PWA Podersdorf summary
The PWA in Podersdorf 2012, was again a well organised event with lot’s of spectators visiting the scene everyday combined with a good and warm atmosphere. Apart from other years we’ve now had only warm days each and everyday. This time I brought lot’s of warm clothing even a snowboard pants and Jacket to keep me warm during the event. Needless to say with the forecast which provided only South East wind and really warm weather. I didn’t need any of that besides a few short and T-shirts.The first day was registration plannend and for me getting all the gear ready for the event. The second day of the event we’ve had some wind enough to complete four heats from the single elimination that day.
On the third day the actual forecast was great and in the morning the wind was all ready good for 5,3- 5,0 weather. As the wind direction was really offshore we had to compete far outside from the actual beach. This made it difficult to decide what gear to take as the wind was changing in strength too. Lot’s of riders organized a caddy with bigger or smaller gear, in case the wind changed, there was no time to get back to shore and swap sails nor boards. I decided to use my big Freestyle board the JP Freestyle 106 Pro and my 5.3 Neilpryde Firefly. This day I had to compete against Julien Mas F-07 from France. Last year I wasn’t able to compete, this also effected my seeding. I didn’t have seeding for 2012. This also means that I had to face a quite a tough, draw. But than again the level right now is so high from all riders so there are almost no easy rounds and anything can happened during the competition. Julien Mas progressed a lot last winter a strong rider and for sure I had to sail a good heat in order to pass him. On Porttack I started of with a high Shaka, bouncing of into a flaka this move field solid and gave me confidence for my second move a good Shovitspock 540 followed by a Ponsch. On starboard tack my best moves where a Ponsch, Burner and Double switch Chachoo. When nailing also the Ponsch over the other tack I had a good feeling that I won. My moves were solid, powerfull. Julien Mas was sailing good to but not as good as I saw him in free sailing, landing some moves a little wet.
When arriving back at the beach my teammate, who was watching the heat Yegor Popertinsky, told me that I won for sure and my next heat was against him. This could get a interesting heat too. As I was getting prepared I heard the news that not me but Julien passed? Julien was really surprised and glad advancing to next round??!! I was confused and asked the land crew if they might made a mistake giving not the right name? Went back to judging boat which took me another twenty minutes as the field was far from shore, all ready a little mad I stepped on to the boat. Received the scoring sheets and it noticed to little scoring at variety and technical difficulty?! All my moves were different apart from each other and technical difficulty was rated to low accordingly to the other judge who saw my heat too?! Normally I’m not that kind of person who’s starts to making a scene at the judging tower. Having factualy mistaken my moves which caused me to go out the first round was a big disappointment for me! The upcoming days I had to wait for the double ellimination to work my self back up in the ladder again.The weather was playing a game with everybody although the PWA Crew did there honest best trying to run the the double elimination but the wind didn’t seem to cooperate which resulted in one single counted elimination only for a final result. Like at every competition you have to give it all to succeed and to create a final good result. This year I’ve been training hard and as we have still three more events to go (with one discard) nothing is decided yet (Fuerteventura, Sylt and Vietnam), I hope we get to compete a lot combined with good conditions and I’m looking forward to the Worldcup in Fuerteventura.
Result PWA Podersdorf 2012
- Gllito Estredo V-10 Venuzuela
- Taty Frans NB-9 Bonaire
- Kiri Thode NB-61 Bonaire
- Steven van Broeckhoven B-72 Belgium
Photos: John Carter