"It was sooo windy!" - if even a pozo local like Alexia Kiefer says that, then there must be something to it. In contrast to yesterday, the wind had picked up again and some of the ladies had a two in the sail size. The waves were also visibly better than yesterday at times, a perfect stage for the final heats in wave riding!
The new, somewhat surprisingly introduced competition mode of the PWA ensures that there is no real second round and that the winners are fixed after the finals (We have summarised the mode here). The semi-finals with three riders were particularly close and incredibly exciting - it seems that the format really manages to push the best riders and offer media-effective sport.
Semi-finals are hugely important
In her first heat of the day, Lina Erpenstein was up against Sarah-Quita Offringa, whose extremely high score of over 21 points put the Chilean winner out of contention. Alexia Kiefer, who had already won against Lina yesterday, won her four-man heat again ahead of Pauline Katz. So everyone was safe in the semi-finals, while Belgian prodigy Sol Degrieck had to go into the Redemption Round, where the losers of the quarter-finals meet for a second chance. Degrieck took the win ahead of Maria Morales, who fell a little short of expectations.
Lina Erpenstein then faced Alexia Kiefer again in the semi-finals, this time with the better outcome for Lina. "I knew that this was a very important heat and that anyone could actually beat me," said Lina afterwards. If you lose here, you can't do better than fifth place; if you win, you still have a chance of winning. Sol Degrieck had no chance without backloop and pushloop, these moves make the difference at this level. Even though Alexia came within 0.1 points in the meantime, Lina did not let her place in the final slip away. Maria Morales then flashed her skills in the other semi-final, but it wasn't enough against Sarah-Quita Offringa.
Lina Erpenstein on course for the World Cup
Offringa was clearly aiming to follow in the footsteps of the Moreno twins and claim her first victory in Pozo. Daida and Iballa have had a firm grip on Pozo for the last twenty years, SQ is their obvious successor and lived up to her role as favourite. "I've always wanted to win here, the conditions are extremely challenging," she said afterwards. "You're racing against yourself more than against anyone else."
With three massive jumps, she immediately made her claim clear in the final, with Lina coming within striking distance later on with an outstanding wave. But to beat Offringa, everything simply has to be perfect, and in the end Lina was just over one point short. But with the victory in Chile and this second place behind her, Lina is now the first contender for the World Championship title - especially as the Fiji event was apparently cancelled during the course of the day. Alexia Kiefer then won the small final against Maria Morales, her second podium in a row after second place in Chile.
Stillrich injury overshadows the day
Two of the top favourites, Philip Köster and Ricardo Campello, took to the water in the first heat of the day after having to wait more than an hour for better waves. Campello, motivated to the tips of his hair thanks to his celebrity sponsor, was also able to progress with a second place, while Köster started the day with a ten-point double loop. Three jumps on the first shot and 24 points after just three minutes showed that Köster was back in full swing.
However, Campello faltered in the following rounds: While his opponents Liam Dunkerbeck, Robby Swift and Alessio Stillrich fired off three double loops in the first minute, the 2023 World Championship runner-up failed to get into the heat. Although he worked his way up, he ultimately had to settle for third place behind Dunkerbeck and Swift. The spectacular highlight was a massive one-footed front loop from Liam, which was intended as a back loop but turned into a forward loop due to a gust in the air. This heat was overshadowed by a serious foot injury to Alessio Stillrich. The German-Canario broke a bone in his foot during an unsuccessful landing and had to be taken to hospital.
Sensational performances by Julian Salmonn and Marino Gil
In the redemption heat, Campello would have had the chance to reach the semi-finals after all. However, as is so often the case, his nerves failed him in the end against Julian Salmonn and Dieter van der Eyken, who both showed very deliberate and focussed heats. Salmonn, on the other hand, stayed in the flow and went on to win his semi-final against none other than locals Philip Köster and Liam Dunkerbeck. Campello said afterwards in tears that he didn't yet know whether this would be his last event. For now, he wanted to fly home and look forward to becoming a father soon.
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Van der Eyken, on the other hand, was defeated by Marino Gil Gherardi, who rode like he was unleashed. Last year's runner-up had once again visibly improved and drove like he was from another planet. In the final, Marino faced Julian Salmonn, who was unable to hold on to his interim lead. Although "save" doesn't quite cover the performance, both showed spectacular moves right up to the final signal. If Salmonn had pulled off another double loop, he would have been able to catch Gil again. But the sensation was perfect, the man from Tenerife in Giessen showed that he hadn't knocked out Brawzinho by chance yesterday: "I can't describe it yet," he said afterwards, overwhelmed. "I had two years of bad results here, for this year I worked out what I needed and knew that with good waves I could get a long way to the front!"
I've never been this close before!" (Philip Köster on his attempt at a triple loop)
Tripple loop attempt by Philip Köster
And where Julian Salmonn lacks one rotation, Philip Köster has one more than everyone else - at least almost: in the heat for third place, Köster actually set off on a triple loop. Even though it was only two rotations and two thirds in the end, the spectators on land erupted in loud cheers, which even his opponent Dieter van der Eyken heard on the water. "I've never been this close before, I just lacked a bit of height," said Köster afterwards.
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