Speed Windsurfing World Champions announced

by Event Media on 21 Sep 2007 Antoine Albeau, Valerie Ghibaudo, Patrik Diethelm and Karin Jaggi are the new Speed Windsurfing World Champions 2007.

The Overall Title for both men and women was decided by the last races of the last event in 2007. In the mens fleet, four riders had the chance to catch the 2007 title. Best positioned were Antoine Albeau (FRA), first in the ISA ranking after the Fuerteventura event, and Finian Maynard (BVI, F2). If Finian could beat Antoine in Walvis Bay, he would be able to defend his world title. Third ranked Jose Bahadour (GOU, Fanatic) was not able to compete in Namibia, as he couldn't get a flight out from Gouadeloupe due to an upcoming hurricane, so he was already out of the race. Patrik Diethelm (ITA, F2, North) and Bjorn Dunkerbeck (SUI, Thommen, North) also had some chances to go up higher in the ranking.

From the first day of the surf & action Walvis Bay Speedweek, Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Antoine Albeau dominated the seven races. After two discards, Bjorn ended up first with a perfect score of 3.5 points. Antoine came into second with a lot of second places, and Patrik finished third only 0.7 points behind.

Reigning world champion Finian Maynard didn't get the right trim for the Speedstrip on the Walvis Bay sandbar and ended up fourth. For the world overall ranking Bjorn jumped up to vice world champion, and Antoine Albeau got his first speed world championship crown. Finian ended up third after the 2007 season.

In the womens fleet, Valerie Ghibaudo (FRA, Loft Sails) was head to head with Karin Jaggi (SUI, F2, North) after the first two events in Karpathos and Fuerteventura. Valerie won all but one races with an impressive topspeed of 37.47 knots and clearly claimed the world title. Karin Jaggi into second, and Zara Davis (GBR), which injured herself in a bad crash in leg 4, ended up third.

In the production category, the world titles went to Patrik Diethelm and Karin Jaggi. In second Greek Philip Adamidis (Fanatic) and Zara Davis, third places to Thorsten Luig (GER, F2/Thommen, North) and Maaike Kallenborn (NED).

The Manufacturers ranking are won by F2 and North, the Nations ranking goes clearly to France.

In total, more than 120 competitors from 25 nations, representing 5 continents, took part so far in the ISA Speedsurfing Grand Prix Tour 2007, and some more events are coming up in the next month, as famous Weymouth Speedweek, the Austrian, German, Dutch and Belgium championships, which all count towards the final world ranking.

Full results are available at http://www.speedsurfing.org