Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup
Day two of the 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup saw high winds - 30-35 knots - and small waves, but what the waves may have lacked In size, the world’s best wave sailors made up for with big action. After a long action packed day on the water, the women’s single elimination has been whittled down to just the top 8 sailors, while only the top 16 men remain standing at the close of play.
Wave
Women’s
Pauline Katz (Severne / Severne Sails) came into the event on the back of her best finish on the World Tour after finishing fourth in Chile, and the 34-year-old made a confident start here as she won her opening heat - Heat 3 - in convincing fashion. Meanwhile, Lisa Wermeister (Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins) just edged out Annagiulia Piccaglia (Goya Windsurfing) for that crucial second qualifying place. In the end, just 0.04 of a point separated the two teenagers.
In Heat 4, Alexia Kiefer Quintana (Duotone Windsurfing) set the second highest scoring heat of the day as she produced an accomplished display. The 19-year-old quickly built a strong foundation on which to build upon after a flying start to the heat, which saw her land both forwards and backloops, while she looked dynamic with her wave riding to post a heat total of 19.95 points. Meanwhile, Lina Erpenstein (Severne / Severne Sails) looked powerful in the air, but didn’t really connect with her waves, but still comfortably advanced into the next round in second place.
In the penultimate women’s heat of the day, Sol Degrieck (Severne / Severne Sails) finished the heat strongly to claim first place ahead of Julia Pasquale (Duotone Windsurfing). The young Belgian linked together her two best scoring waves - which both earned 5.12 points - in the latter stages to claim the win, while Pasquale managed to stay ahead of Justyna Sniady (North / Maui Ultra Fins), who admirably tried to sail through the pain barrier despite having a suspected broken foot, to also advance.
Heat 6 saw reigning world champion, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins), not only making her first appearance of the event, but also the season, and she hit the water running as she posted the highest scoring heat of the day - 21.01 points. For much of the heat it was close between herself and Maria Morales (Goya Windsurfing), but the Aruban asserted in the latter stages with a perfectly executed backloop and a big stalled forward inflicting much of the damage. Morales sailed well to also deservedly book her place in the top eight at the expense of both Oda Brødholt (Starboard / Severne Sails) and Marine Hunter (Quatro / KA Sail).
Men’s
Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) made a solid start to his campaign in Pozo as the 5-time world champion racked up the second highest scoring heat of the day. The 30-year-old landed a trademark double forward, while also landing a stylish backloop and planing tweaked pushloop. The German also looked dangerous on the wave landing takas and backside 360s, and unsurprisingly, he looks like he will be a major threat as he looks to earn an eighth event title here. Meanwhile, Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails / Black Project Fins) safely navigated his way into the top 16 at the expense of Gregory Stathopoulos (Goya Windsurfing) and Moritz Mauch, who in the opening round posted the only excellent wave score of the day - 8.25 points - after landing an incredible air taka.
In Heat 10, Ricardo Campello looked as though he’d never been away as he made his opening appearance of the year. Campello produced a powerful display in the air with double forwards and a stalled forward, while looking dangerous on the small waves on offer. Antony Ruenes (Tabou / GA Sails) secured the other qualifying position after managing to edge out Federico Morisio (Starboard / Severne Sails) and Dany Bruch (Bruch Boards).
Heat 11 featured Marino Gil (JP / NeilPryde), who finished second here last season, and the local boy looked incredibly dangerous in his opening heat as he posted the highest scoring heat of the day - 26.72 points. The 21-year-old boosted through the highest jumps of the day while rotating through a sick stalled double forward - which earned 9.38 points - and a big one-footed backloop, while he was also able to land a Klei in the waves to send a warning to his rivals. The battle for second place saw an incredibly close tussle between Antoine Albert (Goya Windsurfing), Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins) and Arthur Arutkin (Duotone Windsurfing / Black Project Fins), which ultimately Arutkin snatched with a late stalled forward to book his place in the top 16.
Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) came out on top in Heat 12 as the U21 world champion combined double forwards and a backloop to progress along with 18-year-old Italian Samuele Ferraro (Patrik / Patrik Sails).
This may not historically be Thomas Traversa’s (Tabou / GA Sails) strongest event, but the Frenchman kicked off his campaign with a solid win in Heat 13 as he produced his usual free flowing wave riding to earn 23.57 points. Victor Fernandez (Duotone Windsurfing) also made a decent start to send local Josep Pons (Point-7) packing.
Meanwhile, Antoine Martin (Starboard / North) and Leon Jamaer (Flikka / GUNSAILS) eventually eased their way through Heat 14 as they dispatched of Antoine Richter (JP / NeilPryde) and Mike Friedl (Goya Windsurfing).
In the penultimate heat of the day, Dieter Van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails) would finish the day with two heat victories to guarantee himself a spot in the round of 16. The Belgian made a strong start to Heat 15 as he rotated through a big backloop, while he quickly laid down two solid wave scores to deservedly secure the top spot ahead of Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde). Both Takara Ishii (RRD / RRD Sails) and Adam Warchol (Goya Windsurfing) out jumped Swift, but crucially, neither of them could link together the wave scores they needed to impose themselves in the contest.
The last men’s heat of the day, proved to be the battle of the day as reigning event and world champion - Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing) lined up against Alessio Stillrich (Simmer / Simmer Sails), Miguel Chapuis (Starboard / North) and Julian Salmonn (Bruch Boards / GUNSAILS). Things started perfectly for Browne as he quickly stomped a double forward and it looked like he may then just go and run away with it as he also added a 4.75 point wave to mount a solid start. However, as the heat progressed things became increasingly tense with a potential upset on the cards as his rivals all sailed brilliantly to firmly bring the challenge to the Brazilian. Stillrich would go on to win the heat after landing a double forward and a trademark tweaked pushloop, together with a couple of solid wave scores, but there was a real dog fight for that all important second place. At one point or another, Browne, Chapuis and Salmonn had all occupied second place in the latter stages of the heat, but crucially it was Salmonn who snatched the last place into the next round after flying through a one-hand, one-foot backloop to cause a major upset as the reigning world champion was dumped out in his opening heat. Ultimately, Chapuis was left to rue counting a 1.62 point wave as he missed out on the next round by just 0.36 of a point.
The strong winds look as though they will continue into Monday with the forecast currently predicting winds of 23-30knots accompanied by waves of up to 1.4 metres, so there’s a decent chance we could see the conclusion of the waves tomorrow. Skippers’ meeting times below:
- Wave Skippers’ Meeting - 9:30am - first possible start 10am (GMT+1).
- Slalom Skippers’ Meeting - 9:45am - first possible start 11:30am.
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