On the third day of the PWA Slalom in Korea the wind did not materialize and after a long day on hold the sailors got released. The result stays the same. After one finished elimination Alberto Menegatti and Karin Jaggi are leading the event in Korea.
DAY 2 | 5.5.2013
THE MEN
Italian Alberto Menegatti stole the show today as he led the first winners’ final of the year from start to finish with a truly accomplished display. Over the course of the day the Italian looked a cut above the rest and he continued his form into the final as he demonstrated his phenomenal straight line speed and perfect gybes. His fellow countryman, Matteo Iachino (F2 / Challenger Sails / AL360) also made a great start and he pursued Menegatti into the first gybe ahead of Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North) and Antoine Questel (Starboard / Loft Sails). Meanwhile, Steve Allen (Starboard / Severne) and Sylvain Moussilmani (Tabou / Simmer) collided at the first mark, somehow Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic / Different) brilliantly avoided the chaos. With Menegatti cruising to victory the real battle was between Iachino and Questel and it was the Frenchman who put the pedal to the metal to maneuver himself into second place. Despite Iachino battling all the way to the finish line, Questel managed to hold off the twenty-three year olds challenge to claim second place, with Iachino having to settle for third. The top four was eventually completed by another Frenchman in the shape of Pierre Mortefon, leaving the flying Dutchman, Van Der Steen in fifth.
Several big names failed to qualify for the winners’ final, namely the reigning world champion Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde) and his arch nemesis Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Dunkerbeck Eyewear / Chris Benz). The big Frenchman had been looking in terrific form prior to heat fourteen and he even made the best start of the pack in the semifinal, but disaster soon struck as Albeau suffered a broken fin moments after crossing the start line, rendering his chances over, for the time being at least. Similarly Dunkerbeck suffered an equipment malfunction in the shape of a torn sail. Uncharacteristically the terminator dropped his opening gybe in the heat ten and with no room to maneuver Peter Volwater (Fanatic / Avanti) had no choice but to sail straight over the top of Dunkerbeck’s equipment, which ended both of their races.
Jinha Beach
THE WOMEN
Japan’s Ayako Suzuki (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic) made a flying start in heat sixteen, but she soon felt the force of a rampaging Karin Jaggi, who led into the first mark. Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft Sails / AL360) didn’t make the best of starts, but a fantastic opening gybe saw the Turkish lady burst into second place. Valerie Arrighetti (Tabou / Gaastra / Mystic) was still in contention at this stage, but her challenge for victory was all over by the second mark as the reigning world champion flamed her gybe and ultimately finished in eighth place. Jaggi in the meantime continued to extend her lead as the Swiss gem combined her superior top speed with silky smooth gybes and it wasn’t long before the Swiss gem was taking the chequered flag to claim the first bullet of the season.
Results after Elimination One – Men
1st Alberto Menegatti (Starboard / Point-7)
2nd Antoine Questel (Starboard / Loft Sails)
3rd Matteo Iachino (F2 / Challenger Sails / AL360)
4th Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / North)
5th Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic / Different)
Results after Elimination One – Women
1st Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne)
2nd Delphine Cousin (JP / NeilPryde)
3rd Lena Erdil (Patrik / Loft Sails / AL360 / Mystic)
4th Mio Anayama (Starboard / NeilPryde)
5th Cagla Kubat (Starboard / Loft Sails)
© PWA/Chris Yates
[…] This winter the Black Team (Point 7) gathered in El Mdeano (Tenerife) to prepare together for the season. It seems it already paid off, as the Italian slalom sailor Alberto Menegatti won the first elimination at the PWA Slalom in Korea. Read more about the first elimination in Korea. […]