No rest in Marseille!

16/07/2023

UPDATE : In an unprecedented situation, after the premature departure of Nicolo Renna followed by those of Sebastian Kördel and Nicolas Goyard, the latter was crowned winner of the Test Event in Marseille without the final having taken place! In the women's event, Israeli Sharon Kantor won the Test Event in Marseille ahead of England's Emma Wilson and Dutchwoman Sara Wennekes.

In sporting conditions, the 5th day of the Test Event revealed the 10 qualifiers for Sunday's medal races. And leaders after 19 validated races during the week, Sharon Kantor and Nicolas Goyard are guaranteed to go home with a medal...
Series which undoubtedly has the greatest intensity and the greatest number of races, competitors in iQFOil will not be entitled to their rest day on this Test Event and this Saturday, 6 Race Racing races are planned on the day's program. On the Calanques race area, the starts follow one another at a steady pace between women and men with a steady south-easterly wind and intense races lasting around fifteen minutes.

With wind speeds sometimes in excess of 20 knots, Nicolas Goyard is putting on a show, as fast and tactically astute as ever, and his consistency is enabling him to extend his lead in the overall rankings. Behind him, his rivals are forced to keep up with the frenetic pace set by the Frenchman, with Italian Nicolo Renna and Australian Grae Morris battling it out for 2nd place. Qualified for the medal race scheduled for Sunday, Nicolas Goyard has the opportunity to make his mark after a great week of competition.

In the women's race, on a Course Racing course that she particularly enjoys, Israeli Sharon Kantor, winner of the Marathon 2 days earlier, pulled off the perfect hold-up by taking 1st place in the event 1 day before the medal race. Very consistent throughout the day, with 3 wins out of a possible 6, she left England's Emma Wilson and the Netherlands' Sara Wennekes far behind, even though everything will have to be done again on Sunday.
With one last race to go, anything is still possible in this Test Event, with the competition still just a dress rehearsal before the Olympic Games in 1 year's time...

Women's iQFOil ranking after 19 races
1/ Sharon Kantor (ISR) 42 points
2/ Emma Wilson (GBR) 51 points
3/ Sara Wennekes (NED) 70 points
4/ Veerle Ten Have (NZL) 92 points
5/ Pilar Gonzalez de la Madrid Trueba (ESP) 99 points
6/ Palma Cargo (CRO) 102.7 points
7/ Mina Mobekk (NOR) 107 points
8/ Giorgia Speciale (ITA) 126 points
9/ Mariana Aguilar Chavez (MEX) 131 points
10/ Maja Dziarnowska (POL) 132.2 points

Men's iQFOil ranking after 19 races
1/ Nicolas Goyard (FRA) 35 points
2/ Nicolo Renna (ITA) 63 points
3/ Grae Morris (AUS) 67 points
4/ Sebastian Kördel (GER) 100 points
5/ Tom Reuveny (ISR) 118 points
6/ Nacho Baltasar Summers (ESP) 130 points
7/ Josh Anthony Armit (NZL) 134 points
8/ Huig Jan Tak (NED) 136 points
9/ Sam Sills (GBR) 144 points
10/ Elia Colombo (SUI) 171 points

Source: World Sailing
Photos: Sailing Energy