South Americans have dominated the most highly anticipated event on the world windsurfing calendar, the World Championship Tour, which has just finished on Spain’s Fuerteventura island. Russian surfers also put in a strong showing in the relentless wind.

If ever there was a perfect place to host a windsurfing competition, then Fuerteventura, part of the Canary islands, is it. Playa de Solavento is the kind of paradise that water sport addicts think about from sunrise to sunset.

In the mens’ draw, a fascinating battle had been brewing all week long between reigning world champion Marcilio Browne and Venezulean Jose Estredo, who was aiming to make it his third major win of the season.

19-year-old Brown eventually took the title, the first of the season for the Brazillian.

Sarah Quita Affringa kept her perfect record spotless with another victory in the womens' competition. The Aruban put on a near-flawless display of control windsurfing.

Russian starlet Olga Raskina, from Moscow, garnered a respectable 8th place finish despite taking to Fuerteventura waters for the first time.

Her compatriot Egor Popretinski is currently the golden boy of Russian windsurfing, and he did his reputation no harm at all this time out, coming in at 11th place.