The 2010 PWA Sotavento, Fuerteventura Grand Slam – 02.08.10:
Three times world champion, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo takes the second double elimination to steal the show in Fuerteventura, and seal the deal for his fourth PWA world title with an event to spare!!! Well done Gollito from the whole Fanatic team, riding his 2011 Skate 90/100 production boards to victory!!!

On the tenth and final day of competition off Sotavento’s glorious white sands, a strong breeze with the occasional piece of swell rolling in turned the waters into the perfect playground for the world’s best freestylers. With the second double elimination well underway from the previous day, those still left with a chance battled their hearts out to improve their overall standing.

Results:
1st Jose “Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North) 2.7pts
2nd Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra) 4.7pts
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra) 7pts
4th Tonky Frans (F2, Gaastra) 7pts
5th Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic) 8pts

Watching on in anticipation throughout the day was the second single elimination winner, and reigning world champion, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North). Whoever fought the hardest would be allowed to challenge him for second double elimination honours.
Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra) finally stopped Tonky in his tracks by successfully defending his position with some huge konos and spectacular culos, allowing him to challenge Estredo for second double elimination victory.

The scene was set for the ultimate showdown, but the writing was already on the wall. Regardless of how each sailor did, Estredo would take the event and Broeckhoven would have to settle for third. It was an exciting finale none the less with more massive moves, and the sailors matching each other move for move. In the end, the judges’ decision was final, and with a 3-2 split the three times world champion took it by the narrowest of margins.

Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo on claiming victory in Fuerteventura:
“Winning this event feels really special for me because it’s such a spectacular show with the very best sailors in the world all in the same place at the same time. I’m extremely happy to be crowned the Fuerteventura Freestyle Champion for the fourth time. Today I was competing on my North Ice 4.0, and my Fanatic Skate 90L, which was perfect for the conditions. I actually really wanted to sail another heat because I thought I didn’t sail that well in the final, but the judges gave it to me on a 3-2 decision anyway, which was amazing!”

Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo on securing the world title:
“I can’t believe I’ve taken the world title with an event to spare this year. Wow, that’s unbelievable. It hasn’t really sunk in. Are you sure… I’m lost for words. That’s excellent news!”

Overall PWA Freestyle Rankings (after three events):
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
2nd Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra)
4th Tonky Frans (F2, Gaastra)
5th Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard, Gun)



For more information:
PWA Worldcup

The 2010 PWA Sotavento, Fuerteventura Grand Slam – 01.08.10:
Fanatic´s three times world champion, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo claims the second single elimination in Sotavento with a jaw dropping display of full power freestyle!
An early morning breeze quickly accelerated to hit the sailors at full force allowing the second single elimination to explode into action on schedule. With twenty-seven to thirty-five knots, and the occasional stronger gust, most of the competitors were seen franticly rigging their smallest sails. 3.7s to 4.5s were the weapons of choice, along with 85L-100L boards.
The conditions were much tougher than previous days resulting in the strongest of competitors being able to muscle their way through heats, whilst those a little lighter were left totally overpowered.

Second Single Elimination Results:
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
2nd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra)
3rd Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)

Following a defeat yesterday in the first double elimination, the three times world champion and current tour leader, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North) reaffirmed his dominance by taking down Belgian boy wonder, Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra) in an epic second single elimination showdown.

Estredo burst into his heat with a solid display of stunning trickery. Most impressively though, after launching around a myriad of flips and spins, he flung himself upside down with a tweaked push loop off the smallest of chop, to receive a standing ovation from the crowds. It may not be the most difficult trick in the book, but to land it fully planing on near flat water is nothing short of a miracle! He then backed it up with more of the latest power freestyle moves to make sure he took down his rival. Broeckhoven tried his best to compete with the Venezuelan freestyle genius, but even a ‘pop’ star such as himself couldn’t quite match the three times world champion.

The 2010 PWA Sotavento, Fuerteventura Grand Slam – 31.08.10
Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo finished 2nd in the first double elimination. On the eighth day of competition the stunning white beaches of Sotavento provided the perfect backdrop to an all action double elimination, which culminated in the ultimate display of freestyle wizardry with the current world champion versus the current vice world champion.

Results After The First Double Elimination:
1st Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
2nd Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
3rd Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic)

The 2010 PWA Sotavento, Fuerteventura Grand Slam – 30.08.10:
Reigning world champion, Gollito Estredo claims single elimination victory in a powerful freestyle frenzy!
With plenty of wind from first light, the single elimination started on schedule in Sotavento, with those that qualified the previous day taking on some of the world’s most proficient tour regulars who’d automatically been seeded through to the second round.
The wind remained consistent enough throughout the day to allow the elite pack of style masters to flip, spin, and trick their way to the end of the first single elimination. Both the competitors and head judge, Duncan Coombs wanted to begin the double, but late in the afternoon the conditions became too gusty resulting in the sailors being released to battle it out another day.

Results After The Single Elimination:
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
2nd Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
3rd Tonky Frans (F2, Gaastra)
4th Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic)

Three times freestyle world champion and current tour leader, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North) stamped his authority on the PWA’s finest freestylers today with an awesome display of tricks. During the final the 2009 vice world champion and current world number two, Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra) fought hard with Estredo, but the world champion just edged out in front with moves thrown higher, and with more style.

The conditions during the final were perfect for freestyle, which allowed Estredo to nail extremely technical combination moves such as his awesome gozada burner. Thode replied with, amongst other things, a slick burner 900, and the most technical move of the day, a regular stance scopu, but the judges rated Estredo’s moves more highly, giving him the win.

Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo:
“It feels amazing to be leading this competition again, especially as there are so many sailors performing to such a high standard this year. I’m having a great time in Fuerteventura but the competition isn’t over yet – things can easily change over the next few days. I’m really pleased with my performance today, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens next.”

Hottest Heat:
When you whittle the world’s best down to the final four, you expect extreme action, and that’s exactly what the hoards of spectators got. Due to the top four throwing down such outstanding moves throughout their early heats, head judge Duncan Coombs decided to run the semi finals separately so that everyone could witness the amazing spectacle. With just two men on the water, the heat between Estredo and 2010 Podersdorf champion, Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic) resembled a full on world championship sail off!

Estredo hit the heat hard right from the whistle with a huge air flaka followed by an air funnel into funnel. Frans replied with the family trademark, the bongka (forward loop into flaka), and a massive air flaka of his own which put them neck a neck. Throughout the heat the judges watched on in awe, as did the crowds, and both sailors performed the most technical tricks, but when the scores were finally totted up Estredo just came out on top by the narrowest of margins. This was without doubt the closest heat of the day with all of the best moves completed with bucket loads of style. Both sailors deserved to win!

The 2010 PWA Sotavento, Fuerteventura Grand Slam – 29.07.10:
Freestyle’s freshest flip the vibe with a fistful of tricks in Furteventura!
On the opening day of freestyle competition a handful of new school youngsters upped the stakes with an awesome display of trickery alongside a gang of well-established tour regulars.

Despite the wind not blowing at full force, head judge Duncan Coombs made the most of a late afternoon breeze, which enabled the first round of heats to be completed. With an epic forecast for the next few days, the organizers decided to halt the proceedings early in the evening, so that the competitors could perform to a higher level for the weekend crowds.

Fanatic youngster Daivis Paternina Teran (Fanatic, North) was up against Britain’s young hopeful, Max Rowe. After an extremely close battle the Venezuelan just nudged ahead on a split 2-1 decision from the judges with Paternina Teran just winning them over on technical skill. Now
Daivis has to go against his friend and Triple World Champ Gollito tomorrow:-)

The outlook for the coming few days of competition looks fantastic with strong trade winds and a small swell hopefully arriving in time for the weekend.