| Demolition windsurfing at the 2011 Fuerteventura Wave Classic |
| Monday, 14 February 2011 10:03 |
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It's showtime and destruction windsurfing at the 2011 Fuerteventura Wave Classic. The double mast high waves found at Puertito and Entubadera, in the Canary Islands, were enough to pull a solid wave windsurfing spectacle. The conditions were pretty gnarly. The plan was to run an Expression Session at Puertito only and change later the spots to Entubadera. Massive big sets were breaking towards the rocky cliffs and 10-to-15 knots side shore wind from the right were blowing at the scary wave spot. Every error could destroy the windsurfers' gear within some seconds. Local Stephane Etienne rigged his 5.0 directly at the spot and tried to make it out jumping in the white waters from the cliffs directly. But he failed and was soon back on the beach. A few other sailors decided to try to enter the water a bay further Northeast of Puertito. Will Ward, from the UK but living in Fuerteventura, was the first to start from there. He also failed and destroyed his Ezzy sail completely. French sailor Yannick Anton, who as well lives on Fuerteventura, was the next one, who tried it and he made it. He completed the most impressive wave rides of the whole event so far, with long bottom turns on the double mast high waves, which got bigger and bigger minute by minute. Thomas Traversa also tried to follow his fellow countryman Yannick Anton and had a hard fight for at least 40 minutes before he found a way to make it through the massive white water walls. Once Thomas was out he made the fault to sail too much downwind and not enough out on the open ocean. A huge wave caught him and finished his dreams to get turns done in the double mast high monsters. He crashed his rig completely. Broken mast, broken boom, completely destroyed sail. The jet ski rider, who made a great job at Puertito, saved Thomas and brought him back. Albert Ferroni, who is relatively unknown in the international windsurfing scene, started at the neighboring beach of Cotillo and sailed upwind to Puertito. Albert used his old Simmer 5.3 and a custom waveboard. The local windsurfer, who lives next to Cotillo and who was in the winning team in 2010, convinced with impressive wave selection and nice big waveriding style. In the end of his session, a monster set surprised Albert. He could not get enough speed and the monster caught him from the back. Luckily the jetski rider was still on the water, picked him up and brought him back into the old harbour of Cotillo. He lost all his gear and had some broken parts in the end. Together with Yannick Anton he was the most impressive sailor of today. In the end, the whole FWC crew and riders drove to the Flag Beach, where a super session at the break of Entubadera got started at 16.00. Relatively steady wind from northern direction blew and many riders could plan. Almost all competitors were out and tried to show their best waveriding. We saw very good action from Daida Moreno, Nayra Alonso, Aleix Sanllehy, Alex Mussolinei, Dario Ojeda and Björn Dunkerbeck. Several riders broke their masts like Mikey Cancy, Shannon Bohny or Eleazar Alonso. |
