Day 5: Radical wave riding, extreme jumps and colossal crashes ensured the emotions were running high as nuclear winds powered the sailors through the double elimination.
Fifty knots of wind and pounding waves provided the perfect conditions for an action packed double elimination. The judges announced the heats would be twelve minutes long, and the best three jumps and two wave rides would decide the sailor’s fate. With the opportunity to improve their overall scores, the competitors were ready and waiting for the judges to drop the green flag and take to the water on their 3.3 meter sails.
Women's Fleet
The women’s fleet took to the water when the wind was reaching its peak, however they didn’t let the challenging conditions prevent them from busting their moves.
Fanny Aubet (JP / NeilPryde) disposed of Andrea Geierspichler, with her slick wave riding, but fell victim to Alice Arutkin’s (Starboard / North) forward loops in the second round.
Laure Treboux (Fanatic / North) also advanced through her initial heat passed Justyna Sniady by landing super tweaked table tops, and making the most of the waves in front of the judge’s tower. Evi Tsape (F2 / North) was ready and waiting in heat 46 and she wasn’t going to let Treboux spoil her day, Tsape charged ahead with a number of clean aerials.
Karin Jaggi (Patrik / Severne) and Tsape were the standout sailors of the double elimination. Both women ploughed through three heats, defeating their opponent’s with their controlled jumps and wave rides in the howling winds. The women will go head to head tomorrow morning, to determine who will move forward to face Silvia Alba Orozco and who will finish in sixth place.
The sailors were released at 7pm due to the retreating wind and waves. The Pozo wind machine is forecast to step it up yet another notch for the final day of competition. Make sure you tune into the live ticker for the skippers meeting at 9am for more insane action as the sailors approach the final heats of the competition. The first possible start to competition is at 9:30am.
