Day Seven / The 2006 Fuerteventura PWA

Competitors spent most of the day waiting, and as the wind teased it looked increasingly unlikely any competition would take place. Then, excellent late afternoon conditions materialized, and the action kicked off.

After a poor showing in the single elimination many people were expecting a fight back from 3 times, and reigning world champion Ricardo Campello (V-111, JP/Neil Pryde). Everything looked on-course for the 21-year-old Venezuelan as he beat a spirited Matteo Guazzoni (I-711 RRD /Simmer), before winning a tough heat against Hawaiian Nick Warmuth (US-36 Starboard /Gaastra). But Campello's campaign came off the rails when he was comprehensively knocked-out by Bonaire style master Taty Frans (NB-9, Starboard /MauiSails). Like yesterday, there was further upset when Kauli Seadi (BRA-253, Quatro/Naish) was defeated by the innovative French trickster, Thomas Traversa (F-3, Tabou /Gaastra). Traversa and Frans eventually met each other in heat 62, and it was Frans who came up smiling with a hard fought win.

On the other side of the draw Leo Ray (F-200 Naish /Naish) had a good day, beating Andy ‘Bubble' Chambers (K-540 Tabou /Gaastra) and Andre Paskowski (G-2, F2 /North) before he finally lost to Antxon Otaegui (E-169 JP /NeilPryde). Otaegui was on fire today, excelling in the choppy conditions, but against Frans he just fell too much whilst Frans pulled an outrageous double flaka, and compounded his win with a switch-stance chacho-into-flaka combo!

With form like this, many think Taty Frans could go all the way.  But, it's worth remembering that he'd have to beat yesterday's top four riders - Anthony Ruenes (F-85, Tabou /Gaastra), Kiri Thode (NB-61 Gaastra /Starboard), brother, Tonky Frans (NB-7 F2 /Gaastra) and then beat Jose Estredo TWICE before even thinking about taking the event lead!

Ruenes and Estredo were seen out practicing today and with tricks like the Batel (A funnel-brabu…) not seen on a judges sheet yet, there's no doubt the final stage action will be the best ever seen in PWA Freestyle competition.