©SSM / Dan Atkins

Once again, the infamous location provided nuclear conditions. Winds in excess of 50 knots brought with them a sizeable swell to create the kind of truly extreme port-tack on-shore conditions that Pozo beach is so famous for.

Gran Canaria, the first event of the mini Canaries tour marks the start of a year where world champion Bjorn Dunkerbeck will begin his bid for a phenomenal 11th consecutive world title. What better place for the reigning world champion to begin the defence of his title but at his home beach ?

Port tack Pozo has always demanded high levels of performance from competitors in-order to fully maximise the difficult and challenging conditions. Standards were set to be higher than ever this year in the waves.

Although Dunkerbeck won the overall event in Gran Canaria last year, he was defeated in the Wave Performance by his great friend and training partner Vidar Jensen. Jensen, put on one of the really stunning demonstrations of 1997 performing incredible 'double forward loops', one of the most dangerous and difficult windsurfing manoeuvres, to take victory in the waves.

Other competitors keen to do well here in Gran Canaria were PWA Wave World Champion Jason Polakow from Australia, the man who snatched victory and the world title from the legendary Robby Naish in the very last event of 97. Inspired by his near miss, Naish looking for payback in 98 and the opportunity to silence his critics by winning the world wave title he has always maintained that he would hold once more ?

Early start

Competition kicked off immediately into wave performance with the winds of over 50 knots forcing many sailors to borrow small sails and comments of being 'overpowered on 3.7m' common !

The Overall picture .........

With the second wave elimination counting as a valid result and 2 more rounds of slalom, the wave and overall results tables were due for a shake-up !

In the wave performance, Bjorn Dunkerbeck's elimination 1# win aided the world champion to taking victory ahead of England's Nik Baker, K-66, with Kevin Pritchard in 3rd position.

A win and a second position in racing was good enough to give Dunkerbeck the event overall victory ahead of Kevin and Matt Pritchard.

In the women's competition, Z-14 Karin Jaggi took the overall victory with a win in similar fashion to Bjorn by winning the waves and finishing second in the racing.

MENS FINAL RESULTS AFTER 4 ELIMINATIONS OF RACE AND 1 DISCARD

1 GUBELMANN, Sandra Z-3 Neil Pryde, Subaru, Red Bull, Chiemsee
2 JAGGI, Karin Z-14 Arrows, F2, Sohard AG, O'Neill
3 LOCKWOOD, Emily AUS-74 Neil Pryde, F2, Daily Juice
4 MUELLER, Jutta G-680 Sailworks, F2, Pro-Limit
5 GHIBAUDO, Valerie F-44 Sun Valley, ATAN, Fin's, Nautix
6 ERNST, Lucienne H-444 Gaastra, Mistral, Oxbow
7 SALLES, Valerie F-32 Simmer,Languedoc, RBO, Leucate
8 FREY, Antonia GR-1 Arrows,F2,Oakley, Mamidakis,Dodoni
9 WAHL, Steffi G-303 North Sails, Mistral, Domicil, Dethleffs
10 PROCHASKA, Julie US-07 North Sails,Da Kine, Sign Media
11 STASZEWSKA, Dorota POL-1 North Sails, Drops, Suntex, Red Bull
12 BENEDICTE HEIBER, Nina N-10
13 RUANO MORENO, Daida E-64 Simmer,Mistral,Sola, Oakley,Volkswagen
14 RUANO MORENO, Iballa E-63 Simmer,Mistral,Sola, Oakley,Volkswagen
14 BRIA, Dora BL-4 Neil Pryde,Barra da, Tijuca, Varig Brasil
14 REICHMAN, Anne H-98

MENS FINAL WAVE RESULTS AFTER 2 ELIMINATIONS

1 DUNKERBECK, Bjoern E-11 Neil Pryde, F2, Red Bull,VW,Rip Curl
2 BAKER, Nicholas K-66 Gaastra,Mistral, TOYOTA, Fiberspar
3 PRITCHARD, Kevin US-933 Neil Pryde,Bic, Team O'Neill,Oakley
4 POLAKOW, Jason KA-1111 Neil Pryde, JP Aus., Oxbow, Red Bull
5 JENSEN, Vidar N-44 North Sails, Drops, Team O'Neill
6 VOLWATER, Peter H-24 Arrows,F2,Quiksilver, NorthShore Fins,Reef
6 NAISH, Robby US-1111 Naish Sails,Mistral, Quiksilver,Robinson
8 FLESSNER, Bernd G-16 Neil Pryde ,F2, Team, O'Neill, Norderney
9 GOYA, Francisco A-211 Naish Sails,Chiemsee,
10 PRITCHARD, Matt US-93 Neil Pryde, AHD, Oakley,Team O'Neill
10 MCKERCHER, Scott KA-181 Naish, Animal,
12 BELBEOC'H, Patrice F-81 Neil Pryd, Oxbow, Crozon
13 BELBEOC'H, Thierry F-39 Naish Sails, AHD, Quiksilver, Fin's
14 JENSEN, Orjan N-0
15 GARNICA, Juan-Enrique E-28 Cutre Windsurfing, Simmer
16 BAKER, Antony K-77 Arrows, F2, O'Neill,N.Shore Fins
16 STONE, Josh USA-6 Neil Pryde, F2, Jet Set, Oakley
18 FENTON, Scott KZ-1 Neil Pryde,ACE,DSL55, CoronaExtra,Maui Fin
18 HAWKINS, Jamie K-96 Neil Pryde,AHD, Animal,Bolle,Gul
18 PEREZ, Marcos E-7 North ,Mistral, No Fear, Adias ,VW
21 BELLINI, Eduardo E-9 ART,Fanatic,Abora, Sola,Oakley,Red Bull
21 CHISARI, Fabian E-144 Neil Pryde, F2, Volkswagen
21 ETIENNE, Stephane E-66 Bic Sport, Chiemsee, Sola
24 TERIITEHAU, Robert F-2000 North Sails, Bic, Quiksilver, Waiti
24 ALLEN, Steve KA-0 ART, Fanatic, RipCurl, Driz-a-bone
24 LAUFER, Andy G-93 Neil Pryde, AHD, Chiemsee, Red Bull
24 CALICO, Luis P-62 Neil Pryde, Drops, No Fear, Red Bull
28 ALBEAU, Antoine F-192 Neil Pryde,AHD,, Select,ATAN,G-Shock
28 PEDERSEN, Mark KA-6 North,Drops,RipCurl, Gorrila Grip,Da Kine
28 THIEME, Erik F-808 Neil Pryde,Drops,M&S, Rip Curl,Tocco
28 CALTHROP, Chris K-48 Gaastra, Maui Magic, Croakies
28 DIAZ, Victor E-0 Quiksilver, Coronita, Spy
33 BRINGDAL, Anders S-10 Simmer,RRD,Liberty, Fiberspar,Perf. Fins
33 OPSAL, Frithjof N-4 Simmer, Waterproof, Westwind

WOMENS FINAL WAVE RESULTS AFTER 2 ELIMINATIONS

1 JAGGI, Karin Z-14 Arrows, F2, Sohard AG, O'Neill

2 RUANO MORENO, Daida E-64 Simmer,Mistral,Sola, Oakley,Volkswagen
3 MOORE, Kelly US-6 Gaastra,
4 MUELLER, Jutta G-680 Sailworks, F2, Pro-Limit
5 ERNST, Lucienne H-444 Gaastra, Mistral, Oxbow
5 FREY, Antonia GR-1 Arrows,F2,Oakley, Mamidakis,Dodoni
7 BENEDICTE HEIBER, Nina N-10
7 BORONAT, Nicole E-77 Gaastra,Bic,Chiemsee, Aybar,RipCurl,
9 GUBELMANN, Sandra Z-3 Neil Pryde, Subaru, Red Bull, Chiemsee
9 SALLES, Valerie F-32 Simmer,Languedoc, RBO, Leucate
9 LOCKWOOD, Emily AUS-74 Neil Pryde, F2, Daily Juice
9 REICHMAN, Anne H-98 Quiksilver,Sandshooz,
13 GHIBAUDO, Valerie F-44 Sun Valley, ATAN, Fin's, Nautix
13 RUANO MORENO, Iballa E-63 Simmer,Mistral,Sola, Oakley,Volkswagen
13 BRIA, Dora BL-4 Neil Pryde,Barra da, Tijuca, Varig Brasil
13 PROCHASKA, Julie US-07

Gran Canaria 1998 PWA Grand Slam

MENS OVERALL RESULTS

1 DUNKERBECK, Bjoern E-11
2 PRITCHARD, Kevin US-933
3 PRITCHARD, Matt US-93
4 BAKER, Nicholas K-66
5 FLESSNER, Bernd G-16
6 BELBEOC'H, Patrice F-81
7 FENTON, Scott KZ-1
8 BAKER, Antony K-77
9 BRINGDAL, Anders S-10
10 ALLEN, Steve KA-0
11 ALBEAU, Antoine F-192
12 HAWKINS, Jamie K-96
13 BUZIANIS, Micah US-34
14 VOLWATER, Peter H-24
15 TERIITEHAU, Robert F-2000

Gran Canaria 1998 PWA Grand Slam

WOMENS OVERALL RESULTS

1 JAGGI, Karin Z-14
2 MUELLER, Jutta G-680
3 GUBELMANN, Sandra Z-3
4 LOCKWOOD, Emily AUS-74
5 ERNST, Lucienne H-444