PWA World Cup Sylt-Nayra&Gollito 1st!

30.09.2007

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Final Day, 30.09.07:

Sylt goes out with a bang. Champagne corks pop and champions Nayra & Gollito took the title - big congrats to both!!!

Men’s Freestyle Double Elimination:
The action-packed day kicked off with the completion of the men’s freestyle double elimination.
Frans came out in the final super fired-up but the conditions limited both him and Estredo’s ability to pull off their top-drawer tricks. Eventually a stylish, one-handed regular stance chacho, right under the crowd’s noses gave the Caribbean stylist the win and so, under the double elimination format, a re-sail to settle the event title was necessary. This time Estredo was not settling for second. Immediately the youngster floated an amazingly high and tweaked shaka in very marginal winds. ‘Gollito’ then killed off Frans’ hopes completely when he bust out his signature move, the ‘Burner’, and a perfect one-handed chacho of his own. He won with 89 out of 90 points, if that´s not a great result!!!

Freestyle Results after 1 Double Elimination:
1. Jose Estredo (Fanatic)
2. Tonky Frans
3. Marcilio Browne

Women’s Wave Sailing:
On Tuesday we completed the women's wavesailing single elimination.
Nayra Alonso (Fanatic / Severne) won a career-first single elimination final and so with no further competition today she took the event title ahead of 2006 world champ Iballa Moreno (North).

Women’s Wave Sailing Results:
1. Nayra Alonso (Fanatic)
2. Iballa Moreno
3. Steffi Wahl
4. Junko Nagoshi

Men’s Slalom Racing:
In the final race Albeau took a fourth consecutive race victory ahead of Dagan, who’d suffered a rib injury earlier in the event, and Dunkerbeck, who’s third place here sealed him third overall for the season and second overall for the event.

Men’s Slalom Racing Results:
1. Antoine Albeau
2. Bjorn Dunkerbeck
3. Kevin Pritchard

Men’s wavesailing/Expression Session:
The focus then turned to the men's wave sailing single elimination - the only discipline without a result so far. Sadly conditions were still too marginal and after a short period on standby the organizers opted to run an expression session instead to entertain the excited audience.
Colin Sifferlen (Starboard / Simmer) took the biggest chunk of the cash home for his massive air flaka over a heavy section of the shore dump surf breaking above bone dry rock! Alex Mussolini (JP / NeilPryde) scored second for his radical auto rotators in the pocket, Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde) third for his perfect switch chacho 540, Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Simmer) came fourth for a sweet shaka off the lip, and German favorite Klaas Voget (Fanatic / NeilPryde) 5th for his clean back loop in the difficult conditions.

No result in Sylt means the men’s wave title must be decided at the final event of the year in Scotland. Kauli Seadi (Quatro / Naish) who won the last event at his home break in Brazil remains the tour leader ahead of Victor Fernandez of Spain who’s already won two events this season.

Fanatic Pit Stop Box:
Also the Fanatic Pit Stop Box was a great success! Non stop autograph sessions and other activities with our Fanatic riders like Victor Fernadez, Jonas Ceballos, Eleazar Alonso Sanchez, Gollito Estredo, Nayra Alonso, Klaas Voget, Arnon Dagan, Pieter Bijl, etc. enjoyed by young, old, female and male fans;-)

More info:
www.pwaworldtour.com

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 8, 29.09.07:

The Sylt seafront swells with spectators as a lack of wind fails to spoil the Party. After the dramatic events of yesterday’s freestyle conclusion, massive Saturday crowds flocked to the Island of Westerland’s Brandenburger Strand at Sylt to mingle with windsurfing’s top names and biggest celebrities. All day the stage has featured great interviews with legends of the sport such as Robby Naish and current PWA champions Antoine Albeau (Starboard / NeilPryde), Kevin Pritchard, and Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North).

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 7, 28.09.07:

Marcilio Browne seizes the Freestyle world title as 2006 champ Jose Estredo and tour leader Kiri Thode’s hopes fade into the twilight. A long day of tension and drama also saw 2007 slalom champ Antoine Albeau demolish the opposition with a stunning hat of race wins.
A fourth place finish didn’t deter the champ who went on to destroy everyone else later in the afternoon. Ahead of Albeau in race one were some of the day’s other form players - Bjorn Dunkerbeck (T1 / North), who’s arrived here determined to bag the final podium slot for 2007, Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / MauiSails), who’s secured second overall and Dutch speed merchant Pieter Bijl (Fanatic / NeilPryde).

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 6, 27.09.07:

A long day at the busy event site followed and it looked certain that there would be no competition at all. But then the race director decided that there was enough wind to run the pending loser’s final from race 1. A re-start was required when Florent Renard (JP / NeilPryde) and Benoit Moussilmani (F2 / Simmer) were disqualified for crossing the start line prematurely.
The re-run allowed German race legend Bernd Flessner (F2 / NeilPryde) to take a narrow victory ahead of US Virgin Islander Jimmy Diaz (F2 / North) and Cedric Bordes (Tabou / Gaastra) of France.

The forecast tomorrow looks positive for more racing, but the scenario could also benefit the wave sailors and freestylers too.

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 5, 26.09.07:

Blazing sunshine, clear skies but sadly no wind, denied the PWA’s finest competitors the chance to show off to the crowds today. Later tomorrow the swell is predicted to back off and the wind swing around to become suitable for slalom racing.

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 4, 25.09.07:

Flaming-hot Fanatic rider Nayra Alonso helps her team take a valuable triple discipline lead at Sylt with a famous victory over world champion Iballa Moreno in the waves!

This morning the women's wavesailing single elimination took place in marginal conditions. Nayra Alonso won a career first single elimination final ahead of 2006 world champ Iballa Moreno. Congratulations Nayra!

Cross to cross onshore wind from the left and punchy head high shore break waves gave the ladies the perfect canvass to showcase their skills. From heat one it became apparent that Nayra Alonso (Fanatic / Severne) was reveling in the conditions and that Steffi Wahl (F2 / Gaastra) would also be a threat.

The first round heats progressed without drama until Wahl caused a major upset when she defeated tour leader Daida Moreno (North) in round 2. Wahl displayed superior timing and rhythm to tear the chunky swell to pieces and take a famous victory to make the German crowds truly proud.

The second round also saw Alonso take her first major scalp in the form of Karin Jaggi (F2 / North). Jaggi sailed to her normal high standards but on this occasion was simply outclassed by Alonso who looked untouchable with her aggressive approach. To maximize time in the fading conditions, the organizers opted for a 4-women final between Junko Nagoshi (F2 /Simmer) - who’d accounted for experienced competitor Anne-Marie Reichmann (Naish / Naish) in the semis - the 2006 world champion Iballa Moreno (North), Alonso, and local favorite Wahl.

Alonso, aged 28, continued her good form in the final along with her fellow Gran Canarian rival Iballa Moreno. Wahl was also looking dangerous but like Nagoshi her work rate was lower, and after Moreno fell a couple of times it wasn’t long before the onlookers were convinced they were seeing a well deserved victory.

Alonso’s vertical, destructive attack was unequalled and she took the win by a 6-1 verdict amongst the judges.

"It was like a dream come true for me’ explained Alonso who arrived here ranked 5th overall. ‘It’s everyone’s ambition to win a PWA event and I am so emotional that I have finally won an elimination – in fact it’s the first time I even made a final. The forecasts look like we won’t be sailing waves again so I’ll be celebrating anyway as it’s my best result ever. Basically I tried to stay upwind and really work the peak, which a lot of the other girls didn’t. It really reminded me of my home break in Vargas and so I felt comfortable to really push my sailing as a result. I’m glad it was wave riding only as if there had been jumping I’m sure Iballa would’ve beaten me’

The men’s wave sailors were sent out a few times later in the day to try and make progress in their single elimination but the wind just kept denying them the chance to advance.

Women's Wave Sailing Single Elimination Results:
1. Nayra Alonso (Fanatic)
2. Iballa Moreno
3. Steffi Wahl
4. Junko Nagoshi

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt - Day 3, 24.09.07:

Gollito Estredo (V-01) storms back into the freestyle title hunt as a volatile North Sea flicks the switch to turn on a raging tempest. In a day of stark contrasts bright sunshine turned to howling winds and showers after a frustrating morning of gusty unsuitable conditions.

To entertain the crowds the organizers resorted to a fun freestyle contest won by Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North) to regain his taste for victory.

Eventually conditions allowed official competition. Our current world champ Gollito Jose Estredo won the single elimination after a difficult final against Tonky Frans to take the event lead. Congratulations 'Gollito'!The young Venezuelan, who was the youngest PWA champion in history last season, threw down to his trademark move, the one-handed burner, to leave Frans stunned and the judges in little doubt as to who’d won.

The title race is certainly tense now. If this single elimination remains as the only result here in Germany, then today’s dramatic twists will award Estredo a second successive crown to carry back to Margarita aged just 18.

Single elimination results:
1. Jose 'Gollito' Estredo (Fanatic)
2. Tonky Frans
3. Ricardo Campello
4. Marcilio 'Brawzinho' Browne

Yesterday light wind also disrupted competition, but eventually race 1 of the slalom was completed - Arnon Dagan of Israel took the honours and the event lead so far.

Slalom Results:
1. Arnon Dagan (Fanatic)
2. Steve Allen
3. Julien Quentel

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 2, 23.09.07:

Team Fanatic’s furious featherweight Arnon Dagan takes the first bullet on a frustrating days racing for the big guns. Light wind specialists Australian Steve Allen and youngster Julien Quentel also drive home their advantage as the opening volleys of the slalom shooting match begin.

The lower end of the wind limits really tested both the competitors and race crew today as conditions on the edge of suitability kept everyone on their toes. Breeze between just 5 and 13 knots meant disruptive lulls forced many heats to be cancelled.

In between the racing the freestylers pumped onto the plane to perform for the crowds, and it wasn’t long before 2006 world champ Jose Estredo (V-01) had won over the beachside fans with his extensive bag of tricks.

Meanwhile a fair amount of racing heavyweights struggled in the early heats and many failed to advance to the semi-finals. There was drama in the first semi when Bjorn Dunkerbeck (T1 / North), who was set to qualify easily, pumped out of the gybe at the first mark when his mast snapped and left him unable to complete the race. The winner’s final was run in about as close as you can get to the minimum wind strength allowed, which really suited lightweight Arnon Dagan (Fanatic / NeilPryde) who won.

The 30-yr old talked us through the heat. ‘Just before the start the wind dropped and that makes it even harder to time it right as you don’t want to have to slow down in light air and then try to accelerate away again late. I chose the pin-end ad timed it just right and from there I knew I’d be OK as somehow I have such unbelievable speed in low wind strengths.
I used my Falcon 125 and a 9.0 sail and was untouchable all the way around the track. Of course I’m happy to get off to a good start but I’m going to be cautious as this has happened before and then I’ve let things slip in the past. I always enjoy the crowds in Sylt and seem to perform well here including a podium finish last season. Let’s hope we get some more racing in soon!’

Dagan was pursued relentlessly by Formula racer Steve Allen (Tabou / Gaastra) of Australia who secured second place ahead of French rider Julien Quentel (Starboard / NeilPryde).

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Day 1, 22.09.07:

The Sun bursts out in Sylt as the PWA stars shine in front of massive weekend crowds.
A lack of wind didn’t prevent windsurfing’s biggest personalities from showing off to a packed beach on the Island of Westerland today.
Massive queues for autographs from our Fanatic team stretched down the seafront.
The Fanatic team was paraded on-stage to talk about their careers, products and life on tour.
All day long the party atmosphere built as hospitality tents served-up fine wine and fresh seafood to visitors here to witness this wave sailing, racing and freestyle fiesta.

The 2007 Colgate World Cup Sylt – Registration Day, 21.09.07:

Word of an early start gets Sylt’s faithful masses flocking to the beach in their droves as the first round heats of the men’s wave contest kick off.
20-25 knots and up to head high surf got competition underway late in the afternoon. An 8-minute heat duration was set with just one jump and one ride to count from each competitor.
Even during the warm-ups the infamous Sylt shore dump claimed a bag full of masts.
6 riders made it through to the second round before the wind shut down and competition was called off for the day.

Martin Ten Hoeve (Fanatic / North), edged out his compatriot Peter Volwater (F2 / North) with a solid one-handed, one-footed back loop!

Source: PWA

Preview - Fanatic Pit Stop Lane@PWA Sylt, 19.09.07:

During the PWA World Cup on Sylt (21.09. - 30.09.) Fanatic presents all their team riders in the Fanatic box at the pit stop lane.

Don´t miss it! Come and visit us there to join our autograph sessions with Victor Fernadez, Jonas Ceballos, Eleazar Alonso Sanchez, Gollito Estredo, Nayra Alonso, Klaas Voget, Arnon Dagan, Pieter Bijl and the rest of the gang and also get a copy of our new brochure and Promo DVD "Addicted to Ride 3"!