Please select your home edition
Edition
Mackay Boats 728x90 TOP

iQFOiL Open European Championship 2024 in Cagliari - Day 3

by iQFOiL Class Communications 8 Oct 2024 08:55 PDT 5-11 October 2024

Day Three of the 2024 iQFOiL Open European Championship in Cagliari, Sardinia, faced an unexpected turn as an unusual weather system blanketed the Gulf of Poetto.

The 120 sailors, eager to get on the water, were greeted by rain and stormy conditions, with no wind to kick off the races. The event, organized by the Windsurfing Club Cagliari and the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV), was put on hold as the low-pressure system over Italy triggered severe weather warnings in multiple regions of the continental part of the country.

With flooding reported in the north of the country, storm alerts in effect and no sign of wind in Cagliari, Principal Race Officer Ewa Jodlowska made the call to hoist AP over A after several hours of postponement, ultimately sending the fleet home until tomorrow. The forecast hints at slightly better conditions in the coming days, with Thursday and Friday looking more promising as we approach the Medal Series on the final day.

Athlete Insight: Luuc Van Opzeeland

Amid the weather delays, we caught up with iQFOiL Olympic bronze medalist Luuc Van Opzeeland, who shared his thoughts on returning to competition after the Paris 2024 Games. "It's great to be back racing," he said. "We all train to compete, and we love competing—it's the fun part of the sport. I'm feeling good here, but mostly, and as always on the iQFOiL, I'm having fun on and off the water."

Reflecting on his journey from the Olympics to the European Championship, he explained, "We built up a lot for the Olympics, and we didn't train as much to come here since it wasn't a priority in the calendar. Still, it's a good event, and we're happy to be here." Emphasizing his commitment to constant improvement, he added, "It's always fun to compete, but we also saw some things during the Olympics that we wanted to refine, and we're here to work on those improvements. It's always a game of getting better and faster."

His passion for competition remains strong, as he noted, "I don't like to sit around too long; I was eager to come here and compete again. I wasn't expecting to be the only medalist here, but some of the others aren't from Europe, so that makes sense." He also expressed enthusiasm for the new talent in the fleet: "A bunch of new faces are around, and it's so good to have the new generation joining in. It's exciting to see them. I think we're having some tight racing, but it's not the most competitive fleet we've had. Of course, we're missing not just the other medalists—which is quite normal after the Olympics—but also some of the top guys, too."

Looking back on his Olympic experience, Van Opzeeland described the aftermath of his medal win: "There's a big process in the Netherlands, with celebrations in Paris for all the medalists. It was a nice experience meeting the fans and spending a few days in Paris to soak up the atmosphere of the Games, especially since we were in Marseille, away from it all. But once I got back home, I rested a little and then got straight back to work—no big celebrations for me."

He concluded with a focus on the present and future, stating, "It's back to training, the usual winter routine, and then getting back on the water for the regattas next year. But for now, I'm really looking forward to enjoying the last few days of this event. It's still very open, and I'm here to make the most of it."

Results

With no racing today, the rankings remain unchanged. In the Women's fleet, Islay Watson (GBR) leads the standings, followed by Daniela Peleg (ISR) in second and Maya Gysler (NOR) in third.

In the Men's fleet, Luca Di Tomassi (ITA) holds the top spot, with Adrien Mestre (FRA) in second, tied on points with Matthew Barton (GBR), who is currently third.

Looking ahead

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 9th, the schedule remains the same, with the skippers' briefing at 11:30 am. The Men's first start is planned for 1:00 pm on Bravo Course, while the Women will start at 1:15 pm on Alpha Course. Conditions are expected to remain light, but improvement is anticipated as we move closer to Thursday and Friday when the Medal Series will take place.

Full results available here.

Related Articles

Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue. Posted today at 6:44 pm
iQFOiL Worlds coming to Weymouth in 2026
First time for UK to host a major championship in the class The world's top Olympic windsurfing talents will showcase high-performance hydrofoil racing on UK waters next year as the RYA has been confirmed as host for the 2026 iQFOiL World Championship. Posted today at 9:52 am
2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta kicks off
The first week of the OCR includes five Olympic classes The highly anticipated 2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta officially commenced on Saturday, 12 July, marking the beginning of Olympic campaigns since the venues were announced. Posted today at 8:14 am
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 2025 Preview
The fourth stop of the five series Sailing Grand Slam circuit Over 200 elite athletes from 42 nations have converged on Long Beach to test their skills on the same waters that will host sailing events during the LA2028 Olympic Games as they compete in the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta July 12-20 Posted on 12 Jul
Tough conditions test Morris
As iQFOiL World Championships wrap up The iQFOiL World Championships have drawn to a close in Aarhus, Denmark, following a week of light and unpredictable wind that tested both race officials and athletes to the limit. Posted on 11 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds in Aarhus overall
Thrilling Medal Series closes out a spectacular week of high-stakes foiling in Denmark The 2025 iQFOiL World Championship wrapped up in Aarhus with a spectacular Medal Series showdown that saw Emma Wilson (GBR 7) and Andy Brown (GBR 360) rise to the top and secure World Championship titles. Posted on 11 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 5
Finalists locked in for new Medal Series format With the sea breeze stubbornly refusing to make an appearance, Day 5 of the iQFOiL World Championship turned into a long waiting game both ashore and on the water. Posted on 10 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 4
The Final Series begins in Aarhus under the Nordic evening light The first day of the Final Series at the iQFOiL World Championship brought both patience and intensity to Aarhus Bay. With the fleets now split into Gold and Silver, racing was set to resume with high pressure and limited wind. Posted on 10 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 3
The leaderboard tightens at the halfway mark after today's racing in a building breeze After a frustrating day of waiting ashore on Monday, Day 3 brought back the action in Aarhus Bay with spectacular foiling conditions and a full day of intense racing. Posted on 8 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 2
No racing, but spirits stay high in Aarhus Day 2 of the iQFOiL World Championship in Aarhus tested the patience of sailors, coaches, and the Race Committee alike, as the wind refused to settle across the bay. Posted on 7 Jul
Lloyd Stevenson - AC ETNZ 1456x180px BOTTOMAllen Dynamic 40 FooterRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTER