Finals Day in Le Barcarès, from the eyes of Jason Broderick..
Tuesday had the drama, Wednesday the prizes. It went Women’s, then Men’s, then Women’s, timing gusts and lulls to navigate the remaining heats. Only two riders – Zara and Alessa – opted for double loops today, the rest of the fleet adding style and technicality to big singles. But even when it’s smooth sailing, storylines emerge from competition..
Early Launch
Riders awoke to strong winds and heats resumed bright ’n early. No longer “I’m headed to” or “We’re waiting for”. Kites up, flags up, what do ya got?.
Dig Deep
Lana Herman almost forfeited her spot on Monday due to food poisoning. Wednesday she found had just enough in the tank to win her first heat.
The Overbeek Way
Jamie’s independent status going into Lords of Tram caught everyone’s attention. When he showed up for Finals day, his riding did all the talking. Dad Peter and brother Sean have been a team throughout Jamie’s rise to this moment, and they’ll continue to chart their own course into the future.
Onto the Next
When Jamie, Andrea, and Lorenzo found themselves in the semis together, we knew one of the favorites would be missing the podium, and likely, the World Championship title. With Jamie landing everything, Lorenzo and Andrea were up against each other, and when Andrea crashed his final attempt, it was Lorenzo with a wave of relief he’d be in the finals.
The New Andrea
A year after Liam beat him here, Andrea was reminded again what losing feels like. To our surprise, Andrea was gracious in defeat, accepting that sometimes you just don’t catch the gust.
Finals Calculations
Jeremy was an fire all competition, posting the highest heat scores heading into finals. But when he came up against Jamie, the wheels started turning on what it would take to beat him. Patient with his approach, Jeremy ultimately secured a 2nd place, topping Edgar and Lorenzo with stylish loop variations and unreal last-second landings.
It All Adds Up
For Jasmine, every landing, every crash, every loop was catching up to her. She dug deep in the semifinal after a violent crash, continue her heat and reminding us all of these riders were riding at their limits.
The Moment is Here
Shake off round 1 crashes. Forget round 2 nerves. Make finals and you’re successful, now it’s all about who wants it the most. For Nathalie, weeks of training lead up to these seven attempts.
Pippa’s Day
She’s back and she’s flying. Pippa returned to competition with a statement win, topping Nathalie, Zara, and Francesca with a cool, calm, calculated performance. Nothing sweeter than rebuilding all the way to the top.
Champagne Slash
Jamie finally got his win, looking unbeatable all day. The one guy on his own team now has the upperhand in the next negotiation. Or will he continue independent? It’s clearly working. Whatever he’s flying, he’s a lock for Fantasy next time out.