France’s Yann Sorlut (Simmer) led the charge by taking the key scalps of reigning world wavesailing champion Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / MauiSails), and John Skye (F2 / Naish). After much hype before the event, Kauli Seadi was tipped to perform, and he did beating Dario Ojeda (Quatro / Gaastra), and Alex Mussolini (JP / NeilPryde), despite not landing his latest stunt the Seadi-Move - a pushloop into forward loop combination.
Also featuring in the last eight were Marcilio Browne (Mistral / Gaastra) of Brazil, Canarian daredevil Jonas Ceballos (Fanatic / Simmer), Moroccan innovator Boujmaa Guilloul, wave and freestyle specialist Thomas Traversa of France, and aerial contortionist Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Simmer) – the first of the new generation to win an event last season.
They joined the old skool’s last remaining contender – Josh Angulo, who’s as radical, if not more than most of the new kids on the block.
A windless morning gave way to moderate winds and bright sunshine this afternoon. Using 5.0 m- 5.5 sails, the worlds finest wave sailors were out warming up and enjoying head high waves, but the moderate wind strength meant a long, 12 minute heat duration, counting 2 waves and one jump was the call.
Being the season’s first competition featuring the new, restricted 48-man format, there some big names in the first round. Jason Polakow (JP / NeilPryde), Antoine Albeau (Starboard / NeilPryde), Alex Mussolini, Boujmaa Guilloul, Peter Volwater (F2 /North) and Ricardo Campello (JP / NeilPryde) were all making life difficult for the less experienced. Polakow in particular had to work hard to beat young newcomer Camille Juban (Quatro) of Guadeloupe, with only a last minute helping him through.
In the second round, Thomas Traversa knocked out 2004 World Champ Scott McKercher (Starboard / Severne) with a double forward loop making the difference in the points.
Boujmaa Guilloul inflicted more misery on the establishment, by beating Levi Siver of Hawaii. The Moroccan's wave scores were close to Siver's, but his jump scores edged it for him to take a vital step forward.
Next for the chop was Volwater – a victim of focused and aggressive sailing by Ceballos, whose style’s looking particularly edgy and dangerous this year.
More experienced legends stumbled. Albeau, a pretty big name himself, took out Baker, before he was barged out by Jonas Ceballos who’d just accounted for Peter Volwater.
See women single elimination
See men single elimination