2010 Catalunya, Costa Brava (Spain) PWA Slalom Worldcup

Morgen geht es los in Spanien, zunächst mit den Einschreibungen. Hoffentlich hat es ordentlich Wind...

Amtierend führender in der Jahreswertung ist Antoine Albeau vor Bjørn Dunkerbeck und Jimmy Diaz.

PWA Catalunya World Cup

Event Preview - Pulses will be racing as the PWA’s heaviest hitters prepare to battle it out on the beautiful Bay of Roses, Catalunya at the second stop of the 2010 slalom world tour.

From June 8th through to June 13th the cream of the slalom crop will be racing round the buoys on the waters off the Catalunya coastline to gain precious points towards their overall world ranking, and to claim the ultimate windsurfing crown of Costa Brava.

The highly attractive Bay of Roses extends for twelve kilometres along Spain’s Costa Brava, to the north of Barcelona, in the Catalunya region. Steady thermal winds, that you can literally set your watch to, blow from June to September creating a windsurfing paradise that attracts visitors the world over, so expect plenty of action at this infamous world tour spot.

The local town of Sant Pere Pescador has played host to many PWA events throughout the years, including the explosive discipline of freestyle, the spectacular Super Cross, and of course the well established racing discipline of slalom. This year the town will once again witness the world’s most talented slalom sailors in both the men’s and women’s divisions fighting it out for world cup glory.

Watch Out

Men

After yet another convincing win at the Ulsan World Cup, Korea we would expect nothing less than a podium finish for the unstoppable 2009 PWA slalom world champion, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde). He was the only sailor to qualify for every single winner’s final in Korea, and is leading the world rankings at this stage. He took the crown in Costa Brava in 2009, and will surely sail to his usual cool, calm, and consistent standard this time round.

Many times world champion, and absolute windsurfing legend, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne), is currently lying in second place in the overall rankings, and will be looking to knock Albeau off his perch at every conceivable opportunity. We expect Dunkerbeck to be one of the three fastest sailors on the water. If he gets to the first mark in pole position, it’ll be tough task for anyone to take him down.

After an impeccable performance at the opening event of the 2010 slalom season, Jimmy Diaz (Starboard, North) takes the final podium position overall. A consistent set of results worked well for the PWA’s president in Korea. It’ll be interesting to see if he can repeat the task here in Costa Brava with so many international super stars looking to redeem themselves.

Away from the top three, it’ll be worth keeping an eye on the likes of Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) who won the final race in Korea with a broken rib. Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra) will also be hungry for success after tasting it briefly with a race win in Korea, but failing to make the podium due to a mixed bag of results. Also in with a shot is Steve Allen (Starboard, Severne), Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde), Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra, Dakine), and Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra). If any of these guys have their day, they could easily claim victory.

Women

After an exciting showdown in Korea, it looks like things should be very interesting in the women’s division here in Costa Brava. The Swiss success story that is Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) had a shocking start to the season with a PMS in the first race of the season, but her wealth of experience shone through as she battled hard to claw back first event victory. Jaggi will surely be looking at making a less dramatic mark in Costa Brava by playing it safe at the start line, whilst still trying to reaffirm her dominance.

Both the young French racer, Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North) and the Aruban freestyler come slalom racer, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra) have proved they have what it takes to claim victory on the course after putting in some impressive performances in Korea. However, a lack of experience saw them making stupid mistakes that cost them dearly. If either of these girls can hold it together they could easily claim the crown.

In it to win it

With a €55,000 prize purse up for grabs, expect high-octane action whilst the very best sailors in the world push their boards to the limits around the fast and furious downwind slalom course.

Stay In The Groove

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

14.00 Uhr geht es gleich los, Inscription ist vorbei...

Unter diesem Link soll es ein GPS LIve Tracking der Topfahrer geben, zumindest bei mir scheint es nicht zu funktionieren: KLICK!

Das 1. Damenfinale ist durch, ist wie folgt ausgegangen:

1. Ghibadou, 2. Jaggi, 3. Offringa, 4. Vidal.

Jetzt folgt das Herren Losers-Finale, dann das 1. Finale.

Finian mit Frühstart im Finale, jetzt wirds spannend...

17:12 Dunkerbeck has stolen the show from Albeau! Moussilmani C was 3rd, and Williams 4th.

Das war Tag 1:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Catalunya – Costa Brava (Spain) PWA Slalom World Cup - Day 1

Dunkerbeck and Arrighetti storm into the lead after convincing performances in their respective fleets off the beautiful Catalunyan coast.

With early signals that racing would get underway bang on schedule, the majority of the sailors chose to hit the registration desk as soon as it opened. By midday, the entry list read like a who’s who of world cup windsurfing, which included the return of Valerie Arrighetti nee Ghibadou (Tabou, Loft).

On the first day of competition in Costa Brava the crowds watched on as one full elimination of high octane slalom was completed for both the men’s and women’s fleets. The men started a second elimination, but the wind began to moderate as the sun dropped lower in the evening sky, forcing many to wait for another day.

Dunkerbeck Dominates

The shoreline was awash with spectators today, who were all treated to a performance from Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) that was more akin to his race winning days of the late eighties and nineties. Not only did he take down the mighty Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) in the final, but he managed to win every heat he sailed with infectious style.

During the final, everyone was on the edge of their seats, and all eyes were on the showdown of the champions. Dunkerbeck held back on the start, but his superior board speed saw him slingshot out in front of the fleet ahead of Albeau. Dunkerbeck held his lane well down the first reach and round the course until halfway through where he suffered a sketchy gybe, causing everyone on the beach to jump straight to their feet. The consistently strong Albeau was right on his tail, and ready to pounce at any opportunity. But, Dunkerbeck kept his cool and continued to lead the way until he crossed the line in first place. The race felt like a lifetime, but in actual fact was just a few minutes.

Having already witnessed the heat of the century, god only knows what tomorrow will bring…

Awesome Arrigheti

With a star-studded cast, the women’s final of race one was always going to be interesting. But, they had to get there first! And, this meant a battle of the titans in heat two with arch rivals, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) and Valerie Arrighetti lining up together from the word go. Arrighetti put on a spectacular show with great speed on sails that she’d only just unwrapped. Jaggi fought hard, but couldn’t quite match the 2009 World Champion.

The final was a similar affair for Arrigheti and Jaggi but with the addition of many more furiously fast females, including Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra), Lise Vidal (Exocet, North), Sarah Hebert (Naish), and Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North). This is one of the toughest fleets the women’s division has seen for a while, which makes for some extremely exciting racing. Arrighetti dominated from start to finish, proving she still has what it takes to win a world cup.

Winning Words

Bjorn Dunkerbeck
“I felt good all day long. I won every single one of my heats, and my semi-final by a really long way. I felt very confident on my Starboard iSonic 111 and my Severne Reflex 8.6. I had a great top speed, and no problems coming out of the gybes either. In the final I went for a safe start because I didn’t want to push it too much. I had excellent speed down the first leg and managed to get ahead of both Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) and Antoine by the first mark. I pretty much took off from there. Although, I had a little problem at the third mark because the wind dropped quite a bit and Antoine managed to catch up a little, but a gust came just at the right moment and I took off ahead of him again. Winning the first race is the best thing that can happen in an event, and it’s great for the confidence. I’m hoping that the wind will stay strong for the rest of the competition so that I’m powered on my 8.6 because I much prefer that to the lighter stuff we had in Korea.”

Valerie Arrighetti
“I didn’t go to Korea because of some personal problems, so it was important for me to come here and perform well, both for my sponsors and for myself. I used my 7.0 with the Tabou 59, and it all worked incredibly. I didn’t think that I would be in first position so quickly because the sails are brand new and I’m borrowing the board, but there you go! It’s great for me to be where I am, and I’m looking forward to getting on the water tomorrow, and trying to win again.”

Results
Men:
1st Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) 0.7pts
2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) 2.0pts
3rd Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) 3.0pts
4th Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra) 4.0pts
5th Peter Volwater (Fanatic, MauiSails) 5.0pts

Women:
1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft) 0.7pts
2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) 2.0pts
3rd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra) 3.0pts

Live GPS Tracking
For the first time the world’s top racers were tracked all day long with a live feed broadcast to the planet via the internet. By following this link HERE you can check it out. And, if you missed the men’s final the first time round, take a closer look at 17:08:15. The sailors will have the devices on their boards all week, so make sure you tune in to an action packed live race at some point this week.

Stay In The Groove

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

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

PWA/Paul Griffiths

Alles anzeigen

Kein Wind an Tag 2:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Catalunya – Costa Brava (Spain) PWA Slalom World Cup - Day 2

Patience proves key on day two as the wind teases the worlds finest, but fails to materialise enough for official competition.

The clouds that covered the skies of the spectacular Catalunyan coastline put a stop to any thermal from taking effect on day two of competition. The 4-12 knot breeze tempted many of the sailors onto the water but it was never really consistent enough for racing to take place despite the race crew making every effort to try and get heat 7 of the men’s race 2 started.

This leaves the event standings unchanged with Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) and Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft) out in front of their respective fleets for the time being. And, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) and Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) with a sharp eye on the forecast.

Whilst the sailors were stuck on standby we took the opportunity to speak to the living legend, and current event leader, Bjorn Dunkerbeck.

PWA: How have you kept your motivation levels so high throughout your 25 years of competing on the world tour?

BD: “First of all I’ve found a great balance between free sailing and competition. But also, if I don’t go windsurfing for a few days, I find that I really want to go out again. Basically I’ve kept the fun factor in my windsurfing throughout all of those years, and I’ve also kept that same thing in competition. I just really enjoy windsurfing.”

PWA: How have you found it adapting to different gear throughout the years?

BD: “Well, I worked with four different sail designers when I worked with Pryde, with Kai Hopf at North, and now with Ben Severne. And, I probably worked with a few others in between, so about eight in total. So it’s pretty much a way of life for me. Each time I moved, it wasn’t because I wanted to, that’s just how the situations unfolded. Plus, when I have changed I’ve made sure that I work really hard, and the combination I have now is really strong. The team are young and motivated which is a great situation for me to be in. I think we’re going to make extremely good sails for the next few years.”

PWA: Do you still have the same feelings when you hit the racecourse as you did when you were competing against guys like Robby Naish in the early days?

BD: “The feelings have changed throughout the years as I’ve grown up. I was just a kid back then, so there have been huge changes. Now I’m one of the oldest one’s on the course, but I’m probably the most experienced too. I also think I’m one of the guys that’s having the most fun out there as well!”

PWA: Which events do you really look forward to each year on the tour?

BD: “The one’s that are warm and have the most wind. Gran Canaria and Turkey have been very good the last few years, but I also enjoy Sylt because of the huge crowds and the variety of conditions we get there.”

PWA: Lastly, how much longer will you compete for?

BD: “For as long as I still enjoy it, and as long as my body can handle getting me onto the podium!”

The organisers remain hopeful that the front forecast to come through tomorrow will bring stronger winds without the need of a thermal boost!

Results After Race One

Men:

1st Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) 0.7pts
2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) 2.0pts
3rd Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) 3.0pts
4th Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra) 4.0pts
5th Peter Volwater (Fanatic, MauiSails) 5.0pts

Women:

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft) 0.7pts
2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) 2.0pts
3rd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra) 3.0pts

Live GPS Tracking

When the action is heating up here in Catalunya, be sure to follow this link HERE where you’ll be able to track some of the world’s fastest windsurfers as they hammer their way round the racecourse at breakneck speeds.

Stay In The Groove

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

Alles anzeigen

Man weiß es nur von Jimmy Diaz, der fährt es ausschließlich. Ob die anderen auch, weiß ich nicht.
Ich teste das System morgen mal...

Hoffe ich auch, morgen Abend wissen wir mehr...

In Spanien wird aktuell wieder gefahren. Anbei mal die Liste des registrierten Materials der Fahrer für die Saison...

Momentan auf Standby, der Wind ist runter gegangen. Albeau lag in seinem Heat nur auf Rang 6, wurde dann abgeblasen. Glück auch für Dunki, ihm ist draussen beim Warten der Mast gebrochen. Hatte er auch Zeit, zu tauschen...

Jetzt gehts wieder weiter...

Zitat von Duamanix

Hey ich wusste gar nicht, das AC-1 (Andrea Cucchi) nun auf NeilPryde unterwegs ist. siehe Ranking

Er wird schon wissen, warum...