After the wave alarm had been sounded the day before at the GWA Championship as part of the California Windsurf Cup on Sylt, 18 of Germany's best wave riders came to Brandenburg Beach on Wednesday for the second wave riding event of the 2024 season.
Unfortunately, the wind remained at the lower limit all day, so the wave elimination was hard work for the regatta crew and the riders on the water. Despite several cancellations due to the weak wind, it was possible to complete the elimination up to the second semi-final. This and the finals are still to be held in order to achieve a valid score for the men in the wave discipline.
Nadja Jablonski wins ahead of the Miron sisters
Things went more successfully for the women. Nadia Jablonski came out on top in the difficult conditions with light winds but a high shorebreak and strong current. She was followed by Emma Miron and her sister Frieda Miron.
In the first semi-final of the men's event, Mats von Holten, Leo Richter and Justus Schott from Kiel and Sylt local Irfan Celikay faced each other. As jumping was difficult in the weak, onshore wind, von Holten and Richter were able to put themselves in the limelight with the better wave rides and thus qualified for the final.
Philip Richter, Anton Richter, Oliver Schott and Alexander Neubert faced each other in the second semi-final. There were two start attempts, after which the wind fell below the limit both times, meaning that the wave elimination at the GWA Championship 2024 came to a standstill at this point. With the semi-final and final, there are still two heats left to achieve a valid result.
Whether that can happen today is questionable: the forecasts promise 12 to 18 knots, so the chance of more slalom races on foil or fin is greater than for rideable wave conditions.
