish in fifth place or lower. Should Browne finish in second, he?d lose out to Estredo.

On the other hand, for Estredo to take the World Title, he has to place fourth or above. Should Browne win the event, there?s also potential for the pair to tie on points, which would result in victory for Browne since he won the last event, or a sail-off depending on the circumstances. Technicality aside, it?s going to be a mesmerizing display to watch unfold.

Men?s Slalom

Stella sailing and impeccable results have already handed the 2008 World Title to Antoine Albeau (Starboard, NeilPryde), after the Frenchman claimed three straight event victories in the Costa Brava, Pozo and Fuerteventura.

Despite having victory in the bag, the Frenchman is never one to back down from a challenge, and will want to reaffirm his dominance after narrowly missing out on his fourth straight event victory to Bjorn Dunkerbeck (North) in Turkey.

The remaining podium positions are wide open for the taking, with the likes of Dunkerbeck, Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra, Dakine, MFC), Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra), Finian Maynard (RRD, NeilPryde) and Ben Van Der Steen (Simmer, Exocet) all in the running.

Each of these sailors is suited to different wind strengths, sea states, temperatures and countless other variables. To win this event, or take a place on the overall podium with prove to be a massive challenge, and one hugely exciting to watch.

What to Expect

Massive crowds barely sum up what can be expected at Sylt. In 2007, over 190,000 fans turned up to watch the action, which saw in excess of 100 PWA stars competing. This year looks set to be bigger and better.

On the water, the ferocious North Sea can serve up a full spectrum of windsurfing conditions. Expect anything from howling onshore storms, epic cross-shore jumping, sunny slalom blasting and everything in between. Either way, with so much at stake the action will be intense, in your face, and totally off the hook.

Off the water, a multitude of activities will cater for every possible taste. For beginners to the sport they?ll be surf simulators, and for the more experienced they?ll be pro clinics, so you can learn from the best. Throw in beach soccer, volley ball, the ?Quattro High Jump?, autograph signings, endless awesome parties and you begin to get an idea of just how spectacular this event will be.

Keep Your Finger On The Pulse

For more information on all the entrants, and to keep up to date with every piece of the action, click on www.pwaworldtour.com

Here you can use our:

? Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins
? Check live elimination ladders
? View results
? Read daily news summaries
? Browse awesome action photo galleries

There?s also a dedicated event website for our German fans at www.worldcupsylt.de

Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via info@pwaworldtour.com

Š PWA / Andrew Buchanan

Es geht los, heute war Inscription.

Morgen erste Rennen...

Zitat von Bj?rn

Von: Björn
Datum: 26. September 2008 1946 MESZ
An:
Betreff: world cup Sylt starts today ,

hi ,

there will be 9 days off racing , wave , freestyle here in Sylt ,,

and the wind looks like it will be good here this year ,,

we shall see !

Björn

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Registration day

Zitat von PWA

The 2008 PWA Colgate World Cup, Sylt ? Registration Day

The stars of the PWA arrive on Sylt?s Westerland beach for the start of the 25th annual Sylt Super Grand Slam.

The long wait is almost over, as the athletes of the PWA World Tour sign up for the forthcoming nine days of Super Grand Slam action. With a whole day set aside for registration, rigging and general preparation, it?s been a fairly relaxed opening day for the sailors and spectators alike.

However, the casual ambiance is to be short lived, as the event swings into full-on competition mode tomorrow. A promising forecast combined with the huge weekend crowds, means proceedings are to set to start with a bang.

Shocks and Surprises

The first shock to proceedings is the news that German freestyler, Normen Günzlein (JP, NeilPryde) has suffered an unfortunate injury while training in the Baltic Sea. Günzlein, who came seventh in the last freestyle event in Fuerteventura, is reported to have broken his jaw after a collision with another sailor. The injury requires Günzlein to have an operation before he?ll be fit to windsurf again; we wish him the best of luck with his recovery.

On a more positive note, top slalom racer Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde, MFC) is making a solid recovery after breaking his leg racing in Fuerteventura. Buzianis will be back on his board and training for the 2009 season in the near future. In the meantime, he?s made the surprise decision to come to Sylt and share his wealth of windsurf knowledge with the crowds, as he takes up the roll of assistant event commentator.

The Word on the Street

Over the course of the afternoon we chatted to some of the riders and crew about the days that lie ahead, here?s what they had to say.

Head wave/freestyle judge, Duncan Coombs.
PWA: From your experience, what can we expect the weather to deliver over the coming days?

DC: ?Sylt?s just so unpredictable, but I?d say we?ll definitely get to do all three disciplines. With waves it?s sometimes a hard call, but there?s plenty of low pressures stacked up ready to deliver some classic Sylt conditions?.Hopefully this year we?ll be able to run a full double, we?ll just have to wait and see. It?s all about contrast here, expect anything from 7-70 knots!?

Slalom/Wave competitor Matt Pearch (Mistral, North).
PWA: Is it hard to compete at an event where the conditions are so variable?

MP:?Yeah, it?s really tough. You?re constantly on hold, then the wind might pick up and you have to start racing, and all of a sudden it might die back down to nothing. It?s especially hard as I?m competing in waves as well, so I have to try and stay focused on both disciplines. You never get a day off, as regardless of the forecast there?s always a possibility of competing?

PWA Veteran and part owner of MauiSails, Phil McGain.
PWA: After a two-year absence from competition, is your return to compete at Sylt in part to help promote MauiSails, or are you motivated by racing alone?

PM: I?m here for both. I want to promote MauiSails, and have a chance to test the products out on the race course so I can get a feel for where we?re at. But also, once you?ve raced, that bug never goes away, I?m definitely here to do the best I can, and I?d like to try and make the top ten?

Following the events much hyped opening ceremony this evening, the sailors will be down on the beach and ready for competition at tomorrow?s skippers meeting, scheduled for 10.30am.

Be sure to tune back into pwaworldtour.com then, where you?ll be able to utilize our:

? Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins
? Check live elimination ladders
? View results
? Read daily news summaries
? Browse awesome action photo galleries

Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via info@pwaworldtour.com

There?s also a dedicated event website for our German fans at www.worldcupsylt.de

PWA / Andrew Buchanan

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Der 1. Slalomdurchgang läuft. Antoine Albeau ist direkt in der ersten Elimination ausgeschieden.
Ich meine, alle deutschen Fahrer sind auch schon raus...

Anbei die Liste des registrierten Materials aller Slalomfahrer

Keine weiteren Rennen heute mehr, mangels Wind...

Zitat von slam

na klar, alle deutschen fahrer raus du bist mir ja nen experte:D

Naja, Klaas hat es gepackt in die nächste Runde der ersten Elimination. Sonst sehe ich grad niemanden mehr...

Zitat von slam

genau, sei mal nicht so abwertend
Ist doch schonmal ne gute leistung für den besten deutschen in der welle:D

Finde ich auch, ist ja auch ein ganz Netter. Ich hatte ihn völlig übersehen, wusste gar nicht daß er auch im Slalom startet...

Tag 1:

Zitat von PWA

The 2008 PWA Colgate World Cup, Sylt ? Day One

Nine heats down in the first slalom race, and there?s already plenty to talk about from day one in Sylt.

Following registration and a typically high profile Sylt opening ceremony the previous day, all the PWA fleets were rigged ready to compete in whatever day one threw at them.

As it turned out, the morning was to be a leisurely affair, bathed in sunshine and teased by light westerly winds. The afternoon looked to follow a similar pattern until the sun started to drop, and a modest 7-11 knot breeze arrived at the competition area.

Springing into action, the race committee quickly tweaked the four buoy downwind slalom course for the start of the very first heat of the event.

Two heats down, and just as proceedings looked to be following a relatively predictable path, Josh Angulo (MauiSails, Dakine) made a catastrophic error, when he crossed the finish line from the wrong side in his heat 3 clash. The shock mistake meant that he not only had to relinquish his victory, but also failed to qualify for the subsequent round of the race.

As normality looked to be restored, the next big surprise of the day came when 2008 Slalom World Champion, Antoine Albeau (Starboard, NeilPryde) failed to qualify from his heat 8 showdown. The usually dominant Frenchman looked to have a firm grip on second place in the heat, until he stalled exiting the second gybe mark, leaving his rivals free to pass him.

As the swarming crowds lining the beach came to their senses after Albeau?s shock departure, they were to witness another rare spectacle, when current slalom number three, Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra, Dakine, MFC) missed out on qualification from his round two heat, by just one position.

Entering the subsequent heat, the wind backed off, forcing the race officials to abandon the heat and call an end to the first, and highly controversial day of competition in Sylt.

If day one?s events were anything to go by, the coming days are going to deliver ample loads of windsurf competition that?s as varied and unpredictable at the Sylt weather.

Be sure to tune back into pwaworldtour.com tomorrow, to follow all the action from day two of the 2008 PWA Colgate World Cup, Sylt, starting with the skippers meeting at 10.30am. Here you?ll be able to utilize our:

? Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins
? Check live elimination ladders
? View results
? Read daily news summaries
? Browse awesome action photo galleries

Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via info@pwaworldtour.com

There?s also a dedicated event website for our German fans at www.worldcupsylt.de

PWA / Andrew Buchanan

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Es geht weiter auf Sylt. Heat 10 wurde abgebrochen und später wiederholt, weiter geht es mit Heat 11.

Tag 2 ist um:

Zitat von PWA

The 2008 PWA Colgate World Cup, Sylt ? Day Two

Light wind limits competition?s progress to one heat on day two.

A fresh 11-16 knot breeze accompanied by clear blue sky provided a promising start to competitions second day in Sylt. Unfortunately, the prospect of racing in the perfect North Sea conditions was to be short lived.

Just moments after the sailors of heat ten hit the water to resume racing, the wind backed off, forcing the heat to be abandoned. The subsequent heat had more luck, and successfully secured the only result of the day, when Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra), Gabriel Browne (Mistral, MauiSails), Finian Maynard (RRD, NeilPryde) and Jimmy Diaz (Starboard, North Sails) qualified from heat 11, and proceeded into the following round of race one.

Despite the race committee?s repeated efforts to restart competition, the wind refused to play ball, and ultimately resulted in the day drawing to a close with just one heat completed.

While competition was on standby, we took the opportunity to ask Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde, MFC), one of slaloms most emphatic stars (and Sylt?s celebrity commentator), about his injury, and outlook on the 2009 season.

PWA: How?s your recovery progressing?

MB: ?It?s going well, but slower than I?ve have liked. I still haven?t been able to go out on the water. Just before coming out here I had some x-rays taken, and the doctors said I should be ready to get on a board again in a week or ten days, but that?ll be real gentle cruising to see how it goes. It?ll take some time before I can really push it again.?

PWA: Do you expect to be fully fit for the start of the 2009 season?

MB: ?Ah, yeah, I?ll be fully fit before the end of this year, and back to full strength for next season.?

PWA: Was there ever a possibility that you were going to compete in the Sylt World Cup?

MB: ?That was my goal, and I probably could have, but the repercussions may have ruined my training over the winter or even some of next season. Up until a week ago I was seriously considering it, I figured if I could get a week or so of sailing in, in Maui before coming here, that I might have just about been ready. But, if I couldn?t do that, I didn?t want to come here without any sailing under my belt.?

PWA: Why did you decide to come to Sylt and commentate?

MB: ?Well I?ve kinda been out the picture for the last couple of events, and my sponsors JP, NeilPryde and MFC really wanted me to come here, so it?s more of a promotional thing, and so I can stay in the loop.?

PWA: Has your injury motivated you to come back and push even harder in 2009?

MB: ?I definitely feel more motivated, it?s almost like you need something like this to wake you up, so you can see what you?ve got. Right now I?m just really motivated to come back as strong, if not stronger than I was this year.?

Our thanks to Micah for taking the time out to answer those questions.

Be sure to tune back into pwaworldtour.com tomorrow, to follow all the action from day three of the 2008 PWA Colgate World Cup, Sylt, starting with the skippers meeting at 10.30am. Here you?ll be able to utilize our:

? Live ticker service for heat-by-heat bulletins
? Check live elimination ladders
? View results
? Read daily news summaries
? Browse awesome action photo galleries

Or for more information, please contact the PWA office via info@pwaworldtour.com

There?s also a dedicated event website for our German fans at www.worldcupsylt.de

PWA / Andrew Buchanan

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Es geht wieder weiter auf Sylt, die erste Hälfte der Finalteilnehmer steht bereits fest:

Dunkerbeck, Dagan, Cucchi, und McGain.

Gut gemacht, Phil...

Die restlichen Finalisten sind Maynard, Moussilmani B, Moussilmani S, Williams.

Jetzt kommt erst das Losersfinale...