| Iballa Ruano Moreno writes windsurfing history at Pozo |
| Monday, 09 July 2012 14:40 |
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Philip Köster and Iballa Ruano Moreno have conquered the 2012 PWA Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival, in absolutely epic conditions, as the wind rose above 50 knots.Iballa Moreno became the first person to defeat her sister, Daida, in Pozo, since 1999. The prize giving ceremony that followed was a hugely emotional affair as the twins celebrated the success of the event as well. The double elimination winners' final once again saw Philip Köster taking on Victor Fernandez. The final, fittingly, proved to be one of the heats of the contest as both men saved their best until last. Köster came out with all guns blazing right from the word go as he launched into a massive double forward directly in front of the judges. Fernandez didn't have the ideal start as he fell on a stalled forward, however after a quick equipment change he was soon back out and absolutely ripping. Despite landing an absolutely colossal one-handed one footed backloop, several perfect goiters and a double forward of his own, there was nothing the Spaniard could do to stop the eighteen year old from marching to victory for the second successive year. "I'm super stoked to win in Pozo for the third time of my life. Luckily for me I sailed my best heat of the competition in the final against Victor. He was pulling off great moves and trying some crazy stuff like goiter-takas, said Philip. Clearly not content with his earlier perfect double forward loop Köster wasted little time in setting the record straight as he launched into a spectacular planing double forward. From this point on the wonder kid was unstoppable. Daida Ruano Moreno successfully defeated Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne) to set up another all Moreno final against her sister Iballa. Both women crashed their opening backloops as they battled to hold on to their three-meter sails. Daida soon settled into her rhythm though as she landed a brilliant stalled forward and a super tweaked pushloop to put the pressure on her sister. Iballa responded with an awesome tabletop forward but she couldn't quite link together her waves as she tried to land goiters and wave 360s. It was quickly revealed that the Moreno twins would have to sail again to settle the title once and for all. As we headed into the super final you could feel the tension building both on the beach and on the water. Iballa settled her nerves straight away with a perfectly executed pushloop, whilst Daida hit back like the true champion she is by delivering a textbook backloop and a super brave stalled forward in the nuclear winds. Iballa though was concentrating solely on her own heat and she soon launched into an amazing frontside aerial, which was the best turn of the day, bar none, to edge ahead in an otherwise inseparable encounter. Daida responded with her own trademark backside aerials and super tweaked pushloop, but it wasn't enough to stop Iballa from reigning supreme as she landed an astronomical backloop to become the first person in thirteen years to steal the Pozo crown from Daida‘s claws, and in doing so, Iballa, created her own piece of windsurfing history. "I'm really, really happy. I feel like I sailed a really good heat, I was maybe a little lucky and Daida was sailing amazing as always, but when I'm on the water I don't compete against her, I compete against myself", says Iballa. Results After Double Elimination - Men's Wave Results After Double Elimination - Women's Wave
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