Gran Canaria 2015

BAM!!

I didn’t know I wanted this so bad. The moment they called my name and I was standing alongside Iballa and Daida on the podium in Pozo Izquierdo, I realized a dream had come true!
I’ve been travelling to Gran Canaria since 2006. Back then I only stuck to freestyle and was happy sliding along spocks and flaka’s. Watching the pro’s flying and spinning through the air like acrobats was incredible to watch. Being part of that never crossed my mind though.

So being there right now feels amazing!
The whole week before Pozo everybody was speculating about the conditions.
Finally at the day of registration Pozo showed itself at full force
It hadn’t been this windy during the world cup in a couple of years.
Most people were stoked, I was terrified.

But as soon as the red flag went up I had to let go of that.
In the single elimination I sailed both 3,2 & 3,7.
In my first heat against Ingrid Larouche I was kind of out of tune. I did manage to pass however. After that I was up against steffi wahl. She has such nice waveriding style and the jumps to back it up. Basically I had to compensate my waveriding with jumps if I wanted to beat her. I had been trying pushloops for a couple of days but they never really worked out. Then and there I decided that it was the only way to pass. In the final minutes, after 2 fails I stuck a pushloop.
I think it was close, but I passed!
Then I was up against Iballa. I did my best and sailed okay, but for now I just don’t think I can match her. Finally I had to fight for 3rd place with amanda Beenen. She has biiig forwards, but by then I was confident and sticking pushloops in every heat. So a 3rd place finish for me in the single!

The double elimination is always quite nervewracking because you need to defend your spot. It was the first time for me that I would have to do that in waves. Normally I would say I don’t have anything to lose because it’s waves. But since I made it to 3rd it did matter to me. I wanted to stay there.
Steffi made the biggest comeback, beat Amanda and challenged me for third place. Apparently I only edged ahead of her with my last wave of the heat! She beat me on waveriding but I scored higher on jumps. It must have been just a point difference. Close, but I got it!
By then the conditions were cranking, I was overpowered on a 3,2 and Iballa landed a monster backloop. There I realized that 2nd would not be possible for the moment haha. I was happy in third.
Pozo was a huge challenge, but it has pushed me to up my game and in 2 days of competition I’ve already improved my level.

It’s been great to sail with such a big group of motivated girls.
Big thank you to Daida, Iballa, Rodrigo and their team for making the event happen.
Right now I’m watching everybody freestyling on the turqouise waters in fuerteventura. I’m excited to get on my freestyle board, but weirdly enough I have the jitters to go wavesailing in Tenerife already!!