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THIS PRESS RELEASE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SSM FREESPORTS &
AMERICAN WINDSURFER MAGAZINE
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Day 1 - November 5th 1999
THE 1999 PWA SWATCH ALOHA WAVE CLASSIC
5th-12th NOVEMBER, 1999
By Julian Yeomans
Action commenced here at the 1999 Swatch Aloha Classic at Hookipa Beach Park, Maui yesterday and today with the pro trials for the main event, which starts tomorrow.
The pro trials, which came to an exciting conclusion here today, are a qualification round to select eight local sailors to go forward into the main draw. Many of the Maui locals who choose to specialize in riding the big waves of Hawaii and do not compete on the World Tour are considered major threats here in Hawaii to some of the regular world tour sailors.
The trials started yesterday in good size waves ranging between three and five feet but in very light winds. After three heats in very marginal conditions the wind eventually dropped down to virtually nothing and it was decided to hold competition over until today. This morning looked more promising however although conditions were still tricky with gusty easterly winds blowing between 15-20 knots and three to four feet waves.
Local knowledge can always play a major factor at Ho'okipa and from the word go local Hawaiian sailor Josh Angulo showed his expertise in the powerful waves and hit three aerials on his first wave in his first heat. Angulo is considered by many to be one of the most radical sailors in the world but still has to qualify for the main event here, as he is not seeded high enough in the PWA wave rankings to get an automatic entry into the competition.
Jason Prior another highly rated Maui local, who failed to make it through the trials last year also started the day with strong performances in his early heats. Prior, who is originally from Canada has spent many years living on Hawaii is equally capable of busting out all the big moves here at Ho'okipa when the going gets tough.
With wave riding as the major factor today, the last eight of the single elimination eventually boiled down to Josh Angulo, Jason Prior, Ricky Vandertoon, Hisao Nakazato, Jesse Brown, Quilfen Jann, Lalo Goya and Jerome Bouldoires. It was then attempted to run a double elimination, which was run until dusk when time ran out for the unlucky sailors in the loser's bracket. Tonight several of the qualifiers from the single elimination of the trials will be drawn against the top eight seeds the main event at the opening ceremony.
The Aloha Classic is the final event on the PWA world tour calendar and the results of this event will determine the men's and woman's Wave Discipline World Champions for 1999, thereby determining the 1999 Overall World Champions as well. Only four sailors, Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Vidar Jensen, Jason Polakow and Nik Baker are in a position to clinch the men's Overall World Wave title and the stage is set for an exciting climax to the last PWA event of the millennium. The forecast is also looking good for an epic competition with huge waves and strong winds being predicted.
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