2025 iQFOiL International Games #2 in Cádiz - Day 2
by iQFOiL Communications 12 Mar 20:38 AEDT
8-14 March 2025
2025 iQFOiL International Games #2 in Cádiz - Day 2 © Sailing Energy / iQFOiL Class
The 240 athletes enjoyed another intense day in El Puerto de Santa Maria, with all races completed across the six fleets: Senior, U19, and U17.
After a wild opening day, the second day of the iQFOiL International Games #2 in Cadiz delivered slightly more forgiving conditions, yet still tested the 240 athletes on the water. The strong winds and towering waves from day one eased slightly in the morning, with 13 to 18 knots from the west, gradually building to 25 knots with shifts up to 30 in the afternoon. While some clouds passed through, the sun dominated for most of the day, creating near-perfect conditions for another round of high-energy racing. All fleets completed four races, while the U19 Women squeezed in five to make up for the one missed on day one.
Senior Fleets Tackle the Outer Course
The Senior fleet raced on the Alpha course, positioned further offshore, where the sea state was significantly rougher - waves reached up to 3 meters by the end of the day. The Men's division opened with four course races, and Olympic silver medalist Grae Morris (AUS 81) showed his dominance, winning three and climbing to the top of the leaderboard. Finn Hawkins (GBR 19) stayed close behind with three second-place finishes, securing second overall, while Max Castelein (NED 36) put in a steady performance to hold third place.
In the Women's fleet, Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216) was unstoppable, sweeping all four races to move in the lead with a comfortable margin over the second, Olympic bronze medalist Emma Wilson (GBR 7). Wilson had a tough day, discarding two races and posting a sixth as her best result. Daniela Peleg (ISR 2) is now tied for second, leading a strong Israeli presence, with teammates also holding fourth and fifth place.
"I really loved the conditions today, it was beautiful, quite wavy but I like that so I managed to do well most of the time. I nearly got my first Course race win, nearly, like in Lanzarote, but I was taking it too easy and Thomas Goyard (FRA 3) overtook me right before the gate to the finish. I was disappointed but I will get a win in Course eventually, it was a super good day for me", said Max Castelein (NED 36).
"Racing today was very good for me, I have just enjoyed surfing and I had fun and had good speed, so everything worked well. I have always somehow enjoyed this conditions since I was little, but even though the weather will change I will just try and be consistent for the rest of the week", commented Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216).
Dutch and French Lead in the U19 Fleets
Yfke Van der Meer (NED 252) was flawless in the U19 Women's division, scoring five bullets and extending her lead to 10 points over Zofia Zarzecka (POL 114), who posted four third-place finishes. Hanna Simon (HUN 70) sits in third after a consistent day, with five seconds. Remarkably, the last four races in this fleet saw identical podiums.
In the U19 Men's division, Kilian Manhaval (FRA 1908) retained his lead despite suffering a gear failure in the final race, which he discarded along with race five. He still managed to notch up two wins. The best performer of the day was Robin Zeley (SUI 5), who posted an impressive (2,1,1,2) scoreline, moving into second overall. Another French sailor, Titouan Dizet (FRA 98), rounds out the top three.
"Such strong winds and waves, and a nice battle with Hanna, made it for a perfect day! Winning all five races also helped to make it so special.. I think I am strong in the upwind, with the right angle and speed, hoping I will go on like this until the end of the week!", said Yfke Van der Meer (NED 252).
"I had a good day today, winning two races, we are having great conditions in Cadiz, nice breeze, lots of sailing, I am really happy, the plan is to try to keep the lead until the Medal Series and it gives a nice advantage with the new format", commented Kilian Manhaval (FRA 1908).
Polish Strength in U17 Women, Dutch Dominate U17 Men
The Polish team showcased its depth in the U17 Women's fleet, with Julia Przbyl (POL 977) leading and Marta Gajdzinska (POL 429) in second. The only non-Polish sailor breaking up the streak is Anna Korevaar (NED 157), who sits in third.
In the U17 Men's fleet, Finn Brull (NED 731) maintained his lead with three more race wins, while compatriot Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244) remains in second. František Burda (CZE 844) moves into third after a solid day on the water.
Looking Ahead: A Brief Rest Before a Massive Thursday
The forecast for tomorrow suggests a temporary break from the strong winds and rough seas, providing the athletes with some much-needed rest from survival racing conditions and giving the opportunity to have some Sprint races. However, Thursday is shaping up to be possibly the most intense day of the week, with average winds exceeding 30 knots and waves building up to 4.5 meters - another true test of skill and endurance for the iQFOiL fleet.
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