DIETER VAN DER EYKEN
Nationality: Belgium
Sailnumber: B-35
5th PWA Freestyle 2013, Vice European Champion Freestyle, Coach for Next Generation Project
Sponsors: Starboard, Severne, Fox-Sports, Chocofins, Sunwise Sunglasses, Camaro
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Dieter van der Eyken, who himself is pretty busy with competing at the PWA World Cup Bonaire, sent us a report about close heats in the Single Elimination. Obviously there was some frustration within the competitors as some heats had nebulous results and some riders let out their frustration on Facebook.
Taty Frans: “I really don’t mind losing as long i know i lost, but when you lose because of some random reason that i really don’t know, by taking points give to another rider likeeeee….. Are you serious. Guess that’s how the pwa roles..”
Gollito Estredo: “This is incredible. When people want to make someone lose they just do it no matter what or how, this time they did it in a really bad way. Am gonna wait for your coments, thats important to me. My heat NB-20 vs V-10 The Fraud of the day, i am so sad because of this and i dont have anymore words to say.”
Dieter van der Eyken: “Got 5th in the single after loosing against Tonky, sailed a good heat but still lost. Watching the sheets got me even more depressed seeing the judges wrote down culo as my first move instead of oh air bob, double spock instead of double spock diablo.. so lost by half a point and a point .. Anyway well done to Tonky! Time to fight back in the double!! bummer I missed out on top 4 really was possible with how I sailed!!”
Dieter van der Eyken – PWA World Cup Bonaire
PWA World Cup Bonaire – Close Heats in the Single Elimination. By Dieter van der Eyken
On the first day of competition it was more clear than ever that heats where closer than previous years with top guys almost losing out in round 3 already. Some results where quite discussable like always. I didn’t see all the heats but there are some heats which weren’t in the daily report of the PWA that came out to be a pretty close calls as well.
Julien Mas vs Tonky Frans
First one in the 3rd round was Julien Mas against Tonky Frans. Julien just got through the second round after a close call against Max and showed a much better heat against Tonky landing a pretty high kono on the way in for the light winds and a pretty nice flaka shaka. On the way out their heat was pretty similar as I could see on the sheets (as I happened to be on the tower checking my own scoring sheets which I do after every heat) with only one move from Tonky making the difference the shameev spock (basically a shaka where you duck the sail just before you land and slide into a spock) for the first time in competition. Apparently this was enough to win over the flakashaka and the high kono of Julien making Tonky pass through to the Quarter finals.
Amado Vrieswijk vs Davy Scheffers
Another heat was Amado Vrieswijk (my top 3 favourite) against Davy Sheffers. Amado didn’t sail as well as he can as he suffered a food poisoning the day before which kept him awake the whole night. While Davy just came out of his cast 10 days ago after breaking his hand beginning of May couldn’t reach the level he normally gets. The heat started good for Amado with a solid spock culo but after that they equalled each other pretty much till Davy arrived at the flat spot on the inside. Launching into a perfect airfunnel funnel 900° and a very smooth Burner funnel. At this point I was pretty sure Davy was winning the heat but in the last 30 seconds it got close again as Amado landed a kabi on the way in.. This probably gave him the upper hand in the end together with the spock culo making him advance to the quarter finals.
Taty Frans vs Antony Ruenes
3rd really close heat in the 3rd round was Taty Frans against Antony Ruenes. I can’t really speak out on the result of this one but I’m pretty sure it’s worth mentioning from what I saw Taty was sailing solid, landing a perfect spock culo diablo (which is extremely tricky to do and involves quite a lot of risk), future and Burner OH on the way in. I didn’t really see what Antony did (as I didn’t really watched the full heat) but saw he couldn’t get around his no handed burner crashing it twice. I can’t really give my opinion who should have won as I didn’t see the whole thing but Taty didn’t seem to satisfied when he was checking the sheets after hearing he lost, looking for a reason why he lost which he couldn’t really find apparently.
I understand the frustration and got to encounter some myself in the quarter finals where I was up against Tonky. I knew I had to step it up so I started off with a big oh Airbob and sailed a pretty good heat after that. Everyone on the beach said it was close but were pretty sure I won yet I lost, which happens more and with checking the sheets I usually see why. This time I really didn’t. First of all there was no Airbob OH on my sheets but a Culo as first move (which I did 2 times more after that cause I wanted a culo spock). Than my doublespock diablo was just written down as a double spock and Tonky got a burner funnell on his sheets which actually was a burner into semi funnel… Best of all was seeing Tonky getting scored a 9,5 for diversity for a a flaka720°, flakashakaflaka (which was sick no offence to Tonky he is still the master of style!), shaka flaka and a burner funnel (which he didn’t do in the end) making me lose with 1 point on this sheet while I just got a 8,5 for diversity with a Kono, airfunnell , burner funnell and a Flaka Shaka. Anyway that’s how it goes the only thing we can do now is fight back in the double! Btw every quarter final was close making it almost look like finals of last year, like everyone on the live stream could see but some calls definitely are doubtful.. but secretly I wish I did make it in the top 4 cause now to make top 5 I will have a really hard time, will give it my best and try to sail more heats like against Tonky!
