The wind and waves continued for the third day in a row to allow the Men’s and Women’s Double Eliminations to be completed. Although the conditions weren’t as good as yesterday with lighter winds and smaller waves there was still some amazing action being thrown down in a variety of conditions as Tenerife maintains its 100% record since the event began in 2011.
Women’s
Double Elimination
Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) was extremely upset and angry at being knocked out in the semifinals yesterday and she used those raw emotions today to stage a thundering comeback. The reigning world champion first brought Justyna Sniady’s (Simmer / Simmer Sails / Mystic) fine fight back to an end, before receiving a bye into the final against Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) – with her sister – Daida Moreno (Starboard / Severe / Maui Ultra Fins) forced to withdraw from the competition through injury.
With the wind diminishing the decision was made to extend the final to 16 minutes from 14 minutes, which proved absolutely crucial with Iballa turning the final on its head in the dying minutes by linking together her best two waves on her last two efforts – with her last wave coming in the last minute such were the fine margins between victory and defeat. Offringa will no doubt be slightly frustrated knowing how close she was to victory as this opportunity slips through her hands.
In the Super Final both women continued to trade blows, but by this point, it was Iballa who had really found her rhythm. The reigning world champion quickly landed a stylish table top forward, which then gave her the remainder of the heat to find two wave scores. Iballa’s riding is the strongest part of her game and by the end of the Super Final, she reinforced this by earning two waves in the excellent range with a variety of roundhouses, tails slides and foam climbs to complete a stunning comeback. Offringa kept herself busy throughout, but couldn’t quite find the scores she required to stop Iballa this time around
Justyna Sniady won a further 3 heats today as she maintained her high level of performance to dispatch of Greta Benvenuti (Patrik / Point-7 / AL360) and Nicole Bandini (Fanatic / NorthSails) before gaining revenge against Lina Erpenstein (Patrik / Severne) for her defeat in Pozo in what proved to be an incredibly close heat, which saw the lead change hands on several occasions. Sniady actually trailed heading into he final couple of minutes after Erpenstein landed a 7 point pushloop, but the Pole rallied by pulling off perfect backloop in the last minute, which sees her break into the top 4.
Men’s
Double Elimination
Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) was truly in a league of his own during the final as he stormed to an emphatic victory to secure back-to-back event victories to take a stranglehold over the race for the world title. Despite being one of the heaviest sailors the 22-year-old was able to generate more speed and power on the wave than anyone else throughout the day and he earned almost perfect scores after producing an absolute masterclass of a heat against Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / NorthSails / Shamal Sunglasses) as he tore what waves there were on offer to pieces with turns oozing power, frontside 360s and goiters. In this kind of form, you have to feel he is virtually unstoppable and you just have to sit back, relax and enjoy watching a genius at work.
Fernandez may have been powerless to stop Köster in the final, but the Spaniard still enjoyed a fine day as he stopped Marcilio Browne (Goya WIndsurfing) in his tracks to defend his 3rd place, before going one better as he won an incredibly close heat between himself and Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD Sails) – with just quarter of a point between them by the end with Fernandez’s brilliant double, despite the light winds, making all the difference.
Browne’s comeback may have been ended by Fernandez, but the Brazilian still enjoyed a fine day as he fought his way back into 4th place with victories over Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails), Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / NorthSails) and lastly Adam Lewis (Fanatic / NorthSails / SWOX), who earned the highest wave score of the day 8.88 points, but couldn’t find a solid second wave score after spending the opening half of the heat landing a double forward. The Brit still walks away with his best result ever though – 5th place – and must be delighted with his week’s work.
Lewis’s teammate, Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / NorthSails), also earns his best ever result on the world tour – 6th – after winning an extremely close heat against Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses) in the opening battle of the day. Indeed it was so close that Stillrich needed a last minute double forward to pip Stone to a place in the top 6 – while also landing a trademark super tweaked pushloop.
Youth’s – Sponsored by Godzilla Surf Shop
After the finale of the Men’s and Women’s Double Eliminations the Youth’s took centre stage.
Girl’s
15-18 Year Olds
Nicole Bandini (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins) proved too much for Alexa Escherich (JP / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) in the girl’s 15-18 year olds final as the Italian landed a stylish forward and attempted a frontside air to come out on top.
U14’s
Meanwhile, Julia Pasquale (Fanatic / NorthSails) sailed well to win the U14s division, but 11-year-old Mari Morales (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing) also put on a fine display to take second place.
Boy’s
16-18 Year Olds
Noah Vocker (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins) had to come through the repechage heat to book his place in the final, but once there he made no mistake in the final to claim a decisive victory with the 18-year-old landing a massive one-handed backloop to see off competition from Miguel Chapuis (JP / NeilPryde) and Valentino Pasquale (Fanatic / NorthSails), who finish 2nd and 3rd respectively.
14-16 Year Olds
Marino Gil (Goya Windsurfing), who won a couple heats in the main event lived up to his top seed reputation to deservedly take the win ahead of Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails) and Mike Friedl (Goya Windsurfing), who complete the podium.
After three scintillating days of competition tomorrow will see a lay day here in el Médano with the contest now complete – in the evening the closing ceremony will be held at 8:30pm (GMT+1) in the town square.
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Result 2017 Tenerife PWA World Cup – Women’s Wave
1st Iballa Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Daida Moreno (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Justyna Sniady (Simmer / Simmer Sails / Mystic)
5th Lina Erpenstein (Patrik / Severne)
Result 2017 Tenerife PWA World Cup – Men’s Wave
1st Philip Köster (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Victor Fernández Official Fansite (Fanatic / NorthSails / Shamal Sunglasses)
3rd Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD Sails)
4th Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing)
5th Adam Lewis (Fanatic / NorthSails / SWOX)
6th Alessio Stillrich (Fanatic / NorthSails)
7th Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses)
7th Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails)
9th Marc Paré (Simmer / Simmer Sails)
9th Ricardo Campello (Point-7)
9th Camille Juban (Quatro / Simmer Sails)
9th Dany Bruch (Starboard / Flight Sails / AL360 / Shamal Sunglasses)
Result 15-18 Year Old Girl’s
1st Nicole Bandini (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Alexa Escherich (JP / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
Result U14’s Girl’s
1st Julia Pasquale (Fanatic / NorthSails)
2nd Maria Morales (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing)
Result 16-18 Year Old Girl’s
1st Noah Vocker (Fanatic / NorthSails / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Miguel Chapuis (JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Valentino Pasquale (Fanatic / NorthSails)
Result 14-15 Year Old Boy’s
1st Marino Gil (Goya Windsurfing)
2nd Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails)
3rd Mike Friedl (Goya Windsurfing)
I’d like to see that clip again in normal speed and also in slow mo and see which is better. The part slow mo, part normal was hard to watch. I did like the table top forward in slow mo though. Nice.