Day Five Report – Sylt, Germany
- After two days of waiting, Saturday finally brought optimal wind conditions for the men’s division
- The young Spaniard, Kiko Roig, secured his first-ever event win
Saturday turned out to be the only day of the week with a favourable wind forecast to conclude the men’s division. The wind picked up in the afternoon, reaching around 15 knots, thereby creating suitable conditions for conducting the men’s heats.
The biggest upset of the competition was when Matchu Lopes, the current season leader, was defeated by the Brazilian Pedro Matos.
The standout riders today were four men: Airton Cozzolino, the Italian from Cape Verde; Keanu Merten, the young and promising German talent; Kiko Roig, the Spanish rider; and Theo Demanez, the Frenchman from the Caribbean. Despite the challenging and unpredictable light wind conditions, all of these men consistently landed their tricks.
However, it all boiled down to two men – Airton Cozzolino and Kiko Roig. The final was intense, with Kiko showcasing his extensive training in strapless freestyle and displaying confidence in the light wind conditions.
It was only after the final buzzer sound that Airton realised he had made a strategical mistake during his heat. He saved his high-scoring handlepass move for the closing minutes of the heat, which he had believed was 10 minutes long rather than seven. Airton was stunned when the warning signalled the end of the heat and saw himself finish in second place.
Meanwhile, Kiko Roig clinched his first-ever victory in the final. His composed approach throughout the heat undoubtedly played a crucial role in his event win.
MEN’S RESULTS
- Kiko Roig 🇪🇸
- Airton Cozzolino 🇮🇹
- Keanu Marten 🇩🇪
- Theo Demanez 🇫🇷
Photo: Lukas K Stiller
Words: Ian MacKinnon
