The fourth day of competition at the iQFOiL International Games on Lanzarote tested the patience of both athletes and race organisers. After the fleet initially encountered promising but quickly fading gusts of wind, the race organisers moved the entire field to Pechiguera North, where more stable conditions prevailed. The programme was able to continue there in around 15 knots of northerly wind. The wind direction coming directly from the north and the new position of the race area opened up significantly more tactical options for the athletes than on the other days. previous days. The starts were lively and balanced. There were starts on both port and starboard bow. A total of two course races for men and women were successfully completed.
Weather change forces premature race end
The conditions changed abruptly after the second race. The wind suddenly dropped and no longer provided a basis for fair competition. The race organisers then decided to end the competition day. With the completion of the two races, the qualification series is now officially over. The focus is now on the Medal Series scheduled for tomorrow, in which the eight best athletes will compete for the final places.
Exciting Medal Series format
The format of the Medal Series promises to be highly exciting: the sailors in fifth to eighth place start in the quarter-finals. The top two finishers in the quarter-finals will advance to the semi-finals, where they will face the athletes ranked third and fourth after the qualifying series. The top two from the semi-finals will then qualify for the grand final against the top two from the qualifying series. They take one match point into the final, which continues until one athlete has achieved two match points and thus secured victory.
British dominance in both fleets
In the women's competition, Great Britain's Emma Wilson leads the qualification series, followed by Israel's Sharon Kantor and Tamar Steinberg in second and fourth place respectively. Italy's Marta Maggetti finished in third place. The top 8 is completed by Palma Čargo (Croatia), Medea Falcioni (Italy), Theresa Marie Steinlein (Germany) and Islay Watson (Great Britain). The men's race was also dominated by a Brit: Finn Hawkins was in the lead ahead of Nicolas Goyard from France and Luuc Van Opzeeland from the Netherlands. Johan Søe from Denmark follows in fourth place. The other places in the final were secured by Nacho Baltasar Summers (Spain), Adrien Mestre (France), Yun Pouliquen (France) and Duncan Monaghan (Great Britain).
Current interim standings iQFOiL Games Lanzarote
Top 8 Ladies:
- 1st Emma Wilson (GBR)
- 2nd Sharon Kantor (ISR)
- 3rd Marta Maggetti (ITA)
- 4th Tamar Steinberg (ISR)
- 5 Palma Čargo (CRO)
- 6th Medea Falcioni (ITA)
- 7th Theresa Marie Steinlein (GER)
- 8th Islay Watson (GBR)
Top 8 men:
- 1. fin Hawkins (GBR)
- 2nd Nicolas Goyard (FRA)
- 3rd Luuc Van Opzeeland (NED)
- 4. Johan Søe (DEN)
- 5th Nacho Baltasar Summers (ESP)
- 6th Adrien Mestre (FRA)
- 7th Yun Pouliquen (FRA)
- 8th Duncan Monaghan (GBR)
