iQFoil Youth & Junior European Championships at Circolo Surf Torbole

iQFoil Youth & Junior European Championships at Circolo Surf Torbole - Day 5

by Elena Giolai 8 Jul 2023 09:31 BST 1-8 July 2023

The iQFoil Youth & Junior European Championships on Lake Garda entered its fifth day of racing with exhilarating action and a highly anticipated marathon event. The day started off with an early start, as participants & coaches gathered for the coach meeting at 6:30 am, getting ready of an intense day of competition.

The marathon kicked off the day with a 1 hour race around Lake Garda. In the under-19 category, a rabbit start, where windsurfers start behind a boat traveling at full speed, set the tone for an exciting race. For safety reasons, the under-17 fleet began with a conventional starting line. The marathon, a one-hour race that counts double, proved crucial as competitors jockeyed for advantageous positions before the upcoming medal series tomorrow.

2023 iQFoil Youth & Junior European Championships - photo © Elena Giolai

In the U19 men's fleet, Harry Joyner from Australia emerged victorious in the marathon. Italian Jacopo Gavioli secured a close second place, while Polish windsurfer Trepczynski Stanislaw held the lead for a significant portion of the race but slipped to third due to a small mistake at the final top mark. In the U19 women's fleet, Kristyna Pinosova from the Czech Republic claimed victory, followed closely by Emma Viktoria Millend from Estonia in second place. Carola Colasanto, the leader in the ranking, secured a respectable third-place finish.

The U17 boys' fleet witnessed an impressive performance by French contender Kylian Manhaval, who emerged triumphant in the marathon. Polish athlete Maciej Dabek showcased remarkable skills, securing second place, while Peleg Rajuan from Israel rounded off the top three. In the U17 girls' category, Italian windsurfer Francesca Maria Salerno reigned supreme in the marathon, skillfully navigating the course.

Spanish Caterina Tomas Cardell finished closely behind in second place, with Turkish Ada Tan securing a commendable third-place finish.

Following the marathon event, two more races were held in the slalom discipline. As the day came to a close, the focus shifted to the anticipated medal series scheduled for tomorrow. Only the top 10 athletes in each category will have the opportunity to compete in the all-or-nothing elimination race, where they get to fight for the coveted medals.

2023 iQFoil Youth & Junior European Championships - photo © Elena Giolai

Tomorrow we will begin with a quarter-final race, where athletes ranked from fourth to tenth will compete for the top two spots, earning them a place in the semi-finals. In the semi-final, the second and third-ranked athletes will battle against the two qualifying athletes from the previous round. From the semi-final, the best two athletes will advance to the final and challenge the number one ranked competitor for the European Title

With the current rankings, Harry Joyner (U19 Men), Carola Colasanto (U19 Women), Kylian Manhaval (U17 Boys), and Caterina Tomas Cardell (U17 Girls) have secured a medal position and have automatically advanced to the final. The top 10 rankings in each category are as follows: