Silvaplana, Switzerland - 27/08/23 – The climactic Day 7 marked the culmination of the U21 World Championships and iQGames Silvaplana, featuring the Medal Series as the decisive closing act. The day's forecast unfolded as predicted, with persistent rain casting an atmospheric backdrop for the final battles. The Medal Series served are the final series of races that decides on who will be crowned World Champion.
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Credit: @SailingEnergy / @iQFOiLClass
Commencing the day with a delay due to the inclement weather, the northwestern wind presented a peculiar challenge that hadn't been navigated in 25 years due to its instability and shifting nature. After a slight delay the race committee managed to place down a course on Lake Silvaplana, unfurling the Delta Flag to signal the athletes to embark upon the water.
The Medal Series is a trilogy of races encompassing the quarter-final, semi-final, and grand final, determined the medalists in a gripping final. Leading the rankings, Gaspard Carfantan and Ali Millo automatically advanced to the grand final, assuring themselves of a podium placement. The second and third-ranking contenders secured a spot in the semi-final, while the remaining top 10, spanning positions 4 to 10, contested the quarter-final. With each final, the two top scorings advancing to the subsequent round.
In the men's fleet, Gaspard Carfantan of France clinched victory in the grand final, triumphantly securing the U21 World Title. Carfantan expressed his elation, stating, "This year, my focus was on achieving this goal. I dedicated rigorous training to this week, and I'm delighted to have achieved it." The closely contested final witnessed Boris Shaw of the UK finishing a mere 1.5 meters behind Carfantan, while Manolo Modena claimed the third spot on the podium.
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Credit: @SailingEnergy / @iQFOiLClass
The women's fleet witnessed France's Manon Pianazza triumphing in the grand final, ascending to the pinnacle of the podium. Reflecting on her victory, Pianazza noted, "Though I hadn't held the lead throughout the week like Gaspard, I managed to have my best performance at the decisive race. I'm extremely happy with this result!” Pianazza's victory shifted Ali Millo to third place, while Italian contender Sofia Renna secured the second position.
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Credit: @SailingEnergy / @iQFOiLClass
This momentous day marked the conclusion of another compelling event on the iQFOiL Class calendar, underscoring the escalating competition level in anticipation of the Paris 2024 Olympics. For the latest iQFOiL updates, stay connected by following the class on Instagram: @iQFOiLClass
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