2025 IFCA Fin & Foil Slalom European Championships at Circolo Surf Torbole - Overall
by Elena Giolai 21 Oct 10:15 BST
14-19 October 2025
2025 IFCA Fin & Foil Slalom European Championships © Elena Giolai
With one last Foil elimination round on Sunday, the IFCA Funboard European Championships Slalom Foil & Fin came to a close after five days of spectacular racing. Once again, the "funboard" boards - both Foil and Fin - returned to take centre stage on Lake Garda, hosted by Circolo Surf Torbole under delegation from the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV).
- IFCA Funboard European Championships Slalom Fin & Foil concluded: 5 Foil eliminations and 4 Fin for men; 15 and 12 single finals for women
- Denmark's Johan Søe and the Netherlands' Jordy Vonk are crowned European Champions in Foil and Fin.
- France's Justine Lemeteyer claims both titles.
The decision to host a major international event at the end of the season once again paid off: racing took place every afternoon in perfect Ora winds from the south, which consistently stayed above the minimum range required for Foil (below 15 knots) and Fin (above 11 knots) racing - with the lake completely free from other traffic. A large number of races were completed: five Foil and four Fin eliminations for men, who battled through qualifying heats to reach the decisive A-Finals, and 15 Foil and 12 Fin single finals for women.
Over 80 competitors from 15 nations took part, with several athletes also competing in the PWA professional circuit, ensuring a very high technical level across both fleets.
Slalom Foil discipline
In the Foil discipline, 21-year-old Johan Søe (DEN 37) from Denmark dominated from start to finish with five wins out of five races, showing exceptional speed and precision in his manoeuvres.
Fabian Wolf (GER 404) climbed to second overall thanks to a third place in race 5 - the German sailor was also crowned Formula Foil World Champion last September, here in Torbole.
Dropping to third place overall was Jordy Vonk (NED 69), hindered by inconsistency in the final heats.
For Italy, hopes were on Bruno Martini (Circolo Surf Torbole), former 2024 World Champion in the Fin discipline, but a lack of continuity prevented him from repeating his podium success - he finished ninth in Foil.
A strong confirmation came from Giacomo Barro (ITA 215), a 21-year-old Circolo Surf Torbole rider from Lombardy, who finished eighth overall in Foil. Already a national champion, Barro continues to prove himself as one of Italy's most promising young funboard talents. In the women's fleet, Justine Lemeteyer (FRA 171) continued her dominance, only challenged in a few races by Lina Eržen (SLO 51), who finished second overall and first Youth, while Blanca Alabau (ESP 3) from Spain completed the podium in third.
Slalom Fin discipline
When the wind is strong enough for Fin Slalom, the show on the water is guaranteed: spray flying, tight gybes and pure board-rider connection.
The introduction of Foil slalom has brought new life to windsurfing, but the "original" Fin slalom remains just as spectacular — and allows racing in stronger wind conditions. Experience made the difference here: Jordy Vonk (NED 69) claimed the European Fin title with two wins, a second place, and one discard (third).
Runner-up and first Master was Taty Frans (NB 9) from Bonaire, who finished seventh in the first final of the day but won the fourth (two held on Thursday and two on Saturday, October 18).
Third overall went to Nicolas Prien (GER 7), just 0.6 points behind Frans.
Malte Reuscher (GER 777) - German by sail number but Italian by heart, based on the Island of Elba where he runs his own windsurfing school - took fourth place, while Bruno Martini (ITA 160) from Circolo Surf Torbole finished fifth, tied on points with Reuscher and only two points off the podium.
Just outside the top ten, Andrea Cucchi (ITA 1) and young Giacomo Barro (ITA 215), also representing Circolo Surf Torbole, both delivered consistent performances — Barro adding a 12th place in Fin to his 8th in Foil.In the women's division, Justine Lemeteyer completed an impressive Foil/Fin double victory, winning all 12 Fin races. Second place went to Femke van der Veen (NED 2251) and third to Charlotte Philip (FRA 1194).
Final remarks
Circolo Surf Torbole President Armando Bronzetti commented: "It was a fantastic Championship, with perfect weather and wind conditions throughout the week. The level of the athletes was extremely high. I would like to thank the FIV Race Committee and its President Claudio Alessandrello, who, together with IFCA (International Funboard Class Association), managed to make the most of every breeze to complete as many regular races as possible, always choosing the most suitable discipline according to the wind strength. A special thanks goes to all my staff, who throughout the season have given their best to offer the warmest hospitality to all the athletes and coaches from around the world who have animated Circolo Surf Torbole."