Early Start and Foil Racing Commencement on Day 3 while, Day 2 was met with unfavorable weather conditions as rain and overcast skies persisted throughout the entire day. Athletes were eventually released. Day 3 dawned with renewed enthusiasm as the event kicked off with an early morning start. At 8 am, the course was set, and the first foil races could start as the opening discipline for this fin & foil slalom championship in wind speeds ranging from 10 to 15 knots. This promising start led to an eventful day of racing.
At about 60 minutes later, the first event results were settled for the Youth Men and Women Foil slalom races. The competition was fierce, and the excitement was notable as athletes give their utmost efforts for supremacy in their respective categories. At 10 am, the second round of foil racing got underway, with athletes demonstrating their capabilities on the water. The wind, while gradually getting lighter, remained favorable for racing, with speeds averaging around the 11 knots. A while later a temporary Pause was made due to tricky winds. However, at 11:20 am, the race officer made the difficult decision to send the competitors back to the beach due to unstable winds and significant lulls. Despite this setback, the spirit of sportsmanship and competition remained undiminished.
Successful Completion of Rounds: A total of 2.5 Elimination rounds for the Youth Men and Women and 3 to 4 rounds of races for the Juniors and Masters were successfully completed, showcasing the resilience and determination of the athletes.
Turkish dominance in the junior category with Tan Tandogan and Elif Ercan leading the men’s and women’s divisions. Second junior was the Frenchman Huault, third the Turk Dönmez. As for the Italians, an excellent provisional fourth place for Matteo Della Fiorentina, followed in fifth by Federico Calcaterra. Among the junior girls, second and third provisional place went to the French Philip and Sermet. First Italian Martina Focante, ninth overall.
Dane Vinther leads among the youths, followed by Circolo Surf Torbole’s Jacopo Gavioli, third the French Armand Genevoy. First female youth Caterina Biagiolini. Among the masters, first was German Markus Steiner, now at home in Torbole.
Sunday start again in the morning, to take advantage of the northerly wind, which today allowed very good racing.
The outlook for tomorrow holds promise, with the forecast indicating improved conditions that should allow for more racing on the final competition day. Despite the challenges posed by the weather, the organizers, water crew, and the Circolo Surf Torbole club have exhibited unwavering dedication, making the best of the situation and ensuring the smooth continuation of this prestigious championship.
Stay tuned for further updates as the 2023 IFCA JYM Fin Foil SLALOM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS progress toward their thrilling conclusion.
