This Tuesday, the second day of the 'Lanzarote iQFOiL Games' arrived on the island with the second classified, the Spaniard Nacho Baltasar. The Lanzarote regatta field was once again fulfilled with the Olympic windsurfing fleet. It was resolved with large waves and wind of about ten knots of intensity that allowed the Regatta Committee to complete five new races for the men's class, which is now led by the current world champion of the class, the Dutchman Luuc Van Opzeeland, and four for the women's class, which continues under the dominance of Shanon Kantor. Among the national fleet, great performance by the Balearic Islander Nacho Baltasar, who stormed the provisional podium in the second drawer.
The Balearic Islander Nacho Baltasar, second
With the aim of trying to make the most of the wind conditions forecast for the morning, the Regatta Committee informed the fleet that the first start of this Tuesday was brought forward to 10.30 am local island time. The first to compete were the yellow and blue groups of 'iQFOiL men's', and they did so by completing a total of five races of course racing-fleet regatta format with a trapeze course.
While Monday's day closed with a triple tie at the head between the Italian Nicolo Renna, the Frenchman Nicolas Goyard and the Dutchman Kiran Badloe, the second day caused a turnaround in the general standings with new windsurfers occupying the three drawers of the provisional podium.
With two firsts, a fourth, a second, and a seventeenth that becomes his discard, the Dutchman Luuc Van Opzeeland, current world champion of the class, is the new leader of the general standings with a total of 14 points and eight ahead of Nacho Baltasar. The Balearic sailor sealed a brilliant day in Lanzarote waters this Tuesday with partials 4-1-3-6-5, results that allowed him to climb up to ten positions in the table and enter the fight for the last title of the season.
Behind, the third place is now occupied by the Dutchman Joost Vink with a tenth, a second, a fifth, a seventh and a third scored. Vink is six points behind the Spanish windsurfer.
Once ashore, Van Opzeeland declared that "it has been a very good day, we have done five races and for me they have been very good. In the last race the wind was a bit stronger and I did a 17th, but even so it has been a good day and I am ready to start the final series tomorrow".
Sharon Kantor, more leader
The women's fleet added four more races in which Sharon Kantor once again demonstrated her great potential in the regatta field. With two new partial victories and two thirds that become her discards, Kantor holds on to the lead and closes the qualifying series with a four-point advantage over the second classified, Katy Spychakov, who storms the second place with three wins, a second and a third.
Behind, there were also changes in the third drawer and Tamar Steinberg is now with the provisional bronze after scoring three firsts, a fifth and an eighth that she discards.
The British Emma Wilson, who on Monday occupied the provisional silver and this Tuesday became fourth one point from the podium, said after returning to land that "today we have had four very close races and it has been very good. The level is very high because next year there is still selection for the Olympic Games and everyone is pushing very hard".
"Lanzarote is a very nice place and we come to train every year; these days there is very good wind and big waves, so without a doubt this is a fun place", she added.
The Spanish Pilar Lamadrid, meanwhile, added partials 11-13-2-4 that place her provisionally in the sixth position of the general standings. With two days ahead before the Medal Series and being only ten points from the podium, the options remain totally open for the Andalusian.
This Wednesday, the 'Lanzarote iQFOiL Games' once again summon the fleet for the third of the five days that the championship will last. It will also be the first assault of the final series.
The event is organised by Marina Rubicón and has the collaboration of the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, as well as the institutional support of Promotur Turismo de Canarias, the Tourism area of the Cabildo de Lanzarote through the European Sports Destination sports product (managed by SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote), the Yaiza City Council and the private entities Dinghycoach, Naviera Armas and Cabrera Medina (Cicar).
Provisional general podium. iQFOiL Women's. Results of the second day
1. Sharon Kantor: 7 points
2. Katy Spychakov: 11 points
3. Tamar Steinberg: 14 points
Provisional general podium. iQFOiL Men's. Results of the second day.
1. Luuc Van Opzeeland: 14 points
2. Nacho Baltasar: 22 points
3. Joost Vink: 28 points