Final day of the iQFOiL International Games on Lake Garda and to wind things up a revolutionary final medal race system with three races for the top 12 from the Opening Series.
First a Quarter Final comprising riders from 5th to 12th, with the four winners then joining the 4th and 3rd overall in the Semi Final.
The first two to cross the finishing line go on to compete in a winner-takes-all Grand Final race with the 2nd and 1st of the Opening series.
Got that . . . then I’ll begin.
In the Men’s Quarter Final, Huig-Jan Tak (NED), followed by Alexandre Cousin (FRA), Samuel Sills (GBR) and Matthew Barton (GBR) made it through to the semi-final where they joined Matteo Iachino (ITA) and Kiran Badloe (NED).
Huig-Jan Tak went on to also win that race (the Semi) and with Alexandre Cousin advanced to join the waiting Sebastian Koerdel (GER) and Nicolas Goyard (FRA) in a winner-takes-all Grand Final.
In the men’s final, Koerdel managed to round first at every mark extending his lead to winn the event. The silver medal went to Nicolas Goyard and the bronze to Huig-Jan Tak.
In the Women’s Quarter Final Lilian de Geus (NED) was on fire, winning from Islay Watson (GBR), Lucie Belbeoch (FRA) and Pilar Lamadrid Trueba (ESP), who all advanced to the Semi Final to join Noy Drihan (ISR) and Dephine Cousin (FRA).
The Semi was another win for Lilian de Geus who smoothly crossed the finish line heading to the Grand Final along with Noy Drihan, to join Maja Dziarnowska (POL) and Helen Noesmoen (FRA) who had been leading all week.
After a rocket-like start by de Geus, she fell on the first reach, leaving the other three on the podium. Noy Drihan took the overall event win, silver to Helen Noesmoen and bronze Maja Dziarnowska.
So a great exhibition of the iQFOiL event as proposed for Paris 2024 if things go to plan.
And for the British Sailing Team plenty of competitors already stepping up to the podium . . . with Finn Hawkins winning the U19 and Islay Watson the U21, and other team members featuring in the leading places overall.
iQFOiL MEN TOP 12
1 – Sebastian Koerdel (GER)
2 – Nicolas Goyard (FRA)
3 – Huig-Jan Tak (NED)
4 – Alexandre Cousin (FRA)
5 – Matthew Barton (GBR)
6 – Samuel Sills (GBR)
7 – Matteo Iachino (ITA)
8 – Kiran Badloe (NED)
9 – Clement Bourgeois (FRA)
10 – Steven van Broeckhoven (BEL)
11 – Louis Giard (FRA)
12 – Thomas Goyard (FRA)
iQFOiL WOMEN TOP 12
1 – Noy Drihan (ISR)
2 – Helene Noesmoen (FRA)
3 – Maja Dziarnowska (POL)
4 – Lilian de Geus (NED)
5 – Lucie Belbeoch (FRA)
6 – Delphine Cousin (FRA)
7 – Islay Watson (GBR)
8 – Pilar Lamadrid Trueba (ESP)
9 – Imogen Sills (GBR)
10 – Lola Sorin (FRA)
11 – Shachar Reshef (ISR)
12 – Daniela Peleg (ISR)
iQFOiL MEN U21
1 – Tom Arnoux (FRA)
2 – Yun Pouliquen (FRA)
3 – Mathurin Julivet (FRA)
iQFOiL MEN U19
1 – Finn Hawkins (GBR)
2 – Mathis Ghio (FRA)
3 – Luc Schmitz (NED)
iQFOiL WOMEN U21
1 – Islay Watson (GBR)
2 – Helle Oppedal (NOR)
3 – Naama Gazit (ISR)
iQFOiL WOMEN U19
1 – Lola Sorin (FRA)
2 – Shachar Reshef (ISR)
3 – Daniela Peleg (ISR)