PWA World Cup Cabo Verde-Brawzinho finished 4th!

2009/02/19

PWA World Cup Cabo Verde – Day 5, 18.02.09:

Day five of competition saw the Ponta Preta reef switch back on, delivering a seemingly endless supply of huge sets, coupled with hammering 25 knot wind to finish up the double elimination in style.

Fanatic´s Marcilio Browne finished 4th and won 7 heats in a row, more heats than anyone else in the contest!

Marcilio Browne:
„My new boards work great, Sebastian shaped them in January and I feel already really comfy on them. They are close to the latest protos for the 2010 production-twinsers Victor and Klaas were just testing in Cape Town and Chile, only some small changes in the rocker line. I’m really happy with my new equipment!”

Fanatic Brand Manager Craig Gertenbach:
"Well done Marcilio, what a great performance and I have to say if that is the start of the year, I´m really looking forward to the rest!"

Josh Angulo returns the Cabo Verde crown to its homeland after defeating Kauli Seadi twice in the double elimination.

The second round of the double elimination saw some stand out performances from the likes of: Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde / MFC), who stepped his riding up to another level to advance. Camille Juban (Gun Sails / MFC), whose super vertical attacks on the wave were both impressive and technically brilliant, and Jason Polakow (JP / NeilPryde), who had far and away the fewest waves of the event and still managed to advance thanks to consistent excellence on the wave.

Entering the third round of the double elimination, mounting pressure meant that the sailors had to pull out all the stops to stand a chance of making it through the heats. Trips to the rocks became all too frequent, and the magnitude of crashes went through the roof.

Stamping their names on round three were Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra), who took the lions share of the waves on offer, and somehow was always in the right place at the right time. Similarly, Marcilio Browne (North / Fanatic) dug deep into his bag of tricks to execute some amazingly tight turns and super vertical cut backs that his rivals simply couldn’t match.

Thomas Traversa (Tabou / Gaastra) brought his unique flare and out-and-out attitude to his heat, which saw risk be rewarded with a highly credible pass through to the next round. Joining him was Moroccan Boujmaa Guilloul (Starboard / Severne / MFC), who fended off tough opposition with some floaty aerials and late smacks that outclassed his rivals.

Entering a four way standoff with only two positions available in the next round, Williams, Guilloul, Browne and Traversa went to blows in barreling mast high waves and forever increasing wind.

When crunch time came, Traversa blew his chances, gambling super late smacks and deep bottom turns that were ultimately punished by the brutal Ponta Preta reef. Also departing was Guilloul, who notched up one truly brilliant wave, but failed to find a second to add to his score sheet, paying the heavy price of departure for his mistake.

This left Williams and Browne entering the two-man stage of the elimination, with only one place to play for. Williams was on a roll after dominating the four previous heats, but Browne was firing. The Brazilian was just going off, cranking the tightest bottom turns before smacking contorted top turns right under the lip. Williams performed well, but Browne was literally unbeatable.

Advancing to meet Francisco Goya (Goya Sails / MFC), Browne knew he had to deliver a solid performance, but rival Goya just wasn’t in the groove. After dominating in the single elimination Goya struggled to find form, and essentially gave Browne a pass through to the next round after an unconvincing display.

Meeting Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / Gaastra / MFC / Dakine), Browne’s nerve was put to the test. Pritchard is impossibly consistent, and while sometimes lacking the flare of his rivals he rarely delivers a poor performance. This heat was no exception. Outstanding wave selection, time and time again, combined with a fluent and well-timed attack on the Ponta Preta lip gave Browne a harsh reality check. Pritchard had done enough to secure third overall for the event, leaving Browne, who’d worked his way through the double elimination, in a highly impressive fourth.

So, the all too familiar showdown began. In a rerun of the 2007 World Cup, Kauli Seadi (JP / NeilPryde / MFC / Mormaii), who’d won the single elimination, had to defend his throne from the local, Josh Angulo (Angulo / MauiSails / Dakine). In this instance, Seadi’s defense was over thrown by Angulo’s wealth of knowledge at Ponta Preta. The pair would have to sail head to head one last time to decide the outright event winner.

With a swarming local crowed chanting the name of their national windsurfing hero, the final began. Angulo drew the first blood with a colossal off the lip hit, but landed deep in the bowl, and ended up getting washed onto the rocks. Seadi seized the opportunity, putting Angulo on the back foot with two solid rides.

Returning, Angulo blew everyone away with a nine-point wave ride, a rare spectacle to behold, and something truly inspiring. Following this up, Angulo launched into his usual routine of insanely late under the lip hits and perfectly timed aerials. Seadi knew he had to deliver, and right on queue, threw a perfectly landed goiter on the wave face.

The heat was intense and virtually impossible to call, with two very different styles unified by the much-revered Ponta Preta Break. Crunch time came in the huge event tent, before hundred of ecstatic local fans. Angulo had reigned supreme, returning the Cabo Verde crown to its motherland in emotional scenes rarely seen at windsurfing events.

For more information, click on:
www.pwaworldtour.com
www.caboverdeworldcup.com

PWA World Cup Cabo Verde – Day 4, 17.02.09:

Offshore wind put a halt to the double elimination’s progress on day four. Competition is still on hold...

PWA Cabo Verde World Cup – Day 3, 16.02.09:

Ponta Preta takes a rest on day three. With the swell dropping right off the radar, day three of competition gave the sailors a chance to relax and mend their wounds after the brutal first two days of competition.

PWA World Cup Cabo Verde – Day 2, 15.02.09:

Moving onto heat 35, Thomas Traversa (Tabou / Gaastra) emerged as the man to beat. The risk taking Frenchman settled on a happy compromise between his usual balls-to-the-wall approach, and solid, secure riding. Having dominated the heat from the green flag, the remaining sailor to advance came down to a challenge between Phil Horrocks (JP / NeilPryde) and Camille Juban (Gun / MFC), with the heat’s remaining sailor, Graham Ezzy (Dakine) looking largely unthreatening.

Ultimately it was Juban that won the judges over, having produced a fluent display of wave riding that edged Horrocks out the game thanks to better wave selection, and consequently higher scoring rides.

Dropping wind and swell forced competition to be placed on standby for much of the afternoon, before the heavyweight heat 36 could commence late into the day. Pitching Jason Polakow (JP / NeilPryde), Danny Bruch (Exocet / Severne / MFC), Marcilio Browne (Fanatic / North) and local Titik Lopes against each other, this was always going to be a touch-and-go battle.

Excelling in the super-fluky conditions, Polakow rose up to deliver some stunning sailing that clearly separated him from his three rivals. In contrast, local sailor Lopes had some promising looking waves, but never delivered any rides that made any real impact on his score sheet.

This left Bruch and Browne in a stand-off. Looking solid, Bruch sailed well but couldn’t match the Brazilian’s fluid and technical sailing, which included two goitas. Browne and Polakow advanced.

Wrapping up the day’s sailing was heat 37, which saw local hotshot Djo Silva (Angulo) give his rival PWA regulars a wake-up call. Fending off Silva’s persistent attacks were Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra) and Dario Ojeda (Simmer / MFC / Mormaii), who had to dig deep to surpass the on form Cabo Verde local and secure their positions in the next round.

PWA World Cup Cabo Verde – Day 1, 14.02.09:

Mast high waves and relentless wind see Ponta Preta deliver world class conditions to crown Kauli Seadi single elimination winner on day one.

The final took place under ominous skies and in increasingly weakening wind. The four finalists: Angulo, Goya, Seadi and Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / Gaastra / Dakine /MFC) had to be fully switched on to outwit each other.

Stuck in a paradox, the sailors needed long rides to notch up big scores, but linking turns to inside ran the risk of getting stuck in the super marginal winds close to the shore, making them sitting ducks ready to be washed onto the rocks.

The final came down to a familiar two-man battle: Angulo vs. Seadi. It may sound bizarre in windsurfing to suggest someone has a home advantage, but the support for Angulo in Cabo Verde is just phenomenal. Competing only a stone’s throw from the beach, the throngs of local supporters make it their business to ensure Angulo can always hear their encouraging cheers and chants throughout a heat.

Watching from the beach there was nothing to separate the pair, but a 2-3 split decision from the judging panel ultimately handed the explosive final, and single elimination to Seadi.

Preview:

The countdown is almost over, as the 32 best wavesailors on the planet prepare to go head to head on Cabo Verde’s hallowed windsurfing breaks. The PWA kick starts the 2009 World Tour season with the much-revered Cabo Verde PWA World Cup.

Commemorating the event’s third anniversary on the World Tour, the 2009 event team have been working tirelessly to ensure this year’s event exceeds the massive expectations the worldwide windsurfing community places upon it.

Running over an eight-day holding period from the 14th – 21st of February, the Cabo Verde archipelago will become the epicentre of the world’s wave sailing focus, as Sal’s exposed Atlantic beaches push the cream of the PWA’s wave fleet to their limits.

32 select riders on the entry list, for Fanatic 4 very strong wave riders are joining the event: Victor Fernandez (E-42), Klaas Voget (G-4), Jonas Ceballos (E-40) and Marcilio Browne (BRA-105). GOOD LUCK to all of them!!!

Victor Fernandez (E-42):
Have you had some days to get ready for this event? How did you get prepared?
“Yes, actually it has been a good winter for me travelling to Chile and South Africa.I score some good swells in both places.Just a bit unlucky the last days for me in SA cause I miss the biggest day of the trip cause of injured my ankle a bit.I am here in Cape Verde now and I feel already quite well and looking forward to start the contest with a lot of motivation.”

Marcilio “Brawzinho” Browne (BRA-105):
You arrived here on Sal almost two weeks ago? How has it been and how do you feel on your new boards?
“It´s been great here, we scored 4 really good days in 3 different spots of the island. Great timing to try new gear and get tuned up. I visited Sebastian 3 weeks ago in Lisabon and now I have the three boards we designed together here, first tests so far really good. I am feeling good and really looking forward to have a lot of fun in ponta preta as there is a very good forecast for this contest.”

Klaas Voget (G-4):
“I got here three days ago, just after the good days Brawzinho scored. But I had some days in South Africa in January with big waves and down the line conditions and I feel good. Also I just received two new Boards from Sebastian and can’t wait to get them under my feet. The forecast looks like we’ll get a good swell on Saturday/Sunday with the beginning of the event and then another big one next Tuesday/Wednesday, plus it looks pretty much windy enough every day.”

Jonas Ceballos (E-40), how did you spent the last weeks to get ready for the event? Which boards did you bring for Ponta Preta?
“I been sailing a lot in fuerte this winter I have been lucky cose I got lot of good swell and similar conditions as Punta Preta I also have been doing lot of diferents sports like climbing, I have spend lot of time in the mountine as well this is a very good sport to get all body and mind in good performance and keep myself very positive. About boards I have with me 78lt prototype that’s close to the production 78l Twinser. This board I really love it,,I also did bring 72lt and 84lt production boards to see how they are working in this perfect conditions.