GWA Wingfoil World Cup Ibiraquera 2024 – New world champions crowned in Brazil
by Ian MacKinnon 24 Oct 10:44 PDT
19-26 October 2024
GWA Wingfoil World Cup Ibiraquera 2024 © Svetlana Romantsova
The GWA Wingfoil World Tour has crowned two new world champions in the Wave discipline at the concluding event of the season after an exhilarating day of competition in the left-hand break of Ibiraquera, located in southern Brazil.
Cash Berzolla from the US has been the star of the season, having secured a victory in Morocco earlier this month. Despite an unexpected elimination in the quarter-finals at Ibiraquera, his previous record was sufficient for him to maintain the title even with the event still ongoing.
“I feel amazing,” Berzolla stated. “I didn’t perform as well as I had hoped at this event, but overall, I couldn’t be happier and I’m thrilled to take the overall championship title. The left-hand break with port winds is a bit different for me, which I believe contributed to my quarter-final struggle.”
Spain’s Elena Moreno had already secured her title in Brazil, having clinched two impressive event victories at prior stops on the tour. The small size of the women’s fleet ensured she had accumulated enough points before even stepping onto the water.
“I’m extremely happy to win the world title here in Ibiraquera,” Moreno expressed. “It’s such an amazing country. Honestly, I’m a bit lost for words right now. I need to calm myself. This victory is dedicated to my brother and my family. I’m just overjoyed.”
Strong form
With challenging conditions anticipated, Day 3 of the Copa Kitley GWA Wingfoil World Cup Ibiraquera began early, aiming to utilize all available wind to complete the competition.
The initial rounds saw 15-year-old debutant Anderson Gallagher (USA) advance through the contest, eliminating young Briton Leon Schiel, 14, who had captured third place in the last round in Morocco.
This marked the beginning of a successful streak for Maui-based Gallagher, who progressed all the way to the semi-final, facing off against France’s Axel Gerard, who had demonstrated strong form. However, the heat was interrupted due to a medical emergency involving another athlete, leading to the end of proceedings.
Gerard, 16, had been performing exceptionally well prior to the interruption. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Cash Berzolla, who had seemed nearly unbeatable until that point.
Went for broke
France’s Malo Guénolé, currently ranked second, sought retribution for his defeat in Dakhla, Morocco, against Liam Coralle in the third round. Guénolé showed no mercy, concluding the heat with two impressive waves scoring over 7 points out of 10.
“Indeed, Dakhla was a significant disappointment for me,” Guénolé remarked before his opening heat. “I felt completely out of sync during that heat. I reflected on my errors, and now I’m feeling comfortable here. I felt I was riding well, and I’m eager to get back on the water.”
In his quarter-final, Guénolé pushed hard against Maui-based Finn Spencer (Can) and set a benchmark by scoring two of the largest waves in the competition until that moment. This ended Spencer’s journey in the event.
Guénolé displayed even greater dominance in his semi-final against Vinnicius Martins (BRA), where he achieved an 8.83 wave score—the highest of the event—resulting in his victory. However, Martins demonstrated significant improvement in his wave riding during his second consecutive semi-final. The men’s competition is now finely balanced.
In the women’s event, the compact lineup of five competitors seems to position Elena Moreno in a direct contest with the Netherlands’ Bowien van der Linden for the win in Ibiraquera. Join to see if the Dutch athlete can dethrone the new world champion.
All event information is available here
