Gollito Estredo wins – PWA Freestyle World Cup Austria 2016

Shaka by Gollito Estredo – Pic: Continentseven/Kerstin Reiger

SUPER FINAL

A super final got started and again it was a tight battle, but Gollito, who definitely is on a mission to get the freestyle title back in 2016, won, although the victory was narrow. This super final was the 10th heat for Amado in the Double Elimination and just imagine, he had a total competition time of 120 minutes and went for almost 150 moves, what’s physically at the limit. After the super final, Amado was just lying on the grass in the riders area not able to move anymore.

The PWA race crew started another single elimination and 10 heats got completed. Heat 11 was started several times, before the race crew decided to call it a day. The riders got released at 4.00 pm after 10 hours on the beach and on the water.

One thing is for sure: These two days in Podersdorf were the best conditions during a Freestyle World Cup at Lake Neusiedl.

The event is not finished yet. A tow-in competition is schedulded for the rest of the event days.

Gollito Estredo wins – Pic: Continentseven/Kerstin Reiger

Result – Freestyle World Cup Austria 2016

1. Gollito Estredo
2. Amado Vrieswijk
3. Adrien Bosson
4. Elton Taty Frans
5. Antony Ruenes
6. Yentel Caers
7. Kiri Thode, Balz Müller
9. Dieter van der Eyken, Phil Soltysiak, Steven van Broeckhoven, Youp Schmit

Day 1 – PWA Freestyle Podersdorf 2016

Gollito Estredo wins the Single Elimination of the first PWA Freestyle tour stop in Austria at Lake Neusiedl in front of Adrien Bosson, Taty Frans and Antony Ruenes. For the first time we saw moves we normally see at the sea. The extreme wind with gusts up to 40 knots produced steep ramps for a perfect freestyle show. It definitely was the most radical freestyle show we have ever witnessed at Lake Neusiedl.

Gollito Estredo wins in front of Bosson, Frans, Ruenes

We spoke with Gollito right after his victory. Gollito Estredo: “I feel really good. Today was a special day. I won the first single elimination against my team mate Adrien Bosson. I was sailing really good. I was consistent in my moves and I made all my moves at both tacks, so I made a really good heat.
I did not expect so strong wind, but I was training a lot at home in waves and strong wind. I prefer strong wind as I am able to control my board and sail really well. In the beginning I tried my 4,8m and 94liter board, but I was too overpowered, so I had to change to 4,0m. I needed a bit to get used to this size as I did not use it in the last 2-3 years but in the end I felt comfortable.”

Day one at the 2016 PWA freestyle World Cup in Podersdorf saw a full single elimination with 25 heats. Right after the single elimination, the double elimination got started and the PWA race director Duncan Coombs pushed the riders through the double elimination until 20:20. The wind forecast for tomorrow, the second day, predicts wind until midday and then it will drop and stay windless until the end of the event. So, the first 12 heats of the double elimination are already completed.

Video Day 1

We, the riders and a few (it felt really private actually) spectators saw finest freestyle action in high wind conditions (quite similar to Pozo) for more than 8 hours. That’s probably a new record! 14 or 15 heats need to be sailed to complete the double elimination. The skippers meeting is scheduled for 6.00 am with a first possible start at 6.30 am. If the wind will be ok during the morning hours the event winner will be announced around 10.00 am. Let’s keep the fingers crossed!

Result Single elimination Podersdorf 2016

1. Gollito Estredo
2. Adrien Bosson
3. Elton Taty Frans
4. Antony Ruenes
5. Balz Müller, Kiri Thode, Phil Soltysiak, Yentel Caers
9. Amado Vrieswijk, Davy Scheffers, Dieter van der Eyken, Everon Tonky Frans, Hugo de Sousa, Sam Esteve, Steven van Broeckhoven, Youp Schmit