Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day 4
by Chris Yates 22 Jul 11:45 BST
Close quarters racing on Day 4 of the Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam © Carter / PWAWorldTour.com
Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title, while Pierre Mortefon is on verge of winning men's after claiming back-to-back bullets.
The penultimate day of the Slalom X in Fuerteventura saw Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) crowned world champion for an incredible 26th time after successfully defending her Slalom X world title. Meanwhile, more carnage ensued in the Men's with a solid swell combined with the the wind swell, running in a different direction, causing real problems for the world's best, which has eventually seen Pierre Mortefon (FMX Racing) claim control of the event, but that doesn't really tell the full story...
Slalom X
Women's
Sarah-Quita Offringa started the day on the cusp of an incredible 26th world title, however, the Aruban didn't want to know the maths behind her world title run in and instead chose to focus on taking things race-by-race.
Unbeknown to Offringa, a victory in the opening elimination of the day would secure her the world crown and with Jenna Gibson (Duotone Windsurfing) dropping the tricky last gybe, Offringa would swoop to collect her sixth bullet in a row and with it the 2025 Slalom X PWA world title. At that point, Offringa didn't know she had won, so there was understandably a lot more emotion once she had also won the next race adding: "It's insane. I really didn't see this coming at the beginning of the week. I didn't think I could even finish the event, but here we are. It's really cool. I got more determination and motivation as the event progressed and today things started to click. It feels insane to win the event. Now I can relax."
Justine Lemeteyer (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails) walks away from Fuerteventura as the Slalom X vice-world champion after saving her best until last to keep Femke van der Veen (Starboard / Severne Sails) at bay. Lemeteyer started the day with a fifth place, but then claimed a second followed by her only bullet of the event in Elimination 14 to remain in control before surviving a scare at the final gybe in Elimination 15 to secure second just ahead of van der Veen to claim that all important second place.
van der Veen fought valiantly, and aside from the opening day, the 25-year-old also produced her best performance as she claims her place on the overall podium for the first time in her career. The Dutch girl sailed superbly today registering a second and three thirds, but it wasn't quite enough as she finishes just 0.7 of a point behind Lemeteyer.
For Jenna Gibson (Duotone Windsurfing) it was another day of what could've been - as it has been for much of the event for the Brit. After starting the day with a second place, Gibson did briefly jump into the podium positions, but her top three aspirations fizzled out following a fifth, seventh and an eighth. The 27-year-old led the majority of the races at some point with her phenomenal top speed, but couldn't quite see them out, which ultimately means she has to settle for fourth.
The top five is completed by 15-year-old Bobbi-Lynn De Jong (Starboard / NeilPryde), who hit a hot streak of form by finishing fourth in the last three eliminations to pip Blanca Alabau (WeOne / Severne Sails).
Men's
After being slightly off the pace yesterday, Pierre Mortefon (FMX Racing) made no mistake today as he regains the event lead for the first time since the opening day. The reigning world champion struck twice to claim back-to-back bullets to ensure fate in his own hands tomorrow. As so often seems to be the case, Mortefon is capable of raising his level in these key moments and you'd back him to secure the victory tomorrow. If two races are completed tomorrow then the equivalent of a third and fourth (7 points from two races) would be enough to guarantee him the event title.
Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne Sails / Z Fins) continued his phenomenal level of consistency without being able to land a killer blow as the Italian recorded a fourth and a second today to jump into second place. For the second day running, Iachino did well to stay on his feet in a Winners' Final - this time managing to avoid Jordy Vonk's (Duotone Windsurfing) falling mast after a nasty catapult. Iachino is 5.6 points behind Mortefon heading into the final day of racing.
After claiming second place in Elimination 6, Jordy Vonk started Elimination 7 just one point behind Mortefon, however, when prominently placed, the Flying Dutchman, who has been in the form of his life, suffered a nasty catapult on the opening reach, which actually resulted in Vonk being knocked out in the water and the 32-year-old is currently in hospital getting fully checked over. It's sometimes easy to forget the risks these guys are taking when sailing in these hardcore conditions and everyone from the PWA wishes Jordy all the best.
Maciek Rutkowski (JP / NeilPryde) cut a dejected and emotional figure after the wheels all but came off his event title challenge for another year in Fuerteventura. The Pole was leading Elimination 9, but on the penultimate reach he hit a horrible piece of death chop, which instantly ended his chances as he went from first to eventually finish sixth. Rutkowski has been in the top three for the entire event, but heads into the last day just outside the podium positions. It's not mathematically impossible for Rutkowski to still win, but the odds are not in his favour - stranger things have happened in sport before though...
The top ten after the top four remains unchanged; Taty Frans (Point-7 / Z Fins) - 5th - Amado Vrieswijk (Future Fly / Point-7 / Z Fins) - 6th - Nico Prien (JP / NeilPryde) - 7th - Bruno Martini (I-99 / S2Maui) - 8th - Jimmy Thieme (PATRIK / PATRIK Sails) - 9th - and Ingmar Daldorf (Tabou / GA Sails) tenth.
The last day of Slalom X will see the conclusion of the men's fleet and the plan, wind depending, will be two run another two eliminations. The sailors will meet again at 11:30am (GMT+1) on Tuesday morning with the action commencing from 12pm onwards.
You can stay up to date with all the latest developments from Fuerteventura— including the live stream, elimination ladders, entry list, images and live ticker via www.pwaworldtour.com
Result 2025 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Women's Slalom X
1st Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU | Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins)
2nd Justine Lemeteyer (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails)
3rd Femke van der Veen (NED | Starboard / Severne Sails)
4th Jenna Gibson (GBR | Duotone Windsurfing)
5th Bobbi-Lynn De Jong (NB | Starboard / NeilPryde)
Current Ranking 2025 Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam - Men's Slalom X
After 9 Eliminations (2 Discards)
1st Pierre Mortefon (FRA | FMX Racing)
2nd Matteo Iachino (ITA | Starboard / Severne Sails / Z Fins)
3rd Jordy Vonk (NED | Duotone Windsurfing)
4th Maciek Rutkowski (POL | JP / NeilPryde)
5th Taty Frans (NB | Point-7 / Z Fins)
6th Amado Vrieswijk (NB | Future Fly / Point-7 / Z Fins)
7th Nico Prien (GER | JP / NeilPryde)
8th Bruno Martini (ITA | I-99 / S2Maui / Z Fins)
9th Ingmar Daldorf (NED | Tabou / GA Sails)
10th Jimmy Thieme (FRA | PATRIK / PATRIK Sails)