iQFoil Games Cadiz 2025

CÁDIZ SET TO HOST IQFOIL INTERNATIONAL GAMES #2

A Crucial Test For Senior, Youth & Junior Athletes

Cádiz, Spain – The vibrant waters and town of Cádiz are set to welcome some of the world’s top iQFOiL windsurfers as the iQFOiL International Games #2 takes place from March 8th to 14th, 2025. Following the thrilling opening event of the Los Angels 2028 Olympic cycle in Lanzarote, this competition will serve as a key battleground for Senior, Youth, and Junior classes, featuring over 240 athletes from around the globe. Racing starts tomorrow, March 10^th, after the Official Opening Ceremony tonight, and it will go on until Friday the 14^th, when the Medal Series will confirm the winners in the different categories.

With 44 Senior Women, 79 Senior Men, 65 U19 competitors, and 60 U17 competitors registered from 32 countries, the event will showcase the future of foiling windsurfing in one of the sport’s most competitive arenas. Among the headliners is Bronze Olympic medalist Emma Wilson (GBR 7), who recently triumphed at the iQFOiL International Games #1 in Lanzarote and will be looking to continue her winning streak in Cádiz. On the starting line with her, Sharon Kantor (ISR 390), the U23 Silver medalist in Paris 2024. In the Men fleet the Paris 2024 Silver medalist, Grae Morris (AUS 81), will start right here in Cadiz his Olympic campaign for LA2028, it will be the first time racing for him with the new equipment. With him in the Senior Fleet also Kiran Badloe (NED 9), Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion and three time World Champion, who has already competed in Lanzarote in January.

The event with combined Senior and Youth & Junior classes will be a nice chance for the younger ones to prove their worth, also in light of the new sails (8 meters for the Men and 7.3 for the Women) introduced since January.

Event Schedule:

• March 8-9: Registration & Equipment Check, Practice Race, and Opening Ceremony
• March 10-13: Opening Series Races
• March 14: Medal Series & Prize Giving Ceremony

A major highlight of the event will be the Medal Series on the final day, featuring the new race format that is being tested in these first events of 2025. Debuted in Lanzarote, the new medal series format introduces several significant updates to enhance fairness and excitement. In this revamped structure, only the top 8 athletes from the Opening Series will advance to the medal series, compared to the previous 10. The knockout system remains in place for the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals. From there, 2 more will move on to the Grand Final, which now features 4 athletes instead of 3. Notably, the top 2 athletes from the Opening Series automatically qualify for the Grand Final, with the Opening Series leader carrying forward 1 win, giving them an advantage. The ultimate champion will be crowned in the Grand Final based on the number of wins, with the first athlete to achieve 2 victories securing the title.

This event will also see the Senior fleet and the U19 comparing speed and maneuvering with the new sails. Men, both senior and U19, will now race with 8m² sails, while women (Senior and U19) will compete with newly designed 7.3m² sails. These changes aim to create a fairer playing field for athletes of all body types and ensure an easier transition from youth to senior fleets, with aligned sail sizes reducing costs and training adjustments.

Cádiz’s renowned sailing conditions, combined with a highly competitive fleet, promise an action-packed week of racing. The venue presents a unique challenge due to its technical nature – athletes will have to navigate shifting winds, powerful swells, and complex currents, all of which require constant tactical adjustments. The exposed Atlantic-facing waters of Cádiz can generate sizeable waves, especially in March, when storm systems frequently pass through. These conditions demand a high level of skills in board control and foiling technique, as managing the chop and swell becomes just as important as speed and strategy.

Adding another layer of complexity is the urban setting of Cádiz itself. The city’s surrounding structures and geography can create localized wind effects, with gusts and lulls making certain areas of the course particularly tricky to navigate. The event is also taking place during a transitional season, meaning competitors could face anything from steady thermal breezes to sudden squalls and stormy weather. This mix of elements ensures that only the most adaptable and well-prepared windsurfers will thrive, making Cádiz a true proving ground as the Olympic cycle progresses.

The regatta is held under the organization of the Andalusian Sailing Federation and the international iQFOil class, and is sponsored by the Diputación de Cádiz and the Consejería de Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, and with the collaboration of the Ayuntamiento de El Puerto de Santa María and Puerto Sherry

For updates and live coverage, follow the event on official iQFOiL social media channels and class websites.

Entry list:

https://veledepoca.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=…2b&e=a616d010dc

Photo Gallery Here

Credit ©Sailing Energy / iQFOiL

____________

For more info:

Rachele Vitello

iQFOiL Class Communications

rachele@iqfoilclass.org

von gestern


WET AND WILD DAY ONE OF

iQFOiL INTERNATIONAL GAMES #2 IN CADIZ, SPAIN

Strong winds, waves, and squalls test 240 athletes across six fleets

Cadiz, Spain, March 10th, 2025 – The opening day of the iQFOiL International Games #2 in Cadiz welcomed 240 athletes from 32 countries with extreme conditions that are expected to persist throughout the week. With winds ranging from 15 to 25 knots from the southwest, shifts up to 30 degrees, a 3 to 5-meter swell, and squalls passing over the racecourses, the Senior, U19, and U17 fleets faced a demanding start to the competition.

The Senior fleets were the first to start racing and completed four Course Races as scheduled on the course closest to the harbor. Two of the three Paris 2024 Olympic medalists are on the podium of the fleet – Bronze medalist Emma Wilson (GBR 7) leading in the Women’s division and Grae Morris (AUS 81) second in the Men’s. Emma dominated with three race wins and a second-place discard, proving her strong form following her victory in Lanzarote. The leader of the Men is Finn Hawkings (GBR 19).

In the Women’s fleet, Shahar Tibi (ISR 3) and Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216) from Israel complete the provisional podium. On the Men’s side, Noah Lyons (USA 6) holds third.

“Four good races today. I’m not entirely happy with my performance as I made some mistakes I could have avoided, but overall, the results are good. I can’t wait for tomorrow”, Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216).

“We just kicked off the regatta in Cadiz. It was a bit windy and wavy with rain squalls, and no race was the same, so you had to stay on your game. I think I held it together and stayed pretty consistent, even though I had some crashes. I need more experience in these conditions, so hopefully, there’ll be more of it tomorrow”, Grae Morris (AUS 81).

The U19 fleets headed out slightly earlier than the Seniors and went to the western course, closer to open water. With bigger waves and stronger winds, racing proved even more challenging. The U19 Boys completed four Course Races, while the U19 Girls were sent ashore after three races due to increasing wind. Yfke Van Der Meer (NED 252) dominated with three consecutive wins, followed by Zofia Zarzecka (POL 114) (two second-place finishes and a third) and Jade Boyer-Gibaud (FRA 74) (one second and two third-place finishes).

In the Boys' fleet, Kylian Manhaval (FRA 1908) was unstoppable with four straight wins. Tied on points, Robin Zeley (SUI 5) and Titouan Dizet (FRA 98) sit in second and third, respectively.

The U17 fleets were the last to hit the water in the afternoon, using the course previously raced by the Seniors. In a short and intense session, both the Boys and Girls completed four Course Races. Julia Przybyl (POL 977) claimed three victories and leads the Girls’ rankings, followed by Kalina Szostek (POL 205), who won the fourth race, and Anna Korevaar (NED 157) in third.

In the Boys’ division, Dutch sailors Finn Brüll (NED 731) and Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244) sit at the top, with Lorenzo Maroadi (ITA 16) in third.

“We had an amazing day on the water! I managed to win three races—it was crazy out there with strong winds, big waves, and great energy!”, Finn Brüll (NED 731).

“I’m happy with my day on the water! The waves and wind made it really fun, and I won three races. I’m looking forward to more racing tomorrow”, Julia Przybyl (POL 977).

With similar conditions forecasted for tomorrow in El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, the athletes will face another thrilling and demanding day on the water.

gestern aus sicht eines teilnehmers (ausschnittsweise)

- heute 4 kursrennen
- ⁠meist 18-28knoten
- ⁠2 regenschauer mit 35knoten durchs feld gezogen
- ⁠viel viel welle & dreher
- ⁠guter speed
- ⁠10 fische mitgenommen (3 crashes leider davon)

und heute aus sicht des teilnehmers
- heute 20-25 knoten
- ⁠4m welle
- ⁠keine fische
- ⁠dafür mega surfen. also wirklich surfen
- ⁠bessere starts & besser meine ideen ausführen können
- ⁠leider trotzdem von der ein oder anderen welle vom brett gefegt worden
- ⁠cut ist normalerweise erst wenns mehr als 80 leute gibt & nach tag 2

und heute offiziell


STEADY BREEZE AND SUNNIER SKIES ON DAY TWO OF iQFOiL INTERNATIONAL GAMES #2 IN CADIZ

The 240 athletes enjoyed another intense day in El Puerto de Santa Maria, with all races completed across the six fleets: Senior, U19, and U17.

El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz, March 11th, 2025 – After a wild opening day, the second day of the iQFOiL International Games #2 in Cadiz delivered slightly more forgiving conditions, yet still tested the 240 athletes on the water. The strong winds and towering waves from day one eased slightly in the morning, with 13 to 18 knots from the west, gradually building to 25 knots with shifts up to 30 in the afternoon. While some clouds passed through, the sun dominated for most of the day, creating near-perfect conditions for another round of high-energy racing. All fleets completed four races, while the U19 Women squeezed in five to make up for the one missed on day one.

Senior Fleets Tackle the Outer Course

The Senior fleet raced on the Alpha course, positioned further offshore, where the sea state was significantly rougher – waves reached up to 3 meters by the end of the day. The Men’s division opened with four course races, and Olympic silver medalist Grae Morris (AUS 81) showed his dominance, winning three and climbing to the top of the leaderboard. Finn Hawkins (GBR 19) stayed close behind with three second-place finishes, securing second overall, while Max Castelein (NED 36) put in a steady performance to hold third place.

In the Women’s fleet, Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216) was unstoppable, sweeping all four races to move in the lead with a comfortable margin over the second, Olympic bronze medalist Emma Wilson (GBR 7). Wilson had a tough day, discarding two races and posting a sixth as her best result. Daniela Peleg (ISR 2) is now tied for second, leading a strong Israeli presence, with teammates also holding fourth and fifth place.

“I really loved the conditions today, it was beautiful, quite wavy but I like that so I managed to do well most of the time. I nearly got my first Course race win, nearly, like in Lanzarote, but I was taking it too easy and Thomas Goyard (FRA 3) overtook me right before the gate to the finish. I was disappointed but I will get a win in Course eventually, it was a super good day for me”, said Max Castelein (NED 36).

“Racing today was very good for me, I have just enjoyed surfing and I had fun and had good speed, so everything worked well. I have always somehow enjoyed this conditions since I was little, but even though the weather will change I will just try and be consistent for the rest of the week”, commented Tamar Steinberg (ISR 216).

Dutch and French Lead in the U19 Fleets

Yfke Van der Meer (NED 252) was flawless in the U19 Women’s division, scoring five bullets and extending her lead to 10 points over Zofia Zarzecka (POL 114), who posted four third-place finishes. Hanna Simon (HUN 70) sits in third after a consistent day, with five seconds. Remarkably, the last four races in this fleet saw identical podiums.

In the U19 Men’s division, Kilian Manhaval (FRA 1908) retained his lead despite suffering a gear failure in the final race, which he discarded along with race five. He still managed to notch up two wins. The best performer of the day was Robin Zeley (SUI 5), who posted an impressive (2,1,1,2) scoreline, moving into second overall. Another French sailor, Titouan Dizet (FRA 98), rounds out the top three.

“Such strong winds and waves, and a nice battle with Hanna, made it for a perfect day! Winning all five races also helped to make it so special.. I think I am strong in the upwind, with the right angle and speed, hoping I will go on like this until the end of the week!”, said Yfke Van der Meer (NED 252).

“I had a good day today, winning two races, we are having great conditions in Cadiz, nice breeze, lots of sailing, I am really happy, the plan is to try to keep the lead until the Medal Series and it gives a nice advantage with the new format”, commented Kilian Manhaval (FRA 1908).

Polish Strength in U17 Women, Dutch Dominate U17 Men

The Polish team showcased its depth in the U17 Women’s fleet, with Julia Przbyl (POL 977) leading and Marta Gajdzinska (POL 429) in second. The only non-Polish sailor breaking up the streak is Anna Korevaar (NED 157), who sits in third.

In the U17 Men’s fleet, Finn Brull (NED 731) maintained his lead with three more race wins, while compatriot Merlijn Boswijk (NED 244) remains in second. František Burda (CZE 844) moves into third after a solid day on the water.

Looking Ahead: A Brief Rest Before a Massive Thursday

The forecast for tomorrow suggests a temporary break from the strong winds and rough seas, providing the athletes with some much-needed rest from survival racing conditions and giving the opportunity to have some Sprint races. However, Thursday is shaping up to be possibly the most intense day of the week, with average winds exceeding 30 knots and waves building up to 4.5 meters – another true test of skill and endurance for the iQFOiL fleet.

In der ergebnisliste vo gestern steht "SL" aber das waren sprintraces auf dem neuen U - kurs

Die wertung hab ich ned belastbar geschnallt, mmn (platzierung x2)+1 also e7n3. Platz gibt 7 punkte, ein 4. Platz gibt 9 punkte

heute brutalste bedingungen..

die herren sind 3 races gefahren, crashes, ein paar mittlere verletzungen, ein motorboot gekentert

an der luv ist erzählungen nach ein schauer durch mit 56 kn....

und das am foil mit 8,0

V.a. mit dem grossen zeug

Aber olympische klasse.... waren immer schon die zachsten