Luuc van Opzeeland and Emma Wilson continue to lead iQFOiL World Championships in Lanzarote for the third day in a row. Tomorrow will see a marathon and more Course Racing starting at 10:00 local time.
Five more races were contested for the fleet of more than 200 Olympic windsurfers from 43 countries who have been competing in Lanzarote since Monday for the iQFOiL world title.
The fourth day began with a wind of between 14 and 15 knots from the East, which decreased below 10 at times. It proved shifty and tricky so the racers had to go carefully so as not to lose places. Britain’s Emma Wilson and Holland’s Luuc van Opzeeland remain at the top of the table for the third consecutive day.
Today was the first day of the Final Series with racing in gold and silver fleets. Tokyo bronze medallist Emma Wilson once again shows that she is on winning form and although she had one bad race – a 33rd, her discard -, in the rest she has maintained her advantage with two more race victories, a second and one eighth place.
And so of the 15 races that the women's fleet has done so far, the British racer has won 11. With the place in Paris 2024 already secured, Wilson is pushing hard. “When you have her close you know it's going to be a good fight,” says the second placed Pilar Lamadrid.
The Spanish sailor improves one place on the day and moves up to second place with a very consistent day, 4-7-6-5 in the first four rounds.
It was also a good day for the Israeli Katy Spychakov, who moves up to third and takes the lead in her national selection chase for the Olympic Games.
In the men’s fleet Luuc van Opzeeland holds on to the regatta lead and started the day claiming a race win which he followed up with 8-2-(11)-9.
Most consistent today was Italian Nicolo Renna who moves up to second behind the Dutch leader. And now up in third is the Israeli Tom Reuveny, who is pressing for national selection for the Olympic Games to represent his country in Marseille this summer.
Tomorrow, decisive day to be in the Medal Series
Tomorrow, Friday, it will be decided which 10 windsurfers from the men's and women's fleet will access the exciting Medal Series on Saturday, the last day of the World Cup in which the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final Grand Final; the latter will be played with only three competitors in the line-up.
One more day, the public will be able to see the fleet from the Marina Rubicón breakwater. And those who are not lucky enough to be in Lanzarote can follow the regatta via the Internet live on the YouTube channel of the iQFOiL class.
The Lanzarote International Regatta is organized by Marina Rubicón and has the collaboration of the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, as well as the institutional support of the Tourism area of the Lanzarote Cabildo through the sports product European Sports Destination (managed by SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote), Promotur Turismo de Canarias, the Yaiza City Council and the private entities Dinghycoach, Naviera Armas and Cabrera Medina (Cicar).
Provisional podiums – Day 4
iQFOiL Male
1. Luuc van Opzeeland (NED), 28 points
2. Nicolo Renna (ITA), 35 points
3. Tom Reuveny (ISR), 68.5 points
…up to 118 classifieds
iQFOiL Female
1. Emma Wilson (GBR), 20 points
2. Pilar Lamadrid (ESP), 40 points
3. Katy Spychakov (ISR), 58 points
… up to 94 classified
