An exciting day

30/09/2022

Day 6 of the Mercedes-Benz Windsurf World Cup Sylt produced the best racing conditions of the week thus far as winds from 15-20 knots saw the world’s best racers reaching for their medium setups, whilst a few sailors decided to opt for the fin, rather than the foil. With several strong gusts, and tricky water conditions, there were also some massive wipeouts, but thankfully the sailors survived unscathed.

Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) enjoyed another solid day of racing as the 30-year-old qualified for all three Winners’ Finals today to maintain his 100% qualifying rate - meaning he is now the only sailor to have made every final. The Pole recorded two third places and an 8th, which he discards, to maintain his lead at the top of the event rankings.
However, whilst Rutkowski still leads, he has seen his advantage cut from 3.3 points at the start of the day to just 1.3 points by the close of play as Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) closes in. The 2019 World Champion had dropped to third after Elimination 6, but with the second discard coming into play the Frenchman is able to discard a 9th place finish from that race to put himself firmly in contention for the title. Mortefon finished second in the other two eliminations today.

Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) climbs into the top 3 after the completion of Elimination 7 to keep his podium aspirations on track. The Bonairean bounced back brilliantly after missing out on the opening Winners’ Final of the day after dropping his gybe when in the lead of the semifinal, by earning his second bullet of the event in Elimination 6 with a brilliant performance. The 26-year-old finished 6th in Elimination 7 to leapfrog Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil) into third.
Iachino slips one place to fourth, but still remains firmly in the hunt for the podium, whilst he still has an outside shot at the event title. The Italian qualified for all three Winners’ Finals, but couldn’t really capitalise on the opportunity - being disqualified from the opening final for a premature start and then getting slightly unlucky in Elimination 7 as he fell on the opening reach when prominently placed, whilst he recorded a solid second in Elimination 6.

Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) remains in fifth place, whilst Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) continues to lay down the gauntlet against his more experienced peers. The 19-year-old claimed a quite brilliant bullet in the opening race of the day to earn his first victory on the World Tour, whilst finishing 4th in the next race, which sees the young Dane climb one place into 6th. After a landmark victory today, Soe is deservedly awarded sailor of the day!
Sebastian Kördel (Starboard / Severne Sails / Starboard Foil) qualified for every Winners’ Final on the opening day of racing, but he couldn’t maintain that record today as the German qualified for the top 8 once today, whilst finishing 12th and 14th, which he discards, in the other eliminations. Kördel remains 7th in the event rankings. Elsewhere, Enrico Marotti climbs one place to 8th, whilst reigning world champion - Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils) - breaks into the top 10 - 9th - after gaining 7 places from the start of the day. Goyard signed off the day in style as he won Elimination 7, which was also his first Winners’ Final of the event. The top 10 is currently completed by Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone), who relegates Sebastian Kornum (JP / NeilPryde) to 12th, whilst Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Patrik Sails / Phantom Foils) gains 3 places to 11th after claiming 4th in Elimination 6.
Meanwhile, Taty Frans (Future Fly / Point-7) became the first sailor of the week to qualify for a Winners’ Final on a fin as the Bonairean finished 7th in Elimination 6, whilst Luuc Van Opzeeland (Severne / Severne Sails), had a day to forget as he drops from 8th to 15th. Rytis Jasiunas (Future Fly / Point-7) qualified for his second Winners’ Final of the week today - currently occupying 13th - whilst France’s - Pierre Macquaert (JP / NeilPryde) qualified for his first Winners’ Final of the event in Elimination 6.
Wednesday looks as though the day will start with light winds, but by the evening the forecast suggests that there should be winds of 15-22 knots from the south-south-west, which may allow for the Men’s Freestyle Double Elimination to begin. All fleets will meet tomorrow morning at 10am (GMT+2) for the skippers’ meeting with the action commencing from 10:30am for the Wave & Freestyle, and 11am for the Slalom.