Bjorn Dunkerbeck has conquered the 2011 PWA World Slalom Windsurfing title, in Turkey. The tension could be cut with a knife as the sailors prepared their equipment for the final showdown on Alacati’s azure water.
As the men entered the final day, the event title was in reach of any of the top five. However having led the fleet for the whole week, Bjorn Dunkerbeck was in the most secure place to take the win, as was Karin Jaggi in the women’s fleet.
"It has been a very successful year for me, my Starboards and my Severne Reflexes have been going really fast. We have been working for three years on a sail that can win competitions, and so far I won four firsts and a second so its mission accomplished", said an emotional Dunkerbeck.
"With one competition to go I am the world champion, it’s been a while. This is my fourth sail maker, I won my first title in 1988 with F2, I won lots with NeilPryde, then a couple with North and this is my first victory with Severne sails so that makes me really happy".
"It has been a tough week, but the fast course has suited me really well, I had a few crashes but overall it went smoothly. The wind has been fantastic this week and Alacati has shown itself to be an amazing spot."
Albeau started the week in twelfth, however a stellar set of races from the many times world champion allowed him to plough his way through the ranks and onto the podium. Albeau secured a third and a fourth place finish in today’s racing, but it wasn’t enough to block Dunkerbeck from taking the title.
“The first day was a total disaster, I fell a lot and some people crashed into me and I think that really affected my overall result. In the end I managed to make every final but, even in the last finals I spun out at the last gybe and that never happens", tells Albeau.
"I have missed out at this event, I made the podium but I am not sure how. But overall I am pretty happy I have been going fast and I had some great starts and I have been competing."
In Women's fleet, Jaggi opened the day’s competition with a huge lead on the rest of her opponents on the results ladder. She would only need to qualify for the winners’ final to secure the competition win.
Eager to finish on a high Jaggi stole the show in the elimination ten winners’ final with an amazing gybe at the third mark, allowing her to overtake a flying Sarah-Quita Offringa who had led the fleet up until that point.
"I had an easy last day out here, I knew that I only needed a sixth place finish to win the event. I managed to win the very first race so it was a relaxing day from then on. I am really stoked to have won here; it’s my second time that I have won in Alacati. It’s not my favorite conditions as it’s so flat and often really light but we have had some great wind this week, I am really happy with the results", says Karin Jaggi.