Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup

July 9, 2024 Created by Chris Yates

Event Summary: Event champions crowned as Pozo Izquierdo boasts a 100% wind record to provide 9 days of world class wave sailing and racing

The 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup saw 9 action packed days of competition - ranging from world class wave sailing to some of the gnarliest racing conditions seen in recent years as Slalom X made its debut on the World Tour and provided one of the sternest tests possible both mentally and physically.

Slalom X

Women’s

Having already won the waves earlier in the week, Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) produced a super performance in the first ever Slalom X on the World Tour to complete a famous double event victory. Offringa won all four races on the opening day of racing to put herself fully in control of the event and from there she never looked like relinquishing it. In the end Offringa would go on to win 7 out of the 11 races completed, while she finished outside the top two only once to claim a resounding victory by 16.2 points.

Jenna Gibson (Duotone Windsurfing) had been hitting the crossbar on multiple occasions during the racing with a string of second places, while she was leading numerous races throughout. The Briton managed to get that monkey off her back in Elimination 8 with a brilliant bullet, which kept her firmly in contention for a maiden podium heading into the final day. Gibson didn’t leave anything to chance as she claimed second place in the last race of the event to deservedly claim her first podium on the World Tour and was understandably delighted at doing so.

It may not have been quite the result that former world champion, Marion Mortefon (Patrik / Patrik Sails) was aiming for at the start of the event, but third place still represents a solid start to the season and keeps her in contention for the Slalom X world title heading into Fuerteventura. Mortefon sailed consistently throughout - only finishing outside the top four on two occasions.

Meanwhile, Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui), just misses out on a place on the podium by 3.4 points. The current Slalom vice-world champion claimed a couple of bullets, but made one mistake too many, which cost her chance at the top three time this time around.

Femke van der Veen (Starboard / Severne Sails) completes the top five and this event will live long in her memory after claiming her maiden bullet on the World Tour in Elimination 5.

Men’s

Pierre Mortefon (FMX Racing / Phantom Sails) delivered a total racing masterclass over the last 9 days to claim an emphatic victory in the inaugural Slalom X event. Not only did Mortefon qualify for every winners’ final, which is something no other sailor in the fleet managed to do, but he never even finished outside the top three in the ten eliminations completed, which when you consider just how hardcore the conditions were is quite remarkable. Along the way Mortefon also rattled off four bullets and ultimately claims a clear cut victory by 18.9 points, such was his difference in class at this event.

Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails) suffered some timing troubles with his racing watch, which may have led to the Italian being disqualified on three occasions for premature starts and that ultimately ended his hopes of challenging for the event title with there only being two discards available. However, the reigning Slalom world champion still managed to finish in second place after leapfrogging Maciek Rutkowski (NeilPryde) in the final race of the event.

Rutkowski may be slightly aggrieved to have dropped one place on the final day, but still completes the podium. When leading Elimination 6, the Pole temporarily held the event lead, but faltered at the last gybe to finish second. At that stage Rutkowski trailed Mortefon by just one point, but a ninth place in the next race all but ended his challenge for the event title.

Jordy Vonk (Duotone Windsurfing) finished the event on a high as he won two out of the last four eliminations to recover into fourth place for the event. Vonk was plagued by flu at the start of the event and you could clearly see that majorly affecting his physical capacity. The flying Dutchman will have no doubt be extremely disappointed to have been struck down with flu at such an un-opportune time, but at least signed off on a high to confirm he remains one of the best racers in the world on the fin.

22-year-old Benoit Merceur (Starboard / Severne Sails) produced a outstanding set of results to claim his best result to date - fifth -after the young Frenchman qualified for 9 out of 10 winners’ finals. Meanwhile, Ingmar Daldorf (Tabou / GA Sails) may have seen his podium challenge fade, but he still walks away from Pozo with an excellent sixth place.

Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde) gained three spots on the final day after finishing second in Elimination 10 to climb from 10th to 7th. The German finished tied on 63 points with Taty Frans (Future Fly / Point-7) - 8th - and Malte Reuscher (Tabou / GA Sails) -9th -, but finishes ahead of them on countback. The top 10 is completed by Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), who was struck down with fly at the same time as Vonk.

Wave

Women’s

Sarah-Quita Offringa has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in windsurfing, but until now one trophy had eluded her. However, that all changed over the last nine days with the 22-time world champion winning in Gran Canaria for the first time and she was rightly absolutely delighted about it. This was Offringa’s first event of the season, so things couldn’t have gone any better and while she is only ranked eighth for the time being she looks set for another wave world title charge.

Having won the previous event in Chile, Lina Erpenstein produced another terrific showing to claim second place in Pozo, which is her best result to date here. That result sees Erpenstein move into a narrow lead for the world title with just 244 points separating herself and Maria Morales (Goya Windsurfing), who finished fourth here this week - however, the 18-year-old has attended one more event than Erpenstein.

Maria Morales wasn’t the only one of the next generation starting to make their mark on the full tour as 19-year-old Alexia Kiefer Quintana (Duotone Windsurfing) and 14-year-old Sol Degrieck (Severne / Severne Sails) finished third and fifth respectively. Third place here means Kiefer Quintana has now recorded back-to-back podiums having finished second in Chile earlier this season. Meanwhile, Pauline Katz (Severne / Severne Sails) shares fifth place with Degrieck.

Men’s  
Having come so close to winning the event last year, Marino Gil (JP / NeilPryde) managed to go one place better this time around as the 21-year-old deservedly earned himself a maiden event victory on the World Tour. The popular local boy continually impressed with his no fear approach to jumping as he boosted into some of the highest jumps of the contest, while rotating through stalled double forwards and pushloop forwards to claim the top spot on the podium. Victory for Gil also puts him In some welcomes uncharted territory as he assumes the No.1 spot in the overall world rankings for the first time in his career.

Julian Salmonn (Bruch Boards / GUNSAILS) produced a tactically astute display of sailing to earn his best result on the World Tour to date - second in Gran Canaria. While most sailors in Pozo generally start their heats focusing on jumps, Salmonn took as totally different approach as he continually started heats by looking to drop a couple of solid wave scores, which worked out brilliantly as he defied the odds of needing to double forward and pushloop forward to make the final in Pozo.

Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) may have posted the highest scoring heat of the contest - 30.34 points - which included the only perfect 10 of the competition for a huge stalled double, but there was no place in the final for the former 7-time event champion here, which left Köster feeling aggrieved, so much so that he then produced one of the stand out moments of the event as he pulled the trigger on a triple forward loop in the b-final. Köster may not be happy with his result in Gran Canaria this year, but he still walks away with another podium finish - 3rd - which sees him ranked fourth in the overall world rankings.

Meanwhile, Dieter van der Eyken (Severne / Severne Sails) claimed his best result to date on the World Tour with the Belgian maestro earning fourth place here. Like Salmonn, van der Eyken inflicted a lot of his damage due to his aggressive approach to wave riding. Unfortunately while freesailing, the 2015 Freestyle world champion injured his foot and now faces a race against time to be fit for the next event in Tenerife.

Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins) is another sailor to earn his best result to date after claiming joint fifth place alongside Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde), who claims his best result in Pozo since 2016 when he also finished in joint fifth.

Elsewhere, in his first appearance of the season Ricardo Campello walks away in 7th place just ahead of Alessio Stillrich (Simmer / Simmer Sails), who unfortunately had his hopes ended due to injury in Heat 22. Stillrich was in the qualifying positions, but sadly suffered an injury after getting his foot stuck in the footstraps. Everyone wishes Stillrich and van der Eyken quick and successful recoveries.

Having suffered a shock second round exit, reigning world champion - Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing) - fought back as far as he could with the new format to claim 9th place, which could still prove crucial in deciding the world title race later in the season. Ninth here sees Browne ranked third in the overalls, just behind Victor Fernandez (Duotone Windsurfing) who completes the top 10. Moritz Mauch just misses on on a place in the top 10 - 11th - with his radical onshore wave riding consistently scoring extremely well with the judges.

Youth’s

U21 Girl’s

With Alexia Kiefer Quintana and Maria Morales being tied on one victory a piece, the last heat of the entire event featured a sail off for the U21 Girl’s event title. On this occasion Kiefer Quintana, who claimed third place in the main event, dominated the decider, winning both in the air and on the waves.

U18 Girl’s

Sol Degrieck produced a slick performance to claim victory in the U18 Girl’s fleet as she saw off competition from Annagiulia Piccaglia (Goya Windsurfing), Trine Gobisch (Duotone Windsurfing) and Lizzlotte Schilling Andrew (Goya Windsurfing / Severne Sails).

Boy’s

In the Boy’s Youth contests there were victories for Liam Dunkerbeck in the U21s after the young local saw off a stern challenge by Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins), while Carlos Kiefer Quintana (Duotone Windsurfing), who finished 15th in the main event, had far too much fire power in the U18s. Meanwhile, Ryoma Sugi (Tabou / North Sails) and Elías Antolín (Duotone Windsurfing / Goya Windsurfing) claimed the top prize in the U15s and U13s, respectively.

Master’s

Ben Proffitt (Simmer / Simmer Sails) managed to make it out of his commentary box to show everyone he’s still rather useful on the water as he claimed a deserved victory in the Master’s division ahead of Mike Friedl (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing), Valter Scott (Severne) and Sandro Dálessio.

That concludes what has been another absolutely fantastic edition of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup, which has seen a plethora of action every day with Pozo Izquierdo once again reaffirming itself as one of the windiest places in Europe during summer time. A huge congratulations to all the winners and a huge thanks for Björn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails) and his team for putting on the event. We’ll look forward to returning next year already.

Where’s Next on the PWA World Tour?

In just over a couple of weeks time the Slalom X fleets together with the contortionists of the windsurfing world will return to action in this Canaries between the 25th July and 4th August for the 2024 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam.

You can stay review all developments from Gran Canaria— including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply by clicking HERE and scrolling to the bottom of the page.

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Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Slalom X

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Jenna Gibson (GBR | Duotone Windsurfing)
3rd Marion Mortefon (FRA | Patrik / Patrik Sails)
4th Justine Lemeteyer (FRA | FMX Racing / S2Maui)
5th Femke van der Veen (NED | Starboard / Severne Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Men’s Slalom X

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Women’s Wave  

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Lina Erpenstein (GER | Severne / Severne Sails)
3rd Alexia Kiefer Quintana (GER | Duotone Windsurfing)
4th Maria Morales (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
5th Sol Degrieck (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
5th Pauline Katz (SUI | Severne / Severne Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Men’s Wave

1st Marino Gil (ESP | JP / NeilPryde)
2nd Julian Salmonn (GER | Bruch Boards / GUNSAILS)
3rd Philip Köster (GER | Severne / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins)
4th Dieter Van der Eyken (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
5th Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP | Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins)
5th Robby Swift (UK | JP / NeilPryde)
7th Ricardo Campello (BRA/VEN)
8th Alessio Stillrich (ESP | Simmer / Simmer Sails)
9th Marcilio Browne (BRA | Goya Windsurfing)
10th Victor Fernandez (ESP | Duotone Windsurfing)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Girls’s U21 Wave

1st Alexia Kiefer Quintana (ESP | Duotone Windsurfing)
2nd Maria Morales (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Lisa Wermeister (GER | Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Boy’s U21 Wave

1st Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP | Starboard / Severne Sails / Black Project Fins)
2nd Lennart Neubauer (GRE | Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Gregory Stathopoulos (GRE | Goya Windsurfing)
4th Samuele Ferraro (ITA | Patrik / Patrik Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Girls’s U18 Wave

1st Sol Degrieck (BEL | Severne / Severne Sails)
2nd Annagiulia Piccaglia (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Trine Gobisch (GER | Duotone Windsurfing)
4th Lizzlotte Schilling Andrew (ESP | Goya Windsurfing / Severne Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Boy’s U18 Wave

1st Carlos Kiefer Quintana (ESP | Duotone Windsurfing)
2nd Leon Maethner (GER | Duotone Windsurfing)
3rd Ryu Noguchi (JPN | Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Arthur Van den Brande (BEL | RRD / RRD Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Boy’s U15 Wave

1st Ryoma Sugi (JPN | Tabou / North Sails)
2nd Bjørn Olesen (Severne / Severne Sails)
3rd Yannik Gonzalez (F2 / Simmer Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Boy’s U13 Wave

1st Elías Antolín (ESP | Duotone Windsurfing / Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Anton Gobisch (GER | Duotone Windsurfing)
3rd Raphaël Dumesnil (FRA | Starboard / Hot Sails Maui)
4th Dennis Gonzalez (ESP | Goya Windsurfing / Simmer Sails)
5th Eric Gonzalez (ESP | F2 / Simmer Sails)

Result 2024 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup - Master's Wave

1st Ben Proffitt (UK | Simmer / Simmer Sails)
2nd Mike Friedl (ESP | Quatro / Goya Windsurfing)
3rd Valtor Scotto (TF | Severne)
4th Sandro Dálessio (TF)

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