July 7, 2021 - Polish windsurfer Maciek Rutkowski and Dutch windsurfer Sara Wennekes are the winners of the 2021 Zoo Station Bol PWA World Cup, due to which the world's best windsurfers have occupied Bol on Brač for the past week, thus further attracting and entertaining many tourists and sports enthusiasts.

During six days of competition, 39 men and eleven women competed in a total of 15 separate regattas.

Roni Marinkovic

Croatian competitor Enrico Marotti was also excellent, finishing second in the overall standings ahead of Matteo Iachin from Italy, and Palma Čargo, who finished second in the foil competition and third in the fin competition. Tuesday-Lou Judd from France was faster than Palma in the fin competition. Luka Mratović was 18th, Matko Jovanović 29th, Ian Anić 32nd, Ivica Podrug 36th, and Mistral Matulja 38th. In the women's competition, Katarina Pelivan was eighth, Lara Bulić ninth, and Urška Kavčič Desnica tenth in the fin competition.

Clive Bevan

"I was happy to do my best, I rode great, and the equipment was fast and well-chosen. I am very pleased with the results. Congratulations to all the competitors on a great fight, they were all fantastic, and I like this success even more," said Enrico Marotti, from Volosko, a multiple Croatian champion, amateur world champion in 2018 and probably Croatia's best slalom surfer of all time.

Clive Bevan

Twenty-one-year-old Palma Čargo from Split, who is also preparing for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, had a similar opinion: “It was wonderful for me to achieve such a good result at home. I felt great the whole regatta, and it was seen in the results. Congratulations to the winner and all the competitors who, I must admit, were not easy to overtake," she said.

Clive Bevan

This year, PWA Bol took place for the first time on Zlatni rat, and for the first time, it scored points for the championship with the highest number of points, which enabled us to see the best windsurfers in Croatia.

"I am extremely pleased with the regatta and the time it served us; the conditions were fantastic. I am most pleased that Bol has shown itself in its full light as one of the world's most attractive destinations for windsurfing, and it seems to me that Zlatni rat had never looked more beautiful than when it showed its sporting side. I thank the municipality of Bol, the tourist community, and companies for their trust, and I look forward to the arrival of the world's windsurfing elite in Croatia in the coming years," said Toni Bulić, regatta organizer, longtime sports lover, and owner of Zoo station Bol boards in Croatia.

Clive Bevan

Bol on Brač proved to be a real windsurfing mecca with a strong mistral and generally excellent conditions for the World Cup, which was greatly contributed by the beauty of Zlatni rat. As a result, the world's best windsurfers leave Croatia with great impressions and fond memories that will further promote our tourist and sports offer. Furthermore, competitors in the IQ foil Olympic class come to Zlatni rat in September to compete.

Photos: Roni Marinkovic and Clive Bevan @clivebevanphoto
Recordings: TRIO stories

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July 6, 2021 - The Windsurfing World Cup in the slalom discipline is currently underway on Brač - meet the 2021 Zoo Station Bol PWA World Cup!

The strong northwest wind has contributed to the attractiveness of the World Windsurfing Cup on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Until Wednesday, spectators and tourists have the opportunity to watch the competition of the world's best slalom windsurfers who run through the regatta from Zlatni rat to Bol at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.

During a total of six days of competition, 39 men and eleven women will compete in a total of 15 separate regattas. Although this is not the first regatta in Bol, it is the first time to score points for the championship with the highest number of points, and therefore the first time that we are watching the cream of world windsurfing in Croatia.

After the first three days in the men's competition, the fastest was Maciek Rutkowski, a distinctive Polish surfer and winner of last year's Bol PWA regatta, ahead of 2019 world champion Basile Jacquin and Dutchman Jordy Vonk. Enrico Marotti, the best Croatian slalom surfer, is currently fourth.

In the women's competition, the fastest is the Dutch Sara Wennekes ahead of the Dutch Fabienne Hoogendam and the French Tuesday Lou-Judd, while Palma Čargo from Split was the fourth and best placed Croatian competitor.

Clive Bevan

All competitors are delighted with the conditions in Bol and the strong, stable wind ideal for competition. And while the winners won't be known until Wednesday, July 7, the competitors shared their impressions of the competition so far.

"Excellent conditions in Bol; I hope it will stay like this for the following days," said Jordy Vonk, a Dutchman, otherwise a driver for windsurfing equipment manufacturer Duotone.

Clive Bevan

“It was difficult to choose the right equipment, but this winter, I worked very hard to reach top speed with less equipment, and I knew it would pay off. I knew that a lot would depend on the start, and I was careful to be good, and I succeeded. I hope it will continue to be so, but it is definitely not easy. It is a long week, and there will be more eliminations," said Rutkowski.

"The equipment was fast; I'm looking forward to the competition in the coming days," said Enrico Marotti, from Volosko, a multiple Croatian champion, amateur world champion in 2018, and probably the best slalom surfer of all time. Palma Chargo had a similar opinion: "I had great decisions about the equipment; it was just right for me, I am satisfied," she said.

Clive Bevan

Last year's Bol PWA regatta was the only one held in 2020 due to the pandemic. Therefore, PWA (Professional Windsurfing Association) decided that this year's regatta in Bol, organized by Zoo Station Bol, will be scored on an equal footing with other well-known competitions, such as the one in Israel in June, and in Sylt in Germany and South Korea. This decision is also why we are currently watching the elite of windsurfing in Bol, which we have not yet had the opportunity to host in our region, and our competitors stand out.

"I am extremely pleased that the world's best surfers have come to us, and it is nice to see them fighting for the title in Bol," said Toni Bulić, regatta organizer, longtime windsurfer, and owner of Bol Zoo station - the cult "station" for sailing on boards in Croatia.

Photos: Clive Bevan @clivebevanphoto