Offringa and Mortefon win in Pozo Izquierdo and lead the World Cup in Slalom X
➢ The Aruban and the Frenchman riders are the first windsurfers to be crowned in the new PWA discipline
➢ The Grancanarian Alexia Kiefer is crowned U21 women’s champion after defeating María Morales from Tenerife in the final tiebreaker
Santa Lucía de Tirajana, 07 July 2024. Pozo Izquierdo reserved the last day of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup 2024 for the final eliminatory rounds of Slalom X, with winds reaching up to 30 knots, in both the men’s and women’s categories. This last race determined the first podiums of the new PWA discipline, especially the second and third places, as both the Aruban Sarah-Quita Offringa and the Frenchman Pierre Mortefon had already secured the top spot in Slalom X due to their significant points lead.
During this thrilling final day in Pozo Izquierdo, the last eliminatory round of the men’s Slalom X category took place this morning, consisting of four heats. There was a bit of drama when Polish competitor Maciek Rutkowski had a false start in the last heat, causing him to lose his second place on the podium to Italian Matteo Iachino.
With the first place secured, Pierre Mortefon was able to relax during these heats, in which he did not achieve any victories, but he accumulated four first-place finishes out of a total of ten eliminatory rounds. “It was a great week here, I really enjoyed the Slalom format and its different options like jumps, despite the difficulty of competing in Pozo. I am very happy with the result and how I sailed,” said the French windsurfer.
After the men’s podium was announced, the last race of the women’s category took place, in which Sarah-Quita Offringa finished first once again. She achieved seven victories out of the eleven eliminatory rounds held in the class, giving her a significant lead in the standings. “I feel very happy and proud. Since I was very young, I followed the Slalom here in Pozo and never thought I would be here competing and winning in this category,” commented the Aruban rider after coming out of the water.
However, this last race was crucial for British competitor Jenna Gibson to maintain her second place on the podium after taking it from Frenchwoman Marion Mortefon yesterday. Marion managed to stay on the podium despite the threat from her teammate, Justine Lemeteyer, who finished third in this last heat. “It has been an incredible week, with perfect conditions. The Slalom X pushed me out of my comfort zone. I hope to come back next year,” said Gibson.
The Canarian Alexia Kiefer, U21 Champion
But the action in Pozo Izquierdo did not end with the excitement of the last Slalom X race, as the good conditions allowed the highly anticipated grand final to break the tie in the U21 category between Gran Canarian Alexia Kiefer and Tenerife native María Morales. In a super final where everyone expected to see a double forward, the high tide and the difficulty of finding a ramp in the waves left the spectators wanting more.
Even so, Kiefer demonstrated clear dominance in the heat by landing two well-scored backloops and then focusing on the surfing, while Morales had difficulty landing the jumps. “It has been a very intense week, but I am very happy with the results, although I hope to continue improving,” said the local competitor, who also achieved a third place in the Waves category, competing with the professionals.
Awards Ceremony
After the competition, the awards ceremony and the closing of the 36th edition of the Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup were held. Present at the event were the mayor and the Sports Councilor of the Santa Lucía de Tirajana City Council, Francisco García and Julio Ojeda, respectively, among other attendees.
Additionally, attendees at the event were able to enjoy various activities in the main tent of Pozo Izquierdo, such as a special day dedicated to showcasing the identity and gastronomy of the Canary Islands, with tastings of Canarian products and performances by folk groups, as well as children’s activities, an autograph session with the competitors, and the screening of the documentary ‘Born to Windsurf’ by Bjôrn Dunkerbeck.
The Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup 2024, an event endorsed by the Canary and Spanish sailing federations, is sponsored by the Gran Canaria Council, through the Sports and Tourism Departments, the Canary Islands Government, through Promotur, the Santa Lucía de Tirajana City Council, as well as companies such as Gloria Palace Hotels, which also gives the championship its name; Seven Island Film; Neilpryde; Red Bull; Volkswagen Canarias; Water Speed APP; and Seven Island Film. It also has the collaboration of the Canary Islands Technological Institute; Canary Blue; Helados Peña La Vieja; Poema del Mar; Ejove; Bazar Ani; Bahía Grill; Semilleros Sardina; Jaklar, WS, As Acción; Surf, Wind; Windsurf TV and Daily Dose.
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