Two down and one to go
Portimao Windsurfing Worlds have delivered at the very last minute. After five days being patient paid off and we have our new Raceboard Masters and Formula Windsurfing world champions.
The raceboarders with a wind range allowing them to sail in much lighter conditions than the planning Formula Windsurfing class were able to complete 6 races during the course of the championship. Joao Rodrigues made the home crowd proud with a dominant performance:
“It is the first time I win such a big event in my home country, we had the RS:X Worlds and Europeans in Portugal, but it is the first time for me to be on the podium in such a big event at home. Very nice. The raceboard comes natural to me. The sails are so light and it is amazing to pump and feel it going effortlessly, so I was having a lot of fun. My equipment was just perfect and I felt very good during the races.”
Curro Manchon (ESP) was second ahead of Juha Blinnikka (FIN) and Jorge Garcia Velazco (ARG). The latter two battling out until the very last race and ending up on equal points.
Over at the Formula Windsurfing class it was much more tricky. With only two races in before the final day everybody was holding their fingers crossed for a final race to validate the championship. And it came. With just an hour short of the last possible warning signal the wind arrived. It was another bullet for Steve Allen, who is now the new World Champion – and a happy one:
“It’s been a had long week and most of it has been a waiting game. We had to really focus because we knew we were not going to get many races in. I was just trying to stay calm and keep my head in the game. We were lucky to get that last race in at the very last minute. It is not the first time this has happened here in Portimao, so it seems to be that sort of location that delivers in the very end.
All in all I’m very stoked. In the last few years in Formula Windsurfing I’ve been close a number of times, taking second place three or four times over the last years. Missing just by a point here and there. So here I’m very happy to get that last race in and make it official.”
Alexander Cousin and Janis Preiss came in second and third respectively.
But it is not over yet! With the Formula Windsurf Foil starting the championship tomorrow Portimao still has some races to deliver. And I’m sure it will. Stay tuned.