CHANGING CONDITIONS AND FAST SLALOM RACING ON DAY 4 OF THE iQFOiL EUROPEANS

Emma Wilson (GBR) and Nico Goyard (FRA) take the lead as the Final Series wraps up tomorrow

Sferracavallo, Palermo – November 28, 2025 – Day 4 of the iQFOiL Senior European Championship al Circolo Velico Sferracavallo opened with cooler temperatures and a light morning breeze, keeping both sailors and race officials on their toes. Over 140 athletes took to the water, with the Women’s fleet starting at 11:30 on Area 2, while the Men’s Gold fleet on Area 1 had to wait patiently for the wind to stabilize.

The wait paid off, particularly for the Women’s fleet, who completed five Slalom Races in 6 to 11 knots of southwesterly wind, split across three heats. The day’s big names did not disappoint: reigning World Champion Emma Wilson (GBR), Daniela Peleg (ISR), and Olympic Champion Marta Maggetti (ITA) each scored three wins and currently sit in first, second, and third overall respectively.

“I had a really good day on Tuesday with five Course Races and I started to get the hang of the place... it reminded me of home, I've just been at home since the Worlds training, as this year I decided to stay more at home and train hard with the home comforts,” said Emma Wilson. “Today we did five Slalom Races and it was super tricky again, but I stuck to what I know ‘tried to get off the start line, use my speed’ and it worked well!”.

Over in the Men’s Gold fleet, the wind was less cooperative early on. After a delay, the breeze settled and allowed for three Slalom Races across two heats. The first was sailed in 7-8 knots, while the second and third saw gusts reach 13-14 knots with shifts up to 30 degrees, classic Mediterranean variability in the cold months.

Nico Goyard (FRA) delivered consistent performances to take the overall lead. Finn Hawkins (GBR), riding high on two race wins in the final heats, moved up to second place overall, while Olympic Champion Tom Reuveny currently holds third.

“The wind was up and down today, and we raced downwind slalom with some solid breeze in the end,” said Finn Hawkins. “It was tricky with the waves, everyone was sending it down the swells, it was a lot of fun! I managed to pick up two wins, so I’m buzzing overall! It’s a difficult venue, it changes all the time, but that’s what makes it exciting”.

Tomorrow marks the final day of the Opening Series before the Medal Series showdown on Saturday, where only the top ten athletes from each fleet will battle it out for the European title.

Today’s live streaming can be rewatched on the Class’s YouTube channel here. We invite you to also watch tomorrow’s live and the Medal Series on Saturday.