2025 IKA Youth European Championships in Gizzeria, Calabria - Day 2
by International Kiteboarding Association 3 Jul 19:40 BST
30 June - 6 July 2025
Riccardo Pianosi [ITA] - 2025 IKA Youth European Championships in Gizzeria, Calabria - Day 2 © IKA Media / Robert Hajduk
Day 2 of the Youth European Championships in Gizzeria saw fantastic conditions that gave the racing added pace. With the speed came plenty of racing incidents.
Despite all the exciting action the riders who shone on day 1 also dominated day 2. The men's two fleets and the women's fleet each raced 4 times today.
In Men's blue fleet Riccardo Pianosi, the Italian Olympian, remains unbeaten adding four more victories to his four from yesterday. The defending youth European champion is looking very strong to hold on to his title.
Pianosi's closest challenger on day 2 was Switzerland's Gian Stragiotti, however the Youth World Champion made a costly mistake today. A collision with Great Britain's Sam Dickinson led to a protest and Stragiotti's eventual retirement from race 6. Undaunted, the Swiss rider re-found his form to take a couple of second place finishes.
Max Maeder continued his dominance of yellow fleet but showed he's fallible. Well ahead of the chasing riders in race 6, the Singaporean hit mark 3. It was an unforced error that cost him the race.
Right behind Maeder are two riders who refuse to let him get away in the standings. Brazil's Lucas Fonseca finished second in three of today's four races whilst Voitech Koska claimed his first victory of the championship.
In the day's first race, the Czech rider came into mark three right on Maeder's shoulder. The tussle did not go Koska's way but it sent a clear message of intent - he believes he belongs at the front.
Tomorrow, the men's fleet splits into gold and silver groups, with the top 22 riders advancing to gold. Among them is a standout new face, Great Britain's Ben Field who's certainly proved he belongs in the top half of the draw. Canada's Nathan Pearce is the only U17 rider to make the gold fleet, guaranteeing him the top spot in his age group already.
The top three female riders going into today's qualifying continued to share the podium between them. Derin Atakan of Turkiye took the overnight lead thanks to three dominant wins. Catarina Turienzo, the Youth World champion, won the day's other race. The pair, who are separated by just a couple of points, have already cut loose from the chasing pack. Britain's Ella Geiger is 8 points behind in third.
Poland's Karolina Jankowska is leading the U17 category and is also mounting a serious challenge in the U19 division, proving she's one to watch in the future.
The battle for the automatic spot in the grand final promises to be monumental in Gizzeria with the competition climaxing with the medal series on Big Sunday, 6 July, as the thrilling Golden Ticket Race opens the day—offering one final chance for competitors outside the top 9 to earn their place in the medal series, taking place later that day. The event will conclude with a dazzling prize-giving ceremony, celebrating the youth stars of tomorrow.
Experience the excitement as it unfolds with live race updates, results, and behind-the-scenes features on IKA's social media channels. Daily media content will also be made available.
Full results and more information