Everyone at the Fly! ANA Windsurfing World Cup was looking forward to Monday, which was to decide the outcome. After two exciting days of racing with lots of light winds, the forecast was for a little more wind today. But no such luck: the entire day - the night from Sunday to Monday due to the time difference for us Europeans - was a waiting game, the wind didn't get above a few knots, only the "strongest" gusts reached a maximum of ten knots. Too little for fair racing, especially when there is a world championship decision to be made.
With even less wind in the forecast for tomorrow (Tuesday), further races in front of Mount Fuji are rather unlikely. This means that the rankings are unlikely to change and the World Championship could be decided.
More about the PWA World Cup in Japan
Mortefon and Lemeteyer on course for the World Cup
Pierre Mortefon and Justine Lemeteyer therefore have the best chance of standing in a champagne shower at this time tomorrow and becoming world champions. Mortefon thus completes the racing double, having already won the first Slalom X title in history. The Frenchman was extremely consistent in the races in Japan and won the first elimination - after that, however, Johan Søe found himself in "beast mode" and left the rest no chance. Second place in Yokosuka was enough for Mortefon to take the World Championship just ahead of Daniele Benedetti.
Justine Lemeteyer, on the other hand, was not quite as superior in Japan as she has been so far this season. The 22-year-old Frenchwoman made some minor mistakes on the first day of the race, then yesterday she made two mistakes in the final and is therefore behind her closest rival Marion Mortefon in the rankings. But thanks to two victories on Fuerte and Sylt, Lemeteyer's cushion is thick enough that a second place in Japan would also be enough for her first world title!
Tobias Frauen
Editor
