Palpable tension

03/02/2024

Day 5 of the iQFOil World Championships in the Canaries sees a total of 5 races, 2 in the Slalom and 3 in the Course Race. On the programme, the last chance to enter the top 10 of the competition and to take part in the medal races on Saturday...

Friday is the penultimate day of racing at the iQFOil World Championships, and it's a crucial one, with Olympic places, national selections and, of course, world titles at stake. The pressure is on throughout the day and it's hardly surprising that 4 general recalls and numerous black flags are dashing the hopes of some of the contenders.
The women took to the water with 3 Course Race races followed by 2 Slalom races. The wind gradually died down throughout the day, dropping to 8-10 knots by late afternoon. Britain's Emma Wilson continued to dominate with 4 wins on Friday, confirming her place in Saturday's Grand Final. Spain's Pilar Lamadrid moved straight into the semi-finals, finishing 2nd overall, as did Israel's Katy Spychakov, leader of her national Olympic team. However, the tension continued with Sharon Kantor in 4th place and Shahar Tibi in 6th.

On the men's side, the day began with 2 Slaloms in winds of between 10 and 13 knots, followed by 3 Course Races. Dutchman Luuc van Opzeeland maintained his lead from day 1, with impressive results of 1-2-1-1. He qualifies directly for Saturday's grand final, becoming the man to beat. 2nd and 3rd, Nicolo Renna and Kiran Badloe go straight through to the semi-finals. Badloe, Olympic champion in Tokyo, remains in the running to represent the Netherlands at the Olympic Games. With Nicolas Goyard in 4th place, Louis Pignolet in 8th and Yun Pouliquen in 9th, the French team is well placed going into the final day of competition.
These iQFOil World Championships also have some surprises in store in terms of qualifying for Paris 2024. Johan Søe has earned Denmark a place in the men's Olympic fleet, while Germany, represented by Theresa Steinlein, has secured its place in the women's fleet.
The tension will be at its height on Saturday, the final day of the championship, with just the top 10 competitors on the start line for the eagerly awaited medal race...