2024 iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championships at Sa Ràpita, Spain - Day 2
by iQFOiL Class Communications 29 Oct 2024 13:23 PDT
27 October - 2 November 2024
The iQFOiL Youth and Junior World Championship saw a full day of challenging racing on Tuesday, with all categories — U17 and U19, both Men and Women — completing five Course Races in the demanding waters off Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita. The fleet of 375 young sailors, all under 19 and representing 35 nations, took on a tough day with grey skies and powerful easterly winds.
Conditions were far from easy, with the wind starting at 13 knots in the morning and increasing to 18 knots in the afternoon, with gusts reaching over 20 knots. The offshore breeze contributed to a choppy sea state, adding to the test of skill and endurance for these young sailors.
In the U19 Women's division, Darcey Shaw (GBR) dominated, claiming victory in four out of five races to take the lead. Maya Gysler (NOR) and Nela Sadilkova (CZE) follow closely in second and third place, with Italians Carola Colasanto and Medea Falcioni rounding out the top five.
"Five course races today, it was really nice weather on the water, very windy and it went really well for me I'm currently the leader with four wins, so I am super chuffed with that", said Darcey Shaw (GBR 309).
The U19 Men's competition saw an impressive performance from Federico Pilloni (ITA), who won all five races in the yellow fleet. He leads the standings, with Val Erzen (SLO) and Leonardo Tomasini (ITA) in second and third positions. Lucas Gadeyne (FRA) and Igor Lewinski (POL) are in a close tie just off the podium, making for a thrilling race to watch as the championship progresses.
"We had really amazing conditions today, we managed to get five course races sticking to this morning's plan, we had strong winds up to 25 knots which made the racing really, really fun. I was racing in a strong fleet with Leonardo and I managed to get five bullets, so it's a great way to start to the week for me, and I'm ready for more action", commented an enthusiastic Federico Pilloni (ITA 286).
In the U17 Women's fleet, Alba Klein (ISR) emerged as the standout sailor, securing first place with wins in all five races. Rüya Ugurlu (TUR) and Sofia Zarzecka (POL) sit in second and third, respectively.
The U17 Men's division is led by Marius Polo (FRA), with Davia Aleshko (ISR) in second and Itamar Levi (ISR) tied on points with Aleshko in third, setting up a tight battle in the days ahead.
Looking ahead to Day Three, the forecast predicts stronger winds in the morning, expected to ease towards noon. With high-energy racing on both the water and the leaderboard, the iQFOiL Youth and Junior World Championship continues to deliver thrilling competition among the sport's next generation of stars.
Full results available here.
Entry list available here.