| POZO, GRAN GANARIA-(28-6-2003) We are down to the last six men in the men’s wave double elimination here at the PWA 2003, Gran Canaria, Grand Slam. Conditions were epic this morning with 4-5 foot sets and screaming winds but by late afternoon as we were approaching the final stages of the double elimination, the waves seemed to disappear with the outgoing tide and competition was eventually abandoned at 6pm. After an intense battle between yesterdays losers bracket the two sailors to emerge from the fleet were fellow Americans, Matt Pritchard (Gaastra) and Josh Angulo. Pritchard is lined up to meet Jonas Ceballos (Gaastra, Fanatic) whilst Angulo will face Robby Swift (JP, Neil Pryde) in the next heats when wave action continues. The winner from these heats will then face Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Neil Pryde) to decide whole will meet yesterdays winner, Vidar Jensen (North) in the double elimination final.
Action kicked off hard and fast this morning with the first heat at 10am. With Pozo’s relentless winds howling through well over 40 knots, it looked like both the men’s and women’s wave double elimination competitions would be decided by the end of the day. Wave heats were judged by the best three jumps and two waves during eight-minute heats, with additional marks being factored for overall impression.
In the first round Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) was given her second opportunity to prove herself in the men’s fleet, this time up against Nacho Rocha (JP, Neil Pryde) of Spain. Moreno was easily a match for Rocha in the jump department but failed to put together two high scoring wave rides to make up her scorecard. Rocha advanced leaving Daida out of the competition and able now focus her attention back on winning the women’s event.
Current world wave champion, Kevin Pritchard came to blows this afternoon after losing to Pozo local Dario Ojeda Nilson. Dario is one of the best sailors here at his home break and busted out some huge one handed back loops, tweaked table tops and massive delayed forwards in his one on one with the reigning champ. Pritchard will now have to lend moral support to his brother Matt who advanced though four heats today over Diony Guadagnino (Neil Pryde), Greg Allaway (JP, Neil Pryde), Xavier Huart (Mistral, North) and Orjan Jensen (North). Matt was sailing with his usual gritted determination today and will no doubt be fired up to take on fellow Gaastra Team rider Jonas Ceballos in when wave action resumes.
Ricardo Campello (JP, Neil Pryde) of Brazil, nailed several spectacular double loops in his heats this afternoon but met his match when he came up against Dutch ‘hell man’ Peter Volwater who also pulled off a sick double alongside a monster back loop and a huge delayed forward. Volwater went on to take down Dario Ojeda Nelson in his next heat but then went down to Josh Angulo who advanced due to his superior wave riding. Angulo went on to defeat Jason Polakow (JP, Neil Pryde) in the final heat of the day to earn his place as one of the final six contenders for the men’s wave title.
Julien Taboulet (JP, Neil Pryde) of France seems to have taken the place of Aussie sailor Steve Allen (Fanatic, Neil Pryde) as master of the table top forward here in Pozo. The table top forward featured heavily in his repertoire as Taboulet defeated Victor Fernandez Lopez (Fanatic) and Australian wave legend Scottie Mckercher (Starboard) before eventually going down to the ex world wave champion Jason Polakow.
The women’s wave competition is also on standby for an exciting climax. Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) is currently in pole position but the likes of Anne Marie Reichman (Naish), Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows) and Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North) are all poised to make their move for the top slot in the double elimination.
The forecast is calling for screaming winds and the possibility of a new swell hitting Gran Canaria during the early part of next week. If wave conditions do not co-operate tomorrow, then we could be moving over into spectacular freestyle action. Either way all the news, pictures and results will be updated daily here on www.pwaworldtour.com. Live broadcasts of the action can also be viewed on www.high.tv with ground breaking broadband technology bringing the speed, the height, the wipe outs and the power of wave sailing right to you live online.
|
