Last moment shuffle of the finals' tickets

- 6 more races in typical Gizzeria conditions
- Fonseca comes from behind to grab finals ticket
- Lysa Caval upsets Derin Atakan on the last race
- Any of the top-10 can get on the podium!

It was a bit of a slow start this morning for the wind, but once it started blowing, it stayed for 6 full rounds of racing. It was the last day before the medal series, and the main goal for all sailors in the gold fleet was to make the cut.


© IKA media/ Robert Hajduk: Catalina Turienzo on fire

Such is the format of the Formula Kite events, that anyone who makes it into the top 10 can then go on and win the event on the medal series day by being the first to get 3 wins in the 4 riders final.
Of course, depending on their performance so far, this task can be easier or harder. The first and the second in the ranking go directly to the finals, carrying two and one wins respectively, and are waiting for the other two, who will come from the two semi finals without a carry forward win.


© IKA media/ Robert Hajduk: Jan Voester [GER] leading Gian Stragiotti [SUI] around the mark

Swiss Gian Stragiotti and Argentina’s Olympian Catalina Turienzo, with stellar performances, grabbed the two-win ticket to the final without ever been threatened, but behind them there was real drama. Brazilian youngster Lukas Fonseca, after a bad first day was struggling to recover and although he started the penultimate day in 5th and outside everyone’s radar, consistent good finishes lifted him to second and secured him the one-win ticket to the finals. Fonseca was 4th in 2023 and is looking to improve his result this year.


© IKA media/ Robert Hajduk: Solid performance from Lucas Fonseca, when it mattered

German Jan Voester and Czech Voitech Koska who have been scoring bullets early in the competition, will have to go through the semi finals process to secure their place in the 4-kiteboard final. They will be in opposite semifinals and it is very likely that they will both make it to the next stage.


© IKA media/ Robert Hajduk: Derin Atakan [TUR] will try to reach the finals through the semis

Derin Atakan, the World Sailing Youth Worlds gold medalist and Turkiye’s entry to Paris 2024, has been sitting in 2nd place until the last moment. Defending Youth World Champion Lysa Caval scored a bullet on the last race of the day and with that the Frenchwoman punched her one-win ticket to the finals, leaving Atakan to face Poland’s Nina Arcisz, the 2022 Youth World Champion, in semi-final A.


© IKA media/ Robert Hajduk: It was Magda Woyciechowska's birthday and the whole fleet cheered her on

The medal series is scheduled for Sunday, starting at 1300 local time. Follow @kiteclasses to stay updated with what’s happening in Gizzeria!

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© IKA media/ Robert Hajduk: Escaped!