PWA Pegasus Airlines World Cup event summary

by PWA on 15 Aug 2011 The PWA Pegasus Airlines World Cup has come to a close in Alacati, Turkey. We now share with you a rundown of all the action that took place amid supreme conditions that blessed the beautiful bay of Alacati for six days of slick slalom sailing allowing eleven dramatic eliminations to be completed and two world titles to be awarded.

The PWA’s elite slalom sailors were treated to a whole variety of wind speeds ensuring the sailors were tested to the edge of their ability as they raced down the four mark downwind course, and only the most consistent sailors shone through. An astounding eleven eliminations were completed on the turquoise waters, full of thrills and spills from the world’s best that left the results open until the final intense minutes of the competition.

Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic/ DunkerbeckEyewear) led the charge in the men’s fleet from day one as did Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne) in the women’s fleet, but it was by no means an easy ride, however both sailors persevered on the testing waters and emerged victorious as the 2011 Pegasus Airlines PWA world cup winners. The glory continued for Dunkerbeck as he earned himself the 2011 world slalom champion title with one event to go having had an extremely successful season on the water. With four event wins in the bag he has enough points to put him far enough ahead on the scoreboard to overthrow Antoine Albeau’s (JP / NeilPryde) five-year stronghold on the top spot. Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) sailed a cool set of races throughout the week to secure the women’s world slalom title and her second world title in 2011.

Day one: The newly crowned world champions, Dunkerbeck and Offringa took charge on the first day of competition, powering their way through the first elimination and obviously enjoying the flat water in Alacati. Around thirteen knots of wind fuelled the world’s rapid racers, allowing Finian Maynard (RRD) to slip into second place with Jimmy Diaz (Starboard / North) in third. Unfortunately for Albeau he suffered his first major blow in the competition as he failed to qualify for the winners’ final in the semi-finals of elimination one. Over in the women’s fleet, Jaggi finished fourth on the first day with Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft / AL360) in second and Lise Vidal (Exocet/ North) in third.

Day two: A lighter day of wind for the second day of competition saw the sailors take to the water on their largest equipment. However it didn’t slow down the pace of competition and two more eliminations were completed allowing Dunkerbeck to secure his advantage with two more bullets and Jaggi to rise to the top of the table with two of her own victories. Albeau suffered his second and third blows in the competition as he failed to reach the finals, as did Offringa knocking both parties out of the top ten.

Day three: The Meltemi wind continued to blow for the third day of competition, combined with glorious sunshine allowing elimination four to be completed. Dunkerbeck’s first mistake of the week saw him lose out on a qualifying position in the first round, as he failed to match the amazing speed of Brit Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra) down the final leg.

Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Fanatic / North) and Alberto Menegatti (Starboard / Gaastra) were the ones to watch on the third day as they consistently nailed their starts and led the fleet in the lighter winds. But Maynard was the man on fire in Alacati as he stormed his way around the course in the winners’ final to claim his first place finish, with Albeau coming in fourth. The women’s fleet also witnessed anew contender take first place as Delphine Cousin (JP / NeilPryde) flew ahead of the fleet in the women’s winners final.

Day four: Wind reaching thirty knots left the sailors reaching for their 5.5m sails and their smallest boards on the fourth day of competition. The crowds were treated to a particularly exciting day of full throttle crashes, ferocious straights and dangerous gybes. Taking advantage of their high wind experience Maynard, Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde), Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails), Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / Dakine) and Jimmy Diaz (Starboard / North) were the standout sailors on the fourth day as they all steamed through three more eliminations.

It was a mixed day on the water for Dunkerbeck as he went down in two races and claimed the win in the third; Albeau claimed his first win in Alacati pushing him from ninth into fifth place. Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North) closed the day on a high with his first win. Jaggi nailed two more races to put her in an unreachable lead in the women’s fleet and Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North) sailed the race of her life to win her first race. It was a tough day for Offringa as she was unable to hold onto her 6.2m sail on the course and she went down on the gybes.

Day five: The wind continued to blow for the penultimate day of racing, but by that point the sailors were tuned into the high winds. Offringa was back on form and sailing better than ever to steal two more wins in the women’s fleet, boosting her back into second place. Volwater barged his way to the front in men’s elimination nine as Albeau went down at the final mark. Dunkerbeck was the worst hit on the last day as he was caught up in the pile-ups at the marks, allowing Maynard to creep up behind him on the results table, leaving everything open until the final dramatic day of racing.

Day six: The pressure was on for the final day of racing in Alacati, If Dunkerbeck pulled through the final two races he would be crowned the 2011 world slalom champion, however if things didn’t go his way any of the top five were in with a chance of walking away as the winner of the 2011Pegasus Airlines PWA world cup, and the world champion title would be left to be decided at the final slalom event of the year in Sylt.

Aware of the pressures Dunkerbeck sailed a spectacular set of races to secure the victory in elimination ten, guaranteeing him the title and the event win with one race to spare. Maynard was the sailors that buckled and he had a particularly tough day on the water as an over early in elimination ten put in him the losers final and he failed to qualify in elimination eleven. Having stuck in second place for the whole week Maynard’s score plummeted into fourth and a very on form Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard /Loft / Mystic) moved into second place. Jaggi sailed a faultless race in elimination ten to secure her place in number one and to finish the event on a high.

The final race of the week saw Angulo and Offringa claim the final glory. Offringa finished in second place, and after a particularly successful season on the water she walked away with her second world title in 2011.

The sailors were awarded their trophies at the prize giving later that evening as the gorgeous sunset over Alacati Bay marked the end to a remarkable competition.

The men’s wave fleet is next up on the PWAworld tour, as they embark on their third stop on in 2011 taking place in Klitmoller on the 12th-18th September. Denmark promises insane stunts, aggressive wave rides and radical action.

The 2011Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Men’s results

1st Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne/ Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear)
2nd Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic)
3rd Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde)
4th Finian Maynard (RRD)
5th Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde)
6th Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / Dakine)
7th Jimmy Diaz (Starboard / North)
8th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde)
9th Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails)
10th Pieter Bijl (JP / NeilPryde)

The 2011Pegasus Airlines PWA World Cup Women’s results

1st Karin Jaggi(Patrik / Severne)
2nd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
3rd Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou / Gaastra / Mystic)
4th Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft / AL360)
5th Delphine Cousin (JP / NeilPryde)
6th Fanny Aubet (JP / NeilPryde)
7th Lise Vidal (Exocet / North)
8th Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North)
9th Marion Mortefon (AL360)
10th Cagla Kubat (Starboard / North)

The 2011 Men’s Overall Slalom Results (after six events)

1st Bjorn Dunkerbeck(Starboard / Severne / Mystic / DunkerbeckEyewear)
2nd Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic)
4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / North)
5th Finian Maynard (RRD)
6th Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde)
7th Peter Volwater (Fanatic / MauiSails)
8th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde)
9th Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun / Dakine)
10th Jimmy Diaz (Starboard / North)

The 2011 Women’s Overall Slalom Results (after four events)

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic)
2nd Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne)
3rd Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou / Gaastra / Mystic)
4th Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North)
5th Fanny Aubet (JP / NeilPryde)
6th Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft / AL360)
7th Delphine Cousin (JP / NeilPryde)
8th Lise Vidal (Exocet / North)
9th Cagla Kubat (Starboard / North)
10th Greta Benvenuti (Patrik / Point-7 / AL3360)

PWA World Tour website