PWA Lanzarote 2011 – Day 3

Four times world champion Gollito Estredo returns to form and storms his way to first place in the single elimination at Las Cucharas/Lanzarote. The second place goes to Steven van Broeckhoven and the third place to the French Antony Ruenes.

Gollito Estredo - Pic: PWA/John Carter

Yesterday, once again the freestyle fleet was greeted with a relaxing morning, providing them with the perfect opportunity to tune their equipment, discuss the previous day’s heats and prepare their minds for the battle ahead. As midday approached the trade winds kicked into action, and built in strength throughout the afternoon. The world’s finest freestylers were tempted onto the water at 2:30pm providing them just enough time to limber up for the start of competition at 3pm. With winds blowing between 15-20knots, sails around 5.3m were the weapon of choice, for the final heats of the single elimination.

Gollito with very high Shakas - Pic: PWA/John Carter

Picking up the action at heat 23, the sailors were shuffled into their respective finals. Davy Scheffers buckled under the pressure of the Belgian superstar Steven Van Broeckhoven. Simultaneously Jose Estredo defeated Anthony Ruenes with his powerful ponchs and super high shakas.

LOSERS FINAL

The losers final saw Scheffers up his performance from the previous heat, landing a super clean culo spock and a perfect burner. However Ruenes was determined to continue his path of destruction through the single elimination, and went for every move in his box of tricks, pulling off his trademark no handed funnel and a huge no handed flaka into flaka. Ruenes took the win seeing him earn third place on the overall event standings.

Antony Ruenes - Pic: PWA/John Carter

WINNERSFINAL

The final saw Estredo and Van Broeckhoven enter the water to battle it out for first place. Estredo was on fine form throughout the heat, taking advantage of the stronger winds and the small waves. He opened with a future and quickly flew through a succession of extreme moves including a fully planning push loop and an air chachoo. Van Broeckhoven crashed his initial move and spent the remainder of the heat playing catch up. Despite the Steven’s best efforts Estredo was back in his element capitalizing on the ramps and big air maneuvers. After a tense wait while the judges calculated the score sheets, Estredo was awarded first place in front of a large crowd on the beach.

Gollito Air Chacho - Pic: PWA/John Carter

Once the victor was crowned, competition continued directly into the double elimination, allowing ten of the eighteen heats to be completed. With the opportunity to improve their overall score, the sailors hit the water with full force ready to take on their opponents.

With the wind switching offshore, head judge Duncan Coombs called an end to the day’s competition and released the sailors at 6:30pm. The action will continue through the final heats of the double elimination today.

Text: PWA I Continentseven 2011

RESULTS SINGLE ELIMINATION