LIVETICKER DAY 2 (GMT+1)
Current discipline: Freestyle
Judging Criteria: Pure freestyle (4 tricks from 4 different trick families count from 7 attempts. Riders take turns to perform one trick in a minute)
Format: Dingle elimination. Men’s winners from round one have advanced to round 3, second and third placed riders start round 2 today
Wind: 18 – 20 knots. Riders on 10 and 11m kites
Note: This liveticker automatically updates every couple of minutes if ticker is online!
Once the action is running, you’ll find the live heats, ladders and livestream by scrolling down this page.
Report: Jim Gaunt
Find yesterday’s heat notes here.
18.05 – THE FINAL
Nicolas Delmas (FRA) / Adeuri Corniel (DR) / Liam Whaley (ESP) / Valentin Rodriguez (COL)
Going into this final, the four most consistent riders had made it and had really been streaks ahead. Rodriguez had the the highest heat score of the event with 34.63 points, just ahead of Liam’s 34.5 and 33.14. But tour leader Adeuri Corniel hadn’t scored less than 30 points all competition, while French rider Nicolas Delmas is riding on a high, making his second consecutive final. Another consistent 30 point rider.
So we were set for something special and weren’t disappointed. All riders went for similar 317 / 319 tricks first and it was Liam who made the early advance with a spell binding 9.07 for a backside 319.
Things remained tight between Liam, Adeuri and Valentin for the first four tricks, with Adeuri in particular time and again showing how much height he gets, but it was Valentin who became the second rider in the final to score a 9 for just about the most perfect slim 9 you could imagine on trick three. The 17 year-old clearly looked pleased, waving to the crowd because it was a clean landing. A 9.4! He opened up a little gap at the top by a couple of points.
Nicolas Delmas had a succession of crashes before landing a a hinterberger 5 and looked annoyed that it wasn’t a 7. He knew he wasn’t riding his best, which is a shame and must be frustrating in a final.
That frustration obviously continued and he pushed just too hard on trick 5, travelling a huge distance but lost position and control over his rotation and came down incredibly hard, full speed and his knees buckled. The competition had to go on hold while the safety boat got him back to the beach. Sadly that was the end for him – and we wish him well because that was a big crash and sad for a rider who has been improving so quickly.
When the action resumed Adeuri still couldn’t’ break into the 9s, but Liam did again with a super neat grabbed slim 9. Absolutely top drawer. A 9.2 was big, but he needed to improve his two 7 point scores, though luckily for him Valentin then crashed a beautiful back mobe 5 attempt.
Going into the sixth (penultimate trick), all three were over 30 points and it was anyone’s game. Adeuri moved up a gear with a massive slim 9 – slight butt check but still a good score of 8.73.
Liam improved his previous 317 score, upping it to 7.93 and moved ahead.
Valentin was next… and oh my goodness, what an incredible heart attack 7! Moves like that just keep going and going forever. He covered such distance, so risky and wasrewarded with 9.77. Amazing. Moved him to first and the highest heat score of the competition 36.13.
LAST TRICK
Conriel crashed, so would remain in third.
Liam needed a 9.94 to take the win. He’s had 10s before, and he’s been riding well here… but surely that was too much. He missed the perfect pop when loading his edge, looked to be going for a 319, but didn’t complete it.
So in his third final this season the young Colombian made it stick, earning his first event win. Valentin Rodriguez was on the victory lap with one trick to go. Great for him after losing in such a cruel fashion on the last trick in Mauritius to Adeuri and by just 0.01. Here he turned things around emphatically with the highest heat score of the event, with two 8s and two 9s: 36.13.
The Colombian came steaming into the beach and rode his board a hundred metres inland and got a little moment to process it all on his own before his friends came and swamped him. First win in his first full season and with that has made himself one of the big favourites for this year’s title at the finals in Brazil, taking advantage of the fact that Carlos Mario and Maxime Chabloz went out of this event in the quarter finals. So a big points catch up there on what is a tight current ranking for the top six.
FINAL RESULT
1 V Rodriguez: 36.13
2 Whaley: 34.1
3 Corniel: 32.9
4 Delmas: 14.2 (retired injured after 5th trick)
17.00 – THE FINAL
Nicolas Delmas (FRA) / Adeuri Corniel (DR) / Liam Whaley (ESP) / Valentin Rodriguez (COL)
The heat has been put on hold after four tricks each because Nicolas Delmas sustained a big crash, so the crew are just checking he’s safely back to the beach.
16.10 – SEMI-FINAL 2
V Rodriguez (COL) / A Guillebert (FRA) / E Anderson (BRA) / C Corniel (DR)
With big names Chabloz, Mario and Coccoluto already out in the quarter finals, we were looking at a fresher line up for the finals. Arthur Guillebert knew this was the best chance he’s ever had to make a final. After two tricks he and Rodriguez were up on 16 points each with two 8s
Uncharacteristically Rodriguez miss timed the pop on his third trick, Anderson took advantage with a 8.07 for his backside 317 and moved into top spot but with one more attempt.
Corniel crashed his second trick – no pressure just yet though, still early in the heat. The Dominican then went huge for a 319 on his third trick – it was massive but had a big butt check, and got just a 3.1. He remained at the foot of the heat. Still four tricks to go.
Pressure told on Guillebert who was popping well and going high, but losing his landings and crashing hard.
Rodriguez again bounced out of his 319 landing, he was low scored there with just 3.77. Corneil slammed on a slim 9 and smashed the water with his hands in frustration. He was in trouble, knowing that one of his four counting scores would now include a low 3.1! After four tricks Anderson was still ahead.
The Brazilian has been class at this event but was still the only rider in this semi final heat not to have previously amassed 30 points. He found himself ahead with 27.5 points after five tricks.
Fifth trick: Rodriguez this time opted for a slim 7 (scoring 8.23 points) rather than the slim 9 which has evaded him twice in this heat. He’s seen Corniel in trouble, so Rodriguez just needed to hold together some average tricks.
Corniel’s fifth attempt was crucial. He banked a safe 317 – not the biggest or cleanest, but it was points and he badly needed some scores as he was still 13.5 points behind second place. He remained last after 5 tricks.
Anderson’s hinterberger frontside 5 scored only a 5.16 and left the door open. Guillebert took it and popped himself to the top of the heat on his sixth trick.
Rodriguez did an absolutely huge back mobe 5 – just a single pass – but it was huge and the quality versus quantity aspect was enough – a 6.97 put him in first.
Corniel needed to land again. He stomped a stratospheric slim 7 and scored a 9.07! He was still in fourth position, but he had an opportunity…
1 Rodriguez
2 Guillebert
3 Anderson
4 Corniel with one trick to go…
Anderson was up first, his KGB 5 wasn’t enough to move him into a qualifying position.
Guillebert was next, and pulled off a hinterberger 7 with just a little butt check, so he improved his earlier 5.67 score in that family… so his total went up. He got 8.33 for that H7 and was up to 28.77 points.
Rodriguez, assured of making the final landed a heart attack 7, one of the hardest moves in kiteboarding, and made it look easy. 9.77 points. Incredible. Highest heat score of the day, 34.63
Now the big question: a crucial moment in the world championship. Adeuri needed a 9.4 to take the win, or 6.2 to move from fourth to second and qualify for the final. He waited a long time in his minute allowance, was at the back of the heat area, he landed a double heart attack.. it would be close: he got a 6.93 and did it! Guillebert unlucky not to go through with 31.43 points.
Result:
Rodriguez: 34.63 (Through to final)
Corniel: 32.17 (Through to final)
Guillebert: 31.43 (out)
Anderson: 27.94 (out)
15.30 – SEMI-FINAL 1
R Giuliano (FRA) / N Delmas (FRA) / L Whaley (ESP) / C Tack (BEL)
Delmas was in a duel with Liam from the start, both on 27 points after four complete tricks each. Sadly Tack was having difficulty here – he was looking good to make the final, but two low scoring tricks – a backside 313 and a slim were followed by two crashes and then he just couldn’t find a trick after that at all. Shame!
Giuliano was also a little more off-colour than we’ve seen from him – perhaps crumbling a bit under the pressure of his first semi-final, but suddenly with his sixth trick he got a 7.87 for a heart attack 5 and gave himself a chance with his last trick. Could he get a 7.29 for second? Unfortunately he crashed his last trick, meaning that Delmas was safely through without doing his last trick… but he did anyway, a massive 8.93 for a heart attack 7, giving him 30.69 points and deserving of his place in the final.
Whaley was already home and hosed having cleared 30 points with his fifth trick and went further ahead with a huge 8.7 for a slim 7 and 9,27 for a heart attack 7 – just for the show! He looks ultra cool today and as he said, his performances are just getting better and better. That’s how to do it with the two highest heat scores of the comp for him.
Result:
Whaley: 34.5 (Through to final)
Delmas: 30.69 (Through to final)
Giuliano: 27.74 (out)
Tack: 9.53 (out)
15.00 -ROUND 3, HEAT 16 (Last heat of round 3)
J Ouahmid (MOR) / L Pitot (FRA) / N Delmas (FRA) / A Corniel (DR)
Tour leader Corniel was up on 26.3 points from just three tricks (including a 9.3 for a slim 9), that would have already enough to qualify him for the final in the previous quarter final. Sure enough, although his fourth trick was only a 5.5, it was enough to see him through with 31.8 points. That’s real quality – he’s broken 30 points in both heats that we’ve seen him ride at this event. The tour leader looking ferocious, although his opponents will have noticed he was having a bit of trouble with his right foot forward tricks towards the end of the heat…
Nicolas Delmas goes through to the semi-finals, coming through ahead of Louka Pitot who with 22.66 has ridden very well at this event. Delmas the more consistent and powerful French rider in this heat and this season.
Also end of the road for Moroccan champ Jonas Ouahmid.
Result:
Corniel: 31.8 (Through to semi-final)
Delmas: 28.47 (Through to semi-final)
Pitot: 22.66 (out)
Ouahmid: 20.41 (out)
14.15 – ROUND 3, HEAT 15 (Third heat of round 3)
O Modrek (EGY) / R Giuliano (FRA) / G Coccoluto (ITA) / V Rodriguez (COL)
Valentin Rodriguez missed out on taking his first event win at Mauritius last month by just 0.01 to Adeuri Corniel and was gutted! He’s just watched Maxime Chabloz and Carlos Mario go out of this competition in the quarter final stage. The leaderboard is so tight he could jump ahead of both of them with a podium result here in Dakhla and he made no mistake. The 17 year-old Colombian started cleanly with an 8.03 for a backside 317 and never looked back. On his fourth trick he produced the best trick of the event, a slim 9 earning 9.67 points. Incredibly good. He went on to stop a super stylish grabbed back mobe 5 – like he was free riding. Not his highest score with 6.87 but a very solid back mobe family score. He gets the second highest heat score so far at this event (Whaley has the highest).
Another upset! After two early crashes, 5th ranked tour rider Coccoluto failed to hustle his way through this heat and needed a 5.92 on his last trick just to qualify in second; a huge missed pass on a back mobe 5 and he was ripped out of his boots, and with that ejected from this competition by Romain Giuliano! Frenchie Giuliano continues to blast his way through this competition, causing upsets. He looks like he’s going to establish himself on this tour now.
Modrek has been riding very well in the competition, but it was impossible for him to progress with one trick still to go, but he’s been impressive as a new young gun from Egypt.
Result:
Rodriguez: 32.14 (Through to semi-final)
Giuliano: 25.97 (Through to semi-final)
Coccoluto: 25.76 (out)
Modrek: 17.73 (out)
13.50 – ROUND 3, HEAT 14 (Second heat of round 3)
P Martinez (DR) / E Anderson (BRA) / L Whaley (ESP) / C Mario (BRA)
For the second event running, Championship contender Maxime Chabloz has failed to take advantage of Carlos Mario’s early withdrawal from the event! Tour leader Adeuri Corniel and 4th placed rider Valentin Rodriguez would be licking their lips – and they’re still to come in this round three.
To be fair, Guillebert and Tack were on fire in this heat against Chabloz and confirmation that Tack’s (2014 champion) presence here has upset the established order for the Championship. Tack was making stylish tricks like nose grab backmobe 5s, adding variation.
Arthur Guillebert produced the best 317 of the event, height, commitment, flow and coming in with a lot of speed. 8.73 for that trick, confirmed, it was a beast. It propelled him to the top of the heat and after just four tricks he’d broken 30 points. That’s incredible, and he still had three tricks to try to further that score.
It was a surprise it has to be said; Chabloz was almost 12 points behind (so more than an entire perfect trick score). Tack continued to hammer the regular tour riders and became the fourth rider at this event to push beyond 30 points, too, taking first from Guillebert with a big KGB5, getting 7.1 points.
Chabloz was still 8 points off second place with two tricks to go… having failed to break beyond 7 points for any of his tricks. On trick six he only managed a 4.8 for a single heart attack, so was going to need a high 9 point trick just to finish in second to go through. Immense. He fluffed it, not even making a rotation. Frustrated much?!
Not to forget Juan Rodriguez who finished above Chabloz – is a fiery rider as we’ve seen at every event this year. He recovered from three back-to-back crashes and in the end managed to creep beyond a respectable 25 points, including some very high and powered tricks but not enough.
Result:
Tack: 30.5 (Through to semi-final)
Guillebert: 30.36 (Through to semi-final)
J Rodriguez: 26.77 (out)
Chabloz: 25.83 (out)
13.15 – ROUND 3, HEAT 13 (First heat of round 3)
P Martinez (DR) / E Anderson (BRA) / L Whaley (ESP) / C Mario (BRA)
Carlos Mario returned here in Dakhla after injury in Mauritius at the last event, but sadly on trick 5 he went down hard in this heat and had to withdraw, clearly with that knee injury persisting. Posito was amazingly out of the running by then, having only landed two tricks and was over 20 points behind (borrowed gear clearly doesn’t help – the airline still hasn’t delivered it).
So Whaley and Anderson were assured of going through with two tricks still to come each. Whaley was very comfortably out front, having become only the second rider to break 30 points so far here in Dakhla, in a packed heat for him, without a single error, having started on his first trick with a massive 9.17 points for a backside 317. He finished on a dominant 33.14! Huge!
Anderson continues to represent to a super high standard, peaking himself with an 8.23 scores for a slim 7. Those two are through with Whaley looking as impressive as we’ve seen him all season, making the conditions look easy. He says he’s “In full competition mode, and not going to get emotional until I win!”
Result:
Whaley: 33.14 (Through to semi-final)
Anderson: 27.84 (Through to semi-final)
Mario: 20.17 (out)
Martinez: 7.2 (out)
12.50 – ROUND 2, HEAT 12 (Last heat of round 2)
A Moutaouakil (MOR) / J Burlando (ITA) / L Pitot (FRA) / O Modrek (EGY)
This became a good battle between Louka Pitot and up and comer, Red Bull / Cabrinha rider from Egypt, Omar Modrek. It was neck and neck until the last couple of tricks where the more experienced Pitot turned the screw, including getting an ‘Innovation 1’ score category from the judges for his last trick – a 313 to reverse (Raley with a frontside 3, but then counter rotating the other way) not seen much in kiteboarding competition, but often in wake boarding. Modern and Pitot go through.
Young 14 year old Jeremy Burlando had a better heat than yesterday’s super tough conditions, and managed to pull together his first three tricks, slim5, heart attack and KGB, ending on a respectable 15.33 points – not enough to progress, but he’s a name to watch in the future.
Result:
Pitot: 25.01 (Through to R3)
Modrek: 20.2 (Through to R3)
Burlando: 15.33 (out)
Moutaouakil: 13.85 (out)
12.10 – ROUND 2, HEAT 11 (Second heat of round 2)
Y Bouchet (MOR) / J Ouahmid (MOR) / R Giuliano (FRA) / A Rosslee (RSA)
For some reason Bouceta didn’t make his heat, but for the remaining 3 riders, this was a great heat with the lead changing hands almost with each trick. On the last trick of the heat, Rosslee needed a 6.66 to take second and go through, but something went wrong and all he could manage in the time was a simple pop, not getting the take-off he wanted. Sad for South Africans that he’s out, but it’s the young French shredder who takes a good win, followed by the African cham, just 0.2 points behind.
Result:
Giuliano: 21 (Through to R3)
Ouahmid: 20.73 (Through to R3)
Rosslee: 17.91 (out)
Bouceta: 0 (out)
11.55 – ROUND 2, HEAT 10 (Second heat of round 2)
O Perrineau (FRA) / P Serin (FRA) / P Martinez (DR) / C Tack (BEL)
Tack is back! The 2014 World Champion continues an impressive return, coming through on top here in what was a very tricky heat. He stomped a massive slim 7 on his last trick, earning 8.57 points, highest trick score of the event so far. Could he upset the very tight standings at the top of the championship at this event? We’d expected Paul Serin to collect more than 14 points, so sadly the French rider is now out, but Tack and Posito Martinez (still on borrowed gear) advance to round 3, finishing closely on points.
Result:
Tack: 27.21 (Through to R3)
Martinez: 25.8 (Through to R3)
Serin: 14.93 (out)
Perrineau: 7.93 (out)
11.30 – ROUND 2, HEAT 9 (First heat of round 2)
E Ulrich (FRA) / V Garat (FRA) / J Rodriguez (COL) / E Anderson (BRA)
Brazilian weapon Erick Anderson may not be a familiar name to you, but this highly skilled rider has grown up shredding Cauipe lagoon with Carlos Mario and Set Teixeira and although can’t attend each event, is showing his wares here in Dakhla and lodged the second highest heat score of the event so far, with a 29.13. Going through to round three alongside him is 2019 rookie tour regular, Juan Rodriguez from Columbia.
It’s goodbye to French boys, Garat and Ulrich.
Result:
Anderson: 29.13 (Through to R3)
J Rodriguez: 26.85 (Through to R3)
Garat: 25.73 (out)
Ulrich: 19.47 (out)
10.30 – Men’s first heat of Round 2, (heat #9 of the event has just got underway). We hope bring you the livestream action soon.
10.10 – We’re hoping to get round 2 rolling at 10.30am.
09.50 – Morning everyone. The action start of round 2 is just a little delayed this morning while we wait for the clouds to clear and the wind pick – which is happening at the moment. You will be able to check the live scores and heat ladders in the panels below. We hope to get the livestream online a little later once the competition has begun.