2010 Cabo Verde PWA World Cup

Am Wochenende geht es los, der letzte Tourstop dieses Jahr für die Wave-Herren.
Es wird wieder eine Live-Übertragung geben, wie man es auch schon in Klitmöller hat sehen können, hier der Link: http://caboverdeworldcup.com/live/

Sal, and its legendary breaks such as Ponta Preta, have grown in stature in recent years as their lure to waveriding purists worldwide grows season upon season. Now with improved flight connections, and this small republic’s high profile resident Josh Angulo (CV-1) acting as both host and ambassador, the hollow, powerful waves of Ponta Preta and nearby breaks will test even the most hardcore PWA athletes.

In 2010, Cape Verde will play host to the final of the PWA Pro Wavesailing Tour, as the best of the best battle it out for championship honours.

Die Vorschau:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Event Preview

Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster as adrenalin pumped wavesailors battle with their nerves when they boost huge aerials off bone-crushing lips just yards from the shore in the ultimate Men’s wavesailing finale!

This year on November 14th the beautiful island of Sal, Cabo Verde will greet the world’s most impressive professional windsurfers as they prepare to battle it out for their final 2010 rankings. Regarded by many of the world’s top pros as the best wavesailing location on the planet, they will undoubtedly find it hard to contain their excitement as they’re given the opportunity to hit those perfect lips at Ponta Preta! However, add in the element of competition, those precious world cup points, wildcard entries, the €30,000 prize pot, and of course the rocks, and the nerves will soon kick in.

Only one World Champion will be crowned, and with the rankings wide open, it’s bound to be an exciting showdown between the most talented competitors from across the globe. With the fleet narrowed down to just the top thirty-two, the level will be sky high, and with a few wild cards, including former PWA wave world champion, Jason Polakow (JP, NeilPryde) thrown into the mix, it’ll make for the most impressive wave sailing we’ve seen this year! And don’t forget, you’ll be able to watch it all in real-time on PWA Live TV.

High profile resident, and two time PWA wave world champion, Josh Angulo (Angulo, Gun) has played an instrumental part in making this incomparable wave final happen along with the event's main sponsor the Cape Verdian Investment Agency. Despite Angulo announcing his retirement from official PWA wave competition last year, he'll be returning to the scene to bust out some of his notoriously high one-handed aerials in front of his home crowds in an attempt to stamp his authority on the PWA’s finest.

Angulo commented: "We're firing on all cylinders at the prospect of closing the 2010 season in Cabo Verde. Historically the biggest finals ever were in Hawaii, and now Cabo Verde has jumped into the driver's seat with the billing of 'best windsurf spot in the world'. The mixture of wavesailing's legends clashing their epoxy swords with the PWA warriors of today should make for one of the heaviest showdowns of all time. The early winter period of November brings with it fresh 'alizes' breezes as well as pulsing Atlantic swells which combine for a lethal cocktail of 'Ponta Preta on the rocks'. I personally look forward to a one-off wave competition appearance and will have to buckle down to try and hold my top spot in the lineup, but most of all I look forward to once again welcoming the world, alongside CapeVerde Investimentos and Camara Do Sal, to the friendly islands of Cabo Verde."

Wind & Waves
We asked the double world title holder, and two time Cabo Verde champion, Josh Angulo for his thoughts on the conditions at this time of year.
Josh commented: “November is typically the time of year when the trade winds return and the winter swells start rolling in. Everybody thinks it only works in Feb/March, but actually many of our best sessions are in November and we pray this year turns out the same. I'm confident that between the 15th and 23rd we'll get a bombing swell with wind and once again Ponta Preta will show why it is the world's showcase event. This year beyond the windsurfing, the event has expanded into Santa Maria where we will have some awesome cultural events. The Cabo Verde event is basically becoming a must attend watersports festival with the coolest vibe possible. There will also be live web-streaming which can be seen at www.caboverdeworldcup.com amongst other websites.”

Heavy Hitters
Regulars
With no discard available due to the lack of waves in Sylt, a number of major upsets to form could see a whole host of sailors in the running for the world title, but there are four sailors who have given themselves a better chance…

The current world number one, Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC) has been in Cabo Verde for almost a month now, and is well placed to have his name etched in the PWA’s history books. With an event win and a second place under his belt from the previous two counting events, a podium finish in Cabo Verde would ensure he walked away with the 2010 world title. However, it won’t be an easy task - Fernandez is known as the king of Pozo, not Ponta Preta…

Fernandez said: “I came early in order to get very comfortable with the ocean conditions and overall vibe of this island. I also went very early to both Pozo and Denmark this year and that tactic paid off. So far here in Sal I’ve surfed and windsurfed every day, pretty much alone, and some days with just one or two people out. I’m getting my equipment tuned up, and I’m feeling comfortable. This is the first time I've ever entered the final event in first place and it definitely feels good. Here in Sal we've been well received and are having a great time. It's definitely become one of my favorite places to visit.”

Currently Fernandez’s nearest rival for the overall world title is former freestyle world champion, Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde). Consistency has paid dividends for the Venezuelan so far this season with two third place finishes seeing him comfortably in second overall. If Fernandez falls, Campello could easily swipe the trophy from under his nose.

Another port tack Pozo specialist within easy reach of the world title is 2009 Gran Canaria wave champion, Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine). Up until a couple of days ago the teenager was a Ponta Preta virgin. However, local hero Angulo soon got him out there. Koster recalls: “A couple of days ago I was hanging out at the Angulo Beach Club because there was not much happening. Josh came and got me because there were some small waves at Ponta Preta, so I headed over there with him. The waves were small and close to the rocks and the wind was very light, but it was cool to get my first session under my belt. Josh was telling me how to line up and showed me a few things, so it was a good way to have my first ever Ponta experience!”

One of the favorites (amongst others) to win the event is three times former world wave champion, Kauli Seadi (JP, NeilPryde, MFC). Throughout the event’s three-year history, he’s finished second to Angulo twice, and claimed victory ahead of Angulo once. After a shaky start to the season, he’s left himself with a lot of work to do in order to claim the world title, but it’s still possible. Seadi said: “It's good to be back in Cabo Verde. I have a real affinity with the place. The people treat me like family, so I feel more and more at home each year. I'm in the run for the title, but Victor has the lead, which puts me in a position where I definitely need to win here to give myself a chance. It’ll be a big challenge, but my equipment and focus is rock-solid, so I feel strong going into the event, and look forward to sailing here in Cabo Verde.”

Wild Cards
Although not capable of claiming the world championship crown, a couple of the wild cards could easily knock out one of the favorites on their path of destruction to taking the event title!

A name that’s synonymous with Ponta Preta is two times PWA wave world champion, Josh Angulo who has gained a one-off entry. With two Cabo Verde event victories, and more local knowledge than anyone else, he’ll definitely be charging his way through the fleet from the word go.

The other main wild card to watch out for here in Cabo Verde is former wave world champion, and out-right wavesailing legend, Jason Polakow (JP, NeilPryde). In 2008 Polakow stylishly rode his way into third, and in 2007 he stormed his way back through the double elimination to finish fourth.

If Ponta Preta is firing, all eyes will be glued to these two PWA superstars.

Live Streaming
The most talked about contest of the year will be streamed live, so you can check it out wherever you are in the world, as and when it happens. Watch the extreme action unfold in real-time by tuning into either PWA Live TV or www.caboverdeworldcup.com from Monday onwards.

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Hoffentlich bekommen die noch gute Bedingungen:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day One

Tension mounts as the world championship countdown continues in Cabo Verde following a dead calm first day in the wavesailing Mecca.

The PWA’s most prestigious wave sailors were greeted by a light offshore breeze and zero swell this morning forcing head judge, Duncan Coombs to immediately put the contest on hold. And, after a fruitless afternoon recce round the island, the sailors were released, leaving them to fight it out another day.

With little action on the water, the TV crew turned their attentions to gaining the inside line, whilst we took a more mathematical approach to the competition to work out who could actually still take the title.

A Fighting Chance
With no discard for the year, the most exciting element to this week is that the title race remains wide open. Looking at this year’s figures from a purely factual point of view, everyone inside the top thirteen in the overall rankings – from Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC) to Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra) - has the opportunity to walk away from Cabo Verde as the 2010 PWA world champion. For the likes of Williams this would however only be possible if everyone inside the top ten failed to progress through the first round – the probability of which must be next to nothing!

The True Title Race
A more realistic view on the race for the title would be to take into account the sailors previous results from the Cabo Verde competition’s three-year history, and of course the likelihood of those advancing around them.

The first candidate to assess would be the current tour leader, Fernandez who would certainly secure the title if he places himself in the final four. However, over the past three years he hasn’t actually managed to finish inside the top ten at Cabo Verde, which – if that were to happen again – would leave the door wide open for the likes of Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC), Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine), and former world champion, Kauli Seadi (JP, NeilPryde) to take advantage. And, depending upon how far Fernandez progresses (or doesn’t as it were), perhaps Dany Bruch (Patrik, Severne, MFC, AL360), Robby Swift (JP, NeilPryde), and so on down the rankings. Fernandez is the key player to keep an eye on, not just due to his number one ranking, but because as he progresses, he’ll destroy other’s chances of claiming that title.

Campello would be the next logical sailor to take a look at. Two third places this year sees the Venezuelan with 6 points overall, and a win here would see him happy on 7. But, with Fernandez on just 3 points at the moment, Campello still wouldn’t snatch the title from Fernandez if he manages to finish inside the top 4, because although they would both be on 7 points, the Spaniard would still take it on a tiebreak rule. However, a closer look at the history of the event reveals that this result has a fairly low probability. It was only last year that Campello slipped inside the top half of the fleet in Cabo Verde. But, he does seem to be making his mark on the wave tour this year…

For the current world number three, Philip Koster the mathematical method doesn’t really work because his first experience of hitting a lip in Cape Verde was just the other day… However, taking a less numeric approach, this lack of experience in such a star-studded fleet could be seen as an indicator that he might not progress that far, opening the doors for his rivals to pass. On the other hand, if Koster were to win, Campello didn’t make the top 2, and Fernandez only managed an equal 7th, Koster would take the crown.

Perhaps the most likely candidate to overthrow Fernandez however is the 2007 and 2009 Cabo Verde runner up, and 2008 Cabo Verde event champion, Kauli Seadi. With a solid history of results at both Ponta Preta and Little Ho’okipa, it may be time to place your bets at the local bookie. But, even if Seadi does take the event title, due to his poor result in Pozo, Fernandez need only finish 5th equal to keep the title, and even Campello could remain ahead of Seadi if he finds his place in the top 4.

With such a huge number of ‘what ifs’ nothing will be certain until the competitors are whittled down, ensuring an exciting finale to an incredible year on the PWA Wave World Tour!

Eye On The Horizon
A solid swell is forecast to build early tomorrow morning, so with any luck we’ll see the world’s best wave warriors battling it out on these prestigious breaks before the week is through.

Live Streaming
Watch the extreme action unfold by tuning into either PWA Live TV or www.caboverdeworldcup.com.

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Wie heißt es so schön: Wer Weltmeister werden will, muß gegen alle bestehen...

Da ist es dann auch egal, wann die härtesten Gegner kommen...

Ich denke auch, daß das alles jetzt Kauli zu spielt. Die anderen sind sprungstark, aber eben nicht so im Waveriding. Gegen Philip spricht z.B. auch, daß er ausschließlich Wind von links gewohnt ist. Er muß zukünftig öfter und länger nach Hawaii...

Tag 2 ohne Wind:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Two

The world’s finest came tantalisingly close to competing on the second day of competition in Cabo Verde, but the conditions failed to cooperate.

With the promise of a pumping swell and fifteen knots of wind, an early skipper’s briefing was held to prepare the fleet for the day ahead. But, when the conditions looked unsuitable at the legendary Ponta Preta, head judge Duncan Coombs and 2009 PWA Wave World Champion, Josh Angulo (Angulo, Gun, Dakine) decided to move the whole show to Curral Jaoul.

The Jewel Of Cabo Verde
Known for it’s epic right-hand barrels, Curral Jaoul is a surfer’s dream destination, and therefore the perfect place to hold a world-class wavesailing competition - as long as there’s enough wind to float out! At times there appeared to be enough for the heats to begin, and with logo high waves in the sets, Boujmaa Guilloul (Starboard, Severne, MFC, Mystic) lead a charge to the water.

No jewels come easy though… Without a direct launching spot, the competitors were forced to scramble over the urchin-infested reef before they could jump on their boards. Even the world’s most hardcore sailors found it difficult to get out, but once they’d made it, the reward was there.

Fight For The Final Spot
With Guilloul and friends making the conditions look spectacular, the decision was soon made to start the contest. First up though, to fill the final place in the official contest, a sail-off between two local sailors, Filomeno Carvalio and Edson Tavares took place.

The moment the green flag went up, it became very clear that those already out on the water were well rehearsed in boosting aerials off perfect lips in little to no wind, whereas these guys probably weren’t. Both sailors gave it their best shot, but their skills didn’t quite match those of the legends at the pinnacle of the sport. Carvalio met an unfortunate end with a rinsing on the rocks, and the first broken mast of the week, allowing Tavares the final spot in the contest.

And So It Continues…
Having seen Jason Polakow (JP, NeilPryde), Josh Angulo, Thomas Traversa (Tabou, Gaastra), Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC), and Kai Lenny (Naish, Naish) all tearing the heart out of Curral Jaoul, it was about time for some official action. However, just as the green flag went up for the man-on-man heat between Traversa and Yann Sorlut (RRD, Simmer) the wind dropped down to nothing, forcing the organisers to abandon the heat.

Throughout the afternoon the crew made every effort to get the contest underway again, however the wind refused to build, leaving the sailors with nothing to do but ride the jewel on their SUPs and surfboards.

Eye On The Horizon
The forecast for the next two days looks very promising with a building swell and strengthening winds, so be sure to tune in for more!

Live Streaming
Watch the action on PWA Live TV or www.caboverdeworldcup.com.

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Tag 3 ist um:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Three

Thomas Traversa steals the show by claiming victory in the only heat completed so far in Cabo Verde!

At first light the PWA’s wave scouts dispersed across the island in an effort to hunt down a reef break with both wind and waves. At eight o’clock the call was made for the entire fleet to head to Curral Jaoul, which reportedly had the best conditions available.

Most of the competitors drove down the dusty track to see Moroccan aerialist, Boujmaa Guilloul (Starboard, Severne, MFC, Mystic) shredding some glassy faces, along with 2008 Pozo wave champion, Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine) who was smacking some chunky lips.

It didn’t take long before former world champion, Jason Polakow (JP, NeilPryde) joined the boys in the logo-high waves, which was enough of a signal for head judge, Duncan Coombs to decide to start the contest.

The Finale Begins!
Due to the light 8-10 knot winds and lengthy flat spells between the sets, the heat duration was set at 30 minutes, with just two wave rides to count from the two sailors out on the water.

First up was the all-French battle of featherweight Thomas Traversa (Tabou, Gaastra) versus Yann Sorlut (RRD, Simmer). Traversa is the master of light wind wavesailing having spent plenty of time seeking out similar wave perfection in Indonesia, and as such stamped his authority on Sorlut. Traversa caught three high scoring waves in the first half of the heat whilst Sorlut struggled with only one. In the second half, Sorlut found an impressive set-wave and boosted an immaculate aerial which saw him soar into the flats, but from there it was impossible for him to get back out. Traversa scored another two waves in the final fifteen minutes, and despite Sorlut’s best efforts, claimed the heat to advance through.

The King Of Cabo Verde
Heat two marked the return of the 2009 PWA wave world champion, Josh Angulo (Angulo, Gun, Dakine) to competition. But, minutes into the heat, after impressing the international judging panel with an amazing first wave, the wind died completely leaving Angulo and his opponent, Klaas Voget (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC) unable to catch even the steepest of sections. After waiting a further fifteen minutes to see if it was just a short lull, the wind failed to return, and the heat was eventually abandoned.

The Waiting Game Continues
The wind refused to build for the rest of the afternoon leaving the sailors to endure another frustrating day in the heat of the dessert at Curral Jaoul. Those that surf spent their time wisely on the water, whilst everyone else took shelter in their vehicles. A final attempt at four o’clock saw Angulo and Voget back on the break, but once again the wind disappeared before the heat had even begun.

The skipper’s meeting for tomorrow has been set for eight o’clock, so if there’s any chance of the contest resuming, the sailors will be able to make the most of it.

Live Streaming
Watch the action on PWA TV or at www.caboverdeworldcup.com.

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Leider immer noch kein Wind:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Four

Josh Angulo and Klaas Voget show off their skills in the extremely light winds and dying swell, but the conditions just weren’t acceptable for world-class competition.

With the forecast signalling an end to the waves that the competitors had been blessed with for the past few days, the call was made to head to Curral Joul early in order to make the most of whatever was left. As soon as the sailors arrived on site, an 8-10 knot breeze and occasional set-wave, enticed those in the first heat onto the water.

The green flag went up early for the re-run of Josh Angulo (Angulo, Gun, Dakine) versus Klass Voget (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC), but it became immediately apparent that the wind was far too light, and the waves too infrequent for the competition to carry on. Angulo and Voget put on the best show they possibly could given the conditions, but they both lacked the power they needed to perform to their usual high standard.

After a short period on standby the PWA’s finest were released from the heat of Curral Joul to head home and rest before fighting it out another day. Almost everyone left apart from featherweight team-mates, Thomas Traversa (Tabou, Gaastra), and Alex Mussolini (Tabou, Vandal), who decided to float out to sea and wait for the occasional wave. Although the conditions weren’t suitable for official competition, these two scored numerous rides in their hour-long session, and were caught on camera by PWA lens man, John Carter.

Eye On The Horizon
A south swell is forecast for tomorrow which could potentially provide the goods right on Angulo’s doorstep in Santa Maria, but with the twist of it quite possibly being port tack! A further North swell is predicted for the weekend that would see the competition return to Ponta Preta, Little Ho’okipa, or Curral Joul.

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Die Spannung steigt...

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Five

The perfect waves of Cabo Verde take a rest on day five, allowing us to catch up with current world number one, Victor Fernandez…

With more wind today than any other so far it was unfortunate that the distinct lack of swell put a halt to the proceedings. Head judge, Duncan Coombs scoured the island from first light, but with no conditions to speak of decided to release the riders early in the afternoon.

Whilst the sailors were on standby, we took the opportunity to talk to the man whose entire year hangs in the balance of the following four days, Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC).

PWA: How are you feeling now that you’re potentially only four days away from claiming your first ever PWA wave world title?
VF: “I feel exactly the same as when we started 5 days ago. The forecast looks okay for tomorrow, so there’s a chance that the competition could begin again. I’m still focusing on my first heat. That’s the only thing on my mind right now.”

PWA: How have you coped with being so tantalizingly close to competing the last few days?
VF: “I’ve actually just been keeping focused on the competition, and tried not to let my mind drift off. As soon as the first heat hit the water on Wednesday, I was watching it closely to see how the guys sailed, where they hit the lip, and how they moved around the break.”

PWA: Do you think we should have been competing these past few days?
VF: “No. I don’t think it would have made for a fair competition, and I think most of the top 20 competitors agree with me when I say that. In those conditions you would be very lucky if you managed to catch two good waves in half an hour - the wind was so light that you could barely waterstart, and it was a pretty bad direction too. It would have been unfair to send out the guys who’d been competing all year into such unsuitable conditions. You can’t let luck be the determining factor of a year’s hard work.”

PWA: Having now seen both Josh Angulo (Angulo, Gun, Dakine) and Thomas Traversa (Tabou, Gaastra) absolutely tearing the waves to pieces in extremely light winds, do you fear them more now?
VF: “It hasn’t surprised me, I know they both rip when it’s light. Thomas is only 58kgs, so he’s a master of those conditions, and Josh rides much bigger gear than everyone else, and knows how to use it to his advantage. Luckily, I wouldn’t meet either of those guys until the final of the single elimination - if I do actually make it that far. Lets just wait and see what happens. I don’t like to think about who I might be up against because I might never get there.”

PWA: How do you feel having seen the local guy you’re up against in your first heat, Edson Tavares out on the water?
VF: “I feel fairly confident having trained here in these conditions for almost a month now, and I’ve got used to sailing with my 5.7 and my 92L board. Although, I’ve only actually managed to sail at little Ho’okipa so far, so I’ll just take each heat as it comes.”

PWA: Despite only thinking about each heat if, and when you progress, is there anyone on your half of the draw you fear the most?
VF: “I think if I do make it through to the second round, every single heat after that will be extremely tough – they’re the top 16 guys in the world remember!”

PWA: Any final thoughts?
VF: “This is a very important event for me. I hope that all of the hard work that I’ve put in this year pays off, so that I can achieve what I’ve been searching for, for so many years.”

PWA TV
Check out the highlights from today by tuning into either PWA Live TV or www.caboverdeworldcup.com.

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Das war Tag 6:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Six

A dramatic day sees four more heats completed, a man in hospital, the first title contender down, and a few less urchins on the rocks of Curral Joul!

After a short period on standby and with signs of the new North swell materialising, head judge, Duncan Coombs made the call for the fleet to go straight to Curral Joul today. The minute the sailors arrived, the wind increased, and the occasional set wave caused a stir. Following a frantic rigging frenzy, a third of the fleet were on the water within a few minutes, gaining vital knowledge of a spot most of them had never sailed.

No time was wasted in making the decision to begin the contest in the boom to head high waves and 8-10 knot breeze. The sailors were given thirty minutes to prove their worth in a man-on-man duel under the watchful eye of the international judging panel in which two wave rides would count towards their overall score.

It was an all-British affair in the first heat of the day with Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra) and Jamie Hancock (Tabou, Vandal) battling it out for their place in the top 16. Hancock caught far more waves than Williams, but he failed to ride them to quite the same standard. Williams launched into some impressive aerials throughout the heat, and in the final few seconds caught the highest scoring wave of the entire day to see him progress with ease.

For the next heat we moved across the Atlantic for an all-Venezuelan affair with Diony Guadagnino (Hot Sails, MFC) taking on current world number two, Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC). Moments before the heat, Guadagnino was seeking medical attention with a huge gash to his arm from an earlier incident with the reef. However, fired up and on form, Guadagnino hit the water to give it a 110%. Campello’s turns looked more impressive, but Guadagnino was busting out the aerials. It was a close run heat throughout, but in the end the judges gave it to Guadagnino by the narrowest of margins – a godsend for Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC) in the race for the title, but a huge blow to the former freestyle world champion who had his sights set high.

Following Campello’s dramatic end, it was the turn of Alex Mussolini (Tabou, Gaastra) and Jules Denel (Exocet) to tiptoe their way off the rocks, and ride for their lives along the shore. Denel put up an impressive fight, but with Mussolini launching into aerials over dry sections of rock, it was always going to be tough for the Frenchman to advance. The 2009 Sylt wave champion, Mussolini won by a convincing margin to secure his spot in the final 16.

The final heat of the day saw Canarian ripper, Dany Bruch (Patrik, Severne, AL360, MFC) pass ahead of German, Florian Jung (RRD, Gun, Dakine). After Jung’s first few waves, he spent a prolonged period stuck on the inside, unable to get back out until late in the heat, whilst Bruch racked up the points with some stylish top turns and a couple of aerials. Jung eventually made it back out, but by that time the wind had begun to decrease, and the waves flattened off leaving him with an almost impossible task in the dying minutes.

The Cursed Heat

Having tried to run the heat between Josh Angulo (Angulo, Gun, Dakine) and Klaas Voget (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC) quite a few times already, it came as no surprise that the minute they left the shore after Bruch and Jung, the wind completely disappeared. Lets hope the curse is lifted before tomorrow morning so that the competition can continue to a full conclusion.

First Casualty

The gnarly rocks of Curral Joul took their first casualty today in the form of German, Florian Jung (RRD, Gun, Dakine). Having completed his heat against Bruch, he was hotfooting it over the rocks when a wave washed in and forced his sail against his leg. At the time of going to press we do not know the extent of his injuries, just that he has sustained multiple fractures and multiple dislocations of his foot, ankle, and leg. We wish him all the best on his road to recovery.

Contest Footage

Watch the action by tuning into either PWA TV or www.caboverdeworldcup.com.

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Tag 7, sieht ja nicht schlecht aus für Victor...

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Seven

Clear blue skies, calm seas, and a gentle tropical breeze provided idyllic conditions for a relaxing afternoon in paradise.

With signs of a moderate sized swell building in the North of Sal this morning the organisers were filled with the hope that a small increase in the wind would allow the competition to resume.

Most of the sailors stationed themselves at the desolate location of Curral Joul in preparation for their heats. But, after waiting patiently all morning, with only their vehicles for shade, head judge Duncan Coombs decided to let them return south to Santa Maria for a more comfortable afternoon.

The organisers and the crew made every effort to hunt down some suitable conditions, but the wind and waves simply failed to materialise, leaving the sailors to endure a further day on standby.

Eye On The Horizon
The forecast for the final two days of the holding period doesn’t look too promising at the moment with both the swell and wind showing signs of disappearing. However, with the possibility of local thermal effects at locations like “Little Ho’okipa” there’s every chance that something could still happen.

Keep In The Groove

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Das war Tag 8, heute fällt die Entscheidung...

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Day Eight

Less than 24 hours separate Victor Fernandez from the possibility of claiming his first ever PWA wave world title!

The relaxing vibe of Cabo Verde continued on the eighth day of competition, with the small waves and gentle breezes not being sufficient to hold any heats. And with a similar outlook for the final day of the holding period, the top ranked competitors overall for the year have begun their countdown to having their names etched in the PWA’s history books.

The current world number one ranked sailor, Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC) has mentioned that he’s still focusing on getting through his first heat, but there must be a part of him that secretly hopes he never has to hit the water. In just 24 hours, if no more heats are sailed, he will be crowned the 2010 PWA Wave World Champion.

Sitting in second place overall, and desperately praying for no more wind is three-time former freestyle world champion, Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC). After his shock exit from the single elimination at Curral Joul on Saturday - which would mean that if the competition reached a conclusion he would almost certainly lose his second place ranking for the year - the young Venezuelan took himself off for a long walk, presumably to have a word with the man upstairs. And judging by the forecast, his prayers could well have been heard…

2009 Pozo Wave Champion, Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine) will be the final wavesailor to stand tall on the podium if everything remains as it is. In a highly professional manner, Koster hit the water early at Curral Joul a couple of days ago to gain some invaluable knowledge. And with similar professionalism, the judges haven’t heard so much as whisper of complaint about the conditions the contest began in, which, with so much at stake, can only bode well for his future career in the sport.

As with all things weather related, the organisers remain uncertain about whether or not the contest will resume tomorrow, and how the rest of the contest will pan out. However, one thing they can be sure of is that they will definitely be crowning the 2010 wave world champion tomorrow.

Video Footage
Watch what’s going on at the Cabo Verde World Cup by tuning into either PWA Live TV or www.caboverdeworldcup.com.

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Game is over, Victor Fernandez ist Weltmeister.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch!!

Auf Platz 2 im Jahresranking ist Ricardo Campello, auf 3 Philip Köster. Nächstes Jahr ist Philip dann dran...

Und die Zusammenfassung:

Zitat von PWA

2010 PWA CABO VERDE WORLD CUP – Event Summary

A World Champion is crowned in Cabo Verde, but there’s no new king of Ponta Preta!

From the 15th through to the 23rd November the beautiful island of Sal played host to the world’s wavesailing elite for their grand finale of 2010. Having gone from strength to strength throughout the event’s three-year history, the fourth was expected to deliver conditions of the same epic proportions.

Unfortunately however, after the nine-day holding period was over just five man-on-man heats had been completed at the gnarly location of Curral Joul. This meant the rankings remained unchanged, and the 2010 Pozo champion, Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC) claimed his first ever PWA wave world title ahead of three times former freestyle world champion, Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde), and 2009 Pozo champion, Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine).

Hottest Heats
Despite there not being an official result, the ten sailors who fought hard during the contest deserve a mention. The first to advance was the master of light wind wavesailing, Thomas Traversa (Tabou, Gaastra) who, having spent plenty of time seeking out similar wave perfection in Indonesia, stamped his authority on Yann Sorlut (RRD, Simmer) on day three.

On the sixth day of competition Sal witnessed the all-British affair of Ross Williams (Tabou, Gaastra) battling it out with Jamie Hancock (Tabou, Vandal) for a place in the final 16. Hancock had far more waves, but in the final few seconds Williams caught the highest scoring ride of the entire day to help him advance.

The next heat was an all-Venezuelan affair with Diony Guadagnino (Hot Sails, MFC) taking on current world number two, Ricardo Campello. Campello’s turns looked more impressive, but Guadagnino was busting out the aerials. It was a close run heat throughout, but in the end the judges gave it to Guadagnino – a godsend for Victor Fernandez in the race for the title, but a huge blow to the three time former freestyle world champion who had his sights set high.

Next to tiptoe their way off the rocks, and ride for their lives along the shore were Alex Mussolini (Tabou, Gaastra) and Jules Denel (Exocet). Denel put up an impressive fight, but with Mussolini launching into aerials over dry sections of rock, it was always going to be tough for the Frenchman to advance. In the end, the 2009 Sylt wave champion, Mussolini won by a convincing margin to secure his spot in the final 16.

The final heat of the contest saw Canarian ripper, Dany Bruch (Patrik, Severne, AL360) pass ahead of German, Florian Jung (RRD, Gun, Dakine). After Jung’s first few waves, he spent a prolonged period stuck on the inside, unable to get back out until late in the heat, whilst Bruch racked up the points with some stylish top turns and a couple of aerials. Jung eventually made it back out, but by that time the wind had begun to decrease and the waves flattened off, leaving him with an almost impossible task in the dying minutes.

Casualties Of Curral Joul
German, Florian Jung fell victim to the rocks on the sixth day of competition. Having completed his heat against Bruch, he was hotfooting it home when a wave washed in and forced his sail against his leg. The local doctors said he’d sustained multiple fractures and dislocations to his foot, ankle, and leg, so he flew home immediately to seek the best advice. From everyone here at the PWA, we wish him a speedy recovery.

The Waiting Game
Aside from the two days that saw some windsurfing action, for the remainder of the week the sailors were seen sheltering from the sun in their cars at Curral Joul, or tearing the waves to pieces on their surfboards and SUPs.

Official 2010 PWA Men’s Wave Rankings
1st Victor Fernandez (Fanatic, North, MFC)
2nd Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC)
3rd Philip Koster (Starboard, NeilPryde, Dakine)
4th Kauli Seadi (JP, NeilPryde)
5th Dany Bruch (Patrik, Severne, AL360)
6th Robby Swift (JP, NeilPryde)
7th = Klaas Voget (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC)
7th = Alex Mussolini (Tabou, Gaastra)
9th Jonas Ceballos (Mistral, Simmer)
10th Dario Ojeda (Tabou, Simmer, Dakine, MFC)

Constructors Championship
Following a year of tough competition in the hotly contested constructors championship, JP have finally claimed victory - by the narrowest of margins - ahead of 2009 champions, Starboard in the board brands championship. In the sail brands championship NeilPryde have maintained their position at the top of the field.

Board Brands
1st JP
2nd Starboard
3rd Fanatic
4th Tabou
5th Patrik

Sail Brands
1st NeilPryde
2nd North
3rd Gaastra
4th Severne
5th Simmer

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