SARDINIA SAILING CUP DAY 2
Cagliari – The Mistral wind made attendees wait during the first day, but today it has provided hours full of races that have guaranteed a great spectacle in the waters in front of the Su Siccu promenade in Cagliari, Sardinia. Wingfoil specialists, Waszp, battled it out in this first round of the Foil International Academy Trophy, the final act of the Sardinia Sailing Cup.
Su Siccu is a perfect natural grandstand for the curious and enthusiasts: anyone can admire the champions in action, get a close look at these important vessels, and appreciate the power of high technology applied to the latest generation sports.
The village inside Molo Ichnusa is also open to the public, and a large audience is expected for the Friday afternoon awards ceremony.
The second day is dedicated to the opening series. In the Waszp discipline, all 9 planned races were completed, with the 29 athletes divided into three fleets: yellow, blue, and red. In Wingfoil, the 11 athletes completed 4 races. The weather conditions, due to the Mistral, which will accompany the event until the end, today blew, though gusty, between 9 and 13 knots.
Finally, the Waszp race took place, with Francesco de Felice from Bellano leading, followed by the Swiss Hanno Seifert. Third place went to the Spaniard Pablo Astiazaran, while the fourth and fifth positions are again occupied by Italians with another from Trieste in the race, Leonardo Centuori, and the other one from Bari Francesco Carrieri.
First among men, the Sicilian Francesco Capuzzo, tied in points with the Sardinian Nicolò Spanu, third place for the Neapolitan Ernesto De Amicis, and fourth for the Englishman Raffery Read. Fifth in the overall standings and first among women, the Sardinian Maddalena Spanu, followed by another from Trieste, Maria Vittoria Marchesini and the from Garda Lake Charlotte Baruzzi.
The Foil International Academy Trophy is part of the Next Generation Foil Academy powered by Luna Rossa. The headquarters is at the Olympic Preparation Center of the Italian Sailing Federation at Molo Ichnusa in Cagliari. The athletes who have reached Sardinia come from Spain, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, various regions of Italy, Great Britain, and a representation comes from the Isle of Man.
The rich schedule of races continues tomorrow, Thursday, December 21, starting at 9:30 with the skipper meeting, and the first races are scheduled for 11:00. Already from the rankings that will emerge tomorrow afternoon, the Foil International Academy Trophy will become increasingly exciting as it heads towards the final series and the medal series, scheduled for the morning of Friday, December 22.
The award ceremony will take place on Friday, December 22, approximately around 4:00 pm, at the headquarters of the Olympic Training Center of the Italian Sailing Federation at Molo Ichnusa in Cagliari.
With the prestigious Foil Academy International Trophy, a year full of world-class nautical events for Cagliari and Sardinia comes to an end. In November, the focus was on the Inclusive Development Programme, an initiative involving athletes and coaches from different nations, who passionately dedicated themselves to Hansa 303 races, contributing to consolidating Sardinia as a reference center in the world of parasailing.
In October, Cagliari was in the spotlight, hosting a stage of the prestigious WingFoil Racing World Cup, attracting the attention of enthusiasts and industry experts. The Sardinia Sailing Cup has thus placed the city and the entire Sardinian region on an internationally renowned calendar. Throughout 2023, the waves of the competition reached distant lands such as Thailand, Abu Dhabi, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Greece, Switzerland, and Brazil, highlighting its growing global importance. Italy, with the splendid setting of Sardinia, has continued to play a leading role, demonstrating its ability to attract and host internationally significant sporting events.
The project is the result of collaboration between the Italian Sailing Federation and World Sailing, the international sailing federation. The event is funded and promoted by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, with the Department of Tourism, Handicraft, and Commerce. It takes place in collaboration with the Municipality of Cagliari.
Text & Photo Credits: Sardinia Sailing Cup
