Pacasmayo, Peru ”” October 25, 2011: Bringing the second stop of the World Championship Kite Surfing Tour to a close, day seven of the 10-day holding period delivered another dose of world-class conditions and next-level action. Throughout the final 12 heats, competitors rode once again predominantly strapless, drawing lines comparable to high-level surfing.
With the wind making an early appearance at the lighthouse staging area this morning, fifteen- to 20-knot winds and overhead waves peeling around the lighthouse point awaited the first Men’s Quarter Final face-off.
Brazilian rippers Felippe Ferreira and reigning World Champion Guilly Brandao each won their heats, setting them up for a surf-style showdown in the Semifinals. Then in one of the closest heats of the day, Sky Solbach (USA/North) beat out Etienne Lhote (FRA/F-One) by a mere .3 points. In another exciting throwdown ”” filled with both progressive tricks and surf-style riding ”” 2008 World Champion Mitu Monteiro (CBV/F-One), who’s still on the mend from a knee injury, lost his heat by 1.56 points to Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North).
In the first of two extremely close Women’s Semifinal heats, Milla Knesse Ferreira (BRA) came up against three-time Kite Surfing World Champion Kirsty Jones (GBR/North). With a 2.1-point advantage and the highest women’s single wave score of the day (7.83), the Brazilian advanced to the Finals. Riding in straps, Ines Correia (POR) won her heat against the unstrapped Kelly Strachan (USA) by the slimmest margin of the whole event ”” .04 points.
Brandao and Cozzolino then won their semifinal heats, as they rode some bombs with incredible style, flow and moves. Brandao scored an 8.5 on one of his waves and Cozzolino an 8.27, the second and third best wave scores of the day.
Women’s Finals proved action-packed as well, with Jones bagging the second highest heat score of the day (12.73) and taking third place against Strachan. And finally, in the Correia vs. Knesse Ferreira showdown, the 20-year-old Brazilian delivered a high-scoring performance (second only to her Heat 15 score), winning the KSP tour stop title with her incredible surf-influenced talent.
Men’s Finals kicked off with Solbach battling Felippe Ferreira (BRA) for third place. Both riding backhand on the perfect peeling walls, each kiter exhibited a high degree of control, power and flow as they rode tight in the pocket and repeatedly cracked the lip hard. Scoring a 7.77 and 7.07 on his two best waves, Ferreira bested Solbach’s 14.37 score by less than half a point.
And in the final showdown of the Pacasmayo Peru Kite Surf Pro, Cozzolino ”” who earned the highest wave count of the day (7) and displayed an inspiring fusion of high-level surfing and innovative tricks ”” succumbed to Brandao for the tour stop title. Recovered from a rib injury that plagued him at the first KSP tour stop of the year, Brandao rode just three waves in the final heat ”” all scoring over 8 points and producing the best heat score of whole contest (17).
If you missed the day’s live-streamed action, it’s all archived heat-by-heat online at www.kspworldtour.com/live. The heat ladder and scores can be found at kspworldtour.com/ladder. Don’t miss the live coverage of the remaining 2011 KSP World Tour stop: Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro in Cape Verde, from December 2 to 11.
For the video of the day, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp-YyDnQlMsand check out the pictures of the day at https://www.kspworldtour.com/pacasmayo-2510. Follow the KSP World Championship Tour on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KSPworldtour or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/KSPworldtour.
The KSP 2011 Pacasmayo Kite Surf Pro is supported by PromPeru, presented by the El Faro Adventure Resort and Cementos Pacasmayo, and sponsored by PeruKite, Bodega Gran Cruz, Yoleit and Tecnica Avicola. The KSP World Championship Tour is sponsored by ION essentials and Vitamizzer.
RESULTS ”” 2011 KSP Pacasmayo Kite Surf Pro
MEN
1st place: Guilly Brandao (BRA)
2nd place: Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North)
3rd place: Felippe Ferreira (BRA)
4th place: Sky Solbach (USA/North)
5th place: Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA)
5th place: Mauricio Pedreira (BRA)
5th place: Etienne Lhote (FRA/F-One)
5th place: Mitu Monteiro (CBV/F-One)
9th place: Lee Harvey (GBR/North)
9th place: Jesse Richman (HI/Naish)
9th place: Juan Pablo Diban (CHI)
9th place: Patri McLaughlin (HI/North)
13th place: Juan Antonio Gordillo (PER)
13th place: Bruno Bordovski (BRA)
13th place: Jeremie Eloy (FRA/North)
13th place: Jacobo Said (PER)
17th place: Nuno Figueireido (POR/Best)
17th place: Bastien Bollard (FRA/Underground)
17th place: Paulo Rios (PER/F-One)
17th place: Bear Karry (USA)
17th place: Octavio Chaine (ARG)
17th place: Mark Moore (CAN)
17th place: Libero Cozzolino (ITA)
17th place: Scott Peterson (USA)
WOMEN
1st place: Milla Knesse Ferreira (BRA)
2nd place: Ines Correia (POR)
3rd place: Kirsty Jones (GBR/North)
4th place: Kelly Strachan (USA)
5th place: Kristin Boese (GER/Best)
5th place: Adriana Harlan (HI)
7th place: Melissa Gil (USA)
7th place: Marie Gautron (FRA/Naish)
9th place: Erika Lindberg (SWE)
9th place: Maayke Tadema (NED/Best)
9th place: Celina Guardati (ARG)
9th place: Laurel Eastman (USA/Best)