Finally windy conditions

12/03/2022

The Bay of Cadiz demands the maximum from windsurfers, on a day in which the wind intensity is close to 22 knots...
Spectacular has been the development of the International iQFOil Games Cádiz this Friday in the Bay of Cadiz, with a third day marked by winds from the SW of 18 knots of medium intensity with gusts of 22. Harsh conditions that have allowed windsurfers to unleash their full physical potential and get the most out of the hydrofoil on their boards. With the weather forecast in hand, the organization decided on Thursday night to advance the schedule in order to take advantage of the conditions, ordering the first starts around half past nine in the morning. A wise decision that has allowed the addition of six new tests to the senior and Under 21 fleet, and four to the Under 17 and Under 19. The format chosen today was Course Racing on a trapezoid course (inner/outer) for everyone.

With eleven races already and two discards, the Brazilian Mateus Isaac discards a 2nd as the worst result today, in a day in which he has won four of the six races disputed. The Brazilian distances himself from the top, now seconded by the Spaniard Tomas Vieito who reaches second place with twenty-one more points. The Spanish gets into the fight using his best day. He is followed with two more points by the Hong Kong native Ling Yeung who drops one place but retains the U21 title. Also today could have been the day of comeback for the Canarian Ángel Granda, but the breakage of the mast after a spectacular finish on the 5th Race (not being able to compete the 6th one) of the day prevents him from climbing for the moment from fourth place to the podium.
Among the women, the Spanish Nicole Van der Velden recovers the first place and does it with style in a day in which she wins 3 out of the 6 races done. The Madrilenian leads by eleven points. Right behind is the Italian Giorgia Speciale, who is now tied by the Finnish Aleksandra Blinnikka, in third place. A big group of sailors are close in points to the top three. The Italian Marta Maggetti, followed by the Croatian Palma Cargo, the Polish Maja Kuchta, the Hong Kong Ma Kwan Ching and the Andalusian Blanca Manchón in seventh place. Good day also for the Italian Sofia Renna who retains the U21 leadership and has already scored ten points against the Turkish Merve Vatan.

Changes continue in the men’s Under 19 category, with a new leadership at the hands of the Italian Manolo Modena after remaining undefeated throughout the four tests held today by the Youth U19. Seven points behind is the Frenchman Emile Roullet, who loses the top forced to discard an 11th. With six more points, third place goes to the Italian Jacobo Gavioli. The three are new to the podium and it seems that they are here to stay, with the next classified, the Polish Konrad Machura, eleven points behind. The first Spaniard is still the Andalusian Alejandro Arauz from CN Puerto Sherry, in fifteenth place.
On the U19 Youth Women, the Polish Pola Wawrzyniak has not been able to hold the first place among the Under 19 girls and she gives up three places after a day in which she has found more opposition than desired. The first place now goes to her compatriot Aleksandra Wasiewicz, yesterday second by one point and today the leader with an edge of six and seven points to the Czechs Kristyna Pinosova and Katerina Altmannova, second and third and protagonists of the Course Races of the day, with three bullets for Pinosova. The CN Sevilla windsurfer, Lucía García-Cubillana, is still the first Spanish although today has not been her best day and she drops four places to eleventh.

The Polish Igor Lewinski is still unstoppable in his goal and today he has won the four races again to secure the first place among the youngest, category Sub 17. For his part, the Andalusian Antonio Medina of RC El Candado de Málaga, continues to go all out and with a 4th as the worst result, he counts three 2nds to secure second place. The Spaniard is already fifteen points ahead of third, a position that Czech Tibor Nevelos has access to with four points ahead of Pole Maciej Dabek and Portuguese Martim Mendes, tied for fourth and fifth place, respectively. The Spaniard from Salou, Cesar Alonso falls off the podium, now sixth with one more point.
Among the U17 girls, the Polish María Rudowicz seems to be doing well in all conditions and today she has shown it again, adding another four firsts that make her the undefeated leader after seven races. The second best in this difficult day has been the Andalusian Arancha Sahuquillo of CN Sevilla, who recovers second place and puts almost ten points to the Czech Alexandra Lojinova, third. On her part, the Hungarian Hanna Simon loses the podium but it is up to her to recover it and get back the only point that separates her from him.
This Saturday will be the day before the end of the championship and it returns to the schedule of previous days, with the first departures starting at 13.00 p.m., and a forecast that announces a new drop in the wind.