iQFOiL Open European Championship 2024 in Cagliari - Day 5
by iQFOiL Class Communications 10 Oct 2024 12:57 PDT
5-11 October 2024
iQFOiL Open European Championship 2024 in Cagliari - Day 5 © Sailing Energy / iQFoil Class
The legendary Sardinian Mistral finally made its appearance in Cagliari on the last day of the Qualifying Series, allowing all 120 athletes from 28 nations to complete five intense Course races in both the Women and Men fleets.
Despite a slight delay on the water, by 2:15 p.m., both fleets were racing in a northwesterly breeze of up to 16-18 knots.
Following a series of eight Slalom races for the Women and six for the Men earlier in the event, today's focus shifted to Course racing involving fine strategical and technical skills. Principal Race Officer Ewa Jodlowska ensured the day's racing went off without a hitch. The two fleets switched courses midway through the day to ensure both could be featured on the Live Streaming organized by the iQFOiL Class, which is available for rewatching and sharing on the Class YouTube channel.
Results
Today's focus was all about making it into the top 10 and qualifying for the Medal Series tomorrow. The top-ranked athlete advances directly to the final, while the second and third places receive a by to the semifinal. Athletes ranked from fourth to tenth will battle it out in the quarterfinal, from which only two will move on to the semifinal to join the second and third-ranked competitors. From there, the top two will advance to challenge the leader in the final showdown.
Women
1. Maya Gysler (NOR)
2. Tamar Steinberg (ISR)
3. Daniela Peleg (ISR)
4. Lola Sorin (FRA)
5. ShaharTibi (ISR)
6. Islay Watson (GBR)
7. Sara Wennekes (NED)
8. Anastasya Valkevich (POL)
9. Mina Mobekk (NOR)
10. Manon Pianazza (FRA)
"I'm thrilled to be leading the Qualifying Series and going straight to the Final—it's such a great feeling," said an excited Maya Gysler, the U23 sailor. "I'm one of the youngest in the fleet, so this was more of a long-term goal for me, something I hoped to achieve in a few years' time, but I'm really happy it happened so soon!" Reflecting on the day's conditions, she added, "It was a bit challenging with the offshore wind and gusts, which made it tricky to find the right path. But I discovered what worked for me, and I'm pleased with how it went. My strategy was to head towards the shore and hit the lay line at just the right moment, and that really paid off today."
Men
1. Pawel Tarnowski (POL)
2. Luca Di Tomassi (ITA)
3. Adrien Mestre (FRA)
4. Joost Vink (NED)
5. Finn Hawkins (GBR)
6. Manolo Modena (ITA)
7. Luuc Van Opzeeland (NED)
8. Matthew Barton (GBR)
9. Andy Brown (GBR)
10. Bernat Tomas (ESP)
"It's been a fantastic week. This is such a great place, and I'm super happy," said an ecstatic Pawel Tarnowski. "Finally, we had some wind today, and it was very dynamic. It's just been a great competition, and I'm really pleased with my performance." Reviewing his strategy today, he added, "Staying consistently in the top three or four was the key for me today. The first race wasn't my best, but I ended the day with a win, which was amazing! Let's see what tomorrow brings. I have my young family here with me, and they give me so much motivation and positive energy. I'm just so happy."
Looking ahead
Tomorrow marks the final day of the competition, where the 2024 iQFOiL European Champions will be crowned after the Medal Series, which will begin at 10.30 for the Women and 10.45 the Men. The races will be streamed live, and you can watch them here: iQFOiL YouTube Live Stream.
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