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Aloha classic day2
9th November – day 2
In the second day of the Chilli Aloha Classic the action has continued to flow, delivering another perfect day of world class windsurfing at Ho’okipa. We have now reached the semi finals in both the men’s and the women’s competition, after a series of loaded heats and dramatic action from both fleets.
After some tense moments in the ‘Chilli Pit’ holding area the quarter finalists discovered their fate. In the men’s Bjorn Dunkerbeck E-11 (F2, Neil Pryde), Josh Angulo US-11 (RRD) , trialist Rush Randle US-321 and current number one Francisco Goya A-211(Fanatic, North) have made it through.In the women’s contest Daida Moreno E-64 (Mistral, North), Angela Farrel US-21, Motoko Kobayashi J-0 and Tsugumi Takagi J-101 passed through to the semi’s.The men’s competition begun with man on man sailing. The best two from each heat going through. Sailors scoring for two waves and one jump. Jason Polakow KA-1111 (JP Australia, Neil Pryde) came up against Kevin Pritchard US-3 (Bic, Gaastra).
Despite some excellent wave selection from Kevin it was Jason that made it. Jason powered along the waves and finished the heat with a 360, landing on the face and continuing on his way.
Jason: ” Tough heat. I knew I had to sail well against Kevin (Pritchard). I had a couple of nice turns but I had a lot of waves that shut down on me. I guess the judges gave me the points because I was a little bit more aggressive. I was lucky I think.”
Jason’s push loop may have been a deciding factor in the heat.
Last years world champion Bjorn Dunkerbeck has displayed his full colours today and dispatched Jesse Brown USA-55.Josh Angulo US-11 (RRD) took extraordinary measures to try and remove legend Robby Naish US-1111 (Mistral, Naish) from the equation. Going for an aerial off the lip he came down to discover Robby in his path. He need not have bothered as both went through to the quarter finals.
Buddies Kevin Ponchitera US-006 (F2, Arrows) and Jason Stone USA-7 (Neil Pryde) found themselves sailing against each other in a battle for quarter final positions.
Kevin: ”I sail here every day and often with Jason. If there was one heat that I wanted to win this was it. It was the one heat that mattered. I’ve never got this far in a contest before and it feels good!”
In the first quarter final Bjorn Dunkerbeck displaced wave supremo Jason Polakow.
Bjorn: ”It wasn’t super radical but at least I managed to connect the waves through and I guess that made the difference. Jason was unlucky; he had a couple of half waves that didn’t connect all the way through. With longer heats It’s good to have the time to select the right waves. I think I found four good waves and only need two so no problems there.”Bjorn, winner of last years overall wave title now faces one of the key contenders in pursuit of the title in 2000, Francisco Goya. Josh Stone USA-6 (JP Australia, Neil Pryde) was as fluid as ever and rode with style. However it was not enough to hold back Goya.
Cisco: ”I put winning to the side in my mind and my goal out there was to put on as good a show as possible for all the people who have been watching here all day. It was a pretty tactical heat and hard to find waves. You didn’t want to be too far in and if you were too far out you miss priority on the waves.”
In the second quarter final the conditions became light. Kevin Ponichtera hooked a rail taking a huge wipe out whilst Robby Naish also suffered a nasty blow to the head, later receiving several stitches. Kevin and Robby both missed out on a place in the semi finals, leaving Josh Angulo and Rush Randle to advance.
In the opening women’s heats Jennifer Henderson US-7 (RRD) and Angela Farrel US-21 rode the waves with winning top and bottom turns, both advancing.
As the opening heats were complete the wind increased and the scoring was changed to include one jump together with two wave rides. Colette Guadagnino V-711 (JP Australia, Neil Pryde) capitalised on the new judging format.
Colette: ” I was unfortunate on the waves, I picked a couple that closed out on me. I did two forwards and I think that together with some of my wave riding took me through.”Angela Farrel US-21 (Simmer) had a meeting with the rocks, forced to abandon her equipment and clamber over the point. As she ran back to the beach her caddy handed a new rig to Angela and she blasted back out to the contest zone. Despite the mishap Angela recovered, completing a forward loop, the only jump in the heat to take her through.
The winner of last years women’s title, Iballa Moreno E-63 (Mistral, North) is unable to compete due to a foot injury. With Iballa out of the running it is falling to her twin sister Daida E-64 (Mistral, North) to represent the family. Daida won the last PWA wave contest and is looking equally strong in the Chilli Aloha Classic. Determined and powerful jumps helped to take Daida through to the semi finals.
As dusk drew in on the second day of the Chilli Aloha Classic there is no doubt of the level that is on display here. The world best gathered for the most prestigious of titles.
All the latest news from the Chilli Aloha Classic can be viewed on http://www.world-windsurfing.com together with pictures from Ho’okipa.
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