Sei giornate consecutive dove a Sylt i rider del PWA sono rimasti in attesa del vento. Gare di SUP e Tow-in Freestyle hanno comunque movimentato l’attesa. Il Tow-in è stato vinto da Gollito Estredo seguito da Ricardo Campello che è riuscito a chiudere un Back Loop trainato da una moto d’acqua. Non si era mai vista una manovra del genere in questa disciplina e sinceramente ci aspettavamo che fosse premiata dai giudici con la vittoria, invece è stata preferita una “classica” tow-in power move di Gollito!
Ieri il vento da terra ha però permesso agli atleti del freetyle finalmente di scendere in acqua. Il talentuoso Antony Ruenes trova sulla sua strada Kiri Thode e con una heat molto tecnica chiude la porta in faccia al Campione del Mondo 2013 e attuale leader della classifica 2014 mettendo in serio pericolo la sua riconquista del trono.
Da questa situazione Gollito Estredo, che vince il Single Elimination di Sylt, mette una bella ipoteca sulla possibile conquista del suo sesto titolo mondiale. Per oggi le previsioni non danno molto vento.
Results After Single Elimination – Men’s Freestyle
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North / MFC)
2nd Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails)
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (JP / NeilPryde)
4th Tonky Frans (Tabou / GA Sails)
5th Amado Vrieswijk (Starboard / Severne)
5th Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne)
5th Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails)
5th Björn Saragoza (Starboard / Hot Sails Maui)
Andrea Ferin (RRD, Challenger Sails) ci aggiorna:
Oggi il vento è ritornato, ma giustamente hanno portato avanti il contest di freestyle concludendo la single e iniziando la double che però è stata interrotta per un calo di vento dopo il quale hanno chiamato in acqua gli slalom. Quindi siamo ripartiti con il secondo tabellone che si era interrotto alla heat 7 da ripetere e poi siamo andati con i quarti… le condizioni veramente al limite minimo di vento hanno messo tutti a dura prova. Alle strambate si formava un vero e proprio ingorgo! Quasi impossibile superare al limite della planata e con i bordi stretti. Quindi ai quarti passa Matteo nella 9° e io e Rosati finiamo fuori 7° e 6°, anche Malte non passa il turno e così l’unico italiano in corsa rimane Matteo che si qualifica già per la winner final però poi il vento cala ancora è non viene disputata la seconda semifinale. Comunque c’è da dire che è stato un tabellone tirato per i capelli con la paura di finire con uno solo. Domani lo skipper meeting è alle 9:30 per lo slalom e alle 10:30 per gli altri.
DAVIDOFF COOL WATER SYLT WORLD CUP
Day 9: Freestyle title race turned on its head as Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo takes control at the top
Conditions didn’t look too promising first thing this morning, but thankfully after a few hours of waiting the forecasted wind filtered through allowing the completion of the men’s freestyle single elimination on the penultimate day of the DAVIDOFF Cool Water Sylt PWA Super Grand Slam. Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North / MFC) was in outstanding form as he claimed victory to move to the top of the PWA Freestyle World Tour rankings, and the Venezuelan is now on the verge of being crowned freestyle champion for an incredible sixth time, after reigning world champion – Kiri Thode (Starboard / GA Sails) – finished outside of the top four.
Single Elimination
Winners’ Final
Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo continued his inspired form in the final as he took a giant step towards his sixth world title. The Venezuelan was particularly outstanding on port tack as he dominated with big, powerful air moves – starting with a monster shaka before adding a trademark pasko and a double culo. His opponent – Anthony Ruenes – made a strong start to the final as he stomped an air funnel into funnel, before going slightly off the boil in the middle of the heat. However, the Frenchman, soon re-found his form to fight back by landing a stylish shuvit spock and an amazing no-handed air flaka. Unfortunately, for Ruenes, Gollito was just too good on this occasion as he claimed the single elimination victory. Ruenes still enjoyed a fantastic day though, as today was the first time he has been able to break back into the top three and beyond in almost ten years – since his return to the world tour after completing his studies.
Earlier in the single elimination – Anthony Ruenes – was involved in an almost inseparable heat versus Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails). The two countryman finished the heat tied on both technical skill and diversity, so the decision came down to the best non-counting move, which saw Ruenes advance with a burner as his backup trick.
Elsewhere, Björn Saragoza (Starboard / Hot Sails Maui) defeated fellow Bonairean Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic / MFC) in heat eighteen. Frans sailed a good heat, but unfortunately for him two of his best moves were judged as being outside the competition area, and therefore didn’t count, whilst his backloop was landed moments after the buzzer.
Adrian Beholz (Fanatic / Sailloft Hamburg / Maui Ultra Fins) was also unlucky in heat nineteen as he crashed out against an on form Tonky Frans (Tabou / GA Sails) – who finished fourth. The German accumulated one of the highest scores of the day, up to that point so far with 45.5 points, which would have been enough to defeat either Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / North) or Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne) on the opposite side of the heat.
The opening two rounds of the double elimination were completed before the conditions became too inconsistent, which led to the competition being abandoned shortly after 4pm. Up until this point the top seeds had successfully navigated their way through to the next rounds.
Elimination Two