Tomorrow the Windsurfing Euro-Cup will kick off at the STIMOROL ENGADINWIND.COM mega event in Silvaplana (Switzerland). Over 50 competitors are pre-registered for the event. Among them are several Champions and other top riders of the racing and slalom disciplines.
The list of the favourites is lead by Steve Allen (AUS-0, Tabou, Gaastra) from Australia, the current Formula Windsurfing World Champion. Last weekend he has won the Windsurfing Euro-Cup in Leba (Poland). Especially in light winds there are very few who are able to match up with him. This may be a significant advantage in the thin air of Switzerland 1.800 metre above the sea level.
A serious threat for the Australian may be the Formula Windsurfing European Champion of 2006 Ross Williams (GBR-83, Tabou, Gaastra) from Great Britain. Last year he was able to triumph in the slalom and to get second in racing at the Engadinwind.com. He has proven already in the past that he is able to beat all the other top racer and is ready to do so again if the chances are there.
The Argentinian Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG-3, F2, Neil Pryde) also made his way to Silvaplana to fight for the triumph and a share of the prize money. Last weekend at the EC in Leba he had a spectacular head-to-head fight with Steve Allen who was only able to pass him in the final race.
Italy is represented by the Italian Champion Andrea Cucchi (ITA-1, Starboard, Point-7) and the Italian Youth Champion Alberto Menegatti (ITA-456, F2, North Sails). Poland arrives with an impressivly strong fleet: Kuba Guzdek (POL-13, F2, Gaastra), RS-X Vice World Champion Przemek Miarczinski (POL-126, Starboard, Neil Pryde) and Hubert Mokrzycki (POL-25, Tabou, Gaastra) are all candidates for a top 10 finish. The Danish fleet is led by the current leader of the FW World ranking Jesper Vesterström (DEN-111, Starboard, Neil Pryde). From Germany the current number 2 in racing, Vincent Langer (GER-122, Starboard, Simmer Style).
But the list of potential podium candidates is much longer and it is difficult to make a forecast who will win the event as the level of the top racers is very close this year. Especially the Swiss national heroes hope to take advantage of their knowledge of the specific conditions here on the Lake Silvaplana. Their team is lead by Karin Jaggi (SUI-14, F2, North Sails) and Daniel Äberli (SUI-96 , F2, North Sails). But the biggest surprise may be the participation of the 36-times Windsurfing World Champion Björn Dunkerbeck who just changed to sail for Switzerland with the new sail number SUI-11.
The Euro-Cup at the ENGADINWIND.COM festival features the discipline Racing (Formula Windsurfing). For Racing the competitors are allowed to register one board and three sails. Competitons can be run from not less then 7 knots as the racers use sails up to 12,5 m2 and boards with a maximum width of 100 cm. The whole fleet will start together so that we can expect some spectacular situations on the course. The total prize money of the event is EUR 20.000,00.
Tomorrow the skippers meeting is scheduled for 11:00 with the first possible start at 12:00. The ENGADINWIND.COM will last until Saturday, August 12th.
