2015 PWA World Cup Tenerife – Radical day of action

by Chris Yates on 9 Aug 2015 2015 PWA World Cup Tenerife – Arriving at the beach at 8am this morning it felt more like England than Tenerife with thunder and lightning making for a stormy and unsettled start. Thankfully though, things soon cleared up and the conditions which followed were nothing short of exceptional and only improved throughout the day - allowing the world’s best wave sailors to produce one of the most radical days of action ever seen on the PWA World Tour as storm force winds and solid waves hit el Cabezo.

Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne) leads the way after an outstanding performance in the single elimiantion, which saw the Aussie rewarded with his first victory. Stone will no look to defend his title against either Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North / MFC) or Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) tomororw after an amazing day of action.

Men’s

Single Elimination

There was no stopping Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne) today as he left a trail of destruction in his wake. The Australian’s wave riding was on a whole nother level compared to anyone else and he also produced some of the standout jumps of the competition so far to book his place in the final after firstly taking down Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) followed by Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC). Against Campello, Stone landed one of the biggest, if not the biggest jump of the day with a rocket, double kicked backloop and then proceeded to tear the waves apart - including one 9.12 point wave as he combined super aggressive gouges with a critical taka to accumulate the highest heat score of the single elimination - 33.12 points.

Winners’ Final

Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North / MFC) was waiting for Stone in the final and after a tricky start both sailors found their groove. Fernandez, who is usually so pinpoint with his execution of jumping required three attempts to land his opening jump, which was a perfect double forward - on his first attempt his feet came out of the straps after the first rotation, whilst he didn’t quite land the second effort with his usual style. Stone responded with a big one-footed backloop, before completing his jumping card with a planing pushloop and sailing away from a double. Fernandez may have held the upper hand in the jumping department as he too landed a massive one-footed backloop, but it was Stone who dominated the waves yet again with seemingly consummate ease and unrivalled style and it was his penultimate wave which overhauled the deficit and earn his place at the top of the podium for the first time in his career. The twenty-four year old rotated through a taka right in the critical section before backing it up with a couple of vert snaps on the whitewater to clinch the single elimination crown.

Double Elimination

The conclusion of the single elimination saw windy conditions, but the wind strength in the double was on a completely different planet. Whilst, you’d have been forgiven for thinking you were in England this morning, you’d have been forgiven for thinking you were in Pozo and not Tenerife this afternoon as winds gusting in excess battered el Medano and sent even the biggest guys running for 3.4s and 3.7s.

Jumping Masterclass

Philip Köster was a man on a mission this afternoon after finishing joint fifth in the single. Three weeks ago Köster produced a world class jumping performance in Pozo and today he gave a jumping masterclass again to win five consecutive heats - firstly defeating Adam Lewis (Fanatic / North / MFC) followed by Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC) and Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde) with ridiculous planing double forwards, monstrous pushloop forwards and huge one-footed backloops.

Jumping King versus Wave Riding King

Köster then faced local boy Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD) in what proved to be the one of the most exhilarating heats of the day as both sailors went toe-to-toe with each other. Köster is regarded as the King of jumping, whilst Mussolini is considered by many as the wave riding King and that’s exactly how the heat panned out. Köster opened the heat with a trademark ankle-dry double forward to earn perfect 10s from the judges, before patiently waiting for the right ramp to go one better with an absolutely ridiculous pushloop forward, which was both incredibly high and completely dry. However, whilst Köster was killing it in the air, Mussolini was fully in the zone on the wave as he landed a monstrous frontside 3 before racing down the line and executing a radical taka to earn 10.12 points for a single wave. The frontside 3 King then went even bigger and better with a monumental air 360, which he landed fully planing, but unfortunately couldn’t back it up - even so that single incredible manoeuvre earned him a further 9.38 points to leave the tie beautifully poised. Unfortunately though the Spaniard couldn’t find a solid second jump and despite his best efforts could not stop Köster from progressing.

Ricardo Campello was waiting next for Köster and as it played out Heat 33 was a fitting way to end the day as two of the most radical jumpers in the world signed off the day in style. Campello out jumped Köster on this occasion as he landed a monstrous pushloop forward and a text-book double in quick succession. However, the Venezuelan/Brazilian, just couldn’t find the wave scores he required on this occasion as Köster marched on by 0.88 of a point. Of course Köster showed moments of pure brilliance again with another trademark double and a vertical carving turn into a taka, but Campello may feel he missed an opportunity that was very much there to be taken.

Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North / MFC) awaits Köster in the next round in a huge heat, which should be run tomorrow morning.

Camille Juban (Quatro / Avanti) impressed in the double elimination today, particularly with his radical wave riding. The man from Guadeloupe combined tight vertical cutbacks with several stunning frontside aerials to defeat Graham Ezzy (Tabou / Ezzy), Leon Jamaer (JP / NeilPryde) - who was unfortunate to suffer a broken mast at the beginning of the heat - and Josep Pons (Simmer) before Marcilio Browne proved too strong in Heat 28b. However, Juban’s performance sees him rise to joint ninth for the event.

Adam Lewis also enjoyed a fine comeback through the double as he too won three heats in a row to move into the top ten. The Brit impressed with his aggressive approach to wave riding and was consistently awarded waves in the excellent range as he took down Julian Salmonn (Severne), Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / North) and Aleix Sanllehy (Tabou / GA Sails) before running into Philip Köster.

Women’s

Double Elimination

The opening three heats of the women’s double elimination were also completed in the extreme conditions and Caterina Stenta (RRD / RRD / Maui Ultra Fins) continued to impress with her fluid approach on the wave, which earned her victory against Lina Erpenstein (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg / Maui Ultra Fins), whilst Caroline Weber (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg / Maui Ultra Fins) advanced from the b-side of Heat 26.

In Heat 27 Waka Nishida (Goya Windsurfing) was able to defeat Nicole Bandini (Fanatic / North), whilst Ingrid Larouche (Fanatic / North) dispatched of Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Maui Ultra Fins) to book her place in the next round. The two girls performed similarly in the air, but the Canadian outperformed her Dutch counterpart on the wave to progress.

Waiting for Caterina Stenta in the next round was Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins) and the two women enjoyed an intriguing battle, but in the end it was Offringa who came out on top after landing a big pushloop and excelling with her wave riding. Stenta again had to excellent waves but couldn’t match Offringa in the air. Meanwhile, Alice Arutkin (Fanatic / North) successfully navigated her way into the next round after claiming victory against Caroline Weber.

The forecast looks good again for tomorrow - particularly in the morning - so with this in mind the skippers’ meeting has been called for 8:30am with the first possible start at 9am.

Current Standing’s Men’s Double Elimination

First Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne)
Second Victor Fernández (Fanatic / North / MFC)
Third Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
Fourth Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC)
Fifth Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD)
Sixth Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins / SWOX)
Seventh Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails)
Eighth Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC)
Ninth Adam Lewis (Fanatic / North)
Ninth Florian Jung (RRD / Gun Sails)
Ninth Camille Juban (Quatro / Avanti)
Ninth Dany Bruch (Starboard / Challenger Sails / AL360)

Result Men's Single Elimination

First Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne)
Second Victor Fernández (Fanatic / North / MFC)
Third Ricardo Campello (Patrik / Point-7 / MFC)
Fourth Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD)
Fifth Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins / SWOX)
Fifth Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails)
Fifth Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC)
Fifth Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)