Dan wins IFCA World title....

After five days the 23rd IFCA Slalom World Championships 2007 in Hyeres has ended . Despite not so promising forecasts it was possible to have spectacular windsurfing competition on all but the last days. Dan Ellis (GBR 52, Fanatic, Naish Sails) from Great Britain is the Slalom World Champion 2007.

The level of the top racers of the IFCA Slalom World Championships was very balanced which is confirmed by five different winners in the five slalom eliminations. So in the end consistancy was a key factor to win the title. Dan Ellis had a disappointing start into the regatta but then improved from race to race to win the final elimination and jump to the top. But he had to share this position with Bora Kozanoglu (TUR 11, Starboard, Neil Pryde). The Turkish Slalom Champion presented an excellent performance over the whole regatta. So in the end both riders ended up with even 6,7 points in the final result. So the tie break had to decide who is the Slalom World Champion 2007. To solve the tie the discards are taken into account and there the British slalom expert wins against Kozanoglu with a seventh place against a ninth.

Hubert Mokrzyki (POL 25, Tabou, Gaastra) presented an excellent performance and was leading the event after the second day but then he pushed a little bit too much and was caught twice being over early. This cost him the title. Nonetheless he defends the third place with a total of 11,0 points. The Italian Slalom Champion Andrea Cucchi (ITA 1, Starboard, POINT-7) presented himself again in excellent form and is only one point behind Mokrzyki with 12,0 points. The Italian hotshot Alberto Menegatti (ITA 456, F2, North Sails) accumulates 15,7 points and completes the top 5.

The IFCA Class can be proud about its 23rd Slalom World Championship. With over 70 competitors from 14 different countries it was a major event for the windsurfing. In the top 6 of the men six different board brands and five different sail manufacturers are present. Almost the same variety can be found in the women's fleet. This shows that the IFCA Slalom World Championships are also an attractive platform for the windsurfing industry.