Excellent start for the Italian team at the Youth Slalom World Championships taking place at the Circolo Surf Torbole until Wednesday, June 23rd. The wind machine of Lake Garda never disappoints which means a perfect start of the Championships.
The IFCA (International Funboard Class Association) Slalom Junior and Youth World Championships have started at the Circolo Surf Torbole, where the young promises of international windsurfing, divided into two categories under 17 and under 21, are competing.
It is the first World Championship with a new format – for boards and sails of Slalom series, exclusively reserved for young people. Once again Torbole, the mecca of windsurfing opens together with the international funboard class the path for a new discipline.
The participation is excellent with a hundred of enrolled participants from 16 nations. After a colorful opening ceremony with the cut of the ribbon made by no one else then 42-times World Champion Bjorn Dunkerbeck and of course the greetings of the newly-reconfirmed President of the Circolo Surf Torbole Armando Bronzetti, along with the regional and local authorities, representing the Municipality of Torbole, CONI Trento, APT Garda Trentino, and the International IFCA Class.
On Sunday the first races have started thanks to a nice south wind that in the mid-afternoon stretched well over the whole Garda Trentino. Once the racecourse was positioned with the increasingly reliable and green geolocated electric buoys, the fast sequence of slalom batteries began. The competitors, in addition to expressing maximum speed, have to make 4 gybes around 4 buoys positioned in a downwind racing course, one of the most crucial moments in order to don’t lose speed and balance – a maneuver which often compromises the final result.
In the under 21 youth category a French double is leading the category with Lohan Jules and Benoit Merceur respectively first and second; third the Czech Petr Cech.
The Italian locals Nicolò Renna currently in 5th position and seventh Alessandro Iotti, both athletes of the Circolo Surf Torbole.
Among the women, there was a good start for the local athlete Sofia Renna, who with a fourth and a first has an equal score with the second, the Dutch Fabiënne Hoogendam.
Among the youngest under 17 juniors the locals Jacopo Gavioli and Leonardo Tomasini, both athletes representing the Circolo Surf Torbole are sitting in first and third position. In second position Brendan Lorho from France.
Two slalom eliminations have been disputed during day 1 also for the junior female category – also in this category another Italian is currently leading – the Sardinian Maddalena Spanu, who with a second and a first has an equal score with Turkish Elif Ercan; and third is the other Turkish Demirkut.
Certainly, it has been a good kick-off for the first day of the competition, the wind conditions that initially seemed poor (to race in the slalom category it is necessary to have at least 11 knots of wind intensity), but in the mid-afternoon have stabilized and built up to even strong wind conditions.
The event is scheduled until Wednesday, the day that will determine the new youth slalom world champions.
By Elena Giolai Curtesy of Circolo Surf Torbole / IFCA Class
Images: MOANPHOTO
