The first PWA Slalom event kicked off in Korea and saw all the top dogs battle for the victory. Our newest team rider Ben van der Steen showed he has the goods and laid the hammer down for a great start to the season.

Here is what he had to share about the event......

Day 1 of the PWA worldcup here in Jinha beach Korea the registration got done but no wind to race in the afternoon.

I registered the following for the year :

• Gaastra Vapor 5.6 / 6.4 / 7.1 / 7.9 / 8.6 / 9.5
• Starboard iSonic 90, 107, 127

Day 2 the wind came up in the afternoon and we managed to finish 1 full slalom elimination and a part of the 2nd slalom.
In the 1st slalom I Sailed on my 127 starboard iSonic and my 9.5 and 8.6 Gaastra Vapor and managed to get to the final . In the start procedure I was sailing just a little upwind off the course and hit a rope at full speed and catapulted and cracked my board but managed to get up just in time to make it for the start but the focus was a little off after that . Still managed to finish in 5th .
For slalom nr 2 I am still in the battle for the next days

Day 3 no wind

Day 4 we finished race 2 with the side onshore wind were I managed to come 5 th again this time in lighter wind sailing on the 9.5. Then we started race 3 but the winds were getting lighter and lighter and I just missed out on the final by 1 m at the finish line battling with Antoine Albau. So it was on to the losers final were I got stuck in a wind hole behind the starting line as the wind was really on the limit with 7 to 11 knots. I still managed to pas a few guys and ended up 13th for slalom number 3 . After slalom nr 3 we started the first round of slalom number 4 but as the conditions were not great the race crew decided to call it a day after 8 hours of racing.

Day5 no wind

Day 6 the forecast was actually pretty good but clouds showed up and made the wind just to gusty the wind kept teasing with and it being the last day of the event ,it was a long day and at the end of the day we got all sent out to try to finish the 4th slalom but the conditions just didn't get good enough so with 3 races completed the 1st PWA event is finished here in Korea ..
 I am very happy to be on the podium with my new sail sponsor Gaastra and of course my board sponsor Starboard and accessories/clothing sponsor Mystic and Different eyewear .

Results of TOP5:

• 1st Alberto Menegatti (Starboard / Point-7)
• 2nd Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde)
• 3rd Ben Van Der Steen (Starboard / Gaastra / Mystic / Different)
• 4th Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard / Severne)
• 5th Julien Quentel (RRD / NeilPryde)

more infos @pwaworldtour.com