Sylt was the last event off 2012 and with all disciplines to be done it was a long event with many good days of wind.

We did only 2 races is pretty minimal conditions mostly sailing on 8.6 and 9.5. For me it did not start very good as before I came to Sylt I twisted my foot in a photoshoot but all seemed okay when I went sailing the day before the racing would start. The morning the racing started I went on the water and found out my foot was not better at all and was in a lot off pain the 1st elimination and could not get past the 2nd round as I was scared to take my 9.5 to put to much pressure on my foot, I took 8.6 ( too small) and I could not concentrate on sailing.

For the 2nd race my girlfriend got some painkillers and I managed to sail alright from there on. In the semi final I came around the first mark in and ok position but stepped to far forward and got stuck on some (voodoo) chop and went over the handlebars after the gybe so went to the losers final from there. I did manage to win the losers final so that was a 9th position.

Now I just needed 2 more races to at least have a fighting chance but it was not happening. We did manage to finish the 1st round of the 3 elimination but that was it for the 10 days.There were 3 days in a row with the wind arriving at around 16:30 but by then the boat crew decided to go back to the port in List so no racing after 16:30 and then on the last day of the event there was good a good wind forecast and it was nice a windy in the morning and looking good for some real PWA surf slalom but unfortunately the boat crew was not ready to work in these conditions and so the racing was called off already early in the morning.

All in all not a good event for me and for the PWA racing as there should and could have been raced much more. And as this was the last event of the year and only 1 discard this year over the 6 event we have done I finished in 5th for the year 2012. I am not too happy about the way things went at this last contest but I am very motivated for the next season already and will work hard this winter to have a good season in 2013. Now back to Tarifa for testing training and some good wave and speed sailing.

Gear used in PWA sylt:
127 iSonic with a loft racingblade 8.6 and a 48 Z fin
127 iSonic with a loft racingblade 9.5 and a 48 Z fin

The Official 2012 PWA World Rankings - Men’s Slalom
1st Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)
2nd Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne / Mystic / Dunkerbeck Eyewear / Chris Benz)
3rd Micah Buzianis (JP / MauiSails)
4th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde)
5th Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Loft / Mystic / Different)
6th Josh Angulo (Angulo / Point-7)
7th Ross Williams (Tabou / Gaastra)
8th Peter Volwater (Fanatic / Avanti)
9th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne / Mystic)
10th Ludovic Jossin (Patrik / Loft)

Ben Van Der Steen

Join our TikiNews mailing list for weekly news, tuning tips, product releases and much much more...