2010 Colgate World Cup Sylt, Day 5, 29.09.10:

The world’s craziest freestylers flipped the vibe on day five with a spectacular display of tow-in trickery. Despite very light winds forcing the official competition on to hold, the PWA’s freshest were desperate to jump back in the water and return to the limelight. So late in the afternoon head judge, Duncan Coombs organised a light wind freestyle exhibition allowing the sailors to wow the crowds with a technical display of tow-in-styling.
 
Having had more than twenty-four hours to recover from the single elimination, the four o’clock freestyle frenzy was oversubscribed with riders. Six were lucky enough to be automatically seeded through to the final, and the remainder had to fight it out in the qualifiers for their chance to challenge the best!
 
The final eight consisted of the crazy French men, Anthony Ruenes (Tabou, Gaastra) and Nicolas Akgazciyan (Starboard, Gun). The boys from Bonaire, Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra), and Tonky (F2, Gaastra) and Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic). Belgian boy wonder, Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra). And, the Venezuelan whiz kids, former world champion Ricardo Campello (JP, NeilPryde, MFC), and current world champion Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North).
 
After being towed along the shore at full speed behind a jet ski, the man with more pop than a tube of Pringles, Steven Van Broeckhoven managed to impress both the judges and the spectators with an awesome culo on the glassy North Sea to win himself the top prize of a Panasonic camcorder. Second went to the current world champion, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo who was actually the first to gain respect from the crowd with a clean air flaka. And, the final prize went to Taty Frans for his slick double trick – a burner into a flaka!
 
The remaining fleets had to watch on in awe after a full day on standby had tested the nerves of even the most experienced of competitors. However, with four days still to go, there’s everything left to play for. And, with a new low pressure rolling in, the North Sea will soon turn into a windsurfer’s paradise!

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2010 Colgate World Cup Sylt, Day 4, 28.09.10:

The crowds gathered on Sylt’s golden sands were greeted by a completely different breed of windsurfer this morning as tricks were swapped for tactics, and culos changed for cams. Instead of the double-jointed youngsters that dominated the freestyle, the water was awash with wise men that were more interested in speed than spocks!
 
The slalom sailors were blessed with a light 8-14 knot breeze and wall-to-wall sunshine in which to race down wind around a four-gybe course. A few lulls caused havoc with a couple of heats, but by one o’clock a full elimination had been completed.

2010 Colgate World Cup Sylt, Day 3, 27.09.10:

Three times (now 4 times) World Champion, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo shows Sylt’s spectators why he’s already the world’s number one freestyler this year as the PWA’s finest continue to ‘get tricky’ off Brandenburger Strand!
 
When the sailors and the judges arrived at the beach this morning, neither expected to get a full single elimination finished in freestyle. The wind was cross-offshore and very gusty which would have suited the discipline of racing. However, moving in a brave new direction head judge, Duncan Coombs decided to run the heats with an otherwise unheard of twelve-minute duration.
 
Gollito out-tricked all of his opponents with a faultless display of dynamic moves today to win the single elimination with emphatic style. From the very first second he hit the water, it was obvious that he’d make it all the way to the final, and when he exploded into action he left many of his rivals absolutely helpless. Anthony Ruenes (Tabou, Vandal) was the first to put up a fight, but his efforts of going big all too often ended with a splash. Next up, Canadian, Philip Soltysiak (Starboard, Dakine) tried to take down the champ, but the Venezuelan played a tactical game, tricking it up in the gusts out the back, leaving his opponent wallowing around in the lulls. The following heat was undoubtedly one of the hottest of the day, but Estredo stuck to his guns and used his experience to win once again. And, a final showdown with Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails) saw Estredo claim it on a 4-1 decision, pulling off cleaner and higher moves in the toughest of conditions.

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 lining the shore got. With a star-studded semi final on both sides it was absolutely spectacular. One half of the draw to receive somewhat more attention than the other though was between the current world champion, Estredo and the light wind legend, Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra). The moves were off the scale, and it resembled more of a final than simply a semi. Nerves had the better of the both of them at the beginning, but eventually Broeckhoven was seen busting out huge konos, culos, and burners, whilst the world champ was replying with much of the same. However, it was all too late for Broeckhoven who had unfortunately already used up some of his six attempts with failed shakas earlier on.

Results:
1st Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (Fanatic, North)
2nd Taty Frans (Starboard, MauiSails, Mystic)
3rd Steven Van Broeckhoven (F2, Gaastra)
4th Kiri Thode (Starboard, Gaastra)
 
Well done Gollito, we are super proud and your 4th title is well deserved now!!!

2010 Colgate World Cup Sylt, Day 2, 26.09.10:

Late in the afternoon a moderate cross-offshore breeze had built allowing sixteen of the most tricked up windsurfers in the world to kick-start the competition. The gusty direction made it tough for them to fill their score sheets, but air flakas, chachoos, and shakas were still amongst the many moves laid down to impress the judges.
  
The second heat of the day saw Italian youngster, Mattia Fabrizi (Fanatic, North) fighting hard with the only Israeli freestyler on tour, Yarden Meir (Fanatic, Simmer). The Israeli had his day and saw off Fabrizi to advance. German rider Dominik Schonthal (Fanatic, North) won against the Frenchman Maxime Gaubert (Tabou, Gaastra).
  
In the meantime we had lots of team action at the Fanatic/North Sails tent with lucky draw, autograph sessions and tips and tricks from the pro´s! Stop by if you can and meet Gollito Estredo, Klaas Voget, Marcilio Browne, Andre Paskowski, Victor Fernandez, Nayra Alonso, Yoli de Brendt & Tom Brendt, Laure Treboux, Peter Volwater & the rest of our team!

With seven days still to go though, we’re bound to see much more action before the week is over! The forecast for the following few days is looking promising for both the racing, and the freestyle fleets.

2010 Colgate World Cup Sylt, Germany – Day 1, 15.09.10
 
Huge crowds gather for what turns out to be a frustrating start to the world famous Colgate World Cup, Sylt as windsurfing’s worst enemy - the wind - teases the competitors all day long.
 
A dawn raid for the wave sailors proved fruitless as the breeze refused to build, and the swell that had been forecast failed to materialise, leaving them to head home before breakfast had even been served. With few waves, the next group of fired up competitors to have their window of opportunity were the freestylers. Unfortunately for them, by the time they’d finished their skipper’s briefing at nine o’clock the wind had dropped below the sufficient level for them to compete too.
 
And, by the time the final fleet of world-class windsurfers - the slalom racers - were briefed the wind was already showing signs of dying completely. Race director, Juan Antonio Aragon and his team made every effort to get the first heat underway by setting a course and sitting it out on the water all day, but the wind simply refused to blow.
 
Despite the lack of action on the water, live video streaming of the event continued on www.pwaworldtour.com with interviews throughout the day, including Fanatic´s Klaas Voget (Fanatic, Simmer, MFC).

There was also lots of action at our Fanatic/North Sails tent with autograph sessions, lucky draws and tips & tricks from the pro´s. Stop by there if you are around!!!