Storm Chase feeling at Pozo - 2016 Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival Day 5

Day 5 finally brought conditions for the main fleet at Pozo Izquierdo. The wind picked up around midday and the pushing tide brought some waves and the competition kicked off at 12.15.

Philip Köster

We walked to the bunker and filmed the exciting trial heats and a few ladies heat and the first round. 14 minutes long heat with two jumps (different ones) and one wave ride were counting.
Kenneth Danielson, locals Eleazar Alonso, Jonas Ceballos and Marc Pare made it trough the trials and completed the 32 fleet at Pozo. The trials saw good conditions with a few sets of waves breaking and the wind blew with 35 to 40 knots.

Trials – Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival 2016

The conditions even improved and we witnessed massive air moves landed close to the bunker: big Push Loops, stalled Forwards, Double Forward Loops, massive Backloops, even one handed or one footed, Table Top Forwards. And on the wave: Goiters, little Aerials, Shakas, Backsides, frontside 360s, Takas, Forwards off the lip, Wave Grubbies, Backside 360s.
No trialist made it to round 2 and just two Pozo locals, Alessio Stillrich and Josep Pons Casanovas, advanced to the second round. The international pro fleet raised the level at Pozo, even in that extreme high wind conditions.

Pozo Izquierdo Day 5

During round two the wind picked really up and shifted to a northern direction, what made it harder for everyone to stay in full control. We saw some massive jumps especially from Victor Fernandez, Philip Köster, Alessio Stillrich, Antoine Martin, Omar Sanchez or Jaeger Stone. They were flying over Pozo. Just impressive!

Omar Sanchez flying over Pozo

Jaeger Stone and Dany Bruch were on form, kicked out the locals Alessio Strillrich and Josep Pons and made it to round 3. Marcilio Browne tried to show the best possible wave riding in the storm and went for Goiters in the critical sections and landed extremely powerful jumps during his late afternoon heat. He told us it was his windiest Pozo heat he has ever sailed.

Ex- PWA Champion Thomas Traversa sailed an excellent heat against a very high jumping Antoine Martin. Alex Mussolini confirmed his great form from round one and won over Leon Jamaer, who unluckily broke a mast during a heavy catapult crash. Flo Jung brought Leon new equipment, but Mussolini was too consistent and nailed jump after jump.

Victor Fernandez flying

Adam Lewis had a hard draw with last year’s Pozo winner Philip Köster. Köster showed everything: a Double Forward, a huge stalled Forward or a one handed Goiter into Taka combo on a wave. Lewis showed that he had trained hard during the off season and nailed an amazing one footed Back loop . Robby Swift, who prepared very well for Pozo had a hard opponent with Camille Juban. Camille is so good in riding waves and got real height in his jumps, but Robby felt comfortable in the strong wind and qualified with a very solid heat for the top 8. These top 8 riders will give everthing to make it on the top of the single elimination tomorrow.

A quick statement from Victor Fernandez

Victor Fernandez

We had a chat with Robby Swift and Marcilio Browne and both mentioned that this was the most windy day at Pozo since they have been competing. Marcilio told us, only during the Strom Chase he had competed in more wind.

What happened in the ladies fleet?
It happened a lot of great action. The 17 women competitors gave everything in the extreme wind. The Moreno Twins were on great form nailing Push Loops, big stalled Forwards, big Backside Airs or attempted Goiters. On their heels are Sarah-Quita Offringa and Amanda Beenen. Beenen rides the waves with a lot of passion and shows that she spends a lot of time in wavy regions. Sarah-Quita seems to be more focused in waves than ever. She is top equipped this year and very safe in her jumps. These four ladies will battle it out for the victory in the single elimination tomorrow. Skippers meeting is scheduled for 9.30 and the first possible start for 10.00.