18/08/2008
PWA Slalom Alaçatı: Björn 1st, Karin is Slalom World Champ 200
Björn takes the event title
Karin is PWA Slalom World Champion 2008
The Terminator is back ! Björn Dunkerbeck (North Sails) takes the event title at the Pegasus Airlines Alaçatı PWA World Cup moves up in the overall ranking to 2nd place.
27-times world champ Karin Jaggi takes a 2nd event place which saves her the PWA overall slalom title 2008 !
Congratulations Karin and Björn.
Björn on his way to the victory
Karin Jaggi:
"The event in Turkey was organized very well. Already the trip to Turkey was just perfect: the main event sponsor Pegasus Airlines took care of the excess baggage and made sure that all the gear arrived in time. I personally think that Alacati is one of the best spots ever to learn windsurfing. I assume there are 200 windsurfers in the water every day! Pefect equipped windsurf centers and wind every day: Alacati is a real windsurf paradise!
Karin Jaggi on fire
The wind was there every single day during the event. Not very strong but nut I never used bigger sails than 6,8. Just insane slalom conditions. After Fuerteventura I had a big lead to Valerie Ghibaudo in the overall ranking. Like this I knew that just a stupid mistake could avoid a world championship title like e.g. an over earyl start or a crash in the race....I was starting the event accordingly conservative without risking too much. But soon I realized that I had very good runs with good board speed, good control and I slowly switched to attacking mode. After 11 races I was missing less than 2 points for the event win. If I had attacked from the beginning the event win would have been secured for sure. But tactics also belong to success - with the second place in Alacati I could easily take the overall title ! My 27th world championship title and like always it is the best one since it is the latest one !
Patik Diethelm
Alice Arutkin takes a great 4th place in the PWA overall ranking
Event Results
Men
1st Bjorn Dunkerbeck (North Sails)
2nd Antoine Albeau
3rd Ross Williams
7th Peter Volwater (North Sails)
11th Cyril Moussilmani (North Sails / Fanatic)
12th Jimmy Diaz (North Sails)
13th Patrik Diethelm (North Sails)
25th Mat Pearch (North Sails / Mistral)
31th Matthew Wemms (North Sails / Fanatic)
Women
1st Valerie Ghibaudo
2nd Karin Jaggi (North Sails)
3rd Verena Fauster
7th Alice Arutkin (North Sails)
8th Cagla Kubat (North Sails)
14th Iballa Ruano Moreno (North Sails)
Overall Standings
Men
1st Antoine Albeau
2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (North Sails)
3rd Kevin Pritchard
7th Cyril Moussilmani (North Sails / Fanatic)
7th Peter Volwater (North Sails)
14th Jimmy Diaz (North Sails)
15th Patrik Diethelm (North Sails)
Women
1st Karin Jaggi (North Sails)
2nd Valerie Ghibaudo
3rd Sarah Hebert
4th Alice Arutkin (North Sails)
6th Iballa Ruano Moreno (North Sails)
8th Cagla Kubat (North Sails)
PWA event report:
The Terminator returns on judgement day: Bjorn Dunkerbeck (North Sails) sails to victory in race eleven, crowning him the event winner on the final day of competition in Alacati. In the women’s fleet, Valerie Ghibaudo wrapped up the event with a second in race eleven, having already done enough to take the event title.
With tensions mounting on the final day of competition, the ensuing last race of the event would prove to be make or break for Bjorn Dunkerbeck (North) and Antoine Albeau who sat just 0.4 of a point apart at the top of the score sheet. For Albeau to rob Dunkerbeck of the event lead, he’d have to place in the top six, and beat Dunkerbeck in the final race. Likewise, for Dunkerbeck to take the event title, he’d have to place higher than Albeau.
In a warm up for the race final, Albeau and Dunkerbeck were pitched against each other in the semi finals. The resulting brawl saw Albeau gain a psychological boost when he crossed the line in second, two places above Dunkerbeck, however it was Finian Maynard that commanded the heat.
Coming down to the wire, the event title now hinged on the critical race final, with the winner quite literally taking all. As the green flag went up, Dunkerbeck seized the early advantage with a perfectly timed start. Off the pace, Albeau ran into problems when he caught a bag around his fin. The resulting drag left him towards the back of the pack, and stuck in dirty wind.
In contrast, Dunkerbeck, who seemed to be thriving under the pressure, screamed ahead of his nearest rival, Peter Volwater (North) in second. By the fourth mark, Dunkerbeck was half a reach ahead, meaning the final straight was a mere formality en route to claiming the event title.
Crossing the finish line, the multiple world champion was greeted with wave upon wave of cheers and applause, as ecstatic fans congratulated the newly crowned event winner.
Albeau had little control over his result, and eventually crossed the finish line in tenth place. The crowd were then treated to a rare spectacle, as two of windsurfing’s most iconic figures congratulated each other on their latest achievements; Dunkerbeck the event winner, and Albeau, whose second overall for the event was enough to crown him the 2008 Slalom World Champion.
The final women’s race of the event would have little baring on the top positions, with Valerie Ghibaudo (Tabou, The Loft) and Karin Jaggi (North) already cemented in positions one and two, regardless of the outcome.
Even so, there was pride at stake, and the consummate professionals launched into one last awesome battle for all to enjoy. This time round it would be Jaggi’s day, as she cruised to victory with Ghibaudo close behind in second. Much like the men’s result, Ghibaudo was crowned event winner, but Jaggi’s second overall for the event was enough to crown her the 2008 Women’s Slalom World Champion.
Our congratulations go out to the winners, and all those lucky enough to take part in this amazing event.