The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam

2007/07/31

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 10:

Marcilio Browne enjoys his first taste of victory as champagne corks pop for the Sotavento Freestyle winners. Kiri Thode of Bonaire secures second overall as light wind prevents a second double elimination and Thomas Traversa bags third. Daida Moreno wins the Women’s event to seal the 2007 title- her fifth world freestyle crown. Sarah-Quita Offringa settles for second overall and Laure Treboux keeps third.
A final day heat wave denied any further competition to allow 18-yr old ‘Brawzinho’ Browne (Mistral / Gaastra) a famous first-ever event win.
After three agonizingly windless days in raging heat, Daida Moreno (North) and Marcilio Browne’s wait was over and the titles finally became theirs.
Earlier in the competition Browne defeated Bonaire youngster Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) in an inspiring double elimination re-sail.

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Men’s Freestyle Final results
Marcilio Browne (Mistral / Gaastra)
Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
Thomas Traversa (Tabou / Gaastra)
Tonky Frans (F2 /Gaastra)
Anthony Ruenes (Tabou / Gaastra)
Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde)
Equal 7th Colin Sifferlen (Starboard / Simmer) - Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North)

Men’s Overall Freestyle Rankings so far in 2007:
Marcilio Browne (Mistral / Gaastra)
Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
Thomas Traversa (Tabou / Gaastra)
Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North)
Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde)

Women’s Freestyle Final results:
Daida Moreno (North)
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde)
Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish)
Nayra Alonso (Fanatic / Severne)
Silvia Alba
Yoli de Brendt (Fanatic / North)
Joint 7th Junko Nagoshi (F2 / Simmer) - Iballa Moreno (North)

Women’s 2007 Overall Freestyle Rankings:
Daida Moreno (North)
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde)
Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish)
Nayra Alonso (Fanatic / Severne)
Silvia Alba

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 9:

Double Elimination winners Marcilio Browne and Daida Moreno keep cool as the rest sweat it out at a windless Sotavento beach.
Pending on the schedule is the completion of a second single elimination of men’s and women’s freestyle. But soaring temperatures cooked everyone’s hopes of a second crack at ousting the winners. In the first double elimination final Marcilio ‘Brawzinho’ Browne (Mistral / Gaastra) defeated Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra). In the women’s competition Daida Moreno (North) quashed teenage Caribbean star Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde).
Thomas Traversa (Tabou / Gaastra) of France keeps third place in the men’s fleet and Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish) defends third place in the ladies event.
The final day’s forecast suggests we’ll have more wind to play with than today. All hope now rests on tomorrow for completing the second single and double eliminations to iron out a final result. This season has served-up several final-day showdowns, so who’d be surprised if the title is settled at the last once again?

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 8:

Marcilio Browne (Mistral / Gaastra) and Daida Moreno (North) sit pretty as double elimination winners whilst light Calema wind snuffs out their rival’s chances of revenge.
Today’s plan was to complete a second single elimination of men’s and women’s freestyle. But red-hot temperatures and virtually zero breeze turned on the heat for those who fell victim to the Browne and Moreno in the first single and double eliminations.
Browne beat Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra) after a tense re-sail and Moreno triumphed against Aruban prodigy Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde) in the women’s event.
Thomas Traversa (Tabou / Gaastra) lies in third place in the men’s fleet and Switzerland’s Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish) currently sits in the remaining podium place in the women’s’ competition.
Two days remain in this event and forecasts suggest tomorrow may have enough wind to complete the second single elimination and perhaps a second double elimination too.
In the meantime the spectators and riders enjoyed the beach scene and the fiesta style ambience created by Rene Egli’s Pro Center the long-standing local organizers.
Overnight everyone’s fingers will be crossed for more wind and the chance to settle their scores.

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 6:

Marcilio Browne elbows-out tour leader and reigning world champion Jose Estredo to win the first single elimination final against Thomas Traversa. Daida Moreno stands her ground to win the women’s final against a spirited performance from Sarah-Quita Offringa.
The smoothest water of the event so far was perfect for the start of the first freestyle single elimination.

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 5:

Antoine Albeau wraps-up the event crown and steals the 2007 world title with three back-to-back wins on the final day’s racing. Kevin Pritchard sneaks second overall after constancy rewards him throughout 15 brutal races. Bjorn Dunkerbeck powers his way into third overall. Karin Jaggi takes the critical final race win the women’s event to deny Valerie Ghibaudo the tour lead. Iballa Moreno’s return to slalom rewards her with an impressive third overall.
18-25 knots and much flatter water than previous days treated the racers to a speedy final’s day racing. The three final men’s races and two remaining women’s races. Christmas came early for Micah Buzianis’s fellow podium contenders when stage-fright gifted them valuable points as the American started prematurely in 2 out of the day’s 3 races.

Men’s final results:
Antoine Albeau (Starboard / NeilPryde)
Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / MauiSails)
Bjorn Dunkerbeck (T1 / North)

Women’s final results:
Karin Jaggi (F2 / North)
Valerie Ghibaudo (Tabou)
Iballa Moreno (North)

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 4:

Micah Buzianis scores a three-race hat-trick to surge into second overall. Antoine Albeau clings on to the event lead on the eve of the final day's racing. Kevin Pritchard stays in the frame in third. Karin Jaggi and Valerie Ghibaudo take a race win apiece to turn the heat on in the women’s event.
Lighter winds than normal kept the competitors on hold this morning. But, by lunchtime the trades filled-in and 3 races were completed in 13-24 knots of wind, and much smoother water than on previous days.

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 3:

Errors all-round help Antoine Albeau build a sizeable event lead backed-up by a useful race 9 win. Kevin Pritchard clings onto second position as Micah Buzianis ghosts into contention in third overall. Karin Jaggi’s grip on the women’s event lead is weakened as Valerie Ghibaudo wins 2 of the days 3 races. Iballa Moreno continues to hustle hard and climb-up into third after an exhilarating race 11 win
Sotavento delivered the goods again today with more classic slalom racing on the menu.
3 Women’s races and 3 Men’s races were planned and successfully held in bright sunshine and 20-30 knots of wind. A longer 6-leg course was chosen for the first 2 races before a shorter course with a speed reach after the start was selected in the afternoon.

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 2:

Antoine Albeau steadies himself after two early slip-ups during a crazy day of chaos and errors amongst the top seeds. Kevin Pritchard survives his own mistakes to steal second overall ahead of Britain’s Ross Williams in third. Karin Jaggi wins three out of 4 races despite intense pressure from Valerie
Steady wind and breaking waves meant epic slalom racing here in Sotavento today. That meant the daily maximum of 4 men’s races were completed.

The 2007 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Day 1:

Pieter Bjl (Fanatic) in 3rd!!! Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / MauiSails) grits his teeth and shoves his way into the lead on the first days racing after miraculous race 2 recovery backs up his race 1 bullet. Antoine Albeau (Starboard / NeilPryde) hit the bull’s-eye on race 2 to stay ahead of Dutch Danger-man Pieter Bijl (Fanatic / NeilPryde) in third. Karin Jaggi (F2 / North) sends out an early warning shot to any pretenders in the women’s fleet after taking 4 out of 4 race wins. Valerie Ghibaudo (T1) stands firm in second ahead of Iballa Moreno (North) in third position.
Winds of around 22-30 knots prompted race Director Juan Antoine Aragon to kick start the Slalom racing event shortly after the morning skipper’s meeting. There were sizeable patches here and there making for gusty and fairly tricky racing conditions. Two women’s races were inserted into the running order of each men’s elimination.

© PWA / Brian McDowell