2026 LANZAROTE INTERNATIONAL iQFOiL GAMES

SHIFTING GEARS AND RISING SWELL ON DAY 2 IN LANZAROTE

Upwind Sprint racing reshapes the leaderboard as Pilloni takes the Men’s lead and Emma Wilson extends her dominance at the iQFOiL International Games

After an action-packed opening day that set the tone for a high-intensity week in Lanzarote, Day 2 of the iQFOiL International Games delivered another full schedule of racing, with evolving conditions and tactical challenges testing the world’s best windfoilers.

Today the racecourse was moved closer to the lighthouse, where sailors faced a slightly bigger swell compared to yesterday. The wind direction remained in the North / North-West quadrant, though it was lighter in the early hours. As a result, the Race Committee opened the day with a single Sprint Slalom race for the Men. As the breeze gradually built, the program shifted to Upwind Sprint racing: three races for the Men and four for the Women. These are short, fast-paced races with the fleet split into heats, featuring an upwind start that added an extra layer of complexity and rewarded precision and clean execution from the line.

In the Men’s fleet, the leaderboard saw a significant shake-up. Italy’s Federico Pilloni (U23) enjoyed an outstanding day on the water, temporarily conquering the overall lead by overtaking Great Britain’s Finn Hawkins. France’s Yun Pouliquen sits third overall, while another U23 sailor, Spain’s Nacho Baltasar, is firmly in contention just behind in fourth place.

The Women’s competition continues to be led by Emma Wilson (GBR), winner of this event last year, who further strengthened her grip on first place. With three race wins and a third today, Wilson extended her margin at the top of the standings. Another excellent day on the water sees Sharon Kantor (ISR) move into second overall, overtaking her compatriot Tamar Steinberg (ISR), now in third. Italy’s Marta Maggetti, the current Olympic gold medalist, holds fourth place, with the gap to the podium still very much within reach as the regatta progresses.

With conditions proving varied and demanding, Day 2 confirmed that consistency, adaptability and sharp starts will be decisive factors as the iQFOiL International Games in Lanzarote move deeper into the competition.

STRONGER BREEZE AND COURSE RACING

SHAKE UP THE STANDINGS ON DAY 3

Finn Hawkins regains the Men’s lead as Course Racing reshapes the rankings, while Emma Wilson continues to dominate in Lanzarote

Lanzarote, Spain, February 9th, 2026 – After two days of fast-paced Sprint formats and constantly evolving conditions, Day 3 of the iQFOiL International Games in Lanzarote marked a clear shift in intensity, as stronger breeze and classic Course Racing reshaped both strategy and the provisional rankings.

Today the wind increased and veered further to the right, settling more firmly in the North. Conditions ranged between 12 and 16 knots, with peaks close to 18, allowing the fleet to race at full power. With the wind consistently favoring the right side of the course, the strategic options were effectively reduced to a “full right” approach. This compressed the fleet into a narrow corridor, generating intense battles boat-for-boat and leaving little margin for error, especially at the starts and first crossings.

The sea state also evolved compared to the previous days. While the short, steep swell eased, sailors had to contend with long swell trains, particularly challenging on the downwind legs, where careful line choice and foil control proved decisive.

In the Women’s fleet, Emma Wilson (GBR) continues her impressive run, retaining the overall lead after three days of racing. Sharon Kantor (ISR) also holds firm in second place, confirming her consistency across a wide range of conditions. The biggest movement comes behind them, with Italy’s Marta Maggetti climbing onto the provisional podium in third place. Tamar Steinberg (ISR), who had been second after Day 1 and third after Day 2, slips just off the podium at the end of Day 3.

The Men’s leaderboard saw a significant reshuffle with the introduction of Course Racing. Great Britain’s Finn Hawkins returns to the top of the provisional standings, showing strong form in conditions that rewarded consistency and tactical discipline. France’s Nicolas Goyard, who appeared to be waiting patiently for Course Racing, delivers a solid performance to move into second place overall, now just behind the leader. Another French sailor, Yun Pouliquen, maintains his momentum and holds on to third place. After leading the ranking yesterday, Italy’s Federico Pilloni endured a challenging day and slips back to ninth overall.

With stronger breeze, tighter strategies and classic course racing now firmly in play, Day 3 confirmed that the iQFOiL International Games in Lanzarote are far from decided, setting the stage for more decisive battles as the regatta continues.

UNSTABLE BREEZE BRINGS QUALIFICATION SERIES TO A CLOSE IN LANZAROTE

Two final Course Races set the top eight as the iQFOiL International Games move into Medal Series mode

Lanzarote, February 10, 2026 - Day 4 of the iQFOiL International Games in Lanzarote, hosted at Marina Rubicon, brought another test of patience and adaptability for sailors and race officials alike. The fleet faced shifting breeze and unstable conditions that ultimately marked the end of the Qualification Series and set the stage for the upcoming Medal Series.

When the fleet arrived in the North area, a few promising gusts suggested a possible start. However, the wind quickly faded, forcing the Race Committee to relocate the entire fleet to Pechiguera North in search of more stable conditions. The move proved initially successful, with a steady northerly breeze settling in at around 15 knots.

With the wind blowing directly from the North, and thanks to the new race area location, the strategic picture opened up significantly compared to the previous days. Sailors were able to play both sides of the course, resulting in lively and well-balanced starts, with boards lining up on both port and starboard tack. Two Course Racing races were successfully completed for both the Men and the Women, rewarding tactical awareness and clean execution.

Shortly after the conclusion of the second race, conditions changed abruptly. The wind dropped suddenly and it was no longer suitable for fair racing, the Race Committee made the call to abandon further racing for the day.

With the completion of today’s races, the Qualification Series is now officially over. Attention now turns to the Medal Series, scheduled for tomorrow, where the top eight sailors in each fleet will battle it out for final positions.

The Medal Series format will see sailors ranked fifth to eighth compete in the Quarter Finals. The top two finishers from the Quarter Final will advance to the Semi Final, where they will face the sailors ranked third and fourth overall. From the Semi Final, the top two will progress to the Grand Final against the sailors ranked first and second after the Opening Series. The top two qualifiers carry one match point into the Grand Final, which will continue until one sailor reaches two match points to secure victory.

Top 8 Women

1. Emma Wilson (GBR)

2. Sharon Kantor (ISR)

3. Marta Maggetti (ITA)

4. Tamar Steinberg (ISR)

5. Palma Čargo (CRO)

6. Medea Falcioni (ITA)

7. Theresa Marie Steinlein (GER)

8. Islay Watson (GBR)

Top 8 Men

1. Finn Hawkins (GBR)

2. Nicolas Goyard (FRA)

3. Luuc Van Opzeeland (NED)

4. Johan Søe (DEN)

5. Nacho Baltasar Summers (ESP)

6. Adrien Mestre (FRA)

7. Yun Pouliquen (FRA)

8. Duncan Monaghan (GBR)

With everything now on the line, Lanzarote is ready to deliver a decisive final day as the iQFOiL International Games move into the high-pressure, head-to-head Medal Series.

LIGHT WINDS DECIDE THE FINAL DAY IN LANZAROTE

Medal Series partially completed as Finn Hawkins and Emma Wilson are crowned overall winners of the iQFOiL International Games

Marina Rubicon, Lanzarote – February 11, 2026 – The fifth and final day of the iQFOiL International Games in Marina Rubicon was dedicated to the Medal Series, but patience was required as the wind was slow to settle in the area. The top eight sailors in both the Men’s and Women’s fleets spent an extended wait ashore while the Race Committee searched for suitable conditions to launch racing.

Led by PRO Cesar Sans, the Race Committee moved across the area throughout the morning before eventually finding workable breeze close to the iconic Playa de Papagayo. The wind remained light, averaging around 7 knots, placing a premium on clean execution and tactical discipline in the decisive knock-out races.

The Men were first onto the water for the Quarter Finals. In a closely fought race, the two French sailors Yun Pouliquen and Adrien Mestre advanced to the Semi Finals, eliminating Nacho Baltasar Summers (ESP) and Duncan Monaghan (GBR).

As soon as the Men concluded their Quarter Finals, the Women began theirs. Germany’s Theresa Marie Steinlein and Italy’s Medea Falcioni secured progression to the next round, leaving Islay Watson (GBR) and Palma Čargo (CRO) out of contention.

After another waiting period on the water, conditions briefly returned to sailable levels, allowing the Men’s Semi Finals to be completed. Once again, Pouliquen and Mestre proved strongest, earning their places in the Final where they were set to meet Finn Hawkins (GBR) and France’s Nicolas Goyard. Their advance came at the expense of Denmark’s Johan Søe, winner of the 2025 edition of this event, and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Luuc Van Opzeeland (NED).

Shortly thereafter, the wind dropped definitively and racing was cancelled for the remainder of the day. As a result, the overall standings were confirmed based on the results accumulated over the week.

Great Britain’s Finn Hawkins and Emma Wilson were crowned overall winners of the iQFOiL International Games in Lanzarote. Silver medals went to Nicolas Goyard (FRA) in the Men’s fleet and Sharon Kantor (ISR) in the Women’s, while third place on the podium was claimed by Yun Pouliquen (FRA) and Italy’s Olympic Champion Marta Maggetti.

“We’ve just finished the first iQFOiL games of the year, I won the event, in the end we didn't do the Grand Final of the Medal Series, but I had a really good week and I think I was always consistent and at the top which I'm pretty happy with because it's January, the start of the new season” – commented Emma Wilson. “I wasn't trying to peak but ended up doing well and I just want to thank my coach and my training partners, I had a really good time and it's always a great event”.

“I just won the event, I had a pretty crazy week, we did start off with some Sprint slaloms, then went into some light wind Sprint Upwinds the next day, and then we finished off the week with some windy course racing and across the week I managed to keep posting good results in all the different formats and all the different conditions” – said Finn Hawkins. “Today we came out here for the Medal Series, they managed to get the Men's quarters and semis done, but unfortunately the wind is completely died out here and we didn't get the final turn, but although it's a shame I can't lie I'm very happy for winning the event!”.

Despite the light and unstable conditions on the final day, the iQFOiL International Games in Marina Rubicon delivered a full week of high-level racing, highlighting both the depth of the fleets and the adaptability of the world’s leading iQFOiL athletes.

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EVENT AT A GLANCE

Where: Marina Rubicon, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
When: 6-11 February 2026
Who: 101 athletes from 27 nations
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Image credit: Sailing Energy /iQFOiL International Class