iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Games in Torbole, Italy - Day 2
by iQFOiL Communications 8 May 06:49 AEST
6-10 May 2025
Heavy Rain Sets the Scene, But Racing Pushes On at Lake Garda
Despite relentless rainfall, part of the day's race program went ahead as planned at the iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Games, hosted by Circolo Surf Torbole. The venue came alive early in the morning, as athletes, coaches, judges, and staff gathered on schedule to maximize a forecasted morning wind window. The day began with determination, even under persistent rain that lingered into the afternoon.
A southern breeze filled in shortly after 8:00 am, bringing wet conditions but also sufficient and reasonably consistent wind, reaching peaks of 16 knots. Though marked by shifts and brief lulls, the breeze held long enough to allow technical and fair racing throughout the morning session.
Racing focused on the Upwind Sprint, starting with the U19 Men's and Women's fleets. The U19 Men completed three races, while the Women completed two before the wind died as the U17 fleets prepared to hit the water, leaving the rest of the day to steady rainfall.
U19 Men's Fleet
France's Leopold Brisedou retained the overall lead, adding two first-place finishes and a discarded seventh to his earlier course racing results (2-1). Estonia's Aksel Haava climbed to second overall with scores of 1-1-23, while Nov Kfir of Israel moved from fourth to third after securing two wins and a seventh.
U19 Women's Fleet
The top of the leaderboard remains unchanged. Italy's Medea Falcioni extended her winning streak with two more race victories, further solidifying her lead over compatriot Francesca Maria Salerno and Israel's Leen Yaheli. Medea, though officially U17, chose to compete in the U19 fleet to gain experience with the new 7.3m" sail, which is now also used in the senior category.
Despite the challenging weather, Lake Garda continues to provide racing opportunities, thanks to the expert coordination of the Italian Sailing Federation Race Committee and the active support of the iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Class officials. Every available wind window is being seized.
Forecasts suggest the rain is here to stay, but the on-water teams are ready to make the most of any chance to race. A total of 215 athletes from 23 nations are on site, highlighting the scale and significance of the event.
With a minimum wind requirement of just 7 knots, the iQFOiL Youth & Junior International Class once again proves its versatility across a wide range of conditions. Racing is scheduled to resume Thursday at 10:00.