European Windsurfer Championships 2024 at Circolo Surf Torbole - Day 3
by Elena Giolai 14 Jun 14:16 PDT
11-16 June 2024
More racing in Torbole for the European Windsurfer Championships: 5 course races for each category and a slalom race, in addition to the long distance on the first day.
Frenchman Mallaret, Italians Casagrande and Cottone, Frenchman Gautier and Italian-French Celine Bordier leading their categories.
With two days to go, the European Windsurfer Championships organised by the Circolo Surf Torbole continue with great enthusiasm on Garda Trentino. Another windy day, the third, with 14-18 knots and more slalom batteries and course races for the 203 racers, divided into the five categories, and a great job done by the Italian Sailing Federation's posaboe staff and race officials.
The weather was not the best, but the wind was blowing from mid-morning until late afternoon. By Friday, all categories had competed in five course races (with one discard) and the slalom also went all the way to the final for each group. As of now, the provisional rankings of the course race only (pending the processing of the slalom ones), see the French Nicolas Mallaret in the lead in the light category (A), with four points ahead of the Italian Marco Costagli (LNI Piombino); at a further five points Pietro Massini (SEF Stamura). In the B Medium category there was a fine duel between two great champions, Marco Casagrande from Italy and the first Olympic gold medallist in the history of windsurfing Stephan Van den Berg (Holland); third was Silvio Catalano from Italy.
Also in the medium-heavy category C a italian was in the lead, Paco Cottone followed by the two Frenchmen Bonneau and Dardashti. The first positions in the heavy (D) category were more international: in the lead was the Frenchman Gautier, second the Finn Blinnnika, third the Dutchman Van Der Ploeg, all with close scores. Leading the women's category was the French-Italian Celine Bordier, who managed to take the lead with two points ahead of the italian Bruna Ferracane (Albaria); third the Finn Blinnikka.
Saturday only course race scheduled with first start at 12 noon.