Samsung Mobile Indoor Windsurfing

After two day’s of fast-moving indoor action the overall winners of the Samsung Mobile Indoor Windsurfing have collected their trophies in Ghent, Belgium. Before it came to that however, the riders had to give it their all in front of the large crowd of spectators.

The fans came to life for the freestyle competition in which Ben PROFFITT (K-800, Fanatic/Simmer Sails), Jose ESTREDO (V-1, Fanatic/North Sails), Douglas DIAZ (V-34, Fanatic/North) and Thomas TRAVERSA (F-3, Tabou/Gaastra) tricked their way into the finals. PROFFITT provided a note of originality today with two ‘regular’ chachoo attempts, not making them but still earning respect from the spectators. Meanwhile it was Jose ESTREDO (V-1, Fanatic/North Sails) who was most radical of them all, with his trademark high-powered shaka’s coming in. Douglas DIAZ (V-34, Fanatic/North) came in second before Thomas TRAVERSA (F-3, Tabou/Gaastra) in third. 

Ready to start © Event Media

In the women’s finals the girls kicked up some spray with flawless moves such as Silvia ALBA’s (E-67) spock and a picture perfect grubby by Karin JAGGI (Z-14, F2/North Sails). The final outcome was super close, but in the end the victory went to JAGGI, before ALBA who got second and Iballa MORENO (E-63, Mistral/North Sails) who had to settle for the bronze medal.
 
In the slalom contest, the men’s final was between Kauli SEADI (BRA-253, Quatro/Naish) and Josh ANGULO (CV-1). SEADI and ANGULO were too fast for Kevin MEVISSEN (H-79, JP/Neil Pryde) and Robert TERITEHAU (F-2000, North Sails) in the semi-final. Knowing it would be his final run in the slalom competition, the madman from New Caledonia exited the pool in style with a full speed jump out of the water and into the platform. In the final, the current world wave champion took an early lead over ANGULO, which he never gave up. Things got a little tense for SEADI when he went down at the very last mark, but ANGULO was too far behind to catch up with the Brazilian.
 
The women’s final between Iballa MORENO (E-63, Mistral/North Sails) and Karin JAGGI (Z-14, F2/North Sails) looked like smooth sailing for MORENO, who led the way from the first buoy onwards seemingly heading for victory. But disaster struck at the last turn, when Moreno crashed and couldn’t recover in time to stay ahead of JAGGI. JAGGI gratefully took advantage and claimed the win.
 
Last up was the jumping contest. In the first rounds, Marcilio BROWNE (BRA-105, Naish/Naish) picked up where he left off yesterday with three massive jumps all scoring 25 points or more. Right on his tail was his fellow countryman Kauli SEADI (BRA-253, Quatro/Naish), who blasted out two big push loops, but as he didn’t score on his third jump, it wasn’t enough for the wave champ to advance to the final. The final would eventually be a standoff between Marcilio BROWNE (BRA-105, Naish/Naish), John HIBBARD (K-007, Starboard), Yannick ANTON (F-8) and Thomas TRAVERSA (F-3, Tabou/Gaastra). ANTON opened the score with a near perfect 26.5 point push loop.

Indoor racing © Event Media

TRAVERSA tweaked his way to the top with a stylish twisted table top, followed by a massive forward. And while BROWNE couldn’t get into the swing of things in the final, ANTON stunned the crowds with a big double forward attempt, not fully making the landing but still good enough for 25 points and the win for the day.
 
Last but not least, the women’s jumping final went to Iballa MORENO (E-63, Mistral/North Sails), who dominated the event with some of the biggest forwards of the contest, as she did in the final. Second place was for Karin JAGGI (Z-14, F2/North Sails) who pulled off two impressive table tops. Silvia ALBA (E-67) went home with third prize yesterday.
 
In the overall rankings, the men’s jumping title goes to Marcilio BROWNE (BRA-105, Naish/Naish), before Thomas TRAVERSA (F-3, Tabou/Gaastra) in second and Yannick ANTON (F-8). The Samsung Mobile Indoor Windsurfing women’s jumping title goes to Iballa MORENO (E-63, Mistral/North Sails), with Karin JAGGI finishing in second and Silvia ALBA (E-67) taking third.
 
Jose ESTREDO (V-1, Fanatic/North Sails) claims the overall men’s freestyle victory. Second place goes to Douglas DIAZ (V-34, Fanatic/North) and third to Kevin MEVISSEN (H-79, JP/Neil Pryde). In the women’s division first prize goes to Karin JAGGI (Z-14, F2/North Sails), second to Silvia ALBA (E-67) and third place to Iballa MORENO (E-63, Mistral/North Sails).
 
Rounding up the overall rankings is the slalom in which Kauli SEADI (BRA-253, Quatro/Naish) wins the gold, Robert TERITEHAU (F-2000, North Sails) the silver and Kevin MEVISSEN (H-79, JP/Neil Pryde) another third prize.
 

In two week’s time, the PWA circus moves back outdoors for the first freestyle event of the season in Podersdorf, Austria.