All Set For The Final Stage At The 2016 RS:X Open Europeans in Helsinki

July 8th, 2016 – Helsinki, Finland – The excitement is at its height in Finland because today was a conclusive day for the athletes to achieve the best possible positions for the Medal Races to be held tomorrow. Top ten best sailors in all fleets were found out for the Medal Races in tricky conditions. Not much to wait anymore when the 2016 RS:X European & Youth European Windsurfing Champions will be awarded in Hernesaaren Ranta, Helsinki, Finland.

The racing today was held in shifty winds ranging from as low as 9 to as much as 14 knots, changing around 20 degrees during the day. The racing started in westerly wind, then wind was dropping for a while, but when the sky started to clear and sun came out, also wind picked up again turning to South. It was not easy day for the youth as wind was dropping under 5 knots on their race course and they were moving to the adults’ race course to seek some more wind there, after men and women were finished their racing. It was a better day for windsurfers with sunshine and increasing temperature up to 19 degrees of Celsius, was very much expected on that day.

In the Women’s fleet three races today and altogether twelve races sailed in the Opening Series by now. A wonderful performance was made by young Stefania Elfutina from Russia (RUS-271) winning two races and climbing to the second place, being also the best in Women’s U21 fleet. Only two-points-gap is between her and Zofia Noceti-Klepacka (POL-8), who is going to the Medal Race from the leading position. Charline Picon (FRA-4) kept her position in top three after Opening Series and we’ll see if the podium after Medal Race will be completed by the same sailors.

Women Open Trophy – Top 10 going to the Medal Race (12 races sailed, 2 discards):
1. Zofia Noceti-Klepacka POL-8; 38 pts
2. Stefania Elfutina RUS-271; 40 pts – U21
3. Charline Picon FRA-4; 44 pts
4. Marta Maggetti ITA-157; 74 pts – U21
5. Isobel Hamilton GBR-30; 90 pts
6. Wai Yan Ngai HKG-4; 91 pts
7. Ingrid Puusta EST-215; 108 pts
8. Noga Geller ISR-5; 118 pts
9. Maja Dziarnowska POL-7; 120 pts
10. Maria Mollestad NOR-23; 121 pts

See the full results here http://rsxclass.com/europeans2016/?results=women-open-trophy

Men’s fleets had a challenging day today. Although both Gold and Silver fleets sailed three races, they had them in tricky and shifty conditions. From the leading position is going to the Medal Race is going Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR-11) with 25 points followed by Thomas Goyard (FRA-3)being on the second position after Opening Series with 38 points. Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL-126) retained his position on the third place and is on the third position going to the Medal Race.

2015 RS:X European Champion Pawel Tarnowski from Poland (POL-182), who is going to the Medal Race from the 5th position said, that he is very happy to be in the Medal Race after very tricky sailing and all these shifts and wind changes. “There have been some very hard races, you had to be focused all the time and check all the time the fleet and sailing area. I did not manage to do it very well as the other guys who are leading at the moment, but I’m still very happy to be in top five/six and I’m looking forward to have a nice race tomorrow.”

Men Open Trophy – Top 10 going to the Medal Race (10 races sailed, 1 discard):

Kieran Holmes-Martin GBR-11; 25 pts
2. Thomas Goyard FRA-3; 38 pts
3. Przemyslaw Miarczynski POL-126; 49 pts
4. Mateo Sanz Lanz SUI-36; 52 pts
5. Pawel Tarnowski POL-182; 60 pts
6. Daniele Benedetti ITA-60; 62 pts
7. Mattia Camboni ITA-88; 63 pts –U21
8. Radoslaw Furmanski POL-28; 64 pts -U21
9. Tom Squires GBR-2; 73 pts
10. Paul Rozier FRA-34; 88 pts

See the full results here http://rsxclass.com/europeans2016/?results=men-open-trophy

Youth Men’s Gold Fleet got two races to the Final Series today. Tal Zadok (ISR-2) is going to the Medal Race from the top lead, followed by Titouan Le Bosq (FRA-719) as second and Titouan’s compatriot, Camille Bouyer (FRA-2) is going to the Medal Race from third place – both French guys were jumping up to top three from the yesterday’s 5th and 6th positions respectively. Youth Men’s Silver fleet sailed only one race today due to the unstable wind conditions on their race course and on top of the fleet is Aleksander Przychodzen from Poland (POL-893).

Youth Men Open Trophy – Top 10 going to the Medal Race (11 races sailed, 2 discards):

Tal Zadok ISR-2; 33 pts
2. Titouan Le Bosq FRA-719; 42 pts
3. CamilleBouyer FRA-2; 45 pts
4.Tom Reuveny ISR-60; 47 pts
5. Sil Hoekstra NeD-25; 48 pts
6. Alec Herledan FRA-919; 48 pts
7. Luca Di Tomassi ITA-24; 59 pts
8. Matteo Evangelisti ITA-78; 59 pts
9. Carlo Ciabatti ITA-171; 66 pts
10. Ho Yin Cheng HKG-36; 80 pts

See the full results here http://rsxclass.com/europeans2016/?results=youth-men-open-trophy

In Youth Women’s fleet ten races sailed before the final day. Noy Drihan (ISR-20) did not lose her grip and goes to the Medal Race from the top position with thirty one points in total. Constant sailing brought Mariam Sekhposyan (RUS-13) up to the second position with forty four points and two points behind ended the Opening Series Maya Morris (ISR-7). Among top ten athletes going to the Medal Race there are four sailors from Israel and three from France showing the level of these nations’ windsurf.

Youth Women Open Trophy – Top 10 going to the Medal Race (10 races sailed, 1 discard):

Noy Drihan ISR-20; 31 pts
2. Mariam Sekhposyan RUS-13; 44 pts
3. Maya Morris ISR-7; 46 pts
4. Shoval Ravitzky ISR-65; 55 pts
5. Katy Spychakov ISR-32; 57 pts
6. Giorgia Speciale ITA-1; 58 pts – U17
7. Pianazza Lucie FRA-20; 66 pts
8. Olivia Rosique FRA-998; 78 pts
9. Aimee Van T Hoff NED-218; 79 pts
10. Rachel Chapot FRA-833; 86 pts

See the full results here http://rsxclass.com/europeans2016/?results=youth-women-open-trophy

On the final day of the 2016 RS:X European & Youth European Windsurfing Championship one Medal Race for each fleet is scheduled with one further Opening Series race for those not assigned to the Medal Race. The intended times of the warning signals for the races scheduled on Saturday, 9th July:

Women Medal Race at 12 pm
Youth Men Medal Race 12.30 pm
Men Medal Race 1 pm
Youth Women Final Race 10.30 am

Youth Women Final Race 10.30 am
Women Final Race 11 am
Youth Men Gold Final Race 11.30 am
Youth Men Silver Final Race 12 pm
Men Gold Final Race 12.30 pm
Men Silver Final Race 1 pm

Last possible warning signal on Saturday is 5 pm; Prize Giving and Closing Ceremony are scheduled for 7.30 pm to be held on the main stage of Hernesaaren Ranta.

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209 athletes from 33 nations and 5 continents have gathered to Helsinki to test themselves at the final title event before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It’s especially great to see so many athletes taking part from outside the Europe; for example Japan, Oman, Hong Kong, Seyshelles, Aruba, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, here in Helsinki.

2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U21 Windsurfing Championships together with the 2016 RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Championships & Youth European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U17 Windsurfing Championships are organised by Helsinki Sail Racing Management (HSRM) in co-operation with the International RS:X Class Association on July 2^nd to 9^th.

The supporters and partners of the 2016 RS:X Europeans in Helsinki are Mercedes Benz, KONE, City of Helsinki, Helsinki Region Transport, Familia/Pan Nordic Meat , Ocean Nation, S1 Networks together with the International RS:X Class Association and World Sailing.

Event website: http://rsxclass.com/europeans2016/
RS:X class in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Event photos by Robert Hajduk/Shuttersail.com : http://rsxclass.com/media/pictures/?album=4540
Event videos by Icarus Sailing Media: http://rsxclass.com/media/videos/

Text:
Piret Salmistu
RS:X Class

For more information please contact:
Andrus Poksi
Executive Secretary
International RS:X Class Association