Today on day 4 of the Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival the wind and waves picked up around 3.30 pm and 25 minutes later the last trial heat number 4 got started. It was windy and the waves were ok. Camille Juban, Graham Ezzy, Arthur Arutkin and Justin Denel were competing for the last two remaining places in the main event.
Camille Juban in a Backloop rotation
Graham Ezzy gave everything from the beginning on, landed a Backloop and later a nice classic Pushloop. On the wave riding we saw a Forward off the lip, a Frontside 360 a Taka and a few turns. He collected more points as young French Justin Denel, who crashed a few Backloops and had ok wave rides. Graham, who returned on tour after a longer break as well defeated 17 year old Arthur Arutkin, who was strong in jumping, but missed to score high in wave riding. Graham only got beaten by the AWT winner and world record holder in riding the longest wave Camille Juban. Camille had long wave rides in Pozo , too and landed a high Backloop . In the end he sailed best and collected most of the points on the judges sheets. Camille, who is one of the big names at Ho’okipa and in the AWT was able to show that he is ready to compete with the best PWA riders in European onshore conditions.
Both experienced riders kept the nerves beating the young French underdogs. Congratulations to Camille and Graham and it’s good to see both in the main event. Graham will face Philip Köster in the first round of the single elimination. Not an easy draw. Camille will battle it out against Ricardo Campello. As well a very hard opponent.
Statement from Camille Juban about his heat and the trials
VIDEO TRIAL HEAT No.4 ft. Graham Ezzy and Camille Juban
We have put together some clips from Graham and Camille to show the conditions.
Graham Ezzy, Camille Juban - Gran Canaria Wind and Waves Festival
VIDEO
This is the official event video including some random shots from day 4
WOMEN
Directly after the trial heat 4 the ladies single elimination got started. Steffi Wahl against Sarah Bibby and Justyna Sniady against Olya Raskina. The wind was strong and a few waves were breaking next to the bunker. Steffi sailed excellent and would have taken the win over Sarah. Justyna probably would have won over Olya from Russia. But the heat got cancelled. A bit hard to understand for us as spectators. The girls had ok jumps and a bit of wave riding. Nothing special, but ok turns. Let’s hope the conditions will be better during the next three days and the ladies will find better waves.
Best of luck guys.Enjoy your comp and your friendships.In just ten years the field competition numbers have reduced by 50%… a warning sign that elitism can lead to extinction by its very nature.Hate to see that happen…as SUP ain’t half as exciting as windsurfing at this level.Who are the guys for 2024 and maybe some of those guys are watching from the bunker today wondering what’s it all about.Think next generation or there will be none.Let the games begin today.Have fun ladies and gentlemen.Its not whether you won or lost that counts but how you played the game.
Michael.
I understand your point of view and know from the Internet against which background you are writing. I would have dreamt of a father who supported my windsurfing as much as you supported your very talented son. I also always appreciate your comments on this website, this one included. I think that you might be rightly worried (your remarks concern the future–which is always unpredictable, but depends in part on right decisions being made today), so my remarks are meant to complement yours. I would argue that this is the world-cup: it is a matter of finding out who is… Read more »
ah, I see they reduced the men fleet from 48 to 32 in recent years. but then the number will always be an arbitrary one and the conditions in wave only are good for so many hours a day (if the conditions materialise at all). a bigger fleet means less completed contests and that can’t be in the interest of sailors, sponsors and spectators.