2026 iQFOiL Open European Championships in Portimão - Day 5
by iQFOiL Class Association 23 May 05:38 BST
18-23 May 2026
Medal Series Line-Up for iQFOiL Europeans decided
Tamar Steinberg and Luuc Van Opzeeland hold the overall leads as the top 10 advance to Saturday's live-streamed Medal Series
The 2026 iQFOiL Open European Championships reached the end of the Final Series on Friday in Portimão, setting the stage for Saturday's decisive Medal Race Series, where the European titles will be awarded live from Praia da Rocha.
After a week of highly varied Atlantic conditions, the fleet once again faced a demanding day on the water, with shifting breeze and tactical racing continuing to test every aspect of modern Olympic windfoiling. With qualification now complete, only the top 10 athletes in each fleet advance to the final phase of the championship.
Saturday's Medal Series will also be broadcast live on the official iQFOiL YouTube Channel, starting at 10 local time (GMT+1) bringing the final battles for the 2026 European crowns directly to audiences around the world.
The championship has showcased the full range of iQFOiL racing formats throughout the week, from tactical Course Racing to explosive Sprint formats, creating a particularly complete technical challenge for the athletes. The Final Series intensified the direct battles between the top-ranked sailors, with every point becoming critical in the fight to secure a place inside the coveted top 10.
In the Women's fleet, Israel's Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216) maintains the overall lead heading into the Medal Series after another solid day despite increasingly difficult conditions. The young U23 rider continues to demonstrate remarkable consistency throughout the championship and secures direct qualification to the Grand Final as the top-ranked athlete. New Zealand's Aimee Bright (NZL 15) climbs to second overall after an excellent final day of the series, while China's Wenqi Li (CHN 17) completes the provisional top three. China also places Zheng Yan (CHN 37) in fourth overall, while Israel's Daniela Peleg (ISR 2) moves into fifth position after a strong comeback through the Final Series. France's Hélène Noesmoen (FRA 57) secures sixth place overall, ahead of fellow Israeli Shahar Tibi (ISR 3). Norway's Maya Gysler (NOR 21), Spain's Pilar Lamadrid (ESP 12) and Italy's Olympic gold medalist Marta Maggetti (ITA 157) complete the top 10 heading into Saturday's decisive races.
In the Men's fleet, Dutch Olympic bronze medalist Luuc Van Opzeeland (NED 55) retains the overall lead after another intense day in the Final Series, securing direct access to the Grand Final. Australia's Grae Morris (AUS 81) remains second overall despite a difficult afternoon marked by multiple DPI penalties, while Denmark's Johan Søe (DEN 37) stays firmly in contention in third place. Italy's U23 talent Federico Alan Pilloni (ITA 286) continues to impress in fourth overall after another highly competitive series, confirming himself among the standout young riders of the championship. Israel's Olympic medalist Tom Reuveny (ISR 60) climbs to fifth overall thanks to one of the most consistent scorelines of the day, while France's Nicolas Goyard (FRA 465) remains in the fight in sixth. The top 10 is completed by Israel's Yoav Omer (ISR 24), France's Tom Arnoux (FRA 152), Italy's U23 rider Leonardo Tomasini (ITA 155) and Britain's Finn Hawkins (GBR 19), who narrowly secures qualification despite another difficult day featuring two UFD penalties.
With the rankings now finalized, attention turns to Saturday's Medal Series, where the championship format once again leaves the fight for the podium wide open. Sailors ranked fifth to tenth will begin from the Quarter Finals, progressing through Semi Finals before meeting the top-ranked athletes in the Grand Final, where the 2026 iQFOiL Open European Champions will finally be crowned in Portimão.
Top 10 Women after the Final Series:
- Tamar Steinberg (ISR)
- Aimee Bright (NZL)
- Wenqi Li (CHN)
- Zheng Yan (CHN)
- Daniela Peleg (ISR)
- Hélène Noesmoen (FRA)
- Shahar Tibi (ISR)
- Maya Gysler (NOR)
- Pilar Lamadrid (ESP)
- Marta Maggetti (ITA)
Top 10 Men after the Final Series:
- Luuc Van Opzeeland (NED)
- Grae Morris (AUS)
- Johan Søe (DEN)
- Federico Alan Pilloni (ITA)
- Tom Reuveny (ISR)
- Nicolas Goyard (FRA)
- Yoav Omer (ISR)
- Tom Arnoux (FRA)
- Leonardo Tomasini (ITA)
- Finn Hawkins (GBR)