July 9th, 2016 – Helsinki, Finland – The tension on the water at the 2016 RS:X European & Youth European Windsurfing Championships in Helsinki, Finland was fully loaded as Medal Races across the four fleets drew to a close. Many podium finishers from six days of racing here in Hernesaari will feature on the pedestal of the 2016 Rio Olympics, starting in 27 days.
It was a funny day here in Helsinki as the morning started with sunshine in a clear blue sky and south-westerly wind of 5-6 m/s for racing. All fleets were off to the water according to the schedule, but came ashore shortly in a while because of strong and cold fog spread out on the race course due to the water temperature’s decrease about five degrees. Only Women’s Youth fleet was lucky to get one Final Race sailed before to be lost in the fog. After waiting ashore for a couple of hours, the fog disappeared as fast as it came and the most expected races got started.
Women Europeans & Open Trophy
There’s always tight in top, and so it is in the Women’s fleet. French Charline Picon (FRA-4), 2014 RS:X World Champion, managed to win the medal race and jumped from the third place to the highest podium to be awarded as 2016 RS:X European Champion. Tied with Picon after being fourth in the medal race, 2012 London Olympics’ Bronze Zofia Noceti-Klepcaka (POL-8), claims 2016 European Silver. 2015 Youth World Champion Stefania Elfutina (RUS271) was fifth in the medal race and managed to complete the women’s podium being European Bronze now and also the best among U21.
Women Open Trophy – Top 5:
Gold and European Champion – Charline Picon FRA-4; 46 pts
Silver – Zofia Noceti-Klepacka POL-8; 46 pts
Bronze – Stefania Elfutina RUS-271; 50 pts – U21
4. Marta Maggetti ITA-157; 78 pts – U21
5. Isobel Hamilton GBR-30; 102 pts
Men Europeans & Open Trophy
2014 ISAF Worlds’ third, Thomas Goyard (FRA-4) was consistent and confident enough to win today’s Medal Race securing with only one-point-margin the title of the 2016 RS:X European Champion. Thomas said he had a very good Medal Race. “I had a very good start, a very good tactics to the first upwind mark, crossed the finish line first just Pawel Tarnowski behind me doing a very good comeback and this moment I felt, I did my best winning the Medal Race and if I want to win the Championship, it depends on Kieran and other guys – so I was waiting on the finish line to see the others coming through. Seeing Kieran on 8th place was exactly the place what I needed for me to win the Championship. This was exactly what happened and I could not believe until I checked the results from the finish boat and I was crazy happy to understand I’m the winner,” Goyard said with a big smile.
Leading the fleet on the preceding day, but finishing the Medal Race with 8th result, Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR-11) wins RS:X Europan Silver medal. Very close racing for the third place as 2015 RS:X European Champion Pawel Tarnowski (POL-182) managed to finish second in Medal Race jumping from the 5th place to the podium winning European Bronze medal, tied with Mateo Sanz Lanz (SUI-36) as fourth.
Radoslaw Furmanski from Poland (POL-28)is the best in U21 Division ending on 6th place in overall ranking.
Men Open Trophy – Top 5:
Gold and European Champion – Thomas Goyard FRA-3; 40 pts
Silver – Kieran Holmes-Martin GBR-11; 41pts
Bronze – Pawel Tarnowski POL-182; 64 pts
4. Mateo Sanz Lanz SUI-36; 64 pts
5. Przemyslaw Miarczynski POL-126; 69 pts
Youth Men Europeans & Open Trophy
Youth Men final top three ended the competition very close – just one point separated the medal winners. 2015 ISAF Youth World Champion, Titouan Le Bosq (FRA-719) claims the title of the 2016 RS:X Youth European Champion now. Being third in the medal race he managed to pass the current leader Tal Zadok (ISR-2), 2015 RS:X Youth European 7th , who was 8th in the medal race and gets the Youth European Silver. Winning the medal race, 2015 RS:X Youth World Champion Sil Hoekstra (NED-25) completes the podium and gets Youth European Bronze now.
The best among the U17 is Tom Reuveny (ISR-60), being 5th in overall ranking.Youth Men Open Trophy – Top 5:
Gold and Youth European Champion – Titouan Le Bosq FRA-719; 48 pts
Silver – Tal Zadok ISR-2; 49 pts
Bronze – Sil Hoekstra NeD-25; 50 pts
4. CamilleBouyer FRA-2; 53 pts
5.Tom Reuveny ISR-60; 59 pts – U17
Youth Women Europeans & Open Trophy
Triple victory to Israel, fourth place to Russia and fifth again to Israel! 2015 Youth European Champion Noy Drihan (ISR-20) managed to held on to her leading position with the second finish in the medal race and is 2016 RS:X Youth European Champion now. Maya Morris (ISR-7), 2015 RS:X Youth Europeans’ 6th, was third in the medal race and wins the title of the 2016 RS:X Youth European Silver. The Youth Women’s podium was completed by the third Israeli athlete Katy Spychakov (ISR-32) who was on the same podium place at the 2015 RS:X Youth Europeans in Mondello, Italy.
Sixteen years old Giorgia Speciale (ITA-1) is the best sailor in U17 division.
Youth Women Open Trophy – Top 5:
Gold and Youth European Champion – Noy Drihan ISR-20; 27 pts
Silver – Maya Morris ISR-7; 33 pts
Bronze – Katy Spychakov ISR-32; 42 pts
4. Mariam Sekhposyan RUS-13; 46 pts
5. Shoval Ravitzky ISR-65; 52 pts
209 athletes from 33 nations and 5 continents were competing in Helsinki to test themselves at the final title event before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Next to the European sailors many athletes were taking part from outside the Europe; for example Japan, Oman, Hong Kong, Seyshelles, Aruba, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico.
2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy included the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U21 Windsurfing Championships together with the 2016 RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Championships & Youth European Windsurfing Open Trophy included the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U17 Windsurfing Championships were organised by Helsinki Sail Racing Management (HSRM) in co-operation with the International RS:X Class Association on July 2nd to 9th.
The supporters and partners of the 2016 RS:X Europeans in Helsinki were 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: https://rsxclass.com/europeans2016/
RS:X class in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Event photos by Robert Hajduk/Shuttersail.com : https://rsxclass.com/media/pictures/?album=4540
Event videos by Icarus Sailing Media: https://rsxclass.com/media/videos/
Text: Piret Salmistu /RS:X Class Media
For more information please contact:
Andrus Poksi
Executive Secretary
International RS:X Class Association
[email protected]
