The ILCA U21 World Championship kicked off this Monday at Marina Rubicón, in the south of Lanzarote, with a first day of maximum technical and tactical demand, marked by intense wind and the arrival of squalls that tested the fleets from the start of this World Championship.
The two classes in competition, ILCA 7 and ILCA 6, managed to complete the two scheduled races. The ILCA 7s sailed divided into two fleets, while the ILCA 6 women's fleet sailed in a single fleet, on a trapezoidal course. During the morning, the wind was very shifty, with intensities of 18 to 20 knots, and the races began after midday, resulting in very fast races. The wind exceeded 20 knots with the arrival of squalls that notably increased intensity and caused several capsizes
ILCA 7: Krupski leads and Spain takes the lead
In the men's ILCA 7 fleet, Denmark's Mark Hestbæck and Spain's Karol Krupski, a member of the RFEV pre-Olympic team, share the provisional lead, both with two points, after completing two very solid races. Italy's Antonio Pascali is in third place, followed by Poland's Filip Olszewski, in a fleet comprising 96 sailors from 33 countriesFrom the Spanish perspective, the day has been especially positive, with several sailors positioned at the front of the fleet. In addition to Karol Krupski's (CV Puerto Andratx) lead, Fernando Abella (CAR Infanta Cristina) holds fifth place provisionally, while Daniel Giménez (CV Puerto Andratx) is seventh, confirming the great start for the national team in this U21 World Championship
The provisional co-leader, Mark Hestbæck (DEN), highlighted after the day that "the wind treated me well and I was able to complete two very solid races. The plan is to keep a cool head and stay focused; it's a long championship, six days, and this is only the first day, a real marathon".
ILCA 6: Marga Perelló, fourth in a very tight fleet
In the ILCA 6 women's fleet, Italy's Ginevra Caracciolo is the provisional leader with a first and a second, and three points overall, followed by Ukraine's Alina Shapovalova and Greece's Hermione Ghicas, the current youth world champion. Spain's Marga Perelló (RCNP) holds an excellent fourth position, after a very solid startIrene de Tomás (RCNV), the current youth world champion, also stood out, finishing sixth, along with Adriana Castro (RCN Torrevieja), eleventh, and María Gornés (RCNP), fifteenth, completing a very consistent first day for the Spanish women's team.
Marga Perelló positively assessed her championship start: "We've had two very good races, with stable winds around 20 knots and gusts up to 25. I felt very fast and very comfortable in both races; these are my conditions."
The Mallorcan sailor added that "the clouds have had a significant impact, with important wind increases, and in the end, we are all very evenly matched. There are very strong rivals, but we can fight, and I'm really looking forward to competing against them".
For her part, provisional leader Ginevra Caracciolo (ITA) explained that "it has been a very difficult day, with very gusty and shifting offshore wind. The race course was complicated to interpret, but the key has been to maintain concentration and make the most of each gust."
This Tuesday, second day
The competition will continue this Tuesday with new races scheduled to begin at 12:00 local time, following the daily meeting of sailors and coaches.The ILCA U21 World Championship is organized by Marina Rubicón and sponsored by Turismo Lanzarote through its sports tourism product "Lanzarote Sports Destination," the Cabildo de Lanzarote through the Insular Sports Service, the Art, Culture, and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, and the Yaiza City Council; with the collaboration of, among others, the Canary Islands Sailing Federation, the Latin Sailing Federation, and DinghyCoach.
U21 World Championship. Provisional standings. ILCA 6. Day 1.
1. Ginevra Caracciolo (ITA), 1+2=3
2. Alina Shapovalova (UKR), 4+1=5
3. Hermionie Ghicas (GRE), 2+4=6
… up to 52 classified
U21 World Championship. Provisional Standings. ILCA 7. Day 1.
1. Mark Hestbaek (DEN), 1+1=2
1. Karol Krupski (ESP), 1+1=2
3. Antonio Pascali (ITA), 3+2=5
… up to 96 classified
This event is organized by Marina Rubicón and is sponsored by the Cabildo de Lanzarote through the Insular Sports Service, SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote through its sports tourism product “Lanzarote Sports Destination”, the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, the Yaiza City Council and Turismo de Islas Canarias; with the collaboration, among others, of the Canary Islands Sailing Federation, DinghyCoach and the Latin Sailing federations.
