Lisbon Flashlight:
Yesterday we had a great press conference in the Casino of Estoril which is next to Cascais where the FW European Championships take place. A lot of local authorities where visiting the meeting and expressed great proud to be allowed to host such a great event. Also Bruno de Wannemaker as President of the IWA flew in for the conference.
Afterwards we travelled to the bay of Guincho which is very close to the race site and famous for its great wave sailing conditions to stay for the first night in the hotel there. I am still missing my luggage which makes me a little bit curious as I don’t have any clothes to change and it’s getting warmer and warmer.
This morning we had the formal Inscription. Most of the top FW competitors have found their way to Lisbon. For example the current FW World Champion Kevin Pritchard (US-10, BIC, Gaastra), the current leader of the Euro-Cup Steve Allen (AUS-0, Fanatic) from Australia, the Euro-Cup Champion of 2001 and FW World Champion of 2000 Wojtek Brzozowski (POL-10, Starboard, Neil Pryde) and also third third guy from the podium of the last Euro-Cup in Travemünde last weekend Sam Ireland (KC-1, Starboard, North Sails) from Canada and the young FW hotshot Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (ARG-3, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Argentina.
Also the women fleet has an impressive level and is representing the peak of the FW sport. Dorota Staszewska (POL-1, Starboard, Neil Pryde) from Poland, Verena Fauster (ITA-31, Starboard, Gaastra) from Italy, Margit Germany (AUT-88, Starboard, Gaastra) and Lucy Horwood (GBR-95, AHD, Gaastra) are representing the current leaders of the FW Women Cup.
I will present the final Entry List asap but inscriptions, measurements and equipment registrations will run the whole day. In the meantime here you have some more impressions from a sunny but windless and incredible hot (don’t forget I am still in my long trousers from cold Germany!) day.
More to come…
Matthias Regber
www.choppywater.de
