The 2009 PWA Ulsan World Cup proved to be a showcase of French windsurfing talent, as Antoine Albeau and Valerie Ghibaudo delivered outstanding slalom performances to claim victory.

The event is now in its third year on the PWA World Tour, and is currently the only event to take place in Asia. Competing from the 16th-22nd of May, racing took place on the waters off Jinha Beach, in south eastern Korea. Competitors had to wait until competition’s third day before Jinha Beach awoke to show its true colors, delivering best wind conditions under blue sky.

It was nearly like business as usual for Albeau. Dialed into the conditions and looking rock solid at the front of the pack, he showed true class to sail to victory in his heats. More impressively, the Frenchman completed without the use of one of his index finger, after a deep cut on the palm of his hand had got infected and required surgery.

Antoine Albeau: “It’s quite hard sailing here, as we’re in the bay, and the wind is coming off the hills, so it’s really, really gusty. It makes the starts hard as well. Sometimes there are a lot of gusts, and others it’s super light. You really have to concentrate to get a good start.”

Unfortunately Albeau’s hardest competitor for the slalom title 2009 Björn Dunkerbeck , had to accept a controversial exit after Finian Maynard collided with him at the gybe mark, removing him from one elimination on day four. Maynard: “Björn was 30m ahead of me going into the mark, then I don’t know what happened to him, a lot of people have said he stopped. I never saw him. So I went in to do my gybe and got a big gust from behind. The next thing I know I’m just barreling into him. I’m really sorry for Bjorn, it was definitely my fault, but it came as a total surprise for me. It’s just an unfortunate racing incident.”

The women’s races saw utter domination from Valerie Ghibaudo, as she executed back to back wins to firmly cement her name at the top of the women’s rankings. Chasing, Karin Jaggi and Alice Arutkin did their best to pressure Ghibaudo, but had to settle for the remaining podium positions as toppling the on-form French sailor proved to be impossible.

In women’s racing, Ghibaudo and Jaggi have started what looks to be another amazing season of rivalry, while young gun Arutkin has shown she’s got what it takes to deliver race winning performances.

In men’s racing, Albeau’s return to event winning form was no surprise, however his quest for a fourth world title will push him and his rivals to the limit as the level of sailing has gone through the roof.

Buzianis delivered one on the stand out men’s performances, after returning from injury to secure second position in the event, a commendable result, and one of huge significance to the season that lies ahead. 

The 2009 PWA Ulsan World Cup results:

Slalom Men
1 Antoine Albeau  (NeilPryde / JP)      

2 Micah Buzianis (NeilPryde / JP)      

3 Björn Dunkerbeck (Starboard / Severne Sails) 

4 Finian Maynard (RRD / NeilPryde)

Slalom Women
1 Valérie Ghibaudo (Loft Sails / Tabou Boards)            

2 Karin Jaggi (F2 / Severne Sails) 

3 Alice Arutkin (Starboard / North Sails)    

4 Sarah Hebert (Starboard / Naish Sails)    

To view photos, videos, press releases, live ticker archives and many more features from the event, tune into www.pwaworldtour.com

For more information please contact the PWA office via info@pwaworldtour.com