The International RS:X Class Executive Committee decided to ban the RS:X Mark 3 (black) fins for the 2017 RS:X Windsurfing Youth World Championships, held from 24 June - 1 July 2017, in Torbole, Italy, due to the production delays by manufacturer.

Amendment 01 to Notice of Race - Fin

Amendment 02 to Notice of Race - Schedule

Amendment 03 to Notice of Race - Prescriptions to the Italian sailors

The Notice of Race (Amended on 30th May 2017)

We apologise for any inconvenience it caused!

Fair winds,
The International RS:X Class Association

Marseille definitely saved its best for last and provided a fitting finale to a week of some fantastic racing. For the 265 sailors in the RS:X European and Youth European Championships, the day started slowly as the sea breeze woke up and started to fill in. A short delay ashore, perfect to make nervous sailors almost taught with tension, before being sent out to race and fight for the titles, fight for medals and fight for pride.

All eyes and all of the talk about these championships have been around the format for the final day – would a 12 way shoot out, winner takes all final be what the sailors and the followers want? Would it build the drama? Would it produce worthy champions? It is safe to say that the drama on the water was high and that every sailor had to battle for every place at every opportunity. Places changed hands, sailors were leading only to lose their position and find themselves sailing back to shore. It was certainly dramatic, but it was also emotional with fists pumping with joy or sailors slumping onto their board with despair as they crossed the line.

Four different nations took European titles. Four Champions. Thank you Marseille.

 

Senior Women

The first fleet out today to test out the new format and set the tone for the day. A quarter final race with the top 12, started in pumping conditions and set a tactical challenge. Decisions to make, cover opposition or sail your own race? Casualties of the quarter final included Maja Dziarnowska (Poland) and Lilian de Geus (Netherlands), having finished first and second in the qualification rounds were eliminated. The big winner? Patricia Freitas (Brazil) who was eleventh yesterday was into the semi-finals.

The semi-final had the top six boards and an increasing breeze. The opportunity to start planning downwind was increasing if you caught the right gust. Stefania Elfutina (Russia) led the fleet home followed by Hei Man Chan (Hong Kong) and Zofia Noceti-Klepacka (Poland) who would be the medallists.

The Final – a 6 minute race between the top three. Noceti-Klepacka and Elfutina had a drag race out to the right had side, Chan having essentially eliminated herself from gold with a poor start. Noceti-Klepacka won the race to the top mark and extended around the two laps to take the win and the Championship, Elfutina followed in silver position and Chan in bronze.

Noceti-Klepacka, greeted by Charlene Picon, Gold medallist from Rio, “Im so happy. It was a tough fight this week and Im so happy to win. This medal is for my children!”.

 

Senior Men

Different fleet, even more drama. With Dorian van Rijsselberge having retired form racing on Thursday, Kiran Badloe (Netherlands) was left to fly the Dutch flag for the event. In the quarter finals, unlike the women, the top two from Fridays standings made it safely through to the semi-final, with Shahar Zubari (Israel) and Mattia Camboni (Italy) being promoted from the back of the fleet into the next round.

The semi-final saw Frenchman Louis Giard take the race win followed in second by Byron Kokkalanis (Greece) but the drama was behind. Badloe and Camboni were locked in a boat on boat battle going down the final run. On the gybe to the final mark before the finish, Badloe mis-timed the gybe and capsized, falling in the water. Camboni seized the opportunity and sailed past and into the final. Badloe, crossing the line in fourth looked heart-broken, sitting on the board contemplating “that gybe”.

The Final was a thriller. A split start with Kokkalanis and Giard heading right, Camboni heading left. Initially looking like the experience of Kokkalanis and Giard would pay off as they came into the top mark, however Camboni came in fast and split the two boards, with Giard losing out and rounding third after Kokkalanis and Camboni. Giard choose his downwind leg perfectly and closed the gap and attached hard on the second upwind, surprising everyone but the home crowd to round first and lead down the run. Giard took the win, Kokkalanis silver and Camboni bronze.

Camboni was happy to be in the top 12, delighted to be in the top six and totally ecstatic to come away with a bronze medal from his efforts this week, “It was tough this week but I am happy. I didn’t expect to be here but I just keep pushing so hard today and I was very lucky to get a medal. It is tough mentally this format but right now, I like it.”

 

Youth Girls

There had been two outstanding performers in the fleet this week with Yarden Isaak (Israel) and Olivia Rosique (France) taking most of the race wins between them. However at the end of the quarter final it would be Rosique who would be heading home, eliminated with a surprising eleventh place, almost her worst result of the week. Isaak did not fall at this hurdle and eased her way through to the semi-final.

In the semi-final Alessandra Papitto (Italy) won the race and checked onto the podium. Emma Le Clech (France) was second and Isaak just got third and justified her yellow jersey of the morning by being in the final.

In the Final, Isaak turned on the after-boosters and led the fleet the whole way round to claim gold. Papitto was second and Le Clech third.

Papitto, after crossing the line, “It was crazy today. I didn’t think I would be here. The other girl (Isaak) was just better. She was faster and I couldn’t catch her. But I have a medal.”

 

Youth Boys

Luca di Tomassi (Italy) has led this event from the very first day. Yes, he has been chased by some French boys but he has held off and held onto his lead and went into today with the hope of gold.

For the Youth Boys, it was very much closer to the running order with the top 4 seedings of the quarter final getting into the semi-final – no big shocks here. In the semi-final came the first shock with Mathurin Jolivet (France) having worn the silver jersey all week to be eliminated. Di Tomassi sailed through and was joined by Yoav Cohen (Israel) and Babtiste Grall (France).

The Final race for the Youth Boys, and the final race of the event, saw Di Tomassi lead from start to finish and claim gold. A fitting finish to a week of leading the fleet. Grall came in silver and Cohen third.

On his win Di Tomassi commented, “That was amazing. I was really nervous this morning about losing the medal but today was good fun. I like stronger winds and it was perfect for me.”

The RS:X Class would like to thank all at Yacht Club de la Pointe Rouge and the FFVoile for supporting the event. On top of the 265 sailors, the event could not run without the local volunteers and International officials who work tirelessly to make the event a success for the sailors both on and off the water.

Whilst Marseille has served up the trickiest of conditions over the week, it provided the best show to end the week with worthy champions. Thank you Marseille!

Marseille served up a genuine headache for the 265 sailors competing in the RS:X European and Youth European Championships hosted by the Yacht Club de Point Rouge. After the disappointment of missing out on racing on Thursday due to excess winds, Friday would prove the chance to release built up frustrations and get a solid three races onto the score sheet.

However, the reality was very, very different. With the wind blowing over the eastern hills of Marseille, the race course was a minefield. Holes where the wind would leave leaders wallowing, gusts which would propel those behind to the front. Shifts which would make those on the right hand side of the course smile, until they tacked and saw that the left hand side of the course was the place to be. A nightmare to navigate successfully and to get any sort of repeatable results over the course of the day. A lottery.

Some sailors played this lottery well, others not so well. At the end of the day the results will show that the majority of the sailors picked up some big scores today. Under the old racing format, this could’ve been the day that medals were decided through skill and good luck or titles were thrown away through bad luck – but not at this event. At this event this week, all previous scores are deleted and any of the top 12 will have the chance to be European Champion. Saturday 13^th May is going to be a big day.

The winning numbers?
265 sailors from 37 nations
28 preliminary races across 4 fleets
3 races for the Finalists tomorrow
1 winner of each Final race to become European Champion

Senior Women

Poland’s Maja Dziarnowska had the best day in the fleet with 2, 2, 5 and technically leads the fleet going into tomorrow but will need to maintain her consistency to be in with a chance. Today saw three different race winners and 10 different nations in the top 12.

Izzy Hamilton (Great Britain), did not have the best of days but scrapes in to tomorrow’s final having scored 17, 19 and 26. Izzy commented, “I didn’t have the best day today – my score line for the three races today wasn’t that great but I am in the top 12 so really happy about that. The race course was close to a huge hill on the land so it was really shift and really gusty so very hard to be consistent.

When looking ahead to tomorrow Izzy said, “I am looking forward to tomorrow – I will just focus on getting off the start line and hopefully having three good races. Whilst I am happy I have a chance to be European Champion from twelfth position I think I would be more nervous if I was leading the event.”

The Under 21 title will come down to two sailors, Russia’s Stefania Elfutina and Israel’s Katy Spychakov who are both in the Finals. Whilst they may be keeping one eye on each other, they will also be aware that they have the capability of winning overall – an interesting battle to watch.

Senior Men

Again, three different race winners with Byron Kokkalanis (Greece), Tom Squires (Great Britain) and Sebastian Fleischer (Denmark) having their moment of glory in taking a race win – in the case of Squires and Fleischer they recorded emphatic wins as they left the fleet behind.

Reigning Olympic champion, Dorian van Rijsselberge (Netherlands) has retired from the regatta for personal reasons after a difficult day on the water. Van Rijsselberge was in second place, an amazing feat given this was his first day back on a RS:X board since his triumph on Rio last summer and we wish him a safe journey home.

Fleischer took the last race of the day and described the conditions, “Whilst it looked like a tricky day, it could be made simple. Keep going left in the stronger wind and get lifted to the mark. Downwind, you just had to wait for a gust to get you back down – if you missed one, you just had to wait and lose places until the next one came along.

Looking to tomorrow, Fleischer was excited, “Tomorrow is going to be great – 12 people can be European Champion so its all to race for!”.

Youth Girls

Yarden Isaak (Israel) had the best of the difficult conditions with a race win followed by a second and fourth place. Olivia Rosique (France) maintained pressure on her rival throughout today as well compatriot Camille Olivier. How these ladies were as consistent as they have been this week is hard to imagine given the wide range of conditions encountered, names here to keep an eye on for the future.

With five French ladies in the top 12, the odds would be in the favour of France picking up the title of Female Youth European Champion but there are a number of different sailors who will be keen to spoil the hosts party.

Faustine Manhes (France) has however already got something to cheer about, having taken the Under 17 title already. Manhes is the youngest competitor in the Finals and it will add to her smile in bringing home the overall title.

Youth Boys

Italian Luca di Tomassi has been the most consistent this week and had a minor blip in the final race today with a 14, his only score outside of the top 4 all week – hugely impressive performance. It is this type of consistency that will certain be an advantage going into the Finals where being at the front of the fleet is a benefit – being at the front seems natural to di Tomassi.

The home nation is even more dominant in this fleet with 7 sailors in the top 12. Mathurin Jolivet (France), Yoav Cohen (Israel) and Baptiste Grall (France) have all taken two race wins this week and will be pushing di Tomassi for the title.

Nicolo Renna (Italy) and Fabien Pianazza (France) are left to battle for the Under 21 title.

Racing is scheduled to start form 1100 (CET) and the RS:X Class will be using Facebook Live to stream the Final race where possible.

Text: Bas Edmonds / RS:X Class
Photos: Robert Hajduk / Shuttersail.com

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2017/

Pictures: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=5625
Videos: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSXCLASS

“Waiting Game” – Noun - a strategy in which action on a matter is reserved for or postponed to a later time, allowing one to wait for a more advantageous time to act or to see what develops in the meantime.

A frustrating day ashore for the 265 sailors wanting, waiting, desperate to race today in the RS:X Europeans and Youth Europeans. Marseille has served up the heavy and the light winds this week and today saw the return of the strong breeze. Not quite the Mistral from Monday, but a 30 knot south easterly wind this morning and showed little sign of abating all day until, finally, at 1710 the Race Officers decided enough was enough and ended the Waiting Game.

So what does todays events mean in the hunt for event titles and medals? For those inside the top 12, those that are in the frame to qualify forward to the quarter finals on Saturday, probably mixed emotions in that they were unable to consolidate their position – but also maybe relief that they did not have to defend their position from the chasing pack. For those outside of the top 12, the chasing pack, frustration in not being able to get some racing under their belts and move closer to the top of the fleet.

Instead, Friday becomes a critical day for everyone involved in the event. The Race Officers, having lost a days’ worth of racing due to the weather (you can blame Mother Nature for this though) will be keen to make sure that the racing goes as smoothly as possible and that the scheduled three races are completed with minimum fuss. For the sailors, a vital day on the water to either attack or defend their overall position as the standings at the end of Friday will determine whether the sailors are in with a chance of a medal or not, a top 12 position being the hottest ticket in town.

Looking ahead, Saturday presents a new challenge. The format of racing is new to this event and will be the first time that the European titles have been handed out in this way. The top 12 sailors in each fleet will battle in a 15-18 minute quarter final race from which the top 6 sailors will progress to the semi-final race. This race will be slightly shorter in 10-12 minutes, with intensity and pressure increasing as the medals get closer, with the top three progressing to the final – assured of a medal but still needing to fight it out over a 6-8 minute race to determine who gets which colour and which step on the podium. It will be unique to sailing and the RS:X and hopes to end the regatta on a tense thriller.

The forecast for the remainder of the week looks, without tempting fate, promising. Everyone will be hoping to end this event on a high and head home with a medal and a European Championship to their name…

Text: Bas Edmonds / RS:X Class
Photos: Robert Hajduk / Shuttersail.com

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2017/

Pictures: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=5625
Videos: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSXCLASS

A saying from Greek philosopher Aristotle, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet” rang true for some of the 265 competitors competing in the RS:X European and Youth European Championships as sailors come off either pleased or frustrated with the long days toil on the water. At the Yacht Club de la Pointe Rouge in the morning, all of the signs were for a perfect day on the water, just what the doctor ordered after the beating that some of the sailors received on the opening day.

However, by the time all of the fleets were afloat, the wind had dropped and a long day was looking likely. On the Youth course, sailors managed to get a single race completed for the Youth men and Youth women which took place in a dying breeze which started to shift around as well as oscillate in strength. As the Race Officer sent the sailors ashore, hopes were high that they would be able to get back out and continue racing once the wind had increased in the afternoon as forecast.

The Senior fleet had less luck, with only the Senior Men Yellow fleet managing to get a single race in before racing had to be abandoned for the morning, the wind simply deciding it had had enough and deserting the race course. Frustration was evident as sailors returned to the harbour, having been eager to race.

After a three hour wait ashore, conditions started to look more hopeful and all fleets were sent back out to complete the schedule of races. However conditions again proved fickle with a variable wind of between 4-6 knots, just on the cusp of being able to race. The Senior Men fleets both ended the day with an equal compliment of two races, five in total for the event, with the Senior Women less fortunate in only managing to get one race finished.

In the afternoon it was the turn of the Youth fleet to experience frustration as, despite the valiant efforts of the race committee, the wind failed to stabilise enough to get any further races in.

Senior Women

Noga Geller (Israel) won the only race of the day to rocket up the overall leader board to end the day in 13^th place overall. Geller commented, “I had a really good day as I won. I prefer to sail in the lighter winds as its like this at my home club in Israel”. Looking ahead to Thursday where strong winds are once again forecast, “In the big winds for the rest of the week I am just going to go for it with no fear and go as fast as I can”.

Helene Noesmoen (France) continues to lead the fleet with few changes in the top ten but the points closing up making for an interesting fight. With some light wind specialists in the fleet, today was the opportunity to make good on skills and this was evident in the results – however consistency pays in this sport and the top three is rounded out with consistent performers in Lilian de Geus (Netherlands) and Maja Dziarnowska (Poland) in second and third respectively.

Senior Men

Reliability was key in the racing today with “big guns” from yesterday having mixed fortunes, leaving the top of the leader board open to be claimed by Dutchman Dorian van Rijsselberge who won both of the races. Both Nimrod Mashiah (Israel) and Louis Giard (France), the top sailors from yesterday, suffered a big score in the racing today to drop them down to third and fifth.

Mashiah on todays racing, “It was an ok day for me. The racing was pretty tough with some big holes in the wind and very shifty. I am third overall at the moment so I am pretty happy with that after a difficult day.”

Kieran Badloe, countryman to Van Rijsselberge, also had a consistent day with scores of second and fourth and lies in fourth overall. It will be interesting to see how this battle between the double Gold medallist and his protégé works out and will be fascinating to watch as we get closer to Tokyo 2020.

As the Senior Men are split into Gold and Silver fleets for the racing on Thursday and Friday, there are an impressive 18 different nations in the top half of the fleet.

Youth Girls

In the one race of the day, Israeli sailor Yarden Isaak took on the yellow jersey by securing a third place and dropping overnight leader Olivia Roisque to second. These two sailors are proving that they will be regulars on the podium this week as they fight for the top spot.

Roisque on the race today commented, “It was a difficult day. There were lots of shifts in todays race and Im happy with how I sailed. Im looking forward to more wind later in the week. I am from Montpelier so racing is here in Marseille is very nice for me.”

Behind them the battle for third place is equally as intense between Thais Royer de Vericourt (France) in third and Camille Olivier (France) in fourth.

Bouncing back after a difficult day in Mondays pumping winds was Russian sailor Maria Lemenkova. Lemenkova was unable to complete either of the races on Monday but finished second in the race today showing her mettle and nerve in these championships and sure to improve further as the week goes on.

Youth Boys

There were no changes in the top four of the Youth Boys fleet with Luca di Tomassi (Italy) holding on despite a trio of French boys, Arnoux, Grall and Jolivet, desperate to perform on home waters and take the title come Saturday afternoon.

They will have to keep an eye behind them though as the biggest winner of todays long day on the water was Yoav Cohen who the only race and jumps up to fifth overall and within striking distance of the French.

With the Youth Boys splitting into Gold and Silver fleets for the racing for the rest of the week, the best result was for Noe Dorin scoring a ninth in todays race dragging him into the top half of the fleet and with gold fleet racing to look forward to.
With a scheduled rest day on Wednesday, sailors will be back on the bay of Marseille on Thursday where the forecast is for strong winds again. With three races scheduled sailors will be working hard to get into the top 12 come Friday evening to make sure they are in with a chance to battle it out for gold and the European titles.

Text: Bas Edmonds / RS:X Class
Photos: Robert Hajduk / Shuttersail.com

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2017/

Pictures: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=5625
Videos: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSXCLASS

On the first day of the 2017 RS:X Europeans and Youth Europeans & Open Trophy, sailors were left with mixed emotions as Marseille and the Mistral breeze blew through town and showed the RS:X sailors who was boss with some wild conditions to kick off the championships.

After an initial delay of three hours to allow the conditions to settle; 265 RS:X sailors (108 senior men, 55 senior women, 79 youth boys and 23 youth girls) took to Marseille Bay with a brisk 20-25 knot northerly wind to start their assault on the event titles. A full complement of three races were sailed for the senior men, senior women and youth boys with only the youth women managing two races in the exciting conditions.

As the first major event for the RS:X Class in this new Olympic cycle leading into Tokyo 2020, there are some new faces around the board park, some veteran faces and others who have chosen a new career path. One such sailor is Nick Dempsey, three time Olympic medallist, who attending the event but with a new job in coaching Makoto Tomizawa from Japan.

Tomizawa is not new to the RS:X Class having sailed in the class since 2006 and attended each Olympic Games in Beijing, London and more recently Rio. Tomizawa commented that, “This is my first time working with a coach and Nick is fantastic guy and helps my sailing. I hope it will make a big difference for me. I want to get to the quarter finals here at this event and then see how I progress from there – but first I need to get to the quarter finals”. Tomizawa scored a solid 10, 9, 7 to lie in 15 position at the end of the first day.

RS:X Senior Men

The big guys dominated the front of each fleet where stature played a big part in the results. In both the Blue and the Yellow fleets Louis Giard (France) and Nimrod Mashiah (Israel) share the spoils at the end of the first day with an equal score line of 1, 1, 3 each. There chasing pack are almost as consistent as the two leaders and contain double Olympic gold medallist Dorian van Rijsselberge (Netherlands) within their number, sitting in fourth place overall and showing he has not lost his touch since spending little time on the water since his victory at last summers Olympics.

Also taking a race win today was Pole, Pawel Tarnowski who sits in third place overall having bettered each of his previous races to score 3,2,1.

Within the top ten there are eight different nations, showing the depth of the talent in the countries competing, the Dutch and the Israelis being the two nations with more than one sailor.

RS:X Senior Women

Helene Noesmoen (France) dominated the scoreline with three race wins and is comfortably in top spot at the end of the first day after an impeccable display of heavy wind sailing. Maja Dziarnowska (Poland) and Lilian de Gues (Netherlands) trail behind to round out the top three.

The scores of the sailors in the top twelve overall shows that consistency and avoiding double figure scores is going to be the key to getting into the quarter finals come next Saturday. With all of the 55 women racing in the same fleet, there will be lots of battles going on for every race to make those critical spots to be in with a chance of a medal.

The Rio Olympics Bronze medallist, Stefania Elfutina (Russia) holds a slim lead in the U21 results over Berenice Mege (France), with both sailors sitting in 13 and 14 overall respectively. These are two sailors who will be pushing hard to not only win the U21 title but get into the top 12 quarter final shoot out.

RS:X Youth Girls

Following in the footsteps of her compatriot in the senior women fleet, Olivia Rosique (France) took both race wins to lead. Yarden Isaak (Israel) scored 2,2 and Emma le Clech (France) scored 3,3 to match the consistency of Rosique and sit on the podium in second and third. The course for the youth sailors was slightly more sheltered than that of the seniors so they may have enjoyed the racing a little more, but it was certainly as equally fierce in the fights taking place.

French sailors control the top of this fleet with six sailors in the top ten which is testament to the efforts that goes into windsurfing in the host country. Other leading countries of Israel, Italy and Poland are also showing in the top ten and it will be a battle between these countries for the title.

RS:X Youth Boys

This was the only fleet where sailors from the host country France are not sitting on top of the leader board with Italian Luca di Tomassi who took all three race wins. That does not mean that he isn’t being chased hard, with five French boys chasing di Tomassi hard after the first day.

The Youth fleets represent future starts of windsurfing and one country that is looking to develop this area is Turkey who have four sailors entered in the event. Diederik Bakker, recently appointed as Youth Development Manager for the Turkish Sailing Federation comments, “Its great to see lots of new sailors taking part at and I love working with the enthusiasm of the young sailors. With 79 sailors competing in the youth boys, my sailors are getting some amazing experiences especially in the strong winds and big waves that we had today.”

There are a number of nations at these championships that are pushing new sailors forwards which is promising for the sport of sailing in getting new sailors to gain experience at this level.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 9^th May, there are another three races scheduled. The forecast is for lighter and shiftier winds which will present the sailors with challenging conditions again but for different reasons. In every case there are fleet leaders hoping to match their reliability of the opening day and other that are chasing them hard hoping that the change in weather will present them with a chance to take the lead.

Text: Bas Edmonds / RS:X Class
Photos: Robert Hajduk / Shuttersail.com

Event website: http://www.rsxclass.org/europeans2017/

Pictures: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/pictures/?album=5625
Videos: http://www.rsxclass.org/media/videos/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RSXOlympicWindsurfing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSXCLASS