Just got back from the beach after an action packed day here Lanzarote! after it looking so unpromosing this morning with all the signs saying it wasnt going to happen today it was quite a shock that straight after lunch it filled in perfectly. I was in the second heat so rushed straight out on my 5.4 Simmer Blacktip. The heats were 7 minutes with the best 3 moves on each side counting with a maximum of 6 attempts!
Before I knew it I was at the upwind buoy wishing I had my 5.1. I was up against the German Adrian Beholz G-888 who has had some good results this year including a 2nd place at the efpt in Leucate. I sailed a solid heat opening with a massive shaka that I was pretty happy with and found myself looking for my watch at the end with a few minutes left after I had done all my moves so I threw in a no handed flaka, must of been at bit to far downwind though as all three of the judges wrote it down as 1 handed!! We knew it was close as we were stood waiting by the elimination board for ages. It was then announced that Beholz had advanced on a tie break decision. I ran to check the score sheets and what happens when its tied is they take the best score from the technical difficulty points above the other scores so even though I had more style points he passed the heat. Throughout the day the difference between the guys winning and losing was mostly the ability to do the moves even when they are hardly planing! I can do those moves when im fully powered on 4.8 but definitely havent been training them enough in crap conditions!!
Bubble was up against his team mate the Brazilian Ian Mouro Lemos. Straight away you could tell Bubble was overpowered on 5.3 and struggling to make the moves quick enoughwhere as Ian on his 4.9 was flying round some of his! It was pretty close but the decision went with Mouro Lemos!!!
Main upset in the first round was young Bonnare hot shot Bjorn Saragoza knocking out current tour leader Taty Frans!! Saragoza advanced until the last 8 when he then met Canadian champ and good friend of mine Philip Soltysiak (or Saltysack as we call him) Saltysack was on fire after just knocking out local boy Antxon Oetagui at his home spot. He sailed the heat of the contest so far against Saragoza and completely nailed all his moves including Culos, Burners, konos and a triple flaka!!! For me it was more exciting watching Phil on fire and clearly winning the heat than any of the England matches this world cup!! I almost felt that he was on my team and we were winning!!
On the other side of the draw in the fight to get to the last 4 was Steven Van Broekhoven up against Tonky Frans. For us sitting on the beach it looked pretty close but I we were all certain that Steven had won the heat. Next thing we know Tonky is heading back out to sail in the semi final and Steven Is pretty angry walking over to the judges box. Steven was annoyed that in the split decision two of the judges had missed named one of his moves and when questioning them it turned out that they didnt even know what it was!!!!!! To be fair this "skopu" that he did land was a bit sketchy but still eveyone was a bit shocked by the decision. This Meant it was Gollito, Kiri, Tonky and Saltysack left in the battle for the top however the wind dropped leaving this heated battle for the morning!!!
On the ladies front Laure Treboux was looking super stylish as per usual and after passing Nayra alonso in a close heat she was then up against current womens chap Sarah Quita Offringa!! Due to Laures seeding she was unlucky to get Sarah this early on. Sarah won the heat looking as dominating as ever to the be up against the Venezuelan Yoli de Brendt! Because the wind had dropped by this point again another battle that will have to wait until the morning.
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