European iQFoil Youth and Junior Championship at Circolo Surf Torbole - Day 1
by Elena Giolai 3 Jul 2023 14:27 PDT
1-8 July 2023
European iQFoil Championship © Elena Giolai
The European iQFoil Youth and Junior Championships, an event organised by the Circolo Surf Torbole, the International iQFoil Class and the Italian Sailing Federation, are at the start in Torbole, on Garda Trentino.
The event will end on Saturday 8 July with the awarding of the continental titles for the Youth (under 19) and Junior (Under 17 and Under 15) categories. It is the first time that a European championship of a youth Olympic class has reached such high numbers of participants: 422 riders from 36 nations. Good signs, then, for youth windsurfing, despite the fact that the new Olympic choice only starts in Paris 2024, with, of course, an eye on 2028, since it is the Under 19s, in Olympic terms. Lively, numerous, evocative the opening ceremony on Sunday evening through the streets of the centre of Torbole and on the lakefront with at least 600 people including athletes, coaches and companions. France, Poland, Israel, and Italy were the most numerous nations; many non-European states were also present, with Australia, Hong Kong, China, India, Peru, Singapore, the USA, Brazil, Japan, and Mexico competing in the 'Open' Championship.
The first day of racing was characterised by a good wind, which allowed almost all the categories to contest two initial course races, which were interrupted by a storm and a lot of rain. Once the bad weather was over, the southerly wind returned sufficiently relaxed, allowing the women's categories to race two more races, three the under-19s. Italy was thus very aggressive right from the start in almost all the categories: among the under-19s, there was a tie at the top with the Australian Joyner and the Sardinian Federico Alan Piilloni, both of whom took two victories in their heats.
The locals did well with Circolo Surf Torbole's Leonardo Tomasini and Jacopo Gavioli in second and third place respectively. Israel's Rajuan leads among the under-17 Juniors (2-1), and is followed in a tie by Turkey's Senoi and another Israeli, Kifir Gefen. First Italian and excellent fifth was the Lazio athlete from Circolo Surf Torbole Mattia Saoncella, who took a first in the debut regatta followed by a seventh. Tricolour in the top positions also among the U19 youth girls with Carola Colasanto (Tognazzi Marine Village) in the lead after an 11th and three fine victories. Second the Norwegian Gysler (5-2-2) and third the Israeli Danielle. Italy again in fifth place with South Tyrolean Linda Oprandi (fifth).
Still Italy in fifth place with South Tyrolean Linda Oprandi (fifth). Among the under-17s, an Italian also took the lead: Medea Falcioni, first under-15, leads with only two points behind Israel's Barel; third is the other Italian Francesca Maria Salerno.