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| day [03] - wave
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| Current overall wave champion Kevin Pritchard (Gaastra, Starboard) has won the men’s single elimination wave round in tough onshore conditions here at the Labello Sylt, PWA 2003 Grand Slam. In an extremely close battle in the final against fellow American sailor Josh Angulo, Pritchard came out on top after being awarded a 4-1 decision from the judges. In the women’s wave single elimination Spanish sailor, Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) busted out the highest forward loop of the whole competition to date, en route to the final, where she took a convincing victory over Swiss rival Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows).
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| The conditions in Sylt today can only be described as ‘survival’ with gusty onshore winds kicking up a vicious shore break that made it difficult for many sailors to even make it out through the surf let alone compete. With rain squalls, hail and intermittent sunshine all making up today’s mixed bag of weather Sylt certainly lived up to its reputation for unpredictable conditions.
Pritchard made his way through to the final after battling through tough heats against Greg Allaway (JP, Neil Pryde) Kauli Seadi (AHD, Naish), and Victor Fernandez (Fanatic). The 26 year old Californian was on fire toady consistently pulling of impressive back loops, tweaked out table tops and backside airs. Spanish sailor Victor Fernandez (Fanatic), who had taken down Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Neil Pryde) in the quarter finals, gave Pritchard a run for his money in the semis after busting out some superb one handed table tops and back loops on both tacks. Pritchard kept his nerve however and stuck to his routine busting out huge back loops and aggressive wave rides and advanced through to the final.
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|  | | | Kevin Backloop | |
On the other side of the draw, Josh Angulo was equally impressive especially in the waves where time after time he ripped apart the logo to mast high onshore surf from the outside break all the way to the beach. Sailing with no remorse, Angulo dispatched with Jason Polakow (Neil Pryde), Jonas Ceballos (Fanatic, Gaastra) Vidar Jensen (North) on his path to the final.
With the wind blowing around 15-20 knots almost bolt onshore conditions in the final were extremely tricky. The two Americans both made the best of the challenging conditions with both sailors clocking up several sick jumps and some superb wave rides. Angulo was sticking close to the beach and nailed a tweaked out table top, a contorted push loop and a perfect back loop. Pritchard replied with back loops, tweaked table tops and a high forward. In the wave department Pritchard clocked up the points by connecting his rides from the outside break right through to the shoreline with backside and front side turns. Angulo hit back with his unique style of aggressive turning also milking the waves right into the beach. In the closing seconds Angulo smacked the inside beach break and launched above the barrel into a tweaked backside air. As he came down in front of the breaking wave the nose of the board caught in the shallows and the cascading wave engulfed the Hawaiian sailor and his rig. Many on the beach thought the decision could have gone to Angulo but when the judges announced the results Pritchard was the surprise winner.
In the losers final Jensen clinched third place after taking down Victor Fernandez who struggled through the first minutes of the break attempting to break out through the shore break. The third place finish for Jensen keeps him on track for the overall wave although the positions can still change if the double elimination here in Sylt is completed.
After the final action continued with the men’s double elimination, which by the end of the day has left us with twelve remaining sailors who could win here in Sylt. Advancing through the losers bracket of the double this afternoon were Matt Pritchard (Gaastra), Greg Allaway (JP, Neil Pryde), Bernd Flessner (F2, Neil Pryde) and Julian Taboulet (JP, Neil Pryde). Bernd Flessner took the biggest scalp after beating ex world champion Jason Polakow in the last men’s heat of the day. Flessie was ecstatic after hearing the result and danced around the beach in celebration.
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|  | | | Kevin - Winner | |
These four sailors will go up against Orjan Jensen (North), Jonas Ceballos (Gaastra, Fanatic), Kauli Seadi (AHD, Naish) and Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Neil Pryde) and after that; Fernandez, Jensen and finally Angulo all ready and waiting to see who will meet Kevin Pritchard in the double elimination final.
It was decided that the pounding shore break this morning was too dangerous for the women to compete and their competition was put on hold until the tide dropped late this afternoon. Daida Moreno (Mistral, North) threw the highest forward loop of the competition so far during the semi final against her sister Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North). Hitting a four foot bowling ramp at full speed Moreno climbed 30 feet into the air, stalled her jump and then went over the handlebars - a move requiring sheer guts! As usual the battle between Daida and Iballa was fierce but Daida just had the edge and advanced through to face Karin Jaggi in the final.
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|  | | | Daida Loop | |
The women’s finals were held late in the day in the fading light but the action was simply sensational with Moreno and Jaggi both nailing some sick jumps. Despite Jaggi throwing out a superb table top forward Moreno’s more rounded repertoire won her the favor of the judges. In the losers final Iballa Moreno picked up third slot after a convincing victory over Uli Hölzl of Austria.
Skippers meeting for the wave sailors has been brought forward to 8am tomorrow with the first possible start at 8.30 to make the most of the stronger winds forecast tomorrow morning.
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|  | | | Jason Polakow | |
KEVIN PRITCHARD
That was a much better day than yesterday. The conditions were up and down. I had some more moves in the bag for the final but I could not throw them out. I was pretty shocked to win the final, I saw Josh ripping and wasn’t sure if I had done enough. It was challenging out there with the waves all over the place. You could not go out there with a plan and know what you were going to do. I am pretty stoked to win the single elimination after a disappointing result in Gran Canaria and a not such a good day on the race course yesterday.
JOSH ANGULO
Conditions were quite challenging, kind of how I like it. It was pretty good for a contest. I am disappointed in the result but when you are in a final and you are sailing against the best in the world that is the way it comes out sometimes, half a point here and half a point there and that can make the difference. I would still like to get the double elimination finished because right now I am in second overall and that is not where I want to be or second in this contest. Hopefully we will get the double done - maybe I will drop back but at least I have the chance of moving forward.
VIDAR JENSEN
I had a really good day. I finished third today and advanced through some really hard heats. Some of my opponents didn’t get out until midway through their heats. It was all about experience today. Even getting out was pretty tough today because the wind was so up and down. I have been here so many times before that I know how hard it can be. Today was one of the hardest days ever and I had a great day. I am super happy at the moment. I am still there in for the world title but it is not over yet. The forecast is for more wind at the weekend so anything can happen.
DAIDA MORENO
This morning was quite rough and the girls could hardly get out into the water through the shore break. This afternoon has been perfect, the wind was still there, I was powered on a 4.7m and there were still some good waves. I think, pretty much I am the happiest girl in Sylt right now. It was a bit of a disappointment to go against my sister in the semi finals. I was sailing in that heat against my sister and I think I pulled off one of my highest forwards in competition. One of the judges told me it was the highest forward of the week! So I went into the final pretty happy.
MEN'S RESULTS AFTER ONE SINGLE ELIMINATION
1. Kevin Pritchard (Gaastra, Starboard)
2. Josh Angulo
3. Vidar Jensen (North)
4. Victor Fernandez (Fanatic)
WOMEN’S RESULTS AFTER ONE DISCARD
1. Daida Moreno (Mistral, North)
2. Karin Jaggi (F2, Arrows)
3. Iballa Moreno (Mistral, North)
4. Uli Hölzl (F2, Arrows)
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Autor: pwa, Pix: Carter | |
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