Wizolympics 2016: Body-Bind Surfing Final
Welcome to the finals of Body-Bind Surfing! Last time, we watched the top ten countries compete for a spot in today’s event. It’s been a whole lot of fun watching everyone get together these past few days to train and share some tips. You really get a good feeling that the finalists are in it for the pure fun of the sport.
Our finalists are Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, and the United States!
First up we have Italy, and let me tell you, the newly engaged Melanie Calabrese and Sebastiano Dellucci were determined to crush this course and bring home the Galleon. They did just that with a stunning performance of Dellucci navigating Calabrese with ease, despite the course now being longer than that of the qualifiers. Calabrese barely touched the water, let alone her opponents or the obstacles! With an amazing set-up, Alda Sabbatini and Vincenzo Napolitano were able to fumble slightly with a score deduction caused by Sabbatini high-fiving a mermaid during her round.
Team Canada got a surprise as David Battista and Fred Irvin decided to switch roles in the final, with Irvin serving as the board, which might have been their smartest move these entire games. It was a true comeback story as Irvin floated so gracefully that even the grindylows nodded in appreciation. Debra White and Delia Cruz did a great job following up, White managing to spiral Cruz’s body through the hoops for extra style points.
Not everything could go well as New Zealand struggled in the finals. Rangi Governor and Sam Wilson performed mediocre at best, with no large deductions, but chose to play it safe to ensure Wilson’s body remained rigid for the entire course. It was this safety that left Moana Stanbury and Jessica Smith at a disadvantage since their time would not be able to make up for their teammates’ earlier performance. This was disappointing for a promising team but respectable to ensure the safety of their teammates.
When it came to France, however, the momentum kept building after a stunning achievement in the qualifiers. Karlotta Sauriol and Esmé Demers blew Team USA out of their lane, and water, with a recording-breaking 45-second performance. Twins Louis and Maslin Beaujolie solidified the Galleon for France with another display of athleticism and prestige, no deductions, and a clear shot through the water.
As I said before, Team USA was blown away by France’s work. James Buckley and Edith Parker did their best, but whether it was the light weight of Parker’s body or Buckley’s slight hesitation during the second hoop does not matter since Demers sent Parker flying. Robert McCarthy attempted to make up for this with partner Eileen Carter, but the damage was done, and even with an honorable score in Round 2, it was all over.
There you have it, folks! A stunning event and a glowing medal reception with France winning the Galleon, Italy winning the Sickle, and Canada winning the Knut. A glowing congratulations to all the teams who participated this Wizolympics. You have made your countries proud!
