18 year old Swedish talent wins Kona Windsurfing World Championships

by Daniel Nordlund on 8 Nov 2012 After four days of intense racing in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, young Swede Adam Holm is the new windsurfing World Champion in ISAF-class Kona One. Danish windsurfing legend Tim Aagesen finished second before third placed Australian Dennis Winstanley.

This year’s championships took place in the classical windsurfing waters of Gran Canaria. A total of 60 sailors from three continents and countries such as Canada, Slovenia and Germany competed. The winds were unusually light and unpredictable during the four days of racing which demanded great tactical skills and concentration of the sailors. Adam Holm was the one who best proved to handle these demanding conditions and delivered an impressive record, winning three out of the seven races.

'I have really been struggling hard over the last few years, being so close to making it all the way but not quite there. So I’m just so happy to finally get a world championship. This means so much to me,' Adam Holm commented on his victory.

Danish windsurfing legend Tim Aagesen, who won last year’s Kona World Championships, finished in second place. The bronze medal was won by Australian Dennis Winstanley.

Young Swedish up and coming super talent, 16 year old Andrea Holm , sister of Adam, finished sixth overall, well before Norway’s first lady of windsurfing Jorunn Horgen who finished eighth in her first Kona Worlds. Third overall female was Canadian Dominique Vallée, finishing 14th after some impressive sailing during the last day. With a third and a fifth place in the last day’s afternoon races, when the wind picked up, she clearly proved her ability as a Kona windsurfer. On the podium Dominique also picked up the Worlds’ relay stick from this year’s organizer and former World champion of wave riding, Marcos Perez, and welcomed everyone to next year’s Championships to be held in her home waters near Quebec, Canada.

Adam Holm – track record (World Championships, Kona One class):

2009 – Bronze medal (Varamobaden Bay, Sweden)
2010 – Silver medal (Miami Beach, USA)
2011 – Silver medal (Nivaa, Denmark)
2012 – Gold medal (Maspalomas, Canary Islands, Full results Kona One World Windsurfing Championship website