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wMonday, July 30, 2007


VOLVO Surfcup Sylt - German Champ!


posted by Steffi Wahl at 7/30/2007 04:23:00 PM | (0) comments


wWednesday, July 25, 2007


Morane Demont, 14


photos: John Carter

First ever ProKids Slalom World Championship in Alacati Turkey!

Especially the result of Starboards French Martinique rider Morane Demont was more than impressive. Competing in the U15 its no major surprise that she won her class in the girls, but she also won against the U15 boys. Infact she came 5th over all in the ProKids competition, ahead of older boys and girls!



As the ProKids event was part of the IFCA Slalom Youth World Championship, results were also recorded into this championship. Here Morane was up against all riders U20 where she finished confidently in 2nd place... not bad for a 14 year old girl!



Olivier-Tom Schlieman (Starboard-Naish) was overall winner and first ProKid Slalom World Champion.


posted by editors at 7/25/2007 12:24:00 AM | (0) comments


wTuesday, July 17, 2007


Yoli de Brendt rippin



posted by editors at 7/17/2007 02:10:00 AM | (0) comments


wMonday, July 09, 2007


Tough Way to Beijing ...
Nikola Girke reports from the ISAF World Championships 2007.

Day1:
The second race in my opinion and in many others should not have beencontinued. This was the most random, ridiculous race I have ever racedand this at a World Championship too. I got off the starting line at the committee boat, tacked right away, got in a puff and a header, tacked back onto port and looked like I was going to cross the fleet. The the wind died... completely where I was and the people who were way left had a huge lift and were near planing. Needless to say, that didnt help my cause. We were going in circles in no wind while others around us, maybe even only 2 board lengths from us were in completely different wind and charging past. We could be on two different tacks going in the same direction. Random. I finished 25th in that race.



Winner Zofia Klepacka (Pol-8) caused windgirls.com author Nikola Girke sorrow...
photo: Hugh Sims Williams/RsxClass.com

Day 2 and 3:
... I had a great position near the boat end of the starting line and at 40 seconds to go, POL 8 (current regatta leader) ran into me from behind. I shouted protest, but she did nothing (should have done apenalty turn). About 20 seconds later, she came with some more speedstraight into the back of my board again, this time lodging the nose of her board into my fin and took a chunk out of it. There was a big bang, then I lost balance and I fell into the water. She got my position at the start and had a great race. I started the race in the water. I was able to get up and get back into the race and ended up finishing 15th.
I got to watch the sunset as I was on the final lap and when I was finishing the boats had to have lights on so we could see the finish line. I was finally on shore a bit past 10pm, de-riggedin the dark and had to file my protest. My protest started at 11:30 pm and ended past midnight. The protest ended up being dismissed, which was quite disappointing as her story changed from when we arrived onshore to when we arrived in the protest room. All of a sudden shecouldnt speak English and had an interpreter who was her team rulesexpert and I felt that they might have been some discretion in the translation.

I finally had dinner at 1am. Today racing started at 1pm. Once again the wind was absolutely crazy. In the first race I sailed really well and was in 13th place until I got stuck in a hole and lost 6 places to finish 19th. In the second race of the day, I had a great start, tacked in the right places and was well in the top 10. I rounded the last reach mark one leg in front of my nearest competitor. I only had a downwind to go and then 50 meters to the finish. Unfortunately, when you are on a run, the wind comes from behind you and when the wind does come, it takes the sailors that are behind closer to you. Then a huge field of wind came and so did the entire fleet from behind me. They came planing around me while I was unable to move forward. In the 50 meters before the finish, I was passed by at least 10 boards in my fleet as well as others from the other fleet. I ended up finishing 17th. This resulted in me not making Gold Fleet, as the qualifying ended today. I was 3points from making the cut.

I am pretty disappointed as I was sailing very well tactically and technically and am in the best physical shape I have ever been in. These results have not reflected where I feel I am at in relation to therest of the world. Although the regatta is not over, I now have tolook forward to China Pre-Olympics in August and next years Worlds inNew Zealand to gain Olympic selection. (Nikola Girke, nikolagirke.com)
RESULTS: www.cascaisworlds2007.com=
more: www.rsxclass.com


posted by editors at 7/09/2007 04:31:00 PM | (0) comments


wFriday, July 06, 2007


Sarah-Quita beats Daida again


The faces say it all: 16 year old Sarah-Quita beats Daida (all photos: PWA/Carter)

DAY5:
Single Elimination 3:
Forecasts suggested today might be the last suitable day for freestyle so no time was wasted in kicking it into gear. Evi Tsape of Greece caused an upset early on in the womens by knocking-out Iballa Moreno (North). However Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde) and Daida Moreno (North) still prevailed and met in the final. On this occasion, in another game of tit-for-tat, Offringa took the honors and the advantage for the double elimination showdown.
Double Elimination 3:
The top 3 riders in the womens event seem to relentlessly rise to the top. Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish) found Daida Moreno too much of a handful in the concluding heats and just couldnt book a place in the final. With an equal first to resolve, Offringa and Moreno headed out to battle. Offringa immediately looked to be struggling in the patchy conditions as Moreno racked-up the points. That meant there had to be a re-sail under the double elimination system. The re-sail caused some controversy. Opinion on the beach was split over who they thought had edged it, but the judges were unanimous by a 5-0 decision.

"Wooohooo! I went out relaxed for the re-sail even though it was the one thing I had tried to avoid" whooped Offringa. "In the first final I was late and did not start upwind enough and could not get the clean wind and smoother parts of the course for moves. Daida was in the right places and got all the tricks in that I couldnt manage. For the re-sail, once I had accepted I might lose it made me loosen up and I made some sick moves - Grubbies, E-Sliders, a Flaka, Puneta and a switch chacho. I didnt see much of her during the heat and I ended up pretty far downwind away from the tower, but luckily the jury saw my good moves at the end of the 5 minutes."

Daida was visibly upset. She had sailed a solid heat with a host of stylish and technical moves - flakas high jumps, clew-first spocks and more, all right in front of the judges and spectators. One thing is for sure - the next showdown in Pozo is set to be a cracker with scores like this to settle.
In the mens competition Gollito Estredo banks the event win after a third double elimination final victory. (Source: PWA/McDowell)


Laure Treboux: confident 3rd, Evi Tsape: beating Iballa Moreno!

Event standings after 3 double eliminations
Women:
1. Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde)
2. Daida Moreno (North)
3. Laure Treboux (Naish/Naish)
Men:
1. Jose Estredo (Fanatic / North)
2. Kiri Thode (Starboard / Gaastra)
3. Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde)


posted by editors at 7/06/2007 12:14:00 PM | (0) comments


wWednesday, July 04, 2007


Costa Teguise Grand Slam, Lanzarote


Yoli versus Sarah-Quita, Daida Air Chachoo; all photos: PWA/Carter

Day4:
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde) celebrates her sweet-16 by pulling level with Daida Moreno in the womens event after a second double elimination final.

Double Elimination 2
  1. Sarah-Quita Offringa
  2. Daida Moreno
  3. Laure Treboux

It has 1-1 between Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde) and Daida Moreno (North). There are potentially 2 more double eliminations possible this event to help them break the tie. What a way to celebrate her birthday. Congratulations Sarah-Quita! Here the girls give you a picture of what the final stages were like for them.

YouTube video "flower ceremony": www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZneqZV-6x0

Laure: "At this level I would have settled for podium beforehand anyway, but I am always pleased to be there. I am a bit disappointed that I could not make any of my tricks I have learnt prior to the comp, but in these heats its been gusty and hard work."

Daida: "Its all or nothing against Sarah-Quita. Either you sail well and you can win convincingly, or else she really smashes you. I sailed better in the final than I did in my semi, and I was way more comfortable. Still, it was super-gusty and there are loads of holes in the wind. I completed some good tricks; A one-footed forward, and a clew-first spock, but I fell on my flaka. Thats the way it is sometimes!"

Sarah-Quita: "Before my heats I really practised and all I was focusing on was not to fall and ruin my momentum when the pressure was on. I saw Daida land some cool stuff, like her one-footed forward which was pretty high and radical, and that pushed me to try a Goyta, but I crashed. But I made loads of other stuff on both tacks, like Punetas, Grubbies, and all I could think was that I wanted to avoid a re-sail with her as thats a major risk to take. I’s one apiece now so lets pray for wind and see what happens!"



DAY 2:
Arubas Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde) steals a crucial victory over reigning title holder Daida Moreno (North) in the womens competition.

Single Elimination 2
Nayra Alonso (Fanatic / Severne) consolidated her success from the first double elimination today by instantly beating Iballa Moreno (North). Nursing a damaged shoulder Moreno sailed bravely but just could not match the new and improved style of her Gran Canarian neighbor. Daida Moreno however had other ideas and spoiled Alonsos party to secure her spot in the final. Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish) was pipped to the post by Sarah-Quita Offringa in an action-packed semi final. Offringa was too technical for the Swiss girl, but Treboux let some steam off when she sealed third place in the losers final by punishing Alonso.

Final
In similar conditions to yesterdays final, Moreno predictably used the ramps to try and score extra points against Offringas inventory of switch stance and technical, sliding tricks. Moreno fell a few times too many however in the choppy sections and the teenager from Aruba sailed steady and even made some higher jump tricks that shes not usually renowned for. Ever enthusiastic the charismatic young Caribbean star reflected on the tie: "I really wanted this win. I did all the basics well and then worked my way to more technical stuff. I even made some big forwards, which I have never done in heats before. I saw Daida had fallen a few times so that took the pressure off and relaxed me into finishing the job."


Laure Treboux, Nayra Alonso

DAY1:
Daida Moreno (North) fends off the new-wave of ladies freestyle talent despite the standard rocketing in the off-season. Aruban Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard /NeilPryde) sealed second place after halting Laure Treboux (Naish / Naish) remarkable fight back in its tracks.

Single Elimination
There were some upsets in the womens fleet. Nayra Alonso (Fanatic / Severne) elbowed last years rookie star Laure Treboux out in the first round. "I cannot believe it all came together so well” said the over-the-moon Spaniard. "I landed everything I have learned in the winter which was really lucky considering the condition were often a bit tricky and gusty." Sarah-Quita Offringa spoilt Alonsos party in the semi-finals to set her up for the final clash, which Daida Moreno dominated. Moreno was predictably ice-cool after this vital win. "I came into this event fully expecting to have a hard time from the rest of the girls, especially the freestyle specialists, as the standard is just unreal. I think that relaxed me and took the pressure of which just helped me do what I had to do to win."

Double Elimination
The womens final was a cracker. Moreno was using the ramps on the reef, which probably made the difference for her as Offringa concentrated more on the sliding tricks. Daida was launching into massive back loops, pushloops, forwards and even threw two Air-Chachos for good measure. Of course she also busted-out a fairly comprehensive range of other moves like ponches, spocks and grubbies too.
Offringa fought hard with switch-stance tricks and impressed the judges with her up to date repertoire. "Actually I sailed better and better throughout the day", she explained. "This morning I was a bit sketchy, I was lucky to make the single final really, and then I found my feet. This afternoons conditions were better too as the waves left really smooth spots in between them for tricks while the rest of the course was choppy. But, Daida was on-fire and I was just amped to make the final and especially because I landed a Funnel in competition too."
(Source: PWA/McDowell)


posted by editors at 7/04/2007 11:07:00 PM | (0) comments


wTuesday, July 03, 2007


2007 ISAF World Championships in Cascais

The 2007 ISAF World Championships are in Cascais, Portugal. This ist he first Olympic Qualifying event; all 11 Olympic Sailing classes arehere trying to qualify their Nation for 75 percent of the Olympic berths. RSX Women will have 28 spots available at the 2008 Beijing Olympics for 28 different Nations, of which 20 Nations will qualify themselves here. It is also the first Canadian Olympic selection event, so wish me luck :-)

Cascais is a beautiful old town about a 20-minute drive from Lisbon. The town has a lot of character, great food, is clean and the coastline is gorgeous. Ten minutes up the coast is the famous Guincho Beach, which hosts both World Surfing and Windsurfing (wave sailing) Championships. This is probably the nicest venue I have been to for a sailing championship... hopefully the wind will cooperate too!

I arrived in Cascais on the 18th of June, directly after the European Championships. I have had some great training and am looking forward to the start of the regatta. The wind is very tricky here, especially on the course areas that we have been allocated. The wind is offshore and littered with huge gusts, huge holes and big wind shifts. It is not uncommon to be sailing in 20 knots and hit a lull of 4-5 knots, and this can happen several times in one leg. Needless to say, it will bevery important to connect the pressure dots! One day we also had anaverage of 29 knots gusting to 37 knots... not only was the ocean white, but it was sea of capsized boats... it was a hard day and I was happy to make it back to shore in one piece!

Today was the official first day of racing for some classes, however the RSX class starts racing on the 6th of July. We will have 3 days of qualifying races followed by a rest day, then 3 days of finals. I finished measurement today, have a bit more gear tinkering to do and then I am set to go. More news to come once the races start. Thank you for your support!
NikolaGirke


posted by editors at 7/03/2007 10:24:00 PM | (0) comments



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