Sharon Kantor and Nicolo Renna are the first leaders of the event organised by Marina Rubicón.
Marina Rubicón (Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain), 11 December 2023
The first day of the Lanzarote iQFOiL Games saw good racing conditions which in turn delivered some fantastic action. The final event of the 2023 season for the new Olympic class set to debut at Paris 2024 opened with a sunny day and wind of about 10 kts from the southeast, conditions that saw the Race Committee specify slalom format for both the men's and women's fleets. Sharon Kantor and Nicolo Renna are the first two leaders of the event organised by Marina Rubicón.
Kantor, Wilson and Lamadrid
First to compete today were the 72 sailors who make up the women's fleet. Divided into blue and yellow groups for this first day of the qualifying series and with the first starting signal at 12h00 local time, the women’s fleet completed a total of four races which establish the first podium positions of the Lanzarote event.
Sharon Kantor was unbeatable on the race course, winning four from four races and taking the top spot with three points in her locker. Behind her, second place went to Britain's Emma Wilson with five points and two first places, a third and a disqualification for an early start that became her discard.
Spain's Pilar Lamadrid went from strength to strength on the opening day. After scoring a 27th place in the first race and a fifth in the second, Lamadrid finished with two race wins which see her on the third step of the provisional podium with a total of seven points, discarding the first race.
"The day went quite well. In the first heat, with the wind building and the southerly swell we had, I fell as soon as I got to the first buoy in second position, but the truth is that the other three races were a little better and I also felt better having re-tuned my equipment,” Lamadrid explained.
"In general, I am happy with the start of the event and let's hope that tomorrow, when we sail after the boys, we can do complete four more races," added the Spanish windsurfer.
Triple tie on the men's podium
After the four races in the women's fleet it was the turn of the 88 windsurfers competing in the men's division. The wind dropped towards the end of the afternoon but still allowed two races to be completed for each of the two groups and the overall results see a triple tie at the top.
Locked together each on four points and with a race win and a third place apiece, the Italian Nicolo Renna, the Frenchman Nicolas Goyard -third in the first event of the year held in Lanzarote last January- and the Dutchman Kiran Badloe are in first, second and third place respectively.
"The truth is that I felt very good today. This race serves as preparation for the world championship that we will also have here at the end of January, so we can see how the training is going this winter and where we are at the beginning of the season. We are strong and ready for this regatta and for the Worlds", pointed out Renna at the end of the day.
The Lanzarote iQFOiL Games continue tomorrow, Tuesday, with the second day of the qualifying series.
The event is organised by Marina Rubicón and has the collaboration of the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, as well as the institutional support of Promotur Turismo de Canarias, the Tourism Department of the Cabildo de Lanzarote through the sports product European Sports Destination (managed by SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote), the Yaiza Town Hall and the private entities Dinghycoach, Naviera Armas and Cabrera Medina (Cicar).
Provisional podium. iQFOiL Women. Day 1.
1. Sharon Kantor, (1)+1+1+1+1=3 points
2. Emma Wilson, 1+3+(BFD/37)+1=5 points
3. Pilar Lamadrid, (27)+5+1+1=7 points
... 72 entries
Provisional podium. iQFOiL Men. Day 1.
1. Nicolo Renna, 3+1=4 points
2. Nicolas Goyard, 1+3=4 points
3. Kiran Badloe, 1+3=4 points
... 88 entries