- Spain’s Elena Moreno caps stellar season to mark arrival on world stage
- Cash Berzolla lifts first title despite quarter-final exit in Ibiraquera
The GWA Wingfoil World Tour crowned two new world champions in the Wave discipline at the third and final stop of the season after an epic day of action in the left-hand break of Ibiraquera in southern Brazil.
The US’s Cash Berzolla has been the sensation of the season with a victory in Morocco earlier this month. He suffered a shock elimination in the quarter-final in Ibiraquera, but his earlier record secured the title even with the competition yet to finish.
“I feel amazing,” said Berzolla. “I didn’t do as well as I wanted in this event, but in the grand scheme of things I couldn’t be happier and I’m stoked to take the win for the overall championship. It’s a left, with port winds. It’s a little bit different for me which is what I think got me hung up in the quarters.”
Spain’s Elena Moreno was guaranteed the crown in Brazil with two stunning event wins in the bag at the previous tour stops. The small women’s fleet meant that she already had enough points even as she took to the water.
“I’m super-happy to win the world title here in Ibiraquera,” said Moreno. “It’s an amazing country. Really, I don’t have many words yet. I have to calm down a bit. I dedicate this to my brother and my family. I’m just so happy.”
Strong form
With challenging conditions forecast, Day 3 of the Copa Kitley GWA Wingfoil World Cup Ibiraquera got off an early start in the hope of using all the available wind to complete the competition.
The early rounds saw the debutant, 15-year-old Anderson Gallagher (USA), forge a path through the contest, casting aside the young Briton Leon Schiel, 14, who had taken the third podium place at the last round in Morocco.
It was the start of a good run for Maui-based Gallagher, who made it all the way to the semi-final where he found himself up against France’s Axel Gerard, who had shown strong form. But the heat was halted because of a medical emergency for another athlete, which ended proceedings.
Gerard, 16, had enjoyed a really strong competition even before that point. In the quarter final he smoked Cash Berzolla, who had looked almost invincible up until that point.
Went for broke
France’s Malo Guénolé, ranked number two, got revenge for his third round defeat in Dakhla, Morocco, at the hands of Liam Coralle. Guénolé was taking no hostages and put the heat to bed with two big 7-point plus waves from 10 for his two counting scores.
“For sure, Dakhla was a big bummer for me,” said Guénolé, ahead of his opening heat. “I felt completely out of rhythm in my heat, but I analysed my mistakes, so now I’m feeling comfortable here. I felt I was riding OK, so I’m excited to go on the water.”
In his quarter-final Guénolé went for broke against Maui-based Finn Spencer (Can) and put down a marker, scoring two of the biggest waves of the competition to that point. It ended Spencer’s run.
Guénolé was even more dominant in his semi-final against Vinnicius Martins (BRA). He scored and 8.83 wave, the biggest of the competition, and won. But Martins’ second successive semi-final registered a big step up in his wave riding. The men’s competition is now finely poised.
In the women’s competition, the compact field of five riders appears to leave Elena Moreno straight fight with the Netherlands’ Bowien van der Linden for the win in Ibiraquera. Join to see if the Dutch athlete can unseat the new world champion.
words: Ian MacKinnon
images: Svetlana Romantsova
https://www.wingfoilworldtour.com/wave-world-champions-crowned-in-brazil/
