The first ever AWT event in Morocco, organized by Boujmaa Guilloul and his team, saw excellent wind conditions and good waves for jumping and riding. Boujmaa’s local knowledge and his high skills paid off and he won the first AWT event of 2016. He was flying through the air as usual and won the final. Boujmaa and his main rival Morgan Noireaux, who won the Aloha Classic 2014 and 2015, showed Goiters in the waves of Moulay Bouzerktoune. Kevin Pritchard completed the podium in third. Diony Guadagnino from El Yaque, Venezuela finished in 4th. Congrats to all men winners.

AWT: “The final saw Noireaux taking the highest wave score on a big set wave, with multiple critical turns and an aerial, whilst Guilloul took the highest jump score with a massive one foot back loop. Pritchard also racked up a big one-footed Back Loop, plus a big stalled forward and some excellent wave scores. Guadagnino went for a double, as did Noireaux, but it was Guilloul’s jumping that set him apart and took him to the win.”

In the ladies pro fleet Canadian Ingrid Larouche won the competition defeating Italian Anna-Maria Zollet.

Boujmaa Guilloul made it on top of the rankings at Moulay Bouzerktoune in Morocco (Pic: Schlosser/ Planchemag/AWT)

Boujmaa Guilloul made it on top of the rankings at Moulay Bouzerktoune in Morocco (Pic: Schlosser/ Planchemag/AWT)

 

Statements from the winners

Boujmaa Guilloul (1st place): I am so happy things went the way they did. I was so stressed about everything and I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest. I did expect the worst, very relieved it was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned a lot and I am very content with the outcome. We had decent conditions and great talented riders, very mellow atmosphere and great support from all aspect. So I am very proud of what just happened in Essaouira and Moulay Bouzerktoune.

Morgan Noireaux (2nd place): I went to Morocco and Moulay in June of 2008 for the first time with my mom. The event was a great reason to return, and I was excited to come back. Moulay is a really fun spot to sail and the Moroccan culture is very different in contrast to the other places I travel to during the year. During the event I felt like I sailed well. Still have lots of room to improve on my jumping but I was consistent in my wave scores and was just missing a medium jump score in the end. Very happy for Boujmaa though as he put a lot of effort into the event and I’m sure winning at home felt awesome!

Kevin Pritchard (3rd place): Pretty awesome to see Bouj step up and put on an event in his home town. Then to do all the organizing and getting everything happening was a lot of work and then coming out on top of the podium was icing on the cake. I was happy for him. As for my performance it was pretty average to me. I bet you could tell me what I did out there without even watching the heat. I did a one footed Back Loop and a nice big old school forward for my jumps and I felt my wave rides were pretty good. I had one really long one but lacked a bit move on it that edged me out by 0.4 points on taking over second place from Morgan. All in all it was a great event out on the water.
Morocco is a pretty different country. I have not really seen such a vastly different culture. It was really cool and unique and that is what I liked about it. It is amazing how close it is to Europe and pretty easy to get to. I even really thought the brown water was pretty cool looking! The food and the people are super nice and big congrats to Boujmaa for putting on the event and taking the win!

Ingrid Larouche (1st place): For me, the AWT Morocco was more than a contest: it was a whole windsurfing event.  Boujmaa, small businesses, local community and even government officials put in effort to make us feel welcome and get us to experience morocco besides just the beach.  The locals here absolutely rip.  Boujmaa has created a small windsurfing Mecca which I think every windsurfer should experience. Next time I hope for even more competitors (ladies!!!!) to participate in this wonderful experience and support a community that clearly supports us. About my performance. I’ve become such a light wind sailor spending so much time on Maui, I found the strong wind and jumping-oriented conditions challenging. I am pleased with my performance of course but know I need training in windy places like these.

Anna-Maria Zollet (2nd place): All the women heats were in very strong wind and we were all really powered up with our 3.3/3.4s. It was great to see all the girls going for it. I usually have very mixed feelings towards competing, but this time I actually really enjoyed it and it gave me a lot of extra motivation to push my level. Maybe it’s the Moroccan backdrop that makes everything feel more relaxed! I’ve been in Moulay quite a few times now and it’s one of my favourite places to go back to. The wind, the waves, the people, the food, the music, the colours… it’s an unbelievable place. So happy Boujmaa was able to take the AWT here, because it’s a place that definitely deserves a lot more attention, and so do the incredibly talented locals.

 

Results AWT Morocco 2016

Ladies:

1.Ingrid Larouche
2. Anna-Maria Zollet
3. Deniz Aslan
4. Amy Carter

 

Men:

1.Boujmaa Guilloul
2. Morgan Noireaux
3. Kevin Pritchard
4. Diony Guadagnino
5. Edvan Souza, Julien Taboulet
7. Russ Faurot, Soufian Sahili
9. Antoine Albert, Alexis Gayda, Francesco Capuzzo, Matteo Spannu
13. M. Elabdi, T. Elabdi, T. Ahraibda, M. Abdelhamid
etc.

AWT Morocco 2016 elimination ladder Pro men category (Source: AWT)

AWT Morocco 2016 elimination ladder Pro men category (Source: AWT)

Picture Gallery from Moulay Bouzerktoune, Morocco

 

 

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