Wojtek dominates 1st Euro-Cup
11 May 2005
Portimão (Portugal), May 8th 2005.
(Press release from Starboard)
Wojtek Brzozowski (POL-10, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Poland dominated the kick-off event of the Windsurfing Euro-Cup 2005 in Portimão (Portugal). He won three of the five races and finished on the top of the podium with 6,1 points. The second place went to Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG-3, F2, Neil Pryde) from Argentina in front of Ross Williams (GBR-83, Starboard, Gaastra) from Great Britain. The three have been fighting against a fleet of 36 of the best competitors of the World.
On the first day the wind didn't get strong and consistent enough for competition. But on the second day the racing went off. Wojtek Brzozowski, the Formula Windsurfing World Champion of 2000, had a perfect start into the regatta and dominated the first race in front of Gonzalo Costa Hoevel from Argentina. A big surprise was Davide Beverino (ITA-3, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Italy who just entered the Euro-Cup in the last year and already managed to reach a place on the podium in this race. The Portuguese FW Champion Miguel Martinho (POR-5, Starboard, Neil Pryde) took advantage of his knowledge as local and got third in front of his team mate and Italian Champion Andrea Cucchi (ITA-1, Starboard, Neil Pryde). Przemek Miarczynski (POL-126, F2, Windwing) completed the top-5 in this race.
The next race was started back to back. This time the Italian hotshot Davide Beverino managed the incredible and won the race in front of the Portuguese local Miguel Martinho. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel got third in front of Wilhelm Schurmann (BRA-999, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Brasil and the Formula Windsurfing World Champion 2003 Steve Allen (AUS-0, Fanatic, Neil Pryde) from Australia.
Again the racers were kept on the water. In the next race Ross Williams was able to dominate in front of Gonzalo Costa Hoevel. This time Keith Atkinson surprised his opponents and the experts with a third place which is his first top-10 position in the Windsurfing Euro-Cup. Wojtek Brzozowski managed to defend the fourth position against Davide Beverino.
Without a break the fourth race was started. It was fully dominated by Wojtek Brzozowski. Ross Williams followed in the second place with Miguel Martinho and Michael Polanowski (POL-16, Starboard, Severne Sails) on his heals. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel completed the top-5.
So Wojtek Brzozowski had a comfortable lead after the second day of the event. But he continued his domination on the third day with a victory in the only race of the day. Again he took advantage of a perfect start and won the race in front of his Polish team mate Michael Polanowski. The Italian Champion Andrea Cucchi (ITA-1, Starboard, Neil Pryde) returned to his usual strength and got third in front of Ross Williams and Gonzalo Costa Hoevel.
At the end the Formula Windsurfing World Champion of 2000, Wojtek Brzozowski has dominated the event with three victories and a total of 6,1 points. On the second position followed Gonzalo Costa Hoevel from Argentina. He didn't win a race but his solid performance granted him 12,0 points which ensured his place on the podium. Only 0,7 points behind we find Ross Williams with one race victory and a total of 12,7 points in front of Michal Polanowski with 22,0 points who moved up several positions due to his second place in the last race. The top-5 is completed by Davide Beverino (ITA-3, Starboard, Neil Pryde) with 22,7 points who lost a place today but still can be proud about his best Windsurfing Euro-Cup result so far. The Portuguese Formula Windsurfing Champion Miguel Martinho achieved a great 6th place and was the best Portuguese competitor in the fleet.
The next event of the Windsurfing Euro-Cup takes place in Rhodes (Greece) from June 5th to 12th with the Formula Windsurfing European Championships 2005. Then the Worlds best windsurfers will fight again for points in the most important Racing and Slalom series.