This weekend two of the most important Formula class events took place at Tallinn, Pirita: NeilPryde Baltic Cup 2010 and Estonian Formula Championships.[more]
There were 53 participants taking part of the biggest Formula event in the Baltics from Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
2010 NeilPryde Baltic Cup overall was won by Janis Preiss LAT 23 (Gaastra), for whom this was already the fifth overall win in the NeilPryde Baltic Cup series. The freshly crowned Nordic Champion Martin Ervin EST 202 (Starboard, NeilPryde) finished second. The third place went to Erno Kaasik EST 2 (Starboard, NeilPryde). These three were also the Tallinn’s event winners.
The windless Friday and Saturday were followed by a very windy Sunday, when there were western winds 10-12 m/s with heavy gusts up to 16 m/s.
The first race was the most difficult one. Many competitors chose a bigger sail then they could handle. So in the first race only 15 surfers finished. First over the finish line with a big lead was Erno Kaasik. In the following races the wind calmed a bit and the racing was intense between Janis Preiss and Martin Ervin who were competing for the overall first place. In the second race Janis Preiss took the first place, closely followed by Martin Ervin. Third race was the same – Janis Preiss first, Martin Ervin second. The fourth race first place did not help Martin Ervin to win the Championships and the overall victory in the NeilPryde Baltic Cup 2010 went to Janis Preiss.
“The Tallinn event was one of the hardest ones for me,” admitted Preiss. Gusty wind and high waves as well as bad settings on the equipment ruined his first race. “So I’m very happy about the victories in the next two races”, said Preiss.
Martin Ervin who won the second place said that his strengths are light and modest wind conditions:„ “it’s very rare to compete in such windy conditions.”
In the juniors (U-17) rankings Rytis Jasiunas (LTU 799) won both the Tallinn event and the overall NeilPryde Baltic Cup 2010. Youth (U-20) ranking Tallinn event was won by Andrius Sliuburys (LTU 153) and the overall NeilPryde Baltic Cup Youth Champion was John Kaju (EST 24).
In the women’s ranking Latvia took first places – Tallinn event was won by Marta Ozola (LAT 95) and the overall winner was Marta Luize Avercenko (LAT 5).
NeilPryde Baltic Tallinn Cup was also the final event of Estonian Formula Championships 2010, which was won by Martin Ervin (EST 202).
NeilPryde Baltic Cup 2010 summary, results and pictures are located at the official website http://www.event.extreme.ee/and also http://www.formulawindsurfing.org/
