The finals of the Movistar Kiteboarding World Cup 2007 in Isla Margarita, Venezuela closed a huge success, with last year’s top seeds going for glory once again, lead by current world champ Aaron Hadlow.
The fifth and final day of the Movistar Kiteboarding World Cup 2007 in Isla Margarita, organized by Victor Martins of Windsurf Paradise & Hotel Coche Paradise and Ricardo Farr of Dynapro, kicked off with a huge crowd lining the beach cheering for their favorite riders under brilliant sunny skies. The wind was noticeably lighter during the morning but gradually picked up during the afternoon competition, forcing most of the riders to take out their larger kites. As the day wore on, the wind started to back off again but left enough to run the Best Trick competition.
The competition got started around 12 pm with round four of the women’s doubles. Ania Grzelinska (North, Poland) took to the water first, fresh from her three straight wins yesterday, going up against British rider Jo Wilson (Naish). Grzelinska showed a lot of surface pass tricks delivering a raley to wrapped, raley to blind, back to wrapped and front to blind while Jo nailed a raley to cling and a big downloop to blind, but it was not enough to win against the surging Grzelinska.
Round seven of the men’s doubles followed, thrilling the fans on the beach with a very close fight between #3 Youri Zoon (Slingshot, Netherlands) and #4 Alvaro Onieva (Best, Spain) who both displayed an arsenal of tricks. Zoon landed more tricks overall but repeated some moves, such as slim chances and front mobes, while trying to go for a double pass. Onieva gave more variety and ample switch moves, including a regular and switch slim chance, a nice mobe 5 and a huge blind judge 3, to secure the win in the quarterfinals.
Grzelinska then faced off against 6th ranked Karolina Winkowska (Naish, Poland) in the fifth round riding well with raley to wrapped, raley to blind and front to blind. However, Winkowska’s superb airpasses and amazing powered moves proved hard to beat. Karolina, who was coming on strong last year, has definitely been doing her training over the winter, unleashing a big L3, a raley to blind, a powered blind judge and front and back to blind, to advance to the semifinals.
Onieva, who has been on a winning rampage since round four, went head-to-head with Ruben Lenten (Slingshot, Netherlands) in Heat #33. The lighter winds favored Onieva’s “skate” riding style and he was able to thrill the crowds with his excellent kiteboarding skills, superior technical riding and well rounded repertoire of switch moves. He impressed the judges and his fans with an awesome and incredibly smooth front mobe to blind, mobe to wrapped and regular and switched slim chances. Lenten, as always, provided some good show stoppers by riding fast and powered, but lacked some switch moves which proved to be his downfall.
In an alternating fashion, the semifinals of the women’s doubles hit the water next with Winkowska charging and delivering her impressive, big moves against Gisela Pulido (Slingshot, Spain). Karolina landed a powered mobe and L3, but crashed a 313 and blind judge, losing her edge over the heat. Young Gisela, only thirteen but training since she was six and riding since she was eight, was able to answer back, her experience paying off for her. She wowed the beach and her fellow riders with a big 313, a blind judge and a slim chance as well as a back to blind to secure the win and a spot in the finals.
It was obvious that Onieva had his “Wheeties” for breakfast with a side of “fire in the belly” to continue his charge to meet up with Aaron Hadlow (Flexifoil, UK) in the finals. In a bid for the right to face the reigning champion for the top podium position, Onieva nailed down a mobe to wrapped, front mobe, regular and switch slim chance, KGB and a slim chance to blind in the dying seconds to beat his competitor Kevin Langeree (Naish, Netherlands) in the semifinals. Langeree went for his big moves but came unstuck on front mobe 5 and mobe 7 attempts. He started with a huge front mobe and late pass mobe but struggled a bit with the failing wind, opening the door for Onieva.
Finally, the lighter winds and successive heats made Alvaro’s luck run out against Hadlow. Aaron, determined to start the new year out with a win under his belt, nailed a slim chance 3, regular and switched KGB and slim chance, front mobe to blind and mobe 5. Onieva’s steam had run out though, and although he delivered a nice mobe and front mobe, his kite angle was higher and overall he displayed less speed and power, allowing Aaron to claim the top podium spot and start the 2007 World Cup in the #1 position once again.
The women’s finals provided the crowds much excitement and nailbiting suspense going into a winner’s double elimination heat. Pulido won the first round of the women’s doubles final with some solid moves landing a 313, slim chance and front and back to blind against Bruna Kajiya (Best, Brazil). Bruna was a bit underpowered with a smaller kite and only managed clean landings on a blind judge, raley to blind and back to blind while crashing her attempts for an S-bend 1 and NIS. In round two though, with lesson learned, Bruna came back charging with a larger kite, throwing down a beautiful powered and low kite angled non-inverted slim chance, 313, S-bend 1, blind judge, raley to wrapped, and back to blind. Pulido went for a variety of superb technical moves, nailing a slim chance, 313 and front mobe, but a higher kite angle and slower entry/exit speeds to her tricks gave the edge to Kajiya and the coveted top spot on the podium.
After a short rest period, the Best Trick/Big Air competition got under way with three heats for the men and one for the women. Heat #1 for the men consisted of Hadlow, Zoon, Villemarque, Court, Lenten and Schitzhofer, while Heat #2 consisted of Langeree, Onieva, Chatwell, Estrado and Jesus Fernandez. Advancing out of the first heat were Hadlow and Lenten, who gave outstanding performances, while Langeree and Chatwell were the victors of heat two. Hadlow slam dunked a front mobe 6 earning first place. Langeree displayed his skill using a one-hand Hasselhoff for the second place while Lenten earned the third spot with a tail grab mobe. The women’s competition consisted of Pulido, Grzelinska, Wilson, Peral, Kajiya and Schibevaag. Pulido grabbed the top spot with a slim chance, Grzelinska won second place with a 720 front tail slide surface handle pass and Wilson’s kiteloop earned her third place.
An award for the Most Improved Rider went to Rocky Chatwell (Crazyfly, US) who received an H2O Audio waterproof iPod case. The PKRA is proud to announce that H2O Audio is the 2007 PKRA Kiteboard World Cup product sponsor. H2O Audio manufactures waterproof housing for Apple iPod Nano 1st Gen and 2nd Gen. The waterproof iPod case is submersible up to 10ft/3m (when paired with H2O Audio Waterproof Headphones). Commanderâ„¢ Scroll Wheel allows function of the iPod Click Wheel in the water or while wearing a glove. It comes with the LatchTightâ„¢ locking system, SealTightâ„¢ connector (compatible with standard 3.5mm headphone plugs) and Sport Armband.
Men’s Double Elimination Final Results:
1) Aaron Hadlow (Flexifoil, UK)
2) Alvaro Onieva (Best, Spain)
3) Kevin Langeree (Naish, Netherlands)
4) Ruben Lenten (Slingshot, Netherlands)
Women’s Double Elimination Final Results:
1) Bruna Kajiya (Best, Brazil)
2) Gisela Pulido (Slingshot, Spain)
3) Karolina Winkowska (Naish, Poland)
4) Jo Wilson (Naish, UK)
Men’s Best Trick/Big Air Results:
1) Aaron Hadlow (Flexifoil, UK)
2) Kevin Langeree (Naish, Netherlands)
3) Ruben Lenten (Slingshot, Netherlands)
Women’s Best Trick/Big Air Results:
1) Gisela Pulido (Slingshot, Spain)
2) Ania Grzelinska (North, Poland)
3) Jo Wilson (Naish, UK)
H2O Audio Most Improved Rider Award:
Rocky Chatwell (Crazyfly, US)