Maria Behrens leads the World Wave Rankings at Mid Season
by International Windsurfing Tour 30 Jul 20:58 BST
Maria Behrens © Fish Bowl Diaries
At the halfway point of the season, Maria Behrens sits at the top of the World Wave Rankings after an outstanding first half of the year.
A runner-up finish at the Maui Pro-Am in the spring, followed by a fifth place in the completely different port tack jumping conditions of Gran Canaria, have placed her in the perfect position heading into the second half of the season.
Over the last three seasons, Behrens has claimed seven top five finishes, including a runner-up finish in Sylt. Her versatility is one of her greatest strengths. Whether it's down-the-line wave riding, challenging onshore conditions, big waves or smaller surf, she always finds a way to perform. Her wave selection is exceptional, her jumps continue to get higher, and every season she adds new moves to her repertoire.
With seven major events still to come, including four 5-star events, Maria is in a fantastic position to achieve the best overall ranking of her career. Even more encouraging, two of those major stops are Sylt and the Aloha Classic, venues where she has already proven she can fight at the front with a runner-up finish in Germany, a podium finish in Maui and another final appearance there.
The battle for the world title, however, is far from decided. Frances Marine Hunter is right on Maria's heels after winning the opening 5-star event of the season in Maui, a venue where she has already claimed previous victories. Although she finished ninth in Gran Canaria, four more 5-star events remain, including Sylt and the Aloha Classic, two spots where she has already won in the past.
Adding even more excitement to the title race, Sarah-Quita Offringa arrives with momentum after winning in Pozo and returns to Tenerife starting this weekend as the defending event champion.
With the Tenerife World Cup about to begin, the fight for the top of the rankings is only getting more exciting!
Tune in to watch the whole tour and see all the riders battle for supremacy: www.worldwindsurftour.com