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BAKER DUNKERBECK,GOYA AND ANGULO
ALL SET FOR FINAL
It was another day of sizzling action here today at the Swatch Aloha Classic with both the men's and the women's single elimination competitions both reaching the finals, which will be decided here tomorrow at Ho'okipa beach park, conditions permitting. A large gathering of spectators, who waited patiently throughout the day were rewarded with several epic heats as the worlds finest wave sailors battled it out on the water in superb down the line wave sailing conditions.
In powerful logo to mast high surf and breezy trade winds Nik Baker, Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Francisco Goya and Josh Angulo all advanced into the men's final following two incredible semi finals. The day had started out slowly due to gusty winds, which caused several cancellations of the first heat between Francisco Goya, Anders Bringdal, Jason Polakow and Robert Teriitehau. Eventually the skies cleared and the wind filled in and in a tricky heat the judges decision went to the two favourites Polakow and Goya.
Due to the light winds it was decided to change from man on man format of competition to the best two sailors, out of the four men heats advancing. In the first quarter final, Nik Baker and Bjorn Dunkerbeck both secured their places into the final over two members of the 'Team' Scott Fenton and Matt Pritchard. Pritchard and Fenton never really found their rhythm, whilst Dunkerbeck and Baker both seemed to be in tune with catching the set waves. Dunkerbeck was particularly impressive and landed several huge aerials clean out in front of mast high walls of white water crashing down behind him.
The fireworks really started going off in the second quarter final in a compelling confrontation between, Jason Polakow, Robby Naish, Josh Angulo and Francisco Goya. As the horn sounded for the beginning of the heat the wind seemed to swing a little offshore leaving smooth mast high waves, the perfect stage for a heat with such an incredible line up. Goya started the heat by picking up a solid mast high wave which shaped up nicely for the Argentinean wave sailor and he proceeded to crank into several cutbacks under the lip before launching into a huge aerial off the point. Meanwhile Naish and Polakow had both picked up swells but both of their waves closed out after their first cutbacks.
Angulo had been waiting patiently out the back and his gambit paid off with a solid six foot set which he ripped apart all the way from 'middles' down to the point in front of the rocks. The heat continued with wave after wave of mesmerising action and it was difficult to make any judgement regarding who was going to advance. Late in the heat, Jason Polakow's hopes of reaching the final were punctured when he hit a late section after his first turn on a solid mast high set wave. In his typical style Polakow went straight up the face and cranked a turn right the underneath the lip of the wave. He was slightly too late however and his rig seemed to get rinsed as he tumbled over the falls. After disappearing amidst the white water Polakow eventually emerged upright, still on his board and sailed away. Unfortunately for the World wave Champ, by now he had missed the end section of the wave loosing a valuable chance to score big points. After some lengthy calculations the two sailors to advance into the final were Goya and Angulo who both had managed to secure three high scoring waves in the fifteen minute heat.
In the woman's elimination Cecily Kitts, Tsugumi Takagi, Kelly Moore and Iballa Moreno all advanced into the final after superb performances in the two semi finals. Woman's world Champion Karen Jaggi failed to advance from the first quarter final after losing her rig after a big over the falls wipe out early in the heat. Jaggi ended up in the middle of the rocks while her competitors, Cecily Kitts and Tsugumi Takagi were busy clocking up the points. In the other quarter final Kelly Moore continued to impress the judges and advanced convincingly alongside Iballa Moreno. Their opponents, Daida Moreno and Jennifer Henderson both suffered nasty wipe-outs, which proved expensive and lost them too much valuable time during the heat.
If conditions continue to co operate tomorrow, both finals should be awesome although once the single elimination is decided there are many hungry sailors waiting patiently for their second chance in the double elimination.
Josh Angulo " It was pretty darn fun, the surf was pretty good, a little soft but there were still a couple of bowls. I thought our quarterfinal was man on man, I did not know it was a four man heat with two advancing. I caught three waves but was not sure if I had done enough. I guess Polakow ate it on a couple and so did Naish and I got through. Hopefully tomorrow we will do the final, I am pretty stoked though!"
Francisco Goya " I was really relaxed, for how relaxed you can be in a quarter final, I think the other guys were feeling the pressure too much. I tried to stay cool, I had a couple of good waves and felt like I was sailing well. It was pretty glassy out there and the waves were a good size. I am looking forward to the final now, I need to win and have Bjorn finish in fourth!"
Bjorn Dunkerbeck " I am stoked to be in the final, we finally got some wind and pretty nice looking waves as well. Tomorrow is supposed to be getting bigger and if it stays sunny it should be good winds as well. We will see tomorrow, I hope it is going to be windy!"
Nik Baker " I am stoked after my last years result when I went out in the first round. This morning I felt like I was not sailing that well in the light wind stuff, once it got windy I sailed OK and managed to squeak through into the finals. I will have to see how it goes tomorrow"
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