29er Worlds 2011 - Race Day 1 - Photos by Matias Capizzano
PRESS RELEASE
2011 29er World Championship: day 1
Mar del Plata, Argentina
Challenging conditions greeted the competitors for the opening day of the 2011 29er Worlds held in Mar del Plata. With the starting gun at 11am, all 60 teams headed out in 18 knots of breeze and large swells to the two separate race courses.
The Argentine team of Pepe Bettini and Fernando Gwozdz started off winning the first two races and finishing 2nd in the final race for today. When asked about the conditions, Bettini commented that "we had steady winds but a big swell with waves breaking on the top. At the beginning of the downwind legs it was like surfing the Pipeline against pro surfer Kelly Slater! Our PRO Tino Mora did a really good job and we're happy with the days results. We're tied with Tavella and Greggi in points."
Belen Tavella and Franco Greggi, also from Argentina led the south course with the exact same finishes. The French team of Gael Jaffrezic and Julien Bloyet are 3rd with Argentine team Gonzalo Pollitzer and Jose Maria Diez 4th and fellow countrymen Juan Krevisky and Billy Lopez Segura rounding out the top 5.
Racing continues on Tuesday, January 4 with two more days of the qualifying series followed by three days of the final series. The prizegiving will be held on Saturday, January 8. Photos provided by renowned photographer Matias Capizzano, www.capizzano.com. Live reports and daily results: www.29erworlds.org; Facebook: 29er Worlds 2011 and Int 29er Class.
