| GRAN CANARIA-(1-7-2003) Ricardo Campello (JP, Neil Pryde) has clinched his second freestyle victory here this afternoon as the winds returned with a vengeance here in Pozo Izquierdo. Sailing with his usual exceptional style Campello defeated local sailor Victor Fernandez (Fanatic) in today’s second round freestyle final. Ex freestyle world champion, Antoine Albeau (AHD, Neil Pryde) of France returned to form and took third place in the losers final ahead of young Douglas Diaz (Fanatic, North) of Venezuela in fourth. Meanwhile in the women’s freestyle, Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) came through seven heats today to secure victory over her sister Iballa (Mistral, North) in the women’s opening double elimination.
As predicted the winds have been far stronger than the previous two days of light wind freestyle with gusts over 30 knots blowing across the course area by the end of the day.
Today’s winner, Ricardo Campello, was in devastating form this afternoon and breezed through his heats on route to the final, defeating Julien Taboulet (JP, Neil Pryde), Remko de Weerd (Gaastra, Fanatic), Greg Allaway (JP, Neil Pryde) and Douglas Diaz (Fanatic, North). Moves in his repertoire came thick and fast during his heats with flat water goitas, switch stance one-handed flakas and his latest mind blowing move the duck gybe forward loop featuring heavily.
On the other side of the draw local sailor Victor Diaz (AHD) was the surprise finalist after a producing a series of inspiring heats. Fernandez was faced with some tough opposition but pulled out all the stops against Kristoffer Living (AHD, North), Mariano Estivill (Arrows), Tonky Frans (Gaastra, AHD) and Antoine Albeau (AHD, Neil Pryde). Victor’s key maneuvers today were his switch stance back loops, flakas and back loops off the lip on the way in.
In the final Campello opened up with his trump card and landed a perfect Shaka, Fernandez was not fazed and hit back a perfect switch stance back loop. As the heat progressed Campello moved steadily ahead with his more comprehensive routine of mind boggling technical tricks. Fernandez fought back delving deep into his repertoire but on his current form it almost seems that Ricardo has moved into a league of his own here in Gran Canaria and took the victory with a convincing margin.
Americas Matt Pritchard’s (Gaastra) run of bad form continued today with a second successive third round exit at the hands of local jump specialist Orjan Jensen (North). Pritchard won here in the Canaries this time last year but seems to be struggling to produce his normal rock solid performances and after today’s disastrous result will not be featuring on the podium at the end of the week. At least he has the back up of still being one of the six contenders left in the men’s wave double elimination.
In the women’s double elimination Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) fought her way back courageously back through to the final defeating Claudia Rankel (Starboard), Anne Marie Reichman (Naish), Nayra Alonso and Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows) on the way. With moves such as clew first spocks, huge push loops and flakas, Daida Moreno was certainly in impressive form this afternoon and despite a concerted fight from her sister Iballa in both finals the judges were clear in their decision that Daida had won.
The forecast for Wednesday and Thursday is insane, with locals predicating that it could get out of control here in Pozo with storm force trades nuking down Gran Canarias north east coastline in the region of 50-60 knots! With the wave double eliminations in both men’s and women’s divisions still to be decided it looks like we are going to wind up the week with some insane radical action. As sailors bunker down amongst the boulders on the beach the winds outside are already picking up to 40 knots plus this evening. If the forecast is correct then Pozo could become a war zone both on and off the water and the next two days could all be about the survival of the fittest!
RICARDO CAMPELLO (JP, Neil Pryde)
That’s another one in the bank so I am pretty happy with that. The conditions were very good and the wind picked up. It was tough doing the moves coming in at high tide but on the way out there were some good ramps. My move of the day was the shaka…I landed good ones in my two final heats. I am pretty happy!
VICTOR FERNANDEZ (Fanatic)
Ricardo is sailing very well and I had fun sailing with him in the final. I was super motivated in the final and did my best. I was happy with second place, that was one of my best performances in a world cup so far, I am stoked!
DAIDA MORENO (Mistral, North)
It was a very long day for me. I had to sail seven heats so I am pretty tired right now. It was great to sail with Iballa again in the final. It was a tough day for me, I sailed my best and I think the last final was quite close!
TODAYS RESULTS
MENS FREESTYLE ROUND TWO
1. RICARDO CAMPELLO (JP, Neil Pryde)
2. VICTOR FERNANDEZ (Fanatic)
3. ANTOINE ALBEAU (Neil Pryde, AHD)
4. DOUGLAS DIAZ (Fanatic, North)
WOMENS FREESTYLE FIRST DOUBLE ELIMINATION
1. DAIDA MORENO (Mistral, North)
2. IBALLA MORENO (Mistral, North)
3. KARIN JAGGI (F2, Arrows)
4. NAYRA ALONSO
MENS RESULTS AFTER TWO DINGLE ELIMINATIONS
1. RICARDO CAMPELLO (JP, Neil Pryde)
2. TONKY FRANS (Gaastra, AHD)
3. ANTOINE ALBEAU (AHD, Neil Pryde)
3. KAULI SEADI (Naish, AHD).
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