Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alaçati, Turkey 2010

Nächste Woche kann A2 bereits den Sack zugemacht haben...

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Event Preview

Crystal clear waters, and constant trade winds – It must mean the World Tour is heading back to Turkey for more adrenalin pumping slalom action at the sixth Pegasus Airlines Surf ‘n’ Sound sports and music festival in Alacati.

The PWA’s most proficient slalom sailors will battle it out on the beautiful azure waters of Alacati from the 9th through to the 14th August. And this year, the Turkish leg of the World Tour marks the penultimate event in the calendar for both the men’s and women’s slalom fleets ensuring an exciting week of world-class racing.

Located on the Cesme peninsula, just 90km from Izmir, Alacati is the so called ‘St Tropez of Turkey’ with a historic town featuring plenty of chic boutiques, restaurants, and cafes all within a stones throw of the stunning turquoise waters. The once sleepy town now shares its shores with an abundance of windsurfers who travel to the windsurfing Mecca year after year, including the PWA’s stars.

From mid May through to mid September, the northerly wind known as the ‘Meltemi’ blows consistently above 15 knots, creating perfect conditions for windsurfing. The moderate winds increase throughout the morning, peaking in the afternoon, and often reach speeds of over 20 knots.

MEN

After a week of breakneck speeds in Fuerteventura, the men’s slalom fleet returns to Alacati for more grueling competition before the season comes to a close in Sylt at the end of September.

If the reigning world champion and current tour leader, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) takes glory here, he has the ability to seal the deal for his fifth slalom world title with an event to spare. However, if his main rival and many times world champion, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) were to claim victory then the overall title would go right to the wire in Sylt. Both sailors have won events this year, and at the last event in Fuerteventura the racing was extremely close, which will ensure an exciting spectacle in Alacati.

Behind these two slalom giants, the points are even tighter with Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde), Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra), and Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) having all proved they’ve got what it takes to win races. They’ll all be pushing hard to claim the final spot on the podium this year, and Alacati could be that make or break event. Both Maynard and Moussilmani have been close to winning events, so perhaps we could even see a new champion standing tall at the top of the podium…

Other sailors to watch include former overall world champion, Kevin Pritchard (Starboard, Gaastra) who is undoubtedly one of the most consistent racers on tour, British boy racer, Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra), the PWA’s president, Jimmy Diaz (Starboard, North), and Australian feather weight, Steve Allen (Starboard, Severne). Plus, the local hot shots of Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde) and Ertugrul Icingir (Starboard, NeilPryde) who also have the ability to cause an upset.

WOMEN

Turkey sees the return of the women’s slalom fleet to the world tour following their previous two rounds of competition in Korea and Costa Brava. Things are tight at the top, and with the announcement of an extra event in Almanarre those out in front at the moment will be looking to strengthen their lead before the end of year finale!

Former slalom world champion, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) has dominated the women’s racecourse this season, and her two victories put her in a strong position going into this event. However, her arch rival, and 2009 slalom world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic) was piling on the pressure in Costa Brava. If Arrighetti does well here she still has the ability to steal the show from Jaggi due to the addition of Almanarre, which creates a discard for the women’s fleet.

Fighting for the remaining podium positions are the three times freestyle world champion, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Vandal) who has led many races this season, and the French youth champion, Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North) who led the first event of the year in its initial stages. Offringa has been the more consistent sailor overall with a 2nd and 3rd, but Arutkin is only just behind with a 3rd and a 4th. Turkey will most definitely be the place for these young women to make their mark.

Local sailors to watch out for include Cagla Kubat (Starboard, North) who is currently lying 5th in the overall rankings, and Lena Erdil (Mistral, Loft, Mystic) who is just two places behind in 7th. A good result in home waters could see either of them climbing up the ladder.

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.

Beach Time Beats

On Friday and Saturday the spectators are invited to listen to POWER FM’s DJ, Funky C, and dance to a Latino rhythm in the Zumba Fitness Party. And, lets not forget the Foster’s Bikini Dance Contest, which is bound to cheer up the crowds and the competitors during Happy Hour!

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Das war Tag 1:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Day One

Buzianis scores two bullets to take a convincing early event lead, whilst Arrighetti reminds Jaggi that the tour’s far from over!

On the first day of competition on the beautiful blue waters of Alacati, the wind built throughout the morning to a suitable level whilst the competitors rigged and registered, ensuring two high-octane races could be completed before the end of play.

With sixty-four men and twenty-one women, the spectators gathered on the shores were soon playing witness to the amazing sight of the world’s best racers battling metres from the beach. Following the first race for the men a new elimination was scheduled, with the top twenty sailors automatically seeded through. The format had plenty of ups and downs, with potentially more racing for those in the early rounds, but some extremely busy mark roundings, causing chaos with some seasoned pros.

Men

Buzianis Bites Back

Former world champion, Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) fought back today with amazing speed off the line, and faultless consistency. Two firsts for the American puts him firmly at the top in Turkey, and launches his name straight back into the limelight. If he continues like this, the slalom in Sylt will be an exciting end to a great season.

Average Albeau

Whilst the rest of the fleet lacked any consistency, the current world champion, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) is happily hanging out in second place with a third and a fourth to his name. Although not quite a match for his usual impressive score lines, it’s a solid start to the event for the tour leader, and most importantly he hasn’t put himself out by already claiming his first discard.

A Mixed Bag

Almost every other top ranked sailor had a complete mixture of highs and lows. Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer) had an amazing start to the week with a sensational performance in the first race that saw him ahead of many a world champion in second place. However in race two he couldn’t quite match his earlier form, and fell victim to the new format going out in the second round.

Many times world champion, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic) arrived three days early, but his equipment has still failed to show up. On borrowed gear, he threw down the gauntlet with a great first race finishing just ahead of his archrival Albeau to claim third. But, his luck changed in race two when he had to rush out to the start, and on borrowed gear again didn’t quite perform to his usual high standard. Dunkerbeck remains hopeful that his equipment will arrive in time for racing tomorrow, so fingers crossed for the living legend.

Other top sailors who experienced a complete mixed bag included Australian featherweight, Steve Allen (Starboard, Severne) who was another sailor who met his end early to the new format. He was however in great company, with the likes of Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North), and Ben Van Der Steen (JP, Mystic) doing exactly the same.

After a successful stint in Fuerteventura, all eyes were fixed on Finian Maynard, and a convincing win in the first loser’s final kept them focused firmly his way. However, he too fell victim to the new format, getting mobbed by a huge bunch of sailors around one of the gybes.

Results After Two Races

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

4th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

5th Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic, North)

6th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Exocet, MauiSails)

8th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Jimmy Diaz (Starboard, North)

Women

Arrighetti Arrives

The 2009 women’s world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic) sailed solidly today with a first and a third to take an early event lead, and pile the pressure on the current tour leader, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne). However, it’ early days yet and with Jaggi claiming a first and a seventh, the writing is far from being on the wall.

Two other French riders also upped their game today with some consistent results that see a current France 1,2, 3. Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish) battled hard in race one to score second just behind Jaggi, and ahead of Arrighetti. And, in race two she sailed to a similar standard to post a solid third. Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde) pipped her at the post in the final race to claim second, but a fourth in race one means Hebert is in front by the smallest of margins.

Results After Two Races

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

3rd Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

4th Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

5th Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North)

An Eye On The Horizon

The forecast is looking good for the week with plenty of Meltemi winds forecast to turn up the heat! Be sure to tune in tomorrow to find out how the story unfolds.

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Ein Schelm, wer böses denkt, wenn man sich das Abschneiden bisher von Micah Buzianis anschaut, bzw. das Zusammenspiel des Teams...

Die WM ist futsch, aber 2. wird MB ganz sicher nicht. Auf Sylt sind die Karten neu gemischt. Ein Event geht eh als Streicher durch, das wird dann wohl für Dunki Alaçati sein.

Seine Sachen sind gestern Abend um 23 Uhr dann angekommen. Aktuell läuft Durchgang 3...

Das war Tag 2:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Day Two

Buzianis remains in control despite being pushed hard by Albeau and Maynard, whilst Arrighetti strengthens her lead, but allows Offringa to steal a bullet.

On the second day of racing in Alacati the PWA’s fastest were greeted with wall-to-wall sunshine and a gentle breeze. Luckily the wind swiftly strengthened throughout the morning allowing the competition to commence in glamorous conditions by midday. Two races were completed for both the men’s and women’s fleets, giving everyone the opportunity to prove their worth.

Over the course of the day the wind varied between ten and twenty knots causing the sailors to swap gear on a constant heat by heat basis. 9.5s and big boards were the order of the day when the wind was down, and 8.5s and medium boards were preferred when it was up.

Due to the gusty conditions race director, Juan Antonio Aragon made the decision to revert back to the standard 8 man heat format for the men’s fleet.

Men

The Buzianis Show

Former world champion, Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) once again posted two consistent results to remain at the front of the fleet. He may not have scored quite the perfect day that he had yesterday, but two seconds firmly consolidates his lead, and makes him the man to beat here in Turkey. He played it safe throughout his heats to ensure his place in every final. There was no racing for glory, but also no stupid mistakes, which is a sure fire way to lead the fleet.

The Real Albeau

Race one saw the return of the 2009 world champion and current tour leader, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde). After a consistent start to the event, he stepped up his game and began to destroy the fleet. A string of firsts saw him happily into the final, and a perfect start had him leading the way. Needless to say, with Albeau in a commanding position he was completely untouchable, and flew to victory in race 3. Unfortunately race 4 didn’t go quite the same way, but another consistent finish sees him strong in second overall.

Finian’s Back

After his shock exit in race 2 yesterday, Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra) came back with renewed motivation and a score to settle. In the first race of the day he made partial amends by qualifying for the final. But, a sixth was all he achieved. With the knowledge that he could better his last result, he headed out to race 4 with work left to do. He shot off the start line and screamed into the first mark with seven sailors bearing down behind him. After the gybe he pulled ahead, not once needing to look back, leaving everyone else to fight it out behind. A first and a sixth see him climb the ranks with only Albeau and Buzianis left in his way.

Standout Performers

Aside from Buzianis, Albeau, and Maynard there were a few other sailors that stood out from the crowd. In the first race Australian, Steve Allen (Starboard, Severne) sailed extremely well to launch himself into the final. Following an outstanding first gybe, and plenty of speed, he finished just behind Buzianis to claim third. Unfortunately, his second race didn’t go quite the same way due to an enormous collision at the first gybe with Ludovic Jossin (Starboard, Loft).

Italian shaper, Patrik Diethelm (Patrik, North) also sailed an awesome first race to claim fourth behind Allen. However, his second race went the same way as Allen’s when Ertugrul Icingir (Starboard, NeilPryde) fell off directly in front of him. With nowhere to go, he sailed straight over Icingir’s sail, resulting in a swim. Still, a fourth for Diethelm has improved his ranking, and reminds him that he’s capable of fighting it out with the best of them.

Flying Frenchman, Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) also stepped up his game today qualifying for both winner’s final. A seventh and a fifth see him climb into fourth, and keep him in with a chance of a podium finish.

Another sailor to step up to the mark was Dutch racer, Ben Van Der Steen (JP, Mystic) who had a taste of things at the top with a fourth place in race 4. This sees him move into the top twenty, but with two bad results he’s desperately in need of a further discard.

Results After Four Races

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

6th Bora Kozanoglu (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer)

8th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

Women

Outstanding Arrighetti

The 2009 world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic) had an excellent day of racing which sees her sitting pretty at the top of the table. Throughout the first race final she was fighting with the young freestyle world champion, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra). Offringa flew off the line to lead at the first gybe, but Arrighetti’s experience shone through to take the win.

Offringa Fights Back

In the second final, Offringa shot off the line with the same display of speed as the first time round. However, she’d obviously learnt from the previous race and sailed a much smarter heat, blocking any advances from Arrighetti to take the win. An excellent day for the three times freestyle world champion which sees her move up the rankings to within a stones throw of the podium.

Queen Of Consistency

Former world champion and current tour leader, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) had a conservative day with two third place finishes seeing her maintain her position in second. However, with Arrighetti firmly in first there’s plenty of work to do if she’s to wrap up the world title race here in Turkey.

Results After Four Races

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

3rd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

5th Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

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Kein Wind an Tag 3:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Day Three

The PWA’s most fierce competitors were becalmed on the third day of racing, leaving Buzianis and Arrighetti on top of the world in Turkey.

Alacati’s beautiful bay delivered a gentle southerly breeze today (the opposite to the Meltemi direction), which failed to swing round and build with any degree of strength. This left the elite pack of racers relaxing in the sun or finding refuge in the shade, and allowed the beginner windsurfers to take centre stage on the crystal clear waters instead.

After a full day on hold, former world champion, Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) remains at the front of the men’s fleet, and 2009 world champion, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde). Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic) is still leading the women.

With plenty of time spent on standby we took the opportunity to talk to the American racer, Micah Buzianis about his performance so far, and what he thinks is giving him the edge over everyone else here in Alacati.

PWA: How do you feel about the racing we’ve had so far Micah?

MB: “I feel on top of the world right now. It’s difficult to start an event in a better way than what I’ve done here with two first and two seconds. And to be honest, it’s come as a bit of a shock to me, I wasn’t really expecting it to go so well! But, once you start an event like that you kind of want more which I think really helps.”

PWA: Are you doing anything differently, or have you got any new top-secret fins?

MB: “I haven’t really changed anything since Fuerteventura equipment wise. But, I guess after my bad result there I’ve adjusted my mindset, and I’m more focused to do well here. It looks like that alone has made a huge difference so far.”

PWA: Do you prefer the conditions here?

MB: “I definitely enjoy sailing in the flatter water that we have here, but then again it was fairly flat in Fuerte this year too – for Fuerte. And, I definitely don’t prefer using the bigger sails. But, I suppose a lot of the racing and the tuning we do is in conditions similar to these so I guess I’m better prepared for it.”

PWA: What’s your game plan for the rest of the week?

MB: “Just to stay consistent and qualify for all of the winner’s finals first. Then, achieve some more great starts in those finals so that I can give it my best shot.”

PWA: How are you coping with the pressure of your team mate, and current tour leader, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) right on your heels?

MB: “I’m just going to focus on my own results, and we’ll finish where we finish!”

Results After Four Races

Men

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

6th Bora Kozanoglu (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer)

8th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

Women

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

3rd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

5th Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

Eye On The Horizon

The forecast for tomorrow looks very similar to today, but the Meltemi looks to be returning with a vengeance for the weekend crowds!

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Auch an Tag 4 war kein Wind:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Day Four

Another windless day in paradise leaves Buzianis and Arrighetti sitting pretty at the top whilst their rivals eagerly await the return of the Meltemi.

With a similar forecast to the previous day, there was little hope of the Meltemi returning with enough force to allow the competitors to head out into Alacati’s beautiful bay and recommence battle today.

Those sailors that did leave the comfort of their air-conditioned rooms were met with soaring temperatures and a gentle southerly breeze to cool them down. The free keg of Foster’s beer helped to raise both the sailors and spectators’ spirits, but what they really want is to get back on the water and race.

With plenty of time spent on standby, we took the opportunity to talk to former world champion and current tour leader, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) about her battle with 2009 world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic), and the announcement of the women’s slalom final in Almanarre, France.

PWA: How do you feel about your racing so far this week?

KJ: “It started off really well with a win in the very first race. Unfortunately, I got run over in the second one, and in the two following races my starts were simply not good enough. My speed is great but with just a very short leg to the first gybe mark there’s no way to make up ground, not even with an average or ok start. With this course, starting equates to well over 50% of the whole race. Then there’s another 25% for the first gybe, after which you can only really advance or drop one position over the rest of the course.”

PWA: Were you hoping to tie up the 2010 world title here?

KJ: “I knew it would be hard for me to win here in Alacati. Naturally I’m trying to give it my best though. But, with the flat water and light wind conditions there’s really no room for error.”

PWA: Is the pressure mounting now that Almanarre (and therefore a discard) has been announced?

KJ: “Maybe a bit for the world title, but I’m just simply so happy that this event will take place. It’ll be great fun to have a women’s only event once again, and to return to France is simply the best thing for windsurfing in Europe. Apart from that Almanarre is actually my ‘local’ beach – where I learnt to water start, gybe, and joined the world tour for my very first event! Albeit a very long time ago… So, all in all, I’m just stoked that this event is happening!”

PWA: What are your thoughts on an all female end of season finale?

KJ: “It’ll be great. The place is just perfect – easy to reach by car from all over Europe, and the conditions can be anything from light to strong winds, onshore and offshore. Plus, there are heaps of local windsurfers in the area, which will guarantee a good crowd on the beach. The only real downside to the event is that it was announced at such short notice. But, all of the women I’ve spoken to are giving it their best shot to join us in Almanarre.”

PWA: So what's your game plan for the rest of the event here in Alacati?

KJ: “Just to do my best, I can’t do anything more than that, and I can’t control anyone else. I know that my equipment works extremely well this year, so speed and control are definitely not even an issue. But, I do have to sail with a bit more of a tactical mind – stay away from possible crashes, and improve my starts to be successful in the end.”

Results After Four Races

Men

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

6th Bora Kozanoglu (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer)

8th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

Women

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

3rd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

5th Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

Eye On The Horizon

The forecast looks much more promising for the final two days of competition here in Turkey, so with any luck the racers will get their chance to hit the crystal clear waters once again.

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Hi Laszlo,

keine Ahnung, ich frage mal Jimmy.

Das war Tag 5, auch ohne Wind:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Day Five

The waiting game continues as the Meltemi fails to return with any force, leaving the PWA’s elite racers sheltering in the shade on another glorious day in Alacati.

A day of changeable weather patterns caused chaos amongst the world’s best slalom sailors today. They awoke to a light Meltemi breeze, but by the time they’d eaten their breakfast a stronger southerly sea breeze had pushed in, putting the contest on hold yet again.

After a couple of hours on standby the Meltemi fought back, and with gusts of 14kts, caused those sailors in the early heats to frantically rig in time for the start. Unfortunately, the wind was simply playing games with everyone, and just as the start sequence was about to begin, huge holes appeared in the course with lulls as low as 3kts. Race director, Juan Antonio Aragon and his crew made every effort to get the racing underway throughout the afternoon, but the wind failed to cooperate.

Judgment Day

The 2009 world champion and current tour leader, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde) is just a day away from securing the 2010 world title. As it stands, if Albeau can maintain his position in 2nd, or even overtake his team mate and current event leader, Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) then he will have done enough to take the 2010 title without actually having to step on his board in Sylt.

If however, Albeau falls out of the top 2 here in Alacati then the title will go right to the wire in Sylt, and will all depend on where his nearest rival – one of the undisputed legends of windsurfing – Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic) finishes there. This event is almost bound to be Dunkerbeck’s discard now, but if he wins in Sylt he could still beat Albeau and claim the title. Although, for that to happen Albeau has to finish 3rd or worse both here and in Sylt!

There’s a similar situation in the women’s fleet too, with former world champion, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) battling with the 2009 world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic). Jaggi is currently lying in second place here, but if she overtakes the current event leader, Arrighetti then she too could secure the 2010 world title with an event to spare.

However, if Arrighetti can stay ahead of Jaggi here then she will have a shot at the title in Almanarre at the beginning of September. Even if Jaggi and Arrighetti were tied on points, whoever wins the last event would take the title.

There are a huge number of ifs in these calculations, and you have to remember that all of it can change in an instant. But, we could still potentially see two world champions walking away from Alacati!

Results After Four Races

Men

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

6th Bora Kozanoglu (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer)

8th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

Women

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

3rd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

5th Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

Eye On The Horizon

The Meltemi is forecast to return for the final day of racing ensuring a crowd-pleasing finale to the Pegasus Airlines World Cup.

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Zitat von Laszlo

Hallo Jungs,

habe vor ein paar Minuten eine Info bekommen das es noch ein weiteres PWA Wave Event dieses Jahr geben soll. Auf den Kapverden , Start 15.11. 2010.
Ist da was dran, oder nur heiße Luft ?

grüße

Laszlo

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Schau mal hier: http://www.surf-forum.com/showthread.php?t=6066

Und hier:
[13.08.10 19:56] Jimmy Diaz: hi thorsten
[13.08.10 19:56] Jimmy Diaz: it looks very positive for Cape Verde event

Das war der letzte Tag 6:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Day Six

Micah Buzianis and Valerie Arrighetti claim victory on the crystal clear waters of Alacati, and Antoine Albeau secures yet another slalom world title with an event to spare!

The Meltemi returned today but failed to blow with full force playing havoc with the competitors and crew. Race director, Juan Antonio Aragon and his team made every effort to get a fifth and final elimination completed, and very nearly managed the first round, but there were just too many lulls over the course causing it to grind to a halt early in the evening. This left the results unchanged, and many sailors frustrated after waiting patiently on standby for much of the day.

With the results the same as day two, former world champion Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) can now breathe a sigh of relief after four nerve racking days in the lead. He’s claimed his first event victory of the season here in Alacati ahead of his team mate, and 2009 world champion, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde), and 2009 vice world champion, Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra).

In the women’s fleet, 2009 world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic) also endured a frustrating four days at the top of the table, but finally took her first event crown of 2010 this evening ahead of former world champion, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne), and transatlantic hopeful, Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish).

Champion Sound

Micah Buzianis:

“It feels amazing to be first here in Alacati because it’s been a while since I last won an event on the world tour. To win this one feels extremely special because I enjoyed the conditions, with the flat water and the lighter winds, which I think favored me much more than I expected. I didn’t use a huge amount of kit here during the first two days that we actually raced, just my 9.5 and 8.6, along with my 132L board. The last four days have been pretty nerve racking being on standby. The couple of days in the middle I felt less so because I was fairly confident that we weren’t going to race, but the last two were hell – it’s always quite terrifying holding on to first place at such a huge event with so many good sailors in the fleet.”

Valerie Arrighetti:

“I had a fairly low start to the world tour this year because I didn’t compete in Korea, and when I went to Costa Brava I didn’t think I’d carry on racing because I had some important personal issues. However, I found that I was still competitive, even without any training, and could still take on the top females such as Karin. This helped with my motivation and so I entered Alacati, where my goal was to win like every year. And, that’s what I did, so I’m really happy.”

Results

Men

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

6th Bora Kozanoglu (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer)

8th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

Women

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

3rd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

5th Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

Overall Rankings

Men

The 2009 world champion and current tour leader, Antoine Albeau has sailed consistently enough throughout the season now to secure the 2010 PWA slalom world title with an event to spare. Many times world champion, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne) remains in second overall despite his bad result here in Alacati, and event winner, Micah Buzianis has firmly held onto third.

1st Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

3rd Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

4th Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

5th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

Albeau Talks

Antoine Albeau on securing the 2010 world title:

“It feels amazing to have finally secured the world title before Sylt. Yesterday I felt pretty nervous because we could have still completed a few more races, and I could potentially have dropped out of the top 3. But, later in the day today I began to feel much more relaxed because I knew that we could only finish one race, and as the day went one it became more and more clear that we wouldn’t even do that. The racing this year has gone really well, although it feels like a bit of a short season, but there’s still one more event to go, and I will definitely be there giving it my best shot to win like always!”

Women

With a second place finish in Alacati, former world champion Karin Jaggi retains her position in first place overall, and has secured a top 2 finish for the year. Due to official tiebreak rules – if Valerie Arrighetti were to win the next event - all Jaggi needs to do to win the 2010 world title is simply turn up in Almanarre and race. If for some reason she failed to do this then Arrighetti would still be in with a chance of claiming first on another tiebreak rule. The 2010 freestyle world champion, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra) has retained her position in second, and Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North) remains in third.

1st Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

2nd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

3rd Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North)

4th Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

5th Cagla Kubat (Starboard, North)

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Und die Zusammenfassung:

Zitat von PWA

The 2010 Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Alacati, Turkey – Event Summary

Micah Buzianis and Valerie Arrighetti claim victory in Turkey after a tense few days on standby saw them counting down the seconds until it was all over.

The beautiful Aegean town of Alacati blessed the world’s fastest racers with an action packed few days of racing at the beginning of the week, followed by a couple of windless days on hold, leaving those in the lead to endure a nerve racking time before they could finally claim their crowns.

A full fleet of sixty-four professional sailors competed on the crystal clear waters in the men’s fleet, and twenty-one fast and furious females in the women’s. With a strong Meltemi breeze blowing, both the men and women completed two full rounds of racing on each of the first two days in perfect conditions. During the middle of the week a gentle southerly wind put a halt to proceedings, and on the final few days the Meltemi returned late in the afternoon, but with insufficient force to complete any further eliminations, leaving the four completed rounds to count.

Men

Buzianis Bounces Back

Following a fairly rough ride in Fuerteventura, former world champion Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde) was back on form in Turkey with some amazingly consistent results normally reserved exclusively for his team mate, Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)!

Right from the word go Buzianis shot off the line and straight into the leading pack in every single heat. In the first race of the event he appeared to be far more comfortable in the lighter winds and flatter waters of Alacati, and a string of top two results saw him qualify for the winner’s final with ease where he dominated despite a star-studded line up.

The second race of the series saw a new format with the top 20 automatically seeded through. The intention being that the less experienced sailors get more chances to race, and the top guys don’t have to go through the formalities of the first round. Once again Buzianis sailed well despite the extra number of competitors in the heats and qualified for the winner’s final without a glitch. However, plenty of other big players failed to do the same. Of the top five ranked sailors in the world, only two made it through the first mark carnage. Many times world champion, Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic), 2009 vice world champion Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra), and flying Frenchman Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North) all fell at the first hurdle in the new elimination procedure! This left a fairly clear path for Albeau and Buzianis to take the top two spots in the final, but after a mediocre start, Albeau was left to play catch up allowing Buzianis a straight run for another bullet - the American had finished the first day with the best possible start to the contest.

For the third race in Alacati race director, Juan Antonio Aragon decided to switch back to the tried and tested 8-man heat format due to the short course, and lighter winds that the sailors were experiencing. Buzianis played it fairly safe to ensure he qualified for the winner’s final, and Albeau followed suit. When it came to the final however they both hit the water with all guns blazing. Albeau was back on unstoppable form, and surely hungry to seal the deal for his fifth consecutive slalom world title, leaving Buzianis to settle for second.

Race four saw another slalom giant with an appetite for success going by the name of Finian Maynard. His results thus far had been less than consistent, which surely psyched him up for the final. With a point to prove, he flew out of the blocks and straight into the lead where he remained for the duration. This left Buzianis to settle for another second, whilst Albeau fought hard for third.

Buzianis didn’t quite match his perfect first day, but it wasn’t far off! Two seconds had secured his place in the lead with Albeau and Maynard trailing in his wake.

Tense Times

The forecast didn’t look too promising after the first two days, but the Meltemi was supposed to return in time for the weekend crowds, which left Buzianis comfortably leading the fleet and expecting more racing. However, after a long stint on standby on Friday, it became apparent that the racing might not recommence after all, and Buzianis could possibly win his first world tour crown of 2010.

Saturday dawned with a light Meltemi breeze firmly ensuring the sailors were on the edge of their seats for the entire day. It was a nerve-racking time for those at the top of the fleet who could only lose out by racing any further. After a grueling six hours on standby the first few heats finally began, but the pressure had already been lifted. With the possibility of only completing one race, Buzianis had the event in the bag. And, as it turned out the fifth race didn’t get any further than the first round anyway before the wind disappeared causing it to be obsolete.

Albeau Secures 2010 Title

Despite not winning in Turkey, the 2009 world champion, Antoine Albeau has secured his fifth consecutive PWA slalom world title with an event to spare. He’s consistently finished in the top two this season, and is now untouchable at the top – he doesn’t even need to step on his board in Sylt! However, Albeau being Albeau he certainly will race in Germany, not only to stamp his authority on the fleet, but to also claim as much prize money as possible. Congratulations Antoine!

What About Dunky…

Following a mediocre start to the week due to his kit not arriving on time, and therefore having to beg, borrow, and steal for the first day - even though he arrived three days in advance to ensure it would all be there – he began the second day of competition with a discard under his belt already. He then ended up in an early round heat on the second day with five of the top eight ranked sailors in the world, leaving absolutely no room for error. Poor old Dunkerbeck got buried at the start with no way of coming back, and therefore had to count a terrible result. Worst-case scenario, he’ll need a top three result to maintain his second place ranking for the year in Sylt.

Standout Sailors

Frenchman, Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde) had an excellent event, being one of only three sailors to qualify for the finals (winner’s and loser’s) in every single race to finish the competition in fifth place. Now that a discard has come into effect in the overall rankings, and having not entered Korea, he’s shot up to eleventh, and could easily break into the top ten if he repeats such a performance in Sylt.

Italian, Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer) also had one of the best events of his career to date, with a second place in the first race making him one to watch throughout the week. His seventh place finish in Alacati has lifted him into twelfth overall.

Event Results

1st Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

3rd Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

5th Julien Quentel (RRD, NeilPryde)

6th Bora Kozanoglu (JP, NeilPryde)

7th Alberto Menegatti (Starboard, Simmer)

8th Sylvain Moussilmani (Starboard, Simmer)

9th Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

10th Enes Yilmazer (JP, NeilPryde)

Overall Rankings

1st Antoine Albeau (JP, NeilPryde)

2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard, Severne, Mystic)

3rd Micah Buzianis (JP, NeilPryde)

4th = Finian Maynard (RRD, Gaastra)

4th = Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard, North)

Women

Outstanding Arrighetti

The 2009 world champion, Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic) sailed the most consistently out of all of her rivals on the first day of racing to place herself ahead of the pack, with a third in the first race behind current tour leader, Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne) and transatlantic hopeful, Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish). And, a bullet in the final race of the day.

During day two, Arrighetti consolidated her position at the front of the fleet with yet another first place, and a second behind the 2010 freestyle world champion, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra). The freestyle world champ was firing on all cylinders on the second day of competition, and had there been any more races could have been a real threat to those ahead of her, but she was desperately in need of a further discard after a less than ideal first day.

With just two days of racing, Arrighetti endured the same stress as Buzianis, with four nerve racking days on hold before she could finally claim her first crown of 2010.

What About The Women’s World Title?

With four events now on the calendar, and more importantly a discard, most people believed that Arrighetti would have a shot at claiming the 2010 world title despite not entering Korea. However, close scrutiny of the PWA general rules (section 1.15.5 – Ties) has revealed that even if Arrighetti were to win in Almanarre and therefore match the current tour leader’s counting results she would not be able to take the world title from her, as long as Jaggi actually enters Almanarre. This is because the tiebreak would go down to the sailor with the greater number of firsts, seconds, and so on. Which, at a glance looks like they’d have the same, but in actual fact Jaggi would have one higher score simply for entering the final in Almanarre compared to Arrighetti’s non existent score for not entering Korea. Therefore, Jaggi’s 2010 slalom world title is well within her grasp, and would only slip out if she fails to turn up in France!

Event Results

1st Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou, Loft, Mystic)

2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

3rd Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

4th Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

5th Fanny Aubet (JP, NeilPryde)

Overall Rankings

1st Karin Jaggi (Patrik, Severne)

2nd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, Gaastra)

3rd Alice Arutkin (Starboard, North)

4th Sarah Hebert (Naish, Naish)

5th Cagla Kubat (Starboard, North)

Constructors Championship

Following on from the action in Alacati, Starboard have consolidated their position at the top of the hotly contested board brand rankings, and NeilPryde remain in the top slot in the sail brand category.

Board Brands

1st Starboard

2nd JP

3rd Tabou

4th Fanatic

5th Patrik

Sail Brands

1st NeilPryde

2nd North

3rd Gaastra

4th Severne

5th Simmer

Next Stop

The PWA World Tour moves on to Almanarre, France for the women’s slalom final from the 4th to the 8th September. Be sure to check out www.pwaworldtour.com for live coverage, and daily updates from the event.

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