The men's world title race gets complicated, as Marion Mortefon approaches her second world title after a sparkling morning of racing
The penultimate day of the Flight 2022! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup produced by far the windiest conditions seen so far in Japan, that made the morning of racing exhilarating while the best riders in the world battled with winds from 20-35 nodes. In addition to world-class racing, There were also several brutal incidents as the sailors tested their courage to the limit., while with the wind and sea conditions quite extreme there were many fin versus foil battles.
Women's slalom
Marion Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL) He continued to launch the challenge as he tries to add a second world title to his name.. The reigning world champion from Foil produced a phenomenal spectacle today with the nuclear winds as she destroyed the rest of the fleet to claim an emphatic victory in the Elimination. 4, also extending its advantage to 6,6 Points in view of the last day. The 30-year-old has yet to finish outside the top 3 in the early 3 eliminations, So she would need a huge turn of events to deny her the event and the world title., but he will not be pleased.
Justine Lemeteyer (FMX Racing / Point-7 / LOKEFOIL) continues to navigate incredibly consistently in a wide range of conditions and the newcomer took away third place in the Elimination 4 to defend its second place in the ranking of the event. However, now has Blanca Alabau (Starboard / Severne Sails) breathing down your neck. The 26-year-old may not have been able to take full advantage of her scrap opportunity. – finishing 8th in Elimination 4 – But that's still enough to see her gain three positions from 6th to 3rd., while now he is behind Lemeteyer by just 0,7 Points with one day to go.
Elsewhere, Ma Kwan Ching and Helle Oppedal (Starboard / Severne Sails) remain in 4th and 5th place respectively, while Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui), who started the day in third place, loses three positions and finishes in 6th. The 5 Time world champion she was not happy that she did not have enough time to change the equipment she wanted and in the end she finished ninth.
With strong wind Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra-bright Fins) He recorded his best result of the event so far after fighting brilliantly to return to second place despite losing his first jibe., which sees her move to 7th place from 11th, while Sarah Jackson (Fanatic / Duotone) Climbs in the Top10, 9° after finishing 6th despite sailing with a broken metatarsal.
Slalom machile
World title race
The men's world title race took another dramatic turn today after Matteo Iachino took another turn (Starboard / Severne Sails), who started the day at the top of the event and the world ranking, failed to qualify for the winners' final for the first time this week, who opened the doors to Maciek Rutkowski (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails).
The Pole would go to secure the 4th place in the final, which would see Rutkowski lose one place in the event standings to 5th, but with Iachino able to record only a 9th, and other results not in its favor, or in favor of Rutkowski, This would cause the Italian to slide from first to third, which brings the advantage to Rutkowski who heads into the last day. However, There is no room for either sailor because at present they would be on a par with 20.200 points (Rutkowski would win in the countdown), So any change in tomorrow's event ranking will have huge effects on the overall result..
Although it still seems very likely that the title race will boil down to a battle between Iachino and Rutkowski, there are still some scenarios where both Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails) that Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde), which currently leads the ranking of the event, They could still win the world title:
If Iachino and Rutkowski both lose by at least one place (4th and 5th respectively) and Vrieswijk finished at least 6th, could still win. If this happens and Marotti wins the event, all 4 Sailors would finish tied with 20.100 points, then the title would be decided in the countdown between Vrieswijk and Marotti.
If Iachino and Rutkowski lose at least one place and Marotti does not win the event, a 6th place or better would be enough for Vrieswijk to be world champion.
If Iachino and Rutkowski both lose at least one place and Vrieswijk finishes 7th or worse, then a victory for Marotti would guarantee him the world title.
Regarding the title race of the event, Things couldn't get much closer with just 0,7 points separating Enrico Marotti (JP / NeilPryde) and Nicolas Goyard (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils), while Matteo Iachino is still alone 2 points from the summit, So things could still go both ways in the race for both the event and the world titles and tomorrow promises to be a tense and exciting day with a lot at stake..
Marotti currently leads the event counting the results of a first and two seconds – discarding a 5th – Such was his level in this event and now he has every chance of winning his first event and maybe a world title..
Nicolas Goyard's second win of the week allowed French to discard a 16th place from the second elimination, which saw the current slalom world champion rise from 7th to second and now has every chance for the title of the event.
Elsewhere, Johan Soe (FMX Racing / Point-7) remains in 5th place after another 5th place today, while Mateus Isaac (Severne / Severne Sails) is in the top 10 – 6Absolute – after managing to discard an exit in the quarter-finals from the second elimination with a 10th place today.
Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) seemed able to sign his last PWA event perfectly while leading the elimination winners' final. 4. The 25 times world champion produced a brilliant pair of jibes to move to the front of the pack, but a short touchdown in the third gave Goyard and Marotti all the opportunities they needed to get past Albeau. However, AA still recorded its best finish of the week – 3° – which sees the French rise from 15th to 7th place.
The top 10 is currently completed by – Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Severne Sails), Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils) and Basile Jacquin (FMX Racing / Point-7).
In the provisional general classification Bruno Martini (NeilPryde, JP) in 22nd place and Daniele Benedetti (NeilPryde, JP) is in 28th place.
The forecast for tomorrow seems to be enough wind for at least one more elimination with moderate to strong northerly winds.. Lo Skippers Meeting e’ programmato per domani mattina alle 8:00 with the action that will start from the 8:30 (GMT 9) onwards.
Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup – Women's Slalom
*After 4 Eliminations
1st Marion Mortefon | BETWEEN (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL)
2nd Justine Lemeteyer | BETWEEN (FMX Racing / S2Maui / LOKEFOIL)
3Dr Blanca Alabau | ESP (Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Ma Kwan Ching | HK
5th Helle Oppedal | NOR (Starboard / Severne Sails)
6th Delphine Cousin Questel | BETWEEN (FMX Racing / S2Maui)
7th Sarah-Quita Offringa | ARU (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra-bright Fins)
8th Veerle ten Have | NZL
Current Ranking Fly! ANA Yokosuka, Miura Windsurf World Cup – Men’s Slalom
*After 4 Eliminations
1st Enrico Marotti | CRO (JP / NeilPryde)
2ND Nicolas Goyard | BETWEEN (Phantom / Phantom Sails / Phantom Foils)
3Rd Matthew Iachino | ITA (Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Maciek Rutkowski | POL (FMX Racing / Challenger Sails)
5th Johan Soe | DEN (FMX Racing / Point-7)
6th Mateus Isaac | BRA (Severne / Severne Sails)
7th Antoine Albeau | BETWEEN (JP / NeilPryde)
8th Amado Vrieswijk | NB (Future Fly / Severne Sails)
9th Pierre Mortefon | BETWEEN (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / Phantom Foils)
10th Basile Jacquin | NC (FMX Racing / Point-7 / Phantom Foils)
source: PWA
photo: JC (c) PWA
