2019 ICFFREESTYLEWORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS,
SORT,SPAIN,JUNE-JULY 2019
In2019,flagsfromthe 25 countriesrepresenteflewproudlyonceagaininSort,Spain,forthe
ICFFreestyleWorldChampionships,thistimeabovea newlyconstructedriverstadium.A week
ofintensecompetitionin searingheatbeganwiththesquirtboatinga fewkilometersupstream.
Organizersandathleteschosetoholdtheentiresquirtcompetitioninoneday,ata location
awayfromthemainfeatureto bettershowcasethesport.Crystal-clearwater,stunningcliffs,and
a scenicstonebridgeprovidedthebackdropto a tight-foughtfinalaseverysingleathletein the
men'sandwomen'sclassesdisappearedbelowthesurface.WithreigningWorldChampion
ClaireO’Haraabstainingfromthecompetition,thewomen's’podiumwaswideopen.RoseWall
(USA)droppedit likeit’shot,winninggoldwitha combinedmysterytimeofnearly 30 seconds.
ClayWright(USA)successfullydefendedhisWorldChampiontitledespitedroppinglevels.After
a longdayof sinking,theopeningceremoniesandinauguralparademadeitswaythroughtown.
Thehighlevelof competitioncontinuedallweeklong.Eachclasshada battleanda storyto tell.
AlltheOC1finalistsexecutedaerialmaneuvers,butit wasJordanPoffenberger(USA)whowas
crownedchampion.In a surprisingturnofevents,youngTomDolle(FR)tookhometheC1gold.
Thejuniorsdisplayedhigh-flyingtechnicaltricksandimpressivelyhighscores.MasonHargrove
(USA)grabbedthegoldforthejuniormen,andOttilieRobinson-Shaw(GBR)wonhersecond
JuniorWomen’sWorldChampionshiptitle.TheweekculminatedwiththehighlyanticipatedSenior
Mens’andWomen’sfinalsonSaturdaynight.Theentirevalleycameoutto watchandshowtheir
loveandsupportfordefendingchampion,SpaniardQuimFontané-Maso.Butfirst:thewomen
battledit out,eachladylayingdowna higher-scoringridethanthenextin thechallengingfeature.
HitomiTakakuofJapanwonherfirstwell-deservedgold,followedbyMarlèneDevillez(FR)and
ZofiaTula(PL).Takakusummedupthemomentinoneword,“Happy!”Thenit wastheSenior
Men’sturnto takecenterstagein a stackedfinal.CheerseruptedasFontané-Masospoketo the
crowd,thankingSortfortheirhospitality,andtheannouncerskeptexcitementlevelshigh.Dane
Jacksonlaydowna 1400-ptride,leavingDavidMcClure(IRL),QuimFontané-Maso(CAT),Tom
Dolle(FR)andSebDevred(FR)scramblingto catchup.In theend,Jacksonprevailedto reclaim
theWorldChampionshiptitle,20-yearsafterhisfatherhadwonin thesamelocation.Thenight
endedwitha masscelebrationoffireworksanda party that lasted well past the early hours of
dawn.Forfullresults,visiticf-freestyle.com.
Report: Anna Bruno | Photography: Peter Holcombe
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