Tiberias PWA World Cup Tag 3

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Tag 3 des 2021 Tiberias PWA World Cups erwies sich als der bisher aufregendste, als die Finnen versuchten, gegen die Foils bei den Herren zurückzuschlagen, während ein paar neue Gesichter bei den Damen ihre ersten Siege auf der World Tour einfuhren. Die Vorhersage hatte ähnliche Bedingungen wie gestern prognostiziert, aber das war nicht der Fall, denn die Windmaschine drehte noch eine Schippe drauf und sorgte mit Windböen von über 25 Knoten für einige spannende Rennen. Women’s Slalom Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) started the day with a perfect record, but an uncharacteristic mistake at the first buoy in Elimination 3 sees the Aruban lose the event lead, for now at least, to Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone). Offringa is usually almost faultless, but after ending up in the drink at the first she could only manage a 6th place - meaning Mortefon moves into a slender 0.4 point lead after the vice-world champion finished 3rd. However, after the next elimination, the discard comes into play and you would expect Offringa to discard that 6th place and more than likely regain the lead. Like Mortefon, Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui) is yet to finish outside of the top 3 in the opening 3 eliminations after another 3rd place today, which keeps her in 3rd place for now. We say for now, because Sarah Jackson (Fanatic / Duotone) closes to within 2.7 points of the reigning world champion after the Brit claimed a brilliant first bullet on the world tour. The 23-year-old has spent the last year training at home in Hayling Island, with former world tour legend Nik Baker acting as a mentor, and it is clearly paying dividends. Jackson started the event with her best result to date at that point - 4th - but went a few places better today and it didn’t look like a fluke. Jackson pinged the start and then showed more than enough straight-line speed to hold off a stern challenge from Cousin Questel entering the first, once safely round she looked determined to not let the opportunity slip through her grasp. After an understandably slightly stiff gybe at the last, Jackson, was then made to sweat it out as the wind dropped on the final reach meaning she had to pump for the line. Fist clenches and a few tears soon followed as the Brit claimed an emotional first win, which puts her in real contention for a shot at the podium come the end of the event. Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) remains in 5th place but now has Oda Brødholt (Starboard / Severne / Sails) and Sara Wennekes breathing down her neck.  Foil Two years ago - Helle Oppedal (Fanatic / Duotone) - finished 5th overall on the Foil PWA World Tour at just 17-years-old. Fast forward to today and the 19-year-old is celebrating her first bullet on the world tour after a quite brilliant performance in the second elimination, in which she showed tremendous straight-line speed and smooth gybes to power to a memorable first win, which won’t be her last if today's performance is anything to go by. The young Norwegian started the day in 6th, but rises into 3rd at the end of play.  Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL) continues to lead the event after following up her win yesterday with a solid third place today. The 29-year-old currently holds a 2.3 point advantage over Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foils) in second, whilst Oppedal is just 0.7 of a point further back, so there is still all to play for with two days to go. Local girl - Linoy Geva - falls one place to 4th after a 6th Elimination 2, whilst Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Starboard Foil), who missed out on the opening Winners’ Final, climbs 4 places to 5th after finishing second behind Oppedal.  The third elimination did begin, but after the completion of the semifinals, the decision was made to abandon the Foiling with massive gusts making the conditions too dangerous. You have to take your hats off though as most of the men were already switching to fins by that point. Men’s Slalom Nicolas Goyard (Phantom Boards / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) continues to steal the show in Israel as the 25-year-old maintains his perfect record at the end of Day 3. Not only has the Frenchman won all 4 eliminations completed so far, but he has also won every heat he has sailed, such has been his dominance. However, today the reigning Foil world champion was given his sternest test yet, particularly by Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil), who threw everything he had at Goyard in the quarters, semis and final of Elimination 4, in what proved to be a real grudge match between fin and foil. With neither man willing to give in, even in the qualifying rounds, it proved for thrilling viewing with the lead often changing hands. Ultimately, however, the transition speed of Goyard proved to be the difference as the efficiency of the foil again showed its hand.  However, on another day with the right gust, or perhaps if it could get even windier, then we could see the fins back on top as Iachino chased Goyard all the way to the line in the last elimination of the day. Goyard, who is now guaranteed to lead the event no matter what happens after the completion of the next race, due to the discard, currently holds a 5.9 point advantage at the top of the rankings. However, he has a new closest challenger in William Huppert (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL), who continues to excel on the foil. The Frenchman recorded his best ever result on day two with a superb second place, and he picked up where he left off today by securing another quite brilliant second, which he then followed up with a solid 4th. With the discard coming into play Huppert drops a 12th from the first day to climb another 5 places into second, and the 26-year-old looks set to lay down a real challenge for his first event podium as he currently holds a 6 point cushion over Iachino in 3rd.  Iachino began the day in 5th, but the Italian would miss out on his second Winners’ Final in 3 races for a less than ideal start. However, just like on the opening day, Iachino would pull it out of the bag to limit the damage by claiming 9th, whilst he sailed tremendously in Elimination 4, only narrowly missing out on his first bullet of the season as he took the fight to Goyard. That sees the vice-world champion rise into 3rd place and he looks ready to really attack in the last two days. Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL) slips one place to fourth, but he may count himself a little unfortunate after breaking his mast just before his semifinal heat in Elimination 4. Up to this point the reigning Slalom world champion had qualified for every Winners’ Final thus far, but with not much time to change equipment, Mortefon had to switch to his Foil setup - having been on his fin in the prior heats - and he just missed out on the final after finishing 5th. Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) will be left ruing a costly error in the dying stages of Elimination 3. The Pole was in a comfortable 3rd place in the Winner’s Final, but just metres from the finish line he wiped out, which saw him eventually finish 7th. If the 29-year-old could’ve held on he would now find himself in 3rd place, but instead drops from second at the start of the day to 5th, after also being disqualified from the Winners’ Final of Elimination 4 for a premature start. However, Rutkowski remains firmly in the hunt for the podium, whilst apart from Goyard, he is the only sailor who can still boast a 100% Winners’ Final qualifying record. Away from the top 5 - Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) - falls two positions to 6th, whilst Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point) regains a couple of places from the overnight rankings to end the day in 7th after registering his second 5th place of the week. Ingmar Daldorf (Tabou / GA Sails) remains in 8th, whilst Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Phantom Sails / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) slides from 7th to 9th. Mover of the Day Up until now, Mateus Isaac (Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil) had yet to make an impact with two disappointing quarterfinal exits in the first couple of days. However, today the Brazilian started to find his form - registering a 10th in Elimination 3, before signing off the day with an excellent 3rd, which propels the 27-year-old from 19th to 10th - making him the day's biggest mover.   Tomorrow is expected to be windy again and the sailors will meet at 1pm (GMT+3) for the skippers’ meeting with the action commencing from 2pm - conditions depending.  To stay up to date with all the latest developments from Israel — including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker simply click HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page. Current Ranking 2021 Tiberias PWA World Cup - Women’s Slalom
*After 3 Eliminations  1st Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone)
2nd Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
3rd Delphine Cousin Questel (FRA | FMX Racing / S2Maui)
4th Sarah Jackson (GBR | Fanatic / Duotone)
5th Blanca Alabau (ESP | Starboard / Severne Sails) Current Ranking 2021 Tiberias PWA World Cup - Women’s Foil
*After 2 Eliminations  1st Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
2nd Blanca Alabau (ESP | Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil)
3rd Helle Oppedal (NOR | Fanatic / Duotone)
4th Linoy Geva (ISR)
5th Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Starboard Foil) Current Ranking 2021 Tiberias PWA World Cup - Men’s Slalom
*After 4 Eliminations 1st Nicolas Goyard (FRA | Phantom Boards / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
2nd William Huppert (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
3rd Matteo Iachino (ITA | Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil)
4th Pierre Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL)
5th Maciek Rutkowski (POL | FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
6th Enrico Marotti (CRO | JP / NeilPryde)
7th Basile Jacquin (FRA | FMX Racing / Point-7)
8th Ingmar Daldorf (NED | Tabou / GA Sails)
9th Alexandre Cousin (FRA | Patrik / Phantom Sails / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils)
10th Mateus Isaac (BRA | Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil)