Yates and Winkowska win PKRA New Caledonia

It has been a spectacular event here in Noumea, New Caledonia. All riders were on top of their game and did not take one minute for granted out on the water. It was an event full of action with really amazing heats. You couldn’t ask for better wind conditions, it blew constantly the whole competition except for today during the final heat when it diminished a few knots.

Most riders were full powered on 7m kites throughout the week. Numerous fans and locals were on the beach today cheering for their favorite riders with joy as they performed breathtaking tricks and super high jumps just above their heads.

There are two especially happy competitors today and I will begin with Australian rider Andy Yates (Slinghot, AUS) will be taking home his first ever PKRA World Title. What seemed like a dream yesterday is a reality today. Yates lost the first winner’s final heat in a 3/2 judge’s decision in favor of Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED) who landed super sick tricks such as his opening powered triple combo with a frontmobe, blind judge 3 and 313. Both Yates and Zoon had a constant heat however Zoon’s power and execution was better. In the second final round Zoon’s energy level seemed to have dropped from giving everything he had in the previous heat. The wind dropped during the final heat and Zoon decided to change kite sizes from his 10m to a 12m while Yates kept on riding consistently on his 11m. Yates landed some very nice switch tricks such as a switch slim chance, switch kgb and a really nice switch blind judge 3, his frontmobe to blind and kgb to blind stood over Zoon’s. Zoon was no stranger to the switch tricks either landing a nice switch NIS, and switch 313. The final result was a 4/1 judge’s decision in favor of Yates labeling this his official world title heat and the PKRA 2010 men’s freestyle champion.

Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP) was also on fire throughout the event, especially in his first three heats today defeating Reno Romeu (North, BRA), Mario Rodwald (North, GER) and Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL). Pastor’s energy level was a bit low during what would be a very important heat against Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED). Zoon eliminated Pastor in a close heat and moves up the ranking ladder. Local hero Tom Hebert (Airush, NCL) had an amazing week here in his home country proving to all his hometown fans that he is also best of the best finishing in third place and his first freestyle podium this season.

In the women's freestyle division, Brazilian rider Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA) had a super amazing heat today defeating Johara Sykes-Davies (Flexifoil, GBR) by executing really nice tricks such as a huge slim chance and switch blind judge. Kajiya moved on to compete against Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP) in the semi final but lost due to Pulido’s super sick trick list such as a frontmobe, kite loop 360 pass and a kite loop slim chance. Pulido moved on to the final heat against Karolina Winkowska (Slinghshot, POL) where she would be defeated. Winkowska has really been on fire this competition, winning the freestyle single eliminations and now the double eliminations due to her overall better full powered tricks such as a nice blind judge 3 and a switch blind judge. Even though Pulido lost in the final heat of the day, she is still one of the happiest competitors because she was announced the official PKRA 2010 women’s freestyle champion at the event podium this afternoon.

A big crowd gathered at the beach to watch the podium ceremony and to get a glimpse of the beautiful Teri girls in the Teri fashion show which is held every year here in New Caledonia following the Teri Kitesurf Pro event.

Thank you to everyone who helped out and made this event possible, especially the Teri Kitesurf Pro 2010, the Kiteboarding League of New Caledonia, LVLNC with official partners Orangina, Le Meridien, Nissan, Teri and SeaDoo with special support from NRJ, Air France, RFO Nouvelle Caledonie and Total.

The new world rankings will be posted on the PKRA website after the event

FREESTYLE DOUBLE ELIMINATION RESULTS

MEN

1. Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS)

2. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)

3. Tom Hebert (Airush, NCL)

WOMEN

1. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

2. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

3. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA)