(openPR) - The first day of competition kicked of with perfect sailing conditions. Man of the day was Bjorn Dunkerbeck (SUI, T1/Prrof, North) with a new spot record of 41.73 knots. The women fleet was dominated one more time by Valerie Ghibaudo (FRA, Loft Sails) with two bullets on the first day.
After the initial skippersmeeting at 10:00 the riders were put on short standby with the postponement flag, as the wind was too broad and gusty in the morning.

The race committee decided to go for a split fleet race in round one, as the Devils Bay is not big enough to allow all riders to compete at the same time. Thus the fleet was split into two equal strong groups, and sent out for the first race at 12:15. Antoine Albeau (FRA, Starboard) dominated group A, Peter Volwater (NED, F2, North) in second ahead of Cyril Moussilmani (FRA, Fanatic, North), then Chris Lockwood (AUS, Carbon Art, KA Sails). Group B kicked of with the long expected duell between Bjorn Dunkerbeck and Finian Maynard (BVI), and Bjorn showed with some fantastic runs over 41 knots the potential of that strip. Surprisingly Ben van der Steen (NED) came in second, followed by Torsten Luig (GER, T1, North), Finian in fourth then.

The women competition was clearly dominated by Valerie Ghibaudo ahead of Anja Kruse (GER, F2, North) and Elke Schill (GER, F2, North) from the hosting Pro center.

After this initial round, the fleet was split into silver and gold fleet, with seven sailors advancing from silver to gold. That leg was won by Daniel Borgelind (SWE), also advancing was Andrea Baldini (ITA, Fanatic/Carbon Art), Roger Henriksen (DEN, Loft Sails), Beppe Fortunato (ITA), Erik Larrson (SWE), Christian Bornemann (GER, T1) and Manos Kapnisakis (GRE). These riders will compete the gold fleet tomorrow, as the wind was too gusty in the starting area to go for the final round in the evening.

The womens fleet was run with the silver fleet and again the ranking was Valerie, Anja and Elke.

Racing continues with the gold fleet tomorrow morning, and thrilling action in Devils Bay, Karpathos until the 26th of August.

Full results are available in the events section at www.speedworldcup.com

For more information about the Speed:World:Cup, the International Speed Windsurfing Class (ISWC) and the Professional Kite Riders Association (PKRA), please contact

Speed:World:Cup
Tour Manager
Markus Schwendtner Consulting GmbH
Wilhelmstr. 25-30
13593 Berlin
Germany
Fon: +49 30 2461 6930
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email:info@speedworldcup.com

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Speed:World:Cup is the officially sanctioned world tour of the International Speed Windsurfing Class (ISWC) and the Professional Kite Riders Association (PKRA).

The Speed:World:Cup events go from exceptional action in Namibia to more cosmopolitan spots such as Fuerteventura - the historical European Speedsurfing Capital, to huge shows of extreme conditions on small islands like Karpathos. In total, there are 200 to 300 competitors at the same time, from places like Australia or Brasil, to Germany or Norway.

The Tour has to offer: dynamic, thrilling action, and bring the most visually dynamic aquatic sports to the audience, making it a perfect vehicle to locate sponsors logos; a sport that is set outdoors, healthy and environmental friendly.

Superb action on the water, combined with an interactive and exciting life experience, that creates an atmosphere where the fans and the media are face to face with the most radical and intense competition and the biggest personalities of the sport.
Besides being a sport of radical action, Windsurfing and Kiteboarding is a way of life. This type of life is formed by several elements to which many aspire, but that few can really achieve. Most of, if not even all of these aspects of the sport are represented in the Speed:World:Cup.

The Speed:World:Cup is entitled to hold World, Continental and National Championships and is always looking for partners, local organizers as well as national associations, to propagate this exciting and thrilling discipline all over the world.

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TOUR MANAGER: MARKUS SCHWENDTNER

For more information about the Speed:World:Cup, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Speed:World:Cup

Markus Schwendtner - Tour Manager
Rohrbecker Weg 43
14612 Falkensee
Germany

Fon: +49 1713819139

www.speedworldcup.com
info@speedworldcup.com

The Speed:World:Cup is sanctioned by ISAF, ISWC and PKRA

Please visit these links:
www.internationalwindsurfing.com
www.pkra.info
www.sailing.org