Is Sarah-Quita Offringa transforming herself into the Terminatress?

She has been dominating the freestyle scene for years, unbeaten in a heat since 2008, and has shown huge amounts of raw talent on the slalom scene, practically winning every event she has entered despite not being familiar with her cambered sails. Lady SQ is now focusing her attention on wavesailing, and she is improving at an alarming rate for her competitors. Read more from her below.

BAM!!

I didn’t know I wanted this so bad. The moment they called my name and I was standing alongside Iballa and Daida on the podium in Pozo Izquierdo, Gran Canaria, I realized a dream had come true!

I’ve been traveling to Gran Canaria since 2006. Back then, I only stuck to freestyle and was happy sliding along spocks and flakas. Watching the pros flying and spinning through the air like acrobats was incredible to watch. Being part of that never crossed my mind though... So being here right now feels amazing!

The whole week before the start of the event, everybody was speculating about the conditions. Finally, on the day of registration, Pozo revealed itself at full force. It hadn’t been this windy during the PWA World Cup in a couple of years. Most people were stoked, I was terrified. But as soon as the red flag went up, I had to let go of that.

In the single elimination, I sailed both 3.2m² & 3.7m². In my first heat against Ingrid Larouche, I was kind of out of tune. I did manage to pass however... After that, I was up against Steffi Wahl. She has such a nice waveriding style and the jumps to back it up. Basically I had to compensate my waveriding with jumps if I wanted to beat her. I had been trying pushloops for a couple of days but they never really worked out. Then and there, I decided that it was the only way to pass and in the final minutes, after two failed attempts, I stuck a pushloop.

I think it was close, but I passed! Then I was up against Iballa. I did my best and sailed alright but for now I just don’t think I can match her. Finally I had to fight for 3rd place with Amanda Beenen. She has biiiig forwards but by then I was confident and sticking pushloops in every heat... So a 3rd place finish for me in the single!

The double elimination is always quite nerve-wracking because you need to defend your spot. It was the first time for me that I would have to do that in waves. Normally, I would have said that I don’t have anything to lose because it’s waves. But I made it to 3rd place and it did matter to me. I wanted to stay there.

Steffi made the biggest comeback, beat Amanda and challenged me for third place. Apparently I only edged ahead of her with my last wave of the heat! She beat me on waveriding but I scored higher on jumps. It must have been just a point difference. Close, but I got it!

By then, the conditions were cranking. I was overpowered on a 3,2m² and Iballa landed a monster backloop. There I realized that second place would not be possible for the moment... Haha. I was happy in third.

Pozo was a huge challenge, but it has pushed me to up my game and in two days of competition, I’ve already improved my level. It’s been great to sail with such a big group of motivated girls. Big thank you to Daida, Iballa, Rodrigo and their team for making the event happen.

Right now I’m watching everybody freestyling on the turquoise waters of Fuerteventura. I’m excited to get back on my freestyle board, but weirdly enough I have the jitters to go wavesailing in Tenerife already...!

- Sarah-Quita Offringa

- Pictures by John Carter / PWA World Tour -