30 knots and more plus four metre waves - every wave surfer looks forward to days like this. With an 8.0 and a race foil, the description "extreme" fits without exaggeration. Such conditions were on offer on the last day of the qualifying rounds of the iQFOiL Games in Cadiz. As predicted, winds of 30 to 38 knots whipped across the competition course from the south-west, accompanied by waves that reached up to four metres in height. The race committee, headed by Ewa Jodlowska, initially reacted with AP flags (race postponed). But shortly after midday, the delta signal was given for the men - the green light for a day of extreme competition.
Survival mode on the water
The action on the course was like a balancing act between fear and fascination. While half of the field was unable to finish any of the races due to time limits or other difficulties, the top 25 experienced a day full of adrenaline. Grae Morris, silver medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, once again proved his skills and dominated the conditions with three consecutive wins.
"It was an eventful day, quite windy - I think all the guys can confirm that it was some hectic racing," Morris summarised after the races. "The wind was definitely in the high 30s, with quite a big swell. Some were off the white water. It was a fun day, but I'm really looking forward to getting into a warm room and having something to eat now."
Grae Morris unstoppable even with a crash
Morris' performance was impressive, but he remained modest: "I managed to take victories in all three races, so I was happy to remain consistent in these conditions. I even got away with a crash in one of them." His strong performance puts him in an excellent starting position for the Medal Series this Friday. "Going into the Medal Series in first place gives me a good advantage - I've already secured a win in the Grand Final. If I win the first race tomorrow, I win the regatta; if not, I get another chance," explained the Australian confidently.
Directly behind Morris, 2024 U23 World Champion Finn Hawkins put in an impressive recovery. After a weak 13th place in the first race, the Brit fought his way back with a third and a second place in the last two races. This strong performance secured him second place overall and a direct starting place in the Grand Final of the Medal Series. Noah Lyons from the USA and Max Castelein from the Netherlands completed the leading group with consistent top 10 finishes and qualified directly for the semi-finals.
Safety first - cancellation for other fleets
For the U19 women and both U17 classes, the AP over A flag was already set at 2 pm, which meant the official cancellation of their races. The safety of the younger participants was the top priority in view of the rough conditions.
After the fierce races for the men, the race committee stayed on the Bravo course for over an hour after the last race in the hope that the conditions might improve for the women and the U19 men. However, the extreme conditions meant that no further races were possible. The races for the remaining fleets were cancelled, meaning that the results from the previous day stood and the top eight athletes in each class moved on to the Medal Series.
The German starters had nothing to do with the races at the front, Lenny Friemel ended up in 42nd place, Max Körner lost a few places and ended up in 47th place, Tjalve Böttger is 62nd.
Excitement ahead of the Medal Series
Today's Medal Series promises top-class windsurfing on two race courses with a quarter-final, semi-final and final. Places 5 to 8 will start in the quarter-finals, with the top two qualifying for the semi-finals. There they meet the third and fourth-placed teams from the preliminary round. The top two from the semi-final then complete the final with the top two from the Opening Series, with the leader of the Opening Series starting with a bonus win. The first player to record two wins wins the event in the end.
iQFOiL Games Cadiz Medal Series
These drivers are taking part in the Medal Series:
Gents
- Grae Morris (AUS 81)
- Finn Hawkins (GBR 19)
- Noah Lyons (USA 6)
- Max Castelein (NED 36)
- Andy Brown (GBR 360)
- Thomas Goyard (FRA 3)
- Hidde Van der Meer (NED 52)
- Duncan Monaghan (GBR 18)
Ladies
- Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216)
- Sharon Kantor (ISR 390)
- Daniela Peleg (ISR 2)
- Emma Wilson (GBR 7)
- Lola Sorin (FRA 31)
- Shahar Tibi (ISR 3)
- Sara Wennekes (NED 33)
- Pilar Lamadrid Trueba (ESP 12)
U19 Men
- Kilian Manhaval (FRA 1908)
- Robin Zeley (SUI 5)
- Jorge Ruiz Lopez (ESP 334)
- Simon Skrepek (CZE 781)
- Antonio Medina (ESP 10)
- Titouan Dizet (FRA 98)
- Gustaw Trybek (POL 2115)
- Maciej Dabek (POL 71)
U19 Ladies
- Yfke Van der Meer (NED 252)
- Hanna Simon (HUN 70)
- Zofia Zarzecka (POL 114)
- Jade Boyer-Gibaud (FRA 74)
- Alexandra Lojinova (CZE 87)
- Chiara Clementina Catania (ITA 128)
- Lucia Guardiola Beltran (ESP 482)
- Lucy Smith Ulseth (NOR 136)
U17 men
- Finn Brull (NED 731)
- Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244)
- Lorenzo Maroadi (ITA 16)
- František Burda (CZE 844)
- Diogo Bourges De Sousa (POR 58)
- Enric Patiño Riutord (ESP 373)
- Oscar Florin (FRA 5665)
- Peytons Dits (NED 241)
U17 Ladies
- Julia Przybil (POL 977)
- Anna Korevaar (NED 157)
- Marta Gajdzinska (POL 429)
- Kalina Szostek (POL 205)
- Ewa Miarczynska (POL 416)
- Martyna Figura (POL 217)
- Patricia Orosa Campos (ESP 906)
- Sedna Ortega Rome (ESP 565)