Event Summary: An event to remember with some of the best conditions ever seen
With epic conditions being witnessed at last year’s Aloha Classic it was always going to be difficult to surpass the conditions which we were lucky enough to see in 2015. However, this year will live long in the memory as Ho’okipa managed to outdo itself with even more world class conditions — from frightening solid double mast high waves to some of the best conditions ever witnessed this year’s NoveNove Maui Aloha Classic was certainly one to remember.
Men’s
Title Decider
Victor Fernandez’s (Fanatic / NorthSails / MFC / Shamal Sunglasses) agonising wait for a second world title finally came to an end on Day 6 of the Aloha Classic as his sole remaining challenger — Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD Sails) was eliminated from the double elimination — meaning it was mathematically impossible for the Spaniard to be caught. Fernandez was in a league of his own in the opening two events of the year, which set him on course for a second world crown and the 32-year-old deservedly ends the season as world champion.
Meanwhile, Mussolini walks away from the 2016 season as the PWA vice-world champion and he’ll no doubt be back in 2017 with another title challenge.
Back to the battle for the prestigious Aloha Classic and Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / Ezzy / MFC) showed he’s a formidable force in any conditions at Ho’okipa as he won the single elimination in XXL Ho’okipa — where he continually nailed massive aerials off the biggest sections to win the 4-man final — before successfully defending his single elimination crown defeating Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC) in a super final as the 40-year-old showed he can still throw down the latest tricks with air takas and tweaked aerials of his own to earn a monumental victory.
Browne looked extremely impressive himself in all conditions, but his performance on the final day really stood out as he landed a seemingly effortless and never ending combination of air takas, goiters and double forwards to secure second place at the Aloha Classic. Crucially, the Brazilian couldn’t quite land a massive backloop in the super final and with the margins so fine at the top of the game — this proved to be the difference between victory. Brawzinho entered Maui in fifth place, but his performance here sees him leapfrog Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails) and Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses) to claim the final place on the prestigious overall podium.
Levi Siver (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing / MFC) won the Aloha Classic in 2013 and he delivered another trademark display consisting of gouging powerful turns and radical frontside air 360s to complete the podium this time around.
Waterman, Kai Lenny (Naish / Naish Sails / MFC) was narrowly defeated in the semifinals of the single eliminations, but he produced a searing comeback in the double to move up to fourth place. Lenny used his expert local knowledge to earn perfect 10s from the judges on more than once occasion.
Teammate, Bernd Roediger (Naish / Naish Sails / MFC) combined critical late hits with new school tricks to claim fifth place at this year’s event with Lenny bringing his hopes to an end in Heat 46.
Camille Juban (Quatro / Simmer / MFC) was one of the standout sailors on Day 4 and he produced a near perfect heat in Heat 11 as the man the Guadeloupe continually attacked the lip with critically late turns and massive aerials. With only the top sailor progressing from Heat 44 in the double elimination, Juban just missed out on a place in the next round and walks away with sixth place.
Two-time Aloha Classic Champion — Morgan Noireaux (JP / Hot Sails Maui) — entered the event looking to become the first man in history to complete a hat-trick of Aloha Classics, but unfortunately he couldn’t quite repeat the magic of the last two years and had to settle for seventh this time around.
Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / SWOX) earned a perfect 10 for a wave score for the first time in his career on Day 6, which saw some of the best competition conditions ever seen with Ho’okipa getting as good at it gets. To earn perfect 10s Swift opened with massive aerial, before unleashing a gouging turn straight into an explosive frontside 3 and then tagged the end section. The Brit finished 8th at the Aloha Classic and 6th overall for 2016.
The top 10 is completed by 99NoveNove’s very own Kauli Seadi (99NoveNove / Hot Sails Maui / MFC) and local boy Graham Ezzy (Tabou / Ezzy), who share ninth place.
The NoveNove Maui Aloha Classic brings the curtain down in style on the 2016 PWA World Tour and we’d like to thank everyone who made the event possible and we will now look forward to returning in 2017, which promises to see more amazing action on the water.
Result 2016 NoveNove Maui Aloha Classic — Men’s
1st Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / Ezzy / MFC)
2nd Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC)
3rd Levi Siver (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing / MFC)
4th Kai Lenny (Naish / Naish Sails / MFC)
5th Bernd Roediger (Naish / Naish Sails / MFC)
6th Camille Juban (Quatro / Simmer / MFC)
7th Morgan Noireaux (JP / Hot Sails Maui)
8th Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / SWOX)
9th Kauli Seadi (99NoveNove / Hot Sails Maui / MFC)
9th Graham Ezzy (Tabou / Ezzy)
Overall Ranking 2016 PWA Wave World Tour — Men’s
1st Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / NorthSails / MFC / Shamal Sunglasses)
2nd Alex Mussolini (RRD / RRD Sails)
3rd Marcilio Browne (Goya Windsurfing / MFC)
4th Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails)
5th Jaeger Stone (Starboard / Severne / SWOX / Shamal Sunglasses)
6th Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / SWOX)
7th Dany Bruch (Starboard / Flight Sails / AL360 / Shamal Sunglasses)
8th Camille Juban (Quatro / Simmer / MFC)
9th Antoine Martin (JP / NeilPryde / MFC)
10th Leon Jamaer (JP / NeilPryde)
