Set on the stunning crystal clear Red Sea waters of Eilat, Israel is the 2016 RS:X WORLD WINDSURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS, a key event in the final countdown to Rio. Yesterday’s day off gave the athletes some time to recover from the physical demands of racing but it was game on again today.

The under 21 competitors were fighting for the chance to test their performance against some of the world’s top windsurfers, with only 10 boys and 8 girls, having the chance to compete against Olympic Medalists and World Champions in the gold fleet.

The day started with a bang, followed by some intensely close racing. In the women’s fleet there was a jostle for position amongst those currently in podium places. Ultimately, it was Lilian de Geus who found the right lanes of pressure on the course and achieved the best performance of the day, climbing  into second place. Malgorzata Bialecka was still leading the fleet but with the likes of Marina Alabau, Bryony Shaw and Charline Picon nipping at her heels  –it’ll be tight to the very end.

In the RSX Men, Piotr Myszka pushed himself and his board to the limit, digging deep to find every nuance of speed. His hard work was rewarded as he moved into first place with Louis Giard in second and Shahar Zubari following in third.

Windsurfers from 9^th to 12^th position will have to fight hard for a ticket to the medal race as they have only 4 points between them and just one day of qualifier racing remaining. The current World Champion Pierre le Coq lies in 10th place, clearly proving the high level of competition here.

Tomorrow, competitors will face the last chance to advance through to the medal race, so it’s an all or nothing day, close and intense. Who will hold their nerve to make the cut? Tune in to find out.

You can find the results here: https://rsxclass.com/worlds2016/?page_id=188

Event website: https://rsxclass.com/worlds2016/

Videos: https://rsxclass.com/media/videos/?album=4283

Photos: https://rsxclass.com/media/pictures/?album=4272

Text: Icarus Sailing Media
Photo: RS:X Class

Welcome to day 2 of the 2016 RS:X WORLD WINDSURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS and Eilat ­RS:X Under 21 Windsurfing Championships. The sailors have been preparing and training hard for this critical event – an early indication of performance before the 2016 Olympics. Fitness training is a crucial part of this intensely physical sport, helping athletes to gain an advantage over their opponents.

RSX racing demands that sailors are extremely fit and flexible. Athletes racing at this level have to maintain a champion physique for a winning performance, whatever the conditions.

The 2nd day of racing saw the fleet grow ever more familiar with Eilat’s Sea state and wind conditions whilst the favourites of the regatta continued to establish themselves. Blasting off the starting line, competitors who could maintain the pressure in their sail and take every tactical advantage were able to consolidate their place on the leader board.

After 4 races, London’s silver medalist Nick Dempsey and Poland’s Pawel Tarnowski were the ones to watch – putting the pressure on those chasing the pack.
Both managed to get to the top of the leaderboard, with an equal score, a tense position to be in at the close of play.

Malgorzata Bialecka is dominating in women’s fleet after scoring 3 bullets in 4 races confirming Poland’s notorious reputation in the class. There are only a few points separating the women from 2^nd to 10^th position so anything can happen in the fight for the title.

There’s no racing scheduled for tomorrow, giving the sailors a chance to relax in Beautiful Eilat and get ready for final series races on Thursday.

You can find the results here: https://rsxclass.com/worlds2016/?page_id=188

Event website: https://rsxclass.com/worlds2016/

Videos: https://rsxclass.com/media/videos/?album=4283

Photos: https://rsxclass.com/media/pictures/?album=4272

Text: Icarus Sailing Media
Photo: RS:X Class

Welcome to Eilat, Israel’s most southern spot. The combination of warm tropical waters and beautiful coral reef running along the sandy shores of the Red Sea provide the perfect venue for one of the most competitive and exciting Olympic classes – the RS:X. You join us for the RS:X WORLD WINDSURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS and Eilat RS:X Under 21 Windsurfing Championships where experienced professionals as well as the youth of the sport, start their bid for the Championship title.

The RS:X was selected as Olympic equipment for the 2008 Olympic Games. The board measures 286 cm in length and 93 cm in width with a buoyancy of 231 liters. The rig is almost exactly the same for men and women, the only difference is the size of the sail; 9,5 square meters for men and a slightly smaller 8,5 square meters for women –either way, there’s more than enough power to make this piece of kit fly.

The first day of racing saw a grand Opening for the 2016 RS:X WORLD WINDSURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS with 81 men and  58 women all aiming to establish themselves in the fleet and in the game as they begin their fight for the world title. With only a few months until the Olympic Games, the level of performance here is extremely high with sailors already starting to reach the peak of their performance.

Olympic Medallists and World Champions are here to defend their reputation with the likes of Shahar Zubari and Piotr Myszka seizing the lead in men’s fleet, after 1 race and under extremely tricky conditions.

In the women’s fleet after an intense day of racing, Polish Zofia Noceti Klepacka came to the front, excelling after a brilliant day on the water to stake her claim as the leader ahead of the second day. A massive confidence boost for the races ahead.

That’s the state of play after Day 1 at the 2016 RS:X Worlds.
You can find the results here: https://rsxclass.com/worlds2016/?page_id=188

Event website: https://rsxclass.com/worlds2016/
Photos: https://rsxclass.com/media/pictures/?album=4272

Text: Icarus Sailing Media
Photo credits: RS:X Class

With just a week to go to the 2016 RS:X World Championships in Eilat, Israel, the provisional entry list is shaping up to be an intense showdown.

Taking place from 20-27 February and hosted at Eilat Sailing Center, the Worlds will be contested over 5 race days, with the 13 race series unfolding on the stunning waters of the Red Sea. The World Championships will be a platform for athletes to test themselves on a big stage, before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Whilst many athletes are already confirmed to represent their nation on the Olympic startling line, for others it is still all about securing that critical national selection nod for the final guarantee of a spot in Rio, and their performance at the Worlds could make all the difference.

Thirty-one nations are so far represented in the provisional entry lists, with plenty of big players in both the Men and Women fleets, including reigning Olympic Champions, World Champions and top ranked athletes.

This close to the 2016 Olympic Games, every event is a dress rehearsal, but by the time the first race at the RS:X Worlds kicks off on Monday 22 February, there will only be 166 days to go until the Opening Ceremony in Rio. So the Championship will also be one of the last building blocks in preparation, where athletes can measure themselves against their main contenders to assess strengths and weaknesses. Whilst the quest for World Championship medals will be intense, it will also be about preparing final cues ready for race time at the Olympics. With the proximity to the Olympics though, no-one will want to risk injury or fatigue, which no doubt will be in the back of minds.

Windsurfing is one of Israel’s most popular watersports, and the nation’s athletes have achieved global acclaim on Olympic and World Championship stages over many years. Hopes are their sailors will thrive on home waters.

RS:X WOMEN

Plenty of firepower is in the tanks of Great Britain’s Bryony Shaw who maintained her place as World #1 after an assertive win at World Cup Miami at the end of January. Shaw claimed silver at the 2015 RS:X Worlds in Oman, 5 points adrift from gold medallist Peina Chen. Victory in Israel would mark her career high point at a World Championship, and add to her bronze medal from the 2008 Olympics.

Shaw will face plenty of competition though, not least from 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist Marina Alabau Neira of Spain. Also sitting right behind the Brit, in second place both at World Cup Miami and on the World Rankings, is the Netherlands’ Lilian De Geus. De Geus also stepped up to the podium at the 2015 RS:X Worlds, securing a bronze medal.

Moving up to world ranked #4 is Poland’s Malgorzata Bialecka, who found her groove in 2015, notching up a silver medal at the Europeans and the 2015 Rio Test Event. Recent form, together with a 5^th at the 2015 RS:X Worlds, puts her well within fighting contention for the medals in Israel.

Maayan Davidovich is chasing her second Olympic appearance, and will sail an RS:X Class World Championship for the first time on home waters. Davidovich picked up the bronze medal at the 2014 Worlds, behind Picon and Alabau, but has beaten them since. A bronze at the 2013 RS:X Worlds too, that time beaten by Shaw and another Israel superstar Lee-El Korzits. This time around, Davidovich has had plenty of time to train on home waters, and will have her nation’s hopes pinned on her shoulders.

2012 Olympic Silver Medallist Tuuli Petäjä-Sirén of Finland sits at #15 on the world rankings, and after an all-consuming 2015 season of competition which ended with a disappointing 28^th place at the 2015 RS:X Worlds, is intent on upgrading her result in Eilat, so has been focused on training. Outside of her Olympic medal, a 4^th place counts as her career best at a Worlds bets

Facing off against the big names are plenty of other sailors, all ready and able to make their claim on the leaderboard.

RS:X MEN

The new world #1 in the RS:X Men is Aichen Wang who has stepped up to the RS:X headlines in the past couple of years. His silver medal at the 2015 RS:X Worlds and third at World Cup Miami , built on his victory at last year’s Rio Test Event. Two-time Olympian Wang has super speed and is certainly the hot favourite, although with so much depth in performance, the fight will be tightly balanced with a host of other showmen.

The 2012 Olympic Champion, Dorian Van Rijsselberge of the Netherlands, goes into the Worlds with the most recent win to his credit; gold at World Cup Miami. He won the 2011 RS:X Worlds and has also stood on the podium in 2009, 2013 and 2014. This hugely experience contender knows exactly when to pull his top performances out of the bag.

Defending RS:X Men World Champion and world #14 Pierre Le Coq of France was unstoppable in Oman, leading the Worlds from start to finish. He will again face team mate and 2014 RS:X World Champion Julien Bontemps as their battle for Olympic selection closes in on the final few events. Bontemps carried France’s hopes at the 2012 Olympics, finishing 5^th. Both though will be challenged by a host of other young French talent, including Thomas Goyard whose performance escalated last year.

World#2 Ivan Pastor claimed the headlines with a win at the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final last year, but is still to claim his first medal at an RS:X Worlds, despite many years on the cusp of glory. Pastor will be bringing all his 18 years of international event experience onto the race track and knows what it takes to win.

Great Britain is yet to name its representative to Rio 2016, but if one of the nation’s contenders makes an appearance on the podium in Israel, they will be in a strong position. World #5 Tom Squires played out a mixed season in 2015, going from podium results to finishes well down in the fleet, showing form a little less predictable than rival and four-time Olympian Nick Dempsey. Dempsey sits at world #10, and despite being off the podium for the last two years, won the RS:X Worlds in 2013, just a few months after wrapping up silver at the 2012 Olympics, which was an upgrade from Olympic bronze in 2004.

Ever strong in windsurfing, Poland is fielding four sailors in the RS:X Men, led by national hero and seasoned athlete Przemyslaw Miarczynski. He was off form at last year’s Worlds in a shocker of a result, compared to his silver medal at the 2014 Worlds and bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics. Miarczynski’s third place in Miami last month is a boost as he aims to again exert his superiority over Pawel Tarnowski, who beat him at the 2015 Worlds year and sits ahead on the world rankings. Miarczynski will hunt down his opponents as he takes every opportunity to confirm what would be his fifth Olympic appearance.

Nimrod Mashiah is currently Israel’s top ranked windsurfer at #39, but don’t let what could be considered a low ranking undervalue this player, as he has not competed at that many events in the past year. Mashiah secured bronze at both the 2010 and 2011 RS: X Worlds, and silver in 2009. Familiarity with home waters may also play in his favour. One of the youngest competing will be Israel’s Yoav Omer, a 17 year old who will no doubt rise to the challenge thrown down by Mashiah and the other big names.  Omer has already tasted success, winning gold at the 2015 RS:X Youth Worlds.

Come the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, there will be 36 athletes in the RS:X Men and 26 in the RS:X Women competing. Nations so far qualified are detailed at: www.sailing.org/olympics/rio2016

Most of the Rio 2016 Olympic qualification places have been claimed by nations, with just the Asian and European Continental Qualification Events to go. The ASAF Cup in Abu Dhabi and the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Mallorca , will see one spot on offer for one Asian and one European nation in each of the RS:X Men and RS:X Women.

About the RS:X World Championships

Taking place from 20-27 February and hosted at Eilat Sailing Center, the RS:X World Championships will be contested over 5 race days. Racing kicks off on Monday 22 February, with the 13 race series unfolding on the stunning waters of the Red Sea.
Follow at: rsxclass.com/worlds2016
Notice of Race

Media Information

Icarus Sailing Media will be producing daily video highlights for the Championship, with a full daily news service and photo galleries also available.

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ICARUS SAILING MEDIA
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The tension on the water at Sailing World Cup Miami presented by Sunbrella was fully loaded as Medal Races across the ten Olympic fleets drew the first big regatta of 2016, the Olympic year, to a close.

Bryony Shaw (GBR) made a terrific comeback in the second upwind in the Women’s RS:X to seal her third consecutive Sailing World Cup Miami gold.After the first lap of the course, Shaw was as low as ninth, leaving Lilian de Geus (NED) first overall. Shaw knew what had to be done and her never say die attitude enabled her to fight and push up the fleet.

On the final upwind Shaw swiftly moved into seventh, sixth and at the top mark had overtaken de Geus and was third overall. She maintained that position through to the finish to seal the deal.

“This week was about consistency,” said Shaw, a Beijing 2008 bronze medallist. “We had a lot of different winds this week so I was happy to sail well in the light winds and strong winds. The focus for more has been on training to prepare for the World Championships. We’ve had a really good quality fleet here so I am pleased to take the win today. It’s good momentum to take into the World Championships.”

De Geus wrapped up the week with silver and Peina Chen (CHN) completed the podium.

London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) started 2016, an Olympic year, with a big, convincing win in the Men’s RS:X.
Van Rijsselberge finished seventh in the Medal Race, his worst result this week, but his consistency over the series kept the pressure off him as he went in with a nice gap between him and the chasing pack.

“I like Miami and like racing here,” said Van Rijsselberge after competition. “I’ve been coming here for eight years now so I’ve got the place sorted and I enjoy racing here.”

Nick Dempsey won the Medal Race finishing six points off the Dutchman to pick up silver and Aichen Wang (CHN) rounded off the podium.