2024 iQfoil European Championship: stormy weather brings competition to a halt

Day Three of the 2024 iQFOiL Open European Championship in Cagliari, Sardinia, faced an unexpected turn as an unusual weather system blanketed the Gulf of Poetto. The 120 sailors, eager to get on the water, were greeted by rain and stormy conditions, with no wind to kick off the races. The event, organized by the Windsurfing Club Cagliari and the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV), was put on hold as the low-pressure system over Italy triggered severe weather warnings in multiple regions of the continental part of the country.

With flooding reported in the north of the country, storm alerts in effect and no sign of wind in Cagliari, Principal Race Officer Ewa Jodlowska made the call to hoist AP over A after several hours of postponement, ultimately sending the fleet home until tomorrow. The forecast hints at slightly better conditions in the coming days, with Thursday and Friday looking more promising as we approach the Medal Series on the final day.

Athlete Insight: Luuc Van Opzeeland

Amid the weather delays, we caught up with iQFOiL Olympic bronze medalist Luuc Van Opzeeland, who shared his thoughts on returning to competition after the Paris 2024 Games. "It's great to be back racing," he said. "We all train to compete, and we love competing—it's the fun part of the sport. I’m feeling good here, but mostly, and as always on the iQFOiL, I’m having fun on and off the water."

Reflecting on his journey from the Olympics to the European Championship, he explained, "We built up a lot for the Olympics, and we didn’t train as much to come here since it wasn’t a priority in the calendar. Still, it's a good event, and we’re happy to be here." Emphasizing his commitment to constant improvement, he added, "It’s always fun to compete, but we also saw some things during the Olympics that we wanted to refine, and we’re here to work on those improvements. It’s always a game of getting better and faster."

His passion for competition remains strong, as he noted, "I don’t like to sit around too long; I was eager to come here and compete again. I wasn’t expecting to be the only medalist here, but some of the others aren’t from Europe, so that makes sense." He also expressed enthusiasm for the new talent in the fleet: "A bunch of new faces are around, and it’s so good to have the new generation joining in. It’s exciting to see them. I think we’re having some tight racing, but it’s not the most competitive fleet we’ve had. Of course, we’re missing not just the other medalists—which is quite normal after the Olympics—but also some of the top guys, too."

Looking back on his Olympic experience, Van Opzeeland described the aftermath of his medal win: "There’s a big process in the Netherlands, with celebrations in Paris for all the medalists. It was a nice experience meeting the fans and spending a few days in Paris to soak up the atmosphere of the Games, especially since we were in Marseille, away from it all. But once I got back home, I rested a little and then got straight back to work—no big celebrations for me."

He concluded with a focus on the present and future, stating, "It's back to training, the usual winter routine, and then getting back on the water for the regattas next year. But for now, I’m really looking forward to enjoying the last few days of this event. It’s still very open, and I’m here to make the most of it."

Results

With no racing today, the rankings remain unchanged. In the Women’s fleet, Islay Watson (GBR) leads the standings, followed by Daniela Peleg (ISR) in second and Maya Gysler (NOR) in third.
In the Men’s fleet, Luca Di Tomassi (ITA) holds the top spot, with Adrien Mestre (FRA) in second, tied on points with Matthew Barton (GBR), who is currently third.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 9th, the schedule remains the same, with the skippers' briefing at 11:30 am. The Men’s first start is planned for 1:00 pm on Bravo Course, while the Women will start at 1:15 pm on Alpha Course. Conditions are expected to remain light, but improvement is anticipated as we move closer to Thursday and Friday when the Medal Series will take place.