2024 Fuerte PWA WC Tag 7

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Am siebten Tag des 2024 Fuerteventura PWA World Cups kehrten die berüchtigten Winde von Fuerteventura zurück und sorgten für einen spannenden Renntag. Fünf Eliminations für die Damen und drei Eliminations für die Herren wurden bei Windböen von über 35 Knoten am Ende des Nachmittags ausgetragen. Am Ende des zweiten Renntages ist der Abstand zwischen den Führenden der Damen- und Herrenfleet im Foil-Slalom fast unüberwindbar, aber nach dem aktuellen Stand der Dinge führen Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / S2Maui) und Daniele Benedetti (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) die Übernacht-Rangliste an.

Foil Slalom Women’s

Justine Lemeteyer started the day behind overnight leader, Marion Mortefon (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) by 5.6 points, however, after a further 5 races today the reigning Slalom vice-world champion leapfrogs Mortefon to lead the event after sailing out of her skin today. Lemeteyer signed off yesterday by winning the last elimination of the day and she continued her rich vein of form today as she rattled off four bullets from the five races completed, while in Elimination 7 she did unbelievably well to fight her way back into third place, which could yet prove pivotal as if she had finished fourth, she wouldn’t currently be leading the event, such are the minuscule margins at the top of the rankings. Lemeteyer closes the day with a 0.3 of a point lead over Mortefon. Lemeteyer’s top speed was the real killer today, which she used to her maximum disposal, as she set a new personal best on the foil of 31 knots.

Mortefon was almost unstoppable on the opening day of racing and she sailed well again today, but she could’t quite get the better of Lemeteyer in the significantly stronger winds. The 33-year-old still recorded an excellent set of results today consisting of a bullet, three thirds and a fourth, which she currently discards - and there is very much all still to play for over the remaining days of the contest.

Mortefon and Lemeteyer have dominated the Foil Slalom thus far and it looks as though it will be a two horse race between them as Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails), who is in a clear third place, is 10.2 points behind Morton and 10.5 points behind Lemeteyer. Alabau has been extremely consistent through the opening nine eliminations, only finishing outside the top three once, but hasn’t managed to land that killer bullet to keep herself in contention for the event title.

Elsewhere, Alisa Engelmann (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), who only started windsurfing two or three years ago, gains a few places from the overnight rankings, which sees the German rise from seventh to fourth in the overalls. Engelmann impressed with her gybing as she continually gained an advantage through the turns, while in her debut event, she never finished outside the top five today, while recording a second and a third place. The top five is currently completed by Maya Morris (Future Fly), but only one point separates the Israeli and Jenna Gibson (Duotone Windsurfing / F4 Foils), who enjoyed a much better second day.

Men’s Mover of the Day

Pierre Mortefon (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) started the day ranked just outside of the overall top ten - 11th - after an indifferent start in yesterday’s lighter winds, but the Frenchman hit back with a vengeance today to gain nine places from the overnight rankings, which sees the 35-year-old finish the day tied on 9.4 points with overnight leader - Daniele Benedetti (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails).

Mortefon rattled off back-to-back bullets in Elimination 3 and 4 - the second of which required a textbook gybe at the last to deny Alexis Mathis (Tabou / GA Sails) a maiden bullet - to briefly lead the event by 2.3 points, but Benedetti was able to strike back to regain the event lead on countback after the Italian claimed his second bullet of the event in Elimination 5 to keep himself on track to challenge for a maiden event victory on the World Tour. Benedetti is also now the only sailor to be able to boast a 100% qualifying record for winners’ finals!

However, fellow Italian, Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails), is right on the heels of the top two, and just 1.3 points separate himself, Benedetti and Mortefon at the close of proceedings, so there is all still to play for. Iachino is able to discard an eleventh place from yesterday’s second elimination after recording an extremely consistent set of results today with a second and two fourth places.

Like Mortefon, Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) endured a topsy turvy day yesterday, but the Croatian bounced back today to rise from twelfth into fourth place after qualifying for every winners’ final on the second day of racing. However, things could’ve been even better for Marotti as he led the fourth elimination heading into the first gybe, but unfortunately breached the fin, which saw him eventually finish sixth in that particular race, while he crashed over the start line in the winners’ final of Elimination 5.

Alexis Mathis is another sailor to have shot up the rankings at the end of the second day of racing. The Frenchman started the day in fourteenth, but he flies into fifth place after the completion of Elimination 5. As previously mentioned, the 22-year-old, was on the verge of securing a maiden bullet on the World Tour only to be denied by Mortefon at the last.

Having started the day in third place, Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails / Z-Foils) - slips three places to sixth. The Bonairean completed a hat-trick of sorts he probably didn’t particularly desire as he won three b-finals in a row to secure ninth place in Eliminations 2-4, which is no mean feat, but having started to the event so strongly, and last year, he would’ve certainly held higher aspirations. The 30-year-old qualified for his second winners’ final of the week in Elimination 5, but realistically he now only harbours outside hopes of a podium finish here.

Like Vrieswijk, Michele Becker (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils) loses a bit of ground from the overnight rankings - 6th to 8th. The German has qualified for the top eight on four out of five occasions thus far as he continues to show remarkable consistency, however, the German, who is renowned for his excellent gybing, dropped off the foil at crucial moments today, which cost him on a couple of occasions.

The top ten is currently completed by; Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde), who rises from 16th to eighth, Thomas Goyard (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils), who moves into the top 10 - 9th - after qualifying for two winners’ finals today, while winning the b-final in Elimination 5, and Jordy Vonk (Duotone Windsurfing), who slides five places from fifth to tenth.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s high flyers, Noah Vinther (JP / NeilPryde) and Fabian Wolf (Starboard / Severne Sails), who started proceedings in second and eighth place, both lose their place in the current top ten - finishing the day ranked 13th and 12th respectively - as the usual suspects start to make their greater consistency count and steadily rise up the rankings.

The forecast for Thursday looks the windiest of the remaining three days of the event, so it’s highly likely that we will see Foil Slalom replaced by the fins with Slalom X, however, that result will be made in the morning. The sailors will meet again at 10am (GMT+1) tomorrow morning with a first possible start at 11am.

Current Ranking Fuerteventura PWA World Cup - Women’s Foil Slalom
*After 9 Eliminations (2 Discards)

1st Justine Lemeteyer (FRA | FMX Racing / S2Maui)
2nd Marion Mortefon (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)
3rd Blanca Alabau (ESP | Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Alisa Engelmann (GER | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)
5th Maya Morris (ISR | Future Fly) Current Ranking Fuerteventura PWA World Cup - Men’s Foil Slalom
*After 5 Eliminations (1 Discard)

1st Daniele Benedetti (ITA | FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
2nd Pierre Mortefon (FRA | Phantom / Phantom Sails | Phantom Foils)
3rd Matteo Iachino (ITA | Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Enrico Marotti (CRO | JP / NeilPryde)
5th Alexis Mathis (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)
6th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Severne Sails / Z-Foils)
7th Michele Becker (GER | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)
8th Nico Prien (GER | JP / NeilPryde)
9th Thomas Goyard (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails / PATRIK Foils)
10th Jordy Vonk (NED | Duotone Windsurfing)
Result Fuerteventura PWA World Cup - Women’s Freestyle

1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Oda Brødholt (NOR | Starboard / Severne Sails)
3rd Maaike Huvermann (NED | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
4th Lisa Kloster (GER | MB Boards / Sailloft Hamburg)
5th Elena Dominick (GER | Severne / Severne Sails)
6th Lina Schmied (AUT | GUNSAILS)
Result Fuerteventura PWA World Cup - Men’s Freestyle

1st Lennart Neubauer (GRE | Starboard / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Adrien Bosson (FRA | Duotone Windsurfing / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
4th Balz Müller (SUI | Severne / Severne Sails)
5th Sam Esteve (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
6th Youp Schmit (NB | Tabou / GA Sails)
7th Jacopo Testa (ITA | WeOne / Point-7 / AL360)
7th Antony Ruenes (FRA | Tabou / GA Sails)
9th Steven Van Broeckhoven (BEL | Starboard / GUNSAILS)
9th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Severne Sails)
9th Nicolas Akgazciyan (FRA | JP / NeilPryde)
9th Antoine Albert (NC | Goya Windsurfing)