Stage set for thrilling climax to IWWF World Wakeboard Championships
Argentina’s Eugenia De Armas moved within reach of the biggest win of her career in the 2019 IWWF World Wakeboard Championships today as the sport’s leading athletes set the stage for an enthralling grand finale in Abu Dhabi.
With De Armas landing the top score to progress from the Open Women’s semi-finals, the biggest surprise was the failure of Australian leading qualifier Zahra Kell to reach the Saturday afternoon final after falling twice in her heat.
But there was no stopping 19-year-old Italian twins Alice and Chiara Virag who both went through from the same heat to join De Armas, Japan’s Hinata Yoshihara, American Tara Mikacich and the Netherlands’ Sanne Meijer.
Among the first to congratulate the Virag sisters was Italian powerboat racing legend Guido Cappellini, manager of F1H2O world champions Team Abu Dhabi and former ten-times world champion driver, who was among the onlookers.
De Armas said: “Making it to the final here is for me the biggest thing I’ve ever done. I’m so excited and happy about it. The best way for me to win will be to go and do the things I know, and have fun. I’m going to risk it a little more tomorrow at the end of the second pass.”
Meijer, winner at the recent ANOC Worlds Beach Games, declared at the start of the week that she would need a miracle to secure another gold medal in Abu Dhabi.
“I really expected Zahra (Kell) to be in the final and somehow she didn’t make it, so doors are opening,” she said. “For the final, I want to change some stuff, but I’m not sure if I’m confident enough. All the girls are really good and we’re very close to each to each other. It just depends on who survives.”
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