NEWS KAYAKSURF.NET / OLD: WWST 2011 / Ocean Spirit Festival 2011 / 16th Report by Steve Farthing

Mundial de Waveski / Portugal Ocean Spirit / Último report de Steve Farthing directo de Santa Cruz...

Steve Farthing and Mel Hardy / WWST11 Ocean Spirit Festival by kayaksurf.net

Campeão do Mundo de Kayaksurf Masters HP e Campeão Mundial de Waveski Masters... é só para alguns ;) Steve Farthing, para além se ser um verdadeiro "gentleman", é um surfista de topo como muito poucos devem existir a nível mundial. Veio uma vez mais a Portugal ganhar um título Mundial (ganhou o anterior em 2009 no Mundial de Kayaksurf Ocean Spirit) e agora, antes de regressar à Austrália, ainda teve tempo de nos enviar estas imagens e o report 16... sem palavras. É um senhor.

World Kayaksurf Masters HP Champion 2009 and World Masters Waveski Champion 2011... this is not definetly for all ;) Steve Farthing is a real gentleman and also one world TOP surfer. While he was in Portugal, he wrotes for us 16 reports (!!). He and Mel Hardy simply made an awesome work... SINCERELY... THANKS!!!! Have a great trip back home and keep Ocean Spirit and Portugal in our minds ;)

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Ocean Spirit on my mind
by Steve Farthing
Report No 16

It was the last day of the waiting period, the swell was dropping, the fog had rolled in and we had 4 finals, 2 minor finals and 2 tag team events to complete before the high tide turned the comp site into a lake, talk about pressure on the organizers.

Another minor hiccup was some low life stole the computerized judging system the night before, so no live scores.

The senior’s final hit the water at 12:30; Rees Duncan had some unfinished business to attend to and blitzed it with another display of radical controlled surfing.

The master’s final followed and we had the pick of the swell window. It was all very close but the judges gave it to me this time, yeah.

The open final was another tough battle between Virgile and Pablo, Virgile reversed the junior result with his powerful style but it could have gone either way. In 2003, Virgile watched the World Waveski Titles in Guadaloupe. Eight years later his dream to be the World Champion has come true.

With the women’s final, after having come 2nd 5 times in the past and attending 14 world titles, Sandra Pinnear finally got her trophy but had to work hard to beat Jackie Dillon who threw everything into it.

After the women’s final the high tide took the waves away again and hence the minor finals and tag team events were cancelled. The awards ceremony kicked off at about 4 and yes a lot of people got wet in the pool and then the party started and let me tell you the Portuguese know how to throw a party.

A big thanks to everyone involved in putting this show together, so memorable in many ways. I can’t wait to come back and attend another Ocean Spirit event.

Good-bye Ocean Spirit, until next time.

Steve