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The 2009 PWA Ulsan World Cup proved to be a showcase of French windsurfing talent, as Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) and Valerie Ghibaudo (Loft Sails / Tabou) delivered outstanding performances to claim victory in their respective fleets.
The event is now in its third year on the PWA World Tour, and is currently the only event to take place in Asia. Competing from the 16th-22nd of May, racing took place on the waters off Jinha Beach, in south eastern Korea.
Over the course of the week long event, there were two full days of racing, powered by the local south western thermal wind, which was gusting up to 22 knots both days. Competitors had to wait until competition's third day before Jinha Beach awoke to show its true colours, delivering side shore wind under blue sky. The women's fleet were first to christen the race course. It was a close battle between Sarah Hebert, Valerie Ghibaudo and Karin Jaggi. The men's competition was dominated by Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Antoine Albeau again.
The wind came back at day four in Korea, which saw conditions switch back on to resume racing. The subsequent three women's races saw utter domination from Valerie Ghibaudo, as she executed back to back wins to firmly cement her name at the top of the women's rankings. Chasing, Karin Jaggi and Alice Arutkin did their best to pressure Ghibaudo, but had to settle for the remaining podium positions as toppling the on-form French sailor proved to be impossible.
The men's racing kicked off by finishing up the remaining three heats of race four. With the departure of Dunkerbeck and Maynard, Albeau was free to add another victory to his stash. In second, Josh Angulo (Dakine / Angulo / MauiSails) bagged his best slalom result of the season so far, and Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Exocet / MauiSails) showed a glimpse of the form he enjoyed in Austria to take third.
The final men's elimination of the event saw a total reshuffle on the finish line. Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / Gaastra) finally got to grips with conditions to secure third place, his best result of the event. Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde) continued to show outstanding consistency in second, but topping the elimination was Maynard, who had been hinting as his ability to win races, but thus far had never delivered.
The remaining three days of competition were spent waiting on standby until time on the clock finally ran out. In women's racing, Ghibaudo and Jaggi have started what looks to be another amazing season of rivalry, while young gun Arutkin has shown she's got what it takes to deliver race winning performances. In men's racing, Albeau's return to event winning form was no surprise, however his quest for a fourth world title will push him and his rivals to the limit as the level of sailing has gone through the roof.
The PWA would like to express enormous thanks to the Ulsan Broadcasting Corporation and all the sponsors of this event, and we look forward to returning in 2010 for the fourth PWA Ulsan World Cup.
The 2009 PWA Ulsan World Cup results:
Slalom Men
1 Antoine Albeau (NeilPryde / JP)
2 Micah Buzianis (NeilPryde / JP)
3 Björn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails)
Slalom Women
1 Valérie Ghibaudo (Loft Sails / Tabou Boards)
2 Karin Jaggi (F2 / Severne Sails)
3 Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North Sails)
To view photos, videos, press releases, live ticker archives and many more features from the event, tune into www.pwaworldtour.com
The event is now in its third year on the PWA World Tour, and is currently the only event to take place in Asia. Competing from the 16th-22nd of May, racing took place on the waters off Jinha Beach, in south eastern Korea.
Over the course of the week long event, there were two full days of racing, powered by the local south western thermal wind, which was gusting up to 22 knots both days. Competitors had to wait until competition's third day before Jinha Beach awoke to show its true colours, delivering side shore wind under blue sky. The women's fleet were first to christen the race course. It was a close battle between Sarah Hebert, Valerie Ghibaudo and Karin Jaggi. The men's competition was dominated by Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Antoine Albeau again.
The wind came back at day four in Korea, which saw conditions switch back on to resume racing. The subsequent three women's races saw utter domination from Valerie Ghibaudo, as she executed back to back wins to firmly cement her name at the top of the women's rankings. Chasing, Karin Jaggi and Alice Arutkin did their best to pressure Ghibaudo, but had to settle for the remaining podium positions as toppling the on-form French sailor proved to be impossible.
The men's racing kicked off by finishing up the remaining three heats of race four. With the departure of Dunkerbeck and Maynard, Albeau was free to add another victory to his stash. In second, Josh Angulo (Dakine / Angulo / MauiSails) bagged his best slalom result of the season so far, and Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Exocet / MauiSails) showed a glimpse of the form he enjoyed in Austria to take third.
The final men's elimination of the event saw a total reshuffle on the finish line. Kevin Pritchard (Starboard / Gaastra) finally got to grips with conditions to secure third place, his best result of the event. Micah Buzianis (JP / NeilPryde) continued to show outstanding consistency in second, but topping the elimination was Maynard, who had been hinting as his ability to win races, but thus far had never delivered.
The remaining three days of competition were spent waiting on standby until time on the clock finally ran out. In women's racing, Ghibaudo and Jaggi have started what looks to be another amazing season of rivalry, while young gun Arutkin has shown she's got what it takes to deliver race winning performances. In men's racing, Albeau's return to event winning form was no surprise, however his quest for a fourth world title will push him and his rivals to the limit as the level of sailing has gone through the roof.
The PWA would like to express enormous thanks to the Ulsan Broadcasting Corporation and all the sponsors of this event, and we look forward to returning in 2010 for the fourth PWA Ulsan World Cup.
The 2009 PWA Ulsan World Cup results:
Slalom Men
1 Antoine Albeau (NeilPryde / JP)
2 Micah Buzianis (NeilPryde / JP)
3 Björn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails)
Slalom Women
1 Valérie Ghibaudo (Loft Sails / Tabou Boards)
2 Karin Jaggi (F2 / Severne Sails)
3 Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North Sails)
To view photos, videos, press releases, live ticker archives and many more features from the event, tune into www.pwaworldtour.com
Source: PWA / Andrew Buchanan, Windfinder.com