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| 18|06|2005 | [04] - june, 18th
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| Day 4 summary: Matt Pritchard (US-10, Tabou/ Gaastra) claims the single elimination after a long day of competition.
Matt Pritchard (US-10, Tabou/ Gaastra) has proven his consistent skills once again by winning the single elimination of the 2005 Estoril Guincho PWA World Cup. In the final against Kauli Seadi (BRA-253, Quatro/ Naish), Pritchard had the edge over the Brazilian, although it was a close call.
The day started with finishing up the third round in pumping sideonshore winds and solid 3 meter waves, in which Robby Swift (K-89, JP/ Neil Pryde), Alex Mussolini (E-30, JP/ Neil Pryde), Matt Pritchard and Scott McKercher (KA-181, Starboard/ Severne) were the last four to join the final sixteen riders at the expense of Diony Guadagnino (V-69, Neil Pryde), Kevin Pritchard (US-3, Starboard/ MauiSails), Levi Siver (USA-0, Starboard) and Josh Angulo (US-11). Swift dominated his heat with big backside aerials and massive pushloops. Guadagnino pulled out all the stops with an insane backloop attempt and a goiter attempt, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Englishman. Mussolini was riding fast and hard against Pritchard, catching long waves and sticking huge backloops and pushloops, fighting his way into the quarter finals as did Matt Pritchard with a skyhigh stalled forward and big backside airs cutting off Levi Siver’s march to the top. Siver scored big points with a sick backloop and a tweaked out table top, but in the end it was Pritchard who advanced. Last up in round # 3 were Josh Angulo and Scott McKercher. McKercher was sailing strong with good waverides and big jumps, while Angulo seemed to have trouble catching good waves. Despite a fully tweaked table top and a big one handed backloop which he didn’t quite land, Angulo just missed out on the quarters as McKercher went through.
In the first quarter final Victor Fernandez (E-42, Fanatic) was up against Kauli Seadi (BRA-253, Quatro/ Naish) and John Skye (K-57, F2) went head to head with Julien Taboulet (F-100, JP/ Neil Pryde). Fernandez went all out with a clean one handed table top, a pushloop, a forward, a crazy pete attempt and some good waveriding, but Seadi was just unstoppable and won the heat with long rides on big waves, a soaring backloop and an air chachoo attempt, just missing the landing. The quarters also meant the end of the line for Julien Taboulet, inspite of two radical table top forwards.
The second quarter final was a showdown between Robby Swift (K-89, JP/ Neil Pryde) and Alex Mussolini (E-30, JP/ Neil Pryde) and Matt Pritchard (US-10, Tabou/ Gaastra) vs Scott McKercher (KA-181, Starboard/ Severne). Mussolini made a strong impression with big backside airs, forwards and a big backloop. Swift gave it his all with a double forward attempt, a big pushloop and some fluent frontside rides in the onshore conditions, but when the dust settled it was Mussolini who advanced to the semis. Meanwhile Scott McKercher had his hands full fighting off Matt Pritchard. Pritchard pulled off one of the biggest backloops of the day and scored some long rides, charging the face frontside and backside. McKercher started out with a strong waveride and stuck a clean one handed table top and a pushloop, but Pritchard took the victory.
The semi final got underway in lighter winds than earlier today. It was Kauli Seadi up against John Skye and Matt Pritchard vs Alex Mussolini. Seadi kept up his winning form with big backloops, a radical one footed backloop attempt and a air chachoo attempt and aggressive waveriding throwing in a flaka on the waveface while he was at it. Skye scored big points with a high pushloop and two forwards, but the Brazilian proved to be too strong for Skye. Mussolini put down a radical performance with massive pushloops and powerful rides, while Pritchard threw in forwards, backloops and pushloops like there was no tomorrow. In the end, it was the American’s experience that pulled him through to the final to meet Kauli Seadi.
Both Seadi and Pritchard opened the final with a big waveride all the way to the beach. Pritchard then went on with an absurd backloop, while Seadi caught some good rides. Next both riders picked up a big set outside and were riding it in unison in radical style. Seadi was ripping it up with frontside rides and a strong aerial, as Pritchard did some solid waveriding himself, crashing on a goiter at the sound of the horn. Seadi did his part with a goiter as well, but as it was just after the horn it didn’t count for the final score. The decision was close, but in the end Pritchard came out number one in a 3 to 2 jury call.
"It’s been a long day, but I guess my consistency paid off in the end.", Pritchard comments on his victory. "In the final I caught a big wave right at the gun and rode it all the way in to the beach doing lots of turns. Against someone like Kauli you really have to go for it and that’s exactly what I did."
In the losers final, Alex Mussolini took third place over John Skye. Both riders gave away a great show with fluent rides and big aerials, but Mussolini came out strongest. After the single elimination, the double got underway. The results of that so far are in the link below.
SINGLE ELIMINATION LADDER
DOUBLE ELIMINATION LADDER
MENS RESULTS AFTER SINGLE ELIMINATION
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|  | | | | Peter Volwater | | |
"I really feel I’m in my prime now, so I’m going to go all out for the next few years."
Peter Voltmeter Volwater (H-24, F2) has been travelling the globe on the PWA tour for ten years. While waiting for wind, we caught up with him on the beach of Guincho for a one on one with Holland’s top pro windsurfer.
You stranded in the second round of the single elimination. How did your heat go?
I was up against Ross Williams. I’ve sailed against him a few times before, but he just had a very strong heat with a few nice long rides. I got off to a slow start. I had a big floater, but I crashed on it. Then later on my outhaul cord broke and I wasted quite a bit of time fixing that. No excuse, but all in all it didn’t go too well and I was out.
Who do you think have a shot at taking the title here in Guincho?
I think Josh Angulo is sailing very strong at the moment, he could go a long way. Some of the young guys are definitely good enough, but they might lack the experience to win an event. Guys like Angulo and Polakow have got so much style, have ridden so many waves; that kind of experience is hard to beat. But there will be surprises sooner or later for sure. If not here then at a next event. And of course I’m really hoping it’ll come to a double elimination here so I can have another go at the crown myself!
You’ve been on the tour for nearly ten years. Is there anything you’d still like to do?
I would love to do more wave events in top locations. I’m stoked to be back in Guincho for a PWA wave event. It would be great to compete in places like New Zealand, Cabo Verde or Fiji. I would really like to go back there. I participated in a contest there several years ago, but I was pretty much a rookie then. I’d like to see the wave tour expand like the speed tour is doing right now. If that happens, I definitely want to be part of it.
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|  | | | Peter Volwater | |
Are exotic events like that important for the promotion of the sport?
I believe they should form the foundation for the professional windsurfing tour. Sailing in the world’s best locations, that’s what pro windsurfing is all about. Having said that, the European events are critical too. That’s where most of the spectators are and exposure is highest. That’s another important factor of being a professional windsurfer; staying in touch with the public and European events are crucial for that.
Are you doing a lot of travelling yourself aside from the PWA tour?
That’s the plan yes. I feel I progress a lot more freesailing in superlocations than in competition. Sailing in a contest is more about applying your knowledge than anything else. Of course you learn from that as well, but it’s different kind of experience. This winter I’m planning to go to Western Australia for a few months. It’s great wavesailing location with a great atmosphere. Last year I came in second there in the Australian nationals behind Scott McKercher in masthigh waves and 30-35 knot winds. I’m looking forward to going for it again this year.
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|  | | | Kauli Seadi loops | |
What can we expect from you competition-wise?
Since January I’m back with F2 which is working out very well for me. I’ve been involved in the development of the new F2 Super X boards, which is a very interesting aspect of our cooperation. On the PWA tour I’m participating in wave and Super X and I’m going to do some speedsailing this year as well. I’ve never officially done that, but I’m just going to strap on a lot of weight and go for it! I really feel I’m in my prime now, so I’m going to go all out for the next few years. What happens after that, I’ll just take it as it comes.
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|  | | | Kauli Seadi loops | |
10:30 After yesterday’s freak misty conditions, the sun is back out today at the 2005 Estoril Guincho PWA World Cup. Although the swell has died down a bit compared to yesterday, there’s still more than enough left for some radical wavesailing competition. Combined with strong winds forecast for the afternoon, the stage is set for the final heats of the single elimination.
First up is heat # 27, which was cancelled yesterday evening halfway through as the winds dropped; Robby Swift (K-89, JP/ Neil Pryde) vs Diony Guadagnino (V-69, Neil Pryde) and Alex Mussolini (E-30, JP/ Neil Pryde) vs Kevin Pritchard (US-3, Starboard/ MauiSails). After that it’s the final heat of the third round, before moving into the quarter finals; Levi Siver (USA-0, Starboard) against Matt Pritchard (US-10, Tabou/ Gaastra) and Josh Angulo (US-11) vs Scott McKercher (KA-181, Starboard/ Severne).
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Autor: pwa/ Pix: Carter | |
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