PKRA - PAROS PKRA WORLD CUP 2009 DAY-3

Competition comes to an early end due to torrential rain downpour

Pounda, Paros, Greece, September 11th, 2009. The sun was peaking through the clouds this morning as the racers made their way to the beach to prepare for today’s course races.

Race director, Van Tol announced at the 10:00 am rider’s meeting that he and his crew set an even longer course than yesterdays. The riders had to race in the form of a zigzag, making this a very artistic, and stylish course. It was an amazing view to see all the colorful kites from the helicopter that hovered above the course this afternoon.

The wind was still pretty light as the first race of the day began, but the riders prepared themselves for the lighter wind conditions as they pumped their 12-14m kites. Cumulonimbus clouds started to cluster as the racers made their way through the first cycle of the first race. It is very unusual and nearly unheard of having rain during this time of year in beautiful, warm and sunny Paros. Sometimes you just can’t predict the weather. Weather facts state that monthly rain precipitation averages for the month of September here in Paros, Greece are between 0.01 and 0.00 cm, making today’s forecast surely uncommon. If we only could have caught the culprit who must have been doing some sort of rain dance on the beach last night…

Bruno Sroka (FRA, Cabrinha) finished yet again in the number one position followed by fellow French native Julien Kerneur (Takoon). Kerneur is a rider that Sroka must keep an eye out for as he keeps creeping his way up the ranking list, finishing in the second position in the past three consecutive races. German rider Dirk Hanel (North) finishes third in today’s race.

It was an exciting day for Greek rider, Felicia Constandopoulou (BEST) who took the number one spot today on the women’s ranking list. German competitor and women’s leader Kristin Boese (Best), was disqualified due to a failure to execute the proper course direction. The remaining women competitors were unable to finish the race due to the extremely poor weather conditions.

Competitors, locals and all the event crew squeezed into little corners of the beach caf? as the rain fell explosively from the sky. The wind and rain did not want to cooperate for today’s planned events and was finally called to a halt at 3:00 pm.

Tomorrow’s rider’s meeting is scheduled for 10:00 am with the first possible start at 10:30 am.

Paros PKRA World Cup 2009 is sponsored in part by Greek Tourism. Visit there website www.visitgreece.gr for more information.