The first day of the Catalunya Costa Brava PWA World Cup saw a gentle morning of overcast skies and lights winds, providing enough time for the competitors to gear up and register, ready for the week's competition. With the skippers meeting at 1pm, and a first possible start at 2pm; the world's fastest sailors were ready and waiting for the ominous Tramontana wind to kick in.

The first sailors hit the water at 2:15pm, when the rains had passed and the wind switched on, providing 10-15 knots of cross shore breeze.

Elimination 1

From the outset it looked like the major players meant business; the top four seeds all cruising through their first heats and easily qualifying for the quarter-finals. Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Fanatic / North Sails) stormed through the start line and around the first gybe mark providing him a huge gap to secure victory. Peter Volwater's (Fanatic / MauiSails) blistering speed was too much for the rest of the pack, leaving them to wallow around the first mark, and Volwater to cruise to the finish line.

Round two saw the early loss of two event hopefuls; Pascal Toselli (RRD / Gaastra) and Alberto Menegatti (Starboard/ Gaastra), who were too aggressive at the start line and both fell victim to false starts, leading to their disqualification.

Moving into heat 12, the Tramontana wind decided to show what it was really made of, with gusts in excess of 30knots causing havoc on the race course. Still on their big kit, the sailors were well overpowered and often unable to sheet in. Ultimately, it was Josh Angulo (Angulo / Gun Sails / DaKine) who managed to hold his own and fly into the number one spot, securing his place in the semi-finals.

The biggest story from the semi-finals was Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard/ Severn/ Mystic/ Dunkerbeck Eyewear) failing to secure himself a position in the winners final. Falling victim to a crashed gybe at the first mark, a laboured waterstart allowed the other competitors enough time to gain some distance ahead of him. Fuelled by his mistake, Dunkerbeck powered his way round the course in an attempt to catch the rest of the gang, however it was too little too late.

The final saw the return of Antoine Albeau (JP / NeilPryde) who, having played second fiddle to Dunkerbeck for the previous two events, proved that it was his times to shine, claiming the first race in Catalunya.

Elimination 2

Moving quickly onto elimination two the sailors were allowed fifteen minutes to change down their equipment to cope with the ever building wind. The first heat ran with just two sailors making it to the start line, this carnage continued into heat two causing three of the sailors to miss the start.

Special mention has to go to Volwater and Angulo, both claiming first place positions all the way to the winner's final. Angulo has been on fine form this season; however he was unable to secure a podium position, Volwater on the other hand just made it claiming third.