PWA POZO WORLD CUP DAY 5 : KOSTER REMAINS KIND and IBALLA STEALS THE CROWN
Day five of the PWA Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival delivered more absolutely epic conditions. As the wind rose above fifty knots for the second day in a row and the waves continued to pummel into the bay of Pozo. Iballa Ruano Moreno (Starboard / Severne) created a piece of windsurfing history today, as she became the first person to defeat her sister, Daida Ruano Moreno (Starboard / Severne), in Pozo since 1999. The prize giving ceremony that followed was a hugely emotional affair as the twins celebrated the success of the event as well. Meanwhile, Philip Köster (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins), successfully defended his Pozo title by defeating Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / North) in the men’s winners’ final to complete an enthralling day.
Men’s Double Elimination
Men’s Winners’ Final
The double elimination winners’ final once again saw Philip Köster taking on Victor Fernandez. The final, fittingly, proved to be one of the heats of the contest as both men saved their best until last. Köster came out with all guns blazing right from the word go as he launched into a massive double forward directly in front of the judges. Fernandez didn’t have the ideal start as he fell on a stalled forward, however after a quick equipment change he was soon back out and absolutely ripping. Despite landing an absolutely colossal one-handed one footed backloop, several perfect goiters and a double forward of his own, there was nothing the Spaniard could do to stop the eighteen year old from marching to victory for the second successive year. Köster showed the sort of form we know he is capable of and he delivered a truly breathtaking display to clinch the title. Clearly not content with his earlier perfect double forward loop Köster wasted little time in setting the record straight as he launched into a spectacular planing double forward. From this point on the wonder kid was unstoppable. By the end of the heat Köster had landed monstrous backloops, amazing, almost air-wave 360s and an incredible reverse. As if this wasn’t enough, Köster then landed the first ever double backside 360 in a heat to leave the crowds and judges mesmerized. His awe-inspiring display was soon rewarded with the news that he had defeated Fernandez.
Philip Koster speaking after defending his Pozo title:
“I’m super stoked to win in Pozo for the third time of my life. Luckily for me I sailed my best heat of the competition in the final against Victor. He was pulling off great moves and trying some crazy stuff like goiter-takas. I’m also really grateful to Iballa and Daida Moreno for making the event happen because without them we wouldn’t be here today.”
Before the winners’ final Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins) was a man on a mission, as he fought his was back through the double elimination to finish in fourth place overall. The Brit won five successive heats as he continued his outstanding form from yesterday. Firstly Swift defeated Klaas Voget (Fanatic / Simmer / MFC), as he landed no fewer than three double forwards to secure the opportunity to take on Marcilio Browne (Goya / MFC), after the Brazilian managed to defeat the form man from yesterday Alex Mussolini (Tabou / Gaastra), by unleashing perfect double forwards, big backside 360s and fully planing forwards off the lip. Swift and Browne had spent the last month in Pozo training with each other, so this heat was always going to be an intense affair as the training partners went head-to-head. Browne didn’t sail quite as well as in his previous heat but you can take nothing away from Swift, who landed yet more amazing double forwards and some outstanding wave 360s to exact revenge on Browne, after the Brazilian had knocked him out in the single elimination. Swift delivered one of the performances of the contest in his next heat against Dany Bruch (Starboard / Severne / AL360). The Brit had been sailing out of his skin beforehand but he continued to raise the level of his sailing. Swift and Bruch both opened the heat with quite brilliant double forwards but the Brit soon stole the show as he landed the most audacious pushloop-forward to rightfully receive the highest jumping score of the competition with a massive twelve points. This left Bruch needing a minor miracle to defend his fourth place but unfortunately for him it wasn’t to be. Up next for Swift was the local boy Dario Ojeda (Tabou / Gaastra / MFC), however on this occasion this proved to be a step too far for Swift, as the Canarian showed his determination to secure his place on the podium for the second year in a row. The highlight of the heat belonged to Ojeda, who landed a massive double forward to take control of the tie and in doing so Ojeda guaranteed himself third place. Victor Fernandez was able to hold off the Canarians challenge in the very next round, as the top three remained unchanged from the single elimination and last year.
Women’s Double Elimination
Winners’ Final
Daida Ruano Moreno successfully defeated Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne) to set up another all Moreno final against her sister Iballa. Both women crashed their opening backloops as they battled to hold on to their three-meter sails. Daida soon settled into her rhythm though as she landed a brilliant stalled forward and a super tweaked pushloop to put the pressure on her sister. Iballa responded with an awesome table top forward but she couldn’t quite link together her waves as she tried to land goiters and wave 360s. It was quickly revealed that the Moreno twins would have to sail again to settle the title once and for all.
Super Final
As we headed into the super final you could feel the tension building both on the beach and on the water. Credit must go to twins as they managed to keep their composure under the most intense pressure imaginable. The action that followed was more than worthy of the occasion. Iballa settled her nerves straight away with a perfectly executed pushloop, whilst Daida hit back like the true champion she is by delivering a text-book backloop and a super brave stalled forward in the nuclear winds. Iballa though was concentrating solely on her own heat and she soon launched into an amazing frontside aerial, which was the best turn of the day, bar none, to edge ahead in an otherwise inseparable encounter. Daida responded with her own trademark backside aerials and super tweaked pushloop, but it wasn’t enough to stop Iballa from reigning supreme as she landed an astronomical backloop to become the first person in thirteen years to steal the Pozo crown from Daida‘s claws, and in doing so, Iballa, created her own piece of windsurfing history.
Iballa Ruano Moreno speaking after her monumental victory:
“I’m really, really happy. I feel like I sailed a really good heat, I was maybe a little lucky and Daida was sailing amazing as always, but when I’m on the water I don’t compete against her, I compete against myself. I think it was incredibly close and maybe things would’ve been different if Daida had landed the pushloop tabletop.”
Earlier in the double elimination Steffi Wahl (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg) fought her way into fourth place after demonstrating her outstanding wave riding skills and trying wave 360s and goiters, as she pushed herself to the limit. Wahl was able to defeat Carmen Afonso Martin, Astrid Muldoon (Fanatic / North) and Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North) before Karin Jaggi halted the German’s progress. The form she showed here in Pozo makes her a major threat in Tenerife and she’s certainly one to watch.
Tomorrow’s forecast has less wind predicted than the last couple of days, which may be no bad thing, so the registration for a possible super session will take place between 12pm and 12:30. With the action commencing from 1pm. Be sure to tune into www.pwaworldtour.com to see the most radical sailors in the world going as big and as extreme as they possibly can.
Results After Double Elimination – Men’s Wave
1st Philip Köster (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Victor Fernandez Lopez (Fanatic / North)
3rd Dario Ojeda (Tabou / Gaastra / MFC)
4th Robby Swift (JP / NeilPryde / Mystic / Maui Ultra Fins)
5th Dany Bruch (Starboard / Severne / AL360)
Results After Double Elimination – Women’s Wave
1st Iballa Ruano Moreno (Starboard / Severne)
2nd Daida Ruano Moreno (Starboard / Severne)
3rd Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne)
4th Steffi Wahl (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg)
5th Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North)
Article by Chris Yates on pwaworldtour.com