Adrien Bosson did it!

03/10/2022

More drama ensued on the penultimate day of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt as the Freestyle World title battle went down to the wire between Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) and Jacopo Testa (AV Boards / Point-7 / AL360). Once again, Freestyle conditions proved to be extraordinarily difficult with the bolt onshore wind, combined with a shorebreak, strong current and a confused water state making for one of the hardest tests in the sport.

Adrien Bosson survived a surging comeback from Jacopo Testa to finally get his hands on the event and world title. The Frenchman came agonisingly close to achieving that feat in 2018 after winning the Single Elimination here, but would eventually suffer heartbreak as he lost out in a Super Final to decide the title against Gollito Estredo (RRD / RRD Sails). Bosson was also within touching distance of the title last year, but would fall one place short again, this time at the hands of - Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), but today in the Super Final he was able to right those near misses as he claimed the narrowest of victories against Testa to claim his first event and world crown.
In exceptionally difficult conditions, there was almost nothing to separate the two sailors, so much so that by the time the 10-minute heat had drawn to a close the scores stood at 102.5 points to 102.4.

Crucially for Bosson, the pendulum swung in his favour on this occasion and no one will begrudge him the victory. Although he must’ve been bitterly disappointed, Testa, was gracious in defeat, still sporting a huge smile at becoming the vice-world champion - which is his best result to date - and embracing Bosson. The Italian was allegedly on crutches just a few weeks before the event and was still sailing with an injured knee, which makes the result all the more incredible. The Italian produced an amazing comeback in the Double Elimination by taking down - Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) and Steven Van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS) - before forcing a Super Final after positing the highest scoring heat of the Double Elimination - 124.1 points. Unfortunately, the Italian couldn’t quite replicate that level of performance in the decider, and although he scored amazingly on starboard tack, he was left to rue counting a forward loop on port, which ultimately proved to be decisive.

Steven Van Broeckhoven (Starboard / GUNSAILS) completes the podium after defeating Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) in the battle for 3rd and 4th, whilst Caers had earlier brought Dieter Van der Eyken’s (Severne / Severne Sails) come back to an end. Before that, Van der Eyken finally brought Antony’s Ruenes’ (Tabou / GA Sails) storming comeback through the Double to an end. Van der Eyken himself won three consecutive heats, whilst Ruenes was able to reel off 4 heats on the bounce to climb from joint 9th in the Single Elimination to 6th overall.
After the conclusion of the Men’s Freestyle, an attempt was made to resume the Wave Double Eliminations, but with the wind being bolt onshore those attempts were quickly abandoned in place of an Expression Session, which saw the sailors given 30 minutes to produce their most radical manoeuvre. Pauline Katz (Severne / Severne Sails) came out on top in the Women’s, whilst Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails) was a very popular winner in the Men’s.
There is more wind on the forecast for the last day of the Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt, but with the direction expected to remain bolt onshore from the northwest, we will have to wait and see if it is possible to resume either the Slalom or Wave contests. The Wave and Slalom fleets will meet at 9am (GMT+2) Monday morning for the skippers’ meeting with a first possible start at 9:30am for the Wave, and 10am for the Slalom.