2024 Wingfoil Racing World Cup Italy – Day 4
by WingFoil Racing World Cup 19 Oct 17:01 PDT
16-20 October 2024
Manowiecki advances to finals, while Ghio inches closer to world title – 2024 Wingfoil Racing World Cup Italy © IWSA media / Robert Hajduk
After intense crossings, unexpected lead shifts, and some collisions on Saturday, the majority of the medal series lineup has been finalized, including the first competitors reaching the Wingfoil Racing World Cup Italy finals.
Three races took place in the morning, followed by the separation of the men’s fleet into gold, silver, and bronze divisions. The women continued racing as a consolidated fleet of 20.
The starts in both fleet categories were incredibly close, with riders skillfully maneuvering around one another, their wings nearly overlapping. The top nine competitors in the men’s gold fleet and women’s fleet secured a coveted spot in Sunday’s Medal Series.
The remaining 53 men and 11 women will face off Sunday morning in a large and competitive Golden Ticket race.
Mixed emotions in the medal series
Kamil Manowiecki (POL), Mathis Ghio (FRA), Manon Pianazza (FRA), and Maddalena Spanu (ITA) excelled on Saturday and have secured their spots in Sunday’s finals.
Despite clinching victories in the last three races, a stunned Francesco Cappuzzo (ITA) narrowly missed a direct line to the finals, finishing third by just three-tenths of a point. Oscar Leclair (FRA) managed to claim the last spot in the medal series in ninth place.
The competition for ninth place in the women’s category was equally fierce. Iset Segura (ESP) and Orane Ceris (FRA) delivered their best performances of the event, dramatically emerging from the left side of the course in the final races to secure the 8th and 9th positions in the medal series.
“I’m unsure how to feel because I haven’t had training; I felt conflicted being in ninth, but on another hand, I’m still in the top ten globally,” shared Orane, expressing her mixed feelings about entering the medal series. “When everything aligns perfectly, it’s thrilling; I think, ‘Perhaps there’s still a chance for me in the tour. I’m not done yet.'”
Almost the world champion
The most significant development on Saturday was Ghio drawing closer to claiming the 2024 Wingfoil Racing World Champion title. He has secured his place in Sunday’s finals, and even with a fourth place finish in the finals, simply showing up at the next event in Brazil would crown him the world champion for 2024.
The French athlete has already triumphed in this year’s World Cup in Türkiye, as well as the European and World Cup events in China.
“I had a chance to become world champion by the end of today, and that added extra pressure in this gold fleet,” Ghio acknowledged, having stumbled early in the afternoon and fallen to fourth overall at one point. “My objective was to finish in the top two by day’s end; of course, winning would be the ultimate dream.”
Riders now ranked third through ninth will proceed to either the repechage, quarterfinals, or semifinals based on their rankings. Higher-ranked sailors will have fewer races to compete in to reach the finals.
Riders’ union
Sunday is a crucial day for everyone, yet the riders remain committed to this emerging discipline and stayed to exchange ideas about the future of wingfoil racing at a semi-annual riders’ summit.
“WingFoil racing is advancing rapidly, both in terms of equipment and athlete performance,” stated tour manager Marina Psychogyiou. “We are striving to adapt our World Cup format accordingly while ensuring stability and fairness. Simultaneously, we want to hear all community suggestions. It’s an exhilarating process.”
From discouraging the use of ultra-small foils exclusive to elite riders to giving competitors more influence in venue selection, Psychogyiou mentioned that a variety of insightful opinions are always gathered. “We’re incorporating feedback as part of our planning for the 2025 season and beyond.”
Despite differing opinions, it’s clear that every athlete in Cagliari is dedicated to wingfoil racing and takes this responsibility seriously.
With a full day of racing scheduled for the final day of the championship, it would be remarkable if the two Golden Ticket winners on Sunday could navigate their way through the longest route and earn a medal.
Regardless of where competitors stand on Saturday, everyone still has a shot at winning the Wingfoil Racing World Cup Italy.
Results Men:
1. Kamil Manowiecki POL
2. Mathis Ghio FRA
3. Francesco Cappuzzo ITA
4. Alessandro Jose Tomasi ITA
5. Julien Rattotti FRA
6. Nicolo Spanu ITA
7. Mateo Dussarps FRA
8. Luca Franchi ITA
9. Oscar Leclair FRA
10. Bastien Escofet FRA
Results Women:
1. Manon Pianazza FRA
2. Maddalena Spanu ITA
3. Nia Suardiaz ESP
4. Karolina Kluszcynska POL
5. Charlotte Baruzzi ITA
6. Emilia Kosti GRE
7. Marta Monge ITA
8. Iset Segura ESP
9. Orane Ceris FRA
10. Monika Mikkola FIN
