The Single Elimination of the 2013 Aloha Classic is finished and we saw a great performance from many riders. Before the start of the event we have hooked up with Kevin Pritchard about his predictions for the event. Read some inside news from a former PWA Wave Worldchampion. Kevin won the PWA wave title in 2006 having the final on Maui.
C7: Happy about your great performance on the 2013 AWT tour?
Kevin Pritchard: Yeah I am super stoked to come second on the AWT for the year. The AWT might not have a super deep pro field but the top 5 I would say are pretty dang good. The tour has a lot of diversity in the locations which I really like. It is funny cause just seeing Duncan and all the PWA boys at the skippers meeting just gives me the shivers remembering all the stress I put myself through in my last years on the PWA tour. The whole vibe is different. The events are fun and have a really good feel to them to me.
Kevin is still up to date. Always picking up the latest stuff
C7: Camille Juban won the AWT tour in 2013 for the second time after he already won in 2012. Any comment on him from your side?
Kevin Pritchard: Camille rips. Port tack, starboard tack, down the line, the guy crushes it. I hope he shows his style in the PWA. He is one of the most diverse wave riders in the world no question about it. For me it would be cool to have him do really well to show what the grass roots tour does for up and comers. While everyone knew he has the talent, I think doing heats and competing and winning makes a big difference in how you compete. I am sure he has improved as a competitor since he has been doing the tour.
C7: And any comments on Bernd Roediger, who won the AWT Aloha Classic for the second time at the age of 17 and finished the AWT tour in 3rd position?
Kevin Pritchard: Bernd, well what about him, wow, I can’t believe he won the Aloha two years in a row. Impressive. Whenever there is a contest at Ho’okipa, no matter what it is called or if it is PWA or not to win is a big deal. He said it on the video, he just kept making one wave better than the last heat and he went off in the final. I am impressed with his competitive skills. I don’t know what he was doing all year. Ha ha.. But then he won in Hatteras and then bam, back on the confidence wagon or something.
C7: How is your forecast on the main event, the PWA Aloha Classic?
Kevin Pritchard: The forecast is looking good for next week. I think we are going to see some impressive sailing. All the heats are tough. In my heat it looks like they have me against Swift and Skye, both English lads that can rip hard as well as Laurent Guillemin, who can throw down some moves. I think Kauli will do very good. He has everything going for him, he rips here, he isn’t drained from doing the tour all year long, he wants to show the world that he still has it, I mean, between him, Camille, Traversa, Muso, Siver, Bernd, Angulo, Bouj, Naish, Ezzy, Brawzino, Fernandez and Köster, I think it is anyone’s game. I think Köster is going to surprise people, that kid rips, but do you think he can sleep at night looking at this new draw? Angulo, Goya, and another guy??? Ricardo, always a pleasure to watch sail, so exciting, if anyone pushes the sport it is him, he could do good here too.
C7: So who is my money on??
Kevin Pritchard: Hmm.. Wouldn’t want to pick it but I would go with Levi Siver winning, his power, his style, his rail to rail turns, such an inspiration this decade at Hookipa Beach Park. All he has to do is keep sailing like he does and he was sailing awesome in the AWT, clean, consistent, ripping. Just relax, focus, calm, do what the wave gives you and not force things and he can get through to where he needs to go. What about Marcilio Browne, he finally got his first win in Denmark, he knows he rips Hookipa to shreds. I think it is good he didn’t do the AWT event, his confidence is right where it should be. He has the tricks on the waves, consistently and can do them at will. He has the Angulo factor in his heat, Never rule out Josh at Hookipa. A legend of the sport and the break, I hope we meet up somewhere along the line. I guess it would be somewhere in the final so I have my work cut out.
C7: The dark horses??
Kevin Pritchard: Morgan Noireaux, who has a stacked first heat, can win this thing. Don’t count him out. Maybe the most overlooked sailor at the beach, he has what it takes, style, power, tricks, I am rooting for him, Maui kid, nice guy, ripper, lets go! Graham Ezzy, I wouldn’t call him a dark horse but he has the moves to win it too. I was really impressed with his sailing in the AWT event here. He had the consistent goiters and taka’s and that is what it is going to take. If he sails like he can, he could go all the way. He has a good first heat, but never count out the Pritch senior, he smoked me the first heat the other day. I had a fever sweat the entire heat from being sick the two days before, still not an excuse, but the former World Champ knows how to compete. If the waves are big enough to not be throwing out the little tricky moves, he could crush some dreams.
It is going to be fun here at the beach. The tension is mounting, there is a swell on the way, luckily for me.
©continentseven.com 2013, Kevin Pritchard
Yeah Morgan, you are so right, but no one else knows this business better. Big congrats to your great performance and that you made it into the final!!!! Good luck for the double!!!
Chris
Kevin knows his stuff. His predictions where pretty spot on