PWA Netherlands World Cup - Victory for Thode and Offringa on day 3
by Chris Yates on 11 Sep 2013
Thode back loop - 2013 PWA Netherlands World Cup John Carter / PWA
http://www.pwaworldtour.com
At the PWA Netherlands World Cup, the epic forecast promising winds in excess of forty knots for day three didn’t disappoint as the wind howled for much of the afternoon and grew stronger as the evening progressed. Today was more like the PWA’s very own storm chase at times as the sailors reached for their smallest gear - many wishing they had smaller equipment available - to take on the brutal winds.
At the end of a long day of amazing competition Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) and Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic / Chris Benz / Maui Ultra Fins) proudly claimed the single eliminations victories, as they defeated both their opponents and the fierce weather.
The Bonaire boys dominated the lineup in the winners’ final as Kiri Thode competed against Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra), but unfortunately Frans couldn’t quite replicate the form that he’d shown in earlier heats, which meant there was only ever one winner in this final. Frans tried to pull out the big guns in an effort to salvage the tie as he launched into pushloop and backloops attempts, but he couldn’t make either of them stick. Thode on the other hand was in irresistible form as he first landed a perfectly executed air funnel followed by an exquisite skopu. With a couple of massive moves in the bag Thode then let loose with an audacious spock into culo and it wasn’t long before he was acknowledged as the deserved winner. The Bonairean will now hope he is able to defend his single elimination crown to secure his first event victory since 2011.
Elsewhere in the single elimination Steven van Broeckhoven (JP / NeilPryde / Different) looked back to his brilliant powerful best as he launched into amazing kabikuchis, air skopus and an astonishing pushloop off almost nothing. With van Broeckhoven in such superb form, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North) was left to settle for fourth place - after a slightly below par performance - compared to his usual, unbelievably high standards. Austria’s Max Matissek (Fanatic / North) also enjoyed his finest day to date on the PWA World Tour as he progressed into the third round for the first time, having firstly defeated Choko Frans before causing an upset as he took down one of the local boys - Davy Scheffers (Tabou / Gaastra). After the single elimination the twenty-five year old is currently in joint ninth alongside Bjorn Saragoza (Starboard / Hot Sails Maui), Amado Vrieswijk (Starboard / Severne), Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / Gaastra), Max Rowe (Fanatic / North), Andy ‘Bubble’ Chambers (JP / NeilPryde), Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / North / Maui Ultra Fins) and Adrian Beholz (Fanatic / Sailloft Hamburg / Maui Ultra Fins).
The double elimination began almost immediately after the completion of the single and the opening round of was completed in driving rain and winds gusting in excess of forty knots. It’s safe to say that the action which ensued was nothing short of spectacular as a combination of some massive moves and some even bigger crashes concluded the day in epic fashion. Davy Scheffers began his comeback by defeating Paul Boef (Fanatic / North), but the two sailors who really excelled in the extreme conditions were fellow countrymen Mattia Fabrizi (Fanatic / North / MFC) and Jacopo Testa (RRD / AL360), with the latter landing an absolutely sensational air kabikuchi, which was one of the moves of the day, even though it was completed after the end of his heat against Erik Hakman.
Sarah-Quita Offringa successfully navigated her way into another winners’ final as she was met by Yoli de Brendt (Fanatic / North), who managed to defeat Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Maui Ultra Fins) in the semifinals. With both of the women fully stacked the final was an extremely challenging affair. de Brendt was able to land a super smooth flaka, but the reigning world champion proved too strong as the Aruban gem slid through a brilliant double flaka, before upping her level with a super switch kono and a sick shaka.
Arrianne Aukes quickly recovered from the disappointment of missing out on the winners’ final as she secured her place on the podium by defeating Olya Raskina (JP / NeilPryde) in the losers’ final. Aukes did the damage with a quickly rotated flaka and an explosive switch kono.
Tomorrow promises the opportunity of more wind - not quite as much as today, which will come as a welcome relief to some of the sailors. With this in mind the skippers’ meeting has been called for 08:30am tomorrow morning with the double eliminations resuming from 9am, if conditions allow.
Results After Single Elimination - Men’s Freestyle
1st Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
2nd Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra)
3rd Steven van Broeckhoven (JP / NeilPryde / Different)
4th Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic / North)
5th Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne)
5th Philip Soltysiak (Starboard / Sailworks)
5th Youp Schmit (JP / NeilPryde)
5th Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)
Results After Single Elimination - Women’s Freestyle
1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic / Chris Benz / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Yoli de Brendt (Fanatic / North)
3rd Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Olya Raskina (JP / PWA World DAM7 event site
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