Press Release by Proteus Sports
Adecco Asian Windsurfing Tour, Presented by Fosters
The Marianas Open, Presented by Neil Pryde
13-15 February 2004
Date: 13 February 2004
(
www.proteus-sports.com) Racing began today of Micro Beach on Saipan in the Marianas Open, the fifth and final event of the Adecco Asian Tour, Presented by Foster’s. Here Guam’s Keichi Kobayashi chases compatriot Conrad Kerber. Kobayashi finised the day in second place behind Australia’s Robbie Radis.
A superb start to the Marianas Open, the final event on the season’s Adecco Asian Windsurfing Tour, sees six full races completed. At the end of day one on Micro Beach Australia’s Robbie Radis, the defending champion, sits comfortably at the top of the leader board with Guam’s Keiichi Kobayashi and Korea’s Yoon Sung Soo close behind.
The Adecco Asian Windsurfing Tour began in November last year on the windy isles of Penghu in Taiwan. And over the previous three weeks there have been three further events in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Now, the Tour has arrived in Saipan for the climax and the famous Marianas Open. Windsurfers from seven different nations have gathered here to compete in Saipan’s world class windsurfing conditions.
Over the past two days there has been a kitesurfing competition on Micro Beach which local kiter Jeffro Elliott won for the second consecutive year. But today it was the turn of the windsurfers and they will race over three days, with the Champion being crowned on Sunday night. The competition here is downwind slalom with the fleet of sailors crossing the line in unison and travelling down wind around a series of buoys to the finish line. The first across the finish line is the winner.
Having watched the kiteboarders fly over the last two days in wind speeds that surged past 20 knots it was a little frustrating to find boarderline conditions on Micro Beach this morning. Windsurfers need at least 12 knots of wind to race slalom and it was only at around 11 am that winds finally settled at 12-15 knots.
Robbie Radis from Australia quickly stamped his authority on the championships with an authoritative win in the first race. Said Radis “it’s great to be back here on Saipan. The lagoon here in front of Managaha Island is perfect for downwind slalom. Of course it’s also fun for all the competitors when we’re off the water – but to get a good result is the most important thing. I’ve been training hard and racing solid for the past three weeks so I’m in good form. But the fleet here is tough. There’s Yoon from Korea who’s been chasing hard all Tour and has gone past me in several races. And from Guam there’s Keiichi Kobayashi. There are a couple of top Japanese pro’s here too – Yuji Wakimoto and Nitta Hedeaki. It’s going to be tough.”
But Radis did not need to be too worried. In the fourth race of the day he was beaten into second place by Kobayashi but otherwise it was a series of straight wins. The battle behind him was raging though and at the end of the day it was Guam’s Keiichi Kobayashi just ahead of Korea’s Yoon Soon Soo.
Said Kobayashi “it’s fantastic racing out there and I’m stoked with my result. The key is to get good starts and to make it to the first mark ahead of the competition. I pushed it a little close in the last race and was disqualified for being “over early” – but that’s the price you pay. Over the whole day it was worth it and I’m really pleased to be in second place. But I won’t settle for that, I beat Robbie in Race Four and there’s no reason why I can’t keep doing that. And there are two days left.”
Winning the ladies division is Ayako Suzuki of Japan. Such is her strength that not only is she winning in the ladies division, she is also sixth overall.
Racing here on Micro Beach continues through Saturday and Sunday.
Pictures and press release courtesy Proteus Sports
http://www.proteus-sports.com/
