Women in a League of their own, Moving Day for Men

Fortune favors the bold and the two women tied for first for the second day in a row at the Youth Europeans were the boldest of the bunch on day two of the championship.

Ripping across the line at 25-plus knots in the final race of the day, Derin Atakan (TUR) came from behind in the final meters to nip Lysa Caval (FRA) by inches and retain the overall lead by a tie breaker.

“I feel Derin was coming right behind me and I was really trying to push for my life to get to the finish,” said Caval about the final hair-raising reach. “Along with the seaweed I cannot push more and I saw her like, ‘I don’t care about the seaweed I’m going full speed.’ I said, ‘Ok it’s going to be harder.’ I think we finished less than one second apart. When we push together we are at crazy speed compared to the others.”

© IKA media/Robert Hajduk: Sam Dickinson [GBR] clearing the seaweed off his foil

Seaweed was a major problem on day two with riders in both women’s and mens fleets having to regularly launch into the air oil hopes of flicking off the long green strands off weed stirred up by the recent heavy rains. One strand at high speeds to allow air to suck in from the surface sending the foil into an unpredictable spin.

“Her kite was over me, I said ‘I’m going to push on reaching, I don’t care if I crash,’” said Atakan who goes into tomorrow with the yellow leaders bib for the second day in a row. “It was the last race of the day. I just wanted to give my best.”


© IKA media/Robert Hajduk: Sophie and Emma Renee are the 2nd wave of British kitefoilers

Second Wave Coming for Brits
Though Atakan and Caval are in a league of their own nearing the halfway mark of the championship, there was plenty of movement behind them.

Emma and Sophie Rennie, and Ella Geiger are the second wave of a British kite foil program that began with a 2018 camp in Mexico and ended with a gold medal in Paris 2024 in the women’s formula kite. They have been improving each race with Geiger moving into fifth after a 3,3,4 scoreline showing that the future is bright for Team GB.

“I quite like the gusty conditions and shifty you never really know what’s about to happen,” said Geiger. “It’s good fun.”

“We have a few younger boys to train with,” said Emma Rennie, who trains in Weymouth at there national sailing center established for the 2012 Olympics, “but we still need a get more girls into it.”


© IKA media/Robert Hajduk: Stragiotti (in green) hot on Maeder's heels

Moving on Up
It was moving day in the men’s fleet as Gian Stragiotti rocketed up the leaderboard into second after a slow start on day one. The Swiss sailor really lit the water up with a 2,1,1,3 scoreline while others struggled with seaweed and lulls that at times made it difficult to keep power in the 15-meter kites.

“I sailed more precisely than yesterday, less mistakes,” said Stragiotti who had to clear seaweed from his foil several times today. “I stuck to the routine, especially the starts. More aggressive to get the spot at the start. That was the big difference today.”


© IKA media/Robert Hajduk: Pianossi sits in 3rd at the end of day 3

Max Maeder was the only rider more consistent than Stragiotti. His only blemish today was a 2,5 before winning the last race.

The Singaporean, never a loss for some fun banter, shared the Mozart that was playing in his head: Non Piu Andrai, an aria from Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” suggested by brother Karl that kept him calm and happy as he slid into a more dominant position in the championship.


© IKA media/Robert Hajduk: A late start is rewarded with a stunning sunset

Changing but moderate winds have made this Youth Europeans a pure test for the young riders. Though the cream has been rising steadily to the top, there are three more days for the chasing pack to shake things up before Sunday’s medal series.

The weekend’s racing will be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook.

RESULTS MEN

RESULTS WOMEN