PWA Fuerteventura Grand Slam day 3 - Style master and the rising star

by PWA on 26 Jul 2011 The PWA Fuerteventura Grand Slam 2011’s third day experienced lighter winds and super flat waters in which the style master Tonky Frans and the rising star Xenia Kessler stormed through the double elimination.

A gentle day in Fuerteventura placed the sailors on standby throughout the morning, allowing them to soak up the sun, enjoy the relaxing tunes and taste the culinary delights inside the main tent. Winds blowing just below the suitable level for competition teased the sailors throughout the day. Occasionally large gusts blew over the competition area providing enough time for the sailors to hit the azure water, pump onto the plane, and pull their gravity-defying maneuvers.

Conscientious that the day was slipping away the judges decided that they would have to make do with the conditions and announced that the heats would be extended to nine minutes to accommodate the lighter winds, raising the green flag at 2:30pm.

In the men’s fleet, the first to hit the water was heat forty-two in the double elimination. The crowds on the beach witnessed a very on form Davy Scheffers (Tabou / Gaastra) take on the Russian, Yegor Popretinskiy (JP / NeilPryde / MFC). Favoring the flatter waters and lighter winds, Scheffers span round a series of complex double maneuvers to secure his ticket into the next round. Also in the heat Bonaire’s Bjorn Saragoza (Starboard / Hot Sails) shone through, pumping into an enormous future and a culo to defeat Yarden Meir (Fanatic / Simmer).

On the other side of the elimination Tonky Frans (Tabou / Gaastra) exploded into action, blowing the judges away with his extreme tricks. Tonky rotated around a super-fast bonka, a shaka flaka and a future all in quick succession, leaving the Brazilian Ian Mouro Lemos (JP / NeilPryde) in his wake. The two Frenchmen Antony Ruenes (Tabou / Simmer) and Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard / Gun) went head to head in a particularly close heat, Ruenes managed to squeeze into the next round winning the most points on the complexity of his moves.

The following round saw Scheffers continue to dominate, claiming victory over his opponent Dieter Van der Eyken (Starboard / Severne), as did Saragoza, knocking Quincy Offringa (Starboard) down a position on the overall rankings.

Scheffers and Saragoza hit the battle ground in heat forty-six; Scheffers held the advantage throughout the heat landing his routine of switch moves whilst Saragoza struggled to land his moves on the way out. With just seconds to go Saragoza landed a super clean future earning him enough points to take the lead.

Tonky continued to dominate, blitzing his way through three incredible heats, obviously enjoying the lighter winds and glassy flat water that more resembled his home ground in Bonaire than classic Sotavento. He worked his way past Phil Soltysiak (Starboard / Dakine), Ruenes and Saragoza to face his brother Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins).

The brothers took to the water and pumped their way through the whole heat landing their moves, however the judges felt that the tricks they were pulling wasn’t a fair representation of their talents. The heat was cancelled due to the light winds and the sailors were placed back on standby.

The lighter winds and a flat sailing ground provided the perfect conditions for the women to unleash their most daring maneuvers. Mio Anayama (NeilPryde) launched into forward loops in both directions, and Xenia Kessler (JP / NeilPryde) span around a set of super smooth spocks and a flaka to defeat their opponents Svetlana Martynova and Brit Danielle Lucas (Severne).

Kessler and Anayama moved on to face each other. Anayama fought hard landing her forward loops and a spock in the closing seconds; however she was unable to match the consistency of Kessler.

Arch rivals, Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Dakine / AL360) and Kessler then took to the water for their seventh showdown this season. With five wins to one Aukes was confident as she entered the heat, pulling a super-fast spock on the way out, however it was Kessler’s day and she flew through her tricks without fault ensuring the judges awarded her the most points, knocking Aukes down into fifth place.

With the wind dropping for the day the sailors were released at five o’clock, leaving the final heats of the double elimination to be completed tomorrow. Opening up the women’s heats will be Kessler vs Venezuelan Yoli De Brent (Fanatic / North) in the battle for third place. The skippers meeting will kick off at 11am with a first possible start to competition at 11:30am.

Men’s Single Elimination Results

1st Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North)
2nd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2 / Gaastra)
3rd Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
4th Taty Frans (Starboard / MauiSails / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)

Women’s Single Elimination Results

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
2nd Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North)
3rd Yoli De Brendt (Fanatic / North)
4th Arrianne Aukes (RRD / Simmer / Dakine / AL360)