The final competition day, was packed with epic conditions in the Bay of Paracas, with a suitable wind already from 11 am which allowed us to complete 4 eliminations (the maximum per day), reaching a total of 8 completed eliminations (3 discards) and with suspense until the last heat of the day, and only 10 minutes before the last possible warning signal time limit of this amazing championship (4 pm). [more]
Thus, this final day of the event was the best day of competitions for all, with winds of 20-22 knots, and gusts up to 24-25 knots, the sun shining, the turquoise sea and many spectators were the witness of the 24 heats sailed and the final outcome of the championship.
With a few ups and downs, the Overall Event Champion in the Men’s division Ethan Westera quotes:
“My Peru Experience was all about good vibes, good people, good conditions and a lot of sailing hours. I have spent days before the Championships doing a Clinic with the young Peruvian kids. I also learned a lot being with all these new friends and it felt good, seeing them progress into real slalom competitors. Paracas is a beautiful location with stunning sunsets, nice flat water, sure enough, a wind that starts to blow around mid-day and is a lot of fun being surrounded by an interesting nature. This Championship has been a nice one, as we managed to sail every single day resulting in quite a lot of eliminations for a great 4-day event set up. There were some good competitions among the competitors with long hours spent on the water. We sailed together with the Youths and it was a lot of fun in medium to strong wind conditions. A few Years ago we had this Championship in Aruba and I remember Taty Frans winning it, that was a fun event and big challenge with Taty to fight for the title, so it feels amazing now that I finally got it and I am happy to end my 2018 season with this additional event experience.”
For PERU, it was a great final day and Championship. Local competitors managed to secure the South American Titles, during the last heat of the day, in Men (Alessio Botteri PER-20) and in Women (María Belen Bazo PER-50). Other Peruvian competitors also won several prizes in the different Championship categories, both in the South American and Pan Americans.
IFCA thanks the Asociacion Peruana de Windsurf (APW), Club Regattas Lima, Oasis Bahia de Paracas beach club and all the many sponsors, photographers and volunteers involved who have spent all the efforts and energy on this Championship, and not to forget the tasteful Charlotte Catering providing traditional and real Peruvian dishes during the entire championship.
IFCA will continue to support the developments of slalom competitions in the Central, Caribbean and South American continent. It was a great experience to have seen so many enthusiastic and motivated competitors. Congratulations to everyone and see you at the Next Championship.
