Racing | Windsurfing
PWA World Cup : Offringa, Mortefon, Goyard and Vrieswijk crowned 2021 world champions
lundi 22 novembre 2021 –
The 2021 SOMWR Movement 10 x Marignane PWA Grand Slam, presented by Greentech Festival, saw the best windsurfers in the world congregate in Le Jaï & Carro for the world title showdowns. Unfortunately the wind God’s weren’t really on our side over the last 10 days, which meant that results weren’t gained in racing or the waves, but the Men’s & Women’s Freestyle Single Eliminations could be completed over the course of two days.
Women’s
Freestyle
Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) came into France vying for 4 world titles and the Aruban walks away from the event with two more world titles to her name. The 30-year-old was able to extend her unbeaten run in the Freestyle as she held off Maaike Huvermann (Severne / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) to claim an incredible 13th Freestyle World crown.
Huvermann once again finishes the season as the vice-world champion, whilst Oda Brødholt (Starboard / Severne) completes the overall top 3. The trio have truly established themselves as the best women Freestyle sailors in the world with no other women able to break into the overall top 3 since 2014.
Elsewhere, Lina Eržen (Flikka / Duotone) looks like a talent to watch out for in the future with the 16-year-old claiming fourth place here in France, which also means she finishes the season as the Youth Freestyle PWA World Champion.
Slalom
With sadly no racing being possible here in France - Sarah-Quita Offringa - also finishes 2021 as the Women’s Slalom PWA World Champion having won in Israel earlier in the year. Offringa’s latest success is her 5th Slalom World title, which brings her total haul to 19 and counting. The podium is completed by the French duo of Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL) and Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui).
Meanwhile, Sarah Jackson (Fanatic / Duotone) and Sara Wennekes walk away from 2021 with their best results to date - finishing 4th and 5th respectively. The next challenge for them will be to see if they can break into the podium places.
Foil
Having won the event in Israel - Marion Mortefon - claims the first world title of her career, becoming the 2021 Women’s Foil PWA World Champion. The 29-year-old has become a really force to be reckoned with over the last few years and it’ll be interesting to see how she fares when fin and foil merge together next season.
Helle Oppedal (Duotone) just missed out on the victory in Israel and with no chance to improve her position here the 20-year-old finishes the season as the vice-world champion, whilst Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne / Starboard Foil) completes the overall podium.
Men’s
Freestyle
It may have taken longer than most people would’ve expected for - Amado Vrieswijk - (Future Fly / Severne) - to clinch his first world title, but the wait is finally over for the 25-year-old after the Bonairean was able to claim victory in the Single Elimination after defeating - Adrien Bosson (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) - in the final after producing an impressive light wind display.
Bosson, meanwhile, finishes the season as the vice-world champion, whilst 2019 World Champion - Yentel Caers (JP / NeilPryde) - claims the remaining place on the podium after defeating Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo (RRD / RRD Sails) in the battle for 3rd and 4th. The Venezuelan will have to wait a little longer to try and add to his 9 world titles thus far.
Slalom
Nicolas Goyard (Phantom Windsurfing) produced an amazing performance in Israel to blow away the rest of the fleet and with no racing here the 25-year-old claims his second world title having won the Foil World Championship in 2019. With Slalom & Foil merging together in the men’s division the racing side of the sport is evolving and at the moment it is Goyard who is clearly leading the way. His victory in Israel was decisive, so it will now be up to the best racers in the world to go away over the winter and try and close the gap.
2019 Slalom World Champion - Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL) - finishes this year as the vice-world champion, whilst William Huppert (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL) is perhaps the shock result of the season. The 26-year-old completes the prestigious overall podium having only achieved one top 10 finish before this year, so his hard work on the foil has clearly paid off.
Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails) would’ve been hoping for a chance to improve upon his 4th place in Israel, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. 2021 was still an excellent year for the Pole - finishing 4th in Israel, whilst he won the event in Croatia with an extremely strong field present.
25-time World Champion - Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) - completes the top 5, whilst teammate - Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) - finishes in 6th place, which is the Croatian’s best overall result to date.
2016 World Champion - Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne / Starboard Foil - has to settle for 7th place, which is the first time the Italian has finished outside the overall top 3 since 2015, whilst it is also the firs time since 2015 that the Big Top 3 of - Albeau, Mortefon & Iachino - have not finished on the overall podium. Of course this year is a little bit different with there just being one counting result, but it will still be interesting to see how next season plays out.
The top 10 is completed by Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point-7 / Phantom Foils), Alexandre Cousin (Patrik / Phantom Sails / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) and Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone).
Youth World Champions
Away from the pro division the U20 Boy’s & Girl’s World Champions were also crowned here in France. In the Girl’s U20 - 15-year-old Maria Morales (Goya Windsurfing) - claims a huge victory despite her young years to claim the top place in the U20’s ahead of Maria Behrens (Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins) and Line Bang (Goya Windsurfing).
Meanwhile, Takuma Sugi (Tabou / GA Sails) claims the top honours in the Boy’s U20 division after holding off a tough fight from Liam Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Black Project Fins) and Marino Gil (Goya Windsurfing).
We’ll be back early in 2022 with a provisional calendar for next year’s World Tour. Until then have a great Christmas & New Year and congratulations to all the newly crowned world champions.
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Women’s Slalom
- 1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
- 2nd Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
- 3rd Delphine Cousin Questel (FRA | FMX Racing / S2Maui)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Women’s Freestyle
- 1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
- 2nd Maaike Huvermann (NED | Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins)
- 3rd Oda Brødholt (NOR | Starboard / Severne)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Women’s Foil
- 1st Marion Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
- 2nd Helle Oppedal (NOR | Duotone)
- 3rd Blanca Alabau (ESP | Starboard / Severne / Starboard Foil)
Overall Ranking 2021 Youth PWA World Tour - Girl’s U20 Wave
- 1st Maria Morales Navarro (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)
- 2nd Maria Behrens (ESP | Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)
- 3rd Line Bang (DEN | Goya Windsurfing)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Men’s Slalom
- 1st Nicolas Goyard (FRA | Phantom Windsurfing)
- 2nd Pierre Mortefon (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL)
- 3rd William Huppert (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
Overall Ranking 2021 PWA World Tour - Men’s Freestyle
- 1st Amado Vrieswijk (BON | Future Fly / Severne)
- 2nd Adrien Bosson (FRA | Fanatic / Duotone / Maui Ultra Fins)
- 3rd Yentel Caers (BEL | JP / NeilPryde)
Overall Ranking 2021 Youth PWA World Tour - Boy’s U20 Wave
- 1st Takuma Sugi (JPN | Tabou / GA Sails)
- 2nd Liam Dunkerbeck (ESP | Starboard / Severne / Black Project Fins)
- 3rd Marino Gil (ESP | Goya Windsurfing)