July 9th, 2016 – Helsinki, Finland – The tension on the water at the 2016 RS:X European & Youth European Windsurfing Championships in Helsinki, Finland was fully loaded as Medal Races across the four fleets drew to a close. Many podium finishers from six days of racing here in Hernesaari will feature on the pedestal of the 2016 Rio Olympics, starting in 27 days.

It was a funny day here in Helsinki as the morning started with sunshine in a clear blue sky and south-westerly wind of 5-6 m/s for racing. All fleets were off to the water according to the schedule, but came ashore shortly in a while because of strong and cold fog spread out on the race course due to the water temperature’s decrease about five degrees. Only Women’s Youth fleet was lucky to get one Final Race sailed before to be lost in the fog. After waiting ashore for a couple of hours, the fog disappeared as fast as it came and the most expected races got started.

Women Europeans & Open Trophy

There’s always tight in top, and so it is in the Women’s fleet. French Charline Picon (FRA-4), 2014 RS:X World Champion, managed to win the medal race and jumped from the third place to the highest podium to be awarded as 2016 RS:X European Champion. Tied with Picon after being fourth in the medal race, 2012 London Olympics’ Bronze Zofia Noceti-Klepcaka (POL-8), claims 2016 European Silver. 2015 Youth World Champion Stefania Elfutina (RUS271) was fifth in the medal race and managed to complete the women’s podium being European Bronze now and also the best among U21.

Women Open Trophy - Top 5:

Gold and European Champion - Charline Picon FRA-4; 46 pts
Silver - Zofia Noceti-Klepacka POL-8; 46 pts
Bronze - Stefania Elfutina RUS-271; 50 pts - U21
4. Marta Maggetti ITA-157; 78 pts – U21
5. Isobel Hamilton GBR-30; 102 pts

See the full results here

Men Europeans & Open Trophy

2014 ISAF Worlds’ third, Thomas Goyard (FRA-4) was consistent and confident enough to win today’s Medal Race securing with only one-point-margin the title of the 2016 RS:X European Champion. Thomas said he had a very good Medal Race. “I had a very good start, a very good tactics to the first upwind mark, crossed the finish line first just Pawel Tarnowski behind me doing a very good comeback and this moment I felt, I did my best winning the Medal Race and if I want to win the Championship, it depends on Kieran and other guys – so I was waiting on the finish line to see the others coming through. Seeing Kieran on 8^th place was exactly the place what I needed for me to win the Championship. This was exactly what happened and I could not believe until I checked the results from the finish boat and I was crazy happy to understand I’m the winner,” Goyard said with a big smile.

Leading the fleet on the preceding day, but finishing the Medal Race with 8^th result, Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR-11) wins RS:X Europan Silver medal. Very close racing for the third place as 2015 RS:X European Champion Pawel Tarnowski (POL-182) managed to finish second in Medal Race jumping from the 5^th place to the podium winning European Bronze medal, tied with Mateo Sanz Lanz (SUI-36) as fourth.

Radoslaw Furmanski from Poland (POL-28)is the best in U21 Division ending on 6^th place in overall ranking.

Men Open Trophy – Top 5:

Gold and European Champion - Thomas Goyard FRA-3; 40 pts
Silver - Kieran Holmes-Martin GBR-11; 41pts
Bronze - Pawel Tarnowski POL-182; 64 pts
4. Mateo Sanz Lanz SUI-36; 64 pts
5. Przemyslaw Miarczynski POL-126; 69 pts

See the full results here

Youth Men Europeans & Open Trophy

Youth Men final top three ended the competition very close – just one point separated the medal winners. 2015 ISAF Youth World Champion, Titouan Le Bosq (FRA-719) claims the title of the 2016 RS:X Youth European Champion now. Being third in the medal race he managed to pass the current leader Tal Zadok (ISR-2), 2015 RS:X Youth European 7^th , who was 8^th in the medal race and gets the Youth European Silver. Winning the medal race, 2015 RS:X Youth World Champion Sil Hoekstra (NED-25) completes the podium and gets Youth European Bronze now.

The best among the U17 is Tom Reuveny (ISR-60), being 5^th in overall ranking.Youth Men Open Trophy - Top 5:

Gold and Youth European Champion - Titouan Le Bosq FRA-719; 48 pts
Silver - Tal Zadok ISR-2; 49 pts
Bronze - Sil Hoekstra NeD-25; 50 pts
4. CamilleBouyer FRA-2; 53 pts
5.Tom Reuveny ISR-60; 59 pts – U17

See the full results here

Youth Women Europeans & Open Trophy

Triple victory to Israel, fourth place to Russia and fifth again to Israel! 2015 Youth European Champion Noy Drihan (ISR-20) managed to held on to her leading position with the second finish in the medal race and is 2016 RS:X Youth European Champion now. Maya Morris (ISR-7), 2015 RS:X Youth Europeans’ 6^th, was third in the medal race and wins the title of the 2016 RS:X Youth European Silver. The Youth Women’s podium was completed by the third Israeli athlete Katy Spychakov (ISR-32) who was on the same podium place at the 2015 RS:X Youth Europeans in Mondello, Italy.

Sixteen years old Giorgia Speciale (ITA-1) is the best sailor in U17 division.

Youth Women Open Trophy - Top 5:

Gold and Youth European Champion - Noy Drihan ISR-20; 27 pts
Silver - Maya Morris ISR-7; 33 pts
Bronze - Katy Spychakov ISR-32; 42 pts
4. Mariam Sekhposyan RUS-13; 46 pts
5. Shoval Ravitzky ISR-65; 52 pts

See the full results here

209 athletes from 33 nations and 5 continents were competing in Helsinki to test themselves at the final title event before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Next to the European sailors many athletes were taking part from outside the Europe; for example Japan, Oman, Hong Kong, Seyshelles, Aruba, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico.

2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy included the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U21 Windsurfing Championships together with the 2016 RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Championships & Youth European Windsurfing Open Trophy included the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U17 Windsurfing Championships were organised by Helsinki Sail Racing Management (HSRM) in co-operation with the International RS:X Class Association on July 2^nd to 9^th.

The supporters and partners of the 2016 RS:X Europeans in Helsinki were Mercedes Benz, KONE, City of Helsinki, Helsinki Region Transport, Familia/Pan Nordic Meat , Ocean Nation, S1 Networks together with the International RS:X Class Association and World Sailing.

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/
RS:X class in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Event photos by Robert Hajduk/Shuttersail.com : http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=4540
Event videos by Icarus Sailing Media: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Text: Piret Salmistu /RS:X Class Media

For more information please contact:
Andrus Poksi
Executive Secretary
International RS:X Class Association
[email protected]

July 7th, 2016 – Helsinki, Finland – After a sunny day there was not much more than steady wind to like about today’s weather in Helsinki. Instead of sunshine grey sky with showers and thermometer did not show more than +14 degrees Celsius.

Westerly wind from 7 up to 14 knots helped to get three races done for all fleets today. Sailors went to the water according to the schedule and the first warning signal of the day was given at 11 am.

In the Women’s fleet the power lines will start to form after Day 4. After nine races sailed ZofiaNoceti-Klepacka (POL-8), who in her career won the Windsurfing World Championships in 2007 and participated in three editions of the Olympic Games, winning the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, is a strong leader with twenty two points by now.

The battle for the second and third position is very close. Charline Picon (FRA-4), who has captured two bronze medals at the Windsurfing World Championships, and eventually attained a top ten finish at the 2012 Summer Olympics, is on the second position with thirty seven points. Only one point behind on the third place is 2015 ISAF Youth World Champion and 2016 RS:X World Championship 5th overall, Stefania Elfutina from Russia (RUS-271), also as the best in Women’s U21 division.

All three of them would like to make their best performance at the Rio Summer Olympics and for Stefania, the youngest among current Top 3, the dream she have had since 2010, came true at Palma back in March. “I have been dreaming about this Olympics since 2010. Sounds silly, I know. I was quite little (13 years old) and it seemed impossible. But anyway I always kept it in mind. It wasn’t easy to qualify for the Olympics. My last step for the selection was at Palma. This event was so hard for me.

Maybe it was because of all the pressure, now it’s all ok. I am looking forward to Rio and still can’t believe it. So it seems that dreams do come true,” she said happily climbing to the title event podium now.

Women Open Trophy - Top 5 (9 races sailed, 1 discard)

1. Zofia Noceti-Klepacka (POL 8) 22.0 pts
2. Charline Picon (FRA 4) 37.0 pts
3. Stefania Elfutina (RUS 271) 38.0 - U21
4. Marta Maggetti (ITA 157) 61.0 – U21
5. Isobel Hamilton (GBR 30) 79.0 pts

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=women-open- trophy

Men’s fleet was after qualifiers divided into Gold and Silver fleets today and were the first ones to end the racing after three races sailed. The competition is tough and anything won’t be decided before the final day. However, the same three top guys have been keeping their positions strongly and the leaderboard has retained the same now in the Gold Fleet like while ending the qualifying series. 2014 ISAF Worlds’ third, Thomas Goyard (FRA-3) is leading the Mens fleet with fourteen points, two points behind is Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR-11) and Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL-126) is on the third position, two points behind from the second place.

After today’s racing Thomas Goyard was very happy with his races today. “The wind was very complicated and it was very hard to find the good shift - even without a pressure it was hard to get out. I did 8-1-1 today, but I’m still very tight with Kieran from Great Britain. I’m hoping to do better in the next days and very much looking forward to it.”

Men Open Trophy - Top 5 (7 races sailed, 1 discard)

1. Thomas Goyard (FRA 3) 14.0 pts
2. Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR 11) 16.0 pts
3. Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL 126) 18.0 pts
4. Daniele Benedetti (ITA 60) 26.0 pts
5. Mattia Camboni (ITA 88) 27.0 pts - U21

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=men-open- trophy

Youth Men, who were also divided into Gold and Silver fleets, got the first three races from their Final Series sailed today. Israelis athletes are keeping their double lead in Gold fleet, however Tal Zadok (ISR-2) is leading with thirty points now followed by Tom Reuveny (ISR-60), three points behind being also the best in U21 division, followed by the 2015 Youth World Champion, Dutch Sil Hoekstra (NED-25) as third with twenty five points in total.

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=youth-men- open-trophy

Like among the Youth Men, two athletes from Israel are on top of the Youth Women’s fleet. Noy Drihan (ISR-20) is leading the fleet with sixteen points followed by her compatriot Maya Morris (ISR-7) with twenty six points and Mariam Sekhposyan (RUS-13) is third with thirty three points now.

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=youth-women- open-trophy

On Friday there will be a conclusive day for the athletes to achieve the best possible positions for the Final Series and Medal Races to be held on Saturday. The top ten at the end of the Opening Series will advance to the Medal Race. On the last day one Medal Race for each fleet is scheduled with one further Opening Series race for those not assigned to the Medal Race.

About 2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy

209 athletes from 33 nations and 5 continents have gathered to Helsinki to test themselves at the final title event before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It’s especially great to see so many athletes taking part from outside the Europe; for example Japan, Oman, Hong Kong, Seyshelles, Aruba, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, here in Helsinki.

There will be a maximum thirteen races in a series over five race days. The regatta will consist of an Opening Series and, provided a minimum of six races have been completed in the Opening Series, a Medal Race. Men and Youth Men Opening Series’ are split in the Qualifying Series and in the Final Series. The top ten at the end of the Opening Series will advance to the Medal Race. On the last day one Medal Race is scheduled with one further Opening Series race for those not assigned to the Medal Race.

2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U21 Windsurfing Championships together with the 2016 RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Championships & Youth European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U17 Windsurfing Championships are organised by Helsinki Sail Racing Management (HSRM) in co-operation with the International RS:X Class Association on July 2nd to 9th.

The supporters and partners of the 2016 RS:X Europeans in Helsinki are Mercedes Benz, KONE, City of Helsinki, Helsinki Region Transport, Familia/Pan Nordic Meat , Ocean Nation, S1 Networks together with the International RS:X Class Association and World Sailing.

Event Schedule:
Monday 4th July to Friday 8th July – Races scheduled to start at 11 am
Wednesday 6th July – Reserve Day
Saturday 9th July – Races and Medal Race scheduled to start at 11 am
Saturday 9th July – Last possible warning signal 5 pm
Saturday 9th July – Prize Giving and Closing Ceremony – scheduled for 7.30 pm

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/

RS:X class in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/?fref=ts

Event photos by Robert Hajduk/ Shuttersail.com : http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=4540

Event videos by Icarus Sailing Media: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Text: Piret Salmistu/ RS:X Class Media

For more information please contact:
Andrus Poksi
Executive Secretary
International RS:X Class Association
[email protected]

July 6th, 2016 – Helsinki, Finland – It was a great morning in Helsinki today – both for some athletes enjoying their spare day and for these going for racing. The sunshine, increased temperature and enough wind made everybody happy. Women and youth men, who did not have scheduled number of races sailed up to today, got three additional races to their series.

Besides the sun this morning in Hernesaari Ranta greeted the athletes with 11 knots wind from the West. Wind was picking up to 14 knots until noon and dropped to 9 knots by the final race of the day.

Women’s fleet went to the water and got their racing started as scheduled at 11 am. The Race Committee did an excellent job – without any delays three races were sailed before 2 pm. The women’s fleet has completed the total of six races by now. Zofia Noceti-Klepcaka (POL-8) is keeping strongly her leading position having 10 points in total in front of Charline Picon (FRA-4), who climbed to the second position with 22 points. Three points behind on the third place is 2015 ISAF Youth World Champion Stefania Elfutina from Russia (RUS-271), also as the best in Women’s U21 division by now.

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=women-open-trophy

Youth Men were kept ashore and their start was postponed because of the yesterday’s redress hearings this morning. At 11 am the AP flag was lowered and the fleet was sent out for sailing. Both yellow and blue fleets had three races sailed up to the morning and they needed three additional races to complete their Qualifying Series. Before 4 pm they were back ashore with six races sailed in total up to now. Israel has a double leadership - Tom Reuveny (ISR-60) is leading with 12 points being also the best in Men U21 division, followed by Tal Zadok (ISR-2) only one point behind and 2015 ISAF Youth World Champion, Titouan Le Bosq (FRA-719) as third with 16 points.

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=youth-men-open-trophy

On Thursday, all Men’s fleets will start their Final Series starting at 11 am with three races scheduled. Women will continue their Opening Series, showing their best performance for getting to the Final Series and Medal Race held on Saturday from their best possible positions. So far the sailors will enjoy their spare time in Helsinki, where there’s sunny and +21 degrees Celsius now. Higher Celsius degrees are available in the real Finnish sauna, which is available for all sailors in the regatta village after daily racing.

About 2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy

209 athletes from 33 nations and 5 continents have gathered to Helsinki to test themselves at the final title event before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It’s especially great to see so many athletes taking part from outside the Europe; for example Japan, Oman, Hong Kong, Seyshelles, Aruba, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, here in Helsinki.

There will be a maximum thirteen races in a series over five race days. The regatta will consist of an Opening Series and, provided a minimum of six races have been completed in the Opening Series, a Medal Race. Men and Youth Men Opening Series’ are split in the Qualifying Series and in the Final Series. The top ten at the end of the Opening Series will advance to the Medal Race. On the last day one Medal Race is scheduled with one further Opening Series race for those not assigned to the Medal Race.

2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U21 Windsurfing Championships together with the 2016 RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Championships & Youth European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U17 Windsurfing Championships are organised by Helsinki Sail Racing Management (HSRM) in co-operation with the International RS:X Class Association on July 2^nd to 9^th.

The supporters and partners of the 2016 RS:X Europeans in Helsinki are Mercedes Benz, KONE, City of Helsinki, Helsinki Region Transport, Familia/Pan Nordic Meat , Ocean Nation, S1 Networks together with the International RS:X Class Association and World Sailing.

Event Schedule:
Monday 4^th July to Friday 8^th July – Races scheduled to start at 11 am
Wednesday 6^th July – Reserve Day
Saturday 9^th July – Races and Medal Race scheduled to start at 11 am
Saturday 9^th July – Last possible warning signal 5 pm
Saturday 9^th July – Prize Giving and Closing Ceremony – scheduled for 7.30 pm

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/

RS:X class in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/?fref=ts

Event photos by Robert Hajduk/ Shuttersail.com :
http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=4540

Event videos by Icarus Sailing Media: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Text: Piret Salmistu/ RS:X Class Media

For more information please contact:
Andrus Poksi
Executive Secretary
International RS:X Class Association
[email protected]

July 4th, 2016 – Helsinki, Finland – With just 32 days to go to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games the RS:X class started one of the class’ title events to find out the RS:X European Windsurfing Champions and RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Champions in Helsinki, Finland by Saturday, July 9^th.

209 athletes from 33 nations and 5 continents have gathered to Helsinki to test themselves at the final title event before stepping up to the biggest challenge of all at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Quite many big names are in Rio for the final tune-up there by now. It’s especially great to see so many athletes taking part from outside the Europe; for example Japan, Oman, Hong Kong, Seyshelles, Aruba, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, here in Helsinki.

The preparations for racing at the regatta venue in Hernesaarenranta in Helsinki started already on Saturday with the registration and equipment inspection and with practice race on Sunday. While on Saturday the sailors experienced almost Mediterranean weather conditions of nearly 30 degrees temperature and great winds then the first day of racing was like from the totally different opera – this morning in Helsinki greeted the sailors with +12 degrees only mixed with some showers. Yet there was enough wind to start the racing according to the schedule at 11am.

According to the PRO Lars Nyqvist (FIN) the wind reached up to the required five knots for that time and was steady enough to set the courses for racing. It was not an easy task for the Course Race Officers on the water as the wind started to shift making a 40-degrees difference between the two courses and also started to drop as well. Race Committee managed to execute one race for men and two races for the youth women by lunchtime, but then wind died eventually and kept the athletes waiting ashore until the next announcements. Since 4 pm the wind picked up again but was not stable enough to start racing until 5 pm the Race Committee gave another try to themselves and the sailors to attempt the next races. They were successful to start the racing finally, but as the wind died entirely, the race was abandoned and the racing will continue on Tuesday where there’s more wind forecasted.

Among men, who are divided into two fleets, the bullets were taken in both fleets by Polish athletes – 2015 European Champion and the current World Sailing ranking leader Pawel Tarnowski and Przemyslaw Miarczyński, 2014 ISAF Worlds’ Silver in Santander. They were followed by Kieran Holmes-Martin from Great Britain, who is in the World Sailing current ranking on the 11^th position and French Thomas Goyard, whose best result has been Bronze medal from the 2014 ISAF Worlds in Santander. Third results have been achieved by Tom Squires from Great Britain, who was showing 4^th results at the Sailing World Cup Weymouth & Portland in UK last month and by Mattia Cambioni, being at the same time the best in Men U21 division.

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=men-open-trophy

Youth Women’s division, where there are 25 athletes competing, got two races sailed today. Israel young women has been taking the double lead here with the 2015 Youth European Champion Noy Drihan taking two bullets today followed by 2015 Youth Europeans’ seventh, Shoval Ravitzky with two fourth results. On the third position is Mariam Sekhposyan from Russia, last year’s Youth Europeans’ fourth, starting the series with third and seventh results today.

See the full results here http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/?results=youth-women-open-trophy

Unfortunately no races were done for women and young men today.

There will be a maximum thirteen races in a series over five race days. The regatta will consist of an Opening Series and, provided a minimum of six races have been completed in the Opening Series, a Medal Race. Men and Youth Men Opening Series’ are split in the Qualifying Series and in the Final Series. The top ten at the end of the Opening Series will advance to the Medal Race. On the last day one Medal Race is scheduled with one further Opening Series race for those not assigned to the Medal Race.

2016 RS:X European Windsurfing Championships & European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U21 Windsurfing Championships together with the 2016 RS:X Youth European Windsurfing Championships & Youth European Windsurfing Open Trophy including the 2016 Helsinki RS:X U17 Windsurfing Championships are organised by Helsinki Sail Racing Management (HSRM) in co-operation with the International RS:X Class Association on July 2^nd to 9^th.

The supporters and partners of the 2016 RS:X Europeans in Helsinki are Mercedes Benz, KONE, City of Helsinki, Helsinki Region Transport, Familia/Pan Nordic Meat , Ocean Nation, S1 Networks together with the International RS:X Class Association and World Sailing.

Event Schedule:
Monday 4^th July to Friday 8^th July – Races scheduled to start at 11 am
Wednesday 6^th July – Reserve Day
Saturday 9^th July – Races and Medal Race scheduled to start at 11 am
Saturday 9^th July – Last possible warning signal 5 pm
Saturday 9^th July – Prize Giving and Closing Ceremony – scheduled for 7.30 pm

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2016/

RS:X class in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/?fref=ts

Event photos by Robert Hajduk/ Shuttersail.com :
http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=4540

Event videos by Icarus Sailing Media: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Text: Piret Salmistu/ RS:X Class
Photo credits: Robert Hajduk/Shuttersail.com

For more information please contact:
Andrus Poksi
Executive Secretary
International RS:X Class Association
[email protected]