PWA Pozo World Cup - Light winds and tricky waves on day 2
by Chris Yates on 16 Jul 2014
Pijoan back loop - 2014 PWA Pozo World Cup / Gran Canaria Wind and Waves Festival, Day 2 Carter/pwaworldtour.com
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After a slow start to day two of the PWA Gran Canaria Wind and Waves Festival, Pozo eventually woke up to provide a small window of opportunity - allowing three out of the four trials heats to be completed in relatively light wind and tricky waves.
Sailors in Pozo are used to running for their smallest equipment, but today saw them reaching for their biggest gear to be able show what they are capable of. In the end the best sailors were still able to demonstrate their superiority and now there are only two spots remaining in the men’s main draw.
The opening trials heat saw three men - Moritz Mauch (Starboard / Severne / MFC), Jaeger Stone (SSD / Severne) and local man Josep Pons - battling for the top two qualifying places in what proved to be a hard fought heat. In the end eighteen year old Mauch came out on top after linking together a great wave, which included a text-book taka as well as a technical tabletop forward and clean backloop. Stone clinched the second qualifying place with fluid, dynamic wave riding and perfect back and pushloops.
Jaeger Stone reflects on his day’s work: 'It was difficult, it felt like I was overpowered on my backside and then underpowered going frontside. I didn’t feel like I could get enough height in my jumps, which made things pretty interesting and a bit scary, but it was good to get a heat under my belt again.'
In heat two Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / North) competed against Eric Sanllehy (Goya Windsurfing / MFC), Markus Rydberg (Simmer) and Nicolas Akgazciyan (99 International / Point-7 / AL360 / Maui Ultra Fins). Stillrich - who is one of the next generation of wavesailors - crashed his initial tweaked pushloop, but kept his composure to stick his trademark move before going on to earn first place as the nineteen year old successfully qualified for the main event alongside Sanllehy.
The last heat of the day to be completed involved three locals; Albert Pijoan (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins), Jonas Ceballos and Pablo Ramirez (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg). Ceballos proved to be the standout sailor as he produced one of the best displays of the day as the thirty-two year old showed he is still one of the biggest threats in Pozo, and someone who could easily cause an upset in the opening round. Pijoan just edged out Ramirez in the fight for the second qualifying spot.
Jonas Ceballos after booking his place in the main event: 'It’s a good start, I’m happy with the result - now I’m off to work.'
The final heat of the trials was started, but unfortunately the wind backed off as the heat progressed and eventually had to be cancelled, meaning that heat four will be the first heat up tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s forecast indicates slightly less wind than today, with a smaller swell, but longer period so it will be a case of wait and see conditions wise. Hopefully, Pozo will produce suitable conditions - for a short time at least - with the tide on the push again allowing the completion of the trials and the start of the main draw. The skippers’ meeting has been called for 9:30am with the action commencing from 10am PWA World Tour
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